Oh, I just remembered! As I was thinking of cool things I learned this week, I remembered that we learned some cool things in Zone Conference, and then I remembered that we had Zone Conference this week! So here´s what we learned that was so cool.
Let´s start in 3 Nephi, chapter 3. Gidiâni (I only have my scriptures in Portuguese, and I can´t remember any of the names in English any more. Sorry.) is writting a letter to Laconeu, telling him basically that he has a big army that is going to come and destroy everyone if they don´t submit themselves to the robbers.
Now let´s look at 1 Samuel 17. The people of Israel are under attack, and the Phillistiens sent out a giant named Goliath (I remember his name) and all the people are too scared to fight him.
Daniel 3. King Nabucodonosor builds a big idol, and three young men are refusing to worship it. The king can´t look weak in front of his people, or they won´t respect him. So he tells them that if they don´t worship it, he´ll throw them into a fiery furnace.
Now, in all three of these situations, we can see the power of men. Armies, phisical strength, worldly authority, and all manner of earthly power, being used against convenent people of God. How often do we face the world? Every day, I think. But how is it that we ought to see the world? Well, in D&C 3:7 the Lord told Joseph that he shouldn´t fear men more than God. And it seems that the heros of the past knew this well.
3 Nephi 3:12 - Laconeu was a just man, and coud not be scared by the threats of a robber.
1 Samuel 17:26,45-5 - David knew that Goliath was nothing and had no power to challenge God, and putting his faith in Him, he slew the giant and saved the land.
Daniel 3:16-17 The three young men say that it isn´t even neccesary for them to respond to the king. God can save them, but even if He chooses not to, they will only worship the True God of Israel.
All of these heros understood this one great truth: The Lord can conquer anything, and the strength of men is nothing. My personal favorite is the response of Nephi to his brothers. In 1 Nephi 3:31, Laman and Lemuel say, "Laban can command fifty, even slay fifty; then why not us?" to which Nephi replies, (and I´m going to put this the way I hear it in my head), "What are you guys talking about? The Lord commanded us to do this, and we´re going to do this! Laban has fifty men? So what? Let him come. Even if he had ten thousand men under his command, they wouldn´t have any power to stop the Lord. Laban is nothing compared to The Lord! So let´s do this!"
Do we trust in the Lord enough to say that? "I´m going to church, even if I have to fight my way through an army of ten thousand men to get there. I´m going to pay my tithing even if it means I´ll get thrown into a furnace for it. I´m going to do my home teaching, even if it means sacrificing the only free time I have in a week, because The Lord God of Israel is my King, and Him only will I serve."
We can all use a little more faith in the Lord, and a little less fear of men. In the words of my mission president (in respect to other men), "How many of them have the preisthood? How many of them have the Gift of the Holy Ghost? None of them. They are nothing. We are the Host of Israel. Why should we fear?" A newly ordaned deacon has more authority than any worldy king in the Kingdom of God. We are the chosen people of God and nothing can or should come between us and Him. His work will go forth, even if all the nations of the world turn against us and try with every thing they have to break our faith. We were choosen before this life, and we have been endowed with spiritual gifts and powers greater than all the armies, soldiers, money, power, and authority of the world.
So, don´t fear men. Love God, serve Him, and fear not.
Have a great week!
Elder Lofthouse
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