Mosiah 18

(September 4, 2014)

                I have read this chapter any number of times, and it seems like I am constantly glossing over Alma’s prayer before he does his work – his prayer to do the work he is setting out to do with holiness of heart.  It struck me at that point how important it is that we do everything we do (even those things objectively good) with holiness of heart – it requires more than just good actions.  When I try to support my family through work, my prayers need to be that I do what I am trying to do with holiness of heart.  When I serve in my Church calling, it matters that I do that service with holiness of heart.  This is something I fail to give adequate consideration to.

                The second thought that I had was how there are no loners in the Gospel.  Sometimes it feels like the best thing in the world would be to be left alone with the scriptures and silence, so I could learn the things of God.  But that isn’t how our educations take place.  We learn the things of Divinity through struggles, including our struggles within ourselves and our struggles with other people.  We must be out and about serving others, mourning with those who mourn, and comforting those who stand in need of comfort, in order to truly learn what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  There will be no loners in the Celestial Kingdom (with the possible exception of Moroni and Ether – I suppose if your entire people are wiped out you get a pass).