3
Nephi 1:9
Courage
What
9 Now
it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the aunbelievers,
that all those who believed in those traditions should be bput
to death except
the csign should
come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.
Why
The
unbelievers were servants of the devil and they wanted to destroy the
church of God and it's people. So they figured that they could
threaten them that if what they said would happen didn't happen that
would be reason to kill them. (How stupid is that!)
It
was a continuation of the war in heaven. It will never be over until
the Savior comes the second time.
Pattern
Unbelief, Unbelievers
- concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief: 1 Ne. 10:11
D & C 5:
7 Behold,
if they will not abelieve my
words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were
possible that you should show them all these things which I have
committed unto you.
9 Behold,
verily I say unto you, I have areserved those
things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise
purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations;
Martyrdom
See
also Testimony
Hel.
14:3 (2–7)
2
And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign;
for five years
more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all
those who shall believe on his name.
Christ-
It
was His birth that all the conflict took place
and all the signs and wonders and excitement.
He
would rescue the world from their sins. (our sins)
Conference
Inasmuch
as the trend in society today is rapidly moving away from the values
and principles the Lord has given us, we will almost certainly be
called upon to defend that which we believe. Will we have the courage
to do so?
Courage
comes in many forms. Wrote the Christian author Charles Swindoll:
“Courage is not limited to the battlefield … or bravely
catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much
quieter. They are inner tests, like remaining faithful when no one’s
looking, … like standing alone when you’re
misunderstood.”3 I
would add that this inner courage also includes doing the right thing
even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of
being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened
with a loss of friends or of social status. He who stands steadfastly
for that which is right must risk becoming at times disapproved and
unpopular.
We
will all face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let
us—all of us—have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage
to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of
God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue
when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully but
also as the determination to live decently. As we move forward,
striving to live as we should, we will surely receive help from the
Lord and can find comfort in His words. I love His promise recorded
in the book of Joshua:
“… Be
strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou
goest.”10
My
beloved brethren, with the courage of our convictions, may we
declare, with the Apostle Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ.”11 And
then, with that same courage, may we follow Paul’s counsel: “Be
thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”12
May
each one leave here tonight with the determination and the courage to
say, with Job of old, “While my breath is in me, … I will not
remove mine integrity from me.”16 That
this may be so is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our
Lord, amen.
Ardeth
G. Kapp
We
are warned in the scriptures, “Yea, and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2
Tim. 3:12.)
Peer pressure is a form of persecution. Peer pressure is one of the
great tests of today.
Do
you remember the story of the early pioneers and how the terrible
plague of black crickets came down from the mountains to destroy the
crops of grain? Men, women, and children prayed and fought those
ravaging crickets in a desperate effort to save their crops. The Lord
heard their earnest prayers and sent sea gulls. They devoured the
crickets. The crops were saved. It was a miracle, they said.
Young
women, you are the tender crops of today, the promise of tomorrow.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught us that when we save one
young woman, we save generations. Every young woman counts so very,
very much.
In
all soberness I ask you young women, mothers, leaders—all women—to
consider the black crickets of our day that are trying to destroy our
tender crops, not only our young women and young men, but many
adults, also. We have been warned by our prophet that the “forces
of evil increase under Lucifer’s leadership and the forces of good
increase under the leadership of Jesus Christ.” (Ezra Taft
Benson, Ensign, Nov.
1988, p. 87.) The heat of that great confrontation is becoming more
intense. Sooner or later, either privately or publicly, we will all
be tested. We must be prepared to defend our values, our standards,
our commitments, and our covenants to stand as a witness of God at
all times, in all things, and in all places.
Apply
Stay
strong in faith in spite of those around us who do not believe or who
would persecute us. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you
and carry the light of Christ.
Stay
strong and firm. Stand for the right. Have courage.
Hymns
57-We're
Not Ashamed To Own Our Lord
Lyrics
- 1. We're not ashamed to own our LordAnd worship him on earth.We love to learn his holy wordAnd know what souls are worth.
158-Dare To Do Right
Lyrics
- 1. Dare to do right! Dare to be true!You have a work that no other can do;Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well,Angels will hasten the story to tell.
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