16 He Worketh in Me to Do According to His Will
He Worketh in Me to Do According to His Will
Book of Mormon Videos https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/videos-and-images/book-of-mormon-videos?lang=eng
What do you do when your soul hungers? When we are physically hungry and thirsty, we immediately know what to do. If we have food and drink available, we partake. How about when we are spiritually hungry? Do you know where to turn?
It used to be that it took some calculating work to obtain food. It was a struggle. It was necessary to hunt, and it was necessary to plant. Today, there is still the struggle of securing a job and being diligent so that you can secure a steady paycheck; but, once you have that, it’s quite simple to go to the market and get some food. (Ignoring the outrages cost these days, most of us are able to eat.)
Are you willing to engage is the physical and spiritual struggle that it takes to feed your soul?
Enos was. Even though he went out to hunt food, he recognized that his soul was hungry; and he remembered his father teaching him about the Lord. So he turned to the Lord in prayer. Not just for three minutes, but all through the day and night.
Are you willing to be hungry enough to pay the cost to be
fed? Or, are you looking to other sources to satisfy your soul? Sources that
never will?
Enos was out in the wilderness by himself, and he cried aloud to the Lord. How
can speaking aloud in prayer to Heavenly Father help our concentration? How can
finding a solitary place help us focus? How does being determined to keep
praying until we feel the Spirit and recognize the Lord’s voice help us in our
efforts to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and to receive needed strength and
nourishment from Him?
(Enos
1:2–4 Enos wrestled with the Lord in prayer. So did Jacob, whose name
became Israel.)
Enos 1:4–17
Enos heard the Lord’s voice in his mind and in his heart (perhaps, also with
his ears) telling him that his sins were forgiven him. This is such an
important part of our being able to feel the Savior’s love and to become more
converted to His ministry. Enos recognized his newfound freedom and asked,
“Lord, how is it done?” The Lord’s answer, “Because of thy faith in Christ.”
Because of Enos’s faith in Jesus Christ, his guilt was swept away. We need to
remember that forgetting the Lord or not recognizing His hand in all things is
sin, because we become estranged from the Lord. There is no indication that
Enos was a malignant terrible sinner. His conversion story is related here
because he represents you and me, and what we can do to gain favor with the
Lord and feel spiritually well. Prayer will increase our faith in Christ.
When Enos knew that the Lord was there, that He was listening, that he was loved by the Lord, and that his sins were forgiven, his heart took courage. He was fed. Immediately, he recognized his great blessing, and then his heart and his thoughts turned to his people, the Nephites. He wanted them to find the Lord to and to feel His wonderful loving embrace. His heart also turned to his cousins, the Lamanites. They were currently enemies, but Nephi wanted them to feel of the Lord’s goodness too. After that, he prayed for the preservation of their records, so that future generations could come to know the Savior and find food for their souls through Him.
When we have been blessed by the Lord, the change in our
hearts should be such that you also want to bless others and invite them to
come unto Christ. I am thankful that Enos, and many other prophets in The Book
of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ taught us about the Savior and His
mission. I am thankful that, like Nephi recorded, “And we talk of
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of
Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that
our children may know to what source they may look for
a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26).
Enos was blessed that his father Jacob, Nephi’s brother, had taught him of our
Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Enos knew where to turn. May we
continue to teach our own children and grandchildren the importance of Jesus
Christ and His mission, so that they may also know where to turn! We are
recipients of His grace. We need His
forgiveness. As we pray to the Father in His name, we will be freed by Him, and
blessed and fed through the Spirit. We bless others when we teach of Jesus and
invite them to come unto Him. This is my testimony to you, in the name of Jesus
Christ Amen.
Video: Enos Prays Mightily: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2019-10-0800-enos-prays-mightily-enos-1?lang=eng
In order to do the Lord’s will, we need to know it; and in order to know it, we need to live it.
Words of Mormon 1:7 “And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.”
The Lord can help me influence my family for good.
Enos
1:1–4 Our prayers can bless us to have greater faith in Jesus Christ,
and in turn we can be a better light to our children and grandchildren. Jacob
had taught Enos, so Enos knew to turn to the Lord when he needed direction.
How can we teach our family in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? We need to testify of Christ whenever we can.
For kids:
I can talk to Heavenly Father through prayer.
Enos
1:1–5
How can we make our prayers more meaningful? How do you picture Heavenly Father in your mind? How do you feel about Him in your heart? Can you imagine talking to Heavenly Father face-to-face like you do your own dad? What do you want to tell Him? What would you like to ask Him? Do you know how to listen for answers?
Read Enos 1:1–5. Role-play hunting for food. Role-play kneeling in prayer.
Enos 1:4 Share a time when your own soul hungered and the experience you had when you prayed. (Receiving a testimony of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.)
For kids:
Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.
Enos
1:2–16
Heavenly Father will hear and answer our prayers. What are some of the things you pray for?
Enos 1:2, 9, 13–14, and 16 What did Enos prayer for? Forgiveness, his people, his enemies, that the records word be preserved.
verses 6, 9, 11 What happened when Enos prayed? He was forgiven because of His faith in Christ and he didn’t feel guilty any more. He wanted his people to be forgiven and to know Jesus. He wanted the Lamanites to be forgiven and to know Jesus.
We can learn from Enos’s prayer that we should pray a little longer and with more intent and that we should allow the Spirit to guide us in our prayers.
Video: Enos’s Prayer https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/35666_014?lang=eng
God will hear and answer
my prayers.
What kind of effort die Enos put into his prayers? Enos put determination and effort into his prayers. He wrestled with his need to change and for a desire to become worthy. He prayed for a long time and with real intent to receive answers.
How did Nephi’s prayers change in tone during his search? He prayed for himself and his own spiritual standing. Then he prayed for his family and friends. Then he prayed for his enemies. Then he prayed that all might have an opportunity to be forgiven and to know the Lord.
Because of Enos’s account, how will you seek to improve your own prayers? Location, good chunk of time, remove self from distraction (or distractions from youself); work and pray for an increase of faith in Jesus Christ; work towards changing what you need to in your life and increasing your own capacity to do good. Serve the Lord and his children.
Sweet Hour of Prayer Set aside a devotional time each day that allows you time to reconnect, reverence, and remember the Lord.
Video: Enos Prays Mightily: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2019-10-0800-enos-prays-mightily-enos-1?lang=eng
I can receive forgiveness as I exercise faith in Christ.
Enos
1:1–18 We can know we are forgiven when we feel the presence of the Lord’s
Spirit and when our guilt is swept away.
Enos showed faith in Jesus Christ as he remembered Jacob’s teachings and turned
to his Heavenly Father in prayer. He showed even more faith in Jesus Christ as
he followed the Spirit and asked more questions. He wanted to know how his
guilt was swept away. With faith in Christ, he then prayed for his people the
Nephites and those who were currently estranged from the Lord and the Nephites,
the Lamanites. He also prayed that we might all have the records that his people
kept that testify of Jesus.
How can I show faith in Jesus Christ and develop a desire to
change, so that I can be more fully forgiven and become a better instrument for
Him and His ministry?
As
I strive to keep His commandments, God will bless me.
Jarom–Omni
How does righteousness bring prosperity? Is it always monetary?
Jarom 1:7–12 How would it help our nation if our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord, who taught the people the ways of the Lord? How does the ability for everyone to be productive and encouraged in their wages help elevate a people? How would it help if everyone in our nation set aside time to learn about and worship God and believe in His Son Jesus Christ?
Omni 1:5–7, 12–18 How does ignoring God and disregarding His commandments affect a nation? How does having so many people serving their own desires bring disharmony and insecurity? Does it seem like the righteous today are also having to retreat from our society? How does immersion in the word of God bless and protect us, and refine and enable us?
Why is the Lord’s definition of prosperity more important than the world’s definition?
Alma 37:13 The Lord helps us prosper when we keep His commandments.
48:15–16 If we are faithful in keeping the commandments of God, He will prosper and direct us. He’ll tell us when to flee, or to prepare for war, or what we need to do in a particular circumstance. As we keep God’s commandments and resist evil, we will be preserved.
Come
unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel.
Omni
1:25–26
We see the words “Come Unto
Christ” often in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. And
that should be our invitation to everyone today.
Omni 1:25–26
We Come unto Christ by believing in prophesy and revelations, and in the
speaking and interpretation of tongues, and in all things which are good. As we
Come unto Christ, we partake of His salvation and the power of His redemption.
We need to be humble enough to know we need that, so we have faith to do it. We
Come unto Christ by offering our whole souls as an offering to Him, by striving
to fast and pray, and by not giving up.
For kids:
I can bless others when I listen to the Holy Ghost.
Words
of Mormon 1:3–8
I’m thankful that Mormon listened to the Holy Ghost and knew which records to include for the record that became The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Spirit let him know that he should include the small plates of Nephi.
When have you listened to the Spirit? When we ask Heavenly Father for help or for answers, we should listen so that we can hear His promptings through the Holy Ghost.
Words of Mormon 1:3–8 Mormon knew that it was important to include the prophesies and revelations about Jesus Christ in His record.
You can show Book of Mormon picture stories and have the children share what they know about them.
How have you been guided by the Spirit to help someone?
God will work through me
as I follow His guidance.
Words of Mormon 1:1–8
Doctrine and
Covenants 10 A reason that the Lord inspired Mormon to include
the small plates in his record is that the 116 page manuscript was lost.
Saints, volume 1, chapter 5 You can read more about that here.
I am so happy that we have the small plates in The Book of Mormon. We have the testimonies of Nephi and Jacob and many others.
Words of Mormon 1:3–7 Mormon knew that it would be important for us to have these records that contained many prophesies and revelations about Jesus Christ.
When have you experiences the Lord’s Spirit working through you, and in others?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng
Enos prays mightily and gains a remission of his sins—The
voice of the Lord comes into his mind, promising salvation for the Lamanites in
a future day—The Nephites sought to reclaim the Lamanites—Enos rejoices in his
Redeemer. About 420 B.C.
Vs
1 We are not just parents if we have the gospel
and fail to teach our children in our language and in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.
Vs 5-8 We can receive a
remission of our sins through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Vs 15-16 If I have faith
and ask Heavenly Father in prayer for something, He will bless me with
whatsoever thing I need.
Vs 26-27 If you testify of Jesus Christ and preach His gospel
all your days, it will be well with you.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/jarom/1?lang=eng
The Nephites keep the law of Moses, look forward to the
coming of Christ, and prosper in the land—Many prophets labor to keep the
people in the way of truth. About 399–361 B.C.
Vs
3 It is necessary that we invite this people to
believe in God and come unto Jesus Christ and be saved. We need to offer them
something better than they now have.
Vs 4 Is we are humble and
have faith in Jesus Christ, we will have communication with the Holy Ghost and
we will have revelations.
Vs 7 If our leaders are
mighty man of faith, the Lord will bless us against our enemies.
Vs 8 If we had righteous
leaders, the people all over our land would become very rich.
Vs 11 Be more diligent in
teaching the others to look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and to
being prepared to meet Him and be with Him.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng
Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki, each in turn,
keep the records—Mosiah discovers the people of Zarahemla, who came from
Jerusalem in the days of Zedekiah—Mosiah is made king over them—The descendants
of Mulek at Zarahemla had discovered Coriantumr, the last of the Jaredites—King
Benjamin succeeds Mosiah—Men should offer their souls as an offering to Christ.
About 323–130 B.C.
Vs
7 If we continue to be righteous, the Lord will
spare us.
Vs 12-13 Mosiah, like Lehi and then Nephi, was warned to
leave his current land with his people. So they departed and arrived in
Zarahemla.
Vs 20-21 Mosiah translated
the Jaredite record by the gift and power of God.
Vs 25 Believe in God, believe in Jesus Christ, invite
all to come unto Him; believe in prophesying, in revelations, in ministering of
angels, in the gift of tongues, and in all good things. Everything good comes
from God.
Vs 26 Invitation to come unto Christ and be saved.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1?lang=eng
Mormon abridges the large plates of Nephi—He puts
the small plates with the other plates—King Benjamin establishes peace in the
land. About A.D. 385.
Vs 2 Moroni prayed that his son would be able to
also leave his testimony of Jesus Christ and give us further instruction.
Moroni was able to do this. God hears our prayers in behalf of our children.
Vs 3-6 Mormon included the
small plates because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ. Many were
fulfilled, and he knew that all would be fulfilled.
Vs 7 Because the Lord knows all things, it is
important for us to follow the Spirit even when we cannot see yet what the Lord
has designed.
Vs 8 My prayer to God should also be for my family
and my Country that we may all once again come to the knowledge of God and the
redemption of Christ, and once again be a delightsome people.
Vs 11 It is up to us to be
keepers of the truth. We need to learn the scriptures and testify of them and
NOT allow them to be altered. We need to also learn true history and not allow
it to be changed.
Vs 17-18 It would be good
for me to hearken to the holy men in the land that speak the word of God with
power and authority. It would be good for me to labor with all the might of my
body and the faculty of my whole soul to establish peace in the land. Be a
publisher of peace; be a missionary; be a minister of goodness.
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