This past week as a part of my study of the Book of Mormon I read Jacob 5, which we also discussed more in depth during class. As my professor went into more detail about the meaning and symbolism of the olives trees and Lord of the vineyard, I was specifically enlightened about the meaning behind the plucking out of the wild branches. One person in my class mentioned that it was like the Mormon message “The Will of God” and for us to be able to produce the best “fruit” we must allow the Lord (God) to cut us down. While the wild branches remained on the tree they rapidly consumed all the good and produced nothing but bad fruit. The only way that they could be saved and once again produce good fruit was to remove all the bad branches. Just as in this story, we must let God and our Savior cut out the “bad branches”, so that we can be saved and flourish with “good fruit”. If we do not, the “bad branches” (whether they be sins, lost opportunities, or any sort of trial) will consume us and overtake the “good branches” to the point where we will, in turn, produce nothing but “bad fruit”. I am grateful to know though, that the reason God cuts us down is out of pure love and that the end reward is always so much greater than we could have ever imagined. I am also grateful that our Savior has provided a way for other things such as sin to be removed from our lives. The removal or prevention of “bad branches” is how we will be able to feel the joy of our good fruits and be enabled to extend them to others.

In my Book of Mormon class this week my teacher taught about 2 Nephi 2. The one thing that really stuck out to me was in verses 5-6. He mentioned that we are not justified through the law which is given unto us by God; we are justified to live with our Father in Heaven through the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. Without His sacrifice, we cannot be redeemed. This lesson caused me to pause and think about the real importance of Christ. I have felt His mercy in my life on many occasions, but this time I felt how important and necessary He is in each moment of our lives. He is the bread of life. We MUST come unto Him always. He is the way, the truth, and the life. I am so grateful to know that I do have a redeemer and because of Him I can live with my Heavenly Father and family forever in pure joy.  I know that if we strive to keep the law that through Christ we can be justified to live in eternal glory and exaltation.

In my study of the Book of Mormon this past week, I ran across a scripture in 1 Nephi 9:6 which says, “But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.” The power of that passage really struck me. It strengthened my testimony that God really is all knowing and all powerful!  He knows each one of us individually and on a very personal level. He truly does have all power and will bring to pass His work. There has never been a time in the history of mankind or in life eternal that God has ceased to do this. Though we may not always understand why we are commanded to do something or why we must endure a trial, God does. There is nothing he does not understand, so we must trust in Him. He will never lead us astray. I am so grateful for this truth and my knowledge of it. I am also grateful that He sent a Son that has descended below all to save us. Heavenly Father truly does have all wisdom and if we listen to and obey Him, we will gain the same understanding and wisdom line upon line.

I have been thinking a lot recently about one of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon which is 2 Nephi 2:25: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” Our Heavenly Father’s plan for all of us is to have eternal joy. It stuck out to me, because often I let the stress of school or the other hardships I face bring me to a point where I do not feel that joy. As I have pondered this principle I have grown to understand it on a deeper personal level. God did not create us so we would have to suffer through life. Adam did not fall just so we could feel only momentary pleasure. Our Father in Heaven truly loves us and His purpose for us is to have joy, eternal, lasting joy, and He does not just plan for us to have that joy in fifty years or even in the next life. He wants us to have it always, every day, right now. On several occasions in my life, when I have struggled through the daily battles of mortality, this truth has brought me peace and a sense of purpose. I know that our loving Father in Heaven has a plan for all of us and that if we remain true and faithful to Him, giving Him our all even until the end, that His purpose for us will be brought to pass. We will be able to have that eternal joy.