Enos 1:1 In the nurture and admonition of the Lord

“Enos, in the Book of Mormon, records his remembrance: “I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart”  Enos 1:3 Enos had been given a reserve of doctrine and feelings to draw upon. He gratefully said of his father, “He taught me … in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it”  Enos 1:1

One widely recognized expert in helping troubled youth said that the young people who most readily and completely come back after losing their way are those who have a foundation of standards and spirituality to which they can return. They are strengthened by their spiritual memories, and for them, repentance feels like coming home.” (Sister Susan L Warner, General Conference, April 1996)

Enos 1:2 I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God

‘We cannot find Enos-like faith without our own wrestle before God in prayer. I testify that the reward is worth the effort. Remember the pattern: (1) hear the word of God, spoken and written by His servants; (2) let that word sink deep into your heart; (3) hunger in your soul for righteousness; (4) obediently follow gospel laws, ordinances, and covenants; and (5) raise your voice in mighty prayer and supplication, asking in faith to know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I promise that if you do these things sincerely and unceasingly, the words Christ spoke to His disciples will be fulfilled in your life: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”‘ (Robert D Hales, General Conference, October 2004).

Enos 1:4 All the day long did I cry unto him

“Mental wrestling can take the form of prolonged prayer. It may be necessary to pray longer and harder sometimes in order to get the feeling that you have been heard. You remember the case of Enos and his day-long prayer. Of course, that was an extreme case involving a future prophet of God. If you ever get where you need to pray all day long, you will know it and the power will be given to you. It isn’t the sort of thing you just set out to do because you would like to hear a voice like Enos did. Still, Enos’s example is one you should ponder as you think of gaining the determination to think and communicate with God.” (Vaughn J Featherstone, Commitment, p. 30)

Enos 1:5 Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee

“The Redeemer can settle your individual account with justice and grant forgiveness through the merciful path of repentance [see Alma 42:15]. Full repentance is absolutely essential for the Atonement to work its complete miracle in your life. By understanding the Atonement, you will see that God is not a jealous being who delights in persecuting those who misstep. He is an absolutely perfect, compassionate, understanding, patient, and forgiving Father” (Richard G Scott, General Conference Report, Apr. 1995).

Enos 1:7 Lord, how is it done?

‘Enos could feel the weight of sin lifted from him. This was not an ephemeral experience, but one with tremendous power. The removal of sin was dramatic and conclusive. Enos did not wonder if perhaps he had been forgiven. Enos could feel that the burden of sin was gone, a change so dramatic that he immediately asked how it could have happened.

The answer is that the atonement comes through the Messiah. This is the crowning message of Nephi and Jacob, and now Enos has his foundational prophetic experience grounded in that very knowledge. Enos will also be a prophet who declares the Atoning Messiah for he has had personal experience with salvation through the coming Messiah. This is the key of the Nephite religion. It is not simply Messianic. Rather, it focuses on the Messiah’s atoning mission over his eschatological mission—the most important distinction made about Nephite Messianic beliefs. This small community of displaced Jews was not unique in their belief in the Messiah, but they were unique in retaining the earlier Israelite understanding of the atoning mission of the Messiah.’ (Brant Gardner, Second Witness, Analytical and Cultural Commentary on the Book of Mormon)

Enos 1:10 The voice of the Lord came into my mind

“The gift of the Holy Ghost, if you consent, will guide and protect you and even correct your actions. It is a spiritual voice that comes into the mind as a thought or a feeling put into your heart. The prophet Enos said, “The voice of the Lord came into my mind.” Enos 1:10 And the Lord told Oliver Cowdery, “Behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you.   Doctrine and Covenants 8:2

It is not expected that you go through life without making mistakes, but you will not make a major mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Spirit. This promise applies to all members of the Church. “ (Elder Boyd K Packer, General Conference, October 2011)

Enos 1:13 That the Lamanites should not be destroyed

“Very often the Twelve and the First Presidency pray together. When President Kimball takes his turn to be voice, he generally includes this phrase in his prayers: ‘Bless our enemies. Help us to understand them, and them to understand us.’ He doesn’t ask for vengeance or retaliation, just for understanding so differences can be resolved. Perhaps, family differences and neighborhood problems could be resolved if we would follow our prophet’s example and pray for patience and forgiveness.” (Marvin J Ashton, General Conference, Apr. 1985)