Mormon Musings

Alexandre Dumas, in his classic tale The Count of Monte Cristo, wrote, “For the happy man prayer is only a jumble of words, until the day when sorrow comes to explain to him the sublime language by means of which he speaks to God.” (Trans. Lowell Bair, New York: Bantam Books, 1981, p. 34.) (April 1993 General Conference , Peace through Prayer, Sun. Morning Session - Rex D. Pinegar)

One of the distinguishing characteristics of our world is that it is a place of law and order, and the basic law of creation is God’s fundamental law of compensation. It says that all work must be paid for, that we can no more do a good thing without sometime, in some way receiving a reward, than we can do an evil thing without suffering a penalty. In everything that we do, including the very thoughts that we think, we are subject to this interesting, undeviating eternal law. It is just as universal in its operation as are the laws of gravity, electricity, light or heat. It is never set aside, it is never suspended or restricted, and it governs in every department of human activity. Nothing is ever denied to well-directed effort and nothing is ever achieved without it. The Lord himself gave this law its clearest expression when he said, ‘There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—and when we obtain any ble

What we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity. “For I [said the Lord] will judge men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts” Elder Neal A. Maxwell

I n many of the uncertainties and challenges we encounter in our lives, God requires us to do our best, to act and not be acted upon (see  2 Nephi 2:26 ), and to trust in Him. We may not see angels, hear heavenly voices, or receive overwhelming spiritual impressions. We frequently may press forward hoping and praying—but without absolute assurance—that we are acting in accordance with God’s will. But as we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, as we strive ever more consistently to do good and to become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps. And we can speak with the assurance that God will inspire our utterances. This is in part the meaning of the scripture that declares, “Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God” ( D&C 121:45 ). As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will “walk in the light of the Lord” ( Isaiah 2:5 ;  2 Nephi 12:5 ). Sometimes the spirit of revelation will o

If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation  upon revelation,  knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries  and  peaceable things—that which bringeth  joy , that which bringeth life eternal. D&C 42:61

There is a  veil  between man and eternal things; if that  veil  was taken away and we were able to see eternal things as they are before the Lord no man would be tried with regard to gold, silver or this world’s goods, and no man, on their account, would be unwilling to let the Lord control him. But here we have an agency, and we are in a probation, and there is a  veil  between us and eternal things, between us and our Heavenly Father and the spirit world; and this for a wise and proper purpose in the Lord our God, to prove whether the children of men will abide in his law or not in the situation in which they are placed here. Latter-day Saints, reflect upon these things. We have been willing, with every feeling of our hearts, that Joseph Smith , President Young and the leaders of the people should guide and direct us in regard to our eternal interests; and the blessings sealed upon us by their authority reach the other side of the  veil  and are in force after death, and they affect

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this  is   the whole  duty  of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13