God – Community Circle Europe

Verse: ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it’, (Isaiah 30:21).

It can be hard to know how to live our lives at times. Sometimes the lines between what is right and wrong can become blurred and significantly less defined than we initially thought when outside of the situation. It can be easy to view the world as black and white, or right and wrong, when we are not experiencing what others are. I think this is something that all of us have experienced at some time or another and it is no different than when navigating our faith. This is why it can be seen as essential that we have some sort of grasp of our faith, whatever that may be, for these exact situations. I personally take pleasure in reading and studying the Bible and the Book of Mormon (among other scriptures from religious traditions such as the Quran and Guru Granth Sahib). In doing so I am able to learn and apply teachings of morality, philosophy, and ethics into my daily life and into any situations that may arise. Although abundant in wisdom and theology, the scriptures sometimes may not have the solutions we need in our daily challenges, especially in this modern and constantly evolving world. However, the scriptures do contain a host of wisdom when it comes to seeking advise from God.

In this regard one way the above Bible verse can be interpreted is that God is with us in scripture and our religious education to guide us when we may walk off the right path and become lost. It can be comforting to recall this verse when we are unsure of which direction to take, which decision we should select, or what action we should select. It is very common among my Latter Day Saint brethren to pray for guidance when the need to make a decision arises. Simply praying and asking for guidance and then waiting for a tug or push from the Holy Spirit can feel a bit ridiculous, especially if your faith is lacking, but is often the best way of breaking an impasse. To be nudged by God. I think it’s really important that we view God as Father. Yes, God is far greater than we can possibly imagine, but he also cares a great deal about us and seeks a personal connection with each and every soul. If I am stuck on something, no matter how insignificant it may seem, I know that God cares about me and if it’s something that troubles me, then it will trouble God too. He wants us to be happy. It is so important to know that we can come before God with our troubles and allow him to help us along with the Holy Spirit.

Verse: ‘And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters’, (Ether 6:7).

As mentioned in a post from a while ago now, the Book of Ether is one of my favourite books within the Book of Mormon; quite possibly my most favourite. I think that this relatively small book deserves a chapter of its own for two reasons. The first being that is can often be ignored by readers, especially those starting out with the Book of Mormon, as it may at first glance not seem to be particularly relevant to the main story line of the wider works. The second is that it is a perfect, and tiny, encapsulation of the important teaching that can be found within the Book of Mormon and is therefore vital to understanding the importance of key doctrines within the Latter-day Saint tradition. The story itself appears to be a miniature version of the story contained in the wider Book of Mormon. In the Book of Ether, the Jaredites leave a sinful community and go to a promised land, in the same manner that the Nephites did. One of my favourite parts of this text is their journey across the ocean.

This story is interesting as, like the Book of Mormon, the fate of the inhabitants of this promised land is reliant on their following of God’s commandments and laws revealed to them. This is a resounding theme within the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon. Like the wider Book of Mormon wickedness does ultimately come forth and spread and the nation of the Jaredites is indeed destroyed. The story of the Jaredites travelling over the oceans in their boats always intrigued me, and was a fantastic example of faith prevailing over worldly fears – in this case the vast fathoms of ocean and colossal waves. This seemingly impossible journey can be translated into the issues we find in our own lives and the ultimate success of the Jaredites in reaching the shore safely can fill us with hope too that our own fears may be eased and we too may reach these shores of safety.

The Book of Ether is small, and while there are many lessons contained within its pages, I think that it is best to conclude that the best thing about it is that it is a short summary of the basic teachings of the Book of Mormon. For me, when I first started reading the Book of Mormon, I found the Book of Ether to be a nice segue into the wider story line and a simple book to begin my explorations. It is a mirror copy, albeit far less detailed, to such an extent that it is placed as being set before the Nephites even set foot in the Americas, so in this regard can be seen as a failed nation already having had a go at what the Nephites are setting out to achieve, and now what we are setting out to do in the name of Zion.

Tag: God

God’s Nudge

Book of Ether