S3 E43 Melinda Brown on the Power of Truly Being in Covenant (week of May 20)

[@lewisfamgospelstudy]

I loved the connection of the name Mormon to what happens here in chapter 18 of Mosiah. Coming into a covenant relationship with God and those around us is a key message of the Book of Mormon. Linking that concept with the name of the book rather than the name of its editor is something I had never thought of. Wonderful discussion!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

To me it is amazing that after all that we have explored in the Book of Mormon there is still so much left to explore. What an inspired book!

[@barbaradiamond6193]

Me too!

[@paulinew5089]

So grateful for your podcast/videos! I always learn so much! Thank you for all of the time you and your guests put into making these available and possible!! ❤

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad it is helpful for you!

[@annsilva1506]

Thank you both, loved your wonderful insights and thoughts Amen!!!!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad it was helpful!

[@tomboyer9571]

Great episode - I especially enjoyed Mindy’s bringing physicality into the conversation! Really insightful!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

There is so much to think about along those lines, isn't there?

[@juliejensen3500]

I loved this discussion! Thank you! ❤

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so happy that it was helpful for you!

[@barbaradiamond6193]

Wow! Somehow in all my studies I have missed the connection between Mormon and the Waters of Mormon. I am glad that time only was spent on chapter 18 because I was introduced to some new ideas! Thank you so much! I rarely comment and this has inspired my enthusiasm.

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am just thrilled if this has led you to some helpful insights. Melinda certainly expressed some beautiful and thought provoking ideas!

[@user-ns5dh9fk3s]

I previously understood that love must be freely given. Thst it is a choice that we must make daily. What I had not put together was the link between agency and love. That the essential reason for agency is so we can demonstrate love. Wow, that was powerful!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

Such a wonderful reminder of what we need to use our agency for. It is most important to choose to use it to love God and His children. We need that reminder, don't we!?!

[@JonClark125]

Excellent episode, thank you! Especially loved the thoughts at the end about correct motives for living the Gospel. ❤

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad it was helpful for you. Bless you!

[@sharangainor5998]

WOW…a Melinda Brown “fan” from Guatemala. Thank you for having her. Super learning episode.

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

She is great, isn't she!?!

[@esmeraldamaldonado4574]

Beautiful insights thank you !

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-hr3bu9yx2b]

Thank you so much for your time and sharing your knowledge and thoughts. The Book of Mormon (I’ll never see the name Mormon in the same way again) is really coming alive for me in new and soul stirring ways!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so happy to hear of things coming to life for all of us!

[@jandyson9030]

Great discussion! Joseph Smith (and Apostle Paul??) taught that "we" without "them" cannot be saved... And vice versa.... Our very salvation depends on each other (both sides of the veil) We need each other! ❤️

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

Amen to that!

[@snelson2669]

This is chronically a wonderful podcast. Thank you for your time and efforts, and the time and efforts of your guests and supporting staff. You guys are awesome. 😊

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

Thank you. It makes it worthwhile to hear that it was helpful for you. Bless you!

[@user-ki6rd2rw7s]

Great episode.

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad you found it to be helpful!

[@jane1anne]

I learned a lot from this episode, particularly about Ritual Theory. I didn't know there was such a theory but I've often thought about the physicality of rituals and wondered if there was something more than just helping to learn and remember. So the thought that becoming the symbol, as in baptism, helped make a deeper connection to the physicality of rituals for me. I also loved phrases like, "rituals deeply lived "and it's a "crucial agency driven step". Wow Mindy, what great thoughts! Really wonderful episode Mindy and Kerry!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad it was helpful for you in this way! There is more power to our ordinances and the ritual way God has set them up than I think we are tapping into. And I also really resonate with the notion of rituals deeply lived. These discussions are so much fun and so edifying for me!

[@madeleinesorensen4280]

Wonderful, as always! Thank you!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so happy it is helpful for you. Bless you!

[@azhyrbooth5982]

Awesome discussion! Thank you! I learned so much from listening to this!❤😊👍

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

So glad!

[@seethetemple]

Just as per your invitation to share what we've learned in Come, Follow Me this week: Aren't many of us going through our own fiery furnace of affliction in one way or another? It may be being persecution, bullying, or a physical condition, or financial. If it goes on long enough and is intense enough, it will cause us suffering and test our faith and feel like a furnace that we want to get out of immediately. I think I can say this because the Church has published the temple covenants on their website. I've been thinking about the covenant of sacrifice and the words of the endowment and pondering what Christ truly gave up. In short, it was his will. So if I strive to follow Jesus' example, and strive to be a lamb for God, then it's fundamentally my will that I sacrifice and my will that will be tested. To make myself unblemished, pure, set apart from the world, and yielding to God's will, even in agony, even when things don't make sense, even though i want out of the furnace, even though I am working and praying constantly for a miracle, to be able to say, "but not my will, but thine." That's how I show that I choose to be a lamb/sheep, and not a goat. That's how I show that I know Jesus, not just because I turn to him in my affliction and know that he has strengthened me and comforted me, but because I know him better, having sacrificed my own will to the Father. My last thought is likening Daniel 3:17-18 to myself, putting my name in the scripture and reading it aloud. I got the idea of likening scriptures aloud from Sister Elaine Dalton on Walk With Him podcast. I found it very powerful: "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us.... But if not,... we [still] will not serve...gods, nor worship...golden image[s]..." Daniel 3: 17-18

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

I am so glad to see this discussion! And this is so powerful, and you are so right! The trials are real and will come. The question is whether we will submit our will to God's. You have spoken of it so well and eloquently, and it inspires me to be more willing to lay my will on the altar. Thank you!

[@seethetemple]

Thank you, TSAR, for teaching us how to gain power through the scriptures for our lives!

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

@@seethetemple These kinds of discussions are so uplifting for me. Thank you!

[@marilynjensen8096]

I heard you discuss the baptismal covenants and Elder Renlund’s clarification last year. I searched for that talk or information on it but found nothing. I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it again in this podcast. Is there a reference where I can find that? Thank you again for another inspiring podcast.

[@TheScripturesAreReal]

He did the talk again at BYU (slight changes). You can find it at speeches.byu.edu/talks/dale-g-renlund/stronger-and-closer-connection-to-god-through-multiple-covenants/

[@marilynjensen8096]

Thank you so much!

[@marciamackie554]

Thank you for the link, I was looking for that as well. What a beautiful talk.