1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,800 Welcome to Closer to Christ, the General Conference, where two friends who love Jesus share our 2 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,900 own approach to studying the most recent General Conference talks. 3 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:19,520 This is Abbey and Amy. 4 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,160 Let's jump into it. 5 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,700 Today we're talking about Elder Bednar's talk in the space of not many years. 6 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:30,200 So I love the way that he started his talk. 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:31,880 Abbey, by the way, happy to see you. 8 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:32,880 Glad you're here. 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:33,880 It is so good to be here. 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,800 It's so exciting to be on the last talk of the Saturday night session. 11 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:38,800 We're flying through these. 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:39,800 Love it. 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,360 So I love how he started this talk. 14 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,600 He just really acknowledged who was there and there was a bit of softness and I really, 15 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:46,600 really loved it. 16 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:52,960 He said that it was a beautiful and joyous sight for him to see the conference center 17 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,160 fill up three times for the first time since COVID. 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,500 He acknowledged the crowd as being devoted disciples of Jesus Christ who are eager to 19 00:00:59,500 --> 00:01:02,480 learn and commended them for their faithfulness. 20 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:03,480 Loved that. 21 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:08,380 Though not physically in the conference center, you and I joined them and are also now joining 22 00:01:08,380 --> 00:01:13,080 in this moment in an opportunity to demonstrate that we too are disciples of Jesus Christ 23 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,180 and that we're also eager to learn. 24 00:01:15,180 --> 00:01:18,040 And so with that intro, let's get right into it. 25 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:19,040 All right. 26 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,200 So he goes on to reference some things that were a big focus for him from President Benson 27 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,320 during his service and to transition to that, he just kind of mentioned his timestamp. 28 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:33,040 He's like, I was 33 when he was called to the prophet and until the time I was 42. 29 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,600 And I know it wasn't the exact intention of the talk, but from the title in the space 30 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,400 of not too many years and him picking a specific part of his life to reflect on the lessons 31 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,160 that he learned from the prophet that were impactful on his testimony in that time made 32 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:52,720 me stop and think of how many changes happen to us if we look back at a snapshot of time 33 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,800 in the course of not too many years, like last night, my Facebook memory pops up and 34 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,960 it's a Facebook memory from nine years ago making gingerbread with my children and my 35 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,720 neighbors is gingerbread house making very important. 36 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:05,720 Maybe not. 37 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,960 But what it did for me was a quick mental playback of, you know, what those children 38 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,760 look like all these years later, what those neighbors are doing. 39 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,160 They've all moved different parts of the country. 40 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:15,160 We have more children. 41 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:16,360 We've moved from that home. 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,200 Yeah, we've added to the family for sure. 43 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:24,760 And so I think maybe all of you will probably think, yeah, what's happened to me in the 44 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:25,880 space of not too many years? 45 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:31,080 How quickly time can pass and we can either be satisfied with where we've gotten to or 46 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,620 we can look at it and think like, not super happy with that. 47 00:02:33,620 --> 00:02:36,840 We can make some changes and make the next chunk of years a little bit differently. 48 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:37,840 So great. 49 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,820 So he credits President Benson for his focus on the purpose and the importance of the Book 50 00:02:42,820 --> 00:02:43,820 of Mormon. 51 00:02:43,820 --> 00:02:47,880 That's why he was referencing why he was thinking of that time in his life. 52 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:53,280 Peter Bednar emphasized repeatedly that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion, 53 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,800 the keystone of our testimony, the keystone of our doctrine, and the keystone in the witness 54 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,400 of our Lord and Savior. 55 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:05,400 He also often emphasized teachings and warnings about the sin of pride found in this latter 56 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,000 day testament of Jesus Christ. 57 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,600 That's a good summary of what the Book of Mormon is. 58 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,160 And I've been thinking lately a lot of like somebody that has a question about a prophet 59 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,200 or a policy of the church or something, all of those things are important to kind of wrap 60 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,880 our heads around, but what's the most important is the Book of Mormon. 61 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,840 That is what we should base our testimonies off of. 62 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,840 That is what all things should rest upon. 63 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,520 What we learn about our Savior Jesus Christ in those words. 64 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:38,760 Every time I study the Book of Mormon, I consider this is a significant story and there are 65 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:44,000 so many things that could have been included in that last abridgment of this book, but 66 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:50,080 each of them were designed to hold a place and teach a certain lesson. 67 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,520 Elder Benner reminds us of what President Benson shared on that. 68 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,200 He said, the Book of Mormon was written for our day. 69 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,040 The Nephites never had the book, neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. 70 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:02,880 It was meant for us. 71 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,960 Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization under the inspiration of God who sees all 72 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:08,800 things from the beginning. 73 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,960 Mormon abridged centuries of records, choosing the stories, speeches, and events that would 74 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,160 be most helpful to us. 75 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,880 And then quoting Mormon, he said, Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and 76 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:24,240 yet ye are not, but behold, Jesus Christ has shown you unto me, and I know your doing. 77 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:29,400 Think it's so comforting to know what the intent of the book was and why as we read 78 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,320 it and we find answers in it that it's so plausible that those answers can be there 79 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:34,320 for us. 80 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:39,160 So, Abby, just circling back really quick with what Elder Benner said, I grew up learning 81 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,280 the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. 82 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,120 I heard that over and over and over again. 83 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,920 I will say that this is new to me and maybe it's just that I'm ready to hear it now. 84 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:51,240 Maybe I've heard it a bunch of times before, but the keystone of our testimony, the keystone 85 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:56,880 of our doctrine, and the keystone of our witness and Lord and Savior, it just brings another 86 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,000 layer of understanding of the Book of Mormon to me and also allows for me to make more 87 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:06,920 room in my heart, in my testimony, in the doctrine, and as a witness of the Lord Jesus 88 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:07,920 Christ. 89 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:08,920 Like, I want to bring all of those together. 90 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,640 I appreciate him broadening my vision. 91 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,440 R.L. Vision of the keystone. 92 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,440 Peace. 93 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,080 And the fact is that when something comes our way and it's unsettling and we know that 94 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,760 we have some work to do in it, doesn't that read to you as though the Book of Mormon should 95 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,280 be the first thing that we turn to? 96 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:25,280 A. Totally. 97 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:28,320 R.L. I mean, that's in the same way we're saying we're turning to the Savior. 98 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,920 He's just in abundance through the pages of it. 99 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,520 So for whatever reason we're saying we're turning to it, it's such good advice to just 100 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:36,520 say get into the book. 101 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:37,520 A. Love it. 102 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,600 R.L. And then when we're done there, then what further questions does that spark? 103 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:40,600 Then where can we go from there? 104 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:41,800 A. And where does the Spirit take you? 105 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:42,800 R.L. Totally. 106 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:43,800 A. So good. 107 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:51,000 Each of us, oh sorry, each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that their 108 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,200 words were for future generations. 109 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:58,220 Just like you said, doesn't a book written by prophets who saw the challenges and problems 110 00:05:58,220 --> 00:06:02,560 we would face highlight how essential the Book of Mormon is for us? 111 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,960 Here are a few ways to ask ourselves questions as we do our own study. 112 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,520 Why did the Lord inspire Mormon to include this account in his record? 113 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,720 What lesson can I learn from this admonition to help me live in this day and age? 114 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:22,500 A. As for studying the book and we're identifying warnings, we find important principles and 115 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:23,500 lessons for our day. 116 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:27,960 It's incredible to think that an ancient record can do that, but I can personally testify 117 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:32,880 the answers have come to my many questions as I've looked into the sacred book. 118 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,200 And I hope, I mean, Amy's shaking her head. 119 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,920 She's definitely had that experience and I'm hoping that you're thinking, yeah, I've 120 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:39,320 gotten my answers there before. 121 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:40,320 A. Absolutely. 122 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:45,720 Let's go over some of the more, some of the important lessons Elder Bednar wanted to highlight. 123 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,760 Lessons that from his perspective as an apostle of God are the most relevant today. 124 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,240 It's fitting that it's Christmas time right now and we're discussing in the Book of Helam 125 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,920 in a time when the people were anticipating the birth of Jesus Christ. 126 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:02,440 In the span of 50 years, we read of the conversion and righteousness of the Lamanites and the 127 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,360 wickedness, apostasy and abomination of the Nephites. 128 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,240 A. Don't you think too often we think the word Nephite, we're like, oh, they're good, 129 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,560 Lamanite means bad. 130 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:15,580 But in reality, because of agency, both of those groups of people had equal opportunity 131 00:07:15,580 --> 00:07:17,080 to follow Jesus Christ or not. 132 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:18,080 A. They flip-flopped all throughout. 133 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,520 A. And we see, yeah, that totally changed hands multiple times over the course of the 134 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:22,520 book. 135 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,320 Right after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they're all one in Christ. 136 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,860 And at the end of the book, complete apostasy, none are in Jesus Christ. 137 00:07:30,860 --> 00:07:35,000 But in these particular chapters that we're focusing on, we do see this role reversal. 138 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,560 And then we might say, how did this happen? 139 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:42,200 What caused the more part of the Lamanites to become righteous, in so much that the righteousness 140 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,440 did exceed that of the Nephites? 141 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:51,720 And to answer that question, we find out that it's because of their firmness and their steadiness 142 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,820 in the faith, while at the same time, the Nephites hardened their hearts and became 143 00:07:55,820 --> 00:07:59,960 grossly wicked, in so much that they did reject the Word of God and all the preaching and 144 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:02,040 prophesying which did come among them. 145 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,040 A. Yes. 146 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,240 It's important to recognize the contrast between the choices we have between trusting 147 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,400 and relying on God or turning away from Him. 148 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,640 We might ask ourselves the question, what caused this covenant corruption? 149 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:20,560 A. Let's quote the scripture, and thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle 150 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:21,600 in unbelief. 151 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:26,120 To me, I like the word dwindle or dwindling because it's a slow decline. 152 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:31,720 It's where we stop doing the little things that we were doing and we atrophy away, a 153 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:36,020 little at a time, but at a steady pace, maybe even hardly recognizing that any change is 154 00:08:36,020 --> 00:08:40,960 happening at all, until the end result is that the Spirit's totally withdrawn from 155 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:41,960 the Nephite people. 156 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,520 But since the story is for our time, that's how we do it too. 157 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:45,520 A. For sure. 158 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:46,520 Human nature, right? 159 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:51,400 When you're in this weakened state of this being dwindled, it is much easier to fill 160 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,320 the void with things in opposition to God's way. 161 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,040 We learned that they did grow in wickedness and abominations. 162 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,360 Inversely, the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God. 163 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:08,000 Yea, they did begin to keep His statutes and commandments and to walk in truth and uprightness 164 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,000 before Him. 165 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,000 So what a huge difference, right? 166 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:11,000 They're opposites here. 167 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:17,040 A. I like the word begin because it marks a start to change, which over the course of 168 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:22,600 50 years led to a generation of righteousness and in turning away from their former lives 169 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:23,600 and sin. 170 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:24,760 I love this. 171 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:29,000 And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out His Spirit upon the Lamanites because 172 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,440 of their easiness and willingness to believe in His words. 173 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:33,560 A. Yes. 174 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:36,480 Elder Bednar provides really great questions here. 175 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,960 He said, how could a once righteous people become hardened and wicked in such a short 176 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:41,960 period of time? 177 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,040 Or how could people so quickly forget the God who had blessed them so abundantly? 178 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:50,200 A. Here comes the lessons we learn from the negative example of the Nephites and the instruction 179 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:56,280 we can gain about a lesson we absolutely need for our day, a lesson on the cycle of pride. 180 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,640 So pride began to enter into the heart of the people who profess to belong to the Church 181 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:05,140 of God because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land. 182 00:10:05,140 --> 00:10:09,220 Don't we find the greatest blessings as members of Christ's Church? 183 00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:13,000 In this world, sometimes those blessings are sometimes monetary. 184 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,560 We have to continually recognize that blessings are coming from Him. 185 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:20,400 He is the channel and He gets to channel His blessings where He will. 186 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,280 And there are plenty of times when the blessings aren't monetary, but it's still a gift. 187 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,880 We either recognize that all good things come from Him or we take pride in actually thinking 188 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,480 that we have done that for ourselves. 189 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,360 When we have gratitude for the things we have, we are acknowledging that we know where they 190 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,280 came from and in turn acknowledge the hand of God. 191 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:42,320 A. And tend to reap more blessings based on that because He's like… 192 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:43,920 A. For sure. 193 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:45,720 He's a good giver. 194 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:51,000 It's probably one of the most repeated warnings in the Book of Mormon, this cycle of pride, 195 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:56,400 because being a covenant people does reap blessings and then at some point when we stop 196 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:03,200 acknowledging that God's the one that provided those blessings, then we're crediting that 197 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:04,200 power to ourselves. 198 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,200 A. For sure. 199 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:10,040 In our personal lives, the cycle of pride can go in short spurts all over the place 200 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,680 and then as a people, it's kind of a slower altogether. 201 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:15,080 You know what I mean? 202 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:20,040 Being a covenant people brings covenant blessings. 203 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,160 So when we're abiding by God's law, there's an abundance of them. 204 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:24,480 And then we have to be faced with this decision. 205 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,680 Am I going to pat myself on the back and think, man, look what a good job I did? 206 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:32,240 Or am I going to say, what blessings have come from this covenant relationship that 207 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,040 I'm in with the Lord? 208 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,680 And we had just talked a couple of episodes about gratitude, how gratitude unlocks the 209 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:40,880 blessing from heaven. 210 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:45,920 Understanding where our blessings come from, bringing more blessings while the opposite 211 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:46,920 is true. 212 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:53,160 Setting ourselves upon riches and vain things of the world brings to us what Elder Bednar 213 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:54,640 called the poisons of pride. 214 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,040 K. Listen to this little piece. 215 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:01,160 Pride entered into their hearts, which lifted them up beyond that which is good. 216 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:06,300 To me, it's a lesson that a portion of pride is good in pride in the things we are accomplishing 217 00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:08,800 as a team, us and Jesus Christ. 218 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,000 That part is a good part. 219 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:12,540 And then when is it not? 220 00:12:12,540 --> 00:12:20,080 A question to consider like, how might prosperity lead to pride and then pride to apostasy? 221 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:25,760 He has such a concise way, I love this part, of articulating the pattern. 222 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:31,980 Prosperity, possessions and ease constitute a potent mixture that can lead even the righteous 223 00:12:31,980 --> 00:12:34,500 to drink the spiritual poison of pride. 224 00:12:34,500 --> 00:12:37,280 Let's talk about this poison of pride, Abby. 225 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:41,280 Okay, still right from the talk, he said, we see historically that pride leads people 226 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,840 to mock that which is sacred. 227 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:48,160 I definitely read this with, what am I seeing in our day and age as he's making this list 228 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:49,160 up? 229 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:53,760 Because he pulled this list from what we saw from our Book of Mormon ancestors, told us 230 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,360 that it was going to be applicable to our day. 231 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,760 And so stop as I read each of these things, like, do I see that in my day? 232 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:04,120 So again, historically that pride leads people to mock that which is sacred. 233 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,600 Unfortunately, yes. 234 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:11,360 Like when people get a taste of our garment or inside the temples, like they mock that 235 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:16,000 rather than just accepting that it's a beautiful sacred thing. 236 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,120 Disbelief in the spirit of prophecy and revelation, God doesn't talk to people in this day and 237 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:25,240 age versus God has a prophet, he's the mouthpiece. 238 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,720 Trample under our feet the commandments of God, when we sit and we twist those to make 239 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:33,800 sense with our set of morals in the world versus like being absolute in the idea that 240 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,280 God's laws don't change. 241 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,280 Deny the Word of God. 242 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:43,100 Remember this wouldn't be to necessarily say that like I don't believe in this or that, 243 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:47,120 but instead the actions that we do based on the truths we believe or don't. 244 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:48,440 What are we making time for? 245 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:49,880 What aren't we making time for? 246 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:55,560 That's what's really articulating whether we're denying the Word of God or not. 247 00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:58,400 We cast out, we mock and we revile against the prophets. 248 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,800 And that can look different ways. 249 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:02,880 Clearly, we're not casting them out physically. 250 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:03,880 Right. 251 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:05,520 I think that goes exactly to the thing I said before. 252 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:09,400 If the prophet says something and we do the thing he's suggesting, then we're sustaining 253 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:10,540 the prophet. 254 00:14:10,540 --> 00:14:15,920 We are holding him up as somebody we trust and look to for guidance versus if he says 255 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,080 and invites us to do something, we don't take that up. 256 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,280 We're not maybe necessarily mocking him, we're not maybe casting him out. 257 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,120 We have room for him. 258 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:33,560 But you can see how that's a step towards complete casting out, complete mocking, reviling. 259 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,480 Sometimes we forget the Lord our God and not desire that the Lord our God who hath created 260 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,680 us should rule and reign over us. 261 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,080 So for me, that's a reminder of having gratitude over pride. 262 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,680 Who did those blessings come from? 263 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:49,480 That one I love the way he says it because he reminds us that he's our creator and then 264 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,880 when we don't have a desire to let our creator rule over us, it just doesn't make any sense. 265 00:14:54,880 --> 00:15:00,120 It shows us for us as humans, it shows how nonsensical that actually is. 266 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,120 So I appreciate it. 267 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,760 The opportunity to raise children in this lifetime, I mean, isn't that we know we can 268 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,360 let this resonate as truth because what happens, you've got like a four year old, you tell 269 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,600 him to do something and they tell you like, they're not doing it. 270 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,200 You're like, excuse me, I brought you into this world. 271 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:17,740 I know what's best for you. 272 00:15:17,740 --> 00:15:18,740 That's why I suggested it. 273 00:15:18,740 --> 00:15:21,480 It wasn't just for fun. 274 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,920 So many times I stop and I'm like, yes, Father and Father, it is ironic. 275 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,760 I do understand that you're teaching me through these little people that are a mirror of me. 276 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,240 I do understand that. 277 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,880 I got it loud and clear. 278 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,560 Thank you for that gift. 279 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:40,180 Seeking for happiness is doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness 280 00:15:40,180 --> 00:15:42,760 which is in our great eternal head. 281 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:47,040 And the last one, Mormon observed, not the last point, but from the talk, the more part 282 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,180 of the people remained in their pride and wickedness and the lesser part walked more 283 00:15:50,180 --> 00:15:54,360 circumspectly before God, meaning a lot of the times we aren't in the majority when we're 284 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,640 trying to follow his example, his laws. 285 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:02,800 But even though that might be true, maybe we're not lacking in quantity, people that 286 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:09,920 are standing with us and turning to God, overturning to the ways of the world, we still have quality 287 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:10,920 and support. 288 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:15,400 The voices get really loud these days, especially where social media makes it easier than ever 289 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:23,280 to mock God's prophets, God's laws, and tests us on the idea of leaning into our own 290 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:25,560 understanding versus turning to him. 291 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,880 For sure, this is a great list, Abby. 292 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,440 These don't come in particular order, but as they come, they build on each other until 293 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:38,080 the point that we take what was once a God-given blessing of prosperity and turn it into a 294 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:43,080 prideful curse that diverts and distracts us from eternal truths and vital spiritual 295 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,320 priorities. 296 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,680 We must always be on guard against a pride-induced and exaggerated sense of self-importance. 297 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:50,680 That's so good. 298 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,360 Pride-induced and exaggerated, because that's exactly what it is. 299 00:16:53,360 --> 00:17:01,280 A misguided evaluation of our own self-sufficiency and seeking self instead of serving others. 300 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,480 This is such a hard balance because I think we had pointed out before that they got the 301 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:06,600 more part of pride. 302 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,000 They got a little bit over prideful. 303 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,520 It's saying to me, what I'm hearing with my ears is that a certain sense of pride is important. 304 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:14,940 It's good. 305 00:17:14,940 --> 00:17:18,140 But pride in what you're doing is a team, you and God. 306 00:17:18,140 --> 00:17:21,160 And then when we take him out of the equation and we think that we did it all on our own, 307 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,600 that really is when the tides turn for it. 308 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,200 I thought this was probably the most eye-opening part of the talk for myself. 309 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,320 When we become prideful and value the things that we have affiliated and done for ourselves, 310 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,880 we become self-absorbed. 311 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:38,120 We pridefully focus upon ourselves and we also are afflicted with spiritual blindness 312 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:42,120 and miss much, most or perhaps all that is occurring within and around us. 313 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:47,480 We cannot look to and focus on Jesus Christ as the mark if we only see ourselves. 314 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,080 I love that, Abby, the part where it says we miss what is occurring within us and around 315 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:53,080 us. 316 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,160 Again, it's that self-reflection and being aware. 317 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,440 Time and time again in the Book of Mormon, we see the pattern and the steps it takes 318 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,040 to get to this point. 319 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:05,680 And we see that God repeatedly sends prophets to refocus His children, who are us, and point 320 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,520 us to Him through the example of the Son. 321 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:13,760 And sometimes they do and prosperity and peace abound, but more often we see as Elder Bednar 322 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:18,640 describes that their spiritual blindness caused them to turn out of the way of righteousness, 323 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,120 fall into forbidden paths and become lost. 324 00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:26,860 As we blindly turn onto our own ways and follow destructive detours, we are inclined to lean 325 00:18:26,860 --> 00:18:32,120 upon our own understanding, boast in our own strength, and depend upon our own wisdom. 326 00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:36,080 And that only lasts for a certain amount of time, right? 327 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,800 We might get away on our own understanding for a certain time and think that we're 328 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:44,040 getting away with it, but we've all seen it in ourselves, we've all seen it through 329 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:45,240 the Book of Mormon stories. 330 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,880 Play out, it doesn't last forever. 331 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,120 Let's run through some of the things that, because it's more happy, let's run through 332 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:56,640 some of the things that the Lamanites did as they turned to God. 333 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,640 If I'm going to ask this as a question, I'd say, how did the Lamanites reject falling 334 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,640 into pride at this point in the Book of Mormon? 335 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,640 Danielle Pletka Awesome, Abby. 336 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:07,840 So at this point, the Lamanites believed in the teachings in the Holy Scriptures and in 337 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:09,720 the prophets. 338 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,360 So instead of rejecting them, they embraced. 339 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:16,840 They exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repented of their sins, meaning they were 340 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:22,760 checking in with the Lord, making minor adjustments and corrections to be guided in a covenant 341 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:23,760 relationship. 342 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:25,920 It's always back to the covenants. 343 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:32,320 All of those small and simple steps read to them experiencing a mighty change of heart. 344 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,060 These small and simple things made them free. 345 00:19:35,060 --> 00:19:42,900 They do observe to keep the commandments and the statutes and His judgments. 346 00:19:42,900 --> 00:19:48,120 And then the last one I have is, they are striving with unwavering diligence that they 347 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:50,880 may bring the remainder of their brother into the knowledge of the truth. 348 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:52,340 I love that part. 349 00:19:52,340 --> 00:19:57,040 When they know these things to be true, they weren't selfishly focused inwardly on themselves, 350 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:02,340 but they were looking outwardly and considering, what can I do to help those around me? 351 00:20:02,340 --> 00:20:07,600 This made for both ministering efforts and missionary efforts, this is the same way that 352 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,360 we can look at those. 353 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:11,980 I love that. 354 00:20:11,980 --> 00:20:16,280 We talked a lot about whole civilizations and groups ignoring their covenants. 355 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,000 You had just mentioned that, turning away from God. 356 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:25,800 But we're reminded in this talk that apostasy can occur at what we would consider the institutional 357 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,960 level, these whole groups of people, or on the personal level. 358 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:29,960 There we go. 359 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:30,960 That's what I was saying earlier. 360 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:31,960 Thank you. 361 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,360 I'm going to make this in the back of your mind, like, he's going to bring that up. 362 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:38,120 In this dispensation of times, the fullness of the gospel will never be completely removed 363 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:41,480 off the earth as it has in every past dispensation. 364 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,520 And so, I think we listen to that, we hear that, we know that, we've heard that a few 365 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,400 times and it's like, that's something that gives us hope. 366 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,260 But sometimes it might make us complacent, like, we're never going to slip into it. 367 00:20:53,260 --> 00:20:57,380 The world's never going to slip into apostasy because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 368 00:20:57,380 --> 00:21:00,760 Saints will not be lost. 369 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,200 That's a true statement. 370 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,120 But that does not prevent an individual from allowing pride to distance themselves from 371 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:07,120 the truth. 372 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:08,120 Lots of individuals. 373 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:09,120 Right. 374 00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:17,560 Falling into an apostasy, regardless of what the status of the world is around you. 375 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,640 He gives us some guideposts here to consider. 376 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:25,400 Simply stated, if you or I do not believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then 377 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,320 we are vulnerable and in spiritual danger. 378 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:36,280 In the space of not many days, weeks, months or years, we might forfeit our spiritual birthright 379 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,320 for far less than a mess of pottage. 380 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,400 That part hit me hard. 381 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,760 I love how concise, again, he is. 382 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,000 He's always so clear about this. 383 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,240 This I want you to hear with the words of Action Item. 384 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,360 Like you're using those to assess. 385 00:21:52,360 --> 00:21:54,840 So that's a quote right from the talk. 386 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:59,120 If we don't think that we can be afflicted by pride, then we're in spiritual danger. 387 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:05,600 So I guess the way to word that as an action item is have you assessed whether you are 388 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,720 vulnerable to pride or something? 389 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:11,780 It doesn't have to be super thought out. 390 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:14,840 But there's another question you can ask yourself. 391 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,460 If however you or I believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then we consistently do 392 00:22:19,460 --> 00:22:25,200 the small and simple things that will protect and help us become as a child, submissive, 393 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:30,040 meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord see 394 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,600 as fit to inflict upon us. 395 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,320 Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humbled. 396 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:37,320 There's the action item. 397 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:38,320 There it is. 398 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,040 That's concise as it needs to be. 399 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,440 Am I blessed to be humble? 400 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,920 Am I being compelled or forced to be humble? 401 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:47,920 Is something happening? 402 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:49,600 That's a great way to put it, right? 403 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:50,600 Yeah, I like that action item. 404 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,640 I would way rather choose to be humble than to be humbled because he will do it whichever 405 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:59,000 way to get his children to embrace him and the gifts that he wants to give us. 406 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,000 He'll do it either way that we need to learn that lesson. 407 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,280 I like the later of the two. 408 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:04,560 Abby, what do you have for us in closing? 409 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:11,360 I just want to testify because we're wrapping up the end of a Book of Mormon study year. 410 00:23:11,360 --> 00:23:13,800 This is going to kind of come around Christmassy time. 411 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,440 There's not going to be a ton more lessons. 412 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,680 We're all wrapping up that reading. 413 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:19,920 We're all in Moroni. 414 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,520 And I'll testify for one that I've been deeply touched by what I've learned from the Book 415 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:30,880 of Mormon and want to add my witness that it does give answers to specific challenges 416 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:32,400 that we're facing today. 417 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,520 You can find answers within the pages. 418 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,680 Sitting on a bookshelf, no. 419 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,960 Listening to somebody tell you what they've learned from the Book of Mormon, not so much. 420 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:47,880 That each of us has the opportunity to be inspired by a record that was inspired to 421 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,360 fix the things, to find answers to the things. 422 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:53,880 I mean, Jesus Christ is going to be the answer, but how we're going to pair ourselves with 423 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:59,640 him and get through those trials is found within the book. 424 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,440 And I'll close with Elder Bednar's testimony. 425 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,160 He said, I joyfully witnessed that God the Eternal Father is our Father. 426 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,260 Jesus Christ is his only begotten and beloved Son. 427 00:24:09,260 --> 00:24:10,720 He is our Savior. 428 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:15,440 And I testify that as we walk in the meekness of the Lord's Spirit, we will avoid and overcome 429 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,880 pride and have peace in him. 430 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,480 So I witness in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 431 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:41,520 Amen.