Awake My Soul- The Psalm of Nephi

1. Awake My Soul-The Psalm of Nephi www.kevinhinckley.com

2. LDS Super Bowl Trivia Quarterback Sneak – Ward members quietly leaving before the closing prayer. Draw Play – What the kids do with the Proclaimer during the Sacrament. Sacked – Being asked to speak in Sacrament meeting before you can perform the quarterback sneak... Half-time Show – Watching young mothers chase their toddlers who escaped during the intermediate hymn Staying in the Pocket – What happens to tithing that should have been paid three weeks ago. Two-minute Warning – Sacrament speaker says, “So, In conclusion" and you start gathering up your children and sweeping up the spilled cheerios. Two-Minute Drill Comes right after Two-Minute Warning. It’s the point at which you open the manual and start preparing your primary lessons… Cheerleaders- Parents and Grandparents watching their kids during the Primary program. Instant Replay – Both youth speakers use the same talk from the New Era. Sudden Death – Sacrament meeting goes into "overtime". Trap Play – The Bishop, realizing that his Sacrament Meeting speakers didn’t show up, looks down and realizes you haven’t spoke in church in a loooooong time…. End Run – Using the side doors to avoid talking to anyone on Fast Sundays… High Priest lateral “Hey, I don’t know! you’ll have to ask my wife” Zone Blitz – Young women using both isles in the chapel to greet the returned missionary after his homecoming talk.

4. 2 Nephi 3 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise(s) of the Lord, that (1) out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, (2) to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord (3) that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days… (which will result in) the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. How will this be accomplished? For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. …and that which shall be written by (this seer), and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. This described Joseph Smith. Did it also describe President Hinckley?

5. Elder Neal Maxwell It was thus also, geographically and numerically, on America's western frontier. Palmyra was not Paris, and Nauvoo was not New York. Nevertheless, Liberty Jail doubtless resembled other jails and other dungeons which have held other prophets. But in the years ahead, as "the ends of the earth shall inquire after [Joseph's] name," Liberty Jail will loom ever larger in the spiritual history of mankind.

6. President Eyring The Lord always wants to lead us to deliverance through our becoming more righteous. That requires repentance. And that takes humility… We might make the mistake of assuming that illness, persecution, and poverty will be humbling enough. They don’t always produce by themselves the kind and degree of humility we will need to be rescued. Trials can produce resentment or discouragement. The humility you and I need to get the Lord to lead us by the hand comes from faith. It comes from faith that God really lives, that He loves us, and that what He wants—hard as it may be—will always be best for us.

7. Think for a moment… Imagine you were to attend a support group for people who struggle with problems of self-control similar to your own. At the meeting, the first person to speak describes himself as a religious person who is devoted to God but is frequently tormented by temptation and sin. He always feels guilty and sorry for sinning but finds himself losing control again and again in spite of his desires for good. Sometimes he becomes discouraged to the point where he questions his own worth—which can lead to a mire of negativity and a loss of motivation to do good… Following this introduction, another stands to speak. This man describes painful inner conflict and turmoil. He, like the first individual, wants to serve God but finds himself continually falling back into sinful habits. "Despite my best efforts, I keep doing what I don't want to do." … If you were in a meeting hearing these two reports, what would you think? Could you relate to these people? … Who are they then? Wayward souls who are hopelessly out of control? Hardened addicts who are beyond rehabilitation? Not quite. These descriptions are from great prophets of the Lord. The first was Nephi, the second Paul the apostle. A. Dean Byrd, Mark D. Chamberlain, Willpower Is Not Enough: Why We Don't Succeed at Change, 149

8. Nephi and Humility Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; Why would Nephi, who had already had visions and seen the Lord, be so worried about his sins and iniquities?

9. Hebraic Parallelism And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions. Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me!