And now, because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you the words which the Lord hath commanded me, and because it was hard against you, ye are angry with me and do seek to destroy me, and have cast me out from among you.
When the adversary makes my life hard, I should cast him out.
O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words! And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that ye would repent and be saved.
If things are not going the way I want, I can change. He can help.
But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.
I should listen to men who say true things
"If you study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase."
Because I will have more power to change my mind in the moment, and to not even need to because I will increasingly choose well in the first place as habit.
"Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy."
How can I find peace in cacophany?
Practice
"...joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow, and diminishes loneliness."
This is cutting off the Litany
But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
I should be one of the righteous.
"Thinking about the Savior gives us clarity of mind to make decisions, to act without fear, and to say no to what is contrary to God's teachings."
I think what she means by thinking about Christ - based on what it allows me to do- is the same as cutting off the Litany.
Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.
I should strive to be one who has done good.
Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.
Once I decide what I want, I can do things.
Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake.
I should listen to the voice I know is right.
And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.
I should notice the ways that I am blessed and prospered.
And thus ended the eighty and fifth year.
Endings are always followed by new beginnings. If an ending is unsatisfactory, I can begin again.
And they did commit murder and plunder; and then they would retreat back into the mountains, and into the wilderness and secret places, hiding themselves that they could not be discovered, receiving daily an addition to their numbers, inasmuch as there were dissenters that went forth unto them.
I needn't fear nor hide
O Lord, wilt thou hearken unto me, and cause that it may be done according to my words, and send forth rain upon the face of the earth, that she may bring forth her fruit, and her grain in the season of grain.
I should carefully control my words, because that is the beginning of how things become manifested in my life.
And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
I should seek wisdom from those with more experience.
"There is never a good exuse to say, 'I am the way I am because of some unfortunate and unpleasant circumstances. And I cannot change, and I am justified."
Physiology can cure this. "I can be any way I want, I can change, I am free"
"...Throw away his beggar's coat."
My beggar's coat is my belief that I don't deserve nice things. If I cast this fear away, nice things will come.
"Our ongoing Sabbath, temple, and home experiences should fortify us with the power of the Holy Ghost"
In the car, too.
"...whatever the outcome, all will be well..."
I can accept things I cannot change.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid [John 14:27]"
Peace is always accessible, regardless of circumstances.
Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord.
When I hear something true, I should embrace it.
Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
He can give me the power to change my mind if I ask
And there were others who said: Behold, he is a god, for except he was a god he could not know of all things. For behold, he has told us the thoughts of our hearts, and also has told us things; and even he has brought unto our knowledge the true murderer of our chief judge.
If I want, he can tell me what is true. It's more helpful to ask the most empowering questions, though.
Has Nephi, the pretended prophet, who doth prophesy so much evil concerning this people, agreed with thee, in the which ye have murdered Seezoram, who is your brother?
I should agree with the one who wrote the plan
We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.
I should be in a hurry to go to a good place.
"He sees all your hidden sacrifices and counts them toward your good..."
I should see those hidden sacrifices myself, and count them, and give myself full credit.
"Because of Nephi's confidence in the Lord's promises, he was able to accomplish waht he had been commanded to do."
Belief in empowering beliefs is an empowering belief
And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose author is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.
I can make secret promises to be good. These are covenants.
And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.
What things would He have me know.
And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.
I can speak to people more than once.
Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.
If I ask questions, He will give me answers
And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.
I can become closer to and more like Him, if I ask.
"...to overcome and even conquer - to completely rise above the pain, the misery, the anguish, and see them replaced by peace."
I can have peace
"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:"
There are parts of me that are hungry, thirsty, and naked. This is fear. I should care for these. He can help.
"When they laid down their weapons of rebellion, they qualified themselves for the Lord's healing and peace..."
I can lay down my weapons and allow His peace in.
And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
I can pray anywhere, anytime, and He will help me.
And it came to pass that thus ended the sixty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
I can choose who are my people
Yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.
I can detect and ignore the discouraging attempts of the adversary.
And in the sixty and fifth year they did also have great joy and peace, yea, much preaching and many prophecies concerning that which was to come. And thus passed away the sixty and fifth year.
The closer I stay to Him, the better off I'll be.
Yea, and many did preach with exceedingly great power and authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb.
I can be humble and not take setbacks personally.
And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession.
I should yield up the things that are holding me back.
Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
I can continue to belong
And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
For darkness, read fear. (Light - love? courage?)
And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them
He will tell me what to say when I'm drawing a blank.
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 should look at Him
For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.
If I follow Him, my strength will be as great as His strength. He will help me if I ask.
Desire - believe - reframe
Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.
I should cleave unto the Lord in all that I do.
And thus ended the sixty and first year of the reign of the judges.
Whatever I do, I should finish strong
