Alma 37: 1-14

 

What are the small and simple choices that you made so far that are making a big difference in your life?

"1 And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been entrusted with me;

2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.

3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning—

4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.

5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.

12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.

13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.

14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations." (Alma 37: 1-14)

And here's the commentary entitled: “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” : 

"Sometimes we may feel like our problems are so big and complicated that the solutions must be big and complicated too. But that isn’t always the Lord’s way. As you read Alma 37:1–14, consider what impresses you about how He does His work. Then you can ponder and record ways you’ve seen this principle in your life.

If you were going to teach this principle to someone, what examples from nature or everyday life would you use to illustrate it? You can find some in President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Small and Simple Things,” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 89–92).

What are some small and simple things that bring you closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

Often, our “small and simple” choices make large differences in our lives. Consider picking a topic from For the Strength of Youth: A Guide to Making Choices and asking yourself questions like these: How do my choices about this affect me and the people around me? What small and simple changes can I make that will lead to greater peace and happiness?

See also Michael A. Dunn, “One Percent Better,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 106–8; Gospel Topics “Agency,” Gospel Library."

The air that I breathe, my ability to continue breathing until this very moment, the little things that happen daily like consistently being able to continue to get up before 4 AM, being able to get to work an hour before the time, being able to enjoy my work more than ever before, being able to learn and transform to become my better version, having more joy because of making the choice to align my thoughts, words, and actions to the Lord's will more than ever before, even while facing challenges-these are the small and simple things that bring me closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

Today I'm grateful for the feedback I received from my Thai teacher because I see it as something that will help me to improve. Thought of the Lord came to my mind during those moments after I got her feedback. I recalled the lyrics of the song, "Oh Lord, my Redeemer": He did not revile them back, and wondering I asked, "Who was this man so humble?" The Lord did come to my rescue as the lyrics of this some flow in my mind. The Lord was treated so harshly even though He's perfect. I am not perfect so I'll be criticised and be given feedback for sure. We are truly healed through His stripes. He carried all our loads, our pains, and our sorrows. And when we remember Him during our trying moments, it gets easier to follow His example of not reviling back. So, instead of feeling negative about the criticism or feedback we receive, we feel gratitude for it. And when we feel gratitude, we feel more peaceful and happier. 

Because of the feedback I received today, I choose to be in the present moment more, more observant, and alert in taking action to help my students and my Thai teacher as she's teaching and while students are having activities. I believe these small and simple changes will lead to greater peace and happiness.