glory

I was reading in Alma today, where we are introduced to Moroni. It says that "...this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it...in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity" (Alma 48:16). So I started to wonder what my heart glories in. Not just likes, or delights, but really glories in. At first I thought of skiing, and badminton, and playing church music on the piano. I really glory in families, in parents who love each other and who are raising their children in love and righteousness.

I looked up what some of the prophets gloried in. Nephi says "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell" (2 Nephi 33:6). Ammon says "We will glory in the Lord. Behold, who can say too much in the Lord?" (Alma 26:16), and Alma says "I glory...that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God" (Alma 29: 9). And Jeremiah says "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness" (Jeremiah 9:24).

I talked with Steph about the concept, and she said that I gloried in temple work. We talked about the modern prophets, what they gloried in, and we thought that President Hinkley gloried in temple work. We thought President Monson glories in loving the individual. I don't feel I know enough about the rest of the prophets and apostles to continue.

I asked David what he glories in while we were in the temple, and he said that he glories in the Atonement and the ability each person has to repent and lean on the Lord. I realized that it's kind of an intimate thing to ask someone what they glory in, and I felt bad that I may have made David feel uncomfortable. 

During the session, I suddenly realized that the Lord's work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). At first I was amazed at the Lord sharing this so openly with Moses, but then I realized that the Lord wants us to know Him. 

So, obviously, I have a lot of areas to explore. One obvious way is to continue to learn about the prophets and apostles so that I know what they glory in. I also want to be able to change what I glory in so that my desires are more in line with the Lord's. And do I know those around me enough to know what they glory in? How can we better learn about the Lord? So much to ponder! I love it. (not yet glory in it, but perhaps delight?)

Definitions:

1.	very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed by common consent; renown: to win glory on the field of battle.

2.	something that is a source of honor, fame, or admiration; a distinguished ornament or an object of pride: a sonnet that is one of the glories of English poetry.

3.	adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving: Give glory to God.

4.	resplendent beauty or magnificence: the glory of autumn.

5.	a state of great splendor, magnificence, or prosperity.

6.	a state of absolute happiness, gratification, contentment, etc.: She was in her glory when her horse won the Derby.

7.	the splendor and bliss of heaven; heaven.

8.	a ring, circle, or surrounding radiance of light represented about the head or the whole figure of a sacred person, as Christ or a saint; a halo, nimbus, or aureole.

9.	anticorona.

–verb (used without object)

10.	to exult with triumph; rejoice proudly (usually fol. by in): Their father gloried in their success.

11.	Obsolete. to boast.