Nostalgia
One of the things I miss from my mission is doing companionship study. I learned a lot on my own, but the best part was discussing with my companion what we both had studied. That was when I learned the most, and grew the most in my faith and gospel understanding.
This morning, I opened the Book of Mormon randomly, and started reading. I started comparing the things that happened almost two thousand years ago to my life, and I came up with a cool object lesson. I miss having a companion to share this with! Being a Seminary or Sunday School teacher would help, but I can't even go to church! Here comes my idea: I will share it with you. I hope you will like it. If you do, maybe you can use it too :D
Object lesson
It is in Mormon, chapter 4. Here, Mormon witnesses the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites, who were once the chosen people of God, now are become wicked and power-thirsty. They are being defeated again and again. How did they get to this point? How did the get from fighting for liberty with God on their side to fighting for power with their own strength?
I found three thing in there that led them to their destruction. These can be the same things that can lead us astray, far from God, and left to be destroyed - not necessarily physically, but mostly spiritually.
1- verse 4 describes the armies of the Nephites going against the Lamanites. It says that if they hadn't done that, the Lamanites could not have power over them.
It is the same with us. If we stay away from the things and places that we know are bad for us, then Satan will have no power over us in those matters. Question: what are some things/places that could lead us to sin?
2- verse 8 says that they "did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might". I think it is the attitude we see today: "I am so much better than you because I..." How many of us like those people? and yet sometimes, we are that kind of people. We each have a gift, a talent - or more- but that does not make us better. We have the gospel in our lives, and that is a great blessing, but it does not make us superior to others. In God's eyes, we are all equal. Question: What are some things that we take pride in that keep us from having God on our side? (Pride does that,you know)
3- verse 10 : The Nephites do not repent! They do not acknowledge their fault, their sins, and keep going in their own wicked ways. Had they repented at that point, God would have stepped in, and help them withstand the Lamanites' blows. But they did not. They kept being defeated and driven away from their cities. It is the same with us. The longer we hold on to our sin, to our own ways, the longer we remain on our own, and the greater the damage. If we persist in sin, we will become just as void of God's presence like those cities of Nephites. Then the enemy of our souls can come in and fill our hearts with other feelings like anger (see verse 15), or become like the Nephites (verses 11-12). Question: What are some sins we like to hold on to that keep us from having God's strength and His presence?
Let us fight the good fight - the fight against sin. Let us keep the right one on our side -God. Let us be humble, and use our strength to build other up, not to bring them down. That is when are lies become meaningful and bright.
This morning, I opened the Book of Mormon randomly, and started reading. I started comparing the things that happened almost two thousand years ago to my life, and I came up with a cool object lesson. I miss having a companion to share this with! Being a Seminary or Sunday School teacher would help, but I can't even go to church! Here comes my idea: I will share it with you. I hope you will like it. If you do, maybe you can use it too :D
Object lesson
It is in Mormon, chapter 4. Here, Mormon witnesses the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites, who were once the chosen people of God, now are become wicked and power-thirsty. They are being defeated again and again. How did they get to this point? How did the get from fighting for liberty with God on their side to fighting for power with their own strength?
I found three thing in there that led them to their destruction. These can be the same things that can lead us astray, far from God, and left to be destroyed - not necessarily physically, but mostly spiritually.
1- verse 4 describes the armies of the Nephites going against the Lamanites. It says that if they hadn't done that, the Lamanites could not have power over them.
It is the same with us. If we stay away from the things and places that we know are bad for us, then Satan will have no power over us in those matters. Question: what are some things/places that could lead us to sin?
2- verse 8 says that they "did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might". I think it is the attitude we see today: "I am so much better than you because I..." How many of us like those people? and yet sometimes, we are that kind of people. We each have a gift, a talent - or more- but that does not make us better. We have the gospel in our lives, and that is a great blessing, but it does not make us superior to others. In God's eyes, we are all equal. Question: What are some things that we take pride in that keep us from having God on our side? (Pride does that,you know)
3- verse 10 : The Nephites do not repent! They do not acknowledge their fault, their sins, and keep going in their own wicked ways. Had they repented at that point, God would have stepped in, and help them withstand the Lamanites' blows. But they did not. They kept being defeated and driven away from their cities. It is the same with us. The longer we hold on to our sin, to our own ways, the longer we remain on our own, and the greater the damage. If we persist in sin, we will become just as void of God's presence like those cities of Nephites. Then the enemy of our souls can come in and fill our hearts with other feelings like anger (see verse 15), or become like the Nephites (verses 11-12). Question: What are some sins we like to hold on to that keep us from having God's strength and His presence?
Let us fight the good fight - the fight against sin. Let us keep the right one on our side -God. Let us be humble, and use our strength to build other up, not to bring them down. That is when are lies become meaningful and bright.
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