2 Nephi 10: 23-25

23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

24 . . . reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.

23a TG Cheerful. 23b TG Agency. 23c 2 Ne. 2:16. 23d Deut. 30:19 (15,19). 24a TG Reconciliation. 24b TG God, Will of. 24c TG Grace. 24d TG Salvation; Salvation, Plan of. 25a TG Death, Power over; Resurrection. 25b TG Jesus Christ, Atonement through. 25c TG Eternity.  

Initially, as I reflected on the meaning of “and with all thy getting get understanding,” I thought of understanding more in terms of this type of comprehension—what I might hear with my ears and understand in my mind. I thought of the Japanese saying, “Wakarimasen”: Do I understand or not understand? “And with all thy getting get understanding”—or make certain to obtain a higher level of comprehension. However, as I have studied and observed the use of the word understanding in the scriptures or from the words of living prophets, I have come to realize a deeper meaning. Consider these words from Elder Robert D. Hales when he was the Presiding Bishop:

First, we start with the intelligence with which we were born. To our intelligence we add knowledge as we search for answers, study, and educate ourselves. To our knowledge we add experience, which should lead us to a level of wisdom. In addition to our wisdom, we add the help of the Holy Ghost through our prayers of faith, asking for spiritual guidance and strength. Then, and only then, do we reach an understanding in our hearts—which motivates us to “do what is right; let the consequence follow.” (Hymns,1985, no. 237.) The feelings of an understanding heart give us the sweet spirit of assurance of not only knowing but doing what is right no matter what the circumstances. The understanding in our hearts comes from a close interdependence of study and prayer.

Robert D. Hales, “Making Righteous Choices at the Crossroads of Life,” Ensign, November 1988, 10; emphasis added.

Now consider again: “And with all thy getting get understanding.” Understanding in this context follows intelligence, knowledge, experience, wisdom, and promptings from the Holy Ghost—all of which lead us to understanding or to know and do what is right.

Most of you seated here today are approaching or have entered a critical intersection or crossroads in your life. You are becoming more independent with each year of your life that passes, and you are moving deeper into the “and with all thy getting” phase of your life. What is it that you are going to be getting? It may be getting a husband or a wife, your own family, a car, a job, a salary, a house, and a mortgage, to name a few. In order to manage these very important things that we “get,” one must also obtain “understanding,” as the scripture teaches. This understanding comes through an interdependence of study and prayer. Said another way, one must have trust or reliance upon the Lord. Alma described this when he likened the word unto a seed. As he stated, “It beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” Alma 32:28; emphasis added.

President Monson often quotes a scripture from Proverbs that adds another dimension about this understanding: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5; quoted in Thomas S. Monson, “A Word at Closing,” Ensign, May 2010, 112.

As we trust and rely on the Lord, a greater measure of understanding comes from Him into our heart—rather than our own understanding, which comes to our head

In a recent talk President Monson quoted from Proverbs, as he had done before: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” He then said, “That has been the story of my life.” Monson, “A Word at Closing,” 112; quoting Proverbs 3:5–6.

I have great expectations for each of you, as does the Lord. I finish where I began with the exhortation found in Proverbs: “And with all thy getting get understanding.” Get real understanding. This will come to you as you realize the interdependence of study and prayer, as you maintain a commitment to serve while learning and earning, and as you lean not unto yourself but rely or trust in the Lord.

I offer my testimony of the divinity of this, the Lord’s work; of Jesus Christ; and of His role as our Savior and Redeemer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

With All Thy Getting, Get Understanding (churchofjesuschrist.org)

Trust in the Lord and in His Word

“To be an example of faith means that we trust in the Lord and in His word. It means that we possess and that we nourish the beliefs that will guide our thoughts and our actions. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father will influence all that we do. Amidst the confusion of our age, the conflicts of conscience, and the turmoil of daily living, an abiding faith becomes an anchor to our lives.”

President Thomas S. Monson, “Be an Example and a Light,” Ensign, Nov. 2015, 87.

Growing Abundant Life of Trust, Gaining Intelligence, Knowledge, Wisdom, Help of the Holy Ghost, and Understanding in our Hearts.

The abundant life transformational experiences are unique to each us and varied. The beginnings of Alma and Amulek in joys of learning, serving, and becoming are in common facilitated by own respective visits of angelic messengers (Mosiah 27:14, 17-18; Alma 8:20; 10:7). Both recount their angelic visitations facilitating servant messenger callings changing heeding to the word, spirit, voice, and will of God. Each of their natures having conversional doctrinal dramatic shifts embracing new messenger roles enabling engaging securing scriptural sensitivities needing commencing own divine tutoring in the joys of learning, serving, and becoming. We see converging companionship witnesses life abundantly encapsulate during messages sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ teachings along arduous spiritually soul stretching missionary trek. Each of us as children of our Heavenly Father, we may or may not share similar visits visually dramatic angelic messengers; seemingly significantly is spiritual sensitivity desiring readiness revelatory relevant conversing crucially essential encountering experiences.  With our obedience to acting upon the voice of the spirit we retain remembrances leading to line upon line precept upon precept, as grow in grace for grace. While walking covenant path journey following in joys in learning, serving, and in becoming the man or woman of Christ emerges characteristics of our divine natures expressions.  

Choosing faith and love, and friendship is inspired with the divine intervention fostering help of an angel. The angel intervenes arranges for Amulek feeding Alma a prophet of the Lord, who is hungered fasting for his people. Amulek acknowledges his past calling heed reluctances; however, this time chooses acceptance over refusal, obeying the request by the angel of God (Alma 8:20; 10:7). After the physical nourishment need of holy servant is met blessing bestowed with elevated transition to an effectively mutually sustaining spiritual supportive ministering missionary companionship relationship. During their missionary selfless service companionship as disciples of Christ had their share of tribulations trials, persecutions, and testing of their faith. Discipleship discipline display of joys with relational reciprocal learnings in works of services found from the becoming expressing depths of loyalty to God.

As messengers of Jesus Christ gospel sharing his word to the people in faith and love fearlessly, facing opposition and obstacles. Disciples pairing sustaining sacrifice supported by the spirit, making experiences yield sacred divine perspectives translating into abundant life joys (John 10:10). They spiritually strive continually seeking to testify speaking and preaching with a various groups of people during course of their missionary ministry. Alma expounded a critical element in coming to know God and his word in relation to “according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full” (Alma 12:9,10). Both Alma and Amulek have own lived shared experiences of heart hardened state to the word conditions, then in openness desires flourishing recounting relatable each self soul’s stories sharing searchable spiritual spanning serial sequences (See, Alma 32).

The Joy of Learning

Along Alma and Amulek teaching treks arrive finding cast out group of willing listeners characterized as the poor class of people. Disenfranchised, by higher class citizens who have kicked them out of their places worship, they ironically helped to build. Uprooted from permitting accessing built church structures, thus associating as no alternatives due to requirement form of worshipping within their own community. These people who have become detached from the good words of the gospel of Jesus Christ, disconnected to church, are marginalized due to coarseness of their apparel. Due to circumstances found themselves in, temporal conditions has compelled them to humble state (32:12). Are more receptive to hearing the word then the proud wealthy class people Alma and Amulek had prior attempted to teach within community and share the word with. However, as ministering missionaries, their invitations encounter obstacles for these hearers of the word.

ALMA CHAPTER 32: Alma teaches the poor whose afflictions had humbled them—Faith is a hope in that which is not seen which is true—Alma testifies that angels minister to men, women, and children—Alma compares the word unto a seed—It must be planted and nourished—Then it grows into a tree from which the fruit of eternal life is picked.

Living life abundantly spiritually necessitates creating a desire for fostering the joy of learning environment regardless of ideal circumstances. Basic gospel principles and practices need to be applied to be fully understood. Apparently understanding of applying gospel simple truths was lacking with those people Alma and Amulek were teaching. Stuck on stickiness of accepting translating what the seed represents with the how-tos of nurturing planting preparations for sustaining seed life of gospel growth (Alma 32-34). Struggling understanding how scripture study and prayer enables planting the word as a seed. Results in unresolved perplexing proof proving problem complex comprehending computing conversions algorithmic accepting confusion; current-state consuming breaking-down inabilities activating as applied solution (Alma 33). Misunderstanding necessary nurturing nature of the words spiritual nutrient components, contributes in uninspired partaking readiness failures respectively intaking the words of life ingredients digestive sustaining spiritual systems. The joy of learning stumbling accepting, taking hold and place within due to barren grounds spiritual state, thus struggling planting the seedlings believing beginnings (Alma 32:39). Struggling simply to adapt understanding to alternative ways to worship without accessing church buildings (Alma 32:9-11; 33:2-3).

As participant's invited to join in study in trying the experiment initial stages see how are held back from entering further discovery phases of spiritual states leading into becoming self reliant in joy of learning. Being brought into compelled humble state is not necessarily the most fertile for seed soil soul word planting (Alma 32:13-14). The joy of learning is described effectively with analogies and with the teaching by the spirit from Alma’s and Amulek’s own shared testimonial experiences. The role of the message receiver involves their preparation, use of agency choice, and what type of desires working with, willingness to invite, receive, and fully accept the spiritual confirmation. One’s choices, true state of heart and mind, are impactful to receiving inspired spiritual revelation, and determining their degree of acting on message accompanied by the promptings from the spirit (Alma 32; Moroni 10:3-5).

Interestingly today, how critically joy of gospel learning resiliency adaptiveness is with conditions of COVID. The Church members face test today with worshipping on Sundays without being in church building structure. How prophetic to have the guided gospel centered home based scriptural self study Come Follow Me Sunday School curriculum resources. An inspired initiative given prior to pandemic to foster self reliance for spiritual nurturing experiences studying by individuals and families following week to week curriculum schedules. Aided by enhanced self study guided format curriculum integrated supplemental learning resource tools. We are blessed with technology supporting scriptures enabling research study of key topics, themes, and with convenience of virtual online meetings capabilities.

As investigators of the word are shared the conversion prescriptive recipe. Internalizing the word as give the seed place in heart and mind for spiritual awakenings, requires actively engaging full faculties for faith provided assurances receptance to establish testimonial planting of roots (Alma 32:27,37,41). Growth of understanding gained by applying verifying truths testing feedback with our soul sensories in order to fully experience the joy of learning, acceptance, embracing, serving and as becoming are parts of the process for divine change committing conversions (Alma 32).

The Joy of Serving

Humble enough state willing to listen, struggled in their understanding how can apply and plant the word as a seed. Amulek seeks to impactfully service their souls by directing them to transformative change if accepted by pointedly focusing on the real crucial issue facing at hand; the core dilemma needing settling in their minds, on whether the word be in Christ or whether there be no Christ (Alma 34:5). Each has to choose to open hearts and minds in spiritual fertile readiness, critical imperative of timing when current and future eternal abundantly life living matters are factors needing for considering on weighing mind and heart in.

We can see as necessary condition in earnestly working toil, service willingness, and manner of meekness relating readiness of soil to our own soul (Moroni 7:43-44). As to seeds of thought given further life, light, and knowledge thus growth emergence receiving spiritual gifts confirmation fruits (Alma 32:27-43; Moroni 10:8-30). As prerequisite requirement are our righteous desires for planting or replanting the seed of testimony beginnings where spiritual roots can take hold (Alma 32:41). Requires real desire, effort, work establishing of the word within oneself spiritually (Alma 32:27). Soil as likened to soul conditions serve readiness in absorbing the abundant life principles are as nutrients for full conversion. Soul sanctification requires willingness to sacrifice of one’s own will of the whole self’s whole soul, aligning and soul expanding through service as getting grounded, rooted, established, and settled becoming and doing God’s will (Alma 32:43-48; Elder Neil A. Maxwell).

The Joy of Becoming

Providing temporal and spiritual relatable analogy of interrelation of faith and love as divine growth continuum. Alma expresses comparing with evidences while experimenting upon the words of Christ nurtured as faith to a seed (Alma 32:27). Emphasizing how with much care, diligence, patience, long suffering, and have assurances along the way, you are rewarded for your nurturing the seed manifests by growing into a tree, and with relatable physical senses applies also spiritually how can find truthfulness of Christ’s words found in scriptures likening as tasting the sweetness and joy from faith and love, reaffirming during exercising sustainable efforts, while confirming with the bearing of real fruit (Alma 32:41-43). Seeking the abundant life with fundamentally foundational principles of faith and love, are reinforced in relationships and friendships along journey.

As brothers and sisters, spiritual children of heavenly parents our current temporal and divinely eternal friendship relationships are supported by faith and sustained by love. As love is an outgrowth of faith, also helps sustain faith. Can see relationship in scriptures how faith, hope, and charity as divine upward spiraling expressions of love are interrelated-interdependent (Ether 12:28; Moroni 7:1; Moroni 10:20). Choosing to have faith and love enables connecting to character and attributes of God, resulting in greater our joy as becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, actively serving our brothers and sisters.