FAMILY EVENING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Lift up your head and Be of good cheer   3 Nephi 1 to 7

This week’s lesson is full of contrasts.

Remember that the entire book of Mormon is focused on the coming of Jesus-Christ.

Here there are 7 chapters showing how to get ready: it’s the biggest advent calendar ever written, waiting for the fulfillment of Samuel the Lamanite’ s prophecy … In those days the people kept time by astronomical observations, they had a calendar system based on the moon and they were constantly looking to the heavens ...Let’s reread 3 Nephi1:4 and verses 9 and 10.... Nephi, son of Nephi was exceedingly sorrowful, cried mightily, all day long (3 Nephi 1: verse 10,11,12). There was fight before the light (and after the light as we’ll see later). The righteous rejoiced and the wicked were struck with fear when the Light came …

Kimberly Berkey (Book of Mormon central) noted «the excessive light surrounding Jesus Christ ‘s birth acts as a kind of morning, the beginning of a new dawn, welcoming the Saviour into the world. The Light of the world had come introduced into the world by light »

We somehow let our lives be comforted by the only One who can give us the best comfort   we open ourselves up to streams of light in the middle of darkness and we can find peace in the whirl of the storm.

The object of the lesson is:

1) To help us invite Jesus to come into our lives.

2) Prepare for the great day of His coming

3) Deal with the deadly distractions that could spoil the welcome we want to give Him.

The forces of opposition are strong ...In the last general Conference President Nelson said « We live in a time of turmoil, there are difficult days ahead ...We won’t be able to survive spiritually without the guiding, comforting and constant influence of the Holy ghost»

More than ever we need to give heed to the words of the prophets and listen closely to what they reveal to us.

 Back to 3 Nephi chapter 2 verse 8, we notice that the Nephites changed their calendar, but within 6 years after a small happy time everything fell apart, there was division, people were forgetting, became less and less astonished, hardened their hearts, had blind eyes, began to disbelieve, waxed stronger in wickedness. Satan was getting hold of their heart: 3 Nephi 2:1,2,4, …

We can see that people who depend too much on signs and wonders never become converted to the Lord, the true conversion rests on the witness of the spirit.

But watch for what the righteous people are doing! Thanks to Lachoneus, the great juge, (3Nephi 3:12,13,14,15,21,22) the Nephites could resist. Lachoneus ordered the gathering of the people .and managed to help them to turn to the Lord, to have guards, fortifications, they got ready to live for 7 years on what they had gathered!

In chapter 5 Mormon reminds us the second gathering: verses 24 ,25, 26. 

President Nelson encourages us to gather our families «on both sides of the veil» and we need to pay attention to what he said in April 2019 in a talk called» We can do better « and more than ever we need to reread and ponder his last talks in 2020. 

«Be of good cheer : the spirit of the gospel is optimistic, it trusts in God and  look on the bright side of things «Jeffrey Holland : the tongue of Angels : general conference April 2007)

At the beginning of September 2020 President Oaks said “Some people look at Covid19 as a punishment for the wicked ...We prefer to look on it as an opportunity for the righteous to grow”

President Nelson also said at the beginning of September “The road ahead will always be bumpy ...The destination will be serene and secure ...even through clouds of sorrow there can be silver linings found”

Let’s experience what is to be a believer in such a crazy time by forging our faith, serving God with diligence, striving to be exceedingly humble, protecting our family, preaching God’s love to all his children, keeping the commandments, listening to the prophet, pouring our spirit to the Lord, living as disciples of Christ and still experiencing the great Goodness of God. Let’s be in the most believing part: see 3 Nephi 7 verse 21.  (EC)