VIDEO: Don’t Miss This | Come Follow Me Moroni 1-6 (Nov. 30-Dec. 6)

Come Follow Me Moroni 1-6 (Nov. 30-Dec. 6) – powered by Happy Scribe

Hello there, welcome to Don’t Miss This. I’m David Butler. I’m Emily Freeman. We’re glad that you’re here.

OK, we just want to do one quick reminder to just kind of help people with the schedule a little bit because we’re about to move into doctrine and covenants here in December. And that is coming up.

It feels really good to talk about the doctrine. Think it’s not. We’ve been holding a secret since August.

Some of you are just finding out about it, about our field trips that we took in the different places once a month. We’re going to be on location teaching a lesson which makes us so excited to look forward to the year. So I feel like we’ve been looking forward to a lot longer than everybody else. So here’s the schedule here. It’s going on.

First, we just want to remind you, we stay about two weeks ahead of when the lesson usually happens in church. That’s because we want to give some people time. Some people like to study all week long and then teach their family or discuss with their family for the next four week leading up to when it’s going to happen in church. And so you take whatever schedule you would like it. Just so you know, we are two weeks ahead of when this happens in church for just to make sure we fit everybody’s schedule.

Yep. We just want to make sure we’re ahead of you and you’ll be able to look on Instagram. Both Instagram and YouTube will stay that two weeks ahead. And we’re trying to label everything with the lesson that it is. So according to wherever your family is or what your needs are, you just go to the the part you want.

Yeah. So that’s OK. Yeah, we’re doing something new on Instagram and we hope you love it. We think you do because we’ve had so many comments on there. But this is what you can look for on Instagram right now over at don’t miss this study on Mondays, the day the video comes out, we put up a discussion board where we just pick one of the parts of the lesson that we’ve been thinking about, talking about what’s kind of consumed our discussion.

And we just invite you in to that discussion. We want you to talk about what are you thinking about that or what are you learning about that? And we hope that’s a post you don’t just look at on Monday, but that you actually will come back and revisit as you’re doing your study for. That lesson will be on throughout the week. You’ll see both David and I on there just talking about what we’re learning as we’re preparing that. But also we love listening to what you’re talking about on Thursdays.

We do a memorize scripture on that day, and it’s just our favorite verse out of everything that we taught that week. It’s just good to remember you don’t you don’t necessarily need to memorize the verse and the location, but just the words in your head to be able to say them out loud. The one we chose for last week has been on repeat in my brain every day for the past week. So that happens on Thursdays and then on Saturdays.

This is our first week, this last Saturday. And it was so fun. We are asking you as you watch YouTube to put your time stamp of your favorite part of the video as you watch it that first week. Then we go on on Friday and we pull whatever is the most consistent part that you’re all talking about. And we make a seven to ten minute, just little segment in case you want to use something shorter for your family discussion that next Sunday or maybe it’s super shareable.

Yeah.

You know, if you want to share it somewhere else, it’s just going to be a tiny part of the lesson. And we’re letting you choose what that part is. Whatever you love, that’s what we’re going to put in that will come out on Saturdays. Then that next Sunday is when maybe you’re going to teach your family and then Monday, the next one will come out again. So we love that. We’re kind of inviting you into the process this year and letting you be a part of the discussions and a part of what we’re sharing and kind of just a part of the community.

Yeah, I mean, it’s been scattered and we’ve been the only ones finding it and hearing it and communicating with a lot of y’all. And so it’s nice just to bring it in so that everybody can kind of share about that.

And honestly, this first week, that first week that we did it, where we talked about the presence of God, I mean, the presence of a storm, does it mean the absence of God and oh, my goodness, if you have not read the comments underneath, you’re missing the most colden part of it, that story of the woman talking about losing her husband.

Yes. And just anyways, Kristen, I think was your name, thank you for sharing that story with everybody. And and remember that quote where someone said, if a storm is holding you back, it means that God wants you to be in a place at the right time. Yes.

Like your insights are good. Many good insights.

I just got goose bumps even thinking about that one again. So that’s just awesome.

We feel so connected to y’all even though you’re just out there in space, it’s it’s just really uncool.

So here’s what to look forward to. In December, December 7th, we will be putting out our. Video that will be Moroni 10, so you’ve got this one, we’ve got Brunei’s seven through nine and then Browny 10, the last one of the Book of Mormon. We’ll go on to YouTube on December seven. And it’s fun. Don’t you want to say something fun?

Yes, that one is our first field trip. Should you tell them?

Oh, well, spoiler alert. You’re going to give a little tease or give a teaser that rhymes with Remora.

There is no one will ever guess. We are terrible secret keepers.

Let’s just tell this. Both of us have actually had Christmas Eve when our kids were little and they didn’t know what the dates were. We don’t live in the same house, everyone.

We both moved Christmas Eve up when our kids were four year old age because we just couldn’t wait.

So, yeah, Christmas early. Then we all went to grandma’s house. Everybody was like, oh, it’s Christmas this morning. They’re like, what? So that’s December 7th, December 14th.

We will be launching our Christmas video and we have a special guest.

So let’s keep this one. I will do want a secret. I say a word. I will not even do a rhyme with that one. Then wait.

Let’s say it’s going to be exciting. Oh, super exciting. Can’t wait for the special guest to be so fun.

Can it be OK then December 21st, believe it or not, is when our first doctor in Covenant’s video is going on to YouTube for Section one in the introduction. And then December 28th will be our Joseph Smith history video. The first vision lesson. Obviously you can watch us whenever you want, but wild, the December is going to really start coming that study. So speaking of that, we just wanted to say y’all this. The first printing of this sold out, but now a second printing has started.

So if you’re not able to find it yet, you can look in the stores. They’re trying to keep it on the shelves or you can still order online. And then right when that second printing comes out, they’re going to ship it to you. We just want to make sure everybody has those if you are just to be ready for when it starts in late December.

So middle of December, it actually feels like it’s the middle of December. Yeah, it is so crazy. It is so good. Everyone is going to be so we’re excited, excited for us here. It’s sad to say goodbye to the Book of Mormon, but it’s really rad to begin the study of the doctrine and covenants. And I just have been thinking all day today, you may be a person who has thought, oh, one year, one day I’m going to really get into the doctrine covenants and understand it.

And maybe that is this year for you. And we have tried to even just create the best blend that we can of what’s the history, what is the doctrine in the unfolding of the kingdom, in the sections, but also what are the stories? That’s my favorite. And what’s going to make those sections come alive because they can be a little bland. I’m not going to lie, but like but they also so much life in them.

And we’re going to especially if you know, the question that prompted the revelation to come, when you know that question, all of a sudden you’re like, oh, this makes so much more sense now.

So it’s going to be fun to watch them ask their questions and get the revelation, because I think it’s going to teach us how to better ask our questions and experience that same revelation.

And that’s one of the things we focused on in the Journal, is a page every week to just explore us, asking our questions and the things we want to thank God for in the errands that we think he’s calling us to and going on. So next year will be just really to be so good.

OK, I’m not going to go. I’m around. I have not forgotten you, my brother. Let me ask you this. Who else does this let’s see if you ever do. I love the Book of Mormon. I so much. And this is what happens when I get to it every time. As soon as I turn and I see marone, I the first thought that comes to my mind is it’s over. I did it. I read the whole Book of Mormon.

Do you ever do that when you get here? Because it’s like Moroni is like the blink of an eye. It goes by so fast usually. So one of the things that I love about Moroni is that we get three different lessons to just focus on what’s happening here and to think about it and just kind of bring it in. And I love that. So we’re going to split it up into these three lessons and they’re just sweet. All three of them there are they’re just such good parts that are happening in these chapters.

So this first one, one through six, one of the things that we love, let’s just remember what’s happened. So Maurin Amarone are the last two writers of the Book of Mormon, and Moroni has been born into a home that believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ and he’s been raised in that home. And the way we know that is because of the way we watch his relationship with his dad and the conversations that. They have we don’t know anything about his mom or if there were any other siblings, but we just have to imagine that the conversations taking place in their home were these sweet conversations about Jesus.

We also know he lived in a world that was just completely falling apart. And it’s amazing to me how much of maroney’s life is spent alone, which I don’t know if I’ve ever thought of that before, but it’s like decades. It’s not just like two or three years. He is going to spend the majority of his life by himself and think about how lonely that is. And as I was reading this time, it’s interesting how according to what’s happening in your life is what you notice in scriptures.

Have you noticed that before that you, like, have read something 10000 times and then because of a circumstance or a condition that is happening in your life, all of a sudden you read and you’re like, oh, I, I never thought of it like this before and I don’t know about you, but 20/20 has been a really lonely year. We’re both very much people, people we love, including people we love, bringing people in. We love communities.

We love gathering. And it’s been an interesting year. We’ve kind of hunkered down to this small group and and it’s been more about family, which I love that time that we’ve been able to spend with family. But it is interesting because I wonder if you asked a lot of people what’s the emotion you have felt the most this year? It might be loneliness. And I don’t know how many of you that are our age, but have parents who are in that age bracket that have to be really careful.

And I talk a lot with my siblings about how do we make sure our mom and dad aren’t lonely and that they’re still feeling inclusion and everything that’s going on. And so as I got it and started reading Merlini this time, I thought it’s just interesting to think about what he chooses to write in a period of his life that is so like inside. It’s just it’s him. And it’s a lot of thought about what would I share and what would I do.

I love that these first six chapters, which is what we’re going to focus on today, it’s been said that these this is a record that you and I put together that were the most sacred practices of the ecclesiastical life of the Nephites, that it’s almost as if he was sitting there and obviously he wasn’t gathering with a church community. Obviously, he wasn’t having those that faith community relationship and that gathering on the Sabbath and all of those things. But he missed them.

And we know he missed them because of what he writes in these first six chapters are just almost his memories. But I think also his testimony of the importance of gathering as faith communities. And that’s how we kind of want to enter into this, because one of the things we’re noticing a lot in our conversations, and I wonder if you are noticing this same thing, is this question that keeps getting hinted at everywhere, which is why do we have to go back to church and how it is and why are we, like, limping through it right now?

Why not just wait until it’s back to normal instead of this weird, funky adjusting thing that we’re doing back and forth?

And you feel the stretch of it, right? You feel the the awkwardness of trying to get things back together. And I love that this one man wants to say maybe let me tell you what I miss the most or let me tell you what I feel like is the most important thing.

If I if I have time to just sit down and write to you what you should hold as the most sacred practices, these would be some of those things. And that’s how we want to enter into these chapters.

Yeah, let’s move out of the way as we kind of just introduced this part right up here that we have in the study guide to just talk about. I mean, he starts off and just says, well, I haven’t died yet.

So let me just give one last thing and how valuable the last thing that he actually gives. I’m so happy he doesn’t just tie up the record in a bow and bury it, but he spent the time.

Yeah. To say these sacred practices. And the problem, you might say, is that he has enemies or that he’s feeling persecution or he is living out like the hard parts of his world or he is lonely. And all of those would be things that any of us could say. Right. And that’s how we kind of feel almost like I mean, sometimes now I think when I’m like, oh, I hate Zoon Sunday school, it’s actually like ours are usually schools actually really cool.

Actually, I’ve really liked it. But whenever I have said before, like, oh I wish we were in real person in. Soon I can almost hear Maroon I saying I wish I had Zoom, you know, I’m like, Oh, sorry, my friend. But he says even though I have this problem that I’m facing, loneliness, persecution, whatever he says I will. His resolve is in verse three I marone.

I will not deny the Christ no matter what. That’s my first inclination. It’s my first like dedication is I will not deny the Christ.

And I love thinking that’s his his first most sacred practice. Like that’s where all the practices stem from. Is that one commitment. I will not deny the Christ. And so what will my life look like?

Yeah, I made that decision right. There’s that word he uses wherefore. Because that’s my number one.

It’s going to impact the way that I think and breathe and live. If someone were to ask me, ask particularly Moroni, why are you wandering? Oh, answer because I decided not to deny the Christ is my first and foremost practice. Why are you experiencing loneliness? Well, because I decided I was not going to deny the Christ we think might be fine.

We love words so much for you to just think of what are some synonyms for deny. You just says I will not deny the Christ. And maybe what are some opposite words that you know that you could put in?

As I was doing that this week, there were a couple that were just standouts to me that I thought about, you know, that I love looking up the Greek and Hebrew words for some of the words that we study. I just love the deep meaning that happens there. One of the reasons I think I’m drawn to it is I had the opportunity to go to Israel many years ago and I was with an Israeli guide there. And I had said to him, I want to learn Hebrew that like that is on my bucket list.

And he said to me, oh, you really do. And you don’t even know why you want to. And I was like, OK, tell me why I want to learn Hebrew. And he said, because in English one word means one word. It just, you know, the definition. If I tell you a word, you could define it for me in Hebrew, one word means twenty words. And that’s why I like the rabbis like to get together and talk about what they think of verse means, because they’ll look at every single word and say, well, it could have meant this, it could have meant this.

And it’s the bringing together of all the words that gives the best understanding to the verse. So I love this thought about talking about what does that word Denyer mean, because as we bring together all the words, all of a sudden that one line is going to take on a whole new meaning.

Yeah, that’s why I think I disagree with that Hebrew man, because we can do it in English. Well, I did it in Greek. In Hebrew. You’ll be doing it in English on your phone right now. Do you know what I mean?

Yes.

Like the way you define Dinni and I define tonight, what would it be are going to be different.

Do you know what I’m talking about? Yes. So I think there’s lots of definitions still.

We still. Oh yeah. I love all the languages.

The Germans. You’re included too. I know, because you remember that one part. But this is going to be totally a squirrel. But let’s just go there for a second. Do you realize that in the I think it’s the Dutch New Testament when they talk about Peter French, it’s the French one.

And I know you’re talking about and they when they talk about when they go back to the boat, the translation makes it sound like they walked back to the boat together, which all of a sudden you’re like, oh, I just love like giving me that added perspective. So it’s a good scripture study tip is pulling in as many words as you can. OK, so I pulled the Greek and Hebrew. If you want to pull something, you can too, just in case, because it might be so fun.

The Hebrew is Monáe for Dinni and it would mean I keep back. I refrain or I withhold. So think about that. In your relationship with Christ, are you withholding anything from that? Are you keeping something back from that relationship? That’s what it means to deny. Isn’t that interesting or the Greek word is Ana Ommaney.

Ana, my.

That’s how you say it sounds like a Hawaiian song. Greek for just a second.

And it means this one is so interesting to disavow, to reject or to refuse Christ. So think about those six words now that it means to keep back, to withhold to refrain from fully entering in, but it also means to disavow, reject or refuse. And so now when you say, I will not deny the Christ, look how that line just opened up all of a sudden that you start thinking about.

That’s what that one word. Means is denied, what did you find? Well, I was just thinking from my own, like sometimes on the computer when you have the wrong password or something like that, says access denied meaning like I’m not letting you in. And so that’s what I think about when he says, I will not deny the Christ where like to deny means to not let him in. But he says the opposite of it, which is I will let him in like access granted.

Yes, like access. And I love that.

When you think on this other side, well, what would be the opposite of denial then? It would be enter in right there, allow him in or accept or acknowledge him as part of your life or I like that word allow to that.

That’s our decision. Whether or not we deny or I love that word embrace, that’s our choice in that moment.

So it’s just kind of a fun word study you might want to go through and and think about that. And then what does that mean and what does it look like in your life?

Now, this is interesting because we asked this question, what is your therefore right where you decide where you’re where for this idea of because I’ve decided to not deny the Christ he says wherefore I wonder or wherefore I’m alone and we just love the idea of now that he is alone, that he’s experiencing this loneliness, like what he’s looking back on and reminiscing and just and just saying, interestingly, for anybody who feels like they are alone, they don’t have to be right because there are sacred practices that enable you.

To come together in a unity of faith of people, I don’t think will there ever be a time period again when somebody will have to, you know, be Mirandized because we can be so connected in community now?

It’s it’s wild, but with that mind and the truth will never be taken again. Right.

We have that promise. So we know even if the saints grow fewer, which that is the latter day prophecy, but there will always be saints and there will always be the gospel. And I love this that you just made me think of all of those sacred practices actually invite Jesus in right there, allow him in, which makes you think to yourself, although I was alone. But it hints toward the presence of Christ just being with him and the practices that would allow him to not experience that loneliness so deeply.

Yeah, so chapter two is really interesting, especially considering, like the state that he’s in reads like I do feel alone. And and for sure, there are times when, you know, when we when we will feel alone, where there will be some of that persecution that comes because of that. And it’s just neat that in Chapter two he says, hey, do you remember when Jesus whispered some words to the disciples? Can I tell you what those words were when he laid his hands upon them?

He told them to call upon the father in my name. And I think about lonely Moroni writing these words and thinking to himself, Oh, but I remember the teachings of Jesus where he said, You can call upon the father wherever you are in any place, geographically or any place spiritually. You can call upon the father in my name.

And this is where in chapter chapter two, verse two is where he starts this discussion that part of these sacred practices is going to be that mighty prayer. And I love that he doesn’t just leave it there at my prayer, but there’s going to be a gift that accompanies mighty prayer and the bottom of to you see that it’s the gift of the Holy Ghost.

And those disciples passed that on. They heard that. And then on upon others, they gave that same promise. And it’s that that gift of the Holy Ghost is one that connects us to our father in heaven, into the savior in really intimate, powerful ways. Then the gift to the Holy Ghost makes us feel like they’re just right here, you know, with us, and particularly for somebody who is experiencing persecution and loneliness is just like, oh, but they are real.

God, the father and God the son and the spirit are real beings. And through the power of the Holy Ghost, they can remember, Sister Dalton says, be within whispering.

Oh, it’s one of my favorite quotes of hers that thought. In fact, I was just thinking to myself, it’s companionship that is constant. That’s the promise.

And and and how powerful like that. He wants to talk about a promise of companionship. Yes. In such a lonely place. Yes.

And that thought of what Sister Dalton does say that the isn’t it amazing we can have a member of the Godhead within whispering distance at all times and what comfort comes? You know, there had to be great comfort for Ronnie as he thought about that companionship that could be constant in a time that wasn’t. Yeah.

And for him to now be emphasizing again what a blessing it is, the priesthood keys and ordinances that allow that gift and promise to bestowed upon people in an even more magnified way than they can. I mean, we have talked about this before. We just believe that all people in this world can enjoy the influence and presence of the spirit of God. But there is a constancy and a intensity that seems to come more with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

That’s so good. And I love that you talk about that, because in Chapter three, he’s going to mention the next thing that he finds as a sacred practice. And that is the fact that there were priests and teachers who were ordained according to the gifts and callings of God. And let’s just think about those five words for a minute. It’s so awesome that that church included people who would be ordained to a calling or set apart to a certain calling that they would help run the church with.

And I love the thought of that of priests and of teachers and that word calling and the word gifts, just to think that within the church of God, you should be able to find all those things that all of that working together is a sacred practice and that they’re going to preach repentance.

This is in chapter three. Verse three, they’re going to preach a remission of sins through Jesus Christ and this idea of endurance, of faith on his name. And I think sometimes we sometimes think about like, oh, endure is more my job and not so much as a gift that there will be a gift of endurance on his name, you know, given to you.

And I love swapping out that name endure with what we talked about earlier, that firmness within. And just to think that that’s a gift to have that firmness within and comes from that constancy of knowing that the spirit is is with us and helping us.

And I should say this real quick, because I love this concept in verse two, that there is a manner in a way that that God introduced to officiate in these ordinances like that. TISM has a manner, it’s a manner of immersion in the temple, endowment has a manner that it’s, you know, carried out in and ceilings have a manner, you know, that we physically carry them out.

And then I really love the manner of bestowing the Holy Ghost is a laying on of hands that there is a there is a personal touch and there’s a closeness. Oftentimes there is a circle, you know, of protection, of of love. I just remember I think it was Jones when he was given the gift of the Holy Ghost and I was the voice. But just standing there and thinking to myself, oh, look at him just surrounded by this and how powerful that was.

And for him to know your whole life, you have people within the will who be this close to you.

And it will be those people which I love because I had on a growing up and that I can remember when Megan was blessed and she was surrounded by all of these men who we love.

There are close family and then our friends that were there.

And I can remember thinking, take note of the people who were in that circle. And when Megan went through that really hard time a couple of years ago, that was just heartbreaking and hard.

Those were the people who stepped up in her life. Those were the ones who were giving counsel and who were mentoring her through. That is the men who had stood in that circle. And their wives as a team just buoyed her up through that really hard time.

And I love the thought of that of what you’re saying, that there’s there’s methods, there’s methodology or whatever you would call that their sacred routines that just open the way for that closer kinship, that kingdom community that happens when people surround and lift and boy up.

Yeah. And how neat that we that we do that even within our our faith in kingdom community, where it’s like, let’s act like family members, let’s act like brothers and sisters and and step up in strength in the way that you would somebody within your own within your own family.

That’s just the have you ever sat in church meetings and we’re going to get to this in a minute. So I’m a little bit jumping ahead. But have you ever sat in church meetings? We had one yesterday where the speaker stood up and instead of just delivering a talk, he really gave a report and a witness on where his life was at right now in Christ.

And it was almost as if we had been invited into his home and into a family meeting that he was having. And he shared with us the ups and downs of this past year and where he’s found hope and where he found Christ. And as I was listening, I thought to myself, it just it feels like I’ve been welcomed into his home a little bit. That’s how tender and intimate he was with us as he spoke. And then I thought to myself, well, we are family and everyone who’s on here is family.

And all of those hard things that he went through, we walked that path with him, we walked it, and we cried tears with him on some of those days. And we offered our prayers and we cried out for miracles and to hear him share that journey because we have been so much a part of it, I just thought how connected we were in that moment. And then I had the thought we could do better at creating more families rather than just, you know, a place that we come together to worship.

Yeah, yeah. But to really create the idea of family within a ward.

It was such a sweet meeting yesterday as you experienced that just being brought into someone’s life and their heart and their relationship with Christ.

So powerful for all of us to have walked that journey. And could we be better at walking with people in our in our ward family home, making my social life long for that, you know?

Yes. All right. In addition to these, those who are ordained to to minister in certain capacities and administer ordinances in certain capacities, one of those, if you go to the next chapter and only four and five is in the holy sacrament, that he just writes this down is his next sacred practice that happens within the kingdom is we have an opportunity to sit at the table, as it were, as a family right at the table of Christ and be offered his gifts of of grace to be.

Filled in to be nourished by his holy sacrifice, like it just as it’s so powerful and we have both of these these prayers here, I just noticed this because we were talking about it. But verse one in chapter four talks about the manner of them administering the flesh and blood is going to be powerful, that there will be an altar, that there will be people who kneel together, it says with the church, as if everybody is yardline together. They’re the the the bread will be broken in front of everybody as Christ was bruised and broken and torn for us is that great hymn says, like the manner of it will actually teach and involve us if we allow ourselves, you know, to be involved in it.

So we have these boxes here where we just think it would be great to ponder about and think about when he says eat this bread in remembrance of of my body and to just consider and think what would that what would that mean? And all the times what was bread is and how it’s made and the times you see it show up in in scripture, you know, just all of those different things that that somebody could remember and that thought about taking his name upon you.

And I love, again, another word study. When you study that word name, it can mean authority, but it can also you we take his authority upon us. But also that word name could be translated as character.

Don’t you love that, that every time you take the sacrament, you’re taking his character upon you, which makes you really start thinking about that process of taking his name?

Yeah, it was funny because Emily told this a story similar to this earlier. But my friend Daisy and I were talking on a Monday, just at the start of a week or whatever, and we always asked this question to each other on Monday. Like who? One church. You know, we’re like, which means like, what was the best line? What was the best insight? What was the whatever that was there? And I said, who won church?

And he said, the spirit.

And I was like, Oh, well, that’s nice.

What do you mean? Now that he just said that, you’re like, yeah, yeah. And he said as he sat in the sacrament and there was this commission given to the Saints in the prayer to take upon us his name, he said the spirit whispered to him, But which name? And he thought to himself for a second about all the different names of Christ that actually are many of them, a description of his character, and he started going through names like Advocate and Peacemaker and King and Shepherd and Lamb.

And he started to think, what if this week I took upon me the name of advocate and I was an advocate for people and I was an encourager to people. And I assumed the best about people just the way Jesus would all week long and then next week maybe do the same with Shepherd. And I would care for people and I would count them and I would go after the one and I would and I would make sure they were fed and loved.

And whatever you do with a shepherd. Right. But this whole idea of as I take on his name, exactly as you said, then I take on that character.

Right. And then you become a witness of him. Right. You represent his character as you’re going about your week. And I love that thought about taking that name and becoming a witness of it. I also love the backwards thought of that that we talked about earlier, where sometimes you get to the sacrament and you are so broken and things are so hard at that time that sometimes I look through those names and I think to myself, who do I need Christ to be this week for me?

And that’s the name I’m going to take Healer. Or you’ll remember in the story told earlier the word Shiloh, which just means peace and tranquility, which is what I needed at that time. So bad. And I love that we can have that experience either way. We can look at those names and think, who do I need him to be for me right now? Or we can do like your friend did and say, let me take one of these names and actually witness of that all week this week by my character, which then becomes taking it upon us.

His character.

I you just made me think about when you when you said, like I it’s there are this weeks that we come to the table broken and lonely and betrayed and how powerful it is that the manner that the ordinance is carried out in is showing us the manner of his death, of his brokenness and of his loneliness.

And I wonder if in writing this Marone, I thinks to himself that line of Jesus saying if there’s any other way alone in the garden, nevertheless, that, you know, thy will be done and and and just how he would have maybe felt connected to a wounded savior or a betrayed savior. And this one who like knows me, who’s experienced all of the the hardships of mortality, he lived a mortal life and knows them, you know. Yeah.

So there’s so much beauty in that holy sacrament. It just is. That’s beautiful. Then we’re going to go to Chapter six and it’s going to start talking about what that church community looks like, or I love calling it Kingdome Community, because I’m so excited for Jesus to come in, for his kingdom to come and to think, should we just practice Living Kingdom community right now? Because maybe he’ll come.

Pastor Well, and and I think he has like there is a kingdom of God on earth and there is a kingdom of God in heaven. And they will meet up one day. But we really are building the kingdom. It’s been established. And here’s a preview to next year. Maybe we should say this, but when the church is organized in 1830 and Joseph and Oliver have no idea how to organize a church, that the Lord says to them and Dr.

Covenant’s 18, go look in the Book of Mormon. And I will show you how to build a kingdom community and Oliver actually pulls from Maroney, and that’s in Section 20 where you get the prayers and the priests and the teachers and what to do in the church.

Like, it’s funny that Moroni really is passing the baton and saying this is our our our kingdom disintegrations and it’s going to be built up again.

Let me show you how to do it.

And you love this because Marone I visited Joseph so many times, like, I think they were probably best friends by the end. And so you love this tutoring that is taking place real time, but also the notes that he put down before time so that they would have everything they needed to be able to start that process, which is so awesome.

How cool that that what moron I missed most of all, he gave Joseph first. Yes. You know what it’s like we have the Relief Society yet, but it’s going to be awesome. We don’t have the primary yet, but it’s going to be and it’s going to be awesome. We have salicylate and it’s going to be awesome. But on day one, yeah, you should be sacred practices into place.

You know, the things I missed most these days say and you love that these most sacred practices that were in the ecclesiastical life of the Nephites are actually some of the most sacred practices in our own church that we go through. So some of these you’re going to find and there are things that we talk about all the time. Baptism is in Chapter six. They’re going to talk about repenting and forgiveness, all of those things that are part of being in relationship with Christ that would come if you didn’t deny Christ, then those are going to be what it looks like to be in relationship with Christ.

But then we this week, we have just been so in love with how the church is described. And I think it’s what I was telling you earlier is because we miss we miss it so much. And so to hear him describe it so sweetly and then to think about maybe the reason why he he wrote it down like this is because he missed it the same way we are missing it right now. Makes Moroni Chapter six such a sweet chapter for right now.

So we left you boxes, but it might be fun to just go through. We’re going to pull out for you some of our favorite lines of what church looks like, but not so much. Just what it looks like. But it’s almost as if Marone I help this to know what it felt like to be at church. So just some of these sweet lines I love in for when it talks about that their names were taken, that they were numbered.

I love the thought of that, of like every single person was made know of, like they they knew who you were and they knew you were meant to be there. And I loved it. It tells us it was so they would be both remembered and nourished by the good word of God that thought of just remembering each other and nourishing each other. As I listen to my friend talk in church on Sunday, I think that might have been one of the sweetest parts is when he would mention this is how I knew I was remembered in that time and this is how I was nourished in that time.

And to think that’s that’s our job as the family of Christ and to do that and that if you look back those last verse where it says this is a collection of people who’ve decided to take upon them the name of Christ or the character of Christ, how awesome for him to just like I mean, you think of Mosaad 217 in Matthew twenty five where Jesus is like, you’ll be my hands and you will be my voice in most circumstances on that earth and to live in a community of people who are trying to be.

Shepherds who are trying to be advocates, you know, it’s so good and to remember each other and to nourish each other. That’s the first call of what church should look like. And I love to that they were watchful unto prayer. And I think about that not just for themselves individually, but for that that great family, you know, that they they would watch over each other with prayer, which is so sweet to me. One of my favorite parts of our family text is how?

Because my kids live all over the United States. But so often in that family text will come a line that says, will you pray for me? And then the next little text will say, this is what’s happening. I’m taking a test or I have a really important interview or something big is happening at my work or whatever is going on in someone’s life.

And I don’t you love those words. Will you pray for me? Just that sweet thought of the sick group of people who would pray for me and over my family.

And we’re watchful over each other through prayer.

Yeah, I, I think about at night we just have some good friends whose baby was just battled for his life and the now big surgeries are coming up. And I just love whoever’s turn it is in our family’s prayer like they all remember to pray for baby rock, you know, and it’s just like it’s just awesome. That whole neighborhood and a group of people doing this. I’ve told this story before. I can’t remember whether it was a thousand years ago or yesterday.

But just when I had this at my emergency overseas, I was in the hospital for all these days and it was so hard for me.

And I got home and a friend of mine stopped me on the street after I’d gotten home. And he just said, Oh, we were praying for you. And I, I, I said, Were you really? You know, because sometimes we say that would be nice, you know? And I legitimately I know people say this in church, but it was legitimate, like felt the strength and power of people’s prayers, like I’ve said that before, and light just because I thought that was what you’re supposed to say.

But on this occasion, I legitimately did. And I wanted to I asked things. I want to sincerely thank him, you know, for watching over me with with prayer like it meant a lot from a thousand miles away. It meant the world to help.

And you can do is that and I found myself lately just because our connection points are so limited, I’ll I’ll read something that is happening to someone who I know or I’m close to or I’ve even found it with our community on Instagram. People will write something that they’re battling right now. And and I just think to myself, I will add you to my prayers. And I’ve started keeping a little prayer list that I just think these are the names of the people who I discovered today who maybe could use an extra prayer because who doesn’t have time for just a quick extra prayer for that person as you’re going through.

So I love that thought.

And I watch I was going to say I do the same thing on Instagram or wherever, and it’ll usually go like this. I’ll type out. I will pray for you and before I since.

And I just pray. Yeah. And then I it’s like I always type it pray. And then I said we just might we need this big force of people being watchful under prayer.

I love the thought of that idea.

And then next life which is so awesome. What we do in a church community is we rely and teach each other to rely alone upon the merits, the mercy and the grace of Christ. You can’t help but think about, you know, that scripture, who is the author and finisher of their faith, that we encourage each other where to look to, who to look to for that strength, that help, that forgiveness, that peace, that encouragement, that that’s our talk when it talks about nourished by the good word of God, it’s like that’s our talk.

Yeah. It’s that that grace talk. That encouraging talk.

I’m so in love with number five. And I think it’s because I’m lonely for this to be happening in my life.

And the church did meet together off to fast and to pray and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. And oh, I just I read that and I’m like that. That verse is what calls me back to church on Sunday is the thought of that. They just meet together often and they fast together and they pray together. I love that line about and they speak with one another concerning the welfare of their souls. And it’s just that watch care over the community that I love.

And then we love nine.

Yeah. And before that, the mention in a forgiveness that it’s a in a church community and in a family community, both we learn to forgive and we learn to act things out with real intent. And I think that it’s a it’s a practice ground. Yes, you know, for those type of of, you know, of Christian character and then nine the meetings, don’t you like this idea? Yes, I love it. So many meetings were conducted after the manner of the workings of the spirit planned ahead of time or in the moment.

Right. But they live in the spirit. They want to experience the Holy Spirit. I almost want to say this, like where you just want to say it. If you’re ever called to serve or speak or talk or sing, your attention is all of these things is like what? My end goal and participate in being a Sunday school teacher for the 15 year olds is to nourish and teach people about grace and to pray for each other and forgive each other like that’s my end goal, not to give a good talk or a good lesson, but it’s that this would be the end.

And what does it look like when the spirit gets to be in church? I will tell you experience. I just thought of that I will never forget as long as I live. I had been asked to speak in state conference, which I had never done before, and I don’t think I ever have since. I think it is the one and only time in my life I have spoken in a state conference, so I was super nervous to begin with.

And then we went to the Saturday night meeting and there was a 70 there who was running our state conference and he asked for all the speakers and he sent out this little message to all the speakers that said, whatever talk you have prepared for tomorrow, I want you to throw away. And between now and tomorrow, I want you to write what the spirit tells you you are meant to share at that meeting. And I know people who would have quit, why they are so nervous and my first thought I’m not going to lie was, well, the spirit helped me, right, because they already knew you already knew what I was supposed to speak on.

But I was a little bit intrigued by the invitation. I just I was like, well, what what will happen if I do, you know, like what’s going to happen? And so I did. I threw away the talk that I had read to my mom and every one of my sisters on the phone practicing that whole week before, because that’s how scary it is to talk in state conference. Everyone and I sat down and rewrote my talk according to what had happened at the Saturday night meeting and what I felt prompted to share.

And what I remember I had a little bit remember the talk not in great detail, but I had felt prompted to use one scripture. And it’s in second if I 25, you know, I love it so much. And it’s not the one you think because the one that I felt to talk about is we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ. That just had come to me in such a I just felt that was what I was supposed to do.

And so I spoke on it. And then it was so neat because I was sitting where I could see the 70 and his wife as they listened to the whole meeting take place. Have you ever seen anyone do this? They took notes in every talk that you just saw them writing in their journals as the talks were being given and their talks came together as they listened to all the talks and then they stood up and spoke. And it just was a remarkable meeting.

If I told you who the 70s was, you’d be like, Oh, no wonder why, because he’s someone who speaks so much with the spirit.

But after the meeting was over, he shook everyone’s hand, who spoke. And then he came up to me and said, I’m intrigued by your process of writing the talk. How did you choose what scripture to use? And I just told him the spirit had said this was the scripture. And he said, because when I wrote my talk last night, I was given also one scripture to use, and it was the two scriptures before that. And he said, I had wanted to add the last scripture on, but I knew I didn’t have time in what I had been given.

So he said it’s remarkable that the spirit would have told you this scripture here. And it’s amazing.

It was such a testimony to me of this first night that the spirit can actually run a meeting with that much detail, with that much orchestration of I need to make sure this scripture and I need to make sure these two scriptures and we don’t know why.

I know. And that’s why that’s why I’m so intrigued by your telling.

That story is just like the spirit was orchestrating that and that action sometimes more generally and in that occasion, really specifically for someone.

And you wish you had the third triangle, don’t you? Right. Who was it for you? Why were those three verses so important?

And what is that person’s story and how remarkable that God is going to use him and her and her and him in order to help nourish and strengthen this one at a Sabbath meeting, which makes you start thinking to yourself, should I be more intentional about my Sabbath and how I enter in to those places?

Because you you play a role, you have a part to play that you’re the arm or the foot or the the knee of the of the body we talking about before we started that on our field trip one, the field trip that we went on, we were at the Peter Wittmer Farm where the very first sacrament meeting took place in this dispensation. And and while we were there, we talked about that those sacrament prayers in those words. And for the first time in my life, when I heard that when I when I.

Listen to the words of the the bread prayer where it says, eat this in remembrance of my body. I’ve always thought about the resurrected body or the sacrifice the body of Christ. But for the first time in my life, I heard eat this in remembrance of the body of Nisson, the church of my son. Eat it in remembrance. When you eat the sacrament, remember him and remember them also to mourn, to come, to bear.

It really is a time on the Sabbath to remember and be remembered. And and just the combination of all of that happening together is so beautiful. It’s so beautiful.

It makes me long for church to pick back up again. I just want to be with the people.

And maybe when we go back, we will have learned how to be a little bit more intentional in this way and how to try and bring about.

Don’t just go to go. But I’m going to bring this about when it happens. That’s so good. In honor of Moroni, should we all just not do it in honor of, you know, how to do a little bit, love the Marone on the temple as a reminder of.

Yeah, that’s one of those sacred practices that are going to prepare us. Yeah. For the kingdom. Yeah.

And him coming back to tutor Joseph in the way that like of course it was him. Yeah.

Let me show you a representation of him right there on the temple that is going to tutor us through that whole process. You just love night for the next three weeks. We just want to just love that. It’s so good. OK, yeah. We see. Yeah.

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