3 NEPHI 14:12

“Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. . .”

When I first read this verse my initial thought was the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This is something that I heard frequently from my mother as a child and precisely the reason why I chose to talk about this particular scripture this week. It teaches something that is very important to understand no matter what phase of life you are in. Show kindness to others and they will show kindness to you. It is a simple, yet profound, message.

The principle that can be learned from this scripture is loving one another. We should pay attention to and care for those that are around us because we genuinely care about them and their well being. Not only that, but they will be more likely to return the favor when you need a little encouragement. No matter who you are, you will have rough patches in life and its comforting to know that there will be people there for you when you need it.

I also love this principle because as a result of it, you come close to God and Jesus Christ. By serving and caring for those around you, you are doing what God and Jesus Christ would do. You forget about your own struggles and problems and realize the number of blessings that you have in your life.  

This definitely applies to all of us. We could all be a little better at treating those around us how we want to be treated. We should really take note of the advice our mother’s repeatedly told us growing up, it can bring true happiness into our lives if we abide by it. We should love, serve, and care more about our neighbors, friends, colleagues, classmates, roommates, and family members.

ETHER 3:1

“And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:”

Originally, this scripture meant little to me. I merely saw it as background information for the story that was soon to follow but discussing it in class this past week opened my eyes to its profound meaning. As the scripture mentions, the brother of Jared molted out sixteen round rocks that were white, and as clear as transparent glass. He did all he could in order to make them as beautiful as possible. Brother Griffin built on this idea and pointed out a principle that I really loved. He made the comment that our very best effort isn’t going to shine, no matter what we do, our work alone will never be enough.

This principle that this scripture teaches about relying on God is very important and I think often times overlooked. we can do the best we possibly can but in order to make things reach their potential, we need to ask God for help. Similar to the beautifully made stones, our works will never “shine” if we do not ask God to help us.

I can definitely work on this principle in my own life. I become so independent in my actions that I am hesitant to ask God for help. I need to remember that in order for my actions to achieve what they are capable of achieving I need God’s help. God not only wants us to ask him for help, he expects it. He expects all of us to become great so he is willing to help us achieve what we need to achieve.

Helaman 12:1

“. . . yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.”

Helaman 12 is a chapter that talks about the foolishness and instability of men and how they are quick to do evil. I really like how the first verse of the chapter is one that focuses on trusting the Lord. The first thing you read is the solution to the problems that will be talked about in the chapter. I like this specific verse because I believe whole-heartedly what it is saying. Those who trust in the Lord will be blessed and prosper. Specifically, I think this principle is important to remember when times are not going as smooth as we would like. The Lord knows what the result is going to be so we should trust in him.

One principle or doctrine that I gained from this scripture was the love the Lord has for us. Even though the Lord is far greater and better than us, he cares about us and the choices we make. He cares about each of our desires and intents. All we have to do is trust in the love he has for us and he will take care of us. We are his children and he cares deeply for our well being.

This principle is important for everyone to remember. When you have those times in life when it gets crazy or you feel lonely remember that there is always someone there who loves you deeply. He will bless you significantly if you continually trust in him during the good and bad times of your life because of the love he has for you. Sometimes the craziness of life makes it hard to feel loved and taken care but we need to remember that he is always there and we need to trust him in order to reach our potential as children of God.