Welcome back to Part 2 with Dr. David Holland, Doctrine and Covenants 121 to 123.

We don't get very far in the Book of Mormon before we're confronted with this idea that Nephi was favored.

That's in 1st Nephi chapter 1 verse 1.

We go, wait a minute, does God god have favorites i feel like as you keep reading

you find out that you choose that status by he loveth those who will have him to be their god or

he favors those hank you've heard me make this joke there's the nephites there's the laymanites and

there's the Lamanites, and there's the

favorites. The way we respond to God's call, perhaps, is how we become chosen, maybe. Yeah. Well,

that's how Elder Bednar took it on. This is the Tender Mercies of the Lord, April 2005. He references these verses.

He says, to be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather,

you and I ultimately determine if we are chosen. He says, please now note the use of the word

chosen in doctrine covenants section 121.34. Behold,

there are many called, but few are chosen. Why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so

much upon the things of this world and aspire to these honors of men. He says, I believe this

implication of these verses is quite straightforward. God does not have a list of favorites to which

we hope our names will someday be added. He does not limit the chosen to a restricted few. Rather,

it is our hearts and our aspirations and our obedience, which definitively determine whether we

are counted as one of God's chosen.

He goes on through this talk to talk about Enoch in Moses chapter 7.

When I've read that same verse, many are called but few are chosen.

It reminds me of what I think is the most disappointing word in Jacob 5,

where there's one last time they're going to serve in the vineyard.

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