"THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI

CHAPTER 1

1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days."

I, Tikla, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father and mother; and having traveled many lands in the course of my days and seen some small afflictions, nevertheless, having been blessed exceedingly; yea, having great treasures of knowledge found in the scriptures passed down by my fathers to his seed, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Nephi: wow what a prophet! Such a humble, faithful, righteous man. It's interesting to see that as John Bytheway frequently points out that Laman and Lemuel both went to get the plates, went into the wilderness, built the ship, etc. it was all in the attitude. Nephi was a "neverthelesser" and Laman and Lemuel were "everthelessers."

One neat thing about this first verse in the book of Mormon is the first thing he mentions is his parents. What a great example of honoring parents. This verse is probably the most read verse in the entire BoM. Every time we start to read the book again we dive in to those words of Nephi, "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents" I know that he was a real person. He really did all the things mentioned in those books. What an inspiration.

The Standard of Truth

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; . . . the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

Joseph Smith Jr.

Our Deepest Fear

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

~Marianne Williamson

Bursts of Sunshine

By Louise Hurd

When you see a friend, be sure to smile;
The warmth will stay a long, long while.

And if you see a stranger, smile again.

He needs one as much as your best friend.

If he's having a discouraging day,

Like wintertime when skies are gray,
Your little smile to him will be

Like bursts of sunshine will return to you,

As all the smiles you gave away

Come back to brighten up your day.

Gems for Youth

If Necessary, Can I Be Clean Again?

"Through the infinite Atonement, God has provided a means whereby we can both overcome our sins and become completely clean again. This is made possible by the eternal law of mercy. Mercy satisfies the claims of justice through our repentance and the power of the Atonement. Without the power of the Atonement and our complete repentance, we are subject to the law of justice."

(Earl C. Tingey, "The Great Plan of Happiness," Ensign, May 2006, 72)

"When a person has gone through the process that results in what the scriptures call a broken heart and a contrite spirit, the Savior does more than cleanse that person from sin, He also give him or her new strength. That strengthening is essential for us to realize the purpose of the cleansing which is to return to our Heavenly Father. To be admitted to his presence, we must be more than clean. We must also be changed from a morally weak person who has sinned into a strong person with the spiritual stature to dwell in the presence of God. We must, as the scriptures says, '(become) a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord' (Mosiah 3:19) This is what the scripture means in its explanation that a person who has repented of his sins will 'forsake them.' (D&C 58:43.) Forsaking sins is more than resolving not to repeat them. Forsaking involves a fundamental change in the individual."

-Dallin H. Oaks

Isaiah For Airheads

by John Bytheway
August 21, 2006

THE GOSPEL DOCTRINE DISCONNECT

It's happened to all of us. We walk into Sunday School, and we see written on the blackboard: "Great are the words of Isaiah," and we think to ourselves, Oh, great . . . the words of Isaiah.
For many of us, the Isaiah chapters are just a barrier in the Book of Mormon--something we have to "get through" to get to the rest. Only the Hebrew scholars get it and understand it. There's even an old joke about an LDS soldier whose life was saved because a Book of Mormon was in his shirt pocket. When asked how such a small book could stop a bullet, the soldier replied, "Hey--nothing gets through Second Nephi."
It's kind of a sad joke because we must get through Isaiah, and not just "get through it" but enjoy it, learn from it, and be blessed by it, because Jesus really did say "Great are the words of Isaiah." In fact, he said, "A commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah" (3 Nephi 23:1; emphasis added). So this becomes really serious because to search Isaiah is one of the Savior's commandments! And if we love the Lord, as we do, then we want to keep his commandments.

WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?

So our first step is to change our attitude--rather than just "getting through" Isaiah, let's "get from" Isaiah. Let's not get bogged down, let's get fired up! We don't need to be Hebrew scholars--we are sons and daughters of God with the gift of the Holy Ghost, for crying out loud! Scriptures are a gift from God, and children of God should never be intimidated by scripture. Isaiah is not a trial, it's a treasure! The fact that you're reading this book testifies that you're eager to understand Isaiah and your heart is already prepared.
This change in our attitude makes searching Isaiah a lot more fun. Isaiah is a treasure hunt--it's a challenge--and there's a greater sense of satisfaction when you do a little detective work and can finally say, "Hey, I get this, I understand this!"
As we all know, when the Lord gives a commandment, he prepares a way. And you and I can have one of two reactions to the Lord's commandments--we can echo Laman and Lemuel, "It is a hard thing you have required of us," or we can echo Nephi, "I will go and do . . ." (1 Nephi 3:5-7). Nephi brought these chapters to us at the peril of his life, and we'll probably have to answer to him and to the Lord if we just skip them.
Remember too that Jesus' book list is short. How many books has He actually commanded us to read? His book list is a lot shorter than Oprah's. He has not commanded us to see every movie, watch every game, or read every book on The New York Times bestseller list. His reading list is sorted by author, not by sales. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). The books he has commanded us to read and search were all written by God through his prophets.

"AND THEY SAID OF THEIR INSTRUCTOR, BEHOLD, HIS HEAD IS AN EMPTY VOID, AND OUT OF HIS EARS LEAKETH MUCH AIR"

As a new Book of Mormon instructor at BYU, when I got to the Isaiah chapters, I would just start with the first chapter and plow on through, explaining what I knew as I went. Sometimes students would ask thoughtful, serious, and wonderful questions. More often, after a particularly difficult Isaiah passage, they'd ask very pointed questions, like, "What does that mean?"
These students (or more likely their parents) paid tuition, and they wanted to know. C'mon "professor" Bytheway, what does that mean? (I'd quickly explain that I wasn't a professor, just an instructor, as if that would satisfy them.) At times, I felt like a complete airhead. And that's why I've entitled this book "Isaiah for Airheads," which is a commentary on my brain, not yours.
Sometimes, after our class discussion, my students would walk out the door muttering, "I'm still as confused as ever," to which I would reply, nodding wisely, "Yes, but now we're confused on a higher level and about more important things."

"FOREST? WHAT FOREST? I DON'T SEE A FOREST IN HERE, JUST A BUNCH OF TREES. . ."

Later, I realized that this "plow-through-the-Isaiah-chapters" approach was like "missing the forest for the trees." We use that expression to describe someone who's so caught up in the details that they miss the larger picture. After teaching the Isaiah chapters a few times, I began to notice some prominent themes (this is one of the great benefits of teaching--the teacher often learns more than the student). I began to see the forest of Isaiah, and it was beautiful. I began to notice grand, important, and recurring themes that helped me better understand the words of this great prophet. I noticed what may have prompted the Book of Mormon prophets to quote Isaiah passages, and why. Now, after a decade of teaching, I look forward to these chapters, and I love watching my students experience "a-ha!" moments as we "get through" Second Nephi.
Now, a disclaimer. I wish that I could say, "After reading this book, you'll understand Isaiah." But that's not possible. Isaiah is not a freebie--it's not a no-brainer--even scholars disagree on the meaning of the things Isaiah said. Perhaps the Lord doesn't want it to be easy. Someone once said, "What we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly." I suppose you've got to pay the price to obtain some blessings, but that's okay. We like blessings, and we're not afraid of work, as evidenced by the fact that we've turned off the TV and we're reading a book.

SCENIC BYWAY AHEAD . . .

Let's map out what we're going to do in the rest of this book: We're going to take a whirlwind tour through what we'll call, "Isaiah National Forest." How should we approach our visit to such an intimidating, expansive area?
Good question. Suppose we were to take a tour of a real forest, Yellowstone National Forest for example. As our bus takes the first "Scenic View" exit, how strange it would be for us to get out of the bus, run up to an individual tree, examine one or two of the leaves from a distance of two inches, then sprint back to the bus and tell the driver, "We're through here--Scenic Pulloff #2, and step on it!"
Yet this is the way many of us experience Isaiah National Forest. We hear one or two passages in a class, mention one or two passages in a talk, without ever stopping to get the big picture. This kind of "drive by" scripture study never allows us to enjoy the view, to survey the landscape as a whole, or to see the colors and context of Isaiah National Forest.
So, before we get on the bus, we'll become acquainted with Isaiah's "Four Guides," "Four Trees," and "Four Keys." I'll also give you "Four Kingdoms" and "Four Events" to consider, which will give you a sense of the historical context in which these chapters were written. With these tools, we'll have all the equipment we'll need for our journey. Then, we'll take a broader look at each Isaiah chapter in the Book of Mormon and using our tools, we'll look for ways to understand them and apply them to our day.

See book "Isaiah For Airheads" by John Bytheway

Religions 101: A Beginner's Guide to How It All Started

by John Bytheway
July 13, 2005

Why Are There So Many Churches?

Obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion. —D&C 93:53

I'm not afraid to admit it. When I was in eighth grade I took a Home Economics class. Yup. A class about sewing and cooking. Some friends of mine wanted to take it, and when I asked them why, they said, "Because you get to eat." That did it for me. I love to eat. The only problem was that we had to eat our own cooking. Gross.
Eighth grade Home Economics stands out in my memory not because of our gourmet dishes, but because of the friendly but spirited discussions we always had at our table as we sat down to consume our "burnt offerings." There were four of us, three Latter-day Saints and a Presbyterian. We were good friends and remained good friends throughout high school. My Presbyterian friend knew so much. Sometimes I felt like he knew more about my church than I did. When he would ask about our beliefs on certain things, I was forced to rely on the vast knowledge in my eighth-grade brain. I knew many answers, but I really became curious about the larger picture. Why are there so many churches, anyway? Where did they all come from? I didn't know. Who was Martin Luther? Who was John Calvin? I didn't know. What about Catholics, or Methodists, or Baptists, or Lutherans? When did all those churches start, and how do they fit into the overall picture? I didn't know. In fact, I didn't have a clue.
Knowledge is power, and I was powerless. Answers to all these questions were available without charge from my Dad's own library, but they required an action that causes many people great physical and emotional discomfort—turning off the TV, and opening up a book. (Fortunately for you, this is no problem; you're already reading a book.) I knew that the scriptures would increase my testimony, but I had no idea that my testimony could grow by leaps and bounds if I studied a not-so-popular school subject . . . can I say it? . . . History. Yes, HISTORY!
Well, I studied, and boy, did I learn. Would you like to know what I found out? Because I'd love to tell you. Get comfortable in your chair and enjoy. And if you have a friendly discussion group like I had in eighth grade Home Economics, now you'll have a little more power to answer! I'm excited to share this information with you, because I can almost guarantee that you will say to yourself "I didn't know that" about fifteen times. Isn't it exciting to know that in a few more minutes (the time it will take to read this chapter), you'll know fifteen things you didn't know before? That is the unique thrill of discovery. May it be a lifelong pursuit for you, my friend.
Okay, let's get to work. We're going to have to review a few basics, but you'll see later on why it's important. Get your scriptures, and accompany me through the New Testament church, the Great Apostasy, the Dark Ages, the Reformation, and the Restoration.

The New Testament Church: 30 A.D. to 325 A.D.

Jesus came to earth, organized his church, and ordained twelve apostles. But what would happen if one of the apostles was killed? Would they replace him? As you know, in about 30 A.D. Jesus was crucified, then was resurrected three days later. He stayed with the apostles for a time and then ascended to heaven. Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, committed suicide. This left only eleven apostles. The remaining apostles met to fill the vacancy:

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24- 26) Apparently, the Lord wanted the organization to continue with twelve apostles, not eleven. Notice also that the apostles did not choose a new apostle without the Lord's help, but they prayed for inspiration to ensure that the new member would be called of God, as they were. Hebrews 5:4 states, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron" (see also John 15:16).

Since Old Testament times, prophets had known that the day would come when the true gospel would not be on the earth. There would be a "falling away," or an "apostasy."

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

God knew that this apostasy would take place, and had prepared for the gospel to be restored. Peter told the Jews:

He shall send Jesus Christ, . . . whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:20- 21; emphasis added)

Restitution means "restoration" (of course, something must be lost before it can be restored). Many believed that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would be very soon after his resurrection and ascension. Paul wrote to them and said:

Be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3; emphasis added)

Interestingly, the phrase translated into English as "falling away" comes from the Greek word apostasia. After Jesus was resurrected, he told the apostles, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). This the apostles did, and except for John they were all killed. John Foxe's Book of Martyrs accounts for the death of the apostles as follows: Peter was crucified head downward at Rome, James (the son of Zebedee) was beheaded, John was banished to the Isle of Patmos, Bartholomew was beaten, crucified, and then beheaded. James (the son of Alphaeus) was stoned and beaten to death. Matthew was slain with a halberd. Andrew, Simon (Zelotes), Thaddeus, and Philip were crucified. Thomas was killed with a spear. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded. Paul was beheaded in Rome by Nero.
The apostle John was taken out of the ministry, and nothing is heard of him after about 101 A.D. Elder Mark E. Petersen explains that John was not permitted to remain in Patmos because wickedness had nearly taken over the church. Doctrines and ordinances were changed, authority was ignored, and sin became rampant, even among the members of the church (Mark E. Petersen, Which Church Is Right? [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1974], 12).
False teachers and false doctrines arose. This is confirmed in the writings of Eusebius, an ancient historian who lived about 260- 339 A.D.

The Church continued until then [close of the first century] as a pure and uncorrupt virgin, whilst if there were any at all that attempted to pervert the sound doctrine of the saving gospel, they were yet skulking in dark retreats: but when the sacred choir of Apostles became extinct and the generation of those that had been privileged to hear their inspired wisdom had passed away, then also the combinations of impious errors arose by the fraud and delusions of false teachers. These also as there were none of the apostles left, henceforth attempted without shame, to preach their false doctrines against the gospel truth (Eusebius of Caesaria, as quoted in B. H. Roberts, The Falling Away [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1931], 29; emphasis added).

A modern historian (non-LDS) agrees with Eusebius that the death of the apostles marked the beginning of the apostasy:

With the close of the New Testament records, and the death of the last surviving apostle, the history of the church passes from its sacred to its purely human phase. The miraculous gifts which attested the Divine mission of the apostles ceased; not indeed by any formal record of their withdrawal, but by the clear evidence that they were possessed no longer (Dr. Phillip Smith, as quoted in Roberts, The Falling Away, 83.).

During the next two centuries, the church drifted without direction. Horrible government-sponsored persecutions were inflicted on the Christians, and they were forced underground (literally underground, into the catacombs beneath Rome!). The simple and pure doctrines of the gospel were changed and mixed with pagan religions (Greek and Roman mythology) and the philosophies of men. Disagreements arose on many doctrines, including the proper way to baptize and the nature of God.
In the middle of the third century, a man named Cyprian, who was the Bishop of Carthage, baptized by sprinkling instead of immersion when the person being baptized had some physical weakness. Sprinkling baptism caught on and became a widely accepted practice. A few centuries later, the practice of baptizing infants began (See James E. Talmage, The Great Apostasy [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1968], 118-119).

The Great Apostasy: 325 A.D. to 1045 A.D.

Persecutions continued, but Christianity would not go away. The emperor of Rome at the time, Constantine, decided to recognize Christianity as a legal religion. Constantine called a council for all the Bishops in the world in 325 A.D. to resolve several issues, including a disagreement about the nature of God. Some, swayed by the influence of Greek philosophy, argued that the Father and the Son were of the same substance, and others believed they were separate individuals. The council, which was convened in a place called Nicaea, came up with a statement of beliefs that became known as the Nicene Creed. By vote, and with some pressure from Constantine, the doctrine of the Trinity emerged. That doctrine states that there are three persons in the Godhead who make up one God; and that God the Father and Jesus Christ are not only one in purpose, but one in person. The doctrine of the Trinity was basically a product of debate and compromise. There was no revelation, no authority, no attempt at inspiration.
Thus we can see that only a few centuries after Christ, the apostasy was essentially complete. Priesthood leadership and authority were lost, the nature of God was changed by vote, the mode of baptism was altered, and Constantine, an "uninspired, unbaptized sun-worshiper who committed murder within his own family," was appointing new Bishops (Petersen, Which Church Is Right?, 12). Constantine's plan to unite the empire was successful, and the new state-sponsored church would eventually be called the "universal" or "Catholic" church. It is important to recognize that the Catholic Church did not cause the apostasy. From our point of view, they simply inherited it.
That was essentially the only Christian church in existence for several centuries, its history characterized by power struggles, rivalries, and corruption. A historian describing these years said:

It seemed impossible that things could become worse; yet Rome had still to see Benedict IX, A.D. 1033, a boy of less than twelve years, raised to the apostolic throne. Of this pontiff, one of his successors, Victor III, declared that his life was so shameful, so foul, so execrable, that he shuddered to describe it. He ruled like a captain of banditti rather than a prelate. The people at last, unable to bear his adulteries, homicides and abominations any longer, rose up against him. In despair of maintaining his position, he put up the papacy to auction. It was bought by a presbyter named John, who became Gregory VI, A.D. 1045 (John William Draper, quoted in Roberts, The Falling Away, 83).

The Dark Ages: 1045 A.D. to 1440 A.D.

The church had changed from a persecuted church to a persecuting church. More basic doctrines were altered. Instead of a worship service where the members participated, the Mass became more of a performance with much mystery and ceremony. In the year 1054, centuries-old rivalries concerning the city from which the church should be governed resulted in the split of the church into the Roman Catholic Church, with headquarters in Rome, and the Greek Orthodox Church, with headquarters in Constantinople, Greece.
The western church developed faster than the eastern church. The Roman church filled Europe but was ruled from Rome. Those who disagreed with the doctrines or practices of the church were called heretics and were usually tortured and killed. Not surprisingly, these many centuries when the "Light of the World" was gone are referred to by almost all historians as the "Dark Ages."
Very few copies of the scriptures were in existence. Books had to be copied by hand and were very expensive. The church actually discouraged reading the scriptures, reserving that right for the clergy only. In about 1440, the printing press was invented. This meant that copies of the scriptures would be more available. You would think that this advance would be welcomed by the clergy, but interestingly enough, the church was violently opposed to the development of printing. Elder Bruce R. McConkie states:

Few tools were more effective than printing in paving the way for the great revival of learning, for the religious reformation, and for the breaking away of peoples and nations from religious domination. Without the discovery of movable type in about 1440 A.D. the barrier of gross darkness covering the apostate world could scarce have been pierced. One of the first books published was the Gutenberg Bible in 1456 A.D.
Perhaps no important discovery in world history ever faced such intense and bitter opposition as arose over the use and spread of printing. Civil and ecclesiastical tyrants feared the loss of their ill-held and evilly-exercised powers should knowledge and truth be made available to people generally. "We must root out printing," said the Vicar of Croydon from his pulpit, "or printing will root us out" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd Ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1979], 716).

The Reformation: 1440 A.D. to 1830 A.D.

Despite the opposition, printing flourished, and the scriptures were read by an ever-increasing number of people. There was a great revival of learning and of the arts. This period marks the end of the Dark Ages and is often called the renaissance (meaning "rebirth").
At this point we begin to see the hand of the Lord preparing the world for the "restitution of all things" spoken of by Peter. In 1492, Christopher Columbus set off to find a shorter route to India. This event is prophesied in the Book of Mormon:

And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. (1 Nephi 13:12)

Did Christopher Columbus know that the Spirit was working on him? Let's see what he says:

Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?

As time passed, more and more people were studying the scriptures, and more and more people were asking questions. (Isn't it interesting what happens when people read their scriptures?) A monk and university professor named Martin Luther became concerned about certain abuses and practices in the church. In 1517, he prepared a list of 95 theses (subjects for debate) and nailed it to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
The Catholic church did not appreciate Luther's complaining, and eventually he was forced into hiding. If Luther had not had friends in high places, he probably would have been killed, as were many others who protested against the church. Luther hid himself away and continued to write. Some agreed with Luther; others opposed him. King Henry VIII of England published a book in defense of the church for which he was awarded the title "Defender of the Faith," a title still carried by British kings. Luther gained a following, and his movement eventually resulted in the formation of a "new" church called the Lutheran Church. Martin Luther "protested," and is recognized as the first "protestant." His movement marks the beginning of the Reformation. Actually, it was not Luther's original intent to form a new church; he just wanted to reform the old one. He said:

I have sought nothing beyond reforming the Church in conformity with the Holy Scriptures. The spiritual powers have been not only corrupted by sin, but absolutely destroyed; so that there is now nothing in them but a depraved reason and a will that is the enemy and opponent of God. I simply say that Christianity has ceased to exist among those who should have preserved it (As quoted in The Falling Away and Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Foretold [Salt Lake City, The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints]).

Tension had been mounting for some time between the church in Rome and the governments of some European nations. Some of the taxes collected by these governments were sent to Rome. Tensions reached a peak in England when, in 1529, King Henry VIII wanted a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon. The pope would not give Henry a divorce. So, in 1535, parliament declared Henry VIII the supreme head of the church in England. Thus, Henry VIII became head of both church and state in England, giving him the authority to grant his own divorce. Some in the church in England refused to recognize this action, and Henry had many of them executed. Ties with the Roman church were formally broken, and the Church of England—also called the Anglican church, and in America the Episcopalian church—was born.
Another group, observing that in the scriptures baptism was performed only for those capable of repenting, was eventually formed into a church by John Smyth in 1609. This group performed baptisms first by pouring and later by immersion. Others referred to them as "Anabaptists" or re-baptizers. Persecutions raged against them, and many Anabaptists were publicly drowned. The Anabaptists are seen by many as the beginning of the Baptist movement.
Just eleven years later, in 1620, the Mayflower set sail for America, its passengers in search of religious freedom. Seven ancestors of Joseph Smith were on board.
In 1639, in Providence, Rhode Island, a Puritan minister named Roger Williams founded the first Baptist church in America. In this remarkable statement, we see that Williams knew that a reformation of religion was not enough—a restoration was needed:

There is no regularly constituted church on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking (Roger Williams, quoted in Legrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 27).

John Calvin and John Knox were the forces behind the protestant movement called Presbyterianism, which was formed about 1649. The word Presbyterian refers to a representative form of church government. In Greek, presbyteros means elder. Calvin and Knox formed a church government similar to that which had been practiced in the first century. That is how the Presbyterian church came into existence.
John and Charles Wesley were brothers who attended Oxford University in England. They formed the "Holy Club," but were nicknamed "methodists" by the student body because of their strict and methodical rules of conduct in their club meetings. John Wesley did not intend to organize a new church, but gained many followers after he began to preach in about 1738. The first Methodist church in America was formally established in 1784. How did John Wesley feel about traditional Christianity? He explains:
It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the Church for more than two or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian. . . . From this time they almost totally ceased. . . . The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the other heathens. . . . This was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian Church; because the Christians were turned Heathen again, and had only a dead form left.
In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed, starting the wheels in motion for America to be self-governing. The writer of the Declaration was Thomas Jefferson. (His face is on the nickel in your pocket—unless you're from Canada.) Read what Jefferson has to say and ask yourself if he was inspired:

The religion builders have so distorted and deformed the doctrines of Jesus, so muffled them in mysticisms, fancies and falsehoods, have caricatured them into forms so inconceivable, as to shock reasonable thinkers. . . . Happy in the prospect of a restoration of primitive Christianity, I must leave to younger persons to encounter and lop off the false branches which have been engrafted into it by the mythologists of the middle and modern ages. Men like Luther, Calvin, and Wesley all had a portion of the Spirit of God. We remember the reformers as noble men who sought to benefit mankind. Their efforts put the scriptures into the hands of common people, and people who read the scriptures do uncommon things.

William Tyndale, who translated the Bible into English in 1526, said to those who opposed his work, "If God spare my life, . . . I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scripture than thou dost."
Speaking of the reformers, President Thomas S. Monson said:

Such were the teachings and lives of the great reformers. Their deeds were heroic, their contributions many, their sacrifices great—but they did not restore the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Of the reformers one could ask, "Was their sacrifice in vain? Was their struggle futile?" I answer with a resounding "No!" The Holy Bible was now within the grasp of the people. Each man could better find his way. Oh, if only all could read and all could understand. But some could read, and others could hear; and every man had access to God through prayer.

The Restoration: 1820 to the Present

Only fourteen years after the Bill of Rights was ratified in the newly independent United States, guaranteeing religious freedom, a boy was born in Sharon, Vermont. There is not room to retell the story here; please put this book down and read it for yourself in Joseph Smith—History in the Pearl of Great Price.
In short, young Joseph, a "boy that driveth the plough," became confused by the many religions that argued and contended one with another. After reading and pondering the fifth verse in the first chapter of James, he decided to "ask of God." His question was not, "Is there a true church?" Apparently, he thought one of them might be true. His question was, "Which one should I join?" In response to Joseph's prayer, the heavens were opened and Father in Heaven once again spoke to his children on the earth. Later, other heavenly messengers visited the earth, including John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John. The true nature of God as a literal Father in Heaven was revealed, priesthood power with the authority to baptize was restored, and a "voice from the dust," the Book of Mormon, containing the "everlasting gospel," was brought forth by an angel (see Revelation 14:6). All things that had been altered or lost were restored.
The excitement of the Restoration is captured in the words of a favorite Latter-day Saint hymn:
The Spirit of God like a fire is burning,

The latter-day glory begins to come forth.

The visions and blessings of old are returning,

And angels are coming to visit the earth!

(Hymns, no. 2)

You, my friend, as you've been told so many times, are part of the Restoration. This is your great spiritual heritage and mission! But we'll come back to that later. Let's get back to our original question.

Why Are There So Many Churches?

Originally, there was the church of Jesus Christ. But, as prophesied, the church was taken from the earth. People were left to interpret the scriptures without the aid of a prophet. The philosophies of men corrupted the pure doctrines of Christ, and the church fell into apostasy and into the Dark Ages. At the close of the Dark Ages, "the spirit of inspiration rested upon [the reformers]," said Elder Bruce R. McConkie, "causing them to rebel against the religious evils of the day and seek to make the Bible and other truth available to all who would receive such." The Reformation resulted in many different churches all trying to return to the pure doctrine of Christ. However, none of them had the proper authority, and most of them retained ideas and philosophies from the Roman church, which had been corrupted centuries earlier.

Why Do We Say We Are the Only True Church?

Because that's what Jesus Christ called us: "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (D&C 1:30). Not only the true church, but the only true and living church. It is living because he lives, and he is the head of it. Under his guidance and direction, his church was re-established on the earth. A reformation wasn't enough. A restoration was needed.
We make a lot of enemies with our contention that there is only one true church, and we need to be careful. We must always recognize that there are wonderful, Christlike people who are honest in heart who are members of other churches, or not members of any church at all. "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may" (11th Article of Faith).
Coupled with this belief is the mission given to the original apostles that has been given again in our day: "Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (D&C 68:8). President George Albert Smith helps us understand the attitude we should have toward our friends of other faiths:
Today as I stand here, I realize that in this city, in the Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist, the Baptist, the Episcopalian, and the other churches, I have brothers and sisters that I love. They are all my Father's children. He loves them and he expects me and he expects you, to let our lights so shine that these other sons and daughters of his, seeing our good works, will be constrained to accept all the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. How have others reacted to our claim of being the only true church? Some of the responses are quite interesting. Orson F. Whitney relates this experience:

Many years ago a learned man, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, came to Utah and spoke from the stand of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. I became well-acquainted with him, and we conversed freely and frankly. A great scholar, with perhaps a dozen languages at his tongue's end, he seemed to know all about theology, law, literature, science and philosophy. One day he said to me: "You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don't even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only one other tenable in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Catholic Church. The issue is between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, you are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that's all there is to it. The Protestants haven't a leg to stand on. For, if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us; while if we are right, they are apostates whom we cut off long ago. If we have the apostolic succession from St. Peter, as we claim, there is no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism's attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days."

From what we have already seen, many of the reformers were convinced of the apostasy, at least to some degree. How would they respond to the message of the Restoration? How would the Founding Fathers respond? The Founding Fathers did respond! Wilford Woodruff reports:

I will here say, before closing, that two weeks before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, "You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God." These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they waited on me for two days and two nights. I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them. The thought never entered my heart, from the fact, I suppose, that heretofore our minds were reaching after our more immediate friends and relatives. I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon Brother McCallister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all, including John Wesley, Columbus, and others; I then baptized him for every President of the United States, except three; and when their cause is just, somebody will do the work for them.

Would You Have Accepted Jesus?

At times I have pondered about living in the days of Jesus. I've wondered if I would have been open-minded enough to believe in him, or if I would have been skeptical and hard-hearted like the scribes and Pharisees. I find great comfort in this statement of Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

Who will honor the name of Joseph Smith and accept the gospel restored through his instrumentality?
We answer: The same people who would have believed the words of the Lord Jesus and the ancient Apostles and prophets had they lived in their day.
If you believe the words of Joseph Smith, you would have believed what Jesus and the ancients said.
If you reject Joseph Smith and his message, you would have rejected Peter and Paul and their message.

Yes, you would have accepted Jesus because you have believed Joseph Smith. Moroni told the Prophet Joseph that his "name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues" (Joseph Smith-History 1:33). Although not everyone has accepted Joseph Smith as a prophet, many have marveled at his influence. A writer from the New York Herald visited Joseph Smith and published this in 1842:

Joe Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest characters of the age. He indicates as much talent, originality and moral courage as Mahomet, Odin or any of the great spirits that have hitherto produced revolutions of past ages. . . . While modern philosophy, which believes in nothing but what you can touch, is overspreading the Atlantic States, Joe Smith is creating a spiritual system, combined also with morals and industry, that may change the destiny of the race.

The London Morning Chronicle published this in 1851:

It cannot be denied that Joseph Smith was one of the most extraordinary persons of his time, a man of rude genius, who accomplished a much greater work than he knew; and whose name, whatever he may have been whilst living, will take its place among the notabilities of the world.

The Count Leo Tolstoy once said, "If Mormonism is able to endure unmodified until it reaches the third and fourth generation, it is destined to become the greatest power the world has ever known."
Wow. My "academic" testimony continues to grow as I study the apostasy and the Restoration. An academic testimony is based on things you believe because they make sense—because they're logical. Once you learn about those things, you can pray about them and gain a spiritual testimony. And here's the exciting part: the more you learn (academic), the more the Spirit can confirm to your heart (spiritual). Or, you can sit around, watch TV and read comics, and wonder if you have a testimony. I know you won't do that, because you're reading a book right now! Read on, my friend, read on!
I give my witness of the Restoration. The gospel is true. The Holy Ghost testifies of it, and so does history. We are privileged to be here during this time. We are part of the Restoration, and we're not here by accident! This means we have a great responsibility. President Ezra Taft Benson tells us of our task:

For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming. Every previous gospel dispensation has drifted into apostasy, but ours will not. . . . God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphant.

And that is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God. I hope this has helped to answer some of your questions. I wish I had known more about these things when I was in high school! The scriptures tell us to "obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion" (D&C 93:53). Knowledge is power, and there is so much to learn! Dare to be different, turn off the TV, get into the "best books," especially the scriptures and the writings of the living prophets, and prepare for your role in the final days before the Second Coming (see D&C 88:79, 118; 90:15).

Don't Come Down from Your Mountain!

A Lesson from the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon
by John Bytheway
April 23, 2004

ALMA 46-47!
Amalickiah conspires to be king—Moroni raises the title of liberty—He rallies the people to defend their religion—True believers are called Christians—A remnant of Joseph shall be preserved—Amalickiah and the dissenters flee to the land of Nephi—Those who will not support the cause of freedom are put to death. Amalickiah uses treachery, murder, and intrigue to become king of the Lamanites—The Nephite dissenters are more wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites (ALMA 46-47 HEADNOTES).

The story in these chapters has a "major lesson" that is one of my favorites in all of the war chapters. Fasten your seatbelts, readers; we're going in.
Business philosopher Jim Rohn once taught, "If your name ever appears in a book, make sure that it's an example, not a warning" (The Art of Exceptional Living [New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994], audiocassette). The name Amalickiah appears in the Book of Mormon as a warning, and it is forever associated with these chilling verses: "Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one. Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men" (Alma 46:8-9).
Amalickiah was slick. Just reading about this guy gives me the creeps. He was flattering, cunning, and treacherous, and he didn't mind killing people to get what he wanted. Amalickiah was a Nephite who caused all kinds of problems because of his political ambitions. (As mentioned before, Nephite apostates caused more problems for the Nephites than the Lamanites did.) Amalickiah just couldn't wait to be king, and he had the support of many of the lower judges who, unlike Captain Moroni, were also "seeking for power" (Alma 46:4).

Kings Are a Royal Pain

The Nephites had lived under the inspired system of judges for nineteen years, but now, some of the people wanted a change. Why would they want a change in the government? Was there something wrong with the judge system? No. It promoted freedom and liberty, and it controlled ambition with built- in checks and balances. But governments are only good when the people are good. As founding father John Adams observed, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" (in America's God and Country, comp. William J. Federer [Coppell, Texas: FAME Publishing, 1994], 10-11).
Amalickiah and his followers were not moral or religious, as evidenced by the fact that they "would not hearken to the words of Helaman and his brethren" (Alma 46:1). Having Amalickiah as king of the Nephites would have been disastrous.
Observation: King Benjamin and King Mosiah were righteous kings, and when Jesus comes again we'll have a righteous king. But both the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament describe the problems of having a king. The ancient Israelites wanted a king, and when Samuel brought their request before the Lord, the Lord responded, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them" (1 Samuel 8:7). Alma the Elder taught, "If it were possible that ye could always have just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king" (Mosiah 23:8). Alma, as you recall, served under wicked King Noah and was personally affected and nearly destroyed by his wickedness. The problem is, kings and their successors often become dictators. When the Jaredites arrived in the promised land, they wanted a king too, which caused the brother of Jared to make this prophetic observation: "Surely this thing leadeth into captivity" (Ether 6:23). Surely it did.
That's the problem—what if your king becomes unrighteous? What if he becomes a dictator? How do you kick him out? He probably won't want to leave, so he'll have to be forced out.

Next on Headline News

Removing an unjust king is difficult, to say the least. Notice how much these verses from King Mosiah remind us of world events in the latter days.
And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood. For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God;
And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness (Mosiah 29:21- 23).
Does that remind you of a situation that's been in the news for the past couple of years? Perhaps that's why Hugh Nibley once said, "Wo to the generation that understands the Book of Mormon!" (An Approach to the Book of Mormon, in The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, 3d ed., 14 vols. [Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah: Deseret Book and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1988], 6:119).

Place Reminders of Your Covenants Everywhere

Captain Moroni was well aware of the risks of having a king. Responding to the movement of Amalickiah and his supporters, Moroni "rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole" and called it "the title of liberty" (Alma 46:12-13).
Moroni understood perfectly the oft- repeated promise of the Book of Mormon that if the children of Lehi kept the commandments they would prosper in the land (1 Nephi 4:14). He knew that if their system crumbled, they would have no one to blame but themselves. Moroni proclaimed, "Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions" (Alma 46:18).
Captain Moroni went from place to place inviting the people to accept the title of liberty by covenant and to fight if necessary to maintain liberty in their lands. Meanwhile, "Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites" (Alma 46:29). When Amalickiah read the headlines, he said, "We're outta here." He then took his followers and fled into the wilderness. Because Moroni knew that Amalickiah would strengthen the Lamanites, he ordered a pursuit. Unfortunately, Amalickiah escaped, but some of his followers were brought back and given the opportunity to "enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom" (Alma 46:35). Oddly enough, a few actually refused, preferring to die rather than to maintain a free government—kind of a "Give me bondage or give me death" situation!
Captain Moroni "caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower" (Alma 46:36). Towers appear to be the modern media of that time, and they reminded the Nephites in all parts of the land of their covenants. Imagine what a different world we would have today if our media reminded us of our covenants rather than persuade us to abandon them.
Mini Lesson: We too can place reminders of our covenants everywhere. President Spencer W. Kimball counseled families to display pictures of the temple in their homes to remind youth of their goal to be temple worthy and to remind parents of their temple covenants. The way we dress, the way we talk, the modern media with which we surround ourselves should all be reminders and supporters of our covenants. As someone once said, "Be careful how you act—you may be the only standard work some people will ever read!"

They'll be Coming Down the Mountain When They Come

Amalickiah and his followers escaped into the land of Nephi (where the Lamanites lived) and immediately began to incite the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites, which is exactly what Moroni thought might happen. The king of the Lamanites was easily persuaded and made a proclamation that the armies of the Lamanites should prepare to attack the Nephites.
The larger part of the Lamanite army, however, was afraid of attacking the Nephites and ran away. Amalickiah was given charge of the smaller part of the army that was willing to attack the Nephites and was ordered to compel the rest of the army to fight. Those who didn't want to fight appointed a man named Lehonti to be their leader, and they "gathered themselves together upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas" (Alma 47:7).
Amalickiah sent a secret embassy up the mountain to invite Lehonti to come down and speak with him, but Lehonti refused. Twice more Amalickiah invited Lehonti for a chat, but the people of Lehonti were "fixed in their minds with a determined resolution that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites" (Alma 47:6). Finally, when Amalickiah was convinced "that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount," he decided that he would go up, "nearly to Lehonti's camp" (Alma 47:12).
Okay, now listen with your spiritual ears. On his fourth try, Amalickiah invited Lehonti to come down "just a little" and to keep his guards with him if he felt unprotected. Lehonti finally agreed. Then, lying through his traitorous teeth, Amalickiah said, "Hey, I'm not really your enemy. I'm your friend." Amalickiah told Lehonti that he didn't want to battle with his reluctant armies. He had a better plan.
Amalickiah suggested that Lehonti bring his army down in the nighttime and surround Amalickiah's army while his men slept. Amalickiah said that when his army awoke and saw themselves surrounded, they would surrender, and the entire Lamanite army would be united again—just one big happy army. In exchange for his surrender, Amalickiah would be appointed "second leader," and Lehonti would take command of the entire force. The plan worked, and Amalickiah became second in command. However, Amalickiah's clever scheme was just getting started. He didn't tell the whole truth to Lehonti—he had only shared the first part of his plan.
Question: How does one who is second in command become first in command?
Answer: He removes the commander.
Oops! Lehonti should never have come down from his mountain. He was in grave danger, and he didn't even know it. The murderous "Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died" (Alma 47:18). Amalickiah pulled it off. He was now first in command of the entire Lamanite army.
But Amalickiah still had not completed his evil plans. He marched back to the king of the Lamanites with the entire army, and while the king was welcoming the servants of Amalickiah, one of them "stabbed the king to the heart" (Alma 47:24). Immediately Amalickiah's servants accused the king's own servants of committing the crime. Eventually Amalickiah won over the king's widow and became the king of the Lamanites! Can you believe this?
"And thus by his fraud, and by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the kingdom" (Alma 47:35). Originally he wanted to rule over the Nephites. Now he was ruling over the Lamanites. But he wasn't done yet.

"Is There Not a Type in This Thing?"

Do you know what a scriptural type is? You've probably learned about it in seminary, but if you don't know yet, you will. Here's a quick example: Moses was a type of Christ. Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage, through the waters of the Red Sea, to mount Sinai, and to the promised land. Similarly Jesus led the children of Israel out of bondage (spiritual bondage), through the waters of baptism, to the mountain of the Lord (the temple), and into the celestial kingdom. The scriptures are full of types. In fact, Nephi taught that "all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of [Christ]" (2 Nephi 11:4).
When I first started studying the story of Amalickiah, I wondered if Amalickiah could be considered as a type of Satan. Now I've gone to the other extreme. I think that Amalickiah as a type of Satan is pretty hard to miss. Amalickiah's rise to power and his escape from Nephite society remind us of Satan's power play and expulsion in the premortal life. Satan's continued efforts to enslave and addict the children of God are like Amalickiah's plan to bring the Nephites into bondage. Additionally many of the same words used in the Book of Mormon to describe Satan are also used to describe Amalickiah. Some of the ways in which Amalickiah resembles Satan appear in the chart at right.
Perhaps the most compelling example of Amalickiah's devil-like role involved his subtle but deadly plan to persuade Lehonti to leave his place of safety. Amalickiah, like Satan, says, "Come down from your mountain and just talk to me." Lehonti led his armies to mount Antipas for refuge. Symbolically speaking, mountains are higher ground, often associated with temples and temple covenants. Ancient prophets were often told to go up into the mountains—kind of like meeting God halfway. Today temples are our refuge from the world.
Like Amalickiah, Satan urges us to come down from our mountains, or to leave our covenants. When we refuse Satan's invitations, "being fixed in [our] minds with a determined resolution" (Alma 47:6), he says, "Okay, bring your guards with you, and just come down a little." See how subtle he is? It's interesting that Amalickiah invited Lehonti down three times. Similarly, Satan tried to tempt Jesus in three different ways when the Savior was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness," set "on a pinnacle of the temple," and taken to "an exceeding high mountain"—but Jesus never came down (Matthew 4:1- 11).
Brother S. Michael Wilcox commented on Amalickiah's (and Satan's) tactic of bringing his prey to lower ground while deceiving him into thinking that he was still in charge:
"You're in control! I only want to talk! You have your guards! You only have to come down a little bit!" Amalickiah assures his victim. Lehonti, feeling secure although undoubtedly mistrustful, made his first mistake: He descended from the heights of the mountain. In his own mind, however, he was still safe, because he was in control (Don't Leap with the Sheep [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2001], 35-36).
Once you've left your stronghold, Satan pacifies you with half-truths that hide his real intentions. Eventually he persuades you to come all the way down while maintaining the illusion that he's really not an enemy but a friend. Remember, Satan whispers, "I am no devil, for there is none" (2 Nephi 28:22).

When a Little Is a Lot

Eventually Satan's plan for the deceived becomes deadly as he poisons them, not all at once, but "by degrees." What a perfectly descriptive phrase! When Mormon abridged this story, he could have told us simply, "The servant of Amalickiah killed Lehonti," or "the servant of Amalickiah poisoned Lehonti." But Mormon gave us two extra words that speak volumes: Lehonti was poisoned "by degrees."
"By degrees" accurately describes Satan's strategy of incremental entrapment. I like to call it his "lie upon lie, decept upon decept" strategy of leading his captives "carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21). Giving an inch is still losing ground, and little compromises eventually become large concessions. Here's another scripture that describes how Satan's control grows stronger and stronger "by degrees": he "leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever"(2 Nephi 26:22).
What makes Satan's "by degrees" strategy so cunning is that his victims are often completely unaware that anything bad is happening. Their downfall is much like Lehonti's. He thought he was still in command until the very moment he was murdered.
Major Lesson: This one is terribly obvious. Don't come down from your mountain! The young women stand up each week and say, "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will 'stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.'" The young men say they will "become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and live by its teachings." Satan wants us to come down from our mountain, so he repeatedly invites us to leave higher ground. If we won't come down all the way, he invites us to come down just a little.
Amalickiah was an enemy in disguise. Sometimes those who invite you down are pretending to be friends, but they should give you the creeps. If someone tells you that he's your friend but then asks you to compromise your standards just a little, the story of Amalickiah and Lehonti should come rushing to your mind. Lehonti probably said, "I know what I'm doing," not recognizing that he was being slowly poisoned by someone pretending to be on his side.
Have your parents or leaders ever said to you, "That person may be a bad influence on you"? It's hard to hear that kind of thing, isn't it? We might become a little defensive, and think, "Hey, I know what I'm doing." But do you know what? Your parents or leaders may be right. They may see you gradually changing even though you may not even see it happening. But maybe your clothes or the music you listen to or the movies you watch or the friends you hang out with are changing. Be aware that sometimes we can be blinded to something right in front of our noses. The adults in your life may see something you don't even recognize. They may see an Amalickiah trying to poison you "by degrees."
Yikes. Don't ever tell me we can't apply the war chapters to our lives. We can, and we should (and we will).
Well, back to the story. Believe it or not, Amalickiah became king of the Lamanites. He left a few dead people in his path, but he got what he wanted—the throne and the kingdom. Do you think that accomplishment satisfied his ambitions? No way. He was just getting started. In Amalickiah's case, the wicked just get wickeder (or, to put it properly, more wicked). So shields up, Book of Mormon explorers, we're moving on to Alma 48.

Lessons from Alma 46-47
Kings lead to bondage.
Place reminders of your covenants everywhere.
Don't come down from your mountain. "Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved" (D&C 87:8).
Beware of "little" temptations that trick you into thinking, "I'm still in control."
Beware of "friends" who tempt you.

What Does It Mean to Be Popular?

by John Bytheway
January 01, 2002

What does it mean to be popular? I'll tell you. I'm not sure. Fact is, it's different wherever you go. Some people are popular in one school, but they might not be in another. Certain extracurricular activities are popular in some schools and not in others. No doubt, you know exactly what the cool things are in your school: the "right" clothes to wear, words to say, music to listen to, activities to try out for, and everything else.
Who figures all this out? Is there a Coolness Club that meets after school and decides what is cool and what isn't? Do they publish a list, or does everyone just know? Does the media figure it out for us? Do those most admired or most visible in our school have an influence? Maybe we're all just following someone and we don't know who!
Oooh, that's a frightening thought, because we could follow them right into nowhere.
Well, what does it mean to be popular, then? I think you already know. Being popular means a lot of people know who you are, and maybe admire you for your self-assurance.
Here's a different question: Who are the people you most respect in your school? (I'm choosing my words carefully—not the most popular, but most respected.) Chances are, they're the ones who are friendly to everyone. They're nice to those who are in "their group," but also to those who are not. They're not "two-faced."
Perhaps you've watched one of these people and noticed how he or she seems to be everyone's friend. And maybe something inside you said, "That's the right way to be; it's the way people ought to be, and I would like to be that way too." When you look up to someone like that, it's called respect. That's what we really ought to be aiming for, isn't it? Respect. Stay with me, and I'll tell you how to get it.
Have you ever had a TV dinner? You know, one of those microwaveable things with food in different compartments? Sometimes we treat people like TV dinners. I don't mean we heat them in the microwave, but we do put them into compartments.
I don't know the names for the compartments in your school, but here are some that I've heard: "These are the jocks, these are the loners, these are the skaters, these are the popular people, like, okay?" And it's almost as if someone is standing over the compartments saying, "All right, nobody move! Hey—you can't talk to him, you're not popular (whack, whack)! Get back in your place!"
Sound familiar? Putting people into compartments is unkind, and it can hurt. And believe me, you were not sent to earth to hurt people. You have more important things to do.
Here's another GQ:
Jesus was the only teacher tall enough to see over the walls that divide the human race into compartments. (Frank Crane)
Did you know that the scriptures talk about these kinds of things? They do. Read carefully. Jesus said,
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? (Matthew 5:46-47)
See my point? Nephi taught us to liken the scriptures unto ourselves (see 1 Nephi 19:23). If we were to "liken" that scripture unto high school, how would it sound? How about this:
If you're only nice to the people that are nice to you, big deal; what do you want, a gift certificate? Everyone does that. And if you only say "hi" in the hall to the people that say "hi" to you, what are you doing more than anyone else?
Maybe you know people who are different when they're alone than when they're with their friends. They might say "hi" to you if they're alone, but with their group they act like they've never seen you before. (I see you're nodding your head.) The apostle Paul said, "Be of the same mind one toward another" (Romans 12:16; emphasis added).
Do you want to be popular? Better yet, do you want to be respected? Then no matter how others treat you, be "of the same mind" toward others, not "double minded" or "two-faced." This makes life a whole lot easier because you don't have to put on a new personality to match who you're with. That's too much work! When you're of the same mind you're always yourself, no matter who you're talking to—it's much better. (Besides, being two-faced gets expensive. You have to buy two hair dryers, two curling irons, two toothbrushes, and you're always running out of electrical outlets.)
Being "of the same mind" means you can reach out to others too. There are people in your school who don't have many friends. What can you do about it? Well, when you see someone walking down the hall, eyes on the ground, no friends in sight, you be the one to say "hi." It's just a little word, but actions speak louder than words. Saying "hi" also says, "You're an important person—it doesn't matter whether you're in my 'compartment' or not. I'm not ashamed to recognize you, in front of all these people, as a worthwhile human being and a child of God."
You can really make a person's day, just by saying "hi." And if that's true, just imagine what a difference you could make if you were to call that person by name. Try it sometime. Find out the name of someone who needs a boost. (I'll bet you can think of someone right now.) Next time you see this person in the hall, say, "Hi,_____________" (insert name here).
Let's imagine it happening. One day, you're walking down the hall and you say, "Hi, Jared," and you just keep walking down the hall. Just a casual "Hi, Jared," and you keep right on going. Now what's Jared doing? He's thinking (imagine his thoughts echoing, like in the movies): "How did he know my name?" And you, my friend, have just made a miracle. Someone was just made to feel important . . . by you. You're still walking down the hall, and he's standing with his mouth open, watching you walk away. You never know what burdens your classmates may be carrying, and a simple, friendly "hi" can make a lonely person's world turn from darkness to day.
Of course, we need to be careful about that. It has to be real, or, better said, you have to be real. This isn't something to do, this is something to be. If you walk up to someone and say, "Hi, I'd like to make you my personal service project for the month," it will probably backfire. The caring has to come from the inside out. If we change only how we act on the outside, or in other words our behavior, we might seem condescending and rude. If we really desire from the inside out to help people, we have to change our nature. Then our actions will naturally follow—we will not have to fake it. President Ezra Taft Benson said:
The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. . . . The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. (Ensign, November 1985, 6; emphasis added)
Now, perhaps you're a student leader in your school: a student-body officer, a cheerleader, a class officer, or something else. Good for you! That's great. No doubt that takes a lot of time and energy, and, hopefully, it's a lot of fun too. Amidst all the good times, just remember who helped you get there!
And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments. (D&C 59:21)
The Lord had a hand in your getting that leadership role. You are in a great position to make miracles happen in your school. People look up to you and they will follow you, so lead! Make it the cool thing to do to be kind and accepting to everyone. As the saying goes, "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."
There's one more thing that makes this whole idea a little complicated. It's called boys and girls together in the same place and everyone trying to figure out who likes whom. For example, if they're not careful, boys can "train" the girls not to be nice. Sometimes a girl tries to be nice to a boy and he assumes, "Oh . . . she must like me," when the girl was only trying to be friendly. This can cause so many problems for the girl that she may decide, "Forget this—every time I try to be nice to a guy he misunderstands, and then I have to tell him I just want to be friends, and then he might say I'm stuck up, and YUCK! this just isn't worth it, so I just won't talk to boys." Can you see how easily that can happen? Sometimes we train people not to be nice.
So what's the point? The point is, chill! Let people be nice just to be nice. If a girl likes you in an "I-wish-you'd-ask-me-out" way, you'll know. Girls know how to send that message too. This problem can occur the other way around, when girls misunderstand guys who are just trying to be nice, so perhaps we all need to chill. (Editor's note: The word chill in this case means "calm down." It will probably go out of style someday, so we thought we'd let you know what it means in case it already has. If so, please replace the word chill with something more modern like "disengage warp engines," or "stare off into space and sing a Gregorian chant," which also means "calm down." Thank you.)
Just one more rather serious thought to go with all this. If Jesus were to visit your high school, where would he go? What group would he spend his time with? We'll answer that question by asking another: Where did he go when he was on the earth? He spent his time with the lonely, the outcast, the lepers, those who didn't fit in—and he healed them. Using Jesus' example as our guide, what should we do?
George Albert Smith was one of the presidents of the Church. When I was in seminary, our teacher showed us George Albert Smith's "creed" or code of conduct. This is good stuff—I'll never forget it. It's divided into ten statements, which I'll share with you here. (The ones that stuck out most in my mind are italicized.)

1. I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.

2. I would visit the sick and the afflicted and inspire in them a desire to be healed.

3. I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.

4. I would seek out the erring one, and try to win him back to a righteous and happy life.

5. I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals, but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.

6. I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.

7. I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.

8. I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.

9. I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the success of all of the children of our Heavenly Father.

10. I would not be an enemy to any living soul. Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered unto the world the only plan that would fully develop us, and make us really happy here and hereafter; I feel it not only a duty, but a privilege to disseminate this truth (Sharing the Gospel with Others, comp. Preston Nibley [Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1948], 1).

Aren't those great goals? To be "a friend to the friendless," and "not be an enemy to any living soul." Can you imagine what a different world we would have if everyone lived by President Smith's creed!
How do you become popular? I'll tell you. Stop trying, and forget it. Be you. Focus on being who God wants you to be, and the rest will happen. You will be respected. It is much better to be respected than to be popular. Hmmm, that sounded profound, can I say that again? It is better to be respected than to be popular. And who knows, maybe you'll be both. You'll be popular because you're respected. You won't have to go off to college remembering regrets from high school.
Besides, popularity can be a fleeting thing. I remember some of my classmates from back in junior high school. I remember observing some who were so confident, so popular. They wore all the right clothes; they said all the right things. I watched them a lot, because I guess I kind of admired their confidence. I wanted to be like that.
Years passed. One day when I was a senior in high school, I thought about some of those people I had looked up to in junior high. Where did they go? Many of them weren't in the limelight anymore. Something happened. They were the ones who had started dating early, who had started partying before everyone else. They got ahead of themselves, and many of them blew it. They made mistakes and damaged their reputations. And it seemed like another group of students—the ones who were a little quieter in junior high—kind of stepped up into their spots and took over. Interesting.
Anyway, if you're not "popular," please, don't spend one calorie of energy worrying about it. It's not that big a deal. There is life after high school: Your experience there is not a forecast for your life. You're in much better company if you spend your energy getting acquainted with your Father in Heaven, and being "popular" with or known by him.
All you have to do is do the best you can at being you—and that shouldn't be too hard. You've been doing it since you were born. Popular people don't get that way by imitating others—they're popular because they're comfortable being themselves. Make sense? I hope so. As Og Mandino once said:
Be yourself. Try to be anything else but your genuine self, even if you deceive the entire world, and you will be ten thousand times worse than nothing. . . . You have been blessed with special skills that are yours alone. Use them, whatever they may be, and forget about wearing another's hat. A talented chariot driver can win gold and renown with his skills. Let him pick figs and he would starve. No one can take your place! Realize this and be yourself. You have no obligation to succeed. You have only the obligation to be true to yourself. Do the very best that you can, in the things you do best, and you will know, in thy soul, that you are the greatest success in the world. (The Greatest Success in the World [New York: Bantam Books, 1981], 94)
I love that! I want to change one word, though. "You have no obligation to be popular! You have only the obligation to be true to yourself." Live your life by your values, and you'll earn respect. I'll say it one more time: It is better to be respected than to be popular. Popularity ends on yearbook day, but respect lasts forever. Why do I say forever? Well, the last time I saw most of my high school classmates was on graduation day. Unfortunately, the last thing I remember about a few of them is how mean they were. (I'm hopeful that they've changed. I'm hopeful that we all have.) Other students I remember well because I had such great respect for them—I still do. That's why I say respect lasts forever. So here's the question: What lasting memory do you want to leave in the minds of your classmates?
On your graduation day, many of you will grab your yearbooks and try to summarize your high-school years in one or two sentences. Which tribute would you rather see: "I didn't know you very well, but I always respected you for the way you lived, and the way you treated others. Thank you for being a friend when I felt like I didn't have one," or, "No way! You were like, so totally popular, okay?"?
As for high school, you have three or four years to do it, and the rest of eternity to think about it.

The Three-Attitudes

by John Bytheway
April 01, 2002


You know the story. You may have even lived the story. Big family leaves on big trip and leaves something big behind. It's happened to your family, it's happened to my family, and it happened to Lehi and Sariah and their family. "Oh, great. We traveled two hundred miles, but we have to go back and get the plates. You know, the brass ones. Boys, would you please go back and get the plates?"
What's the difference between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel? Notice the different responses to exactly the same request. Laman and Lemuel, say it's too hard: "It is a hard thing which [you] have required" (1 Nephi 3:5). (Today's ordinary teenagers would probably ask, "Is this gonna be fun?") Nephi, however, says, "I will go and do" (1 Nephi 3:7). Same request, opposite attitudes.
In fact, as you go through the Book of Mormon, you'll find that Laman and Lemuel usually ended up doing the same things Nephi did— they just had a bad attitude about it. That "little" difference, that difference in attitude, seemed to be passed down through many generations who felt they were "wronged in the wilderness," and it ended up affecting the destiny of both the Nephite and Lamanite civilizations.
No one wants to be labeled. But whether we like it or not, we label ourselves by our attitudes and actions. Laman and Lemuel labeled themselves, Nephi labeled himself, and every day we label ourselves by the things we say and do.
We give Laman and Lemuel a pretty hard time, but think about it—walking two hundred miles to get something (from someone who doesn't want to give it to you), and then walking another two hundred miles to bring it back is a little inconvenient. And that makes Nephi's "I will go and do" response even more impressive. But it's not just the big things that show what's inside of us. We also tell on ourselves by the little things we do. President David O. McKay shared this interesting little poem in general conference back in 1969:

You tell on yourself by the friends you seek,
By the very manner in which you speak,
By the way you employ your leisure time,
By the use you make of dollar and dime;
You tell what you are by the things you wear,
And even by the way you wear your hair,
By the kind of things at which you laugh,
By the records you play on your phonograph [ancient predecessor of the CD player].
You tell what you are by the way you walk,
By the things of which you delight to talk,
By the manner in which you bury deceit,
By so simple a thing as how you eat.
By the books you choose from the well-filled shelf;
In these ways and more you tell on yourself.
(In Conference Report, October 1969, 87)

As you know, earth life is full of rules, requirements, commandments, dress codes, honor codes, Morse codes, and so on. When someone starts explaining the rules, an amazing thing happens. People begin to "tell on themselves" by their reactions. You'll see obedient, "I-will-go-and-do" types; whining, "It-is-a- hard-thing" types; and everything in between. For now, we're going to narrow the field down to three different groups or attitudes. We'll call them the "three attitudes." (You've heard of the beatitudes? Well, these are the three-attitudes.)


HOW BAD CAN I BE?



I once attended a standards lesson during which anonymous questions were gathered in a shoebox and submitted to a panel of leaders. One of the questions, to our surprise, was, "How far can you go before you have to see the bishop?" Whoa. Nice attitude. Stated another way, the question was, "How bad can I be?" I guess this person wanted to know exactly where "bad" began so he or she wouldn't miss out on anything. A youth asking, "How far can I go before it's bad?" is like asking how deep can I swim before I have to come up for air? The person who asked that question didn't realize that where "bad" really begins is in the attitude, which reveals itself through bad behavior.
One way people show their membership in the "how-bad-can-I-be" group is by their strong reactions to things like dress standards, which are simply an attempt to draw the line on what is acceptable. They want to know exactly where that line is. For instance, they want to know exactly where the knee begins, or where "long hair" begins, so that they can get as close to being in violation of the code as possible and still be admitted to the dance. They may be secretly excited when they can "get away with" something, because that's the attitude: "What can I get away with?"
They tell on themselves another way by choosing music and entertainment that are right on the line as well. They say, "It wasn't that bad," or "I've seen other movies with a better rating that were worse." Once again, they live right next to the danger zone, not realizing that the most dangerous thing is the attitude itself.
They may say things like, "Hey, nobody's perfect"—which is true, but they're not trying to be perfect. They're not even trying to be good! They want to know how bad they can be. Elder Richard J. Clarke commented:
Those who excuse transgressions by saying, "Well, I'm not perfect" may be reminded that conscious sin is a long way from perfection. We would do best to consider this counsel of President Brigham Young. "Be . . . as perfect as [you] can, for that is all you can do. . . . The sin . . . is [not doing] as well as [you know] how" (Journal of Discourses 2:129-30). (Ensign, May 1991, 42)
If you were to ask someone with this attitude why they attend church or seminary, they might respond, "'Cause I have to." I have to do this, I have to do that. They see life as a big set of unfair rules, and obedience is an irritation.



HOW GOOD DO WE HAVE TO BE?



The next group wants to know, "How good do we have to be?" At first, that attitude might sound okay. It's a little better, but not much. Members of this group want to do what they're supposed to do. In fact, if you asked them, "Why do you go to seminary?" They would say, "'Cause I'm post to." (Some people pronounce the word "supposed" as "post.") These are good people. They do what they're "post" to, they go to church and attend meetings. They're willing to be good. Good for them. And, hey, being good is good! But that's all it is— good. It's not great, it's not valiant; it's just, you know, good. Sister Ardeth Kapp said:
It has been my observation, and it is my confession as a former participant, that many people drift along with the crowd in the Church. Many good people drift to sacrament meeting and Sunday School, even family home evening, and they drift through a casual study of the scriptures. . . . [They] step into the mainstream, getting deeply involved with Church activity and floating with the current, comfortable with a sense of false security that they are in the right place. (In Woman to Woman: Selected Talks from the BYU Women's Conferences [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1986], 53; emphasis added)
"See, here I am, bein' good, doin' what I'm post to. Call me the post- man, 'cause I do what I'm post to." Yup. It's good to be good, but it's better to be better than good.
Now, here's the problem. Sometimes, for this group, being good has its limits. They wouldn't want to go too far. I was once asked by a Young Women leader to challenge a group of teens to give up a certain TV show named after a zip code. We discussed the thirteenth Article of Faith, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." After realizing that many television programs failed to fit in those categories, most of the youth pres ent willingly accepted my challenge. Some had uncomfortable looks on their faces. One girl whispered to her friend, "I want to be good, but I don't want to be that good." Ouch. Can you see how dangerous that attitude is? Yes indeed. Heaven forbid we become too good— we might get too many blessings. Elder Carlos E. Asay told the young men in a priesthood session of general conference:
There is a lie— a vicious lie— circulating among the Latter-day Saints and taking its toll among the young. And it is that a "balanced man" is one who deliberately guards against becoming too righteous. (Ensign, May 1992, 41)
Yeah, we wouldn't want to be a Molly Mormon or a Sammy Seminary (I believe heaven will be full of Mollys and Sams). Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught:
[Some] claim to be obedient to God's commandments but do not feel at all uncomfortable about purchasing food at the store on Sunday and then asking the Lord to bless it. Some say they would give their lives for the Lord, yet they refuse to serve in the nursery. The Savior spoke very explicitly about people who "draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me." (Ensign, November 1992, 35)
But President Ezra Taft Benson said we need to be more than just good:
We have too many potential spiritual giants who should be more vigorously lifting their homes, the kingdom, and the country. We have many who feel they are good men, but they need to be good for something— stronger patriarchs, courageous missionaries, valiant genealogists and temple workers, dedicated patriots, devoted quorum members. [Okay, here's my favorite part:] In short, we must be shakened and awakened from a spiritual snooze. (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 403-4; emphasis added)
Too many people continually hit the snooze button on the clock radio of their personal spirituality. They hear the alarm, but they say, "I'll be better someday, but for now, I don't wanna be too good, I'll just snooze. Someday I'll start a scripture study program, someday I'll say my daily prayers, someday I'll do what I'm post to, but not now. I'll just snooze for a while."
If we don't want to be in the "How-bad-can-I-be" group, or the "How-good- am-I-post-to-be" group, then where should we be? It's time to talk about the third attitude, and you, my friend, know all about this group. It's the group where you can find fine teenagers like you.
I WANT TO BE VALIANT!
I love this group, and you're in it! This group doesn't ask, "How bad can I be?" They have absolutely no interest in what is bad. And good isn't enough for them, either. They want something better than good. Their question is on a higher plane: "Is it valiant? Is it better than average? Is it high class? That's where I want to be. That's where I belong. I want to be valiant." No one has to remind these young people about rules. No one has to tell these young men they need a necktie at the sacrament table, or these young women exactly where their knee is. They carry their desire to please their Heavenly Father everywhere they go. Like the others, they tell on themselves. The quality of their spirit shines brightly through their attitude.
Valiant people have no problem with dress codes. They usually agree with them. And even if they don't agree, they follow them anyway. That's the way valiant people are. They're more interested in being obedient than in knowing all the reasons for the rules. They get up on Sunday morning and think to themselves, "What should I wear today? Then they ask one more question: What does the Lord deserve? He deserves the best. Yeah, that's it. Sunday best." Valiant young women dress carefully because they realize they can attract young men in one of two ways: to themselves, or to their bodies; to who they are inside, or to how they look on the outside. They also realize that inner beauty is more, yes, more powerful in the long run than external beauty will ever be.
If you were to ask an "is-it-valiant" type teenager, "Why do you go to seminary?" they would give you that "what-a-strange-question" look and answer, "Because I want to. I love it. It's the best part of my day." And when they get to seminary, they stay awake, and they stay focused. They don't expect to be entertained. They expect to learn! And they don't just listen to their instructor, they help their instructor by being involved in the class. They are always part of the solution, and never part of the problem.
"Is-it-valiant" teenagers are missionaries from the moment they get up in the morning. Just being around them makes you want to be better. President David O. McKay said:
Every man and every person who lives in this world wields an influence, whether for good or for evil. It is not what he says alone; it is not alone what he does. It is what he is. Every man, every person radiates what he or she really is. . . . It is what we are and what we radiate that affects the people around us. (Man May Know for Himself, comp. Clare Middlemiss [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1967], 108)
You just can't hide it when you're valiant! It radiates!
If you want to be valiant, and you need a model to follow, think about Jesus. Jesus was a teen at one time. We have very little information about his teenage years. All we really have is summed up in one scripture: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52).
Imagine what the Savior was like when he was young. Think how he would have "radiated." Next time you wonder how to live your life, think about being the kind of young person Jesus must have been. He would have been valiant— obedient to his parents, a good worker, and kind and respectful to everyone. Valiant people focus on the Savior and try to live the words of the Primary song:



So, little children,


Let's you and I


Try to be like him,


Try, try, try.


(Children's Songbook, 55)



Did Jesus ever ask, "How bad can I be?" or "How good am I supposed to be?" Did he do things because he had to, or because he was supposed to? Let's ask President Howard W. Hunter:
[Jesus] was perfect and sinless, not because he had to be, but rather because he clearly and determinedly wanted to be. (Ensign, November 1976, 19)
Why is it so important to be valiant? Well, those in the terrestrial kingdom are described like this:
These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God. (D&C 76:79; emphasis added)
Like Nephi, Laman, and Lemuel, you will find that much of your life and your eternal destiny will be determined by your attitude. We'll talk more as this semester continues about being valiant, about having our hearts changed so that we sincerely want to be valiant, all the time. And now that you've been introduced to the three attitudes, tuck them away in your mind because we'll be referring to them again.
We'll close with an appeal from President Howard W. Hunter:
We must know Christ better than we know him; we must remember him more often than we remember him; we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him. . . . What manner of men and women ought we to be? Even as he is. (Ensign, May 1994, 64; emphasis added)
Well, you've told on yourself again, because you just finished First Period. You must be reading this book because you want to. You must be one of those valiant ones, because you want to learn! So, my fellow Nephi, let's "go and do" Second Period—not because we have to, or because we're post to, but because we want to.