Keep the Commandments

Cooper gave a talk in Primary on Sunday. Our four kids make up a decent percentage of our small Primary, so we often have the opportunity to share our testimonies in talk form. Cooper had some input from visiting Uncle Jordan, and some fleshing out from Bryan while they typed up the talk, but most of this was written by Cooper.

We are Blessed When We Keep the Commandments

When we keep the commandments, good things happen to us. Many people throughout the scriptures have been blessed by keeping the commandments. Joseph and Mary chose to obey the angel and flee to Egypt. Nephi chose to obey and lived after the manner of happiness.

The Anti-Nephi-Lehites chose to bury their weapons of war, and promised to not fight anymore. When the Lamanites attacked, they wanted to take up their weapons to prevent their families from being destroyed. Instead, their sons went to fight for them

Alma 56:47 and 56 explain how the 2000 stripling warriors obeyed, all got injured, and none died.

47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

 56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.

They kept the commandments and were blessed to save their families, and not die.

It is good when we obey because good things will happen. Even if we won’t get rewards we should still obey. Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 says that we will be blessed when we obey. It says:

I, the Lord, am abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.

You might be able to think of a time when you have been blessed in your life for obeying the commandments.  I know I have.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.