The following transcript is intended to aid in your study. However, while we try to go through the transcript, our transcripts are primarily computer-generated and often contain errors. Please forgive the transcripts’ imperfections.
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[00:00:00] Tammy Uzelac Hall: How sad do you think a person would have to be to end up in bed and crying so much and so hard that their pillow gets wet, like really wet? Have you ever been that sad? And if so, what happened? And I'm so sorry. You know, Nephi is someone who can probably relate. Nephi has been that sad. Today's we begin to study some of Nephi's final words to us.
He's just so sad. But why? Nephi? Nephi? What happened or what is going on that made him feel this sad? Today we are going to find out as we study second Nephi chapters 31 through 33, and it might surprise you what he says. Welcome to the Sunday on Monday study group at Deseret Bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living, where we take the come follow me lesson for the week and we really dig into the scriptures together.
I'm your host, Tammy. Use a lock hall. If you're new to our study group, please follow the link in our description. That's going to explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come follow me study. Just like my friends, Jessica Jessup and Tandy Larson. Hi ladies. Okay. Now here's the best thing about this study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends.
So it's always a little bit different each week. And you know, it's always a little bit different no matter what, because sometimes I have one friend or sometimes I have three. That's right. I have three friends today, and I am so excited to introduce you to Sharon Staples. Hi, Sharon.
[00:01:26] Sharon Staples: Shalom. Hello, everybody out there.
[00:01:28] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Hello, my friend. And Sharon and I, we are thrilled about this because we get to introduce you to Teva Udall and Valleda Woodhall. Hi ladies.
[00:01:39] Tava Udall: Hi Tammy.
[00:01:40] Valleda Woodhall: Hi.
[00:01:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, I am so happy to see your faces. This is, I've been looking forward to this episode and your stories. We're going to have some fun, but first of all, Teva and Valleda, how do you two know each other?
[00:01:55] Tava Udall: Well, my, well, Valleda is my mom. Yes. So she's known me forever, even before I was born. So she's a powerhouse. She's almost 90 years old and she runs circles around all of us. She still works retail and she is just this little energizer bunny that doesn't quit. And so I am so grateful that she's my mom.
[00:02:20] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, what a sweet introduction, Valleda.
Hi. We're so glad you're here.
[00:02:25] Valleda Woodhall: Thank you. Well, it's nice to be here too. And I love to have you here with us. I wish you were back with us like you were the last time because I love to see you again. Um, Teva and I joined houses. We're both living in the same home. And we have a lovely time together. I do a lot of cooking and she likes that and I like that too because that relaxes me to be able to cook and make a nice dinner for everyone.
They can come over and enjoy it. So we're very happy and very positive and it's just a wonderful feeling to be all together.
[00:03:02] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, I'm going to second that cooking thing because when I was at your home in Arizona, that's where they're from. Um, I'm just telling everyone right now, Valleda makes the most divine chocolate chip cookie ever, ever.
Yes, she does. You know, people are going to ask for the recipe. Yeah. You're just going to put the recipe in your bio, I think, because we're going to get listeners who are going to want that recipe. But I'm telling you right now, and Teva set me up for it. She's like, it's such a good cookie. And I thought, listen, lady.
I've eaten my fair share of cookies. Okay. A chocolate cookie is a chocolate cookie, but no, I stand corrected. Felita officially wins the best chocolate chip recipe ever. So I, you are fabulous.
[00:03:42] Valleda Woodhall: Thank you. I love it too.
[00:03:44] Tammy Uzelac Hall: So I've asked to come on and you'll understand why when we get to that specific segment.
And this is going to be really fun. It's unique. We've never done this before, but I knew we needed her story to really drive the message home of what we're talking about today, which is Nephi's final words and what he has to say. And we are lucky enough to have her, which is the first three segments. So we're so grateful for the time that you're giving us today.
So if you want to know more about my guests, just go check out their bios and you can see pictures of them. And you can find that in our show notes at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday. So here's my instruction. Grab your scriptures and whether you're studying alone with family or friends together, we're going to dig into second Nephi chapters 31 through 33.
All right, you three, here's my first question. Oh, I've never had three answer this question. So here we go. What did the Holy ghost teach you as you studied these chapters?
[00:04:36] Valleda Woodhall: I think he teaches me the peace and the guidance and the comfort that we all need on a daily basis.
[00:04:45] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Amen. Powerful lesson. Thank you, Valleda.
[00:04:48] Tava Udall: Well, I loved all the words that are in those scriptures that are highlighted in, in the scriptures. If you're using your LDS tools, plainness, understanding, language, steadfastness, hope, love, endure eternal life show. Um, but the one that probably stood out to me the most was. Second, Nephi 32, 9, But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always and not faint, that you must not perform anything unto the Lord, save at the first place you shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, and that by thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
And if you cross reference it to the Alma 3427, yay. And when you do not cry into the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare and also for the welfare of those who are around you. Prayer is everything because without prayer, you don't have a direct communication line to your heavenly father.
That's the only way that we get to speak to him. And so prayer to me is everything that allows me to have that direct communication with him.
[00:06:06] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Where did you learn to pray?
[00:06:08] Tava Udall: In church. I was raised Methodist. Um, and so we did a lot of praying in church, but it was only on Sundays. And then of course we would go back on Wednesdays for youth fellowship.
Um, but it was the Sunday school teachers that taught us how to pray. And it wasn't really until I got converted to the gospel that really taught me that direct communication, because in most of the Methodist church, they're recited prayers. Um, and so they're learned prayers. They're not from the heart.
Um, and so it wasn't until I joined the church that I really realized that, wow, I can actually just talk from my heart to my heavenly father. And that allows me then to have that line of communication that is strictly just between he and I, and it's not just a rehearsed prayer.
[00:07:02] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh my goodness. I have to tell you, when you just gave that answer, like it hit me in my heart.
But the Holy Ghost was like, true. What she is saying is true. And I, I think we all felt that. Thank you, Teva. It's fantastic. Sharon, what about you?
[00:07:17] Sharon Staples: Well, I was struck by reading, uh, 2 Nephi 32 verses 3 and 5 and what I concluded, and I could be wrong. But, if the angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, they speak the words of Christ.
And if you look at 5, if you receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you all things that you should do. So, my conclusion is, if I have the Holy Ghost operating in me. I can speak the words of Christ. And so the Holy Ghost will help me to teach family, friends, loved ones will help me teach the gospel if in in Sunday school class, it will help me teach if I'm.
Doing whatever in the temple, because the Holy Ghost will allow me to speak the words of Christ. And we know from chapter 31 of 2nd Nephi, that that entire chapter is the doctrine of Christ. And if we speak those words and live those words, then we know that the Holy Ghost is operating in us. So my experience with the Holy Ghost is Experiencing what I say, how I interact with those around me.
So, and I was quite taken with, with that insight for me and that I have to be careful. That, that if I am going to speak by the, by the Holy Ghost, that those words of Christ will actually be his and not mine.
[00:09:04] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, and Sharon, I'm so thankful you applied it to real life examples. Because when you were saying that in my mind, I thought, but what does she mean by that?
How do we do that on a daily basis? And then you nailed it. You said, when I teach gospel doctrine, when I'm working in the temple, and then I thought I bet this could be applied to every single one of us when we're talking to our spouses, our children, our best friends. Are you saying that we can really speak the words of Christ?
[00:09:27] Sharon Staples: That's what I believe. If we're filled with the Holy Ghost, and he will tell us all things what we should do, Well, we can't do them if we don't know them, and we're going to know them if we have the words. So, uh, speaking the words of Christ are something each one of us can do in any situation if we are filled with the Holy Ghost.
[00:09:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. Amen. I absolutely agree with you. Again. Okay. Spirit is so confirming to everything, the truths that the three of you have shared. So thank you very much for sharing what the Holy Ghost taught you. I'm not going to share what the Holy Ghost taught me yet. We will get to that. But I introduced it a little bit at the beginning, which was shocking to find out why Nephi is so sad.
But what you want to know is as he's writing, there is this sort of underlying feeling of him being sad. And we're going to get to that, but I want you just to think about that, knowing his emotional state, then we're going to find out what he wants us to know and what he wants us to study throughout the rest of this segment.
So in the next segment, we're going to dive into his words.
Segment 2
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[00:10:38] Tammy Uzelac Hall: On a piece of paper, I want you guys to do something. So everyone grab a piece of paper. Just a blank one that you've got around you. It can even be on the back side of something that has writing. Because I just want you to draw something for me. And here's what I want you to draw. Are you guys ready?
We're ready. Okay. Draw for me in your mind what you imagine when you hear straight and narrow path. That's it. Just draw that a straight and narrow path
and then hold your picture up. I'm curious to see what it looks like. Oh, very good. Nice Valleda. Yes. Straight and narrow path. There it is. There it is. Okay. Sharon, did you get one?
[00:11:20] Sharon Staples: I didn't draw one because I have a problem. The problem is between. The problem is, just one, between straight, as it's indicated in the Book of Mormon, S T R A I T.
There's another straight, S T R A I G H T. Yes. However, are you going to cover this?
[00:11:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Do it, Sharon. Let's go into this. So, okay, Sharon, I want you to teach us this. Turn to second Nephi chapter 31. We're going to mark these words. Oh, Sharon, I'm so glad you came prepared to talk about this. Let's find the references to these words.
Second Nephi chapter 31 and they are verses 18 and 19. Tava, can you read those two verses for us? And I want us, and as she reads in our scriptures, let's mark straight and narrow. Hit it.
[00:12:17] Tava Udall: And then are ye in this straight and narrow path, which leads to eternal life, yea, ye have entered in by the gate, ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son, and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way, ye should receive.
And now, after ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done. Behold, I say unto you, Nay, for ye have not come thus far, save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
[00:13:00] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay, now we're going to cross reference this and we're going to turn the page.
Go to chapter 33 and let's mark verse 9. And then Sharon, will you read verse 9 for us and then teach us the difference of these words?
[00:13:13] Sharon Staples: 33 and 9, I also have charity for the Gentiles. For behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ and enter into the narrow gate and walk in the straight path which leads to life and, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
[00:13:38] Tammy Uzelac Hall: All right, Sharon, tell us what's going on here with this word straight.
[00:13:42] Sharon Staples: Well, the word straight actually means, um, A narrow body of water or a narrow body of land that connects two other bodies of water or two other bodies of land. So this is going to be Staples interpretation chapter one, verse one. And the interpretation is, you know, I love it.
Is that if my path is leading from where I am to the savior so that my narrow body of water or my narrow body of land. And then I have this straight path, water or land, connecting to another. To me, the other is, is the kingdom, is the gospel, is the savior, is all that is wrapped up in the teachings of the Book of Mormon.
So if I'm on that straight and narrow path, it means I am trying to do everything that I can do. To get to my heavenly father and heavenly mother on the other side. So that's, that's straight means more to me than the S T R E I G H T. Mm hmm. Because this straight is fixed, and it's there, and I can be on it, and I can connect my little humble strivings to what the Savior would have me do.
And so I'm trying to stay on that straight and narrow path to get to Him, to them, to the gospel, to, to salvation, to eternal, to, to celestial kingdom. Oh my goodness.
[00:15:29] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, let me tell you what, I'm a huge fan of the gospel according to Sharon chapter one, verse one, because the way you just reframed that is Astonishing and powerful.
Because immediately when we hear straight and narrow, we, and I drew the same picture, I drew a straight line and we do that often in our culture. And then we feel like it's so minimizing and it is so almost impossible. But Sharon, with the way you taught it, going from one body of water to the other, connecting to that.
And then that's the, that's Christ connecting to him. You, I, I believe. 100 percent how you interpreted that is correct. In fact, in my mind, I thought of the Straits of Gibraltar. If you've ever looked that up on the internet, it's not straight. It is curvy to get through it. And that's spelled S T R A I T.
And so my connection that I'm going to add to what you taught us, the only way a boat or a ship could get through the Straits of Gibraltar Gibraltar is if they were very careful, like you have to go slow and you have to be so precise and careful in how you're navigating those straights. I think that's the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Take your time. It's not a race. You don't have to rush. If you rush through those straights, you will eventually ruin your boat and capsize. Like take your time and be careful and notice where the direction you're going and what you're headed towards. So Sharon, that was fabulous.
[00:16:55] Sharon Staples: Well, to me, it's connecting.
Yes. I need to connect to my Heavenly Father and my Savior and the Holy Ghost, and I can't do that if I'm not on the straight path. Well,
[00:17:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I would love to know, Teva and Valleda, how does this reframing this word affect your knowledge of the gospel? Like, what does this do for you as we're discussing this?
[00:17:19] Tava Udall: Well, in our teachings, right, we're always taught, follow the straight and narrow. Well, you might take a detour, right? And it's okay, because maybe you might have stepped off, but if we connect it the way Sharon just connected it, it's curvy. It's going to have its bumps and its, and its bruises, right? But if we continue to strive to live the gospel, if we continue to strive to follow Christ's example, then we will eventually get there.
I, I envision, you know, when you're lost and say, say you're camping and you've gotten lost. What's the first thing they tell you to do? Go find the river because the river is going to take you home. The river is going to lead you out good example. And so that to me is, um, the best way to be able to follow and to continue to strive to be like Jesus.
And if we do, if we do get on on a detour somewhere, come back to the river.
[00:18:29] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, that was beautiful. Hold on. I'm writing that down. But I think what's cool is everyone knows that a river flows to a main body of water. So yeah, you're absolutely right. It is so good. And they also tell you when you're can't, when you're lost to sit where you are for a minute.
And just get your bearings. Like, it's so applicable to the gospel and then find the, find the water, follow the river. That's so good.
[00:18:53] Valleda Woodhall: Living with Teva, it's amazing too, because she's my rock. I mean, every day she tells me all the things that she's happening. And I love it because every day she just kind of lifts me up as a mother that she's that, she's that wonderful.
She really is.
[00:19:10] Tammy Uzelac Hall: She really is. I'd follow Teva. I'd for sure follow Teva. Wow. Oh, that was so brilliant. Teva. Thank you for sharing that. That was a great discussion, but how we reframe straight and narrow. So I loved everything you guys shared. So if you're wondering why I started at verse 18 and 19, it's because we needed to reframe straight and narrow before we can even talk about the first step to entering that path.
So in the next segment, we're going to do that. What's the first thing we do as members of the church of Jesus Christ to enter the straight and narrow path? We're going to come up next.
Segment 3
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[00:19:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Everyone. Turn with me to second Nephi chapter 31. And if you look at verse two and verse three, there is a word that Nephi repeats twice. And Tava, you actually said this in our first segment. When I asked you what the Holy ghost taught you, you brought up this word and the word in verse two and verse three, we're going to read these verses and there is a real word that stands out.
So Sharon, can you read verse two and three for us, please?
[00:20:13] Sharon Staples: Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ. Wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. For my soul delighteth in plainness, for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.
For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding, for he speaketh unto men according to their language.
[00:20:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Looking at those two verses, what word did Nephi use to describe the doctrine of Christ? Plain. Plain. Why do you think he used that word, Sharon?
[00:20:56] Sharon Staples: Because it is plain. It's simple. It's, it's obvious.
It's, it's out there. All you have to do is read it. And this whole chapter, which is the doctrine of Christ. He explains it in plainness and plainly. And, and the other thing that I enjoyed about this chapter, what he says at the end of verse three, He will do it according to the language, their language, according to their understanding.
How many languages is the Book of Mormon written in? Yeah. Over 150. They're not having to learn English. They just have to learn it in their own language and according to their own understanding.
[00:21:41] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Let's highlight that because we have our guest here, Valleda. Valleda is going to share with us her story, and I just think she's a perfect witness of the doctrine of Christ being plain in their own language.
so much. unto their own understanding, because like Sharon said, the whole chapter 31, it is the doctrine of Christ. And if you just take verses four, five, six, and seven, bracket all of those off, it's really beautiful because in the most plainest verbiage possible for all of us, what's the very first thing Nephi says we need to do?
Be baptized. That's it right there. That is how we enter the path. That is how we get on the straight and narrow path. And Valleda made that choice. So Valleda, hi friend. Hello Tammy. VValleda will you please tell us your story because Valleda made the decision to get on the straight and narrow path and I just want you to hit it.
Tell us the story about how you did this.
[00:22:42] Valleda Woodhall: Okay. Both my children joined the church after they graduated from high school. We raised them in the Methodist church, but most of their friends were church members. Friends are so critical when you're raising children. I loved how well mannered, confident, kind, and loving their friends were.
And I was so grateful their standards were very high. They didn't drink. smoke or do drugs. So as a mom, why wouldn't you embrace their example to be around your children? It was easy to recognize this and want this for my children. When Tabitha started dating her husband Kent, she asked if John, my husband and I, would sit in the missionary lessons she was going to start taking.
I wanted to learn more and also wanted to support my daughter. Tava made the decision to be baptized, but John and I weren't really ready. Fast forward to 2014, Tava and Kent invited John and I to attend the open house of the new Gilbert Temple. I'm going to start crying any minute. Go ahead. You can cry.
I always wondered what the inside of those beautiful temples looked like. So of course I said yes. We started the tour and the entire time I was in absolute awe of the beauty that was within the walls of the gorgeous temple. I remember when we started to enter the celestial room. Tabor was in front of me and as I started to enter the door, I gasped at the beautiful overwhelming beauty of that room.
It literally took my breath away. And tears started down my face, which never happens. I don't cry in public, so I didn't know what was happening to me. David turned around and said, Mom, are you okay? I quietly uttered, No. This room is breathtaking. What is this feeling I am feeling? Teva said, Mom, that's the Holy Ghost.
This is why we come here. There were no words to share that could adequately express my feelings. I remember being a little shocked. We ended the tour, and as we crossed the parking lot back to the car, I stopped and looked at this incredible temple one last time. I then turned to Teva and said, I'll never got to go in there again, will I?
Teva said, Of course you will. You just need to be baptized. At that point, the seed was planted 30 years plus years ago and started to grow inside me, but I didn't know how to process it. So I pushed it aside and went back to do my normal life. Then fast forward again to the end of 2014. Every Sunday, Teva and Kent invited my husband and I over for family dinner.
Often she would Have the missionaries join us. We were sitting around the dinner table and Teva asked the missionaries how their tracking was coming along, and if they were teaching anyone. They let us know that they hadn't taught anyone for over nine months. Teva lives in a very condensed Latter day Saint area, and the boundaries for these missionaries were very small.
As the missionaries prepared to leave, I saw Tava and get up and walk out. She said goodbye and then came back to the table. A few minutes went by and Tava said, Mom and Dad, this is so sad that these missionaries have no one to teach. Would you be interested in letting them practice on you guys? So at least they can practice.
I said, sure, we could do that. My husband and I said, that's fine, but I'm not getting baptized.
[00:27:02] Tava Udall: So at that point, I jumped in and said, Dad, I'm not asking you to get baptized and just let them have the opportunity to teach. And I can honestly say there is no hidden agenda from me, except to give the missionaries the opportunity to teach, but in the Lord's true way.
He knew the agenda, and by the third lesson, mom was completely on fire with the Holy Ghost, coming with questions and reading the Book of Mormon. Oh, how I love how the Lord works, because you see, my husband and I had pretty much given up and thought that we would do their work once they were gone. But it was my daughter who never gave up.
She prayed all the time that her Nana and Papa would one day be baptized. Our son, Trenon, was serving his mission in Monterey, West Mexico at the time, and he returned home in June of 2014. Mom and Dad had been taking the missionary discussions for about three weeks, when one night, Mom called me and said, Teva, I have something to tell you.
I wasn't sure what it could be, so I said, Okay. Mom shared that she and daddy had been talking for the past few days and that they had decided to be baptized. I was thrilled with this news and couldn't believe my ears. So September 13th, 2014 mom entered the waters of baptism with Trenton by her side to baptize her.
My dad entered the waters with Trennan and my nephew, Brad, who baptized my dad. It was such a wonderful day. It was a day I never thought would come, but through lots of faith and prayers for my children, Nana and Papa joined the church and we were thrilled beyond measure, they were 80 years old. On May 11th, 2016, my mom and dad were sealed in the Gilbert temple.
And I was able to be sealed to them at the same time, a dream come true. And it was just in time for them to be able to attend their grandchildren's weddings because both my son and my daughter decided to get married in 2016, two months apart. So it was an incredible fast few months.
[00:29:15] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah, I would say so.
Oh my word. But Valleda, you tell me a little bit about the day of your baptism. What do you remember about that day?
[00:29:26] Valleda Woodhall: The day of my baptism, uh, I have to tell you, Tammy, I am petrified of water. Literally petrified. I don't swim. So I was sitting, I went up by the, by the, by the font. And I, I said to tell me my granddaughter, I said, there is no way that I can get baptized because I, I'm going to drown.
And Charlie goes, Nana, you're going to be just fine. So we sat and she said a wonderful prayer for me that I would be okay. So to make a long story short,
[00:29:59] Tava Udall: well, hang on, I have to interject here because. My mom was running out the back door. She wasn't just like saying no. She was like, I can't do this. And I'm running out the back door and I'm like, mom, you're not running out the back door.
[00:30:12] Valleda Woodhall: So then, so then trying to my grandson, um, got a picture of Jesus and he said, Nana, Jesus is not going to let you drown. And I said, no. Okay. So to make a long story short, the feeling. When I finally went into the water and was baptized, the feeling came over me that I was another new person. It was like, I can't, I can't describe it Tammy.
It was the most wonderful feeling I've ever had in my life. And I've had a lot of feelings, but, um, thanks to my granddaughter Trenum, they convinced me that everything was going to be fine and it certainly was fine. And from then on, I just, I simply loved the whole thing. And I love my baptism because I can look back and say this, this day was very special to me.
[00:31:08] Sharon Staples: What a wonderful story. Thank you both of you for sharing that is, that is so sweet that thank you. That is just built me up for the day, the week and the month. Thank you.
[00:31:24] Tammy Uzelac Hall: It was brilliant. Well, and, and I have another followup question then. So you're celebrating your 10 year anniversary then this year, right?
About your baptism. So you've been a member for 10 years, so, and you got baptized at 80. Yeah. Now, you're going to be 90 so here's my, here's my follow up question because in second Nephi chapter 31 verses 15 and 16 we're talking about the doctrine of Christ and how plain it is. And he says, we need to get baptized.
We need to be given the gift of the Holy Ghost. And after all of that is done, he then gives us this piece of information. This is another part of the doctrine of Christ. So we're going to read these verses and then I'll have a question for you. So Teva, can you please read verses 15 and 16?
[00:32:12] Tava Udall: And I heard a voice from the Father saying, Yea, the words of my beloved are true and faithful.
He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. And now my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end and following the example of the son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
[00:32:32] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Twice there, Nephi says we have to part of the doctrine of Christ is to then endure to the end.
You are a incredible witness and example of that. So here's what I want to know. What does that look like for you on a daily basis to endure to the end? How do you do that? What do you do every day that's part of your faith experience at the age of 90?
[00:32:57] Valleda Woodhall: Well, the first thing I do in the morning is I get up and I be, I'm always happy.
I try to be as happy as I can be so that I'm positive thinking of, to other people. The um, the example is Teva is, is the helper. She helps everybody no matter who they are or what, where they are. So I try to follow her example by Being happy and helping others at work. I come across a lot of wonderful ladies that shop with me that are from the church and I can talk with them and they know that I love Jesus and they and they and themselves there.
And it's just, it's just a wonderful feeling. And I try every day to be an example. Of how Jesus would want me to be sometimes I'm naughty and sometimes I'm not, but I try,
[00:33:54] Tava Udall: but Tammy, I need to interject here. So, yes, mom will be 90 in May this year. She still works retail 3 and 4 days a week. There is nobody better in retail than my mother.
But
sorry, here goes my, but I have to share. That after she was baptized, the light, the light that she carries, the light that is within her just got turned up about a hundred volts and went right after she was baptized. She had people coming into the store and would say to her, what is different? What has changed?
You glow. You absolutely glow. And I think it was because of her experience and because of the long wait, the 30 plus years that she waited to. To finally become baptized, Heavenly Father blessed her with such a light that she literally glows now and people can see it. And that's the way that she can walk that covenant path.
[00:35:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Hear, hear. I would absolutely agree. In fact, can we just take a picture? I think a screenshot even because she does her smile. I mean, just look at that. It is, he does go and you see her and you meet her and. One of the things I wrote down that you said, Valida, is they know that I love Jesus. I can tell by looking at you that I know that you love Jesus.
I can't think of a better way to endure to the end. Then for people to know that you love Jesus, that seems to be your most, that's like the most important thing you do every day is you wake up and you want people to know that you love Jesus. I felt that the first time I met you and I think the magnificent thing is it has trickled down to your daughter because everybody knows that who meets Teva and she is a breathing, walking shadow from the rooftop example of love.
[00:35:59] Valleda Woodhall: Oh, absolutely.
[00:36:01] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Absolutely. It's brilliant. So, well, really quick, I'm sure people will want to know, Valida, where are you from?
[00:36:08] Valleda Woodhall: I'm originally from England. I came over here in 1959. My husband, John, is from England also. He came over in 58 and we got married in 59. Um, the amazing thing was in those days it took, um, Approximately six months before I could come because he had to have a job, but in 1958, he had to make 10, 000 a year, which is peanuts today before I could come.
So I came over and, uh, it's been a wonderful, wonderful marriage and I adore him. And we've been married 65 years. This coming March,
[00:36:50] Tava Udall: and we have to include Tammy that not only did my mom get baptized at 80, but she also got her US citizenship at 80. And the reason being, was because. If you are not 80, you have to take a hundred question test.
And my mom does not like history. And she was like, I am not taking that test. Well, at 80, we found you only have to take, you only have to answer 20 questions. So she said, yes.
[00:37:19] Tammy Uzelac Hall: You know what? 10 year anniversary of being American and a member of the church. I can't think of a better celebration. That's crazy.
Totally crazy. So crazy. Fantastic. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story. Just I love how happy it is filled with so much joy, which is one of the ways we feel the spirit. And that is just how beautiful that whole segment we felt it. So thank you for sharing that, Valleda. That was brilliant. Just beautiful.
Oh, so good. Okay. Well, in the next segment, Nephi then gives us some sound advice about how he thinks that we can endure to the end. And I can't wait to show you what he says.
Segment 4
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[00:38:05] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Now, for those of us who are choosing to be on the straight. I love that new meaning sharing the straight and narrow path. We're trying to connect with Christ. Let's turn to second Nephi chapter 32 verse one, and we're going to see what Nephi has to say to those of us who are on this path because this kind of struck me this week as I was studying this and I'm going to read this verse because I like it.
It says, and now behold, my beloved brethren. I suppose that you ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which you should do after you have entered in by the way. Now I've never noticed that. So Nephi saying, so you got baptized and now you're probably wondering what's next. What do I do? I've never noticed Nephi saying that to us.
You're probably wondering what are you going to do now? Then he goes on to say, but behold, why do you ponder these things in your hearts? And then he teaches us the verses that Sharon shared about the Holy Ghost. And how important it is to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and what the Holy Ghost can do for us that we can speak the words of Christ.
I just think the way that Sharon taught that was perfect because that's the key. That's what Nephi says. If you want to do, if you want to know what to do next, well, speak the words of Christ, be worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost and start, start living for him. Or as we learned from Alita, make sure everyone who knows you knows that you love Jesus.
Because you're reading in his words. So we have this connection then with the Holy Ghost. That's the key. That is what Nephi wants us to do, is to pray to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, to pray to have the Holy Ghost with us so we can speak his words. Here's a really cool quote about the gift of the Holy Ghost by James E.
Tallage or the power of the spirit. And let's read this real quick. Sharon, can you read this quote for us?
[00:39:45] Sharon Staples: Through the power of the Spirit, the Father and the Son operate in their creative acts and in their general dealings with the human family. The Holy Ghost may be regarded as the minister of the Godhead, carrying into effect the decision of the Supreme Council.
That's from the Articles of Faith.
[00:40:07] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Did that just blow your mind? Yes. I, I don't think I'd ever considered that quote before, through the power of the Spirit, the Father and the Son operate their creative acts. For all of us. And I just thought, Oh my gosh. So everything that the Holy Ghost guides us to do is truly what our Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ want us to do or know or act on.
And so when I was reading all of this, I immediately thought of Teva because I'm telling you right now, this woman can get things done. And the Lord has used her in so many ways. And so when we were talking, she's like, I don't know what story to tell. I mean, can you imagine having so many stories to pull from?
And so I told her, I know when I want her to tell because the one she shared with me often and so Teva is going to talk to us about a specific situation. Um, where she had to count on speaking the words of Christ and following the words of Christ and the Holy Ghost guiding her. So Teva, tell us your story the way you told me in the car when we were driving, because it's so powerful.
[00:41:05] Tava Udall: Oh, Tammy, you know how much I love the Lord, right? Um, and he leads and he guides me every single day. And what I found over the many years is that God will speak to you. If you ask, the key is asking the Lord. But it's also the, you have to listen because if I haven't always listened as intently as I should, but after a few mistakes and a close calls, I learned to recognize and to listen and then act.
[00:41:35] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I have a question. What does the spirit sound like? What do you mean? You have to, you've learned how to listen. What does that like for you?
[00:41:43] Tava Udall: I'll be driving in the car. And I will get a prompting, I will be somewhere and a song will pop up and I'm like, Oh, that's supposed to be for this. Um, it, it speaks in very different ways.
A lot of the time, sometimes it's just a quiet, still voice. Um, but most, most of the time it's a prompting and. I've learned to listen and I've learned to act because there's times when I haven't and those times are not very good.
[00:42:19] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, I hope here's the first, the most important message of your story that I think we all need to remember and learn from you is what I love about you.
It's when you do get those promptings, which are always for good. You just act on them. You don't question like, wait, was that me? Was that my crazy brain? Or if it wasn't the spirit, you just automatically assume it's the spirit because it's a good thought and you run with it. And I think that right there, that moment for every one of us is where we have to learn.
If, and we know this from Doctrine and Covenants section 11 verse 12, put your, put your trust in that spirit, which lead us to do good. Any good thought is the Holy Ghost. So when you follow those promptings, you get more prompting. So I need to set that up by saying, Teva has learned how to do this. She has just trusted that any good thought is from the spirit and she follows through, which is the hardest part about following the spirit.
Okay, go ahead, Teva. Sorry. I had to reject because that's what you're really good at. Tell your story. When did you have to listen to the spirit? What happened a few years ago? When was it? What year?
[00:43:19] Tava Udall: So in 2019, um, I had been invited to go to a Christmas concert and I have a profound love of music. Um, it, it's, it fills my soul.
It speaks to me. It's the universal language that is, crosses all cultures and it speaks to all of us. And so I went to this concert that was put on at this other stake and I was blown away because most concerts are more church stuff that you go to. It's a glorified fireside and, you know, but this had sound, it had speakers, it had choir, and it was, it was just like, Oh my word, this is amazing.
And I've come to found out that. The sound engineer and the producer was the husband of my stake Relief Society president, who I was currently serving as her secretary. And I looked at her and I said, why are we not doing this in our stake? And she's like, because no one's asked. And I'm like, oh, that's crazy.
That prompted me to go, okay, we need this in our state and it became a great missionary tool for our missionaries. Um, there were so many miracles that took place that I call them my mighty miracles because due to success, we were asked to do another one for 2020. And we were almost 60 percent ready when I received a phone call from our wonderful state president.
Letting me know that due to COVID, we would have to postpone the concert. As the months lingered and COVID stayed, I thought, Hmm, maybe we could do a Christmas concert. But by August I knew, yeah, there's no Christmas concert. And then I received an email from the choir director saying, I was listening to our song, how can I keep from singing?
And I wept when I heard these words. No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I'm clinging. All things are mine since I am his, how can I keep from singing? Through my tears I thought, the world needs to hear this song as well as all of our other wonderful Easter concert songs. There has to be a way for this concert to happen next year.
I hope that means that Heavenly Father wants it to happen and will provide a way for us to share our musical testimonies of his son with our community. Well, after I got that email, it completely reignited my desire and that I thought, okay, this is a prompting. This is how the Lord speaks to me. He sends me an email and says, Teva, get, get going.
And so I thought to myself, I have to figure out a way to bring music and light to those who are seeking light and hope in this darkened world. I wasn't sure how, but I prayed to heavenly father and he wanted us to do this. And I said, please help me know what to do. So in true heavenly father's way that he talks to me, he sent me the way through the form of my husband, who had watched a virtual celebration of the 200th anniversary restoration of the gospel done by the Citrus High Stakes, Clyde Bodden and Jason Varney, who I knew.
And they actually, Jason was in my other, um, uh, ward. And I knew that this was his way, the Lord's way of showing me this is what I needed to do. Now, y'all have to understand, I have no background in doing any type of any of this kind of stuff, but I trust, I listen, I obey and I follow. And I do play the piano, but I've never done anything even remotely like this.
So I surrounded myself with a wonderful team and I rounded up Richard and Paula Talbot. One along with our incredible choir director, Sharon Gilliland. I didn't know how yet, but I trusted, I believed, and I put the rest in God's hands after planning the outline. We decided to do 14 songs, which meant we were doing 14 music videos, music videos that none of us had ever done.
So I went to my daughter who Trelawney, who is a professional wedding videographer. And I asked her if she would be willing to help do these music videos. She said, well, mom, I've never done music video, but I'm up for the challenge. The Lord literally brought me the people that I needed at the right time.
He brought me a new convert who wanted to join the choir, whose wife just happened to have filmed a few music videos in the Philippines. I'm like, say what am I? Okay. Heavenly father. Here we go. Then he brought me a combat video journalist who worked on the NBC show, 48 hours documentary, who happened to have just moved to Arizona a few months earlier and was asking to find a project that she could help with.
When she came to help us on one of the video shooting days and she saw my daughter and her husband and the video director, she asked, is this your whole crew? I said, yes. And she said, there's no way an undertaking of this magnitude. You should have an entire film crew with lights, multiple cameras, et cetera.
I explained that the Lord was at the head of this and that it would be okay. It was more than okay. We were able to record 14 music videos of which eight, my daughter did all while taking care of a newborn that had been born the first week of January. We started filming the first video in the middle of January, 2021.
And the virtual concert premiered on YouTube eight weeks later. We had so many challenges to navigate and to stay compliant with coven protocols. 1 of the most difficult challenges was recording the choir as we weren't allowed to practice together. Recordings were made of all the parts and passed out on CDs.
Then we spent 3 days in the studio, recording each voice separately. Once they completed the recording of the voice, they then moved into the garage where we asked the video camera set up to record the. Singing part on the video. The next task was to find someone who knew how to create video splicing so that it looked actually like a choir and not just individuals all up on the screen.
And again, again, in the in the. The way that the Lord always has worked with me is he is prompted. And he said at midnight, cause I'm always up heavenly father. Thanks. Um, he had me go up on Facebook and I was like, oh, right. Like I'm going to try to find somebody on Facebook, but okay. And in true fashion, he led me to this little video production that said, if you're interested, we do editing and splicing and I'm like, okay, great.
So I reached out to him. Okay. Non member kind of a skater kind of dude guy, but oh my gosh, he was amazing. And he said, you know what Teva, I've not done anything like this, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I've always known that God's there, especially when we need him the most.
[00:50:20] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. Teva, you, this, this whole experience.
And when I was talking to you about this, I was just, my jaw kept dropping lower and lower with every story you told me because everything worked out. And then you end up doing this incredible concert that's online. You can actually go see it. We're going to put the link in your bio so that people can click and watch it on YouTube because it is amazing.
is breathtaking. Like you won't believe the work that she went to and how you were able to get done all that you did. Just you and your daughter and just these little, this people helping you. Um, it, it really is truly miraculous. But again, it goes back to your experience, just feeling the spirit and being guided by the spirit.
And I'm drawn to second Nephi 32 verse nine. But behold, I say unto you that you must pray always and not faint. Now you've already shared this Teva. So this is your favorite scripture at the beginning that you must not perform anything unto the Lord, save in the first place, you shall pray unto the father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
Tell me, sum up everything in your own words. When this whole thing came finished, it's done and you're watching it. How did it? Or I love how right here that by performance may be for the welfare of my soul. How is it a wealth? How did it benefit your soul?
[00:51:49] Tava Udall: Well, we ended up, you know, completing it in such a short amount of time.
We, we literally did these 14 music videos in less in six weeks. And then we had, you know, a week to finalize and then it aired because we wanted it to be right before Easter because the concerts outline is the life of Christ from birth to resurrection through song. And, um, for me, it's probably my greatest accomplishment, but it's only because of a loving heavenly father.
And it's because I listened, I obeyed, I followed, and he is the one that creates so many miracles for me. And it's not because I'm special. It's not because, um, I'm anybody cause I'm not, but it's because I pray every day to lead me, guide me, Walk beside me and help me find the way.
[00:52:57] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And he does. He absolutely does. There are more stories Tava could share. That's just one of the countless. I mean, you've got so many. In fact, when I came out to speak in your state, you've done more events like this. And I was part of one of them. And I was talking to a group of people and I said, why are you doing this?
Cause they were doing it for free. And they all looked at me. And in unison, they said, Cause we know Teva. One of my favorite things. I go, Oh, really? And they're like, yeah, if you know Teva, you get things done. And she gets things done because she follows the spirit. It was one of the, my favorite moments. So Teva, thank you for sharing this.
I think this is awesome. And I love everything that you shared. Especially about having, when we involve the father and we pray in the name of Christ, he really will consecrate our performance for the benefit of our soul. I absolutely believe this. So thank you so much for sharing this. Okay. So I'm going to second witness everything she said.
So thank you for sharing that, Teva. And in the next segment, we're going to dive into more of Nephi's words and we're going to find out what made him so sad.
Segment 5
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[00:54:17] Tammy Uzelac Hall: So I started the very beginning of this whole episode by saying, how sad do you think a person has to be to cry so that their pillow is wet? Have you, either one of you ever been that sad? You don't have to share the experience. Have you ever been that sad? Absolutely. Absolutely. Yes. Yes. Sure. For sure.
Thinking of people you know in your own life, what are some reasons maybe that cause them to be that sad? Can you think of anything?
[00:54:41] Sharon Staples: Too many people, too many situations, I couldn't pinpoint anything. But it seems to be a common experience. People do weep over something in their lives to such a degree that they're actually really weeping and they're really sad.
Yeah, it's not just an into, you know, hit and miss kind of thing. I think everyone has that experience.
[00:55:04] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I think you're right. Sharon, everyone does. What about you, Tava? What are your thoughts on that?
[00:55:07] Tava Udall: Yeah, so I got to witness a very tragic. Event in in our family. Um, and it was my little nephew CJ. He had down syndrome and at 11 years old, he accidentally followed the dog to the canal and drowned.
It was very, very difficult, but I got to witness the power and the glory of a loving Heavenly Father who carried us, who carried his parents all the way through it and to see the vast difference of someone who was Completely crying so hard that the ground was wet because she did not have the gospel and as hard as that day was for all of us.
There was so much peace. There was so much comfort. There was so much love. Um, and it never transpired to me until it was that moment that I realized, wow, we are so blessed. We are so blessed to know what we know.
[00:56:30] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Hmm. Teva, you said several things that just struck my mind, especially in light of what's making Nephi sad.
Let's go to second Nephi chapter 33 because what you just shared when you said that you had an understanding and a knowledge of the gospel, which brought you peace and the lack of that made this woman so sad. That's what's making Nephi so sad is this understanding. Here's what he says. Second Nephi chapter 33.
And we're going to read verses one through three. And we'll start, we'll each take a verse. We'll start with you, Sharon. Read verse one, then Teva, verse two, and then me, verse three. Here we go.
[00:57:08] Sharon Staples: Verse one, chapter 33. And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people, neither am I mighty in writing like unto speaking.
And when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men. But behold,
[00:57:28] Tava Udall: there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them. Wherefore they cast many things away which are written, and esteem them as things of
naught.
[00:57:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: But I, Nephi, have written what I have written. And I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people, for I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night. Because of them, and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry. It struck me because he is crying because his people do not, that they harden their hearts against the Holy Ghost and they don't esteem his words as anything.
They don't, they haven't come to an understanding. They aren't accepting his words as being words of Christ. And when we read the book of Mormon, the book of Mormon teaches us about the plan of salvation. The book of Mormon gives us hope in the most hopeless of situations. That's what's making me sad. He is just begging us, please believe.
Believe in my words and believe in the Holy Ghost. In fact, I drew a line from verse three and I connected it over to verse 10 and let's read verse 10. Sharon, will you please read verse 10 and then teach us something really cool about this verse.
[00:58:44] Sharon Staples: And now my beloved brethren and also Jew. All ye ends of the earth p unto these words and believe in Christ.
And if you believe not in these words, believe in Christ. And if you shall believe in Christ, you will believe in these words for they are the words of Christ. And he has given them unto me, and they teach all men that they should do good. Oh, what I said earlier, that if you speak with the tongue of angels, then you speak the words of Christ.
And he's reiterating that. He's saying that you, you can speak the words of Christ if you believe in Christ. Mm
[00:59:18] Tammy Uzelac Hall: hmm Absolutely. Thank you, Sharon, for pointing that out. So this idea of believing in Christ and believing in these words. So I asked these ladies ahead of time to do this. I asked them to reflect on all the stories and teachings that we've read so far in first Nephi and second Nephi, and to come prepared to share what has influenced your faith in Christ the most of all the stories.
What has helped you believe in Christ? What'd you come up with? Sharon, we'll start with you and then we'll go to Teva.
[00:59:43] Sharon Staples: Okay. Okay. So. I cherish the stories so far that I've read in 1st Nephi all of them. They're just wonderful. They're strengthening. They're enhancing. They're confirming. They build my testimony.
But the thing that I have, um, glommed onto, that I have hopefully instilled in my heart and my soul are the last four words. That Nephi spoke in chapter 33 and in the book of Nephi, of all of them, the last four words of chapter 33, verse 15, and they are, and I must obey. That's it. You can read all those stories.
You can read the stories that are going to come in the rest of the Book of Mormon. All the wars, the rumors of wars, all the tragedies, the heartaches, whatever we're going through, whatever we read, whatever story we glom on to. The end result for Nephi was, I must obey. And I hope that throughout my life. I can say whatever the Lord tells me to do, whatever the Holy Ghost tells me to do, whatever my bishop tells me to do, or my stake, I must obey, not I'll think about it or I'll ask about it.
I'll pray about it. I'll do that. You know, all those other kinds of things that interfere. It's just, I must obey all the stories, all the doctrine, all the laws, all the Hebrewisms, all the whatever.
[01:01:30] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I don't think there are four words that would sum you up better. In fact, can we put that on your headstone?
[01:01:35] Sharon Staples: I don't have one yet.
Don't push me.
[01:01:41] Tammy Uzelac Hall: But if I have anything to say about it, I'm going to make sure that that is on your tombstone at the very bottom. Chiseled in or I'll come back later and chisel it in. That was beautiful, Sharon. Um, I think those words perfectly sum you up. Thank you. And I've written your name next to that verse for the rest of my life.
I will think of you.
[01:01:57] Sharon Staples: Well, it's, it's something I think for all of us, it's not, you know, it's not just for me. It's, I mean, if we're going to live the gospel, well, for crying out loud, we have to obey the gospel. The principles, we have to obey the promptings. Like Teva said, she obeyed what the Lord told her.
I mean, she followed through and followed through and followed through and followed through. She obeyed and obeyed and obeyed and obeyed and obeyed. Yeah. I mean, hello.
[01:02:23] Tammy Uzelac Hall: But I think that's your driving point. I think that's the one thing you are being consistently saying and teaching the past five years of this podcast.
You are all about obedience and That's the one thing I appreciate about you the most is that I look to you as a guide and our example. You do, you obey. You're not perfect at it. You're not perfect at it. Hey, I get it, but you drive that home. It is important to obey. So I think that's awesome. Thank you, Sharon.
What about you, Teva?
[01:02:51] Tava Udall: You know, I love Sharon and for you to sum it all up in those four words, there is no better way than to sum up the gospel, right? And on top of obeying, I think we have to have faith because faith is an action word and in order to have faith and in order to obey, you have to act and you have to act in order to move forward and to get to the other side.
And I think it all goes hand in hand, but without obedience, without acting, without following, then you're just going to sit there. You're not going to go anywhere.
[01:03:39] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. Good point. I really like how you just connected that you're absolutely right. Faith is an action word and our actions are our obedience.
Powerful stuff. Thank you. And you can see how all of these things, it really is. That is how we, then, if we believe in Christ. And if we want to follow Christ, then we have to obey. And then this is how we connect to Christ. I mean, going back to what you taught us, Sharon, about straight, it just all connects so beautifully.
So I'd have to have faith in him to trust that what we're doing really will work for our good. And Tava, you are an example of that in your stories. So many countless stories. So gosh, thank you so much for sharing that and for coming prepared to share that. That was great. Okay. So in the next segment, we are going to take what Sharon just taught us with those last four words, and we're going to study the last five verses that Nephi has to say to us coming up next.
Segment 6
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[01:04:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. I have a picture to show you guys. Here's a picture and I want you to describe to the listeners what you guys see with this picture.
[01:04:48] Tava Udall: Oh, that's the courtroom.
[01:04:49] Sharon Staples: It's a courtroom. Okay.
[01:04:52] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Perfect. Yes. It's totally a courtroom. You can go to our show notes and see this picture. Now, when I was studying. Second, if I chapter 33 verses 11 through 15, I was shocked at how many words connect to a courtroom.
So I'm going to read these verses. I want you guys to grab a scripture marker or a pen and underline any word that could connect to court, a courtroom, the law, whatever. Here we go. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye. For Christ will show unto you with power and great glory that they are his words at the last day.
And you and I shall stand face to face before his bar. And you shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things notwithstanding my weakness. And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day. And now my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel.
All yins of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust, farewell until that great day shall come. And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.
For what I seal on earth shall be brought against you at the judgment bar. For thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen. Okay. What words did you underline?
[01:06:25] Tava Udall: Um, so I underlined a Judge ye. Very good. His bar, his bar, right? Power, glory, obey, condemn. Judgment bar.
[01:06:37] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Excellent. That was the one I marked.
Did you get any other Sharon?
[01:06:40] Sharon Staples: No, I got those.
[01:06:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. Okay. Those are the same ones I marked, but I was stuck on the word bar before his bar and judgment bar. Now here's what is interesting about this picture that I put up. I'm like, what is the bar in a courtroom? I know what the bar is. My daughter's studying to take the bar and that is a horrible, crazy, horrific test.
But I thought this can't, it can't be talking about the test, the bar. And then I looked up this picture and I looked up at what a bar is. Now do you guys see in this picture right here, the little gates, the wooden gates, it's connected to a big old, just that long piece of wood, right? That is known as the bar.
Right there behind. Isn't that so interesting behind the bar is where all of the regular people sit in front of the bar is where the, the judges and the defendant and the plaintiff are going to sit and everything takes place in Um, in front of the bar. So this, this truth that this term bar, I thought this was so interesting is that it, so it refers to the railing that separating the working area of the court.
And that's what we need to know. We have the spectator's gallery, just, I mean, I'm applying all of this now to our heavenly father and to Jesus Christ. We learned with our Kerry Muhlestein episode that there are two main roles that the savior plays in our life. He's the advocate and he's the judge. He will stand with us in, isn't that interesting in verse 11, he will stand face to face before his bar.
So there we are on the other side, we're not with spectators anymore and we're standing there. But at this bar, this is interesting. We're going to put a cross reference next to verse 11 because something else will be at the bar. Let's go to Moroni chapter 10. And we're going to read verse 27 and then verse 34 and Tava, can you read those verses for us?
Moroni chapter 10.
[01:08:39] Tava Udall: And I exhort you to remember these things for the time speedily, speedily cometh that you shall know that I lie not for you shall see me at the bar of God. And the Lord God will say unto you, did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust, and now I bid unto all farewell, I soon go to rest in the paradise of God until my spirit and body shall again reunite and I am brought forth triumphant through the air to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the eternal judge of both quick and dead.
[01:09:19] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. More on, I will be at that bar and that's where we're going to be asked the question. What did you do with Nephi's words? Because Nephi's crying that we're not going to take it seriously. Nephi's crying that our lack of knowledge of these words means the Holy Ghost won't be full in our lives.
And we'll have to answer for that. And isn't it interesting? He calls it the pleasing bar of God. There's some scholarship that actually thinks that word could be pleading bar of God, not pleasing that changes everything. The pleading bar of God. And so just thinking about this and Sharon, you have something really cool to teach us about verse 11.
Teach us this and then we're, I'd like to know your thoughts on this idea of a courtroom and standing at the judge at the bar.
[01:10:03] Sharon Staples: Well, as you know, brother Donald Perry has written a wonderful book called, um, Preserved in Translation, and he goes through the Book of Mormon and puts out all the Hebraisms.
And these are terms that are typically Hebrew sayings that come from the Old Testament. And there's one in this particular verse, in verse 11, and it reads, And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye, for Christ will show unto you with power. Normally, in Joseph Smith's time of writing, English, or our time of writing English, we would normally say instead of with power, we would say powerfully.
Mm hmm. Show unto us powerfully the great glory, da da, da da, da da. But that particular phrase, with power, is a Hebraism. And what's, what's exciting to me about the Hebraisms and what, and Donald Perry has pointed out to us, is that it is a secular confirmation, rather than a spiritual confirmation, of the authenticity.
of the Book of Mormon. The words written, the Hebraisms, all that, are authentic to the time of Nephi and Lehi and all of them and the Old Testament. And so, not only do we get the spiritual confirmation from the Holy Ghost, but we can now get, according To the research, secular confirmation, scientific confirmation, research confirmation, that Joseph Smith would not have known all of the Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon.
And this is one of them, and I appreciated that.
[01:11:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, I do too. Because now I'm imagining this scenario standing there at the bar with Moroni. What did you do with Nephi's words? How fun for us to be able to say, well, I found these really cool Hebraisms thanks to Don Perry and we're studying it in a new way this year than we ever have before.
So Sharon, thank you for pointing that out. That is a perfect Hebraism. So this is my last question then. Why would Nephi use this type of wording? Cause it seems a little scary. What's the message he's trying to get across to us with these last five verses and courtroom wording?
[01:12:29] Sharon Staples: Well, what, the first thing that I thought of when I read those, like the bar, is when President Nelson indicated that the church was raising the bar.
Raising the bar with the preparation we need to have for the second coming. We need to up the ante. We need to raise the bar. We need to, um, and, and I'm not sure quite what he meant with that particular phrase of raising the bar. But, if you look at that. Picture that you showed us with the bar being the two gates and the, and are the bars, the long wooden part on each side of the bars on each side of the gate,
[01:13:17] Tammy Uzelac Hall: that whole wooden panel,
[01:13:19] Sharon Staples: and it seems to me when you raise the bar, you're separating the sheep from the goats. You're separating those who are actually involved in the law, the doctrine, the ordinances, all that the gospel provides, and the onlookers. And he's saying we need to be more prepared as a gospel family than those who are just sitting behind the bar listening.
They're just listening. Those in front of the bar are actively engaging in justice. I love that. Those, those behind the bar are just. Listening. Yeah, that's all. That's all they do. They just sit and sit and listen. So he's raising that bar, separating those of us who are invested in the gospel from those who are just sitting around.
We need to be actively engaged. Like we are. Like Teva was in, you know, putting on that concert and I mean, she, you know, she went after it, after it, after it, after it, after it. She was raising the bar. And I think for me, that's what that means.
[01:14:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh my gosh. That's great. Cause I'm thinking what a loss it would have been if Teva had just said, if Teva had just insisted on sitting behind the, on the other side of that bar, heard the spirit, the thought, man, I'm not really going to do it.
Yeah. No, she went on the other side of the bar and actively engaged with the father and the son. That is such a great application, Sharon. I like that. I like that. What about you, Teva? What'd you think?
[01:15:07] Tava Udall: So for me, you know, when, when I read those words, judgey before his bar power, glory, obey, condemn, those are such powerful words.
And each of those words can be stand alone. I mean, each, each of those words can have their own segment to even discuss and to talk about, and yet he puts them all together. And so that to me was like, we better pay attention here. Like, you better wake up, right? Because God's law is a perfect law, and we're all governed by laws.
In order to maintain the rule and the order and laws are a rule of order that is advisable or obligatory to observe. So when he puts this in scripture and he uses these words, it's to help us prevent the chaos. It's to help us follow the path, the straight and narrow. And it's things that we have to start to pay attention to, especially in this world that is so dark.
Um, and I love at The very end, you know, where, where it says judge ye before his bar. And I pray the father in the name of Christ, that many of us, if not all, maybe saved in his kingdom at that great and last day. And isn't that what we're all trying to strive for? Isn't that what we're, I mean, we're all striving to get home to him and all he's asking us to do is to obey.
[01:16:39] Tammy Uzelac Hall: You know, Tava, as you were talking, I wrote down so many things, but when you said this, it hit me in the courtroom, there's no chaos in there. There is order in a courtroom. And yeah. You know, I always like to joke with my kids when they're out of control. Order in the court, order in the court, but I think that that's what they're calling for is order in the court.
There's no chaos here. Everything's planned out. God is here. He's going to help you. You've got a great advocate, the best one on the world, Jesus Christ, um, and then how you ended that. Was standing there. So thank you. Thank you to both of you. Great insights. That's the end. We're done. That's the end of our discussion of these chapters.
That was so powerful. Oh my gosh. Okay. So just take a minute, gather your thoughts and what is something that you're going to take away from our discussion today? So
[01:17:29] Tava Udall: I would have to say for me, understanding and knowing how simple and easy the gospel is, it's not complicated. We make it complicated, but honestly, it is, it is the most true doctrine of happiness and of peace and of comfort that there is.
Any of us can ever experience. And I'm often asked, why did you join? And I say, because not only as do I know that the gospel is true, but I can go anywhere in the world and have an instant connection and instant community and instant support, and that brings you peace and that brings you comfort and it's plain and it's simple and we don't need to complicate it.
And all we need to do is follow God's law.
[01:18:33] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Amen. I will second that. Amen.
[01:18:35] Sharon Staples: Wow. Amen. Yep. Okay, my takeaway is that if the church should someday be dissolved, we had no more apostles or prophets. We had no more church. The Book of Mormon would tell me enough about my Savior. I would do everything that the Book of Mormon suggests I do to return to Him.
That the truths, the teachings, the ordinances, the laws, the suggestions, the stories, everything in that book. It's true. I mean, it was, is, and will be. And so, if I, if I obey what the book tells me to do, I'll be okay. I mean, that, the Book of Mormon is like the Prophet Joseph Smith said, it's the truest book you'll ever read.
It's the truest book on the face of the earth, and I'm so grateful to the Prophet Joseph Smith for translating it and for, well, everything that, that that book allows me to do in my life. It is, it is the gospel. It contains the doctrine of Christ.
[01:19:56] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yes. Sharon, thank you for that powerful witness of the Book of Mormon.
You bet. I agree. I agree. Thank you. Um, for me, I have three takeaways, one from each one of you. And I loved, first of all, when your mom, Valleda, when she said, um, that people know I love Jesus. I think they absolutely do. And they meet her and that was a beautiful story. Um, Teva, when you said, come back to the river.
Oh, that hit me like, just come back. It's okay. We want you to come back to the river. And then Sharon, your segment when you talked about, and I must obey. I just think that is, that's it right there. That is the gospel in plainest, truest form. And Tavia, you said it's not hard. And so just, just obey, hang in there, hang on.
It's okay. So thank you both of you. That was all three of you actually, ladies. It was a great discussion. I love you. I love you so much.
[01:20:50] Tava Udall: Love you. Tammy. Tammy.
[01:20:52] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. Tell us what your takeaway was. Go join our group on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to share what you have learned. And then at the end of the week on a Saturday, we're going to post a question from this specific episode.
So comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts. You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode on ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday. And also not a bad idea to go there anyway, because it's where we have links to all the references and a transcript of this entire discussion.
So go check it out. Sunday on Monday study group is a bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living. It's written and hosted by me, Tami Usilac Hall. And today our incredible study group participants were those lovely, lovely ladies, Sharon Staples, Teva Udall, and Valleda Woodhull. And you can find more information about my friends at ldsliving.
com slash Sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom. Thanks for being here, friends. We'll see you next week. And please remember, Oh, please remember that you are God's favorite.