You Must Know Them

From Richard G. Scott's October 1993 "Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge":

"To keep the commandments, you must know them."

There are the "everyone, everywhere, always" commandments in the scriptures, and there are also the "me, now, this time" commandments from the Holy Ghost. I should be completely obedient to both.

Daily Ponderings: Put Them with the Other Plates

Words of Mormon 1:10

Wherefore it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

I should work to integrate my knowledge into one complete whole by pondering the scriptures I read.

Daily Ponderings: We Multiplied Exceedingly

Jarom 1:8

And we multiplied exceedingly and spread upon the face of the land and became exceeding rich in gold and in silver and in precious things and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings and in machinery, and also in iron and copper and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—-yea, the sharp pointed arrow and the quiver and the dart and the javelin—-and all preparations for war.

I should live in the way of the Lord so that I can be exceedingly blessed.

Daily Ponderings: A Mighty Man in the Faith

Jarom 1:7

And it came to pass that they came many times against us the Nephites to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord, and they taught the people the ways of the Lord. Wherefore we withstood the Lamanites and swept them away out of our lands and began to fortify our cities or whatsoever place of our inheritance.

I should strive to be a mighty man in the faith of the Lord.

Daily Ponderings: For at the Present

Enos 1:14

For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us and also all the traditions of our fathers.

My strugglings may be vain now, but I will be blessed for my efforts in time.

Daily Ponderings: Often Heard My Father Speak

Enos 1:3

Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forest, and I remembered the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life and the joy of the saints; and the words of my father sunk deep into my heart,

I should speak the words of the gospel often.

Daily Ponderings: Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done

Jacob 7:14

And I said unto him: What am I that I should tempt God to shew unto thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true? Yet thou wilt deny it because thou art of the devil. Nevertheless not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee, let that be a sign unto thee that he hath power both in heaven and in earth and also that Christ shall come. And thy will, O Lord, be done and not mine.

I should ask for what I want, and cheerfully accept what I am given.

Daily Ponderings: By the Good Word of God All the Day Long

Jacob 6:7

For behold, after that ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire?

He will give me the strength I need.

Daily Ponderings: Obey the Commandments

Jacob 5:72

And it came to pass that the servants did go to it and labor with their mights, and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them. And they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.

As I obey, I will prosper.

Daily Ponderings: Labor and Have Joy

Jacob 5:71

And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto them: Go to and labor in the vineyard with your mights. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand and the season speedily cometh. And if ye labor with your mights with me, ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

I appreciate most what I work hardest for.

Daily Ponderings: Behold the Evil Fruit

Jacob 5:38

And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: Let us go down into the nithermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.

I should examine old habits and see if they are worth keeping.

See also Jacob 5:66, "clear away the bad according as the good shall grow".

Daily Ponderings: He Counseleth in Wisdom

Jacob 4:10

Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom and in justice and in great mercy over all his works.

I can make better decisions by counseling with Him first.

Daily Ponderings: Ye Shall Repent of Your Sins

Jacob 3:8

O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God.

I can leave my mistakes behind and move forward freely without impediment. Faith in His atonement gives me that power.

Daily Ponderings: Seek the Kingdom First

Jacob 2:18

But before that ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

I should seek to know and understand a situation through prayer before choosing my course of action.

Change and Transform

From Scott D. Whiting's October 2020 "Becoming Like Him":

"When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves."

Change and transform - power and glory.

Daily Ponderings: A Great Protector

Jacob 1:10

Now according to the reigns of the kings—?the people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defense and having labored in all his days for their welfare

I should strive to protect those in my home from harm

Daily Ponderings: Persuade Not to Rebel

Jacob 1:8

Wherefore we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ and view his death and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world. Wherefore I Jacob take it upon me to fulfill the commandment of my brother Nephi.

I can be persuasive by taking the time to find out what others need and either giving it to them or showing them how they can get it.

Daily Ponderings: With Power and Great Glory

2 Nephi 33:11

And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye. For Christ will shew unto you with power and great glory that they are his words at the last day. And you and I shall stand face to face before his bar, and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.

The words of Christ - which includes all true words, whether quoted in scripture or not - will show me how I can change and even undergo great transformation.

Daily Ponderings: Charity Begins at Home

2 Nephi 33:8

I have charity for the Jew—?I say Jew because I mean them from whence I came;

I should be kind to my family and friends.

Daily Ponderings: Did Not Smite Again

4 Nephi 1:34

Nevertheless the people did harden their hearts, for they were led by many priests and false prophets to build up many churches and to do all manner of iniquity. And they did smite upon the people of Jesus, but the people of Jesus did not smite again. And thus they did dwindle in unbelief and wickedness from year to year, even until two hundred and thirty years had passed away.

I should have an eye single toward what will make me happy long-term, and not allow the animosity of others to distract me from that.