Episode 28 - Alma 53-63, Bonnie H. Cordon and Barbara Morgan Gardner

Welcome to Grounded, where women of various backgrounds, cultures, and ages gather together to study the doctrines and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, through the lens of covenant women. Join us as we discuss: Ramifications of Anger, The Power of Allowing the Rising Generations to be Engaged, and The Power of Parents & Mentors.

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(00:00) Introduction
(4:35) Ramifications of Anger
(20:14) The Power of Allowing the Rising Generations to be Engaged
(31:58) The Power of Parents & Mentors
(43:48) How has the Book of Mormon Changed Your Life?

Transcript

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Welcome to our home. We're thrilled to have you with us as we continue our study of the Book of Mormon. We encourage you to study with us by getting your scriptures out in some way, whether it's on your phone or whether it's on paper. We hope that you continue your study, and that you feel even more confident as women, as you are able to have a bedrock understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and speak with God's power and authority. Today we're going to be studying three main topics ramifications of anger, the power of allowing the rising generation to be engaged, and finally, the power of parents and mentors. We're looking forward to a great study. Welcome to grounded, where women of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds gathered together with me, Barbara Morgan Gardner, and my guests as we strive to build a bedrock understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and become more like him. We are excited to have our friend with us, Bonnie H. Corden. Bonnie. Thank you. Thank you. It's just a delight to be with you in your home. Thank you. You know what, Bonnie? It is to me. It's important that we are in our home. I'm a professor. I like to get out and do things with people. And I love studying and things, but. But when it comes down to it, I have a very strong priority that we are in my home, right? And that we are we are women and that we are leaders and teachers in the family, in the community and throughout the world. So that's. The home. Right now. And there's nothing like studying the scriptures in your home. Yeah. You know, well, sometimes your home is your car and sometimes your home is wherever you have to run to. Yeah. But it's this is a delight. So, Bonnie, President Nelson has reminded us of our three primary identities as children of God, children of the covenant, and disciples of Christ. In addition to that, I know a few things about you that I'm going to share. And then maybe you could help us to get to know you a little bit better. So we know that you are or have been recently released as a general young woman, as president of the church, 2008 to 2023. Is that right? That's right. Yep. Got it. Spot on. Okay. Thank you. And then I also know that you are the president of SBU or Southern Virginia University. I would like to know just briefly how that came about. If you're able to share that with us. Isn't that crazy? I love it. I mean, no, no. I didn't mean how it came about. Well, you know, in August when I was released, I got a little email from one of the board members and they said, we're looking for a new president. And sitting on the Board of Education, I was always been intrigued at how the seven, all the different presidents of our city schools, are so completely different, but so united. And their schools were different. So it was just fascinating. So just curious. And I said, oh, I'm happy to talk about it. And I in my heart, I'm like, not interested. Yeah, but happy to talk. So I talked to him and then they invited me out to campus. And as we flew out, my husband said, we're not doing this, are we? And I'm like, oh heaven's sakes, no, no interest, but how the Lord does things. the prompting just kept coming. Just go. And I made a long list for the Lord and said, now, these are all the reasons why it's a bad idea. I just finished a kind of a whirlwind, and it was kind of nice to clean closets and get to know my grandkids. We bought a Nikon ski pass, so I was really excited to spend the whole winter skiing. And the Lord just said go. And so that's how or why I'm at Southern Virginia University. Isn't it amazing how the Lord's will is not always what we thought it would be? But then, you know, he makes his well known and we align our will and do it well. Sometimes the miracles that he has for you. Yeah. You don't even know you want. Yeah. And so when you say yes, all of a sudden some of those miracles unfold and you're like, oh my goodness. And I look back and I think, what would I have been doing? Yes, I maybe had met a lot of fun people on the ski hill. Yeah, I'm sure. But some of the people I've met and the young adults that have changed my life, I am grateful if I do. You know, if I did nothing else though, these seven months have been remarkable. So I just just say yes. When the Lord gives you that nudge, just say yes. I can't be more. And Bonnie, I appreciate you bring up those young adults we're going to be talking about youth today. Those 2000 Stripling Stripling warriors. So thank you for your service with them. And also recognizing that we have so much to learn from, from them. Oh, I mean, it blows my mind. Yes. So we'll get into that a little bit as well as we go along. Let's start with our first topic. So it's ramifications of anger. We know that there is a lot going on in these scriptures. We're talking the 2000 warriors. We're going to get their their letters going on between between Captain Moroni and Amran. And we're going to have these letters between captain MP Horan. And there is a lot of energy going on. Right. So righteous indignation in full force. Yes. Yeah. So let's let's get in here. Well, you know, just to jump in, I think it's fascinating that the process that these letters have back and forth. Yep. And I love I have to first say I love Captain Moroni. He is one of my favorite people because he is bold. Yeah, he loves the Lord and he tries to do everything he can without shedding blood. I mean, I talk about a captain that is unusual for anyone's time, so I love all of that. But there is a lot of yeah, we have the thing that's interesting for me, when I was reading this, I thought, he has a cons. And it's a very just cause. Absolutely. But I wanted to show it because you talked about about Captain Moroni and shedding blood. I love although this is not in a reading for today, it's for last week. But in chapter 48, verse 21, it says, but as I have said in the latter end of the 19th year, yay! Notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren. I think this is what Captain Moroni is. He does not want to be in battle like we've been told over and over again. He does not want to shed blood, but he is compelled, reluctantly to do the right thing. And because he is a disciple of Jesus Christ, he is going to do it, even though that's not his personal desire. But he needs. To do so. Yeah, as well. And so with all of that, and that's his desire as he's writing these letters, I think it's interesting. And I don't even want to go in and maybe, tag all of them. But as I was reading the letters, thinking about what our prophet said about peacemaking, yeah, this is an interesting thing. In spring of 2023, President Nelson gave that talk that many of us remember peacemakers needed. And the thing that he said he said, brothers and sisters, we can literally change the world. And I've always loved the fact that, okay, how are we going to change the world? And he goes on, because President Nelson does one person and one interaction at a time. And then he asks the question, how? By modeling how to manage. Okay. There's an interest in how do we manage honest differences of opinion with mutual respect and dignified dialog. Now, I don't know. I mean, I guess if I was a captain of an army and there's huge bloodshed, I don't know if I could manage honest differences. Yeah, but that's what the prophet's asking us to do in this case. So I started reading this through Managing Honest Differences, and I thought it was fascinating on some of the things that, Moroni was writing in his epistle. So as we think about peacemaking, what is it that shuts down a conversation or just built a stronger wall? And he probably wanted a stronger wall. So maybe that was really posture. but in this, if you think in, I'll just pull one of them up in 10 or 11, he says. But behold, it supposes, be that I talk to you concerning these things in vain. In other words, you're not going to listen to it anyway, or it supposes me that thou art a child of hell. Therefore I will close my epistle by telling you I will not exchange prisoners. And then he goes on to tell. But what I would love you to do is look through this and find is there words here where he could have omitted or changed it and help the dialog? Right. You know, so when we think of the prophet's charge to try to be a peacemaker, even though we have differences, and so it just depends on how and, how you put things, sometimes can make people angrier, even though you have a righteous cause. What does this look like to soften hearts? I don't know. And teaching Elder Holland has a great talk to religious educators where he says it's often not what we say, but how we say it. That makes a difference. And that's what causes people not that it's our fault that people are offended. And we can talk about that when we get to parent. But the importance of making sure that we are actually very careful in how we say things. You can say one thing that is true and cause and be an instrument, I guess, in creating frustration and anger. Or you can say the exact same thing with kindness and and open the doors. Right? The truth is the truth. President Nelson is such an incredible example of that. We should state truth. Yeah, but we should never attack another person. Even with the truth. You can state what the truth is, but then being cynical and damaging. And sometimes that closes all the conversation. Absolutely. And we don't see the body language going on here in this, in this chapter 54. But we can guess the body language. We can guess that the, the way it's been written. Right. And you can guess, I mean, there have been times when I and you know, this sometimes just practical, do not even push sand until you've had a chance 24 hours. Right. Or or if you are up really late and you feel like you're to make a phone call, maybe you shouldn't write. There's a there's a reality of being impetuous. Maybe you should, but just make sure that you've checked yourself, right? Yeah, pause for just a minute. I love that. And so let's go into pig horn because horn nuts and, And Moroni, our dear friends. Yeah. And Bonnie, before we jump, maybe jump there. I think you were talking about this anger. I think this is critical. We are told here as Moroni is writing, he says, behold, I am in my anger and also my people. You have sought to murder us and we have only sought to defend ourselves. And then in verse 15, it came to pass, and I am wrong. When he had received this epistle was angry. So we have these two men that are just. It is an anger, anger, anger. They're trying to resolve some problems, but it is extremely difficult to have the spirit confirm and guide in truth, with an angry person. It's, you know, elder Elder Scott talks about, eating the grape. Right? And then he talks about things that will get in the way of the sweet spirit of the great and kind of compares the grape to the spirit. And the interesting thing there, I think, is when he says emotions can be in the way, can get in the way of the spirit. And I have thought often some of those emotions that we could have, it could be the emotion associated with jealousy, or it could be the emotion in this case of anger or anger can really drive away that spirit. And it is hard to be able to listen to the Lord if we are having a battle of anger. Yeah, and it's interesting why the prophet talks about being a peacemaker in these times. Yeah. You know, because we are in battles all the time with. And it has a changed. But you, you realize that there is such a power that comes when we can learn the art of peacemaking, and it is an art we are not born being peacemakers. Yeah. So when he says that, it's like, what resources do we have and how do we practice being a peacemaker? Yeah. Thank you, Bonnie, for saying that too, because I think for some of us, like the natural man comes out so easily or the natural woman comes out so easily and it is learned. It is something that we can practice. It's a skill that we can work on. Bonnie, as we're going through this, we're seeing this now with Captain Brown. I mean, let's. Look at. Parent. Yeah. Can we because we're friend. They're friends. They are friends. And I actually want to introduce parent in this way. Chapter 50 again this is last week. But I just sometimes we skip over this. But I just love this introduction to parent. So it's verses verse 39 of chapter 50. It says behold, it came to pass at the son of the fire was appointed to fill the judgment seat in the stead of his father. Yeah. He was appointed the chief judge and governor over the people with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously and to keep the peace. I think that's very interesting that he took this oath to keep the. Peace and judge. Yeah. And judge how. Righteously right is that, judge? Righteous. Yeah. So, you know, has Noah's heart. Yes. Great point, Bonnie. And the freedom of the people and to grant unto them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God. Yeah. To support and maintain the cause of God all his days and to bring the wicked to justice according to their crime. Now, behold, his name was parent. That. I think that's so interesting. He's he's this righteous covenant leader. He's made an oath with the Lord. And then what's so amazing to me? Body is that he keeps it. He's put in a position. Where he could just say, you know what? I'm not going to be a peacemaker. I'm not going to have peace here. I'm tired of it. This war is crazy. There are people fighting over here that people are fighting over here. And you know what, Ronnie? You know he gets the. Letter, right? So how would you feel with this letter? Oh, I, I would hope that I could do something as parent and be so kind, but I am concerned with my own personal reality that I would say I. Want to be a people. I think I may respond in a way that that that Moroni did and call him a child of hell or something. I hate to say that, Bonnie, but I think that may actually come out of my mouth, or at least might be in my mind, like really moral that if. I got this letter, I wonder how I would react. And I think I would love to be a parent. Yeah, I hope and pray that I will be able to do as you said, learn the skills of a parent. Yeah. So let's go to it. So we have this this letter, right? And we have Moroni 59 is the beginning, where Moroni is first asking Peh Horn for strength for his armies because they need this food, they need this care. And he's, he's he's accusing him of being indifferent. And in verse 13, back to the anger. It says, it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country. And then he's accusing. So he's announcing here. Yeah, because he doesn't know it's an assumption, because he's seen no support, no help, which is frustrating. Absolutely. But instead of saying that total facts, then we throw in the supposing. And that becomes a problem. That's a huge problem. That's not a a peacemaker, typically a peacemaker thing to do. This is an easy thing to do, which I suppose a lot. Yes, we have in chapter 60. first of all, he says, I dropped mine a pistol to pay horn, and then he kind of tells him who he is. So he puts pay horn pay here. And this is really your responsibility. So he's laid it on him. and then we see and in verse seven, can you think to sit upon your throne in a state of thoughtless stupor? I mean, oh, he is no God. No. Stop and think about what he says. Can you sit upon your throne now? He's a chief judge. Yep. So what do where did chief judges sit? They don't sit on thrones. That's what a king does, right? That's a good point. So he sits on that. They call it the judgment seat. That's where you know, when you be normally. So here's a jab as saying, you know, here you are thinking you're the king. Reality. He doesn't even use the appropriate judgment seat. He says, what are you thinking? You're sitting on a throne. Kind of mockery. There. It's just a lot of mockery. Yeah, just in 6 to 8. And that he says, let's see, there is exceeding great neglect. Now, that's a truth. That's a truth. So if he would have stopped there, he would have said, there is a great neglect. Yes. And that's been true. Every desire to know the cause of your thoughtless state. Well, actually, I have probably been thinking about him and praying for him and anxious about him and keeping him up at night. So it hasn't really been a thoughtless state, but he's just projecting that anger, and I'm sure he's reading this when you have no idea the sleepless nights over you. Absolutely. That's another thing that I was again, just taught by one who was helping us as a family with all of us children. Yeah. It's something that my father would often say is in stating a phrase. It's I feel this way. Is so. Good. I feel this way. Therefore, because. Right, I feel this way. And what he's doing here, instead of just saying, I feel this way, saying you're doing it's accusation is just so strong right there. Exactly. So it just is he just angry? Yeah. Now with he has the righteous indignation. But what happens is he puts a lot of personal jabs in there that I think really pulled down. this great man that is has his own child challenges and trials that he's dealing with, but he Moroni has no idea. There's, there's there are a few good things that he didn't hear there. Actually there are many. But I do love verse 36, Bonnie, where he says, behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. And now we're seeing the heart of Moroni here I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of God and the freedom and the welfare of my country. And thus I close my epistle. This is the captain Moroni. Yeah. Yeah it is. Okay. So parent. Okay. I love parent because I think really, if I would have gotten an A like this, I would have been just like, you have no idea what's going on and then just laid into it. But what does pay for and do. I love his response right in verse two he says, I pay Horan, who am the chief governor of this land, do send these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. He just this he is going to speak truth. You're right Moroni, I am this and you are this. Behold, I say unto him, I, I do not joy in your great afflictions. Ye it grieves my soul. And now all of a sudden you can just see Moroni. I mean, if I were Moroni now on the other side, I think if I got a letter like that, I would just say in my heart, I think, okay, first of all, thank goodness he's on my team. He is okay. He hasn't broken his covenants. We are friends. He is. He is not on that throne. He is actually the judgment seat. And there's something that's going on. So you can just immediately parent just defuzes the whole situation. I am suffering with you, Moroni. Peacemaker. And you know, in chapter 62, at the very first we see Moroni had received this epistle. His heart did take courage and was filled with exceeding great joy because of the faithfulness appearing. Yeah. You know, and so immediately he just everything was defuzed there wasn't a battle back and forth internally. Thank you, thank you Bonnie. But in verse nine of, of chapter 61 this is again a horn responding, I just love this. Now in your epistle you have sent to me. But it matters not. I am not angry, but do you rejoice in the greatness of your heart? I parent do not seek for power. Now he's answering similarly to Moroni, save only to retain my judgment seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in the liberty in the which God hath made us free. In other words, he's keeping his oath. He's going to be a peacemaker. He's going to continue to sit in judgment. And not that he wants that. He's doing it for one reason. It's to serve the Lord and for the liberty of his people. He doesn't want to be on the throne. Yeah, right. And I love that he he kind of removes really Moroni out of it. Yeah. That my fault? My soul standeth death because of God. I love verse 13 as well. Behold, he doth not commanders that we should subject ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in him, and he will deliver us just. This is somebody who knows their identity. Yeah. So you started out with identity. Yeah. As a disciple and, you know, as a child of God, as a disciple of Christ and, and a cabinet maker. And you know what? This is how he could do this is because he didn't forget. He didn't within anger, forget who he was. And I think that's helpful, at least as a young mom with young kids, I remember thinking, I had to get to my knees a lot before or before I started saying something to my little ones. Thank you Bonnie. We just had a great discussion on the ramifications of anger and then also peacemaking. So let's jump into our second topic, which I know you're very passionate about. I am so passionate about this. Okay, so it's the power of allowing the rising generation to be engaged. Yeah. So so Bonnie, we have a lot going on here. 2000 stripling warriors. This is youth of the noble birth. Right. Let's okay. So when I'm going to go to the quote have President Nelson please. When and every prophet has told every generation that they are the royal generation. They're the noble ones. And it is true for our season. So he says it again to the the rising generation. He says, my beloved younger brothers and sisters, you're among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation. Now, I think that's an important thing to realize that if they have the capacity to do all of that, what do we need to do to increase their capacity? And we learn tons about the stripling warriors here, about how to have trust, insights and help them with their capacity, because it is done so well in this space. Now, I love alma 53, in this when they first kind of bring us up again and it says it. Talking of the 2000 young men in 18, they entered into this covenant, and in 19 it says, and now, behold, as they never had hitherto been a disadvantage. Yeah, they become now at this period of time, also a great support. Now you think of every bishop, every young women's leader, every home. Would you not want a great support in your home? Absolutely. And and so this is what those young men became. And they were the rising generation. And this time, if we engage these young people and allow them to be part of co-creating what we're doing, what happens is they become a great support. They've never been a disadvantage to us. Kids aren't a unit, but could they become now a great support? And so, you know, we love their story. I love these verses and I could not agree more. verse 20 and they were all young men and they were exceedingly valiant for courage and also for strength and activity. But behold, this was not all. They were men who were true at all times, and whatsoever things they were interested. I actually really love how it in the first part it is these are young men, and now these are men. These are, these are it doesn't matter their age, they are men. The word here yeah I love is they here in 20 where you said to at all times in whatsoever thing they were interested. Yeah. And so many times we don't entrust so good and so engaging. The rising generation means you've got to entrust them. The reason why they were so effective was because they were not afraid to allow these young men to go to battle. It wasn't that they were just like, oh, honey, I mean, you think of David and Goliath. Yeah. David walks into a weary camp and they're all like, And he's like, is there not a cause? And you think these young people, they have a they want a cause. They want to be part of the cause of Christ. But sometimes we don't entrust them to do it. And so we tell them, you know, someday you're going to be the future leaders. Yeah. And, you know, I tell. Them you are. Yeah. No, actually, I tell them you are not the future leaders of the church. You are the leaders. You are the leaders. And you will continue to be a leader. Yeah, but do our actions interest? It's a question. You know, I love that in teaching. I love that and leading. I love that in parenting we, you know, we teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves. It's important that we teach them the correct principles. But there is a time, and I honestly think it's younger than many people assume, that we really can let them govern themselves and entrust them to govern and help govern each other. And you see this happen so beautifully in these in these chapters. Absolutely. I love that we're setting we have this epistle that Helaman said he's describing what happened. I love chapter 56, verse 16. And he says this ye they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toil by night to maintain their cities, and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind. But this and this is Antipas. Yes. This is Antipas thing. So these are the all the adults. They are depressed as in body and in spirit. They're exhausted. As adults. Are exhausted. And the and the and the parents of these youth can't, can't fight because they have chosen to keep their covenants, which makes it that much stronger. But then verse 17, and now they were determined to conquer this place or die. Therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me. Yeah, those sons of mine gave them great hope and much joy. Now it came to pass when the Lamanites saw that Antipas had received greater strength to his army, they were compelled by the orders of Amran to not come against the city of Judah, or against us to battle, and thus we were favored of the Lord. For they had come upon us in this our weakness, that they might have perhaps destroyed our little army, but thus we were preserved. And then this they were commanded by Ammon to maintain those cities which they had taken, and thus ended the 26 year. And in the commencement of the 20 and seventh year we had prepared our city. We had prepared our city and ourselves for defense. How are they? How were they prepared? They were prepared because they let the youth be individual agents and spiritually and physically self-reliant enough that they literally saved all of these people, their lives and their families because they let these youth use their strength to overcome this depression and this moment of serious destruction. Yeah. The you saved them. You know, when you were reading that, my favorite part is these sons of mine gave them great hope. So much joy. Yeah. I mean, that is my. And the youth will do that. They have fresh ideas, new insights, and they see things with hope. Yeah. but we have to allow them to be part of the process. One of the things that I love here in 56 is you've got, Helaman comes to him and he says, I'm 43. Says, now whether so now they're saying, okay, Antipas, we're not sure we're not sure we're Antipas army. Yes. Right. Know if they stop, you know, if they turned around, it says now whether they were overtaken by Antipas. We know not. But I said into my man, I love how he calls a man. Yes. Again. Yep. Behold, we know not that they were halted for the purpose that we should come against them, that they might catch us in their snare. So he's kind of laying out a hard situation. He's like, this is this could be a trap. And now this is the part that I think is two dream for all of us adults, as parents, as leaders. Because remember, we're going to entrust the young men or entrust the youth. Yep. So he then says he paints the picture. Therefore, what say my sons? Will he go against them to battle? He doesn't lay out the plan for them. He says, okay, let's counsel together. What are we going to do? You know all the ramifications. What should we do? And he allows them to be the force to say, okay, this is what we're going to do. And he says, and now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, can you imagine him telling this story that never had I seen so great courage? Nay, not amongst all the Nephites. For as I have ever called them my sons, for they were all of them very young, even so they said unto me, you can you imagine this, father? Behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall. Then let us go forth. we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone. Therefore let us go. At least they should overpower the army of Antipas. And and I think it's important to realize that this was that now there. Cause someone hadn't told them. You got to fight because of us. Now they would have. But now they have said their words have been the catalyst for moving forward. And so many times we decide that we're going to tell them what they're going to do instead of engaging them and allowing them to be part of the process. and then, of course, you know, they never had fought, yet they did not fear death. So they were going into something. And so many times we think, well, you've never done this before, so I'm going to help you. Well, they had never fought, but because it's now their cause. They went forward and and we know what happens here because they thought more of liberty for their fathers that they even did for their own lives. But I, I want to jump in on that one. sometimes every, every generation has, has in a sense, stereotype. And I've been concerned a little bit that people have stereotyped a current generation with selfishness. My experience with the youth of today, those who are doing their best and trying to follow these prophets and and living their lives, they are not selfish. They I these are these are youth and young adults that are serving all day. They're trying to find they're trying to find projects and trying to find people who need their help. They're making phone calls, they're sending text messages, they're serving in bishopric, they're serving in Relief Society presidencies. They're serving in their families. They are so concerned about people outside of themselves. They are they are so ready and willing to serve. And I love that in verse 47, just like you just said. And they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives. They care about their families, they care about their parents, and they really are serving. We'll come back to this. They were taught by their mothers as we talked about this before. But their their real intention, as I see those youth today are very similar to these stripling warriors. The principles are same. These righteous youth today are similar to what it says in alma chapter 57, verse 21. They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness. Yea, and even according to their faith it was done to them. I do remember the words that they said and me that their mothers taught them. Yeah, I am. I am seeing a group of youth and young adults today who genuinely are trying to do all they can to be obedient, and it is a hard time. President ion has asked us that we increase or raise our expectations of the youth today, and honestly, they they rise to the expectation at any time. And frankly, I think they're pulling us up to their expectation and we're pulling them to ours. And our young adults. I love watching on the campus and watching what they come up with. The clubs they come up with, the ways they help each other. And I think, you know, you, I always when they come to me and they say, we have this idea, could you I'm like, I don't need to implement it. How could you do it? Exactly. And they come up and do it so much better, so much more efficiently than I would ever do it from the top down. So they do it from the bottom up and it's glorious. It's absolutely gorgeous. I think that's one of the responsibilities on us as an older generation is to recognize and be humble as as Helaman was and saying, I am their father, but these are incredible youth. I love chapter 58, verse 40 where Helaman is writing. He says, but behold, they have received many wounds. Nevertheless, they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free. They are their members of the Lord, their God from day to day. They do observe to keep his statutes and his judgments and his commandments continually, and their faith is strong. The prophecies concerning that which is to come. I love that, Bonnie. Thank you so much. That beautiful understanding of allowing the rising generation to be engaged. Let's then look at this next topic powers of parents and mentors. And I think when I I've always thought of the 2000 stripling warriors, I always jump into their moms. I can't help it. Yes, I love their moms, but I think the other piece I love is their fathers, and we don't talk much about the peace of their fathers, so we can. We start with their father. Would you please? Okay, so let's go to 5627. as you know, as I was reading over this year, some years ago, I was like, oh, their fathers played a role. Yes. And, I love this. And it says in 27 now, it came to pass in the second month of this year, there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of those. My 2000 sons. Yeah. And I just think it's beautiful that the fathers were there, growing them up, making sure they had provisions, their swords, their spears, their food, whatever they needed another bedroll. maybe some more sandals. What is it that they brought? And how many times it says they brought unto us many provisions from the fathers? Anyway, I love fathers. I think there's such power in having father figures mentors in our lives. I'm just grateful for the the men that have stepped up to be at every, crossroads in my life, I will, I'm just always grateful for them, that have brought provisions and have been that person to, cheer me on and believe in me. But I can't agree more. I, I, I love talking about the mothers here. I think we use this. This is a mother's day. These are Mother's Day verses and for good reason. They are. The mothers did teach, but their fathers are nowhere to be. To be lost. They are right there, right standing side by side, equally yoked with their wives. They're raising these. Children. You know, I love that. One of the things I love about my father is he love Christ more than you love me. Yeah. And to know that my father believed in the Savior and to know that he would be bringing me provisions that would help me to know the Savior was a catalyst to just believing that there was a God, and then to see all the experiences that I had with him. It was always a point to the Savior. And so I know that there's mentors in many lives. Not everyone has a father. Yeah, and not everyone, has a good father. Maybe in their home. Right. That's. But I pray that they find the mentors. And if not, we have a heavenly Father who who fiercely loves us. I think we're we love people we serve, don't we? Absolutely. So we realize that our Heavenly Father is always serving us because he loves us in a way, in a capacity that we cannot even imagine. And, and so I love the fact that the Savior, and our heavenly Father always trying to serve us in a way that is always for our best interests. There's there's this great quote by sister Joy Jones, and I tied into to alma chapter 53 verse 20 and 53, verse 20 says, and they were all young men. We read this, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage and also for strength and activity. But behold, this was not all. They were men who were true at all times of whatsoever things they were entrusted. And you think about why they were this way. We see their their mothers, but we've also seen that they have seen their fathers and their mothers together bury their weapons of war. They're not going to fight anymore. They have these these parents have kept them by their side, these, these children now youth, now young adults have watched very carefully and have been mentored very carefully. And I would imagine some of them, because of this great war, I would imagine some of them, to your point, probably didn't have fathers that were on the earth. I imagine many of them, their mothers, that many of them we know that these women and these these these husbands and wives were being slaughtered literally. So these young, these young 2000 stripling warriors were being mentored by aunts and uncles and grandparents and teachers. It wasn't when we talk about their mothers that you see about the variety of women who they had in their lives, but Joy Jones makes this has this statement. She says, brothers and sisters, hold your little ones close. So close that they see your daily religious behavior and watch you keeping your promises and your covenants. And then she says, children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate. That's a that's an anonymous quote, that part. And then she says, we are indeed helping to teach and raise a sin resistant generation unto the Lord, unto the Lord promised by promise and covenant by covenant. Just hold them close. I mean, as parents, sometimes as teachers, we we need to be. We need to be mentors, not just in word, although we can. But boy, that example is, you know, says so much as far as our mentoring is powerful. It is is a powerful process. And I would add to that we have them engaged in the process, allow them to add their voice. you know, the young people now, they add their voice to social media. They add their voice to so many areas. But are we allowing them to add their voice to the cause? They help? Honestly, I as a teacher at BYU and I know there are many other places, but I. I have learned to go to class with paper and pen in hand because they they are teaching me all the time. I come with with, with things that I'd like to share and trying to follow the spirit and being a good mentor to them. But honestly, I sometimes I just sit there and I just want to turn the whole class over to them the entire time and just take notes. The responses, the wisdom, the experiences of these youth and young adults, literally are changing the world. Yeah, I love that we have youth in Bishop Ricks now that they're called high priests. And these in these areas of service and, and high councils and things. Right. And they I hope we trust them. Well, they were prepared before the foundation of this world. They were prepared in the previous life to have some of these qualities and gifts that need to be on the earth right now. Absolutely. And so if we will allow them and see them in the role that they have come down to fulfill, we will be so blessed and they will be a great support. I love that their support to you. You walk away with all the notes and all the paper pencils that are, you know, the restrooms over the the room that you can use to, capture what they have to tell you. One bunny. You know, I mean, it's not it's not just in the classroom in my whole life, I feel like, I mean, my students, my student assistants and my my research, as I call them, resources. I feel like I am, I am just blessed. I could not do nearly what I'm able to do without their help, and frankly, they do it so much better. I'm almost a little sheepish sometimes to just, you know, thank you, Heavenly Father, for let me being a fly on the wall as I watched these amazing young adults just change the world. I mean, they it's fascinating to me. They are. They truly are. Yeah, they I think that's why I love Southern Virginia University. Yes. Because I watched them change the world one person at a time. And they're not afraid to do it. They're just so engaged. Bonnie, there's a great quote by Michael T Nelson. He's talking specifically about the healing stripping waters. And this is from the April 2024 General Conference. So it's just it's fresh. He says. Helaman was a man that the young ammonites could trust. He helped them develop and mature in righteousness. They knew and loved him and would that he should be their leader. Helaman loved these young men like sons and saw their potential. I just love that statement. And then he quotes. Elder Del Granlund is saying that to effectively serve others, we must see them through Heavenly Father's eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of his children. And then he goes on and talks about bishops and leaders and everything else. But I love this quote by Elder Redland that that Elder Nelson is, is is teaching us is see them and I love you. Elder Bednar and many others have asked his beloved and most recently to have eyes. To see. Right that that we ask the Lord to help us see them as he sees them. And I. Really. 100% testify. That. We see them as Helaman seeing them. These are these are sons. These are men. These are women. I love what he said here too, because not only is he healing and seeing them. Yeah, but they saw Helaman. Who did they choose in his quote? Yeah, they chose Helaman to be their leader. That's exactly right. And that's what I think is remarkable too. They were the ones that chose Helaman to lead it. Good point. That is a great insight. So as we realize they will have eye, they have eyes to see. Let's capture what they have. And and we love mothers. We didn't get to talk much about our mothers. But you know, every Mother's Day talk is is truly alma 56. Thank you Bonnie. Yeah I. This season. I appreciate so much what you are doing and taking on this assignment, recognizing from the very beginning you're saying, you know, this was not something you're planning on doing, but you were also chosen and you're also in a position. And I believe that that women and men not just believe what we have been taught, that women and men have received callings, assignments, and for the nation to perform certain functions in pre-modern world. Elder Scott talks about, how these youth are here and the youth of the noble birthright, etc., etc. but then in so doing he also says, and and in remembering the youth that are here for a reason, you were called for immortality, to be their mothers, to be their fathers, to be their teachers. So we have if we have the youth of the noble birth, right? We also have parents who are called also to be in a position to help them reach their potential. So it's it's a team effort. You're talking about learning from each other in that whole process. Well, this is bit I love when you talk about the word chapters. And I know they could not be more rich with insights for our time. Yeah. And maybe it's because we're always in a war and battle against good and evil. And, and this is a great time to realize that we will we and as we stand on the Lord's side. Amen. Bonnie, I'm going to finish off with alma 62 if this is okay, and I'll give you the last words, I ask you the question. I love this handing off, in a sense of of Captain Moroni. Now to a son, Moroni, I just love this. This mentorship that's been going on and then this trust. So this is alma 62 and 43. Moroni yielded up the command of his armies into the hands of his son, whose name is Moroni. Ha. And he retired to his own house, that he might spend the remainder of his days in peace and haunted, return to his judgment seat, and he'll to take upon him and Helaman to take upon him again to preach unto the people the Word of God. In verse 45, therefore Helaman and his brethren went forth and declared the word of God with much power unto the convincing of many people of their wickedness, which did cause them to repent, and to this repent of their sins, and be baptized into the Lord their God. So now Helaman is going forth seemingly with Moroni and more on Nihon others. So there is this handoff and I, I, I hope and pray genuinely that as we're looking and preparing and being a part of these lives, of these youth that we recognize, it's not just that they are going to be leading, they are leading and they are they are leading right now. And and there is a handoff. And the church is in very, very, very good hands with these young adults and these youths today. Yeah. I, I would just echo that and testify that that is absolutely true. And they are here for a a and noble change of the world. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Bonnie. Bonnie, we would like to just first of all, thank you for your time, your energy for your life, your discipleship and for your mentorship for so many of us, regardless of the age. So thank you for being who you are. That's very gracious of you. It is true. And thank you for your, your kindness and and helping all of us become better. You are. You are in our day a healer man or a Captain Moroni for such a time as this. So thank you for being you. We would like to finish off with this simple question. Simple. I'd put it in quotes. It is how is the Book of Mormon changed your life? We've spent time looking through these chapters in these principles. How has it changed you? Bonnie? Great question. It has helped me know the Christ and I. Every time I read it, I come to see where the Savior and our Heavenly Father are all about saving all of us. And I just am always intrigued as I read it over and over again, that I come to know the goodness of the plan and how it encompasses all of us. No one's left out, no one's less. And the Lord and our, you know, and our Heavenly Father are running after us, doing everything we can to say, use your agency to choose to come. And so I love the Book of Mormon because it reminds me over and over again about the power of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, to save. Thank you Bonnie, I, I hope to continue my witness of the Book of Mormon and the witness of Jesus Christ along with you. We also encourage you to continue to share your witness of Jesus Christ as you continue to continue to study this sacred book and draw unto him as you apply these principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your life. We also encourage you to share this book. These teaching, these principles, even this podcast with other people so that they too can understand and dive deeper into the gospel of Jesus Christ. We testify that this is the word of God. We testify that the Book of Mormon is true, and we strongly encourage you to continue in your study and in your testimony of the Book of Mormon. We look forward to seeing you again next week on Grounded.