1 Nephi Chapter 17

And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. ~ 1 Nephi 17:40

He loveth those who will have him to be their God. I love that part. That statement puts some responsibility on us. We have to choose God in a very real sense, and then he chooses us back and makes us his choice. And it is so much more wonderful and amazing than we can imagine.

It is also striking that because of his love for us he gives us covenants. LDS people make a lot of covenants. It is part of who we are. We don't only make covenants but we keep them, or we try to at least.

I've been to other churches and I've seen that it can be easy to come and go and it doesn't change you. It doesn't ask anything of you, except maybe as the plate is passed. It can be shallow. Not every church is of course, but I've attended ones like that.

I like that my church expects me to become better, to change, to develop and grow. I think God means us to learn a lot while we are here. Sometimes I imagine him cheering me on in my small victories. I need that.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 1 Nephi Chapter 17.

1 Nephi Chapter 16

And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. ~ 1 Nephi 16:2

The truth is sometimes hard to hear, whether it is someone calling you out on your actions or honestly telling you that yes you look fat in those pants.

Sometimes I hear stuff I don't want to, often in General Conference, or sometimes from my friends or family. I know I fall short a lot of doing the things I need to do.

The important thing is to be humble and not whiny. If someone rebukes you it is usually best to just own it, and then decide what you are going to do about it.

You could whine, or try to pass on the blame but you don't get any growth when that happens. God means us to learn from our mistakes. He knows we won't be perfect but He expects us to keep trying and to get a little bit better.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 1 Nephi Chapter 16.