Remember

I feel like talking about Helaman 5:12. It is a widely popular verse in the Book of Mormon and comes at a time when Nephi leaves the chief seat to preach for the rest of his life and he begins to remember the words of his father, Helaman. It is then that this famous verse is recited: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
I highlighted a few important words in this verse and I want to explain them a little.

1. Must: It's not just a suggestion, it's a form of commandment. You MUST.

2. WHEN: This one is so important, because it shows that we are all going to face trials and big obstacles. It's just bound to happen. There is no question that it will happen; the word when is eminent.

3. Mighty: The Devil has power too, and it's mighty. We think of him as a weak and afraid being, but he is rounding up the masses and is pretty strong.

4. Endless. Just as celestial life is eternal, so too is the other end of sorrow and sin. It works eternally both ways.

5. If. This goes against the WHENs and stands out a bit. This isn't eminent; it's a choice. We have that choice every day. IF we build, not when. It is entirely up to us.

6. Fall. I've heard it misread so many times and this word is changed to "fail". I think it applies both ways and can be interchanged. If we build, it will not fall or FAIL and it only works through Christ.

I'm grateful for the knowledge of the scriptures and the knowledge I receive from Brother Griffin's class twice a week. I am reading the Book of Mormon in an entirely new way and really trying to understand why certain words or stories are placed in certain places. I know it is a gift from God to have this book because it has the power to change lives IF we will let it.

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