1 Nephi 20:18
Peace
as a River
What
18 O
that thou hadst hearkened to my acommandments—then
had thy bpeace been
as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
This
was directed especially to Laman and Lemuel that if they had kept the
commandments then they would have peace flowing constantly into their
lives and their righteousness would make them spiritually strong and
active like the strong steady and constant waves of the sea.
Why
the
rewards of righteousness are to feel peace and also to have a power
and force for good that is constant like the waves of the sea.
Pattern
Eccl.
8:5
5
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall
feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and
judgment.
Deut.
28:2
2
And all these blessings shall
come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice
of the Lord thy God.
3 Ne.
24:10
10
Bring ye all the tithes into
the storehouse, that there may be meat in
my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I
will not open you the windows
of heaven,
and pour you out a blessing that
there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Ezek.
34:26
26
And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing;
and I will cause the shower to
come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
Christ
this
verse is prefaced by verse 17 “ 17 And
thus saith the Lord, thy aRedeemer,
the Holy One of Israel;
“
so
these are His words and His promise.
Conference
By
Bishop W. Christopher Waddell
Second
Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric
Peace
of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined
by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our
sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every
infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every
doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and
revelators. Nevertheless, we have been promised peace—with a
condition attached.
In
the Gospel of John, the Savior taught that despite the tribulations
of life, we can be of good cheer, we can be of good hope, and we need
not fear, because He declared, “In
me ye
might have peace.”3 Faith
in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice is, and forever will be,
the first principle of the gospel and the foundation upon which our
hope for “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to
come” is built.4
In
our search for peace amidst the daily challenges of life, we’ve
been given a simple pattern to keep our thoughts focused on the
Savior, who said: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the
meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus
Christ.”5
First Step: “Learn of Me”
In
Isaiah we read, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let
us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of
Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways.”6
Second Step: “Listen to My Words”
In
the Doctrine and Covenants we read, “Whether by mine own voice or
by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”9 From
the days of Adam and down through the ages to our current prophet,
Thomas Spencer Monson, the Lord has spoken through His authorized
representatives. Those who choose to listen and give heed to the
words of the Lord, as delivered through His prophets, will find
safety and peace.
In
the Book of Mormon we find many examples of the importance of
following prophetic counsel and standing with the prophet, including
a lesson learned from Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, found
in 1 Nephi
chapter 8.
Never has the great and spacious building been more crowded or the
noise coming from its open windows more misguided, mocking, and
confusing than in our day. In this passage we read of two groups of
people and their responses to the shouts from the building.
A
key difference between those who were ashamed, fell away, and were
lost and those who did not heed the mocking from the building and
stood with the prophet is found in two phrases: first, “after they
had tasted,”
and second, “those that were partaking.”
The
first group had arrived at the tree, stood for a time with the
prophet, but only tasted the
fruit. By not continuing to eat, they allowed the taunting from the
building to affect them, drawing them away from the prophet and into
forbidden paths, where they were lost.
Third Step: “Walk in the Meekness of My Spirit”
However
far we may wander from the path, the Savior invites us to return and
walk with Him. This invitation to walk with Jesus Christ is an
invitation to accompany Him to Gethsemane and from Gethsemane to
Calvary and from Calvary to the Garden Tomb. It is an invitation to
observe and apply His great atoning sacrifice, whose reach is as
individual as it is infinite. It is an invitation to repent, to draw
upon His cleansing power, and to grasp His loving, outstretched arms.
It is an invitation to be at peace.
The
peace we all seek requires more than a desire. It requires us to
act—by learning of Him, by listening to His words, and by walking
with Him. We may not have the ability to control all that happens
around us, but we can control how we apply the pattern for peace that
the Lord has provided—a pattern that makes it easy to think often
about Jesus.
By
Elder Richard G. Scott Of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Many
voices from the world in which we live tell us we should live at a
frantic pace. There is always more to do and more to accomplish. Yet
deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where
peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, regroup, and
reenergize to prepare for future pressures.
The
ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes,
where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the
centerpiece.
Some
homes have a father who is a worthy priesthood holder joined by a
faithful, devoted mother who together lead in righteousness. Many
homes have a different configuration. Regardless of your
circumstances, you can center your home and your life on the Lord
Jesus Christ, for He is the source of true peace in this life.
I’m
sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your
home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and
family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly
family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the
construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular
practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed
peace and refuge from the world.
Be
obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow.
Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead
of applying sound gospel principles. Remember: little things lead to
big things. Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead
to big problems. More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits
lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.
I
offer some final thoughts for those who love a family member who is
not making good choices. That can challenge our patience and
endurance. We need to trust in the Lord and in His timing that a
positive response to our prayers and rescue efforts can occur. We do
all that we can to serve, to bless, and to submissively acknowledge
God’s will in all things. We exercise faith and remember that there
are some things that must be left to the Lord. He invites us to set
our burdens down at His feet. With faith we can know that this
straying loved one is not abandoned but is in the watchcare of a
loving Savior.
Recognize
the good in others, not their stains. At times a stain needs
appropriate attention to be cleansed, but always build on his or her
virtues.
When
you feel that there is only a thin thread of hope, it is really not a
thread but a massive connecting link, like a life preserver to
strengthen and lift you. It will provide comfort so you can cease to
fear. Strive to live worthily and place your trust in the Lord.
We
need not worry if we can’t simultaneously do all of the things that
the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season
for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He
will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our
life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at
a time.
I
bear testimony that living an obedient life, firmly rooted in the
gospel of Jesus Christ, provides the greatest assurance for peace and
refuge in our homes. There will still be plenty of challenges or
heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner
peace and profound happiness. I testify that the Atonement of Jesus
Christ is the source of that abundant peace, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
Apply
I
like the talk by Elder Scott so much that I would just repeat his
counsel.
“Recognize
the good in others, not their stains. At times a stain needs
appropriate attention to be cleansed, but always build on his or her
virtues.
When
you feel that there is only a thin thread of hope, it is really not a
thread but a massive connecting link, like a life preserver to
strengthen and lift you. It will provide comfort so you can cease to
fear. Strive to live
worthily and place your trust in the Lord.”
Hymns
14
Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings
129
Where Can I Turn For Peace?
Psalms
119:
Children
74-I
Feel My Savior's Love
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