Transcript for Jacob 1-4 Part 1 • Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner • Apr 1 to Apr 7 • Come Follow Me

Oh, there's so much good in here, Hank. And thank you for having me on the show. I love that Jacob is the younger half of the family. But we don't know for sure if Sam has passed away and laymen and lemme up, but we know that Nephi is going to pass away during this time. We know that he's lost his parents. He's the younger half. He wasn't living in Jerusalem. He wasn't experienced with the richness and the ways of Jerusalem. But he has drawn close to the Lord. He's received these blessings. And now he's being called to be in a very strong and important leadership position. and he's taking the role of the prophet and you're just seeing this growth of this young boy that was born in the wilderness and now he's the prophet of God trying to bring his people to Christ just like he saw his brother do in his father do. In a way, it's very much our world today as a prophet becomes a prophet, President Nelson and all of a sudden he steps up to the plate. The mantle is on him and Jacob has this mantle. We're going to see what he's going to teach and what the Lord, the errand that Lord gives him. It's Jacob's errand.

Yeah, thanks. One of the things that I see as a woman and maybe as a professor is sometimes it's hard to know what applies to me and what doesn't apply to me in the scriptures. One of the things that I have decided to do is to go through the scriptures with a framework of women's voices and women's eyes. So we have just started a podcast where we have women that many of whom have been past general church leaders, some scholars, and we go through these scriptures following the come follow me calendar. We would love to have those of you who would like to to join us on this new podcast called Grounded.

You bring up a good point, John. We need the support and we need the unity of men and women together. We can help others understand the perspective of women as we look at the doctrines and principles of the gospel Jesus Christ.

listening to you read that and looking at Jacob's errand, you reminded me of bringing us back to second-year fight chapter two. It's the patriarchal blessing in a sense that Lehigh as a father gives to Jacob. And what you're saying there, it occurred to me that as Jacob is teaching his family, the blessing that he receives from his father in second-year fight chapter two was pretty powerful in this. And it just says, and now, Jacob, I speak unto you. This is Lehigh. That weren't my first born in the days of my tribulation and the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood, thou has suffered afflictions in much sorrow because the rudeness of thy brethren. Think about what kind of life he had. He was raised in seeing his brothers fighting. He was raised in seeing his mother's sorrowing. He was raised in seeing some serious contention. And it was very painful to him. We even see that later that Jacob's sorrow is over the rudeness of his brothers to his mother. And it says, nevertheless, Jacob, my first born and the wilderness, thou know was the greatness of God. And he shall consecrate, then, afflictions for thy gain. In verse 3, wherefore thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shall dwell safely with thy brother Nephi. And thy day shall be spent in the service of thy God, wherefore I know that thou are redeemed, because the righteousness of thy Redeemer, for thou has be held, that in the fullness of time, he comeeth to bring salvation unto me. And then he basically tells him, you've been instructed, Jacob, regarding Jesus Christ, you've been instructed, regarding his law, in verse 8, we had tells him, wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known into the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh and take it again by the power of the Spirit. So Jacob's already at this early stage, He's being told by Lehigh, Jacob, you are going to be going with your brother. I'm sure Jacob doesn't know what it means at this point that he's actually going to be with his brother and he's going to separate himself from the others. But he's also being given a mandate from the Lord through his father that he needs to teach of Jesus. He needs to teach of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He needs to teach about laws. and mercy and grace. In a sense, he's already been told what he needs to teach when this kind of thing happens to him in his own life as he gets older. I think almost a sense we'd jump back and just remind ourselves, Jacob's already been given what he needs to teach. Jacob's already been guided by the Lord. He's already gone through misery, and he's also being taught about family. He's being taught that men they might have joy. He's been taught by his father about agency and being free to act. Now we're to the point where Jacob is going to become the next prophet. And he's already learned the doctrine of Christ, and he knows what his mission is even before it happens.

Hank, I was just thinking as you said that we think about our living profits in Apostles, President Nelson, being raised by inactive parents. President Oaks, who lost his father at a very young age. President Holland just recently, he was posting about how his father, he wasn't necessarily active in Australia, had a very strong mother, but his father wasn't coming from in such a strong background. I think about even my own father who came from a situation where his mother committed suicide, all of these men, and all of these women as well, where you recognize, they know what they have received, they have had a hard life, but they can also testify as Nephite did. I know and whom I have trusted. I think that's what happens here with Jacob. He sees the struggle, but he also more importantly has literally seen the Savior. So he's going to move forward and the Lord's going to use this suffering to help them be the kind of prophet that he needs to be to help his people come into the Savior.

back to that in the choice that Jacob has. This comes from the blessing that his father gave to him, where he says, to Jacob, wherefore, men are free according to the flesh, and all things are given them which are expedient to man. We know the scripture, but then it continues and they are free to choose liberty and eternal life through the great mediator of all men. Or to choose captivity and death according to that captivity and the power of the devil, for he seeketh at all men might be miserable like him to himself. And then he says, I would that you should look to the great mediator and harken unto his great commandments and be faithful unto his words and choose eternal life according to the will of the Holy Spirit. And I think that that's what we're seeing with Jacob. Jacob is this young boy. He could have chosen to follow layman and lamural or he could have chosen to follow Nephi and Sam. The choice was his and in this wilderness of his affliction and this really difficult time, it's like all of us have we all have this choice. She's see it's not that he hasn't been through struggles and we have we've heard that recently. I'd love to elder cook in general conference of October 2023 where he just talked about. I've lost my own nephew. We've all had these struggles. And I appreciate that the leaders of the church have been an authentic sister Dave has talked about her struggle with cancer at general conference. It's not that Jacob has had this perfect life. I mean, he clearly has not, but he has made a choice. And his choice is to follow the Savior. I just love that Jacob has told in a very young age. Use your agency, do the right thing, know that the Savior is the answer for you, but you're going to be tempted, and the devil is going to want you, and he's going to want you to be miserable like into himself. But the choice is yours, and I think that that's very President Nelson, the choice is yours. Choose eternity. focus on the things that are celestial, but you make the choice. President Nelson is so good at helping us understand, and President Oaks as well, that the choice is ours, and we have our agency to choose between the good and the evil. Jacob's going to continue to do that. That doesn't mean that they aren't concerned for the welfare of the souls of the people, but it does mean that they understand the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the importance of agency within that framework.

We're going to see that the first part of chapter one is critical where he's told what to write and what to focus on in his life. Since you're taking us to that next part with those two areas and really what that boils down to is pride and wealth and money that the problem isn't wealth, the problem is pride. And then the second one is almost a form of another kind of pride, which is the pride of lust, pride of thinking that you can have whatever you want. And then in this case, it's the sexual immorality that they're dealing with that he's so concerned about, not falling from virtue. He is seeing that they are a wealthy people. Jacob has come from nothing. He had to be on the boat that Nephi built. He didn't have all of this in his life, but now he is concerned about what's happening. He makes it very clear. It's not the money that he's dealing with. It's the pride of the people and how they're treating each other. That's his concern. So he's going to teach us about two things. Pride in this case in the context of money and then also the unchastity of lust.

I find this so important that the book of Mormon, we can study so much of the history and we can study so much of other material associated with this. But I think that there's a very clear message that we find right in chapter one that Nephi has told the Jacob and how Jacob's telling us. So starting in verse two, he says, he gave me Jacob referring to Nephi. Nephi gave me Jacob a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I consider to be most precious. that I should not touch, say, but more lightly, concerning the history of this people, which are called the people of Nephi. For he said that the history of this people should be engraving upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down into my seed, from generation to generation, and then he continues in verse 4. And if there were preaching, which was sacred, or revelation, which was great, or prophesying that I should engrave in the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people. And then for what reason? for because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest into us concerning our people, but things should happen unto them. The answer to the struggles of his people and the answer to what they're going to need is not all the historical context. I think that's why we don't see a lot about the kings. We know that we have a new king that's going to rain after Nephi. They love this person. That's not going to be his focus here. His focus is on the spiritual, his focus is on bringing people to Christ, his focus is on helping people have faith. And you see that in verse six, we also have had many revelations in the spirit of much prophecy, where for we knew of Christ and His kingdom which should come, where for we labor diligently among our people that we might persuade them to come into Christ. We've heard this phrase, theology before, and partake of the goodness of God. They could really focus on the history, and those are going to take place in another set of plates. But the Book of Mormon is not that. The second-jerry reason may be the history, but the primary reason for the Book of Mormon is to bring people to Christ. to help them and their children that posterity and especially our day to understand what it is that God wants us to know for the salvation of our children, our grandchildren and all of our posterity forever. For me, that's an extremely important part that we understand that is a reason why this book was written. There's a reason why Jacob is writing. He was told that by Nephi, focus on the spiritual and sacred things, focus on those things that change hearts and brings people to Christ. There's a quote by Elder Perry where he says, How often we read the record primarily as a history of a fallen people, feeling to remember that it was compiled by inspired prophets for the purpose of helping us come into Christ. The major writers of the Book of Mormon did not intend it to be a history book at all. In fact, Jake has said that his brother Nephi commanded him that he should not touch, say, but were lightly concerning the history of his people. Then he continues, each time we read the Book of Mormon, we should probably ask ourselves, why did these writers choose these particular stories or events to include in the record? What value are they for us today? I love that the focus really is on that. Sometimes I think even myself can become sidetracked from what is most important and clearly what is most important to Jacob and to Nephi is bringing people to Christ through the sacred and through these revelations and through these things that will build faith and help people come into Christ and protect of His goodness. Nephi says that he's going to show us the tender mercies and the Book of Mormon then we'll do that. If the prophets do what Nephi asks them to do throughout this book,

Yeah, there's a great statement by President Eiring where he's talking to teachers, to parents to anybody who's teaching the book, but it's specifically to seminary institute teachers and BYU Religion faculty. He says, you want your students to see that their challenge is not to prove that the Book of Mormon is true, but to prove to God that they, the students are true. When they do this, they will know that the book is true. When they prove that they will do what the book says, God will tell them more. The book of Mormon is about people proving their belief to God little by little and then he confirms their belief and then gives them more. That's what I'm trying to do as a parent with my own two little girls. I can get into the history and try to figure out maps and everything else which is important. Although frankly, I lose the most of the time. I realize With my two little daughters, I want them so desperately to come under Christ. I want them so desperately to know that their prayers are going to be answered. I want them so desperately to know that they are going to sin and they are going to have struggles and they are going to have a lot of people trying to influence them in a number of ways, just like Jacob knows. And I know hands down from my own life. The answer is turning them to Jesus because that is the only thing that it worked for me. I can go with them to all of their struggles and everything else, but really when it comes down to it, I have to help them know that the answer as President Nelson says really is Jesus. He is the answer to their problems. He is the only way to have peace in this world. He's the only source of hope. Other things are interesting and significant to a certain level, but nothing compares to the priority of helping them come into Christ as we study the Book of Mormon together. I feel that way about my students as well or a gospel doctrine or any of the callings I've ever had, we just have to make sure that we don't put anything in the way of the primary and the priority which is helping them come into Christ.

The reality is, and this is back to Jacob. Jacob has just lost his father. He's lost his mother. He's a barrier to lose his brother. I know you two are in this boat. Those of us who have lost parents. And especially when you've lost both parents, this is me having lost my parents somewhat recently. There is a reality that you need to be self-reliant. I'm older than I would like to be having these children. If I pass away the time my parents passed away for me, I need to make sure that my children are so grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ, because they have to stand firm on their own, and the world is becoming more and more crazy. It's too risky not to do this. I don't have time to waste on much else. That almost sounds prudish, but the TV shows that we're watching, The books that we're reading, the scriptures that we focus on, what we focus on, the scriptures are vacations that we go on. There's a purpose in everything. There is a purpose. And it's fun. And we laugh a lot. We enjoy things. But boy, as a mother, well, I have them in my home. As a teacher, as I have people in my classroom, there's very careful, intentional training going on. I have no time to waste. And I see mortality is very short. And I want them as prepared as I possibly can. And I think that's what Jacob's experiencing here. He knows what's ahead of these people and he's not playing a game. There is good. There is evil. He knows that the Lord has told him he's going forward.

Yeah. That's when I lost all of our parents in our 40s. We're too young to have lost all of our parents at this stage. But I think for those of us who have lost those we love at a young age, you become orphans, but at the same time you also know, I have to rely on the Savior. You don't have parents to call. You have mentors in your life, which we appreciate, but the reality is you know that now it's you and the Lord. If you're going to plea for help, it's going to be the Lord you're pleading to. And if you're going to get guidance and counsel, it's going to be from the Lord through his prophet, but mostly it's going to be through person revelation. And you have to build that relationship with him. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior are those people. I just feel like that's where he's coming from. I felt it myself. You can call horizontally and reach horizontally as much as we want. And we do want to help each other. If we're not grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are going to struggle. He loves his people too much to let that happen. He'll pay whatever price, and I think that's part of the anxiety that we see from Jacob. We see that in verse 3, but we see it throughout the time of Jacob. He just says, but this day I am weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls, and I have hitherto been. Well, yeah, because now Nephi has passed away, and he has full responsibility as parents do for their children. But it's his, I remember being in a state conference, President Monson used to be in a, one of the stakes I lived in in Salt Lake, and I remember him one day just saying, no one prays for Gordon like Tommy, no one. And I think that's what this is. It's just this very heavy burden to have the souls of humankind on our shoulders. We see that here too, the blood on our garments that they're trying to avoid. They're not trying to avoid it because they don't want to be condemned. I don't think they want to avoid it because they love people so desperately. They'll do anything to save those they love, just like the Savior did. The closer we become to Christ, the more we care about the suffering of individuals and the more we come to Christ, the more we want them to experience the joy as Lee highlighted it as he's partaking of the fruit.

Absolutely. I want to share one more thing about writing if I may. Because he talks about the scriptures, he's going to talk about this a little bit later in chapter three as well. There's a great talk by Elder Scott. It's called to learn and teach more effectively. He talks like Jacob does here about having smaller plates than writing things. I have loved this and appreciated this and I have learned that as I have done this in my life, the Lord has guided me in what I write, especially personally in my own journals and what I'm hoping to give to my future posterity. It wasn't planning to talk so much about death and what happens, but I have two daughters that have never met their grandparents. It's the weirdest thing to know. It's not 10 generations down. It's one. But this prophesying and seeing things in the future when we know we're not going to be there, and all of us know that there is a time that comes. But I love what Elder Scott, the pragmatics of what he does, that for me has been very beneficial. He says this, have you learned the enduring value of keeping a journal of the very important spiritual experiences or sacred impressions that the Lord has communicated to you? And then it continues, I do not keep a detailed journal of all the events each day, but I do try to keep a record of some of the very important matters. The spiritual ones are in a sacred password protected journal that no one else can access. When I feel authorized by the Holy Ghost, I take some of those choose learned and put them in my family journal or share them in a public message. This is consistent with the principle of the scriptures confirm as true. Some personal matters are for our guidance and edification to help us grow and improve our character, our devotion, and our testimony. Things things are not intended for other individuals. Then he continues, much like a patriarchal blessing is tethered for the person whom it has given, such matters should be kept reverently protected because of their inherent sacred nature. Any sacred matter that the Lord wants others to know, he can communicate to them directly through the spirit if they are worthy and into him. I just share from personal experience, I appreciate this instruction. There are some things that I write down that will never see the light of day for anyone there to simply sacred. And I believe that the Lord can trust Jacob because he contrasts that Jacob is a confidential person. and understand sacred things. There are some things though that I also recognize that the Lord will teach us that we need to share with other people, especially our family and children, and when then guided by the Spirit to share with other people. And I hope that we can be sensitive to the Spirit and make those things known and write them. The writings that I have from my parents are some of the most precious writings. almost every piece of paper, but especially my mom had a little red notebook that she kept, and she had other little things that she had, little journals, my parents, and when they focus, and I write those testimonies, that's what I want to read today. I want to know what my parents knew regarding Jesus. The information is interesting, but boy, when I'm trying to raise my own family, and I'm trying to teach the gospel, I want to see, and I want to use the writings of my parents regarding how to come down to Christ. That's really all I care about.

By parents at 13 children, we receive no physical money, but we did receive testimonies. That's what the family cares most about. Because of their training, it wasn't that they were rich or poor, but it does matter where you're focused.

I said that my parents all passed away. I was wrong and after we adopted children, he lived two more months. Those are two of the most sacred months. He attended the ceiling. He had a goal that he would be able to be sealed to all of his children and grandchildren in mortality, which was big for him coming from a broken family as a child. So that was something that mattered a lot to him. As we had dotted those children who was during COVID and so he would say, have they told you when you could be sealed to your children yet? The temples were closed so he was waiting. We were honestly concerned that he wouldn't make it. The temples were closed and we don't know if we can be sealed, but we were sealed in August and he passed away in November and he was there and he just hugged him and that's what mattered. Again, back to Jacob, that's just what matters to Jacob. He cares about these people. There is his posterity, but he cares about these people coming under Christ and At the end of your life, I think that that's what we are all going to be caring about, for focusing on the right things. It's what matters, what sticks.

That reminds me, my mom loved the song, Saviory Deamer of my soul. You know, that song, Saviory. It's a very sensitive song to me and mainly because my mom was a musician. I always tried to harmonize, then she would say to me, why are you trying to ruin the song? But she didn't understand because that I really wasn't trying to film this. But I think everybody else in my family had much of had perfect fit because I would try to harmonize. Those are the other memories of mom. At the end of her life, what are my nephews? She would have them come and sing, say, because Redeemer of my soul, he would sing it and sing it and sing it. Finally, there was one day we were in the front room shortly before my mom passed away. And my nephew had somebody else playing the piano. And after he had sung this song, it was so good. And she just turned to him and said, Now you can see it at my funeral. Now we will bring people to Christ. That song has a special place in my heart, but again, it was she wanted Savior Redeemer of my soul song so that people would come into Christ at her funeral. That's what you're saying, Hank, these opportunities to prepare for what's most important. They really do stick in our hearts and minds. These people are mentors and Jacob's now going to be a mentor. Nephi was a mentor to Jacob. They're asking them probably the right questions. I don't know what was being said to Jacob, but as Nephi was passing, but I would imagine there was a lot of training and mentoring happening there. And Jacob was learning very carefully how to be the leader as he's going forward.

John, that was so helpful. And Hank, I love that question on how do we sustain it brings me back to these verses here at the end of chapter one verse 17 where Jacob says, where for I Jacob gave him to them these words, as I taught them in the temple, having first obtained mind Aaron from the Lord. I think we're seeing Jacob as I said he's becoming a leader and there is one question that we get from youth and young adults all the time and even people are own age and older as how do I know what the spirit is saying to me? Jacob had to pay a very heavy price to receive his errand from the Lord. It's not like all of a sudden you become a prophet and the Lord just tells you everything. You have to pay the price. So number one, I think, is we have to respect the amount of work that these leaders have done throughout their lives to be in a position where they really have obtained their errand from the Lord. And we have to respect that this comes from a lot of sweat and tears. I remember my parents praying for my brothers and sisters, they were serving missions and we fasted for them so that they would know the errand of the Lord. I remember being in financial difficulties and them just fasting and praying and I think there is a very heavy price that President Nelson, President Oaks, women of the church and leaders are paying. I asked Sister Dalton just recently, when you were going up to speak to all the women, the young women of the church, how was that? And she just kind of laughed at herself, it was easy. And then she got really serious and just said, it was a heavy burden. It caused anxiety for me and them knowing how much they had going forward. And she was so real and I appreciated the realness. All of us having spoken maybe in a smaller setting and things, but we also have to pay a heavy burden and heavy price to know the air and the floor. Sister Julie Beck recently, in a conversation with her, she said, Barbone of the hardest parts about speaking publicly, speaking at all, but especially publicly is you pay attention to the spirit until you say in the name of Jesus Christ amen when you're speaking to people. That's a heavy price. You are constantly trying to be pure. You're constantly trying to be clean. You're constantly trying to receive the errand of the Lord for those people, and it takes a lot of work. I know for me personally when I'm asked to speak at fire, size and different things. I cringe at saying, yes, sometimes although I love serving, I love speaking and I love helping in any way, but I know what that is going to require of me and my personal life as I am trying to focus on one steak after another or one classroom after another. This is a long ranch than you wanted, but First of all, recognize that they have paid a heavy price as Jacob has to receive their earn from the Lord. And I think a second thing in here is where they're talking about magnifying their office until Lord taking upon us the responsibility and answering the sins of the people upon our own heads. That is such a heavy responsibility. I'm just going to give this an analogy. One day I was walking up a hill towards a school and I saw three little kids about ready to cross across, walk to go to the elementary school where they were. I watched the first two little boys on their bikes. They crossed the street and as they were crossing the street, it was a crosswalk and so this car pulled ahead and just stopped. But as they were crossing the third little child, there was a little girl went right in front of them and just fell right off her scooter. Long story short, the person in the front just kept waiting. But as that person was waiting, more cars kept coming behind. The second car came and the second car got there. The car was going nowhere. The boys had obviously gone across the street. They had no idea that there was a little girl on the ground. And they just started honking the horn. Just honk honk trying to get the first one. It was like, get off your cell phone, pay attention. And I was watching from far enough a way that I could see exactly what was going on. The person honking had no idea. Then the third car came up and started honking at the second one. They're both yelling and they're both honking. This girl eventually stands up and walks across the street. And the sight of the second car and the third car and the looks on their faces when they saw that if what the car had done, was in accordance with what they had wanted? A little girl would have been killed that morning. And they were completely embarrassed and shocked. The driver in the front gently pulled forward and kept going. There was no fight on his part. And to me, I guess, an answer to that question. It is, as President Irings says, sometimes we're in a different chair. And where we sit makes all the difference. Of course, as leaders, we want to make sure that we are being wise and conscientious and following and receiving our errand from the Lord. But for those of us in the second and third and fourth cars back in the tenth car back or the hundredth car back, I think there's a level of respect that we need to give to that front car. Just remember that there's something we just simply cannot see no matter how smart we think we are and how experienced we are in the world. In the sense where he says that their blood may not come apart my garments. And that moment, if that first car would have gone forward, the blood of that child would have been on him. And that's a scary position to be in. So I'm so grateful he stood as ground and did not listen to anybody.

Hank, I'll give you one more example. Back in, I think it was 2000 President Oaks gave a talk about hanging out. And maybe a different situation today, but in that moment, I was with Fraterno 20 young adults. We were all a little bit older at the women head. I'll just cook dinner for all of the young men. I mean, we did exactly what he told us not to do. We were just hanging out watching this fire side. not knowing that he was about ready to call us on the carpet, right? And at the end of the talk, I remember him talking about Peter Pan and not having taking upon ourselves the responsibility and everything else. And then he says, women stop doing that. And at the end of this 20 plus of us sitting there together in this room and Salt Lake City, the men quietly got up and left and didn't say a word. And also didn't help. Just like he said, but that's okay, it's just still true. But in that moment, all of us as women said, We're not going to do this anymore. President Oaks has just spoken and we are going to follow him. But I loved at the end of his talk where he said, look, I'm a general authority. And some of you may be tempted to write me a letter and tell me about your personal circumstances and things. Don't worry about it. I am giving a general talk. I love that he said that. But I will say, we could have all just said, what a old man who has no idea we're going through. And in our day, we do need to hang out and we're all single and what was us and everything else. But instead, I was so grateful for my friends in that moment who all said, We're not doing this anymore. We're going to follow the Council of President Oaks and we're going to stop hanging out. And in that next, I would say five years, probably 75% of us either married each other or married somebody that was a friend of somebody in that group. Again, as Jacob talks about earlier, it's all about agency, but it would have been. And in so many cases, it is so easy to just say, they don't understand me. They're just speaking to everybody else, but not me. And we could have all been very offended and we could have all said, he doesn't understand that if we don't hang out, we're not going to be happy people. I was grateful for my friends who were strong enough to say, you know what? Let's put it to the test. Let's follow the prophet and see what happens. And sure enough, he was right, surprise, surprise. But to your point, I am with you completely. It is hard to see that people who literally give their lives to the Lord or sometimes run under the bus of the worldly.

that is exactly right.

And frankly, John, I'll be honest, it was hard. I mean, when you're in your early 30s, we didn't see a lot of hope around the horizon of getting married. We were in a point where we thought we were all going to be single. And if we don't hang out with our friends, that's the level of loneliness that is very real that sets in for those of us who are getting a little bit older. And so we just say, we're going to trust the Lord on this. And the reality is, most of the time, we don't ever have the chance to see the little girl get up and walk across the street. We know we have to trust. Yeah. Yep. But eventually he will make himself known. He will always prove himself to us. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer. Yeah. Could I throw out one more thing that I think is important in this chapter and chapter one and going into chapter two? Is that idea of magnifying your office? I throw this out as a woman. And I throw this out because sometimes we think about magnifying our office. We think we're speaking to men and priested offices, which is true. But perhaps the reminder to all of us that when women are set apart, called to an office, we are responsible, and are given priest to power and authority to magnify that office, and that our responsibility, just as it is for men, is to save the souls of the children of God, all men and women, women and men, have the mandate to magnify our office, and that we all have this responsibility to bring souls into Christ. And it doesn't make sense that We do have some anxiety. I would say the whole anxiety in a sense, almost to care so much for the welfare of their souls, because we have been given these responsibilities, and this is our day and age. As it's as a section 84 of the doctor and covenants, if we do fulfill and magnify our callings and our offices, that we will have all that the father has. It's a reminder, although he has anxiety, but at the same time, with at this anxiety comes the possibility of incredible blessings. and becoming ears to all that God has as women in men is perhaps seemingly selfish but not really selfish when we're talking about receiving all that God has means we are going to have eternal families and that's what we want. A shout out I guess for women and men to understand when we're magnifying offices, we're fulfilling callings, we're using God's power in a thorn in our lives to bless the souls of our brothers and sisters.

Let's do it.

You know, chapter two, it's almost chapter one is setting the stage for us and helping us to see a little bit at who Jacob is and with his calling and what he's been told to do and setting the stage. It's almost like Nephi is now dying. He's giving us some background of his charge. He's received this errand from the Lord. This is a sign of an incredible leader. In 17, his errand is up the Lord and he doesn't tell us quite yet what it is, but right before that, in verses 15 and 16, he tells us that he is going to be dealing with David and the wickedness of those who are doing what David and Solomon once did, and he is also going to be talking about lifting up your heart and deprived. 17, he is now telling us the errand of the Lord that I have been given is going to be now shared with you in chapter two. I want to make it clear as he's going into chapter two that he has received this errand from the Lord. He is going to do the Lord. He doesn't really have much of a choice. So he's going to these people, as it says in verse 7, he says, it grieve with me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God. And then, and it supposes me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, the word which healeth the wounded soul. Wherefore, in verse 9, it burdened with my soul that I should be constrained because of the strict commandments which I have received from God to demonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who have already wounded instead of consoling and healing their wounds. And those who have not been wounded instead of feasting upon the pleasing words of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds. This is not a talk he wants to give. That's so clear. But it is the talk, according to verse 17 and verse chapter 1, that the Lord has given to him. And that is a sign of a true leader. This is not my will versus I will. It is thy will be done. Jacob has clearly no interest in having this discussion. He clearly doesn't want to bring them down. He doesn't want to have this hardness for these wonderful people. But at the same time, he has received his error from the Lord. There are serious problems going on. He is now the prophet and he is going to have to wound some delicate souls per se in order to follow through with what the Lord would have him do. So that's what we're seeing now in chapter two is a prophet who is being called of the Lord to do the Lord's will and his desire is to do the Lord's will, but that doesn't mean that he necessarily wants to be the messenger, but he'll do it because he's the prophet and because he's a leader. He's a disciple of Christ.

Yeah, clearly.

To both of you, that also reminds me of 1995, the Family Proclamation with President Hinkley. I've been doing a number of interviews with Sister Elaine Jack. She's been an incredible interview. And we've talked recently about the background of President Hinkley giving that talk. And one of the things that has really stood out to me is she and her presidency were really kind of doing a research about the needs of the women throughout the world and they had gone and spoken personally and tried to gather the needs and they were preparing a general conference their women's conference for that evening in September of 1995 and Elaine said that she could not be settled on what she should be sharing and she had said that they had a video that they'd prepared that she decided that she didn't think that that video should be shared She was being very cautious because she was trying to be careful with her counselors and things, but she said she'd all sick about it and didn't know what to do, but it was in that timeframe that President Hinkley, who was just called as the prophet, President Hunter, just passed away shortly before that. The members of the first president C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. and C. They hadn't read it yet, but Elaine said that she was so grateful first of all that he asked them. They're thoughts about it, but also he sends that there was such a such a heavy responsibility that he was feeling as the prophet. But if you remember before he gave that talk, he started it with this paragraph. Before he gave the fine-proclamation, he starts with this paragraph. He says, with so much of sophistry that has passed off his truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of a learned and enticements to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this, we of the first presidency in Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the church and to the world as a declaration and the reaffirmation of standards, doctrines and practices relative to the family, which the prophet, series and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout this history. And then he says, I now take the opportunity to read this to you. Right before he does that, he shares a letter that he receives from a woman who was really struggling with relationship with her husband, and some abusive situations that were happening. And he says, this is going to be the answer for so many of you. And again, to your point, I believe that this was a difficult document. I believe that they're prophesies and revelators. And they saw into the future how on many occasions this document may be undermined. or people wishing that the profits hadn't have shared it or that it wasn't a proclamation of things of that nature, but in this case, President Hinkley, speaking as the prophet says, this is going to be one of these answers. And I wanted to share this letter because it fits so well with Jacob too and what's going on. He says, I received this letter on Monday. So this is the Monday right before conference. He says, the woman writing the letter writes 20 years ago last June, I was expecting a new baby and had five other little children, nine years and under. My husband chose to leave our family and walk another path. I wish I could say it was a noble pioneer, but rather I was naive, frightened, insecure young mother who did not know what to do and who daily made foolish mistakes. Nevertheless, I sought counsel from my leaders and obeyed even when I knew their advice would make my life more complicated. I decided it was not for me to question and have some advice caused temporary pain for me. It must be something I should experience. She continues. I remember reading President Kimbles monthly message in the end sign where he promised that if we would read the scriptures daily that every problem we face during the day would be answered with those holy pages. I thought, okay, President Kimball, you're on. I have lots of problems that they sure do need answers. I gathered my children around me and we studied daily. We prayed. We fasted for our daddy and ourselves. We held them home evening and attended our meetings. We forgave our daddy and I literally gave my agency back to my Heavenly Father. I told them if I was not to have my husband for eternity as I'd originally thought. I would be pleased if he would change the love I had for him as a wife and to a Christlike love. Because I would rather die than go on another minute, hating or resenting the father of my children. I did not want to teach anger, hate, or bitterness to them. I knew my husband was basically a good man, full of potential and talent. He had made a terrible mistake, and I knew he would repas own heartaches, and he has. But my personal task at hand was to care for those soon to be six children and to teach them in such a way that they could not misunderstand the gospel of Jesus Christ. President Einkley, this is a miracle if ever there was a miracle. The Lord protected and nurtured those children. He answered their prayers. She continues on, then the President Einkley says this, I do not share a story with you. She writes, to brag of myself, but I certainly can boast in the Lord. The Atomone is very real for us. Wounded hearts have been held, confidence has been restored, peace has been tasted in the most delicious way. Indeed, as you have said, every principle God has revealed carries its own conviction of truth. I think of my first husband, if he could only realize he has already paid the price for his mistakes. He missed the joy of seeing his talented children grow up in the Lord. He missed their school and their church achievements, their mission farewells and their reports. All that makes life sweet. How thankful I am that I was privileged to be by their sides, and then finally, know this is long. I know there are many single parents in the world today. How I wish I could help them see that they must never waste time reliving their own tender injuries. I have found if you cast your burden at the Savior's feet, he will carry it for you and replace English with love. May the Lord bless you and your family always with deepest love and appreciation and she signed the letter. I share this letter with you because I'm seeing this in what's happening here in Jacob too. And there's so many letters that are just like that. And that is the letter and that is the expression and that is the struggle that leads to the family proclamation. That's how President Hinkley leads it in. This is how Jacob leads it in. He starts by saying there are so many people that are sorrowing And I need to talk to you and he's speaking to men. In this case, and he's saying that I have women in men here and I also want to make it very clear that there are women and men who both struggle and that it is not just one gender or the other that is causing and there's not one or the other that is needing to repent and is not one or the other who is abusive or being abused. The problem that Jacob is seeing here is that there are people who are acting in pride and there are people who are acting in ways that demeans one person over the other or under the other. And that's back to your talk on pride. That is the real issue with pride is it's putting one person above another. Usually it's ourselves about someone else or below someone else. So at your point with Jacob not wanting to say these things, I do believe President Hinkley wanted to say the truth, but I think it's coming from a place of heaviness. It's coming from a place as Jacob is of trying to help people. He's seen too many wounded hearts. He's seen too many people deal with the sadness of life and he wants to help, but it is a hard, hard conversation to have. but he's going to do it because he's on the errand of the Lord and he will speak with the Lord has put into his heart to speak. They are disciples of Christ. They're not on their own errand. It's very similar to what. Is it Mother Teresa? She says, I'm a little pencil in God's hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing. He does everything and sometimes it is really hard because it is a broken pencil and he has to sharpen it a little more. That's what Jacob is. He's a pencil in God's hands. He's been given his errand. It's hard. But he also wants these people to have happiness and he is going to serve the Lord. He's a true leader. He's a covenant leader of God.

I love in verse 9 where it says, where for it, burneth my soul that I should be constrained because of the strict commandments, which I have received from God to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded instead of consoling and healing their wounds. And those who have not been wounded instead of feasting upon the pleasing Word of God have daggers placed in their souls and wounded their delicate minds. These are strong words and there's a temptation that even I have that says, We get it. We get it. There are people struggling. In some ways, I think it's extremely important that we also don't minimize this. We're going to talk about it even more as we go forward in chapter three. But at the same time to say, the end of chapter two, we have Jacob, he says, behold, you have done greater nicodies in the layman nights, our brethren. You have broken their hearts with your tender wives. You have lost the confidence of your children because of your bad examples before them. And the sobbing of their hearts has sent up to God against you. And because of the strickeness of the Word of God, which come at down against you, many hearts died pierced with deep wounds. This isn't. We're just going to cover this over and not worry about it. And please don't do this anymore. We have some serious issues going on here men and women and we have profits and apostles teaching us these things today and this is not to be screwed into the carpet. We have Eldor Kiran recently and others who've talked about abuse and anger and calling people to repentance and this is a sign that Jacob understands that there is a real need here. And these individuals do need to repent, and these individuals do need to watch themselves carefully. I think it's fascinating that Jacob actually says earlier, it's not that you've already done these things. I know that you are going to do these things. He's seeing the intensity of their hearts. He has this discernment. He says you are going to be doing these things, which I personally think is a very powerful part in verse five. Chapter two, verse five. He says, Behold, hard can you end to me and know that by the help of that all-powerful creator of heaven and earth, I can tell you concerning your thoughts, have that you are beginning to labor in sin, which sin appear very abominable unto me, yay and abominable unto God. Yay, it grieve with my soul and cause of me to shrink with shame. It's not just that they're doing it. He's actually saying, you're thinking about doing these things and let me warn you about what you are about to do. Then he really gets into this discussion about how bad these things really can be.

I think that the answer is really what we're seeing in verse 12 and 13. I'd love that Jacob says, get that up into the temple on Amaro and declare the word, the Lord is saying this, declare the words which I shall give unto you. And then he says, now behold my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you that many of you have begun to search for gold and for silver. And then he talks about what they're doing. And then verse 13, this is where the kicker is. He says, And the hand of Providence has smiled upon you most pleasantly that you have obtained many riches. And because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, you are lifted up in the pride of your heart. Now notice the words more. So now we're saying the problem isn't the money, it's the comparison. And then he says, and where stiff necks and high heads because of the costiness of your apparel and persecute your brethren because you suppose that you are better than they. So we have more and better. And now my brethren, do you suppose that God justified you in this thing, behold, I say into you, nay, he condemneth you. And if you persist in these things, his judgments must immediately come unto you. The problem isn't the money. The problem isn't the wealth. The problem isn't the land. The problem is not the jewelry. It has nothing to do with that. And that may be that some people, if they get money, they tend to be that way. But that's not his problem. The problem is that they think that they are more, and they think that they are better. That's what President Benson discusses. He discusses the initial reason for the pride and it's the comparison of one person to another. Actually in his talk he says the central feature of pride is enmity. enmity towards God and me to be towards our fellow man. It is this power which Satan wishes to reign over us. And he says, another major portion of this very prevalent sin is enmity towards our fellow men. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above another and diminish them. And then I love this. He quotes to us, Lewis, and he says, pride gets no pleasure out of having something only out of having more of it than the next man. It is the comparison that makes you proud, the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone, and then he's continues with this, which I love. He says pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others, but is rarely admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned looking down the rest of us. There is, however, a far more common element among us, and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It doesn't matter if it's from the bottom looking up or the top looking down. The problem is the comparison between the two and one person thinking that they are more righteous because they're so humble. That's the irony of humility and pride is that person is so prideful. The moment we say that person is so prideful, we're being prideful. That's the ugly reality of pride is pride is a comparison and it's putting you in a position. So if you're more righteous than the other person, you are actually probably the prideful one. That's the concern with this pride, but that is what's happening. And because of the pride, they are putting their people in a very, very precarious and dangerous situation. This pride is what leads to racism. This pride is what leads to gender inequality. This pride is what leads to the destruction of a people. It's the pride that President Nelson and President Oaks have warned. prolifically, over the last few years, regarding how we need to treat other people and see each other as God's children. That is the issue. And then you see that in verse 18, he says, but before you seek for riches, seek you for the kingdom of God, after you obtained a hope in Christ, you shall obtain riches. If you seek them and you will seek them for the intent to do good, to close the naked, to feed the hungry, to liberate the captive, and to administer, and leave to the sick and the afflicted. And now my brethren, I have spoken into you concerning pride. And this is the key, a wealthy person who is humble will do whatever he can to close the naked to feed the hungry and to liberate the captive. And what we're trying to do is God's purposes to save the souls of the children of men. And if you have money, you're able to do it in a way that is different from somebody else. The reality is we're all trying to consecrate ourselves and to become unified and become one, just as the Savior was. So the issue is not the wealth, the issue is the motivation and the desire and the understanding of who we are as children of God and all of us becoming eventual errors to the throne. One of the things I love about God is he's not trying to keep us below him. He's trying to help us become like him and pride is Satan's tactic of there is Satan who receives the glory. and all of us in a sense stayed below him. That is not the Lord's way. He wants us to all receive what he has. He wants all of us to be airs to the throne. He wants all of us to use this, his power for the salvation and the joy of other people. That's what we're searching here. And that's why in a sense this becomes so dangerous. In this case, for Jacob, he sees the utter destruction, the possibility of what happens. He saw the pride of his own brothers. He does not want it happening here. The Lord is calling him to come out and speak to this. Pride is a dangerous sin. Pride is what caused the fall of the laymanites. Pride is the warning of President Nelson for us in our day. Sometimes I'm afraid that we may not understand how absolutely destructive Pride can be. I'll give you one more quote from President Benson here. He says, Pride adversely affects all of our relationships. Our relationship with God and his servants, the relationship between husbands and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is, do we desire that same thing for others? Then of course, God will have a humble people, Alma 32, but he's going to have a humble people, whether we decide to be humble or not, we will be humble, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. For us, I almost think the question is, how painful is it going to be for us to get to that process? President Benson talks about this, but one of the anecdotes to pride really is love. seeing people as God sees them. And that comes from keeping confidence in making comments, which that leads us into this next part. But if we're a covenant keeping people, then we shouldn't be filled with pride. It's a hard thing to understand.

Isn't it nice?

Oh, that's really good. That's what Nephi does when he's separating himself from his brothers. And that's one of the first things you see them do is that hard work, that industrialist that comes through there. I love him verse 18 where it says, but before you seek for riches, seek you for the kingdom of God, that solves so many problems. It's really about our motivation. Richness is relative. It's that comparison. It's the problem. It's all relative. But the answer for so much of this is before you seek for riches, seek you first, the kingdom of God. There's a great quote from Elder Maxwell. He says this, therefore, what we insistently desire over time as what we will eventually become and what we will receive in the eternity. If we desire to get rich, we're going to lose it all anyway. If we desire to build up the kingdom of God, we are going to be in the next life abundantly filled with the relationships of people that we genuinely desire to serve and bring into the Lord. I think that's what's so beautiful about Jacob, you just know. that he is seeking the kingdom of God. We don't know his wealth status. We have no idea. But there's one thing we do know about Jacob and that is his intentions and his motivations are pure. So it seems he is seeking the kingdom of God and he is seeking whatever he can do to help people. It's the same motivation of King Benjamin is what we saw with Benjamin. It's what we saw with Nephi. It's what we see with Esther is what we see with Sarah. What we see with Eve is this focus of both these women and men of trying to do all that they can to put their own lives in the hands of the Lord to serve other people and bring them to Christ. That's the issue. One of the best ways we get rid of pride is to focus outward. Elder Bednar has this incredible talk called the character of Christ and in this talk he talks about reaching outward and reaching out beyond ourselves. This is one of the answers to this comparison. It's putting ourselves in a position where we really are trying to close the naked and feed the hungry. He gives one story of a woman he was talking to on the phone. She was the steak relief society president and she calls them and tells him that there's been an accident and three of the young women in his steak have been involved and one of them has already passed away and they don't have the identities of any of them. President Benar, who's the state president, is on the other line. And he says, early one summer morning, I was showering. My wife calls me in the middle of my shower indicated that I was needed immediately on the telephone. This was the day before cell phones and cordless phones. I quickly put on my robe and hurried to the phone. I nextured the voice of a dear sister and friend informed me of a tragic automobile accident that had just occurred in a remote area involving three teenage young women from my state. Our friend indicated that one of the young women had already been pronounced dead at the scene of the accident and that two other young women were badly injured and presently were being transported to the regional medical center in Fayetteville. She further reported that the identity of the deceased young woman was not yet known. There was an urgency in her voice, but there was no panic or excess of alarm. She then asked if I could go to the hospital, meet the ambulance when it arrived, and assist an identifying the young woman. I answered that I would leave immediately. than he continues. During the course of our telephone conversation, as I listened to both the information being conveyed and the voice of our friend, I gradually became aware of two things. First, this friend's daughter was one of the young women involved in the accident. Our friend lived approximately 35 miles in the hospital and therefore needed the assistance of someone who lived closer to the city. Second, I detected that the mother simultaneously was using two telephone hand sets, with one in each hand pressed to each of the upper ears. I became aware that as she was talking with me, she was also talking with the nurse. At a small rural hospital who had initially attended to the three accident victims, our friend was receiving updated information about the conditions of the young women in the very moment. She was informing me about the accident and requesting my help. I then heard one of the most remarkable things I have ever heard in my life. I faintly heard the nurse telling this faithful mother and friend that the young woman pronounced dead at the scene of the accident had been positively identified as her own daughter. I could not believe what I was hearing. I was listening to this good woman in the very moment that she learned of the death of her precious daughter. Without hesitation and with a calm and most deliberate voice our friend next said, President Bednar, we must get in contact with the other two mothers. We must let them know as much as we can about the conditions of their daughters, and that they will soon be in the hospital in Fayetteville. The Christlight character of this devoted woman was manifested in her immediate and almost instinctive turning outward to attend to the needs of the other suffering mothers. It was a moment and a lesson that I have never forgotten. And a moment of ultimate grief, this dear friend reached outward when I likely would have turned inward. He then talks about going to the hospital, identifying these women and eventually finds that all three of them have been killed. And then he tells the next story of another mother who was at a ward relief society president. And after identifying that her daughter had also been killed, she was asked before speaking at a funeral. She receives a phone call from another woman who says, I am sick and I need help and I need you to bring food to my house, not realizing that that exact day this mother was going to the funeral of her daughter. And he just says, these people are learning to think outward, this is the character of Christ. Although I recognize that this is such a high moral standard for all of us to live and difficult to even imagine, this is what Jacob is trying to teach here that we need to care about each other, that we need to feed the hungry, liberate the captive, administer, to relieve to those who are afflicted. Everyone is our friend, everyone is our brother and sister. everyone is somebody that should be cared for and taken care of at the highest levels. And Jacob gets it, but he's a hard lesson to learn. That's just concern is that that is not happening among these people. They are comparing themselves and rather than serving and helping and lifting each other, they're comparing and thinking they're better than each other. That's a serious sin, but something that in our day I think is perhaps too common.

as women and men, but especially as women, we deal with ambiguity and each of us receives our own errand from the Lord.