“The Rise of the Church of Christ”

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As we have become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I hope that our home study these past couple of years has really brought to us insights about the blessings of having the true Church on earth. I hope also that as we study this week Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 we can find passages from these sections that help teach us why we are thankful the Church was restored and how we can keep those thoughts and knowledge with us at all times that we strengthen ourselves in Christ.

History and Background

In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord commanded that His Church be organized on April 6, 1830. Although this revelation, now found as Doctrine and Covenants 20, was recorded a few days after the Church’s organization, portions of it may have been revealed as early as June 1829. This revelation highlights the importance of the Book of Mormon, outlines responsibilities of priesthood offices, and provides instructions for the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament.

On the day the Church was organized, the Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 21. In it the Lord designated him as a prophet, seer, and leader of the restored Church and exhorted the Church members to heed the Prophet’s words. Soon after the Church was established, some people questioned whether those who had been baptized previously in other churches needed to be baptized again to become members of the restored Church. Joseph inquired of the Lord and received the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 22, wherein the Lord taught that baptism must be performed by those with proper authority.

End of March 1830 The printing of the Book of Mormon was completed.

April 6, 1830 The Church was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York.

April 6, 1830 Doctrine and Covenants 21 was received.After April 6, 1830

Doctrine and Covenants 20 was finalized and recorded (though portions were likely received months earlier).

April 16, 1830 Doctrine and Covenants 22 was received.

June 9, 1830 The first Church conference was held in Fayette, New York.

While it is not known exactly when the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 20 was received, the Prophet Joseph Smith summarized the flow of divine direction: “In this manner did the Lord continue to give us instructions from time to time, concerning the duties which now devolved upon us, and among many other things of the kind, we obtained of him the following, by the Spirit of Prophecy and revelation; which not only gave us much information, but also pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to his will and commandment, we should proceed to organize his Church once again, here upon the earth” (in The Joseph Smith Papers, Histories, Volume 1: Joseph Smith Histories, 1832–1844, 336; spelling standardized). Those instructions became known as the “Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ.”

The complete text of the Articles and Covenants was written soon after the organizational meeting held on April 6, 1830, and provides an overview of the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ and of offices and ordinances in it. At the first conference of the Church, held on June 9, 1830, at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr., the Articles and Covenants were read and presented to the membership for approval (see The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–June 1831, 116–26). Over the next few years, the Articles and Covenants, now Doctrine and Covenants 20, was amended from time to time as the Prophet Joseph Smith continued to receive revelation concerning the structure of the Church. For example, Doctrine and Covenants 20:65–67 was added after the office of high priest was revealed in Kirtland, Ohio, in June 1831 (see the section heading to D&C 52).

Part One: Doctrine and Covenants 20–21 The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

A study of these sections provides us with the benefit of better understanding the similarities between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Church that Christ established anciently.

In reading 20:1–4, What evidence can we find that the helps us understand that the Church of Jesus Christ was established under the Lord’s direction?

1 The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—

2 Which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was called of God, and ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the first elder of this church;

3 And to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the second elder of this church, and ordained under his hand;

4 And this according to the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory, both now and forever. Amen.

Verse 1: Joseph Smith taught that The day of the organization of the Church was divinely appointed stating that April 6th A.D. 33 was likely the day the Savoir was born and crucified meaning he was born and died on that day. “Let us inquire if the day observed by the Christian world as the day of Christ’s birth the 25th of December is or is not the real Christmas day. A great many authors have found out from their researches that it is not. I think that there is scarcely an author at the present day that believes that the 25th of December was the day that Christ was born….It is generally believed and conceded by the learned who have investigated the matter that Christ was born in April…It is stated that according to the best of their judgement from the researches they have made, Christ was crucified on the 6th of April. That is the day on which this Church was organized. But when these learned me go back from the day of his crucifixion to the day of his birth, they are at a loss, having no certain evidence or testimony by which they can determine it.” (Orson Pratt Quoted by B.H. Roberts in Outlines of Ecclesiastical History P. 17)

There is no authentic record of the date for the birth of Christ, but scholars consider it probable that He was born on the tenth day of the Jewish month Nisan, which in the year of the Nativity has been calculated to correspond to Saturday, April the 5th. But He was born at night and Saturday expired at sunset, the date would then be April 6th nd that would be the beginning of Sunday. (Doctrine and Covenants Commentary p. 98 Hyrum M Smith)

Verse 2-4: If Joseph had not been clearly established as the head of the church confusion and problems could have arisen. Having only one revelator for the Church explains why the Lord designated a “first”and a “second” elder in the early stages of the existence of the Church. The Prophet Joseph Smith stated: “I will inform you that it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instructions for those in authority, higher than themselves; therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them; but if any person have a vision or a visitation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction; for the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom”(History of the Church,1:338).

What did Joseph Smith write about the organization of the Church that helps us better understand? Articles of Faith 1:6,

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

What truths can we learn from this statement? The Lord’s Church in the latter days is organized as it was in Jesus’s day.

What do we find in the following scriptures about the organization, practices and teachings of the Savior’s Church?

Matthew 16:18–19

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this ^arock I will build my ^bchurch; and the gates of ^chell shall not ^dprevail against it.

19 And I will ^agive unto thee the ^bkeys of the ^ckingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt ^dbind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 28:16–19

16 ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 ¶ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Luke 9:1–2; 10:1–2

1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Acts 8:14–17

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Ephesians 2:19–20

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Ephesians 4:11–15

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

James 5:14–15

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

1 Corinthians 15:29 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

What similarities do you see between Christ’s original Church and the Church in our day in the following scriptures?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–25

17 By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;

18 And that he created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness, created he them;

19 And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship.

20 But by the transgression of these holy laws man became sensual and devilish, and became fallen man.

21 Wherefore, the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him.

22 He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.

23 He was crucified, died, and rose again the third day;

24 And ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father;

25 That as many as would believe and be baptized in his holy name, and endure in faith to the end, should be saved—

Doctrine and Covenants 20: 60 Every elder, priest, teacher, or deacon is to be ordained according to the gifts and callings of God unto him; and he is to be ordained by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is in the one who ordains him.

Doctrine and Covenants 20: 72–79

72 Baptism is to be administered in the following manner unto all those who repent—

73 The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

74 Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water.

75 It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus;

76 And the elder or priest shall administer it; and after this manner shall he administer it—he shall kneel with the church and call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:

77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

78 The manner of administering the wine—he shall take the cup also, and say:

79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Doctrine and Covenants 20: 21:1–2

1 Behold, there shall be a record kept among you; and in it thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Being inspired of the Holy Ghost to lay the foundation thereof, and to build it up unto the most holy faith.

What do you learn about the Restoration of Christ’s Church from this comparison?

Why is it important to know that the Lord’s Church today was organized according to the pattern of His ancient Church?

**Point to Ponder: Brother Tad R. Callister, former Sunday School General President, has taught: The Lord’s declaration in Doctrine and Covenants does not mean that other churches do not have some truth, for certainly they do. It does not mean that other churches do not render good, for they render much good. What it does mean is that this is the only church that has all the truth that has been revealed thus far in this dispensation—the only church that has the ordinances necessary for exaltation and the only church that has the priesthood of God to perform those ordinances with divine validity. What evidence do we have of this assertion? …If one were to match the blueprint of Christ’s original Church against every church in the world today, he would find … it will only match one—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Tad R. Callister, “What Is the Blueprint of Christ’s Church?” [Church Educational System devotional for young adults, Jan. 12, 2014], ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

It is important to understand that being a member of the “only true and living church” of Jesus Christ does not mean that we believe we are better than other people. But our membership does include a responsibility to love others and invite them to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His restored gospel.

Part Two: Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 75–79; 22 Sacred ordinances help us become like the Savior

In these verses of the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord sets forth the duties of priesthood offices and gives instructions for baptism and the sacrament. In outlining the specifics of the instruction we can find ways to improve our knowledge of the gospel and strengthen our testimonies.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 Here we are taught the fundamental principles needed to for our welfare and for the church to move forward through baptism. The Lord in this verse makes it very plain and gives instruction concerning baptism which teaches that there are three requirements of a person before baptism: 1. To be humble and come with a broken heart and contrite spirit. 2. Show before the Church that they are willing to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ. 3. Manifest by works that they have received the spirit.

37 And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who ^ahumble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and ^bcontrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the ^cname of Jesus Christ, having a ^ddetermination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their ^eworks that they have received of the ^fSpirit of Christ unto the ^gremission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

How do these qualifications help us prepare to be baptized into the Lord’s Church?

What does it man to have a broken heart and contrite spirit? President Ezra Taft Benson taught what it means to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit: “Godly sorrow is a gift of the Spirit. It is a deep realization that our actions have offended our Father and our God. It is the sharp and keen awareness that our behavior caused the Savior, He who knew no sin, even the greatest of all, to endure agony and suffering. Our sins caused Him to bleed at every pore. This very real mental and spiritual anguish is what the scriptures refer to as having a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit’” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 83).

What does it mean to take Christ’s name upon ourselves? Mosiah 5:5–12 (click to read the reference)

What helps you maintain your “determination to serve [Jesus Christ] to the end”?

What does section 22 teach about baptism? This revelation given specifically to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and not an individual as some previous revelations, teaches that previous baptisms received by those desiring to join the Church, though done by emersion, were not done by the proper authority. Though it was meaningful and sincere, the ordinance of baptism must be performed again done through the proper authority. (A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants Daniel Ludlow)

If you had a friend who had been baptized into another church how could you use these sections to help them understand why re-baptism is needed for the Savior’s restored church? When missionaries invite people to be baptized they’re often met with a question: “what if I’ve already been baptized? Doesn’t that count/” Sections 20-22 explained two truths about this question. 1. Being baptized as asign of repentance and devotion to the savior is alway sa good thing. The Lord is pleased wen His children try to serve Him according to the knowledge they have.

2. But the priesthood, the authorityt to act in God;s name, is found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being baptized in good faith as a member of another Christian church is a step in teh right direction, but without priesthood authority from God, “although a man should be baptized an hundred times it availeth him nothing.” (Doctrine and Covenants 22:2)

So the Answer to the original question is essentially, “Yes, your prior baptism counts as a righteous good ting that made your Heavenly Father happy. You did what was best based on what you knew at the time. But now you know more, and the Lord wants you to act on that knew knowledge to show your commitment to Him.”

Doctrine and Covenants 20:75 after instructing Church members regarding baptism, the Lord commanded that the Saints meet together regularly.

75 It is expedient that the church ^ameet together often to ^bpartake of ^cbread and wine in the ^dremembrance of the Lord Jesus;

Why should church members meet together often? 75–79 To partake of the Sacrament in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sacrament was administered by the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 6, 1830, the day that the Church was organized. The Lord commanded members of His Church to “meet together often to partake of [the sacrament] in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus” Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained one of the reasons why it is a blessing to participate in this sacred ordinance: “The sacramental prayers confirm that one of the central purposes of the sacrament as instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ is that we might ‘always remember him’ (D&C 20:77, 79). Remembering the Savior obviously includes remembering His Atonement, which is symbolically represented by the bread and water as emblems of His suffering and death. We must never forget what He did for us, for without His Atonement and Resurrection, life would have no meaning. With His Atonement and Resurrection, however, our lives have eternal, divine possibilities” (“To Always Remember Him,” Ensign, Apr. 2011, 49).

What words or phrases stand out when we read the sacrament prayers?

77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this ^abread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and ^bwitness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his ^ccommandments which he has given them; that they may always have his ^dSpirit to be with them. Amen.

78 The ^amanner of administering the wine—he shall take the ^bcup also, and say:

79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this ^awine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Why is it important to partake of the sacrament each week? Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how keeping the covenant to always remember Jesus Christ can help us make better choices: “When our day-to-day challenges loom before us, it is natural to focus on the here and now. But when we do, we may make poor choices, become depressed, or experience hopelessness. Because of this human tendency, prophets have admonished us to remember the eternal perspective. Only then can we successfully navigate mortality. …“Each Sunday the sacrament helps us remember God’s goodness and marvelous promises. By partaking of simple, tangible objects—a piece of bread and a sip of water—we promise to always remember the Savior and His great atoning sacrifice. Through the sacrament, we renew our covenants and express our willingness to keep His commandments. …“With the help of the sacrament, we can always remember Him and maintain an eternal perspective” (“Maintaining an Eternal Perspective,” Ensign, Mar. 2014, 56, 59).

How would you complete the following statements? When we partake of the sacrament we witness___________ As we faithfully keep the promises made during the sacrament the Lord promises_________

When we partake of the sacrament, we witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments. As we faithfully keep the promises made during the sacrament, the Lord promises that we will always have His Spirit to be with us.

Part Three: Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–60 Priesthood service blesses Church members and their families.

When the Church was organized in 1830, the Lord outlined the responsibilities and duties of elders, priests, teachers, and deacons. Since that time, additional details have been revealed regarding these priesthood offices. Nevertheless, the important instructions outlined in Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–59 are principles that all priesthood holders should continue to study and follow.

Imagine that a recently baptized friend or family member is about to be ordained to a priesthood office. How would you use these verses to help him understand his duties? 20:38–60 (click the link to read)

**Breaking it down

Doctrine and Covenants 20:38-44: What is an Apostle and his duties? In the early years of the restored Church, the term apostle was often applied to elders involved in missionary work (see, for example, the Lord’s reference to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer in D&C 18:9, 14). It is also helpful to note that at the time the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 20 was given, the office of high priest in the Melchezidek priesthood had not yet been revealed. (Guide to the Scriptures, “Elder,” scriptures.lds.org).

Doctrine and Covenants 20:45 The office of Elder. The title “Elder” is now used to describe any Melchizedek Priesthood holder who is called to preach the gospel, regardless of his priesthood office. “For example, male missionaries are addressed as elders. Also, an Apostle is an elder, and it is proper to speak of members of the Quorum of the Twelve or Quorums of the Seventy by this title (D&C 20:38; 1 Pet. 5:1)” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Elder,” scriptures.lds.org).

Doctrine and Covenants 20:46-52: Duties of a Priest. Priests officiate at the sacrament table and offer the sacramental prayers. They can prepare and pass the sacrament. They can also baptize, confer the Aaronic Priesthood, and ordain deacons, teachers, and other priests. Priests assist the bishop in “administering … temporal things” This may include gathering fast offerings, caring for the poor and needy, caring for the meetinghouse and grounds, serving as a messenger for the bishop, and fulfilling other assignments from the bishop. Priests “preach, teach, expound, exhort, … and visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties” One way to do this is by serving as a home teacher. Priests also continue to “see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking” This responsibility includes being a peacemaker and being an example of moral integrity and uprightness. They continue to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” This includes setting a good example, fellowshipping quorum members and others, speaking in Church meetings, sharing the gospel, and bearing testimony.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:53-56: Duties of Teachers. Teachers assist the bishop in “administering … temporal things This may include gathering fast offerings, caring for the poor and needy, caring for the meetinghouse and grounds, serving as a messenger for the bishop in Church meetings, and fulfilling other assignments from the quorum president. Teachers are to “watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them” Teachers also “see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking; and see that the church meet together often” This responsibility includes being a peacemaker, being an example of moral integrity and uprightness, and inviting others to attend church. They continue to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” This includes setting a good example, fellowshipping quorum members and others, speaking in Church meetings, sharing the gospel, and bearing testimony.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:57-59: Duty of Deacons Deacons assist the bishop in “administering … temporal things” This may include gathering fast offerings, caring for the poor and needy, caring for the meetinghouse and grounds, serving as a messenger for the bishop in Church meetings, and fulfilling other assignments from the quorum president. They invite All to Come unto Christ. Deacons “watch over the church [and are] standing ministers unto the church” They “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” This includes setting a good example, fellowshipping quorum members and others, notifying members of Church meetings, speaking in meetings, sharing the gospel, and bearing testimony.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–59: Understanding Priesthood duties. President Thomas S. Monson emphasized the need to know our duty and to carry it out in the service of others: “The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others. The call of duty can come quietly as we who hold the priesthood respond to the assignments we receive. President George Albert Smith, that modest yet effective leader, declared, ‘It is your duty first of all to learn what the Lord wants and then by the power and strength of His holy Priesthood to magnify your calling in the presence of your fellows in such a way that the people will be glad to follow you’ [in Conference Report, Apr. 1942, 14]” (“Do Your Duty—That Is Best,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 59).

Doctrine and Covenants 20:60 Ordination to these callings is to be according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There must be no office seeking, rivalry or nepotism.

In addition, how might these verses help a newly baptized sister see how she can participate in the work described here? We all work with priesthood power. “Men are ordained to priesthood offices, while both women and men are invited to experience the power and blessings of the priesthood in their lives. …“… [Women] preach and pray in congregations, fill numerous positions of leadership and service, participate in priesthood councils at the local and general levels, and serve formal proselytizing missions across the globe. In these and other ways, women exercise priesthood authority even though they are not ordained to priesthood office. …“… In ecclesiastical callings, temple ordinances, family relationships, and quiet, individual ministry, Latter-day Saint women and men go forward with priesthood power and authority. This interdependence of men and women in accomplishing God’s work through His power is central to the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Gospel Topics, “Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, Women,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Part Four: Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–7 We are blessed when we receive the Lord’s word through His prophet.

Following the Lord’s instructions to organize His Church, the Prophet Joseph Smith gathered approximately 60 believers together at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York, on Tuesday, April 6, 1830. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery organized the Church according to the will of God and according to the laws of the state of New York. The meeting consisted of prayer, sustainings, ordinations, the administration of the sacrament, and confirmations of those previously baptized. At this meeting, the Prophet received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 21. This section contains powerful statements about following the Lord’s prophet.

The Lord guides His people through His chosen servants. In April 1830, those believers who would become members of the Church were instructed to “give heed” to the words and commandments of the Prophet Joseph Smith as if they came from the mouth of the Lord D&C 21:4–5. In another revelation the Lord explained why the prophet can be considered as God’s mouthpiece: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” D&C 1:38.

The Lord also counseled those who would become members of His Church to receive the Prophet Joseph Smith’s words “in all patience and faith” D&C 21:5. President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) explained how this passage applies to all Church members today: “The only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith’ D&C 21:4–5 There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory’ (D&C 21:6)” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 84–85).

Conclusion

For each of us, this week I leave a challenge. Let us ponder what you have learned from our personal study of Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 about the importance of actively participating in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Consider the following invitations, and set a goal regarding at least one of them:

How can you make the partaking of the sacrament each week more meaningful?
What can you do to more faithfully keep the covenants you made at baptism?
How can you better exercise “patience and faith” D&C 21:5 in order to follow the counsel and teachings of prophets?

Resources

Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual

Seminary Student Manual

Ensign

Doctrines of the Gospel

Conference Reports

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church

Gospel Topics

Guide to the Scriptrues

History of the Church

Orson Pratt Quoted by B.H. Roberts in Outlines of Ecclesiastical History

Doctrine and Covenants Commentary p. 98 Hyrum M Smith

Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants Daniel Ludlow

Church Educational System

What Does It Mean to Repent?/“The Worth of Souls Is Great”

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It is only through the Holy Ghost that a person’s heart can change. President Henry B. Eyring taught, “If you teach doctrinal principles, the Holy Ghost will come” (“Discussion with Elder Richard G. Scott and Elder Henry B. Eyring” [Church Educational System satellite training broadcast, Aug. 11, 2003]).

Today we talk about the doctrinal principle of repentance. Now don’t sigh with disappointment or roll your eyes because you feel you’re getting another lecture on repenting. For this is not a lecture and it is far from disappointing. This is a doctrinal principle of great worth, it is a gift that brings joy, peace, comfort and feeling of self worth you cannot gain from any other source. Today is a great day for a good talk on how to more completely connect with the Savior and feel His love so we discuss Doctrine and Covenants 18–19 and the commandment to preach nothing but repentance with a hope that you see and know that repentance is not a visit to the principal’s office, it is not a beating down of self, it is life changing, a humbling, glorious gift from the Father, given by His son because he loves you so…

History and Background

The revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 18 was given in June 1829, shortly after Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Their visitation emphasized the important role of Apostles in the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ. Doctrine and Covenants 18:1–16 focuses on the calling Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer received to be servants of Jesus Christ and preach repentance to others. Doctrine and Covenants 18:17–47 teaches the importance of taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord also mentioned the forthcoming call of the Twelve Apostles and the desire they would have to take upon themselves the name of the Savior “with full purpose of heart” (D&C 18:27). The Lord gave Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer the unique responsibility to “search out the Twelve” (D&C 18:37).

In June 1829, Joseph Smith hired the printer Egbert B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon at a cost of $3,000. However, Grandin would not start the printing or even buy the type until he was guaranteed payment for the job. In the revelation contained in Doctrine and Covenants 19, likely given in the summer of 1829, the Lord commanded Martin Harris to “impart a portion of thy property … [and] pay the debt thou has contracted with the printer” (D&C 19:34–35). Using a portion of his farm as collateral, Martin Harris personally guaranteed payment of the cost of printing if sales of the Book of Mormon did not cover the cost.

President Joseph Fielding Smith described this revelation, with its teachings on the Atonement, as “one of the great revelations given in this dispensation; there are few of greater [importance] than this” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:85).

Part One Being Spiritually Prepared to Repent Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19

When reading Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19 though hard for our human minds to understand, it is not hard to feel the Savior’s love for us. Here He tells of the suffering He personally experienced as He atoned for our sins and also teaches us why He did so and why he was willing to suffer so greatly. It was for us, “that [we] might not suffer if [we] would repent.” Repentance is not a sentence, it is not visit to the principles office, it is a blessing made possible by the Savior. It should be for each of us a constant, daily effort to turn away from sin and turn to God. It is part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help us return to Him, and understanding how to repent, can help us be cleansed of our sins, change our hearts and minds, and draw closer to God.

We are taught from the New Testament that every person needs repentance Romans 3:23. Each one of us knows that we need to repent, its the only way to find true joy and peace. That’s because it comes through the power of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice Alma 36:24. We’ve also learned that putting off repentance is a really bad idea Alma 34:32–34. Yet often times many of us do put it off. Why?

The main reason I believe many of us put off repentance is due to fear. Whether is for a serious sin or something we need to change such as attitudes, habits or behaviors Satan has placed in us that repentance is something we should fear or something that restricts our freedom. It was that way for me at first, when I knew in my heart that repentance was the only way to find happiness and a peaceful life. After many months of prayer, scripture study and heart to heart talks in my journal between the Lord and myself I began to understand that repentance is not to be feared, rather it is a gift.

Many people misunderstand what it means to repent. They may dread repentance or think it applies only to serious sins. Here are seven fears or concerns that can cause us to put off repentance:

Embarrassment: If I tell my bishop what I’ve done, he’ll be so disappointed—and I’ll be so embarrassed. What if I have to tell my parents? What if others find out? I personally had to overcome this fear in order to progress in my journey. My main concern was what would the bishop think of me. I already had what I felt was a tainted reputation I had worked for many years to change from my sins and be a new person, but there was one piece to my efforts that was missing and that was a full confession and willingness to fully cleanse. In counseling with the Father in Heaven daily concerning this matter, the feeling came to me so strong that I could not deny that this is what I needed to do to complete the process. This was not asked of me because I needed to be repremanded or for any other reason that to one, show the Lord of my willingness to come and follow him and two, to be able to forgive myself. Though the things that I would reveal would indeed be embarrasing to me the Lord already knew these things and he would strengthen not only me but also my bishopric to understand and guide me. And it was indeed true, when my full confession came, relief came and I need not fear because I had followed the Savior. What ever happened to me at this point in my life, Heavenly Father knew I had come to him with full purpose of heart and laid my sins before him to give them up. That is what is most important, not the embarassing act itself.

“I promise you [that the bishop] will not condemn you. As a servant of the Lord, he will be kind and understanding as he listens to you. He will then help you through the repentance process. He is the Lord’s messenger of mercy to help you become clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Elder C. Scott Grow of the Seventy, “Why and What Do I Need to Confess to My Bishop?” New Era, Oct. 2013, 29.

2. Fear of Consequences: If I tell my bishop about my sins, there might be consequences—not taking the sacrament, not blessing or passing the sacrament, not leaving on a mission when I want to. That would mess up my life too much. I too had fear of consequences when contemplating my repentance. I feared loosing my standing in the church, I feared loosing friends and family, I feared loosing the Lord and the Holy Ghost. But what I most feared was what if I had to sit in sacrament meeting and people saw me not taking the sacrament. Sounds kind of silly maybe but this is a fine tactic of Satan to keep us from repenting. Again I sought the Lord through mighty prayer day and night constantly to face my fear and what I learned was that yes, there would be consequences for my actions, I even had the privilege of those consequences being revealed to me during my prayers; but what I was taught was to be not afraid, the consequences of not repenting are far worse than what I would need to go through and the Lord would not leave me comfortless. In my experience I was not allowed to partake of the sacrament for a long period of time but what I found was that I was not afraid, rather I was completely humbled, and I felt the spirit as I had never felt before because I chose to come unto Christ and follow him even in the hardest of times. This continues to be one of the greatest gifts of my life and sustains me during times of trouble, hardship and also daily repentance.

“The fact that we can repent is the good news of the gospel! Guilt can be swept away. We can be filled with joy, receive a remission of our sins, and have peace of conscience. We can be freed from feelings of despair and the bondage of sin.” (Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Oct. 2016 general conference.)

“If you have sinned, the sooner you repent, the sooner you begin to make your way back and find the peace and joy that come with forgiveness.” (For the Strength of Youth (2011), 28.)

3. Fear of Effort: Daily repentance is a hard thing, it takes too much time, thought and preparation. Making changes is hard and its not fun. Putting forth effort for something that can be so time consuming and hard sometimes puts us out and so we pass it by. But we all know that anything worthwhile takes effort. We put effort into hobbies, work, school, which all can be noteworthy worthwhile choices. If we can do so for these temporal things how much more important is it for our spiritual welfare to put forth the same effort. Forgiveness and spiritual peace are the most worthwhile of all our efforts, its something we all desire greatly. Those things we desire greatly require work, hard work. Repentance is no different, when we put in the effort to try our best to understand that repentance is not just about the serious sins its about daily effort in improving, growing and changing; our minds, hearts and lives will change. The effort then becomes not an effort at all but a great blessing.

“Repentance means striving to change. It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23). Perhaps as much as praying for mercy, we should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome.” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Oct. 2011 general conference.)

4. Fear of a Shattered Self-Image: I’m one of the “good kids.” If I admit that I’ve made mistakes, that’s it—I wouldn’t be a “good kid” anymore. What would I be? Who would I be? I’d rather just try to forget it and move on as though everything were the same. Now this is the big one, at least it was for me. My self image due to my sins had already been disentigrated, I had worked hard to come back to church and make myself right and undo the image created into something better. If I came forth would there be anything left of me to change? It was kind of surprising to me that when I sought my bishop to start my process of repentance and he told me of the great courage I had in seeking him out and expressed a deep respect. He told me that I had been such a good member of the church that it was hard to give the consequences that would come, he told me he couldn’t do that to me. I heard myself telling him that it had to be this way, please do this for me, its the only way I can be right with the Savior. I remember the tears in his eyes, and the great love he expressed for me and for the Savior in teaching me how repentance is full of love and not rejection. Knowing that was crushing blow to the battle and made me better than I ever could have been. However, this does not stop Satan from his tactics and even today I suffer with issues dealing with self image and repentance. I do not fear repenting, I fear the pain that comes from my sins and I tend to beat myself up because I should know better, or I am not trying hard enough. What I have to remember, what we all should remember is that God sees us as we are, our image is not shattered and it is not bad when repenting in fact it is opposite. When we humbly acknowledge our sin before God so that He can “make weak things become strong” Ether 12:27 the image of ourselves that we should see is the one that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have of us. We are children of God who, though imperfect, have infinite and divine potential through Their help.

“God sees us as we truly are—and He sees us worthy of rescue. …“… With each step of faith on the path of discipleship, we grow into the beings of eternal glory and infinite joy we were designed to become.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home,” Apr. 2016 general conference.)

5. Fear of Losing Your Personality: If I conform to the Church’s standards, I’ll be giving up some of the things that make me me, like my favorite movies, TV shows, music, and ways of expressing myself. I’ll just be another cookie-cutter Latter-day Saint. I’d rather just be me. For me this was not a fear, I did not want to be the old person I was I wanted a change I wanted to be the cookie-cutter Latter-day but I did not want to loose myself. I was a dance teacher at the time so things like music and costuming played a big part in life. I loved movies, I liked being funny with jokes and humor some of which, were off color at times. I wrote poetry and short stories for self, competition and publication, sometimes the content was suggestive. Though I had a great desire to be a “Latter-day Saint” that desire did not make it easy to change. It took a while for me to see that this type of change is important but when I did, it rocked my world. After the experience of following a path of repentance I was readmitted into full fellowship, my first calling was second counselor in the primary presidency. That is when it hit. I was incredibly humbled that the Lord would see fit to call one such as I, to such an important calling. This meant that I needed to change, if I were entrusted with such an important role in the lives of children I did not want to mess that up as I had done in the past. I had to lead a life that showed my willingness and ability to live as though the Savior were in my presence. One day I began going though all of my albums, CD’s, movies, writings and many other things. I became embarrassed at some of the music and movies I had used in dance performances. I “purged” my house of everything that I did not think fit in a gospel centered life. My mom became so worried with my behavior she called my sister to tell her I had lost it and was throwing out everything in the house. Indeed it must have seemed so for things like the movie Grease, that are acceptable in the world, for me were not acceptable anymore and I was ashamed at inducing it into the lives of my children. If I were going to be a leader in the Lord’s church I must see that might life was in harmony with His teachings. What is the take away from this story? I no longer wanted to be defined by my sins, and I did not want to teach others to be that way. I found new ways to express my self that are even deeper and more meaningful that ever before. I didn’t have to stop being me I just had to change some of the aspects such as choosing better music, costuming and movies. When I did I discovered that living the standards of the Church is not conforming, it is liberating.

“Satan would rather that you define yourself by your sins instead of your divine potential. … Don’t listen to him.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Four Titles,” Apr. 2013 general conference.)

“There is more individuality in those who are more holy. Sin, on the other hand, brings sameness; it shrinks us to addictive appetites and insubordinate impulses.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Oct. 1991 general conference.

6. Fear of Failure: I’ve tried to change so many times but keep making the same mistakes. Maybe I’ve had all my chances. Maybe I’ll never be able to change. If I try one more time and fail, won’t that prove it? I have found this to be one of the things I struggle with today more than ever. Not due to serious sin, but sins of omission. Such can be studied in the book of James in the New Testament which teaches us that we should be slow to wrath, James 1:19–20, doers of the word not hearers only, James 1:22–25, do not be double minded James 1:8 and do away with hatred or bitterness toward another James 1:21. We may not struggle with all of these of course, but in the time we live in now its hard to not take offense, to be slow to anger, to not be negative, or to improve out language, thoughts and actions. Its hard to change these things, they are hard to practice for we are human and we will not be perfect in this life, yet we do not need to fear trying to be more perfect. I have found that with a great desire to change habits and ways it did not come overnight and repeated my mistake time and again. But the more I counseled with the Lord, the more I continued to daily repent and strive, the better it got and one day a change would just happen. I would take notice weeks or months later that I had indeed made great strides and did change. There is no limit to sincere repentance Mosiah 26:30. Christ was the infinite and eternal sacrifice to atone for our sins so that we can be forgiven if we have faith and repent Alma 34:9–16. Infinite and eternal are the key words here, for we are not beyond the bounds of His Atonement, because it has no bounds. Thus we must keep trying. Over and over!

“Sometimes in our repentance, in our daily efforts to become more Christlike, we find ourselves repeatedly struggling with the same difficulties. As if we were climbing a tree-covered mountain, at times we don’t see our progress until we get closer to the top and look back from the high ridges. Don’t be discouraged. If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting.” (Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Oct. 2009 general conference.)

“With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Apr. 2016 general conference.)

7. Fear of Success: What if I really am able to change my life? There might be a lot more expected of me then. Maybe it’s just better to be flawed and mediocre so I won’t be expected to take on more responsibility. Being afraid of higher expectations or more responsibility may come from laziness or insecurity. But Heavenly Father’s plan is one of improvement and progress. You accepted that plan before this life; embrace it now by being diligent and having faith. Try to see the kind of person Heavenly Father wants you to become and the kind of life He wants you to have. If you could actually see the person you have the potential to become, it would be difficult for you to even believe it. With Heavenly Father’s and the Savior’s help, it’s within your grasp. (7 Things We Fear about Repetance and Why We Shouldn’t David A Edwards Ensign March 2017)

“Our responsibility is to rise from mediocrity to competence, from failure to achievement. Our task is to become our best selves.” (President Thomas S. Monson, “The Will Within,” Apr. 1987 general conference.)

Part Two: We Can Do It Better Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19

All prophets since the beginning have called upon people to repent. However, perhaps no invitation to repent is as poignant as the Savior’s found in Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19

15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I ^asmite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your ^bsufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have ^asuffered these things for all, that they ^bmight not suffer if they would ^crepent;

17 But if they would not repent they must ^asuffer even as I;

18 Which ^asuffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might ^bnot drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and ^afinished my preparations unto the children of men.

What do you learn about the Savior from these verses?

What do these verses say about the importance of repentance in the Lord’s eyes?

In addition to forgiveness of sin, what other blessings come from repentance? Click to Watch the Video “Repentance: A Joyful Choice” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

President Russel M Nelson teaches us that when it comes to repentance, “We Can Do Better and Be Better” Specifically he teaches that:

Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.
The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means “change.” The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean “mind,” “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.” Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to “repent,” He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies. Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance.
Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Whether you are diligently moving along the covenant path, have slipped or stepped from the covenant path, or can’t even see the path from where you are now, I plead with you to repent. Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.
When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him. When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!….
We need to do better and be better because we are in a battle. The battle with sin is real. The adversary is quadrupling his efforts to disrupt testimonies and impede the work of the Lord. He is arming his minions with potent weapons to keep us from partaking of the joy and love of the Lord. Repentance is the key to avoiding misery inflicted by traps of the adversary.
The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God. Our repentance—our purity—will empower us to help in the gathering of Israel.

Conclusion

How has repentance helped you come closer to Heavenly Father? How can you have a deeper desire to repent? How can better see that repentance is a daily effort and not just reserved for serious sins? President Dallin H Oaks reminds us that: The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ opens the door for “all men [to] repent and come unto him” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:11; The book of Alma reports repentance and forgiveness even of those who had been a wicked and a bloodthirsty people Alma 25:16; 27:27, 30 My message …is one of hope for all of us…We are all sinners who can be cleansed by repentance. “To repent from sin is not easy,” Elder Russell M. Nelson taught in a prior general conference. “But the prize is worth the price.” (“Cleansed by Repentance” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 91–94)

Resources

“By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”

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Its important to remember in our gospel study, as we read blogs, articles, commentaries, and other resources that the purpose of these are not to prescribe what will happen in class or in your personal study. They are supplements to—not a replacement for—personal revelation. Let the Spirit guide your personal study and preparation, and then see if these activities might help you discover and share the important principles in Ether 12–15.

As you study ask yourself these questions and make note in your journal!

“I have learned that …” “I have a testimony of …” and “I have experienced …”

History and Background

Ether 12:23 After recounting many years of Jaredite history, Moroni introduced the ministry of the prophet Ether. Moroni then interrupted the historical account to record some of the blessings that come to those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ. In humble prayer, Moroni expressed a concern. He worried about the weakness he perceived in his writing and in the writing of other Book of Mormon prophets. The Lord responded with a promise to strengthen those who humble themselves and have faith in Him.

Ether 13–15 Moroni recorded Ether’s prophecies about the New Jerusalem and the Jerusalem of old. Ether warned Coriantumr, a Jaredite king, that his people would be destroyed if he and his household would not repent. When Coriantumr and his people refused to repent, war and wickedness escalated for many years until the entire Jaredite nation was destroyed. Only Ether and Coriantumr survived to witness the fulfillment of Ether’s prophecy.

The book of Ether’s account of the tragic destruction of a once-great nation helps us see the inevitable consequences of rejecting the prophets and the devastating results of unrestrained sin. In contrast, we also read some profound instruction on faith in Jesus Christ. The combined teachings of the prophets Ether and Moroni demonstrate that faith leads to repentance, brings about miracles, and turns personal weakness into strength. Sadly, the Jaredites refused to heed Ether’s teachings and turned away from the truth that could have saved them.

Part One: Ether 12:2–22 We will receive a witness of truth as we exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

Ether 12 begins with Moroni’s introduction of Ether, a Jaredite prophet who preached during a time when the people rejected the prophets and lived in wickedness.

2 And ^aEther was a prophet of the Lord; wherefore Ether came forth in the days of Coriantumr, and began to prophesy unto the people, for he could not be ^brestrained because of the Spirit of the Lord which was in him.

3 For he did ^acry from the ^bmorning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be ^cdestroyed, saying unto them that ^dby ^efaith all things are fulfilled—

4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they ^asaw them not.

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that ^afaith is things which are ^bhoped for and ^cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no ^dwitness until after the ^etrial of your faith.

7 For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself ^anot unto the world.

8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.

10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were ^acalled after the holy order of God.

11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the ^agift of his Son hath God prepared a more ^bexcellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

12 For if there be no ^afaith among the children of men God can do no ^bmiracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the ^aprison to tumble to the earth.

14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the ^achange upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the ^bHoly Ghost.

15 Behold, it was the faith of ^aAmmon and his brethren which ^bwrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

16 Yea, and even all they who wrought ^amiracles wrought them by ^bfaith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should ^anot taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.

18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even ^abefore Christ came, who could not be kept from within the ^bveil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.

20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his ^afinger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith.

21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the ^apromise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the ^bveil.

22 And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the ^apromise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ.

The people mentioned in these verses exercised faith. How can we follow their examples?

According to these verses, what are the results of exercising faith in Jesus Christ?

Some people have the following attitude: “I will not believe or live according to a gospel principle until I see evidence that it is true.”

According to Ether 12:6, what must happen before we can receive a witness?

What do you think the phrase “trial of your faith” refers to? Some people mistakenly interpret “trial of faith” to always refer to hardship. The phrase “trial of faith” can describe anything that gives us an opportunity to demonstrate or exercise our faith in Jesus Christ.

Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gives us an explanation of the phrase “trial of faith.”

“You can learn to use faith more effectively by applying this principle taught by Moroni: ‘… ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith’ [Ether 12:6; italics added]. Thus, every time you try your faith, that is, act in worthiness on an impression, you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. Those feelings will fortify your faith. As you repeat that pattern, your faith will become stronger” (Richard G. Scott, “The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 76).

How is the process described by Elder Scott different from the attitude of those who want evidence before they will believe or act?

What principle can we learn from Ether 12:6 about what we must do if we desire to receive a spiritual witness from the Lord? If we desire a spiritual witness, then we must first exercise faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel.

“Sometimes we try to do it backward. For example, we may take this approach: I will be happy to live the law of tithing, but first I need to know that it’s true. Maybe we even pray to gain a testimony of the law of tithing and hope the Lord will bless us with that testimony before we have ever filled out a tithing slip. It just doesn’t work that way. The Lord expects us to exercise faith. We have to consistently pay a full and honest tithe in order to gain a testimony of tithing. This same pattern applies to all the principles of the gospel, whether it is the law of chastity, the principle of modesty, the Word of Wisdom, or the law of the fast” (Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Be Ye Converted,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 77).

Why do you think it is important for us to exercise faith in Jesus Christ through our actions before we receive a spiritual witness?

President Gordon B. Hinckley related a story that illustrates the principle of receiving a witness after the trial of our faith:

“Let me give you a story of a woman in São Paulo, Brazil. She worked while going to school to provide for her family. I use her own words in telling this story. She says: “‘The university in which I studied had a regulation that prohibited the students that were in debt from taking tests. For this reason, when I received my salary I would first separate the money for tithing and offerings, and the remainder was allotted for the payment of the school and other expenses. I remember a time when I … faced serious financial difficulties. It was a Thursday when I received my salary. When I figured the monthly budget, I noticed that there wouldn’t be enough to pay [both] my tithing and my university. I would have to choose between them. The bimonthly tests would start the following week, and if I didn’t take them I could lose the school year. I felt great agony. … My heart ached. I had a painful decision before me, and I didn’t know what to decide. I pondered between the two choices: to pay tithing or to risk the possibility of not obtaining the necessary credits to be approved in school. This feeling consumed my soul and remained with me up to Saturday. It was then that I remembered that when I was baptized I had agreed to live the law of tithing. I had taken upon myself an obligation, not with the missionaries, but with my Heavenly Father. At that moment, the anguish started to disappear, giving place to a pleasant sensation of tranquility and determination. …That night when I prayed, I asked the Lord to forgive me for my indecision. On Sunday, before the beginning of sacrament meeting, I contacted the bishop, and with great pleasure I paid my tithing and offerings. That was a special day. I felt happy and peaceful within myself and with Heavenly Father. The next day I was in my office; I tried to find a way to be able to take the tests that would begin on Wednesday. The more I thought, the further I felt from a solution. …The working period was ending when my employer approached and gave the last orders of the day. When he had done so, with his briefcase in his hand he bid farewell. … Suddenly, he halted, and looking at me he asked, “How is your college?” I was surprised, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The only thing I could answer with a trembling voice was, “Everything is all right!” He looked thoughtfully at me and bid farewell again. …Suddenly the secretary entered the room, saying that I was a very fortunate person! When I asked her why, she simply answered: “The employer has just said that from today on the company is going to pay fully for your college and your books. Before you leave, stop at my desk and inform me of the costs so that tomorrow I can give you the check. After she left, crying and feeling very humble, I knelt exactly where I was and thanked the Lord for His generosity. I … said to Heavenly Father that He didn’t have to bless me so much. I only needed the cost of one month’s installment, and the tithing I had paid on Sunday was very small compared to the amount I was receiving! During that prayer the words recorded in Malachi came to my mind: “Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10). Up to that moment I had never felt the magnitude of the promise contained in that scripture and that this commandment was truly a witness of the love that God, our Heavenly Father, gives to His children here on earth’” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “We Walk by Faith,” Ensign, May 2002, 73–74).

Part Two: Ether 12:1–9, 28, 32 Faith leads to “hope for a better world.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency explains about hope:

“When we have hope, we trust God’s promises. We have a quiet assurance that if we do ‘the works of righteousness,’ we ‘shall receive [our] reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come’ (D&C 59:23). …“The principle of hope extends into the eternities, but it also can sustain you through the everyday challenges of life” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 85, 86).

“Hope is a gift of the Spirit [see Moroni 8:26]. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior [see Moroni 7:41]. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment [see Colossians 1:21–23], and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace [see Romans 15:13], mercy [see Psalm 33:22], rejoicing [see Romans 12:12], and gladness [see Proverbs 10:28]. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet [see 1 Thessalonians 5:8]; it is the foundation of our faith [see Hebrews 11:1; Moroni 7:40] and an anchor to our souls [see Hebrews 6:19; Ether 12:4]” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Infinite Power of Hope,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 21–22).

What happens to us when we have no hope? Ether 12:1–9, 28, 32

1 And it came to pass that the days of Ether were in the days of ^aCoriantumr; and Coriantumr was king over all the land.

5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they ^asaw them not.

9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.

28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that ^afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all ^brighteousness.

32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the ^amansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent ^bhope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.

What should we hope for?

What principle can we learn from Ether 12:4 about what happens when we have hope and faith in Jesus Christ? When we have hope and faith in Jesus Christ, we will become steadfast and we will abound in good works and glorify God.

Part Three: Ether 12:23–29 Through the grace of Jesus Christ, weak things can become strong.

To help us personalize the truths Moroni learned about weakness and strength in Ether 12, think of someone who may be feeling discouraged because of their weaknesses. Then search Ether 12:23–29 to find messages that could help that person.

23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will ^amock at these things, because of our ^bweakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us ^cmighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;

24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the ^aawkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in ^bwriting like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he ^cwrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.

25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we ^acannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our ^bweakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall ^cmock at our words.

26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: ^aFools ^bmock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that ^afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all ^brighteousness.

29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was ^acomforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;

If Moroni were here today, what might he say to encourage him or her?

What experiences from your own lives can you think of when the Savior has helped “weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

How is this change different from self-improvement efforts that a person might make without relying on the Savior?

President Henry B. Eyring, commenting on Ether 12:27, taught: “Moroni said that when he ‘heard these words,’ he ‘was comforted’ (Ether 12:29). They can be a comfort to all of us. Those who do not see their weaknesses do not progress. Your awareness of your weakness is a blessing as it helps you remain humble and keeps you turning to the Savior. The Spirit not only comforts you, but He is also the agent by which the Atonement works a change in your very nature. Then weak things become strong” (“My Peace I Leave with You,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 16).

Moroni’s experience is one of many in the scriptures that show how the Savior’s grace can turn our weaknesses into strengths. Review the definition of grace in the Bible Dictionary (click to read) or True to the Faith (pages 77–78). ( click to read.)

Grace:

A word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by His atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts. Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the Fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25:23). It is truly the grace of Jesus Christ that makes salvation possible. This principle is expressed in Jesus’ parable of the vine and the branches (John 15:1–11). See also John 1:12–17; Eph. 2:8–9; Philip. 4:13; D&C 93:11–14.

How do the scriptural these examples illustrate the power of the Savior’s grace?

How do we invite this power into our lives?

It’s common to compare our weaknesses to another’s perceived strengths; even Moroni felt he compared unfavorably to the brother of Jared Ether 12:24

Why is it dangerous to compare ourselves to others?

According to Ether 12:26–27, how does the Lord want us to see our weakness? (click to read or see above verse)

How does He want us to see the weakness of others? Ether 12:26. (click to read or see above verse)

Weakness comes to men and women through the Fall of Adam. The physical body and mind is susceptible to disease and decay. We are subject to temptation and struggle. Each of us experiences personal weaknesses. Nevertheless, the Lord clearly teaches that as we come unto Him in humility and faith, He will help us turn weakness into strength. His grace is sufficient to make this transformation by lifting us above our own natural abilities. In a very personal way, we experience how the power of the Atonement overcomes the effects of the Fall.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of how the Lord can help us overcome our weaknesses. “When we read in the scriptures of man’s ‘weakness,’ this term includes the generic but necessary weakness inherent in the general human condition in which the flesh has such an incessant impact upon the spirit (see Ether 12:28–29). Weakness likewise includes, however, our specific, individual weaknesses, which we are expected to overcome (see D&C 66:3; Jacob 4:7). Life has a way of exposing these weaknesses” (Lord, Increase Our Faith [1994], 84).

Furthermore, Elder Maxwell described how recognizing our weaknesses is one way that the Lord has chosen to increase our learning:

“When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn’t it—we who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars. Because God wants us to come home after having become more like Him and His Son, part of this developmental process, of necessity, consists of showing unto us our weaknesses. Hence, if we have ultimate hope we will be submissive because, with His help, those weaknesses can even become strengths (see Ether 12:27). It is not an easy thing, however, to be shown one’s weaknesses, as these are regularly demonstrated by life’s circumstances. Nevertheless, this is part of coming unto Christ, and it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of happiness” (Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 79; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 63).

The scriptures testify that Jesus Christ can save us from our inadequacies as well as our sins:

“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
“The Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace … that we have power to do these things” (Jacob 4:7).
“I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things” (Alma 26:12).
“If ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32).

Moroni taught that not only must we exercise faith in the Lord, but we must humble ourselves as well.

Part Four: Ether 13–15 Rejecting the prophets brings spiritual danger.

In these chapters the Jaredites rejected Ether and cast him out from among them. During the day, Ether “hid himself in the cavity of a rock,” where he finished his record of the Jaredites. At night, he went out to see the things that were happening to his people, the Jaredites. He wrote about the things he saw.

What does the Lord want us to learn from these accounts, and what can we do to avoid the fate of the Jaredites?

Anger and vengeance can lead us to make choices that hurt ourselves and others: “When someone has hurt us or those we care about, that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if the pain or the injustice is the most important thing in the world and that we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts” (David E. Sorensen, “Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 12).
If we reject the Lord’s warnings to repent, His Spirit will withdraw and Satan will gain power over our hearts.

How does the end of the book of Ether connect with Omni 1:19–22; Mosiah 8:8; and Mosiah 28:11–18? (click to view verses)

Conclusion

We live in particularly enhanced times of trouble concerning hope, faith, offense, and rejection of prophets. For our particular day and at this specific time the book of Ether is paramount for our survival, and preparation for our eternal progression and the coming of Christ. Let us prayerful, and diligently search this lesson and find hope, exercise faith and without fail follow the Prophet, without question. In this, we will find safety and peace, which we surely need right now.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Conference Reports

Ensign

Book of Mormon

King James LDS Bible

Doctrine and Covenants

Bible Dictionary

For Strength of Youth

“Rend That Veil of Unbelief”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

For Book of Mormon Readers, sometimes when we come to the book of Ether, confusion might set in. The time frame makes a big shift and rather than moving forward at this point, it takes us on more of a flashback. The Book of Mormon is not arranged in chronological order. If it were, the book of Ether would be listed first. In this book we move from Lamanites and the descendants of Lehi to the people of Jared who first occupied the American Continent.

History and Background

The Jaredite record begins approximately 2200 B.C. in The book of Ether which covers over 1,700 years of history from 2200 B.C. down to the time of Coriantumr. We don’t know exactly when Coriantumr lived, but it was somewhere between 500 and 250 B.C.

Following the Flood in Noah’s day, many descendants of those who had been spared became wicked. One group of people attempted to build a tower “whose top may reach unto heaven” Genesis 11:4. The story of the Jaredite nation began with the building of the Tower of Babel. The Lord dealt with the widespread wickedness by confounding the common language and by scattering the people across the face of the earth Ether 1:33; Genesis 11:5–8.

The brother of Jared pled with the Lord to preserve the language of his worthy friends and family. Demonstrating great faith and led by the hand of God, the brother of Jared was able to lead this group to another land. The story of this migration is filled with important principles that we can apply to our lives today. These principles include the exercise of faith to receive divine assistance and the role of prayer in accomplishing difficult tasks. As we study the life of the brother of Jared, we will learn of the blessings that come when individuals exercise strong faith.

Here is a review of the origins of the book of Ether and how all the chapters fit together:

Jaredite prophets kept the history until the final Jaredite prophet named Ether Ether 1:6.
Limhi’s search found part of the Jaredite record—in the form of the 24 gold plates Mosiah 8:7–11.
King Mosiah translated the Jaredite record Mosiah 28:10–17.
Moroni abridged or edited the Jaredite record and included it before his own writings Ether 1:1–6.

Ether 1 Moroni began his account of the Jaredite history by recording the ancestry of the prophet Ether, who wrote the history on the 24 gold plates. Moroni recorded Ether’s ancestry back to a man named Jared, who lived during the time of the Tower of Babel.

Ether 2 After departing from the Tower of Babel, Jared and his brother and their families and friends were led by the Lord through the wilderness. The Lord instructed the brother of Jared to build eight barges to carry his people over the sea to a land of promise. As the brother of Jared and his people obeyed the Lord in faith, the Lord gave them the guidance and direction necessary to be successful in their journey.

Ether 3 Responding to the Lord’s question—“What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?”—the brother of Jared prepared 16 stones and humbly asked the Lord to touch them “that they may shine forth in darkness” (Ether 2:23; 3:4). Because the brother of Jared had great faith, he saw the Savior’s finger touch the stones. The Lord then showed Himself to the brother of Jared and revealed many things. The Lord commanded the brother of Jared to write what he had seen and heard and to seal up these writings until the Lord would desire them to come forth.

Ether 4–5 The Lord commanded Moroni to seal up the recorded vision of the brother of Jared and explained that these writings would be revealed when people have faith as the brother of Jared did. Moroni prophesied that three witnesses would bear testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon in the latter days.

Part One: Ether 1–3; 4:8–19 As we continually call upon the Lord, He will reveal His will.

Every one of us has struggled to find an answer to a problem or question. How can the brother of Jared’s experiences help us learn how to seek help from the Lord?

He teaches us about prayer. The brother of Jared was mighty with prayer.

Imagine that you were giving counsel to someone who is just learning how to pray. What advice would you give?

Search Ether 3:1–5 find one or two tips or principles about how to pray effectively.

1 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:

2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.

3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.

5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.

What stands out to you about the prayers of the brother of Jared?

In what ways is crying unto Heavenly Father different from just “saying a prayer”?

What principle can we learn from the way the brother of Jared prayed and the way the Lord answered his prayers? As we consistently cry unto God in faith, He will have compassion on us.

Think now about their own prayers and how they can follow the brother of Jared’s example to become more meaningful.

2. Revelation, the brother of Jared was mighty in receiving revelation.

What do we learn about the various ways the Lord may choose to help us? What do we learn about our role in the process of receiving revelation? Ether 1:33–43 and 2:16–3:6

33 Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.

34 And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.

35 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded.

36 Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language.

37 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.

38 And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.

39 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord according to that which had been spoken by the mouth of Jared.

40 And it came to pass that the Lord did hear the brother of Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him:

41 Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female, of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind; and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and their families.

42 And when thou hast done this thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward. And there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the lands of the earth.

43 And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.

16 And the Lord said: Go to work and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built. And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and built barges after the manner which they had built, according to the instructions of the Lord. And they were small, and they were light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a fowl upon the water.

17 And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.

18 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.

19 And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish.

20 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.

21 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did so, according as the Lord had commanded.

22 And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?

23 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire.

24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.

25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

Elder Richard G. Scott taught:

“When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us. …

“… He wants us to act to gain needed experience:

“When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.

“When He answers no, it is to prevent error.

“When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act” (“Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 31–32).

After sharing the brother of Jared’s revelatory experience in Ether 3, Moroni gave counsel in Ether 4 about how we can receive revelation from the Lord.

What things that can prevent us from receiving revelation or truth from the Lord? Ether 4:8–10

8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.

9 And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire.

10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.

How can we avoid these spiritual barriers in our lives?

How we can qualify to receive truth from the Lord? Ether 4:7, 11–15,

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.

11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

What does it mean to “exercise faith in … the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did”? Ether 4:7 Ether 3:1–9.

5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.

6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.

7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.

9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

What does it mean to “rend [the] veil of unbelief” in our lives? Ether 4:15. How can we help others do the same? (Click the link to read or see above passages)

President Russell M Nelson teaches us that The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.

In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.

Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 93–96).

Part Two: Ether 2:14–15 Through His chastening, the Lord invites us to repent and come unto Him.

Even a prophet as great as the brother of Jared received chastening from the Lord. In fact, part of what made him great was the way he responded to chastening. What can learn from the brother of Jared’s example?

14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.

15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands.

What lessons do we learn that will help us draw closer to Heavenly Father? The Lord is not pleased when we fail to call upon Him in prayer. The Lord desires us to call upon Him regularly in prayer.

Elder Donald L. Staheli, who served as a member of the Seventy taught, “Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become hurried, repetitive, casual, or forgetful in our prayers, we tend to lose the closeness of the Spirit, which is so essential in the continual direction we need to successfully manage the challenges of our everyday lives” (“Securing Our Testimonies” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2004, 39).

**Point to Ponder: Personal Prayer Review

How do you feel about the frequency of your personal prayers?
How do you feel about the sincerity of your personal prayers?
In your personal prayers, do you feel that you truly communicate with Heavenly Father? Why, or why not?
If you could make one change that would improve your personal prayers, what might it be?

How do you think the Lord’s chastening could be a blessing to the brother of Jared and his people as they continued their journey toward the promised land?

The Lord’s chastening and the brother of Jared’s response may have helped prepare him for the experiences he had. The brother of Jared repented of his sins and prayed to the Lord for his family members and friends. The Lord told him that he was forgiven but that he must continue in righteousness in order to be led to the promised land.

A message from Elder Lynn G. Robbins’s guides us in how discipline from the Lord helps us: compassion doesn’t nullify the need for discipline. The word discipline comes from the Latin word discere, “to learn,” or discipulus, “learner,” making a disciple a student and follower. To discipline in the Lord’s way is to lovingly and patiently teach. In the scriptures the Lord often uses the word chasten when speaking of discipline (see, for example, Mosiah 23:21; D&C 95:1). The word chasten comes from the Latin castus, meaning “chaste or pure,” and chasten means “to purify.”

In the world, it is an earthly judge who condemns a man and locks him in prison. In contrast, the Book of Mormon teaches us that when we willfully sin, we become our “own judges” (Alma 41:7) and consign ourselves to spiritual prison. Ironically, the common judge in this case holds the keys that unlock the prison gates; “for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation” (D&C 95:1; emphasis added). The proceedings of a righteous judge are merciful, loving, and redemptive, not condemning.

Young Joseph Smith was disciplined with a four-year probation before obtaining the golden plates, “because you have not kept the commandments of the Lord.” Later, when Joseph lost the 116 manuscript pages, he was disciplined again. Though Joseph was truly remorseful, the Lord still withdrew his privileges for a short season because “whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven” (D&C 95:1).

Joseph said, “The angel was rejoiced when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim and said that God was pleased with my faithfulness and humility, and loved me for my penitence and diligence in prayer.” Because the Lord wanted to teach Joseph a heart-changing lesson, He required a heartrending sacrifice of him—sacrifice being an essential part of discipline. (“Discipline” in Elder Lynn G. Robbins)

Part Three: Ether 5 Three witnesses testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Learning more about Moroni’s prophecy of the Three Witnesses can help strengthen each of our testimonies of the Book of Mormon.

1 And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God.

2 And behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work;

3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.

4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.

5 And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father in the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the kingdom of God.

6 And now, if I have no authority for these things, judge ye; for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see me, and we shall stand before God at the last day. Amen.

Reading read “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” (at the beginning of the Book of Mormon) gives us even more clarity:

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. Oliver Cowdery David Whitmer Martin Harris

What do you feel the Lord’s purpose was in allowing the Three Witnesses to see an angel and the plates?

What witnesses in our lives have inspired us to believe?

How has “the power of God and also his word” been “shown forth” to us in the Book of Mormon? (Ether 5:4). (click to read or see above passage)

President Eyring taught of this: “The Three Witnesses never denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon. They could not because they knew it was true. They made sacrifices and faced difficulties beyond what most people ever know. Oliver Cowdery gave the same testimony about the divine origin of the Book of Mormon as he lay dying. … That they continued to affirm what they saw and heard in that marvelous experience, during long periods of estrangement from the Church and from Joseph, makes their testimony more powerful” (“An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 90).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated: “The solemn written testimony of three witnesses to what they saw and heard—two of them simultaneously and the third almost immediately thereafter—is entitled to great weight. Indeed, we know that upon the testimony of one witness great miracles have been claimed and accepted by many religious people, and in the secular world the testimony of one witness has been deemed sufficient for weighty penalties and judgments.

“Persons experienced in evaluating testimony commonly consider a witness’s opportunity to observe an event and the possibility of his bias on the subject. Where different witnesses give identical testimony about the same event, skeptics look for evidence of collusion among them or for other witnesses who could contradict them.

“Measured against all of these possible objections, the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon stands forth in great strength. Each of the three had ample reason and opportunity to renounce his testimony if it had been false or to equivocate on details if any had been inaccurate. As is well known, because of disagreements or jealousies involving other leaders of the Church, each one of these three witnesses was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by about eight years after the publication of their testimony. All three went their separate ways, with no common interest to support a collusive effort. Yet to the end of their lives—periods ranging from 12 to 50 years after their excommunications—not one of these witnesses deviated from his published testimony or said anything that cast any shadow on its truthfulness.

“Furthermore, their testimony stands uncontradicted by any other witnesses. Reject it one may, but how does one explain three men of good character uniting and persisting in this published testimony to the end of their lives in the face of great ridicule and other personal disadvantage? Like the Book of Mormon itself, there is no better explanation than is given in the testimony itself, the solemn statement of good and honest men who told what they saw. …

“… Witnesses are important, and the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon is impressive and reliable” (Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 46, 49; or Ensign, May 1999, 35–37).

Conclusion

We need His chastening, His guidance and counsel, we need His will revealed unto us, we need the Book of Mormon! As the Lord asked the brother of Jared so does he ask us, “What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?” What do we need brothers and sisters to maintain the light of our vessels, to rend the veil of unbelief that lurks to take us down, as well as those around us. How can we better utilize the Book of Mormon to strengthen us and those we know? These chapters in Ether are surely a good start, let us contemplate this week with a focus on drawing nearer to Christ. For surely in these perilous times we need it.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Seminary Manuals

“I Speak unto You as If Ye Were Present”

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We know, as Latter-day Saints, that we believe in the Book of Mormon, it is the foundation of our religion. We believe that it is divine and sent to us from God to give us a completeness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But do we as members of His church take time to better understand the role of the Book of Mormon and its purpose?

In a study of the final testimony of Mormon and the initial writings of Moroni, we can better understand the role and purpose of the Book of Mormon. Moroni declared: “I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35).

The Book of Mormon is a guide, a precious thing given unto us to carry us through. Let us take time today to renew our study with enhanced outlook to gain a better understanding of this divine gift.

History and Background

Mormon 7 After the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites, Mormon wrote to the future descendants of the Book of Mormon people about the importance of knowing who they are and what they must do to be saved. With great love for the future descendants of his enemies, Mormon taught the importance of following the gospel of Jesus Christ so that it might be “well with [them] in the day of judgment”

Mormon 8 After writing about the destruction of his people and the death of his father, Moroni prophesied of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and warned of the consequences of rejecting it. Moroni saw that the Nephite record would come forth in a day of great wickedness, when many would love worldly possessions more than God.

Mormon 9 Moroni finished his father’s record by calling upon those who do not believe in Jesus Christ to turn to the Lord through repentance. He taught that God is a God of miracles who does not change and that miracles cease only because of unbelief. He encouraged people to believe in Jesus Christ and to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the things they need.

Part One: Mormon 7:8–10; 8:12–22; 9:31–37 The Book of Mormon is of great worth.

How do you determine the value of something? How does knowing the value of something change the way we use it? Learning more about what Moroni said about the value of the Book of Mormon (“this record”) can help us understand its value, even more than we do already.

12 And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you.

13 Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi.

14 And I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord; the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For he truly saith that no one shall have them to get gain; but the record thereof is of great worth; and whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless.

15 For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an eye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord.

16 And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God.

17 And if there be faults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that condemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire.

18 And he that saith: Show unto me, or ye shall be smitten—let him beware lest he commandeth that which is forbidden of the Lord.

19 For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be; therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.

20 Behold what the scripture says—man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.

21 And he that shall breathe out wrath and strifes against the work of the Lord, and against the covenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire;

22 For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.

What did Moroni say about the value of the Book of Mormon in the above verses?

How can we show that we value the Book of Mormon?

In recognizing the role and importance of the Book of Mormon its important to remember that the Book of Mormon and the Bible support each other. Mormon 7:8–10

8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you.

9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.

Summarize Mormon’s description of the two records in the above verses.

One purpose of the Book of Mormon is to prove to the world that the Holy Bible is true (see D&C 20:11). By reading the Book of Mormon, a person’s testimony of the Bible increases. President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of his love for the Bible and the Book of Mormon and how both testify that Jesus is the Christ: “I love the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments. It is a source of great truth. …“… That sacred and holy book has been of inestimable worth to the children of men. In fact, it was a passage from the Bible that inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to go to a grove of trees near his home and kneel in prayer. What followed was the glorious vision that commenced the restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. That vision also began the process of bringing forth new scripture [the Book of Mormon] to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Bible in bearing witness to a wicked world that Jesus is the Christ and that God lives and loves His children and is still intimately involved in their salvation and exaltation” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 100–101; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 78). (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

Can you find examples of how the Bible and Book of Mormon overlap each other in the above verses?

Can you find how the Book of Mormon and Bible are different in the above verses?

What Mormon said about the relationship between “this” (the Book of Mormon) and “that” (the Bible)?

The Bible testifies of the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Mormon testifies of the Bible. Mormon declared, “This [the Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [the Bible]; and if ye believe that [the Bible] ye will believe this [the Book of Mormon] also” (Mormon 7:9).

President Brigham Young declared it impossible for someone who claimed to truly believe in the Bible to not believe in the Book of Mormon if they have seriously studied the Book of Mormon and learned its doctrines: “No man can say that this book (laying his hand on the Bible) is true, is the word of the Lord, is the way, is the guide-board in the path, and a charter by which we may learn the will of God; and at the same time say, that the Book of Mormon is untrue; if he has had the privilege of reading it, or of hearing it read, and learning its doctrines. There is not that person on the face of the earth who has had the privilege of learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ from these two books, who can say that one is true, and the other is false” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 459). (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

**Point to Ponder: Look in the Guide to the Scriptures to find verses from the Book of Mormon and the Bible that help us understand the truths.

Part Two: Mormon 8:1–11 We can be faithful even when we are alone.

As you we are approaching the end of this year’s study of the Book of Mormon, perhaps we could reflect on why we feel this book was written for our day.

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. …“Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations [see 2 Nephi 25:21; Jacob 1:3; Mormon 7:1; 8:34–35]. …“If they saw our day, and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, ‘Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?’” (“The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6).

Why did the Lord inspire Moroni to include these words in the record? How do they help us in our day? Mormon 8:26–41

26 And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it shall be said that miracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one should speak from the dead.

27 And it shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of darkness.

28 Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches.

29 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands;

30 And there shall also be heard of wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places.

31 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day. But wo unto such, for they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.

32 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.

33 O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled.

34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.

35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

36 And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

37 For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?

39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

40 Yea, why do ye build up your secret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads?

41 Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time soon cometh that he avengeth the blood of the saints upon you, for he will not suffer their cries any longer.

What evidence have you seen of Moroni’s prophetic description of our day being fulfilled?

What did Moroni invite the people of our day to do? Mormon 8:33 “look … unto the revelations of God”?

How might knowing that Moroni saw our day influence the way we read the Book of Mormon?

President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of Book of Mormon prophets: “If they saw our day, and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, ‘Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?’” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” 6).

How can knowing that Moroni and other prophets saw us and our day strengthen your faith in the Book of Mormon?

How can knowing that these prophets saw our day help us better understand the truth that the Book of Mormon is of great worth?

Moroni saw the wickedness of people in the latter days. They would be prideful and would care more about possessions and fine clothing than about the poor and the needy. Moroni rebuked these people and prophesied that the Lord would punish them.

President Thomas S. Monson said: “I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart” (Thomas S. Monson, “The Power of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 87).

What did President Monson invite us to do with the Book of Mormon?

What blessings did he promise those who prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon every day?

As taught in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, Mormon 9:1–30 contains Moroni’s message in response to the lack of belief in Jesus Christ in our day.

1 And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ.

2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God?

3 Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws?

4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.

5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.

6 O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day.

7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;

8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them.

9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?

10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.

11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.

12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.

13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.

14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?

17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?

18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.

19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;

23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned;

24 And these signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;

25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.

26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.

27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.

28 Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.

29 See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out.

30 Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words.

Even though Mormon 9:1–6 was written to “those who do not believe in Christ,” it is helpful for all of us to imagine standing before God one day to be judged.

What counsel do you find helpful in the following verses? (Click the link to read or see above)

1–6 (the consequences of not believing in Christ) Click the link to read or see above

how will the wicked feel in the presence of Jesus Christ?
Why will they feel this way?

President Boyd K. Packer told of traveling for six days as a young man with a military crew in a hot, smoky freight train, with no way to bathe or change clothes. At a train stop, the hungry crew went to a restaurant. “It was crowded, and so we joined a long line waiting to be seated. I was first, just behind some well-dressed women. Even without turning around, the stately woman in front of me soon became aware that we were there. “She turned and looked at us. Then she turned and looked me over from head to toe. There I stood in that sweaty, dirty, sooty, wrinkled uniform. She said in a tone of disgust, ‘My, what untidy men!’ All eyes turned to us. “No doubt she wished we were not there; I shared her wish. I felt as dirty as I was, uncomfortable, and ashamed.”

President Packer then quoted Mormon 9:4 and compared his experience to being spiritually unclean in the presence of God. Testifying that the Atonement of Jesus Christ was the only way he could become spiritually clean, he then said: “Can you imagine how I felt when finally I could see that if I followed whatever conditions the Redeemer had set, I need never endure the agony of being spiritually unclean? Imagine the consoling, liberating, exalting feeling that will come to you when you see the reality of the Atonement and the practical everyday value of it to you individually” (“Washed Clean,” Ensign, May 1997, 9–10).

What principle can we identify from Moroni’s teachings in Mormon 9:6? Those who turn from their unbelief to the Lord can be cleansed from their sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

7–20 (the importance of believing in a God of revelation and miracles) Click the link to read or see above

What are the main points Moroni made to persuade people to believe in miracles?

What are three reasons why God might cease to do miracles among His children?

Miracles cease when we …	Miracles can happen when we …
Dwindle in unbelief	Increase our faith
Depart from the right way	Live in the right way, or keep God’s commandments
Know not the God in whom we should trust	Come to know and trust in God

Since we know God is unchanging and that He performed miracles among His children in former times, what truth can we learn from verse 19 about His willingness to perform miracles in our lives today? God has always performed miracles, and because He is unchangeable, He still works miracles according to our faith.

21–30 (Moroni’s counsel to us) Click the link to read or see above

What Counsel does Moroni give to us in these verses? If we pray in faith and in the name of Christ, doubting nothing, Heavenly Father will give us what we ask for.

**Point to Ponder: The Book of Mormon is so important that Moroni was concerned some people in the last days would reject its message because of the imperfections of those who wrote it and of the language it was written in. However, Moroni and others prayed in faith that the Book of Mormon would come forth in the latter days so that the descendants of their brethren, the Lamanites, could be restored to “the knowledge of Christ” and to the covenants that God had made with the house of Israel.

Conclusion

Moroni’s prophetic vantage point allowed him to complete the Nephite record with total awareness of both the escalating wickedness and the great spiritual blessings of the dispensation of the fulness of times. In a day when some people might be inclined to abandon faith in the face of great difficulties, Moroni’s words teach us to see miracles and revelations as evidence that “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (see Mormon 9:9). Although the spiritual and social conditions in the world may be in a state of constant change and decline, God’s covenant people can have full confidence that He is eternally the same.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Doctrine and Covenants

Holy Bible King James

Book of Mormon

“I Would That I Could Persuade All … to Repent”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

As we move to the next section to study Mormon 1–6, this week, lets look for truths that can help each of us remain faithful in times of wickedness, as Mormon did. But as we do lets keep in mind that repentance is not just for the big ones, its a daily process that we should engage in. We are human and still make human mistakes, choices and actions. If we heed the council of Mormon in these chapters, we can more feel more prepared and have a heart full of joy knowing that we have done all we can do do be repentant, and obedient for Christ who has suffered all to save us.

History and Background

The first six chapters of the book of Moroni deal with ordinances and practices of the Church in Moroni’s day: baptism, confirmation and the gift of the Holy Ghost, conferral of the priesthood and ordination to offices in the priesthood, the sacrament, fellowshipping new members, and conducting Church meetings. Some might be inclined to skip these chapters because their content is so familiar to active Latter-day Saints. But Moroni included these teachings because he felt that “perhaps they may be of worth unto [his] brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day” Moroni 1:4.

Moroni 1–3 After completing his abridgment of the plates of Ether, Moroni supposed that he would not write any more. However, he was inspired to “write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto [his] brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord” Moroni 1:4. His words affirm his faithfulness to Jesus Christ, and they also outline important ordinances of the gospel.

Moroni 4–5 Moroni recorded the Savior’s instructions to the Nephites regarding the administration of the sacrament, including the prayers that priesthood holders were to use in blessing the bread and wine.

Moroni 6 As Moroni neared the completion of his writings on the plates, he explained some of the qualifications for individuals to be baptized into the Church. He then outlined the responsibilities of Church members to care for each other. He also explained the purposes of Church meetings and emphasized the need for Church meetings to be conducted by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Some Doctrines and Principles

Priesthood ordinances are essential in the gospel of Jesus Christ Moroni 2–6.
We partake of the sacrament to renew covenants with the Lord Moroni 4–5.
Repentance leads to baptism Moroni 6:1–3.
We must watch over each other and nourish each other with the word of God Moroni 6:4–9.

Part One: Mormon 1–6 We can live righteously despite the wickedness around us.

Mormon reported that, starting in the 201st year, pride, disunity, and wickedness took over (see 4 Nephi 1:24–47). In the book of Mormon we read of events where he was an eyewitness. These events include the demise of the Nephite civilization. In Mormon 1–6 we can empathize with Mormon’s sorrow over the destruction of his people, a destruction which came upon them because of their rejection of the Lord and His gospel. We can also resolve to avoid such calamity in our own lives. (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

We can all, as members of the church understand Mormon’s experience with striving to live righteously in a wicked world. Particularly in this time and season we are currently in. What can we learn from Mormon’s example that might help us now?

In the following verses find phrases or words that identify Mormon’s qualities that would direct us today ? Mormon 1:2–3, 15–16; 2:1, 23–24; 3:1–3, 12, 17–22

2 And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

3 Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.

15 And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.

16 And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their iniquity.

1 And it came to pass in that same year there began to be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader, or the leader of their armies.

23 And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes.

24 And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that they did not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them.

1 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.

3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God.

How would these qualities have helped Mormon remain spiritually strong?

How can they help us be more like Mormon?

Mormon frequently wrote directly to people in our day. What can we learn from his words to us in Mormon 3:17–22 and 5:10–24? (click the link to read or see passage below)

17 Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance;

18 Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem.

19 And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem.

20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;

21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God.

22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

10 And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come.

11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus.

12 Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time.

13 And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.

14 And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant;

15 And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles; for this people shall be scattered, and shall become a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that which ever hath been amongst us, yea, even that which hath been among the Lamanites, and this because of their unbelief and idolatry.

16 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to strive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as chaff before the wind.

17 They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father.

18 But now, behold, they are led about by Satan, even as chaff is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her; and even as she is, so are they.

19 And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which they might have received in the land, for the Gentiles who shall possess the land.

20 But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel.

21 And also the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto him for them.

22 And then, O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways?

23 Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power, and at his great command the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll?

24 Therefore, repent ye, and humble yourselves before him, lest he shall come out in justice against you—lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion, and tear you in pieces, and there is none to deliver.

What qualities did he have that made him a great leader?

In an overview of Mormon’s life, President Gordon B. Hinckley referred to the meaning associated with Mormon’s name, a name that has become a reference to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “May I remind you for a moment of the greatness and of the goodness of this man Mormon. He lived on this American continent in the fourth century after Christ. When Mormon was a boy of ten, the historian of the people, whose name was Ammaron, described him as ‘a sober child, and … quick to observe’ (Mormon 1:2). Ammaron gave him a charge that when he reached the age of twenty-four, he was to take custody of the records of the generations who had preceded him. The years that followed Mormon’s childhood were years of terrible bloodshed for his nation, the result of a long and vicious and terrible war between those who were called Nephites and those who were called Lamanites. Mormon later became the leader of the armies of the Nephites and witnessed the carnage of his people, making it plain to them that their repeated defeats came because they forsook the Lord and He in turn abandoned them. …“He wrote to our generation with words of warning and pleading, proclaiming with eloquence his testimony of the resurrected Christ. He warned of calamities to come if we should forsake the ways of the Lord as his own people had done. Knowing that his own life would soon be brought to an end, as his enemies hunted the survivors, he pleaded for our generation to walk with faith, hope, and charity, declaring, ‘Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him’ (Moroni 7:47). Such was the goodness, the strength, the power, the faith, the prophetic heart of the prophet-leader Mormon” (Conference Report, Oct. 1990, 69–70; or Ensign, Nov. 1990, 52).

How can we apply Mormon’s counsel to help us stay spiritually strong in today’s world?

Part Two: Mormon 2:10–15 Repentance requires a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

To learn about the difference between sorrow that leads to repentance and sorrow that does not, we read Mormon 2:10–15

10 And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.

11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.

12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.

13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.

14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.

15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.

What is the role of “sorrowing” in repentance? If our sorrow for sin is unto repentance, it will lead us to come unto Christ with a humble heart. Sorrow only for the consequences of sin leads to damnation, or being stopped in our progress toward eternal life.

Why were the Nephites sorrowing? Mormon 2:10–13 (click to read or see above passage) They sorrowed only because of the consequences of their sins, not because they regretted their actions.

What do you think it means that “the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin?” (See Verse 13 in above passage)

What did the Nephites not do, because they were sorrowing only for the consequences of sin?

How might sorrowing only because of the consequences of sin prevent us from coming unto Jesus Christ and repenting? Sorrowing only because of the consequences of sin can prevent us from coming unto Jesus Christ with broken hearts and contrite spirits.

What should we feel sorrow for when we sin?

What do you think it means to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit? To be humble and repentant [see Guide to the Scriptures, “Broken Heart,” scriptures.lds.org].)

Repentance isn’t easy. It takes ability. It takes self-discipline and humility. Repentance is not a negative teaching, but rather it is a positive process of building good character. Repentance could become a remedy for most spiritual ills. However, it is not a mere superficial, shallow-rooted expression of regret. What, then, is true repentance?

President Joseph F. Smith declared that: “True repentance is not only sorrow for sins, and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them [sins], a discontinuance of all evil practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light. Not only so, but to make restitution, so far as it is possible, for all the wrongs we have done, to pay our debts, and restore to God and man their rights—that which is due to them from us. This is true repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of body and mind is demanded, to complete this glorious work of repentance; [only] then God will accept it.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 123.)

If one truly repents, it will be manifested by his works, for, “By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins —behold, he will confess them and forsake them.” (D&C 58:43.) Thus repentance calls for a heartfelt sorrow for sin resulting not only in a cessation thereof but also in reformation of life. That’s the important thing—a reformation of life!

To repent isn’t exactly popular these days. Yet the Lord expects each of us to repent, to improve, and to conscientiously reform our lives. In fact, he set for us a lofty goal, saying: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48.) (There is Need for Repentance Elray L Christiansen October 1973 General Conference)

What attitudes and behaviors can help us have “broken hearts and contrite spirits”?

“Let him that stole steal no more. …” (Eph. 4:28.)

“… let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. …” (D&C 121:45.)

“… pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44.) Destroy your enemies by making them your friends.

Let the unkind among us become considerate.

Let the truth be spoken always, no matter what the consequences may be. (There is Need for Repentance Elray L Christiansen October 1973 General Conference)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:7–8, 10.)

Part Three: Mormon 3:12 We can love others, even if we don’t agree with their choices.

Like Mormon, many of us associate closely with people who do not share our beliefs. How might we use Mormon’s experience in loving others despite our differences?

12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts.

What was Mormon’s response when the Nephites swore to seek revenge? 3:11–13

11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.

13 And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have repented not of their sins.

When he was in the Presiding Bishopric, Bishop Glenn L. Pace admonished us to strive to emulate the love Mormon exhibited: “This prophet had Christlike love for a fallen people. Can we be content with loving less? We must press forward with the pure love of Christ to spread the good news of the gospel. As we do so and fight the war of good against evil, light against darkness, and truth against falsehood, we must not neglect our responsibility of dressing the wounds of those who have fallen in battle. There is no room in the kingdom for fatalism” (Conference Report, Oct. 1990, 8; or Ensign, Nov. 1990, 8–9).

What experiences do you have from your own lives of loving those who did not share your beliefs or values?

President Dallin H. Oaks explained: “We should all follow the gospel teachings to love our neighbor and avoid contention. Followers of Christ should be examples of civility. We should love all people, be good listeners, and show concern for their sincere beliefs. Though we may disagree, we should not be disagreeable. Our stands and communications on controversial topics should not be contentious. We should be wise in explaining and pursuing our positions and in exercising our influence. In doing so, we ask that others not be offended by our sincere religious beliefs and the free exercise of our religion. We encourage all of us to practice the Savior’s Golden Rule: ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them’ (Matthew 7:12). “When our positions do not prevail, we should accept unfavorable results graciously and practice civility with our adversaries” (“Loving Others and Living with Differences,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 27).

Part 4: Mormon 6:17 Jesus Christ stands with open arms to receive us.

For those who might have no hope that they can be forgiven for their sins, Mormon’s description of the Savior standing “with open arms to receive you” provides reassurance.

17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!

What does this verse teach about the Savior’s eagerness to help us?

President Russell M. Nelson shared the following experience:

“Last year while Elder David S. Baxter and I were driving to a stake conference, we stopped at a restaurant. Later when returning to our car, we were approached by a woman who called out to us. … She asked if we were elders in the Church. We said yes. Almost unrestrained, she told the story of her tragic life, swamped in sin. Now, only 28 years old, she was miserable. She felt worthless, with nothing to live for. As she spoke, the sweetness of her soul began to emerge. Pleading tearfully, she asked if there was any hope for her, any way up and out of her hopelessness.

“‘Yes,’ we responded, ‘there is hope. Hope is linked to repentance. You can change. You can “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”’ [Moroni 10:32]. We urged her not to procrastinate [see Alma 13:27; 34:33]. She sobbed humbly and thanked us sincerely.

“As Elder Baxter and I continued our journey, we pondered that experience. We recalled the counsel given to a hopeless soul by Aaron, who said, ‘If thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, … then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest’ [Alma 22:16]. …

“… To the 28-year-old woman mired in the swamp of sin, and to each one of us, I declare that the sweet blessing of repentance is possible. It comes through complete conversion to the Lord and His holy work.”

In addition, President Nelson observed: “We also remember the sinful people under the care of their concerned leader, Mormon, who wrote, ‘I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them’ (Mormon 5:2)” (“Repentance and Conversion,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 102, 104).

Mormon mourned the death of his unrepentant people and sorrowed that they did not change their ways before their lives ended. If they had set aside their pride and repented of their sins, Mormon taught that their reunion with the Savior would have been joyful (see Mormon 6:17).

We too must prepare ourselves to stand before the Lord at the Judgment. President James E. Faust explained:

“We long for the ultimate blessing of the Atonement—to become one with Him, to be in His divine presence, to be called individually by name as He warmly welcomes us home with a radiant smile, beckoning us with open arms to be enfolded in His boundless love. How gloriously sublime this experience will be if we can feel worthy enough to be in His presence! The free gift of His great atoning sacrifice for each of us is the only way we can be exalted enough to stand before Him and see Him face-to-face. The overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity, long-suffering, and, above all, forgiving.

“The evil influence of Satan would destroy any hope we have in overcoming our mistakes. He would have us feel that we are lost and that there is no hope. In contrast, Jesus reaches down to us to lift us up. Through our repentance and the gift of the Atonement, we can prepare to be worthy to stand in His presence” (Conference Report, Oct. 2001, 22; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 20).

Along with ourselves, how can we help others recognize that repentance is possible?

Conclusion

Its important to know that though our times are severely wicked, they will get worse, yet, there is hope for we can live righteously in a wicked world, the Lord does not leave us alone to do so. He has given us specific guidelines through these chapters as well as our living prophet today. Keeping this in mind it is critical that we understand repentance and what it means to have a broken heart and contrite spirit. To love others as Christ loves us and to be prepared to meet him. Are we? Today if he came could we stand before him and look at him with a perfect recollection of all we have done, thought, said? I can imagine that we would be bathing his feet with our tears.

As we access the Atonement, repenting righteously, we can be ready, and He will accept our hearts. Let us not forget He stands with open arms, to everyone, that means you and me too. Let us press forward with this goal, with this hope in mind.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Guide to the Scriptures

Seminary Manual

Institute Manual

“There Could Not Be a Happier People”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / 2 Comments

In an evaluation of your life have you thought about this question? How happy are you? I’ve thought about it a lot particularly lately. How happy am I. I still struggle with health and financial issues, I still struggle with trial tribulation an find myself repenting of things daily and wish I could be better. I find that I am a woman that makes mistakes, that suffers from anxiety and PTSD, self esteem issues and neediness. I suffer from the grief of the death of my children daily, and simply put, I just suffer; but am I happy? I could never be happier as the gospel of Jesus Christ changed my life and though I suffer, I do so gratefully for He is worth it, and my joy is full. In all these things, I truly have happiness and my heart though it grieves and I struggle, it is not beyond the touch of Jesus Christ it is not, beyond being happy.

As we study this week 3 Nephi 27–4 Nephi we can put a focus on the happiness of the people as they embrace the gospel. In this, we too can embrace and find joy.

History and Background

3 Nephi 27 Soon after the Savior’s ministry among the Nephites, the twelve newly called Nephite disciples met together in mighty prayer and fasting. Jesus Christ appeared to them and answered their question concerning the name they should give the Church. He taught them about His gospel and commanded them to be like Him.

3 Nephi 28 When Jesus Christ asked each of His twelve Nephite disciples what they desired of Him, nine requested to speedily return to Him when their ministry on the earth was complete. Three desired to remain on the earth to bring souls to Him until His Second Coming. The Lord honored both sets of righteous desires. Mormon provided some details of the Three Nephites’ ministry, and he also shared what the Lord had revealed to him about the physical change the Three Nephites experienced so they could remain on the earth.

3 Nephi 29–30 As Mormon concluded his account of the Savior’s visit among the Nephites, he explained that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon would be a sign that the Lord was fulfilling His covenant with the house of Israel. He also warned that those who reject the works of God will be subject to God’s judgments. Finally, he recorded the Savior’s invitation for all people to repent and be numbered among the house of Israel.

4 Nephi In only 49 verses, the book of 4 Nephi narrates a period of nearly 300 years—almost one-third of the entire Nephite history covered by the Book of Mormon. The brevity of 4 Nephi contributes to its power. It succinctly highlights the contrast between the people’s righteousness immediately following the Savior’s ministry among them and their wickedness four generations later. The book’s first 18 verses illustrate the blessings enjoyed by a society that is built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. Later verses provide a witness of the destructiveness of pride, showing how this society gradually weakened until it was almost entirely consumed in sin. After Jesus Christ’s ministry among the descendants of Lehi, the people applied His teachings and enjoyed many years of unity, prosperity, and happiness. They united as “the children of Christ” and no longer referred to themselves as Nephites or Lamanites (4 Nephi 1:17). However, they eventually became prideful and increasingly wicked, and they again divided themselves as Nephites and Lamanites. Nearly 300 years after the Savior’s visit, almost all the people had become wicked.

Part One: 3 Nephi 27:1–22 The Church of Jesus Christ is called in His name and is built upon His gospel.

Discussing the name of the Church helps to deepen our appreciation for our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following is how the church was named and why.

1 And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting.

2 And Jesus again showed himself unto them, for they were praying unto the Father in his name; and Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, and said unto them: What will ye that I shall give unto you?

3 And they said unto him: Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell us the name whereby we shall call this church; for there are disputations among the people concerning this matter.

4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing?

5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;

6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.

8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;

10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.

11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.

12 For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you.

13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—

15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

What can a name communicate about an organization and the people in it?

Soon after Jesus Christ’s visit to the Nephites, His twelve Nephite disciples united in fasting and prayer. They wanted to know what the name of the Church should be. As they were praying, the Savior appeared and began to teach them. 3 Nephi 27:1–3 (click the link to read or see above)

What did the Savior taught about the name of His Church?

What reasons did He give for naming the Church after Himself?

What is the the Savior’s description of His true Church? The true Church of Jesus Christ must be called by His name and be built upon His gospel.

Why do you think it is important for the Savior’s Church to bear His name?

Why is it important to use the name of the Church as we share our beliefs with others?

President M. Russell Ballard said:

“I have thought a lot about why the Savior gave the nine-word name to His restored Church. It may seem long, but if we think of it as a descriptive overview of what the Church is, it suddenly becomes wonderfully brief, candid, and straightforward. How could any description be more direct and clear and yet expressed in such few words?

“Every word is clarifying and indispensable. The word The indicates the unique position of the restored Church among the religions of the world.

“The words Church of Jesus Christ declare that it is His Church [see 3 Nephi 27:8]. …

“Of Latter-day explains that it is the same Church as the Church that Jesus Christ established during His mortal ministry but restored in these latter days. We know there was a falling away, or an apostasy, necessitating the Restoration of His true and complete Church in our time.

“Saints means that its members follow Him and strive to do His will, keep His commandments, and prepare once again to live with Him and our Heavenly Father in the future. Saint simply refers to those who seek to make their lives holy by covenanting to follow Christ” (“The Importance of a Name,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 80).

Why do you think it is important for the Church to not just bear Jesus Christ’s name but also be built on His gospel?

How would we summarize what the Savior said?

As we study the Savior’s definition of the gospel, what insights do we gain about how to live the gospel in our daily lives?

Part Two: 3 Nephi 29–30 The Book of Mormon is a sign that God’s latter-day work is being fulfilled.

3 Nephi ends with Mormon describing the Book of Mormon’s role in the latter-day gathering of Israel and the Lord (through Mormon) warning the Gentiles in the latter days to repent and turn unto Him. These chapters give us a good opportunity to recommit to using the Book of Mormon in our lives and in inviting others to come unto the Savior.

3 Nephi 29–30 by talking about signs. What is signified by the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, which Mormon called “these sayings?” 3 Nephi 29:1–3

1 And now behold, I say unto you that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled.

2 And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of Israel.

3 And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.

“these sayings” in 3 Nephi 29:1 refers to the writings of the Book of Mormon. How would you summarize the prophecy recorded in these verses? The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign that the Lord is fulfilling His covenant to gather Israel in the latter days. The Book of Mormon is fulfillment of Mormon’s prophecy and we can be assured that the Lord is preparing His people for His coming.

What message did the Lord give in 3 Nephi 29:4–9 to those who would “spurn” or “deny”

4 And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the sword of his justice is in his right hand; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it shall soon overtake you.

5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!

6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!

7 Yea, and wo unto him that shall say at that day, to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ; for he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!

8 Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn.

9 Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel.

What did Mormon say people in the last days would spurn? “The doings of the Lord.”

What do you think Mormon meant when he wrote, “Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord … [and] shall deny the Christ and his works?” Those who spurn the Lord’s doings and deny Him will eventually experience sadness and regret.

How does reading the Book of Mormon daily strengthen our faith in those things that other people “spurn” or “deny” in our day?

In 3 Nephi 30, Mormon fulfilled a commandment from the Lord to record an invitation from Jesus Christ specifically to the Gentiles, or people without the gospel.

1 Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying:

2 Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

What did the Savior invite the Gentiles of the last days to do? “turn … from your wicked ways,” “repent of your evil doings,” and “come unto me, and be baptized in my name.”

What blessings does Jesus Christ promise to the Gentiles if they will accept His invitations and come unto Him? Receiving a remission of sins, being filled with the Holy Ghost, and being numbered among His people.

What principle do we learn about this from Verse 2? If we repent, come unto Jesus Christ, and be baptized, then we will receive a remission of our sins, be filled with the Holy Ghost, and be numbered with the house of Israel.

“It does not matter if your lineage in the house of Israel is through bloodlines or by adoption. As a member of the Church, you are counted as a descendant of Abraham and an heir to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 112).

“As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you are a child of the covenant (see 3 Nephi 20:25–26). You have received the everlasting gospel and inherited the same promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You have the right to the blessings of the priesthood and to eternal life, according to your faithfulness in receiving the ordinances of salvation and keeping the associated covenants. Nations of the earth will be blessed by your efforts and by the labors of your posterity” (True to the Faith, 5–6).

Why is it a blessing to be numbered among the Lord’s people?

Even though 3 Nephi 30:2 is addressed to those who are not members of the Church, we can use Jesus Christ’s invitation to measure our own efforts to keep the covenants we have made with God. We can use 3 Nephi 30:2 to evaluate our efforts to come unto Christ by turning from “evil doings.”

Self-Evaluation: determine which “evil doings” you may need to more fully turn away from in order to come unto Christ. As we repent and come unto Jesus Christ, He will bless us and number us among His people.

“Evil doings” mentioned in 3 Nephi 30:2	I do this often.I sometimes do this.I never do this.
Lying and deceiving (leading someone to believe something that is not true)
Secret abominations (private actions that are sinful or offensive to God)
Idolatries (giving priority to the things of the world over the things of God)
Priestcrafts (participating in religious activities to glorify oneself rather than to serve God and others)
Envyings (being jealous or resentful of what someone else has)
Strifes (contention, fighting, or quarreling)

Part Three: 4 Nephi Conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel leads to unity and happiness.

The account in 4 Nephi illustrates the joy that can come into our lives as individuals, as families, and as a ward or stake as we strive to be more fully converted to Jesus Christ.

It covers the nearly 200 years of unity and harmony following Jesus Christ’s visit to the Americas. The people “were all converted unto the Lord” 4 Nephi 1:2, resulting in a society that people of all ages have dreamed of. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles observed that following Christ’s visit, “His majestic teachings and ennobling spirit led to the happiest of all times, a time in which ‘there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift’ [4 Nephi 1:2–3]. That blessed circumstance was, I suppose, achieved on only one other occasion of which we know—the city of Enoch, where ‘they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them’ [Moses 7:18]” (Conference Report, Apr. 1996, 40; or Ensign, May 1996, 30).

When we talk about being converted unto the Lord we need to remember that this includes more than simply being a member of His Church. It involves “changing one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God … [and] become a disciple of Christ” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Conversion, Convert,” scriptures.lds.org).

President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988) of the First Presidency gave the following insight regarding the meaning of true conversion:

“Webster [dictionary] says the verb, ‘convert,’ means ‘to turn from one belief or course to another.’ That ‘conversion’ is ‘a spiritual and moral change. …’ As used in the scriptures, ‘converted’ generally implies not merely mental acceptance of Jesus and his teachings but also a motivating faith in him and in his gospel—a faith which works a transformation, an actual change in one’s understanding of life’s meaning and in his allegiance to God—in interest, in thought, and in conduct. …“In one who is wholly converted, desire for things inimical [contrary] to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died, and substituted therefor is a love of God with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments. …“… From this it would appear that membership in the Church and conversion are not necessarily synonymous. Being converted … and having a testimony are not necessarily the same thing either. A testimony comes when the Holy Ghost gives the earnest seeker a witness of the truth. A moving testimony vitalizes faith; that is, it induces repentance and obedience to the commandments. Conversion, on the other hand, is the fruit of, or the reward for, repentance and obedience” (Conference Report, Oct. 1963, 23–24).

In 4 Nephi 1:1–2 what happened as the people became converted unto the Lord?

1 And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.

2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

When we are converted unto the Lord, we avoid contention. Regarding the way members of the Church should treat others, the Lord revealed, “Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God” (D&C 82:19).

Why do you think becoming converted unto the Lord helps us avoid engaging in contention with others?

What words or phrases in these verses describe what the people experienced because they were all converted unto the Lord? 4 Nephi 1:3, 5, 7, 10–13, 15.

5 And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus.

6 And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away.

7 And the Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land; yea, insomuch that they did build cities again where there had been cities burned.

8 Yea, even that great city Zarahemla did they cause to be built again.

9 But there were many cities which had been sunk, and waters came up in the stead thereof; therefore these cities could not be renewed.

10 And now, behold, it came to pass that the people of Nephi did wax strong, and did multiply exceedingly fast, and became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people.

11 And they were married, and given in marriage, and were blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.

12 And they did not walk any more after the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses; but they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.

13 And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people, in all the land; but there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.

14 And it came to pass that the seventy and first year passed away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine, till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom he had chosen, had all gone to the paradise of God, save it were the three who should tarry; and there were other disciples ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had passed away.

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

What ceased to exist among the people during this time? 4 Nephi 1:16–17

**Note: tumults refer to public commotions or upoars, whoredoms refer to sexual sins, and lasciviousness refers to lustfulness and immorality.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

What do you think the phrase “nor any manner of -ites” (verse 17) means? The people of the Book of Mormon had distinguished themselves as Nephites and Lamanites—and many other “-ites”—for centuries, but after the Savior’s ministry among them, these distinctions disappeared.

What can we do to overcome such divisions and truly become “one, the children of Christ”?

What would it take in today’s world to build a society that did not have any contentions or disputations? President Spencer W. Kimball taught how this goal can be achieved: “First, we must eliminate the individual tendency to selfishness that snares the soul, shrinks the heart, and darkens the mind. …“Second, we must cooperate completely and work in harmony one with the other. …“Third, we must lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord. We begin by offering a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit’ [3 Nephi 9:20]” (Conference Report, Apr. 1978, 123; or Ensign, May 1978, 81).

President James E. Faust of the First Presidency taught that despite diversity of cultures, races, or traditions, unity can be developed: “I have learned to admire, respect, and love the good people from every race, culture, and nation that I have been privileged to visit. In my experience, no race or class seems superior to any other in spirituality and faithfulness. Those who seem less caring spiritually are those individuals—regardless of race, culture, or nationality—spoken of by the Savior in the parable of the sower who are ‘choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection’ [Luke 8:14]. …“As we move into more and more countries in the world, we find a rich cultural diversity in the Church. Yet everywhere there can be a ‘unity of the faith’ [Ephesians 4:13]. Each group brings special gifts and talents to the table of the Lord. We can all learn much of value from each other. But each of us should also voluntarily seek to enjoy all of the unifying and saving covenants, ordinances, and doctrines of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. “In the great diversity of peoples, cultures, and circumstances, we remember that all are equal before the Lord” (Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 81–82; or Ensign, May 1995, 61–62).

According to verses 16–17, how were the people blessed because they were converted unto the Lord? When we are converted unto the Lord, we are blessed with happiness and unity as the children of Christ.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught: “Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness of her citizens [see Moses 7:18]. … If we would establish Zion in our homes, branches, wards, and stakes, we must rise to this standard. It will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen—Zion will come only as they happen” (“Come to Zion,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 38).

How do you think your life would be different if everyone you knew was converted unto the Lord?

Tragically, the second half of 4 Nephi reveals how a righteous and happy people allowed pride and apostasy to enter their lives, bringing the eventual destruction of their society.

What can we learn from the decline of the Zion society?

What ended the happiness and unity the people experienced in the nearly 200 years following the Savior’s visit? 4 Nephi 1:19–34

19 And it came to pass that Nephi, he that kept this last record, (and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi) died, and his son Amos kept it in his stead; and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi also.

20 And he kept it eighty and four years, and there was still peace in the land, save it were a small part of the people who had revolted from the church and taken upon them the name of Lamanites; therefore there began to be Lamanites again in the land.

21 And it came to pass that Amos died also, (and it was an hundred and ninety and four years from the coming of Christ) and his son Amos kept the record in his stead; and he also kept it upon the plates of Nephi; and it was also written in the book of Nephi, which is this book.

22 And it came to pass that two hundred years had passed away; and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few.

23 And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people had multiplied, insomuch that they were spread upon all the face of the land, and that they had become exceedingly rich, because of their prosperity in Christ.

24 And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.

25 And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them.

26 And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ.

27 And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness.

28 And this church did multiply exceedingly because of iniquity, and because of the power of Satan who did get hold upon their hearts.

29 And again, there was another church which denied the Christ; and they did persecute the true church of Christ, because of their humility and their belief in Christ; and they did despise them because of the many miracles which were wrought among them.

30 Therefore they did exercise power and authority over the disciples of Jesus who did tarry with them, and they did cast them into prison; but by the power of the word of God, which was in them, the prisons were rent in twain, and they went forth doing mighty miracles among them.

31 Nevertheless, and notwithstanding all these miracles, the people did harden their hearts, and did seek to kill them, even as the Jews at Jerusalem sought to kill Jesus, according to his word.

32 And they did cast them into furnaces of fire, and they came forth receiving no harm.

33 And they also cast them into dens of wild beasts, and they did play with the wild beasts even as a child with a lamb; and they did come forth from among them, receiving no harm.

34 Nevertheless, the people did harden their hearts, for they were led by many priests and false prophets to build up many churches, and to do all manner of iniquity. And they did smite upon the people of Jesus; but the people of Jesus did not smite again. And thus they did dwindle in unbelief and wickedness, from year to year, even until two hundred and thirty years had passed away.

What truths in these verses can help us identify attitudes and behaviors that need to change in our lives and in our society?

Conclusion

In recent days President Nelson has taught of the importance of the name of the church, and the importance we have to uphold that name and use it correctly. In great detail this is explained in these chapters giving us even more reason to practice this appropriately. In connection with this The Book of Mormon is a sign that latter-day work is being fulfilled, this is evident more now than ever, and conversion, true conversion is a new level we need to achieve.

“Your happiness now and forever is conditioned on your degree of conversion and the transformation that it brings to your life” (Richard G. Scott, “Full Conversion Brings Happiness,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2002, 25).

How can your efforts to become more converted unto the Lord influence the happiness and well-being of those around you? When members of a family, quorum, class, or other group are unified in righteousness, they can experience greater happiness than they would be able to experience on their own. Therefore let us be unified and progress to the state of happiness the Lord wants us to have.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Doctrine and Covenants

Conference Reports

Ensign

True to the Faith

Guide to the Scriptures

“Ye Are the Children of the Covenant”

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As we Let the Spirit guide our study of 3 Nephi 20–26. He will help us identify principles that could be particularly meaningful to each of us, our families and people we may have the opportunity to teach.

History and Background

During the second day of His three-day ministry, the Savior endorsed and expounded on the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. He observed the extent of Isaiah’s prophecies as touching on “all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel” 3 Nephi 23:2. Jesus Christ personally examined the scriptural record for accuracy and caused that the fulfillment of Samuel’s prophesy of the Resurrection and the words of Malachi be included 3 Nephi 24:1; 26:1–2. Malachi’s words declare the blessings associated with the law of tithing and the role the prophet Elijah would have during the last days in preparation for the Second Coming.

The Lord commanded each of us to search the scriptures and the prophets 3 Nephi 23:5. The Savior declared it is wisdom that “these scriptures … should be given unto future generations” 3 Nephi 26:2. Every Latter-day Saint has a duty to diligently search the scriptures. Consider what it means to diligently search the scriptures and the prophets rather than merely reading them.

3 Nephi 20 On the second day of His ministry among the Nephites, Jesus Christ again administered the sacrament to the people. He testified that the covenants and promises of the Father would be fulfilled in the last days. Israel would be gathered, and all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

3 Nephi 21–22 As Jesus Christ continued to teach the Nephites, He explained that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in the last days would be a sign that He had started gathering Israel and fulfilling His covenant with His people. Emphasizing His great love for His covenant people, the Savior quoted Isaiah’s prophecies about the restoration of the covenant people.

3 Nephi 23 After quoting the words of Isaiah, Jesus Christ commanded the Nephites to search this prophet’s words. He said that Isaiah’s words are a blessing because Isaiah “spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel”. He also said that all of Isaiah’s words had been or would be fulfilled. The Savior then commanded the Nephites to search the words of all the prophets and instructed them to add material to their records.

3 Nephi 24–26 Jesus Christ fulfilled a commandment from Heavenly Father to share with the Nephites some prophecies from the prophet Malachi. These prophecies taught that members of the house of Israel needed to repent and return to the Lord in preparation for the Savior’s Second Coming. Jesus Christ also expounded unto the Nephites “all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory”. Mormon taught that those who believe the Book of Mormon will have even greater things manifested unto them.

Part One: 3 Nephi 20:25–41; 21:9–11, 22–29 In the latter days, God will perform a great and marvelous work.

The Savior spoke of “a great and a marvelous work” 3 Nephi 21:9 that His Father would do in the last days. He called the Restoration of the latter days “a great and a marvelous work”. In the early days of the Restoration, the Savior said “a marvelous work is about to come forth” D&C 4:1.

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of the miracle of the Restoration and of our responsibility to help move the work forward: “This glorious gospel was ushered in with the appearance of the Father and the Son to the boy Joseph. The dawn of the dispensation of the fulness of times rose upon the world. All of the good, the beautiful, the divine of all previous dispensations was restored in this most remarkable season. …“Do we really comprehend, do we understand the tremendous significance of that which we have? …“We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it. “We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 84–85; or Ensign, May 2004, 83–84).

The gathering of Israel primarily consists of the scattered remnants of the house of Israel coming to believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as the Savior of the world by being baptized and becoming members of His Church. For some of the house of Israel it also includes gathering to a particular land of inheritance.

What do we learn about that work as we study these passages from the listed chapters?

25 And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

26 The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities; and this because ye are the children of the covenant—

27 And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel.

28 And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father.

29 And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people; and I have covenanted with them that I would gather them together in mine own due time, that I would give unto them again the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land unto them forever, saith the Father.

30 And it shall come to pass that the time cometh, when the fulness of my gospel shall be preached unto them;

31 And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and shall pray unto the Father in my name.

32 Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye.

33 Then will the Father gather them together again, and give unto them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance.

34 Then shall they break forth into joy—Sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Father hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

35 The Father hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the Father; and the Father and I are one.

36 And then shall be brought to pass that which is written: Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

37 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

38 For thus saith the Lord: Ye have sold yourselves for naught, and ye shall be redeemed without money.

39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that my people shall know my name; yea, in that day they shall know that I am he that doth speak.

40 And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!

41 And then shall a cry go forth: Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.

9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them.

10 But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

11 Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant.

22 But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance;

23 And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem.

24 And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem.

25 And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst.

26 And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people, yea, even the tribes which have been lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem.

27 Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, with the Father to prepare the way whereby they may come unto me, that they may call on the Father in my name.

28 Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father among all nations in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home to the land of their inheritance.

29 And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward.

What did the Savior say would happen in a future day? 3 Nephi 20:30–32, 39–41; 21:22–29 (Click the link to read)

Why would He call these things “great” and “marvelous”?

What evidence do we see that this work is taking place? How do we participate in it?

The Prophet Joseph Smith helped fulfill the Lord’s great and marvelous work.

How did the Lord “give unto him power that he shall bring [the gospel] forth unto the Gentiles”? 3 Nephi 21: 11 (click the link to read)

Why is it important to know that Joseph Smith’s ministry was foretold by the Savior? 2 Nephi 3. (click the link to read)

How do you see yourself in the great work foretold in these chapters? 3 Nephi 20:25–27 (click the link to read or see above passage)

When we make covenants with the Lord, we become the seed of Abraham. The phrase “seed of Abraham” can refer to people who are literal descendants of Abraham. It can also refer to people who, by accepting and obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, receive the fulness of the gospel, the blessings of the priesthood, and the same promises and covenants that God made with Abraham. Therefore as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are of the seed of Abraham and with that comes great responsibility, particularly in the gathering of Israel

How can we as the descendants of Abraham, (that includes us), bless “all the kindreds of the earth”?

President Russel M Nelson taught: “Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world [see Alma 13:1–9]. That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate!” (Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88).

He further taught:

“These surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!

“When we speak of gathering, we are simply saying this fundamental truth: every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. …

“… Think of it! Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event. How exciting is that! …

“This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth” (“Hope of Israel” [worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

The importance of fulfilling our responsibility to help gather Israel is paramount to the commandments and plan of the Father.

What can we do individually and as a family to improve in our responsibilities and understand the Great and Marvelous Work?

Part Two: 3 Nephi 23; 26:1–12 The Savior wants us to search the scriptures.

During the second day of His three-day ministry, the Savior endorsed and expounded on the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. He observed the extent of Isaiah’s prophecies as touching on “all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel” Jesus Christ personally examined the scriptural record for accuracy and caused that the fulfillment of Samuel’s prophesy of the Resurrection and the words of Malachi be included. Malachi’s words declare the blessings associated with the law of tithing and the role the prophet Elijah would have during the last days in preparation for the Second Coming.

The Lord commanded each of us to search the scriptures and the prophets. The Savior declared it is wisdom that “these scriptures … should be given unto future generations” Every Latter-day Saint has a duty to diligently search the scriptures. Consider what it means to diligently search the scriptures and the prophets rather than merely reading them.

Why did the Lord want the people to search the words of Isaiah? 3 Nephi 23:2–3.

2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.

3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.

What else the Savior commanded the people to give heed to and search? read 3 Nephi 23:4–5

4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles.

5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.

The Savior commands us to give heed to His words and to search diligently the words of the prophets.

What is the relationship between the Savior’s words and the words of His prophets? Doctrine and Covenants 1:38.

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same

Why do you think it is important to search their words diligently? 1. The scriptures serve many purposes for mankind. 2. The scriptures promise great blessings to those who follow the teachings found therein. 3. The prophets of this dispensation describe many benefits that come to those who study and love the scriptures. 4. Through scripture study you may hear the voice of the Lord.

While gospel study does not require formal academic training, it does involve reason and mental exertion. The Lord expects us to “seek … diligently.” In our search for truth, we read, analyze information, weigh its reliability, and take time for deliberate pondering. We examine others’ assumptions, as well as our own, and seek to place words and facts in their proper context. We are discerning and careful, always remembering that our knowledge is incomplete but growing.

In what ways is diligently searching the words of Jesus Christ and the prophets different from only reading their words?

“As one would expect, there is a difference between diligent searching or “pondering over the scriptures” and casual reading. A Church history story illustrates the difference.

A small six-year-old boy wandered away from his handcart company during a storm and was lost. When the storm subsided, Robert and Ann Parker realized their boy was missing and began searching. For two days an organized search was unsuccessful. The decision was made that the company must move on because of the approaching winter.

A pioneer journal records the following: “Ann Parker pinned a bright [red] shawl about the thin shoulders of her husband and sent him back alone on the trail to search again for their child. If he found him dead he was to wrap him in the shawl; if alive, the shawl would be a flag to signal her. Ann and her children took up their load and struggled on with the company, while Robert retraced the miles of … trail, calling, and searching and praying for his helpless little son.”

One suspects that he did not just casually look behind a few trees or leisurely walk along the trail, but that he vigorously investigated every thicket, every clump of trees and gully or wash.

“At last he reached a … trading station where he learned that his child had been found and cared for by a woodsman and his wife. [The boy] had been ill from exposure and fright. [But] God had heard the prayers of his people.

“Out on the trail each night Ann and her children kept watch and, when, on the third night the rays of the setting sun caught the glimmer of a bright red shawl [above her husband’s head], the brave little mother sank in a pitiful heap in the sand. … [She] slept for the first time in six … days.”

The story illustrates the difference between just looking and searching diligently. A casual, infrequent exposure to the scriptures will generally not open the door to the whisperings of the Spirit or provide insights into the Savior’s life and character. We need to search the scriptures with the same vigor that Robert hunted for his son and with the consistency of the mother searching the horizon if we expect to hear his voice and know his words. President Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve in a general conference address stated the following:

“Those who delve into the scriptural library … find that to understand requires more than casual reading or perusal—there must be concentrated study. … One who studies the scriptures every day accomplishes far more than one who devotes considerable time one day and then lets days go by before continuing.” Coming Unto Christ By Searching The Scriptures Merrill J. Bateman Of the Second Quorum of the Seventy

What scripture study methods best help you make searching the words of Jesus Christ, Isaiah, and other prophets a meaningful part of your life? Many helpful tips are provided in a lesson from a Church Institute Manual Scripture Study—The Power of the Word Manual click the title to read and for more information.

**Points to Ponder: President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Always remember, there is no satisfactory substitute for the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. These should be your original sources. Read and ponder more what the Lord said, and less about what others have written concerning what the Lord said” (The Gospel Teacher, 5).

President Marion G. Romney, who was a Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “I don’t know much about the gospel other than what I’ve learned from the standard works. When I drink from a spring I like to get the water where it comes out of the ground, not down the stream after the cattle have waded in it. … I appreciate other people’s interpretation, but when it comes to the gospel we ought to be acquainted with what the Lord says and we ought to read it” (untitled address at CES coordinators convention, 13 Apr. 1973, 4).

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “The reading of our scriptures, for me, is not at the pursuit of scholarship. Rather, it is a love affair with the work of the Lord and that of his prophets. …“I do not concern myself much with reading long commentary volumes designed to enlarge at length upon that which is found in the scriptures. Rather, I prefer to dwell with the source, tasting of the unadulterated waters of the foundation of truth—the word of God as he gave it and as it has been recorded in the books we accept as scripture. … Through reading the scriptures, we can gain the assurance of the Spirit that that which we read has come of God for the enlightenment, blessing, and joy of his children” (“Feasting upon the Scriptures,” Ensign, Dec. 1985, 45).

Part Three 3 Nephi 24:1–6 The Lord is like a refiner’s fire.

Silver is found mixed with other minerals in deposits of ore. Anciently, a refiner of silver would extract the silver by placing the ore in a furnace heated to extreme temperatures. This would cause dross (impurities or unwanted minerals) to emerge on the surface of the molten ore. The refiner would scrape the dross away, leaving pure silver, which could be identified by its distinctive glow.

A fuller was someone who cleansed and whitened cloth. The cloth would be immersed in water mixed with “fuller’s soap,” which was designed to remove oil and dirt. While the cloth was soaking, the fuller would beat or stamp it to remove impurities. (“Refiner’s Fire and Fuller’s Soap,” New Era, June 2016, 6–7.)

How can we compare this story to how the Savior purifies us? 3 Nephi 24:1–6

1 And it came to pass that he commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And it came to pass that after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi—Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts.

6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Jesus Christ fulfilled a commandment from the Father 3 Nephi 26:2 to give the Nephites some of the prophecies of Malachi, an Old Testament prophet who lived in the Holy Land about 170 years after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem. Malachi prophesied that Jesus Christ would purify the world at His Second Coming. As part of this purification, the wicked will be destroyed. He expounded unto the people “all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory.” Mormon then taught that those who believe the Book of Mormon would have greater things manifested unto them 3 Nephi 26:9.

As He recited some of the prophecies of Malachi to the Nephites, Jesus Christ referred to the images of fire and soap. Imagine a glowing fire and a piece of soap. Think about what these two objects might have in common as purifying or cleansing agents.

Jesus Christ is compared to a refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap because of what He will do at His Second Coming. In 3 Nephi 24:3, He is compared to a silversmith, who purifies silver. To understand these verses, it is helpful to know that the process for refining silver. As mentioned above the refiner has to watch the silver closely, for if the silver is left even a moment too long in the flames, it will be destroyed. A fuller is a person who cleans garments or whitens them using soap. The “sons of Levi” were those who held the priesthood in ancient Israel; this term can apply to all of the Lord’s people today.

What does this imagery suggest will take place at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? At His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will purify His people.

What does this mean for us now? Are we being purified?

The Savior is our refiner. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: “His mission is to cleanse, purify, and refine the human soul so that it can return to his Father’s kingdom in purity, free from dross. (3 Ne. 27:19–21.) His cleansing power ‘is like a refiner’s fire, … And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver’ in that great day when he comes to judge the world. (Mal. 3:2–3; 3 Ne. 24:2–3; D.&C. 128:24)” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 624).

A fuller’s “work was to cleanse garments and whiten them” through the use of soap (Bible Dictionary, “Fullers,” 676). The Atonement of Jesus Christ acts like “fuller’s soap” to cleanse us from our sins and prepare us to stand pure and spotless before the judgment seat. (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

Part Four: 3 Nephi 24:7–18 God is merciful to those who return to Him.

In these verses we are reading about tithing. The teachings about tithing in 3 Nephi 24:8–12 are in response to the question in verse 7: “Wherein shall we return [to the Lord]?”

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.

What is the relationship between returning unto the Lord and paying tithing? Those who live the law of tithing show their faith in God. Obedience to this law brings the blessings stated in 3 Nephi 24:10–12.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shared five reasons why every member of the Church, in any kind of circumstance, should obey the law of tithing: “I … suggest five reasons why all of us, rich or poor, longtime member or newest convert, should faithfully pay our tithes and offerings. “First, do so for the sake of your children. … Teach your children that many of the blessings of the Church are available to them because you and they give tithes and offerings to the Church. …“Second, pay your tithing to rightfully claim the blessings promised those who do so. …“Third, pay your tithing as a declaration that possession of material goods and the accumulation of worldly wealth are not the uppermost goals of your existence. …“Fourth, pay your tithes and offerings out of honesty and integrity because they are God’s rightful due. …“This leads to a fifth reason to pay our tithes and offerings. We should pay them as a personal expression of love to a generous and merciful Father in Heaven. Through His grace, God has dealt bread to the hungry and clothing to the poor. At various times in our lives, that will include all of us, either temporally or spiritually” (Conference Report, Oct. 2001, 39–41; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 33–35).

How have you received the blessings listed in verses 10–12 as you have paid tithing?

President Harold B. Lee described one of the blessings we can receive from paying tithing: “The promise following obedience to this principle is that the windows of heaven would be open and blessings would be poured out that we would hardly be able to contain. The opening of the windows of heaven, of course, means revelation from God to him who is willing thus to sacrifice” (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1996], 206).

President Heber J. Grant testified that God will bless those who obey the law of tithing with increased wisdom: “I bear witness—and I know that the witness I bear is true—that the men and the women who have been absolutely honest with God, who have paid their tithing … , God has given them wisdom whereby they have been able to utilize the remaining nine-tenths, and it has been of greater value to them, and they have accomplished more with it than they would if they had not been honest with the Lord” (Conference Report, Apr. 1912, 30).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks addressed the statement some people give when faced with whether or not they will be obedient to the commandment to pay tithing: “Some people say, ‘I can’t afford to pay tithing.’ Those who place their faith in the Lord’s promises say, ‘I can’t afford not to pay tithing.’ “Some time ago I was speaking to a meeting of Church leaders in a country outside of North America. As I spoke about tithing, I found myself saying something I had not intended to say. I told them the Lord was grieved that only a small fraction of the members in their nations relied on the Lord’s promises and paid a full tithing. I warned that the Lord would withhold material and spiritual blessings when his covenant children were not keeping this vital commandment. “I hope those leaders taught that principle to the members of the stakes and districts in their countries. The law of tithing and the promise of blessings to those who live it apply to the people of the Lord in every nation. I hope our members will qualify for the blessings of the Lord by paying a full tithing” (Conference Report, Apr. 1994, 44; or Ensign, May 1994, 34).

What attitude described in 3 Nephi 24:13–15 is often found in today’s world?

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee?

14 Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

What would you say to someone who feels that life is easier or better for those who do not keep the commandments?

According to 3 Nephi 24, how does the Lord bless those who serve Him? See also 3 Nephi 22 Mosiah 2:41; Alma 41:10 (Click the link to read)

How could these truths be helpful to someone who is struggling to pay tithing? 3 Nephi 24:16–18

How do we become one of the Lord’s jewels? A jewel is a precious stone measured by its intrinsic and extrinsic value in the marketplace. Malachi and other prophets used the imagery of jewels symbolically to refer to people who “feared the Lord”—those who show respect for Him, keep His ordinances, and have their names in “a book of remembrance” (3 Nephi 24:16–18; see also D&C 60:4; 101:3; Exodus 28:15–21). Thus, to become one of the Lord’s jewels, you must faithfully keep the covenants associated with every ordinance regardless of worldly pressure. By doing this you show that you love the Lord, and your name will be recorded in the book of remembrance. (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

Part Five: 3 Nephi 25:5–6 Our hearts should turn to our ancestors.

These verses in Chapter 25 teach us about remembering our ancestors.

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Why will the Second Coming be a blessing to those who are faithful to Jesus Christ? 3 Nephi 25:1–3

1 For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.

The word root in verse 1 refers to ancestors, and branch refers to posterity. Thus, in the next life the wicked will not enjoy the blessings of being sealed to either their ancestors or to their posterity. The calves that “grow up … in the stall” are a symbol for children who are protected, cared for, and have all things necessary for them as they grow up.

The Savior shared with the Nephites what Malachi wrote about an event that would take place before the Second Coming and would involve the Old Testament prophet Elijah.

What did Malachi teach that Elijah would do to help prepare the world for the Lord’s coming? 3 Nephi 25:5–6 (click link to read or see above passage)

Elijah’s return to the earth was an essential part of the Restoration of the gospel. On April 3, 1836, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple D&C 110. He conferred upon them the sealing power of the priesthood, making it possible for families to be sealed throughout the generations.

What do you think the statement that “he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” 3 Nephi 25:6 means?

These verses teach that as our hearts are turned to our fathers, we are helping to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

How does this work relate to the gathering of Israel? President Russel M Nelson taught: “These surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!

“… Think of it! Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event. How exciting is that! …

“This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth” (“Hope of Israel” [worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

One of the most recent conference talk from our beloved Prophet of God was October 4 2020 concerning the importance and meaning of the gathering of Israel. Click the link to video to listen: Gathering of Israel

Conclusion

Though our times are hard we are in the midst of a marvelous work and wonder all for our benefit from the Love of God and His Son Jesus Christ. The Lord is our refiner and is merciful to those he is refining and those who return unto him to be refined. He wants us to search the scriptures that he may teach us and help us through this process of refinement and preparing ourselves to meet Him. Part of this work that we must do in meeting him is to remember our ancestors and learn more in depth of the gathering of Israel that we have greater understanding and can then, help the work move along. This is our time to, like Jacob of the Old Testament, Let God Prevail. May we each following these teachings and admonitions that we may do so and remain ever faithful as Latter-day Covenant Israel.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Conference Reports

Ensign

Holy Bible King James LDS

Doctrine and Covenants

Church Broadcast Devotionals

The Teachings of Harold B Lee

CES

Gospel Teacher

“Behold, My Joy Is Full”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

As those of us who have taken on a study of the Book of Mormon we know and believe that Jesus Christ after his resurection and appearnce in the Holy Land taught that he had sheep of another fold that he would attend to. Part of that fold was the Nephite population on the American Continent that we have studied so far this year.

In a glorious moment Jesus Christ the Savior of the world appeared and for several days ministered unto the people making not only the truth of prophecy evident but also the hopes and dreams of all those who had even a notion to believe.

As we move now to sections of His teaching and ministering we have the opportunity to gain a fullness to our testimonies and our hopes and our faith that Jesus Christ is real and all that the Father has commanded Him to do will be done, even to a second coming.

In addition we are given principles to help us in our desire and faithfulness to become more like Him, in our daily lives, that we may enjoy, even in the worst of times, peace, comfort, hope, and the ability to believe.

In 3 Nephi 17:1–3, the Savior invited the people to return to their homes and “prepare their minds” before returning to be taught again. We might ask ourselves with the study of this lesson, how do you prepare?

History and Background 3 Nephi 17–19

3 Nephi 17 As the Savior’s first day with the Nephites drew to a close, He perceived that many did not fully understand His words. He taught them how to receive additional understanding, and He emphasized the importance of prayer and pondering. The people wept when He announced that He was leaving. Filled with compassion, the Savior remained a little longer to heal the sick, to pray for the people, and to bless their children. The Nephites were overcome with joy.

3 Nephi 18 As Jesus Christ concluded the first day of His ministry among the Nephites, He administered the sacrament. He commanded them to partake of the sacrament, pray to the Father always, and extend fellowship to all people. The Savior promised great blessings to those who obeyed. He then gave the twelve Nephite disciples instructions pertaining to their ministry in the Church. Prior to ascending into heaven, He gave them power to give the gift of the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 19 After the Savior completed His first visit to the Nephites, the news of His visit spread among the people all that night. (The events recorded in 3 Nephi 11–18 all took place during one day.) Throughout the night, the people labored “exceedingly … that they might be on the morrow in the place” where the Savior was going to appear again 3 Nephi 19:3. In the morning, the twelve disciples taught the people and prayed with them. Jesus Christ appeared and commanded the disciples to pray, while He prayed to the Father in their behalf. Because of their faith, the twelve disciples were purified. Jesus prayed that the disciples and all those who believed their words might become one with Him and His Father.

Part One: 3 Nephi 17; 18:24–25, 28–32 The Savior is our perfect example of ministering.

We all have opportunities to minister to others, and we can all be better at it. One way to learn from the Savior’s example of ministering is to simply read 3 Nephi 17

1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.

2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

4 But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.

5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

22 And when he had done this he wept again;

23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

25 And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.

What do we learn about the Savior’s character that made Him a great example of ministering?

What truths do we learn about ministering from the Savior’s example?

What additional insights do we find in 3 Nephi 18:24–25 and 28–32?

24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

25 And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.

28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;

29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.

30 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood.

31 But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered.

32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.

The Savior taught that we are each to hold up our light so it shines to the world. He also said that He is the light we are to hold up. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that we hold up the light of the Savior by keeping His commandments and following His example:

“We should be like the Savior as He admonished us to ‘Come, follow me.’ Wouldn’t it be pleasing to Jesus if we could let our light so shine that those who followed us would be following the Savior? There are those searching for the light [who] will gladly pass through the gate of baptism onto the straight and narrow way that leads to eternal life (see 2 Nephi 31). Will you be that light that will lead them to a safe harbor? …

“Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps you are the light sent by Heavenly Father to lead another safely home or to be a beacon from a distance to show the way back to the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life? Your light is a beacon and should never stop burning or mislead those who are looking for a way home. …

“… Jesus Christ is the light that has been given to us so that we may follow and know where to go. [I pray] that each one of us may choose the right [so that we can] lift and strengthen those around us” (“That Ye May Be Children of Light” [Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Nov. 3, 1996], 6–7).

Praying for others, inviting them to attend Church meetings, and setting a Christlike example are ways we can minister to others. Reflect on how you felt when you followed the example of Jesus Christ and helped someone else come closer to the Savior. What will you do today or this week to let your light shine so that those who follow you will also be following the Savior?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell admonished that whatever our role, we should seek to emulate the Savior’s character as much as we can:

“Each of us plays various roles in family, Church, community, business, education, and so forth. Though we have differing needs, we have in common the need to focus on all Christ’s qualities, especially those which individually we most need to develop more fully. …

“We can, of course, stop short and merely adopt a few techniques illustrated by the Savior. But unless we emulate Him as completely as we can, we will have deprived ourselves of the great model. Moreover, our emulation is to be of both style and substance. God’s love underwrites his listening, for instance. Can we conceive of a God who is a non-listener? Or who is lacking in power? Or who is unwilling to assert Himself on an issue of principle? As we become more like Him it will take place in both attributes and actions” (A Wonderful Flood of Light [1990], 110).

What things do you feel inspired to do to follow the Savior’s example of ministering?

Part Two: 3 Nephi 17:13–22; 18:15–25; 19:6–9, 15–36 The Savior taught us how to pray.

This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests questions to ponder about prayer when reading these verses. What does it mean to ponder?

“Reading, studying, and pondering are not the same. We read words and we may get ideas. We study and we may discover patterns and connections in scripture. But when we ponder, we invite revelation by the Spirit. Pondering, to me, is the thinking and the praying I do after reading and studying in the scriptures carefully” (Henry B. Eyring, “Serve with the Spirit,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 60).

How do you think pondering and praying can work together to help prepare our minds to receive greater understanding of how the Savior taught us to pray?

What principle do you think summarizes 18:15–25?

15 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.

16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

17 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said unto them:

18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;

23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name.

What do you think the word watch means in 3 Nephi 18:15, 18? To be spiritually alert, vigilant, or on guard.

Why do you think both watching and praying are essential?

What are some ways in which you can seek to pray always?

President Gordon B. Hinckley discussed the importance of family prayer: “I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together—father, mother, and children. This, more than soft carpets, more than lovely draperies, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes” (Conference Report, Apr. 1963, 127).

How can prayer help us resist the influence of Satan? We can be filled with the Holy Ghost as we sincerely desire and pray for His companionship and as we participate in the ordinances of the gospel. In doing so we will have protection.

What truths can you learn about prayer from these passages?

The Savior’s first prayer: 3 Nephi 19:19–23

The disciples’ prayer: 3 Nephi 19:24–26, 30

The Savior’s second prayer: 3 Nephi 19:27–29

We should express gratitude to God in our prayers. The Holy Ghost can help us know what to pray for. If we pray with the Spirit, our prayers will not include vain repetitions. The Lord blesses us when we pray without ceasing.

From the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets, we know that we are to worship God the Father and pray to Him only. We should not pray to Jesus Christ. For example, the Savior taught the Nephites, “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” 3 Nephi 18:19. (Click the link to read or see above passage)

However, shortly after the Savior taught this, His Nephite disciples prayed directly to Him 3 Nephi 19:18. They did so, He said, because He was with them 3 Nephi 19:22. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained that this was an exception—a unique situation:

“There was a special reason why this was done in this instance and on a onetime basis. Jesus had already taught them to pray in his name to the Father, which they first did. … Jesus was present before them as the symbol of the Father. Seeing him, it was as though they saw the Father; praying to him, it was as though they prayed to the Father. It was a special and unique situation” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [1978], 560, 561).

3 Nephi 19:24 contains the phrase “for it was given unto them what they should pray.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“Perfect prayers are those which are inspired, in which the Spirit reveals the words which should be used. (3 Ne. 19:24.) ‘And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask.’ (D. & C. 50:29–30.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 586).

What difference would having the Spirit’s guidance make in how you pray and what you pray for?

**Point To Ponder: How will you apply one or more of these truths in order to improve their personal prayers?

Part Three: 3 Nephi 18:1–12 We can be spiritually filled as we partake of the sacrament.

Read the following scripture section then complete the following sentence with your thoughts:

As we partake of the sacrament, we witness unto the Father that …

1 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.

2 And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.

3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat.

4 And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.

5 And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.

6 And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.

7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.

9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.

10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.

11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.

As we partake of the sacrament, we witness unto the Father that we will always remember Jesus Christ and that we are willing to do all that the Savior has commanded.

How does partaking of the sacrament help us remember the Savior’s sacrifice in our behalf?

What does it mean to be “filled” as we partake of the sacrament? 3 Nephi 18:4–5, 9; 20:9 (Click the link to read the passage)

What connections do you notice between these two scripture passages? 3 Nephi 18:12–14 Helaman 5:12

12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.

13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.

14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

How can regularly partaking of the sacrament help us make Jesus Christ the foundation upon which you build your life?

Now ponder the last time they felt spiritually “filled” when partaking of the sacrament.

What might prevent or distract us from being “filled” by the sacrament and how can we overcome those obstacles?

The Savior taught that the principal purpose for taking the sacrament is to remember Him. We have an opportunity to concentrate on the Son of God during the sacrament ordinance; we should not allow our thoughts to wander or be distracted. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described several appropriate ways to remember the Lord while renewing our covenants through the sacrament:

“We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know Him to have done. …

“We could remember the simple grandeur of His mortal birth to just a young woman. …

“We could remember Christ’s miracles and His teachings, His healings and His help. …

“… We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them. …

“We could remember that Christ called His disciples friends. …

“We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that ‘all things which are good cometh of Christ’ (Moroni 7:24). …

“On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment He received, the rejection He experienced, and the injustice … He endured. …

“… We can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before He could ascend above them, and that He suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that He might be filled with mercy and know how to succor His people in their infirmities” (Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 90–91; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68–69).

Part Four: 3 Nephi 19:9–15, 20–22 Disciples of Jesus Christ seek the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The twelve disciples, whom Jesus had chosen, prayed “that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them”

9 And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

10 And when they had thus prayed they went down unto the water’s edge, and the multitude followed them.

11 And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water and was baptized.

12 And he came up out of the water and began to baptize. And he baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen.

13 And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

14 And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and did bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven and did minister unto them.

15 And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them.

20 Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.

21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.

22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.

What did the twelve disciples “most desire,” 3 Nephi 19:9–15 and 20–22?

Think of something you deeply desire. What are you willing to do to receive it?

Why might this have been so important to them?

Why is it important to us?

According to these verses, how can we earnestly seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost?

President Marion G. Romney who was Second Counselor in the First Presidency, stated that we can obtain and keep the Spirit by following a simple four-point program: “If you want to obtain and keep the guidance of the Spirit, you can do so by following this simple four-point program. One, pray. Pray diligently. … Second, study and learn the gospel. Third, live righteously; repent of your sins. … Fourth, give service in the Church” (“Guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Ensign, Jan. 1980, 5).

The Holy Ghost, is a personage, that has been called of God to the specific calling of helping His children. He is a real spirit being that is with us always, in our minds, in our hearts, and in our lives. Its what the world might call our conscience, but as a gift from God he is even stronger and more powerful, and again, he is real.

It’s not a subject to take lightly, for the gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest of all and will be lifesaving in our journeys, providing us with spiritual strength and inspiration, as well as helping us to recognize and understand the truth of all things. He will comfort us in difficult times and guide our decisions large and small as we work to bring ourselves and our families through the trenches of earth’s life to arrive safely back in the arms of God.

This gift is so powerful and so strong, and so real, that it will bring us the feeling of God’s love and we will recognize it and know beyond a doubt that He knows each of us by name, He and His Son Jesus Christ; and this will influence our daily lives in ways we can only begin to imagine. However, though this is a gift and given freely to everyone upon baptism into His true church, it is conditional. Our ability to enjoy this divine gift depends on our obedience to Gods’ commandments.

The Holy Ghost is just that, holy, and cannot remain with those who do not live according to God’s teachings. If we drift or choose to continue in sin we lose the privilege of his guidance and inspiration. Therefore, it is extremely important from the moment we emerge from the waters of baptism, that we remain clean and pure and always strive to be worthy of his companionship.

Now let me stress the phrase ALWAYS STRIVE. If you are always striving to do our best and to live the gospel, he will never leave us and we WILL be lead. Do we have to be perfect, NO, we cannot. We only must be doing your sincere best and as we grow in the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as we gain knowledge, we will become stronger and stronger and the straight and narrow way laid before us will be a relief to travel and we will find the peace that comes with this gift.

Conclusion

What did we learn today? The Savior is our perfect example of ministering, He taught us how to pray, as we come nearer to him through the Sacrament we can be filled, and true disciples of Jesus Christ seek after the Holy Ghost.

Striving to keep the spirit with us in all this can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing, but remember, we are never left without direction or comfortless. In our desire to keep the Holly Ghost with us, and to live these commandments to the best of our ability, the Sacrament has been provided as a reminder of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When we honestly and sincerely minister, pray always and partake of the Sacrament each week, repenting daily in our prayers with a focus on the Atonement, we recommit ourselves to Jesus Christ in the same way that we do at baptism and we are then able to move forward in our progression, then we Behold, Our Joy is Full.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Church Educational System

The Promised Messiah, Bruce R McConkie

Mormon Doctrine Bruce R McConkie

“I Am the Law, and the Light”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

The scripture block for this weeks #ComeFollowMe 3 Nephi 12–16 contains a sermon that the resurrected Christ delivered to the people in the land of Bountiful. This sermon is very similar to the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5–7, it is a model for following the Savior and attaining perfection in the life to come. President Harold B. Lee taught that in this sermon “the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of his own character, which was perfect, … and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives” (Decisions for Successful Living [1973], 56).

From these scriptures we specifically learn that we should live the gospel for the right reasons 3 Nephi 13:1–6, 16–18, and followers of Jesus Christ hear and do His sayings 3 Nephi 14.

History and Background

In the time of Moses the children of Israel were stiffnecked and hard of heart. As a result, they lost the privilege of living the fulness of the higher law. Instead, along with portions of the higher law that they were still allowed to live, the law of Moses (the lesser law) was added to help them come to Christ D&C 84:18–27. After His Resurrection, Jesus Christ taught the Nephites that the law of Moses was fulfilled in Him. He taught that “old things had passed away” and that He is “the law, and the light” to follow.

3 Nephi 12 Jesus Christ taught the Nephites how to receive the blessings of His gospel and instructed them to influence others for good. He declared that He had fulfilled the law of Moses, and He gave the people a higher law to prepare them to become like Him and our Father in Heaven.

3 Nephi 13 The Savior continued His sermon at the temple in the land of Bountiful. He warned the people against hypocrisy and taught them to do righteous works to please Heavenly Father. He also instructed the multitude to lay up treasures in heaven and directed His disciples to seek the kingdom of God before their own temporal concerns.

3 Nephi 14 As Jesus Christ continued His sermon at the temple in Bountiful, He cautioned the people about judging others and instructed them to seek blessings from Heavenly Father by praying and doing His will. The Savior also warned them about false prophets and emphasized the importance of doing the will of God.

3 Nephi 15–16 As Jesus Christ continued teaching the people at the temple in the land Bountiful, He declared that the law of Moses was fulfilled and that He was the light and the law that the people should look to. He then explained to the twelve disciples that the people in the Americas were the “other sheep” of whom He had spoken in Jerusalem John 10:14–16. He also promised that those who repent and return to Him will be numbered among His covenant people.

Part One: 3 Nephi 12–14 The Savior’s teachings show us how to be true disciples.

This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests summarizing passages in 3 Nephi 12–14 to complete the phrase “True disciples of Jesus Christ …” How could we do this with the following verses, what do you find in them that fits this description?

3 Nephi 12:3–16, 38–44; 13:1–8, 19–24; and 14:21–27

3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

President Spencer W. Kimball explained that meekness is not weakness:

“If the Lord was meek and lowly and humble, then to become humble one must do what he did in boldly denouncing evil, bravely advancing righteous works, courageously meeting every problem, becoming the master of himself and the situations about him and being near oblivious to personal credit.

“Humility is not pretentious, presumptuous, nor proud. It is not weak, vacillating, nor servile. …

“Humble and meek properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses. They suggest a consistent mildness of temper and an absence of wrath and passion. … It is not servile submissiveness. It is not cowed nor frightened. …

“How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one’s self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 232–33).

6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

7 And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8 And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;

12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;

16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Salt seasons food and is a preservative used to prevent meat from spoiling. Under the law of Moses, priests were commanded to offer salt with their sacrificial offerings Leviticus 2:13. Salt was a symbol of the covenant between the Lord and His people.

Whom did the Savior compare to salt? 3 Nephi 12:13 (see scripture reference above or click the link)

In what ways can we, as followers of Jesus Christ, be like salt? We are to help preserve or save people and to improve the world by influencing others for good.

What is another symbol to teach how covenant members of His Church can be disciples? 3 Nephi 12:14–16 (see scripture reference above or click the link) The Savior used light to teach about the role His covenant people in the world.

What do you think it means to let our light shine? To set a righteous example for others.

In what ways might some Church members cover their light?

According to 3 Nephi 12:16, why does the Savior want us to let our light shine? As we set a righteous example, we can help others glorify Heavenly Father.

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles referred to personal experience in emphasizing the importance of being a light for others:

“Growing up on Long Island, in New York, I understood how vital light was to those traveling in the darkness on the open sea. How dangerous is a fallen lighthouse! How devastating is a lighthouse whose light has failed!

“We who have the gift of the Holy Ghost must be true to its promptings so we can be a light to others.

“‘Let your light so shine before men,’ said the Lord, ‘that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’ [Matthew 5:15–16].

“We never know who may be depending on us. And, as the Savior said, we ‘know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them’ [3 Nephi 18:32]” (Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 82; or Ensign, May 2002, 71).

Can you find similar examples in the following passages that can help us understand how to be true disciples of Jesus Christ?

38 And behold, it is written, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;

39 But I say unto you, that ye shall not resist evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also;

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also;

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.

43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;

44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;

1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.

2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;

4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand—

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

In helping our quest, our desire to understand discipleship 3 Nephi 12:48 reads: Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect. It is important to remember the following in our understanding of this principle:

It is not possible to be perfect in this life. However, President James E. Faust explained that we must seek for perfection now so as to be able to attain it in the next life: “Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment which ultimately, through the Atonement, we can keep” (Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 22; or Ensign, May 1999, 19).

President Spencer W. Kimball also explained the need to strive for perfection: “‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matthew 5:48.) Now, that is an attainable goal. We will not be exalted, we shall not reach our destination, unless we are perfect, and now is the best time in the world to start toward perfection. I have little patience with persons who say, ‘Oh, nobody is perfect,’ the implication being; ‘so why try?’ Of course no one is wholly perfect, but we find some who are a long way up the ladder” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 165).

To help understand the Savior’s words in 3 Nephi 12:48, I invite you to study Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s message “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 40–42)

Part Two: 3 Nephi 12:21–30 Our thoughts lead to actions.

3 Nephi 12:21–30 can help us see how controlling our thoughts can help us control our actions.

21 Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God;

22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—

24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be cast into prison.

26 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while ye are in prison can ye pay even one senine? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Nay.

27 Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery;

28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.

29 Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart;

30 For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.

As we strive to be perfected, why is it so important to focus on our desires, thoughts, and motivations?

What actions do we want to avoid and thoughts or emotions that Lead to Them? 3 Nephi 12:21–22 and 27–30 (see scripture reference above or click the link)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the phrase “take up your cross”: “The daily taking up of the cross means daily denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh. By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but ‘gave no heed unto them,’ we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations ‘such as [are] common to man’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to Him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, He rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us! Turning these unwanted lodgers away at the doorstep of the mind is one way of giving ‘no heed.’ Besides, these would-be lodgers are actually barbarians who, if admitted, can be evicted only with great trauma” (Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 88; or Ensign, May 1987, 71).

What other actions and thoughts could we add to the lists? How can we “suffer none of these things to enter into” our hearts? 3 Nephi 12:29. (see scripture reference above or click the link)

How can we drive them out when they do enter?

President Ezra Taft Benson taught:

“The mind has been likened to a stage on which only one act at a time can be performed. From one side of the wings the Lord, who loves you, is trying to put on the stage of your mind that which will bless you. From the other side of the wings the devil, who hates you, is trying to put on the stage of your mind that which will curse you. You are the stage manager—you are the one who decides which thought will occupy the stage. … You will be what you think about—what you consistently allow to occupy the stage of your mind. …If thoughts make us what we are, and we are to be like Christ, we must think Christlike thoughts” (“Think on Christ,” Ensign, Apr. 1984, 10–11).

Part Three: 3 Nephi 13:1–8, 16–18 Our service and worship must be done for the right reasons.

Studying 3 Nephi 13 presents an opportunity for each of us as members to examine why we do good works.

3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;

4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

In verses 1–2 and 16 above the definition of hypocrites means: “Pretenders; the Greek word [used in the New Testament] means ‘a play actor,’ or ‘one who … exaggerates a part’” (Matthew 6:2, footnote a).

Why is pretending or acting a good metaphor for hypocrisy?

How can we make sure our service, prayer, and fasting are sincere and free from hypocrisy?

Take a moment now and review the self-assessment below and note on it your thoughts to each question. What are your motives, or reasons for the questions?

Self-Assessment

I do alms (acts of religious devotion or service for others) because:

I am supposed to.

I love the Lord and enjoy helping other people.

I want others to think well of me.

I pray because:

I want to be able to say “yes” when asked if I pray.

It is just part of my daily routine.

I want to communicate with my Heavenly Father.

I fast because:

Fasting helps me draw closer to the Lord.

Other people will think I’m weak if I don’t.

My parents tell me I should.

The possible responses listed under doing alms, praying, and fasting reflect different motives or reasons we might have for doing these or other gospel-related activities (we might do them, for instance, out of duty or obligation, to impress other people, or to please Heavenly Father).

Does it matter why we do righteous works? Why or why not?

What would we say to someone who asks us why we do good things?

3 Nephi 13 recounts how Jesus Christ continued to instruct the Nephite multitude at the temple and taught them about the importance of a person’s motives.

What blessing will come to those who do righteous works to please Heavenly Father? If we do righteous works to please Heavenly Father, He will reward us openly.

As we ponder our personal motivations for doing good works like these taught to us in these passages, how can we purify our motives?

Part Four: 3 Nephi 14:7–11 If we seek “good things” from Heavenly Father, we will receive.

To understand the Lord’s invitation to ask, seek, and knock, it might help to explore what these words mean in this passage.

7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

What does each word imply about what the Lord invites us to do?

President James E. Faust bore testimony of the gift and privilege we each have of access to our Heavenly Father through prayer: “Access to our Creator through our Savior is surely one of the great privileges and blessings of our lives. … No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place” (Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 67; or Ensign, May 2002, 59).

How do we ask, seek, and knock?

How have the promises in 3 Nephi 14:7–8 been fulfilled in our lives? (see above scripture reference or click the link)

President Russell M. Nelson said: “What will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.

“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. …

“Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! … I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. …

“Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95).

In the above passage from President Nelson what some things he asks and invitations he gives?

As you ponder your answers to his questions how will you plan to act on his invitations?

Some of us might be uncertain about what the Savior meant when He said, “Every one that asketh, receiveth” 3 Nephi 14:8. Why do some prayers seem to go unanswered, and why do we sometimes get answers we don’t want?

Reviewing some of the following scriptures could help answer these questions:

Isaiah 55:8–9

8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Helaman 10:4–5

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

3 Nephi 18:20

20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9; 88:64.

7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;

How might the insights from these scripture passages affect how we pray?

What principles can we learn from 3 Nephi 14:7–11? Heavenly Father blesses us when we pray for His help.

Conclusion

In His mortal ministry Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount to encourage His disciples to strive toward perfection with full purpose of heart. Following His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Book of Mormon people in the Western Hemisphere and again delivered this sermon.

The gospel standards contained in this sermon have been reaffirmed in our time through modern revelation. President James E Faust of the First Presidency observed: “The Savior’s transcendent message in the Sermon on the Mount is of burning-bush importance to all of us: ‘But seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness’ [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 6:38; see also Matthew 6:33]. This message needs to penetrate into our hearts and souls. As we accept this message, we are taking our personal stand in this life” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 68; or Ensign, May 2004, 67).

Through your study of these sacred principles in the Book of Mormon, you will gain insights that will help you stay faithful and remain on the road to perfection.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Doctrine and Covenants

King James Version Holy Bible

Ensign

Conference Reports

Teachings of Spencer W Kimball

Seminary Manual

“Lift Up Your Head and Be of Good Cheer”

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Do you remember your first conversion, how about the second, or third? Why so many conversions, sounds kind of weird right? Well, though we are converted to the gospel at a specific time, and are baptized, actual conversion is an eternal process that will reach even beyond this lifetime as we are taught by the prophet Joseph. At many points in our lives, there are times we can surely say, we have been truly converted. This is the great thing about the gospel, it is never stagnant but ever moving and growing to ensure our connection to Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.

But what about being a disciple? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and why do we fear Satan so much? Will all the words and prophesies really happen, are they really true?

These are some questions that are addressed in this weeks #ComeFollowMe lesson featuring 3 Nephi 1–7.

History and Background

3 Nephi 1 When the time drew near for the fulfillment of Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy about the Savior’s birth, believers watched for the sign Samuel had said would come. Unbelievers threatened to kill the believers if the prophecy was not fulfilled by a certain day. Nephi, a son of Nephi and grandson of Helaman, pleaded with God in behalf of the believers. In answer to Nephi’s prayer, the voice of the Lord came to him, declaring that the sign would be given that night. When the sun set, there was no darkness, and a new star appeared. Despite Satan’s continued attempts to destroy the faith of the people, the majority of the people were converted to the Lord. But two years later, the Gadianton robbers began to lead many Nephites and Lamanites into wickedness.

3 Nephi 2–5 After the people saw the sign of Jesus Christ’s birth, they began to be less astonished by signs, and they hardened their hearts. Many of the people rejected signs and wonders and increased in wickedness. The Gadianton robbers grew so strong that Nephites and Lamanites were compelled to take up arms against them. The converted Lamanites joined with the Nephites and became known as Nephites. Lachoneus, the chief judge of the Nephites, called on the people to repent and prepared them for battle. Because of their repentance, their faith in the Lord, and their diligent preparations, the Nephites triumphed over the Gadianton robbers. Following their deliverance, the people acknowledged the power of God in their preservation.

3 Nephi 6–7 Following their miraculous deliverance from the Gadianton robbers, the Nephites enjoyed peace for about three years. But pride, class distinctions, and persecutions arose among the people. While some remained faithful to the Lord, many entered into secret combinations. Because of the secret combinations, the chief judge was murdered and the Nephite government was overthrown. The people divided into tribes and appointed their own leaders. Nephi ministered to the people with power and great authority.

President Ezra Taft Benson observed that “the record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 3; or Ensign, May 1987, 4). Only those with firm testimonies and full conversions were able to remain steadfast prior to the Savior’s appearance in America. The same is true in our day. Only those with firm testimonies and full conversions will be able to remain steadfast prior to the Lord’s Second Coming. A careful study of 3 Nephi 1–7 will help you understand how your testimony of Jesus Christ and conversion to His gospel will give you the sustaining strength you need to stay true to the Savior during the challenging days in which you live. (Book of Mormon Student Manual)

Part One: 3 Nephi 1–7 Conversion is a process that requires diligent effort.

3 Nephi 1–7 describes people who were converted to Jesus Christ and His gospel and others who were not.

What made the difference between these groups? Can you identify their weakened conversion from the strengthened conversion? (Click the Scripture reference to review)

Weaken conversion: 3 Nephi 1:4–23, 29–30 not believing the prophet’s words and making fun of righteous people verses 5–6.

Strengthen conversion: verses 8, 11 having faith in the prophet’s words and praying for help.

What differences do you find in the following verses concerning their weak and strong conversions?

3 Nephi 2:1–3

1 And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.

3 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land.

3 Nephi 3:12–16

12 Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them.

13 Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they should gather together their women, and their children, their flocks and their herds, and all their substance, save it were their land, unto one place.

14 And he caused that fortifications should be built round about them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great. And he caused that armies, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites, or of all them who were numbered among the Nephites, should be placed as guards round about to watch them, and to guard them from the robbers day and night.

15 Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.

16 And so great and marvelous were the words and prophecies of Lachoneus that they did cause fear to come upon all the people; and they did exert themselves in their might to do according to the words of Lachoneus.

3 Nephi 4:8–10, 30–33

8 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites, when they saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.

9 And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror of their armies.

10 But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them.

3 Nephi 6:13–18

13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.

14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.

17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.

3 Nephi 7:15–22

7 And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

8 And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

9 Now this secret combination, which had brought so great iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

10 And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

11 And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.

12 Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

13 And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people. And thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi.

14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they were divided into tribes, every man according to his family, kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.

15 And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;

16 Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.

18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

21 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.

How can we keep our conversion strong despite opposition?

Elder M. Russell Ballard wrote concerning the faith that is needed to face the challenges of our day: “Preparing ourselves and our families for the challenges of the coming years will require us to replace fear with faith. We must be able to overcome the fear of enemies who oppose and threaten us. The Lord has said, ‘Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail’ (D&C 6:34)” (Conference Report, Oct. 1989, 43; or Ensign, Nov. 1989, 34).

2. Each of us must determine which way we are going to turn. Elder Marvin J. Ashton taught of this principle: “Certainly one of our God-given privileges is the right to choose what our attitude will be in any given set of circumstances. We can let the events that surround us determine our actions—or we can personally take charge and rule our lives, using as guidelines the principles of pure religion. Pure religion is learning the gospel of Jesus Christ and then putting it into action. Nothing will ever be of real benefit to us until it is incorporated into our own lives” (Conference Report, Oct. 1982, 91; or Ensign, Nov. 1982, 63).

3. One bright spot in the otherwise sad account of the Nephites’ turn from their righteousness is the steadfast faithfulness of Nephi and his people. Their example provides a pattern to help us maintain our righteousness during times of wickedness. We read of Nephi’s firm testimony, born of personal experience that he boldly taught “repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ”. He ministered with power and authority because “great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ” and those who responded to his testimony were themselves visited “by the power and Spirit of God”. Those who believed were healed, repented, were baptized, and “received a remission of their sins” (see verses 24–25).

What about some of the challenges facing today’s rising generation what are the best ways to help them develop faith in Christ?

Elder Valeri V. Cordón of the Seventy suggested three ways to help the rising generation stay true to the gospel:

“Being More Diligent and Concerned at Home. … Powerful teaching is extremely important to preserve the gospel in our families, and it requires diligence and effort. We have been invited many times to acquire the practice of daily family and personal scripture study. Many families that are doing this are blessed each day with greater unity and a closer relationship with the Lord.”
“Strong Modeling in the Home. … It is not enough just to talk to our children about the importance of temple marriage, fasting, and keeping the Sabbath day holy. They must see us making room in our schedules to attend the temple as frequently as we can. They need to see our commitment to fasting regularly and keeping the entire Sabbath day holy.”
“Traditions. … As families, we need to avoid any tradition that will prevent us from keeping the Sabbath day holy or having daily scripture study and prayer at home. We need to close the digital doors of our home to pornography and all other evil influences. To combat the worldly traditions of our day, we need to use the scriptures and the voice of our modern prophets to teach our children about their divine identity, their purpose in life, and the divine mission of Jesus Christ” (“The Language of the Gospel,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 56–57; italics added).

Part Two: 3 Nephi 1:4–21; 5:1–3 The Lord will fulfill all His words.

Reading the accounts in 3 Nephi 1:4–21 and 5:1–3 can strengthen our faith in the Lord’s promises.

1 And it came to pass that in the latter end of the eighteenth year those armies of robbers had prepared for battle, and began to come down and to sally forth from the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds, and their secret places, and began to take possession of the lands, both which were in the land south and which were in the land north, and began to take possession of all the lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and the cities which had been left desolate.

2 But behold, there were no wild beasts nor game in those lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and there was no game for the robbers save it were in the wilderness.

3 And the robbers could not exist save it were in the wilderness, for the want of food; for the Nephites had left their lands desolate, and had gathered their flocks and their herds and all their substance, and they were in one body.

4 Therefore, there was no chance for the robbers to plunder and to obtain food, save it were to come up in open battle against the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number, and having reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of seven years, in the which time they did hope to destroy the robbers from off the face of the land; and thus the eighteenth year did pass away.

5 And it came to pass that in the nineteenth year Giddianhi found that it was expedient that he should go up to battle against the Nephites, for there was no way that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder.

6 And they durst not spread themselves upon the face of the land insomuch that they could raise grain, lest the Nephites should come upon them and slay them; therefore Giddianhi gave commandment unto his armies that in this year they should go up to battle against the Nephites.

7 And it came to pass that they did come up to battle; and it was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.

11 And the battle commenced in this the sixth month; and great and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was the slaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem.

12 And notwithstanding the threatenings and the oaths which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.

13 And it came to pass that Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies should pursue them as far as the borders of the wilderness, and that they should not spare any that should fall into their hands by the way; and thus they did pursue them and did slay them, to the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the commandment of Gidgiddoni.

14 And it came to pass that Giddianhi, who had stood and fought with boldness, was pursued as he fled; and being weary because of his much fighting he was overtaken and slain. And thus was the end of Giddianhi the robber.

15 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites did return again to their place of security. And it came to pass that this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not come again to battle; neither did they come again in the twentieth year.

16 And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege round about the people of Nephi; for they did suppose that if they should cut off the people of Nephi from their lands, and should hem them in on every side, and if they should cut them off from all their outward privileges, that they could cause them to yield themselves up according to their wishes.

17 Now they had appointed unto themselves another leader, whose name was Zemnarihah; therefore it was Zemnarihah that did cause that this siege should take place.

18 But behold, this was an advantage to the Nephites; for it was impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any effect upon the Nephites, because of their much provision which they had laid up in store,

19 And because of the scantiness of provisions among the robbers; for behold, they had nothing save it were meat for their subsistence, which meat they did obtain in the wilderness;

20 And it came to pass that the wild game became scarce in the wilderness insomuch that the robbers were about to perish with hunger.

21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and by night, and falling upon their armies, and cutting them off by thousands and by tens of thousands.

1 And now behold, there was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled.

2 And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.

3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.

How might you feel if you were one of the believers described in these verses above? 3 Nephi 1:4–7

Are there similar circumstances we might face today?

What do we learn from 3 Nephi 1:8–21 and 5:1–3 about the Lord and His promises?

Do you have experiences when your faith and trust in God was rewarded despite opposition?

Part Three: 3 Nephi 1:4–15; 5:12–26; 6:10–15; 7:15–26 We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Mormon declared, “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ” 3 Nephi 5:13. What does it mean to be a disciple? The following will help us understand.

What qualities, beliefs, and actions of disciples of Christ do you find in 3 Nephi 1:4–15

4 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.

5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.

6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.

7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.

8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.

11 And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

12 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

14 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.

15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.

What qualities, beliefs, and actions of disciples of Christ do you find in 5:12–26

12 And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people, yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.

13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done—

15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time.

16 Therefore I do make my record from the accounts which have been given by those who were before me, until the commencement of my day;

17 And then I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes.

18 And I know the record which I make to be a just and a true record; nevertheless there are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write.

19 And now I make an end of my saying, which is of myself, and proceed to give my account of the things which have been before me.

20 I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls.

21 Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph.

22 And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word.

23 Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God.

24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.

25 And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them.

26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen.

What qualities, beliefs, and actions of disciples of Christ do you find in 6:10–15 and 7:15–26

10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.

12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.

19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins.

24 Now I would have you to remember also, that there were none who were brought unto repentance who were not baptized with water.

25 Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.

26 And there were many in the commencement of this year that were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year did pass away.

After reading these verses do you find something you can do to become a better disciple of Jesus Christ?

Part Four: 3 Nephi 2:11–12; 3:12–26; 5:24–26 When the righteous gather, the Lord can strengthen and protect them.

In this section Wickedness increased in the land. The Gadianton robers become more powerful and come to battle against the Nephites. The Nephites repent of their wickedness and the Lord helps them defeat the robbers.

Part of the reason the Nephites were able to defeat the Gadianton robbers was that they joined forces with the converted Lamanites and followed the inspired direction of Lachoneus to “gather themselves together” in Zarahemla 3 Nephi 3:22

22 And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter end of the year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth throughout all the face of the land, and they had taken their horses, and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their flocks, and their herds, and their grain, and all their substance, and did march forth by thousands and by tens of thousands, until they had all gone forth to the place which had been appointed that they should gather themselves together, to defend themselves against their enemies.

As we see the people began to prepare at once to protect themselves. 3:12–26

15 Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.

17 And it came to pass that Lachoneus did appoint chief captains over all the armies of the Nephites, to command them at the time that the robbers should come down out of the wilderness against them.

18 Now the chiefest among all the chief captains and the great commander of all the armies of the Nephites was appointed, and his name was Gidgiddoni.

19 Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness) some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy; therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as also was the chief judge.

20 Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni: Pray unto the Lord, and let us go up upon the mountains and into the wilderness, that we may fall upon the robbers and destroy them in their own lands.

21 But Gidgiddoni saith unto them: The Lord forbid; for if we should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands.

23 And the land which was appointed was the land of Zarahemla, and the land which was between the land Zarahemla and the land Bountiful, yea, to the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation.

24 And there were a great many thousand people who were called Nephites, who did gather themselves together in this land. Now Lachoneus did cause that they should gather themselves together in the land southward, because of the great curse which was upon the land northward.

25 And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear the words which had been spoken by Lachoneus, insomuch that they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle.

26 And they were exceedingly sorrowful because of their enemies. And Gidgiddoni did cause that they should make weapons of war of every kind, and they should be strong with armor, and with shields, and with bucklers, after the manner of his instruction.

What can we learn from their actions about protecting ourselves in times of temptations and fear?

Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened” (3 Nephi 3:12). How might fear cause someone to give in to temptation? How can personal righteousness help us remain courageous when we face temptation or affliction?
Lachoneus told the people to “cry unto the Lord for strength” (3 Nephi 3:12). Why is it important to pray for strength to face temptations or challenges?
Lachoneus caused the people to “gather themselves together” (3 Nephi 3:13, 22). Why was it important for the Nephites to gather into one place to defend themselves? (See 3 Nephi 4:3–4.) How can our association with other members of the Church increase our ability to withstand the forces of evil? (See Moroni 6:4–6.)
“He caused that fortifications should be built” and placed “guards round about” (3 Nephi 3:14). How can we fortify ourselves and guard against temptation?
The Nephites did “exert themselves … to do according to the words of Lachoneus” (3 Nephi 3:16). How are we blessed when we follow inspired leaders?
“They did repent of all their sins” (3 Nephi 3:25). How does repentance help us receive greater strength from the Lord?
They were “strong with armor” (3 Nephi 3:26). What armor have we been counseled to put on? (See D&C 27:15–18.) Why are we taught to put on the whole armor of God? How can we wear this armor each day?

What was the result of these preparations when the Gadianton robbers came against the Nephites? 3 Nephi 4:11–13

12 And notwithstanding the threatenings and the oaths which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.

The Nephites prepared themselves physically and spiritually to meet Giddianhi’s robbers. As a final act of submission to the Lord, which was misinterpreted by their foes, they fell to the earth and cried unto the Lord. They then stood on their feet and met their enemy with faith in God. We too can stand up to our enemies and replace our fears with faith in God.

How do we experience these same blessings when we gather with members of our families or branches and wards?

Elder M. Russell Ballard wrote concerning the faith that is needed to face the challenges of our day: “Preparing ourselves and our families for the challenges of the coming years will require us to replace fear with faith. We must be able to overcome the fear of enemies who oppose and threaten us. The Lord has said, ‘Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail’ (D&C 6:34)” (Conference Report, Oct. 1989, 43; or Ensign, Nov. 1989, 34).

What more can we learn about gathering from 3 Nephi 5:24–26?

24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained the meaning and purpose of the gathering:

“Another sign of the times is the gathering of the faithful (see D&C 133:4). In the early years of this last dispensation, a gathering to Zion involved various locations in the United States: to Kirtland, to Missouri, to Nauvoo, and to the tops of the mountains. Always these were gatherings to prospective temples. With the creation of stakes and the construction of temples in most nations with sizable populations of the faithful, the current commandment is not to gather to one place but to gather in stakes in our own homelands. There the faithful can enjoy the full blessings of eternity in a house of the Lord. There, in their own homelands, they can obey the Lord’s command to enlarge the borders of His people and strengthen her stakes (see D&C 101:21; 133:9, 14). In this way the stakes of Zion are ‘for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth’ (D&C 115:6)” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 6; or Ensign, May 2004, 8).

Reading 3 Nephi 3 could be an opportunity to help each of us see how much stronger we are when we gather together in righteousness. Weak things become stronger when united with other things.

As you read this section imagine you have been asked to convince the Nephites of the benefits of gathering together, as described in verses 12–26, what would you say?

What challenges do we face that might be likened to the Gadianton robbers?

How can we make our homes and our ward places of refuge?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught what we should do to prepare for the events that precede the Savior’s coming:

“What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?“If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.“We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. …“Are we following the Lord’s command, ‘Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly’? (D&C 87:8). What are those ‘holy places’? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 7–8; or Ensign, May 2004, 9–10).

Part Five: 3 Nephi 3:1–13 We need not fear Satan.

The epistle written by Giddianhi, the leader of the Gadianton robbers, was an attempt to intimidate and deceive the Nephites. 3 Nephi 3:2–10

2 Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, behold, I write this epistle unto you, and do give unto you exceedingly great praise because of your firmness, and also the firmness of your people, in maintaining that which ye suppose to be your right and liberty; yea, ye do stand well, as if ye were supported by the hand of a god, in the defence of your liberty, and your property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.

3 And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety for the word—Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.

4 And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they would visit you with utter destruction.

5 Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the field of battle.

6 Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the sword and that destruction should come upon you.

7 Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance.

8 And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct.

9 And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have been handed down unto us.

10 And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights and government, who have dissented away from you because of your wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs. I am Giddianhi.

Compare these verses to ways Satan might try to deceive us today. What do we learn from the reaction of Lachoneus, the chief judge of the Nephites?

It is easy to see Satan’s imprint in Giddianhi’s word as he used flattery, feigned concern, and made false promises to accomplish his evil designs. How like the devil’s promises were Giddianhi’s promises of freedom when all he had to offer was bondage and a promise to share possessions that were not even his to share. Lachoneus straightway turned his attention to his people. He knew they needed to be physically and spiritually prepared for the imminent attack of Giddianhi’s robbers. He had his people build strong fortifications and gather their animals and families into one place—the land of Zarahemla. He had them make weapons and armor and gather a seven-year supply of provisions. Lachoneus instructed his people to leave the deserted land “desolate” so the robbers would not be able to forage for food. Most importantly, Lachoneus had his people prepare spiritually. He reminded them of the safety of repentance. His people repented and prayed mightily unto the Lord. Thus they wisely prepared themselves both physically and spiritually for the imminent attack of their enemies. They did not have to fear, for they were prepared.

Conclusion

What do we learn from these chapters that can help us in our preparation to be prepared and not fear Satan, what does Lachoneus teach us:

Preparations of Lachoneus	Modern Parallels
Prayed for strength	Pray for strength
Lachoneus called the people to repentance	Church leaders call us to repentance
Built strong fortifications	Build strong testimonies

Gathered the people to one place	Gather together for strength; gather on the Sabbath day
Gathered to the center of the land	Avoid dangerous environments
Gathered provisions for the people	Prepare temporally

As we become converted overtime we can remember and be assured that the Lord will fulfill all his words. We are disciples of Jesus Christ and if we stay in the disciple mode, we have the tools to learn and know how to be prepared. As we gather together with this knowledge and to encourage, enlighten and share our testimonies, pray and partake of the sacrament, we need not fear Satan, we need not fear what is to come, we can and will be ready, we only need to believe and act on that belief in faith.

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“Glad Tidings of Great Joy”

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A few years before the Savior’s birth, the Lord sent a Lamanite prophet named Samuel to preach repentance to the Nephites. He declared to the Nephites in Zarahemla the glad tidings of redemption through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He also confronted them about their rejection of the prophets and their disposition to seek happiness in iniquity. He warned them of the destruction that would come to them if they did not repent.

Do we seek happiness in iniquity be it big or small? Have we today, been warned of turbulent or troubled times to come? Do we reject the prophet?

Many would say no, we do not happiness in iniquity we hear the warning and we do not reject the prophet. But is that a true statement? Do maybe we find ourselves, particularly at this time in our journey on earth disagreeing with the decisions of the Prophet and not following fully his counsel due to our political or personal beliefs and choices.

Through Samuel the Lamanite in Helaman 13–16 we are strongly directed to those things in particular that were of great importance to hear then, and also are of great importance even now. But humbling ourselves and diving into a deeper understanding of his teachings we stand to come closer to Christ and can live with a peaceful heart in a trying world.

History and Background

The gospel of Jesus Christ offers all people the opportunity to change. Throughout much of the Book of Mormon, the Lamanites’ “deeds [had] been evil”; however, “the preaching of the Nephites” Helaman 15:4 led “the more part of them” to receive the gospel Helaman 6:1 and experience a mighty change of heart. Here in the book of Helaman is an obvious reversal of roles—a people who had once been taught became the teachers. Many Nephites, on the other hand, had become prideful and ignored their own prophets, so the Lord sent a Lamanite prophet to warn them to repent and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Look for the Nephites’ collective and individual response to the Lord’s Lamanite messenger. Samuel’s words were important enough to the Savior that He endorsed them during His personal ministry in the Americas and testified they had all been fulfilled

Helaman 13–14 A few years before the Savior’s birth, the Lord sent a Lamanite prophet named Samuel to preach repentance to the Nephites at Zarahemla. The prophet Samuel was a second witness of Jesus Christ, along with the prophet Nephi. He forewarned the Nephites of their destruction if they did not repent. Samuel confronted them about their tendency to reject the prophets and their disposition to seek happiness in doing iniquity. He announced the signs that would mark the birth and death of Jesus Christ. He also taught that all mankind, through the redemption of Jesus Christ, will be brought back into God’s presence for judgment.

Helaman 15–16 As Samuel the Lamanite addressed the Nephites from on top of the wall at Zarahemla, he prophesied that unless they repented, God would “utterly destroy them” Helaman 15:17. He declared that the Lamanites had become more righteous than the Nephites and that the Lord would prolong the days of the Lamanites. Some Nephites believed Samuel’s teachings and were baptized by Nephi. Others, who did not believe Samuel, attempted to kill him. He was protected by the power of God, and he returned to his own land.

Part One: Helaman 13 The Lord’s servants speak and act according to God’s direction.

An overview of this chapter:

Helaman 13:1–4. The Lord calls Samuel the Lamanite to preach to the Nephites.

Helaman 13:5–16. Samuel warns the Nephites that they will be destroyed within 400 years if they do not repent.

Helaman 13:17–23. Samuel declares that because of the Nephites’ wickedness, the Lord will curse the land so the wicked will not be able to retain the riches they hide in the earth.

Helaman 13:24–39. Samuel warns the people of the consequences of rejecting the prophets and refusing to repent.

The Lord asked Samuel the Lamanite to do something that could have seemed quite difficult: to preach to people who had previously cast him out of their city.

Why did Samuel the Lamanite preach to the Nephites? What did the Lord direct Him to say? Helaman 13:1–8, 11 By these verses we can see that Prophets receive and speak the messages God puts into their hearts.

1 And now it came to pass in the eighty and sixth year, the Nephites did still remain in wickedness, yea, in great wickedness, while the Lamanites did observe strictly to keep the commandments of God, according to the law of Moses.

2 And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, a Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land.

3 But behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart.

4 And it came to pass that they would not suffer that he should enter into the city; therefore he went and got upon the wall thereof, and stretched forth his hand and cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord put into his heart.

5 And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.

6 Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his people.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings; but behold ye would not receive me.

8 Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brethren against them.

9 And four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence.

10 Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.

11 But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.

What message did God put into Samuel’s heart? Helaman 13:7 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings; but behold ye would not receive me.

Have you had experiences when the Lord put something in your heart that He wanted you to say to someone verse 4. What blessings have you seen when you followed the Lord’s direction?

What effect did Samuel hope his message would have on the Nephites?

Even though Samuel’s warnings were addressed to the hard-hearted Nephites, Helaman 13 holds some lessons for all of us. Following is a chart of principles form this chapter and study guide to help us understand the lessons here for our day:

Helaman 13:17–23 Principle: When we do not remember the Lord, we are more susceptible to pride and iniquity.

Which verses do you feel teach the above principle?

What curse did Samuel say would come upon the Nephites?

According to Samuel, what were the Nephites not doing when they set their hearts upon their riches?

What are ways youth today might set their hearts upon riches—possessions, practices, and desires—that can lead to pride and iniquity?

Why do you think it is essential to “remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you”? verse 22.

Helaman 13:24–30 Principle: If we reject the words of the Lord’s prophets, we will experience regret and sorrow.

Which verses do you feel teach the above principle?

What excuses did Samuel say the Nephites used for rejecting the Lord’s prophets?

Why do you think people often accept false prophets in the way Samuel described?

Answer the next two questions by studying the most recent general conference talks in the Ensign or Liahona:

What are some of the specific teachings of our living prophets and apostles?

What are some specific problems prophets and apostles have warned us to avoid?

President Ezra Taft Benson declared: “How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 140).

Why do you think some people do not listen to prophets? What do you think people who reject prophets’ teachings fail to understand about prophets?

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the importance of following living prophets and apostles: “Now, my dear brothers and sisters, please pay attention to those things that the leaders of the Church have taught. … Apply the teachings that will help you and your family. Let all of us, regardless of our family circumstances, bring into our homes the teachings of the prophets and the apostles to strengthen our relationships with each other, with our Father in Heaven, and with the Lord Jesus Christ. I promise you in the name of the Lord that if you will listen not just with your ears but also with your heart, the Holy Ghost will manifest the truth unto you of the messages delivered by [the President of the Church], his counselors, the Apostles, and other leaders of the Church. The Spirit will prompt you to know what you should do as individuals and as families in order to follow our counsel, that your testimonies might be strengthened and that you might have peace and joy” (Conference Report, Apr. 2001, 86; or Ensign, May 2001, 67).

Part Two: Helaman 14; 16:13–23 Signs and wonders can strengthen the faith of those who do not harden their hearts.

Continuing to preach to the Nephites in Zarahemla, Samuel the Lamanite announced the signs that would mark the birth and death of Jesus Christ. He explained that he prophesied of these signs to help the people believe in Jesus Christ and to persuade them to repent of their sins. He taught that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind will be brought back into God’s presence. Calling the people to repent, he promised that the repentant would be forgiven of their sins but that those who failed to repent would be cut off again from God’s presence.

How do you think you would have responded if you were there and had heard Samuel make these prophecies.?

This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests looking for signs that the Lord has given us “that [we] might believe on his name” Helaman 14:12. These signs are both instructive and symbolic. When Jesus Christ came into the world, light increased. When He died, darkness increased. The same happens in our lives when we either allow Him to enter our hearts or prevent Him from entering.

In what ways does the Lord provide signs and wonders? Helaman 14:28–29

28 And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men—

29 And this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation.

One of the most specific prophecies in scripture is the one by Samuel concerning the birth and death of Jesus Christ. The following charts outline Samuel’s teachings, including the birth and death of Christ with their recorded fulfillment and Samuel’s teachings to direct the people:

Prophecy of the Savior’s Birth	Fulfillment
Helaman 14:2	Birth in five years	3 Nephi 1:13
Helaman 14:3–4	No darkness the night before the birth	3 Nephi 1:15
Helaman 14:5	New star	3 Nephi 1:21
Helaman 14:6	Many signs and wonders in heaven	Helaman 16:13; 3 Nephi 2:1
Helaman 14:7	All people amazed and fall to the earth	3 Nephi 1:16–17

Samuel Taught Them to Prepare for the Savior (Helaman 14:8–13)	Teaching
Helaman 14:8	Believe in God
Helaman 14:9, 13	Repent and be forgiven through Christ
Helaman 14:30	You are free to act for yourself

Prophecy of the Savior’s Death	Fulfillment
Helaman 14:20, 27	Sun darkened for three days	3 Nephi 8:19–23
Helaman 14:21	Thunder, lightning, earthquakes	3 Nephi 8:6–7
Helaman 14:22	Earth broken up	3 Nephi 8:12, 17–18
Helaman 14:23	Great tempests; mountains laid low and valleys become mountains	3 Nephi 8:5–6
Helaman 14:24	Highways and cities destroyed	3 Nephi 8:8–11, 13–14
Helaman 14:25	Graves open and resurrected Saints minister to people	3 Nephi 23:9–13

Why is it important for us to know about these prophecies and their fulfillment?

In Helaman 16 and other places in the scripture, seeing signs and wonders did not necessarily cause one to believe in Christ. From the scriptures which individuals saw signs and yet did not believe?

According to Helaman 16:13–23, why did many people in Samuel the Lamanite’s time not believe the signs and prophecies?

13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.

14 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.

15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:

16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.

17 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:

18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?

19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?

20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.

21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.

22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.

23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.

How does Satan persuade people to “depend upon their own strength and … wisdom” today? Helaman 16:15.

What do we learn from this account that can help us avoid similar errors?

Part Three: Helaman 15:3 The Lord chastens those He loves.

Samuel the Lamanite warned the Nephites that unless they repented, they would be destroyed. Samuel’s words contain many stern chastisements, but Helaman 15:3 gives a unique perspective on chastening from the Lord. One

3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

Can you find evidence of God’s love and mercy in Samuel’s prophecies and warnings.?

How could chastisement from the Lord be a sign of His love?

Elder D. Todd Christofferson shared three purposes of divine chastening (“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 97–100):

“To persuade us to repent.” See Ether 2:14–15; Doctrine and Covenants 1:27; 93:41–50; 105:6.
“To refine and sanctify us.” See Mosiah 23:21–22; Doctrine and Covenants 101:1–5; 136:31.
“To redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.” See the story of President Hugh B. Brown and the currant bush in Elder Christofferson’s talk (pages 98–99); “The Will of God”

The Lord loves all people but cannot tolerate sin. Although Helaman 15:4 states that the Lord hated the Lamanites “because their deeds have been evil continually,” Samuel is an example of the many Lamanites who were taught the gospel message and gained God’s favor once they were converted.

Elder Russell M. Nelson addressed the subject of God’s love for those who sin: “Does this mean the Lord does not love the sinner? Of course not. Divine love is infinite and universal. The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle John affirmed, ‘We love him, because he first loved us’ [1 John 4:19]. And Nephi, upon seeing in vision the Lord’s mortal ministry, declared: ‘… Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men’ [1 Nephi 19:9; italics added]. We know the expansiveness of the Redeemer’s love because He died that all who die might live again” (“Divine Love,” Ensign, Feb. 2003, 24).

Why does the Lord Chasten us? President Ezra Taft Benson understood the power of the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, to change our lives. He emphasized the importance of having the doctrines taught in our latter-day scripture deep in our hearts if we are to stay “firm and steadfast in the faith” (Helaman 15:8). President Benson taught, “Social, ethical, cultural, or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fulness of the gospel which the Book of Mormon contains” (Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 96; or Ensign, May 1975, 65).

Part Four: Helaman 16 The prophet points us to the Lord.

Helaman 16 records the ways the wicked reacted to the prophet Samuel and his message. What do we learn from those who accepted Samuel’s teachings? What do we learn from those who rejected him?

President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of how the wicked react to prophets of our day: “The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly. As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words, but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the worldly either want to close the mouth of the prophet or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins. Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming, you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in 1980 Devotional Speeches of the Year [1981], 29; see also The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 133).

The following list includes some reasons why the people refused to heed the words of the prophet (click to read and reference Helaman 16:2–21):

Personal anger (see verse 2)
People trust more in their own strength and abilities (see verse 15)
Prophets just guess right occasionally with their prophecies (see verse 16)
Teachings are often not reasonable (see verse 18)
Teachings of the prophets are confused traditions and cannot be proved (see verse 20)
Prophets trick and deceive us rather than doing real miracles (see verse 21)

Elder Dallin H. Oaks cautioned us against relying solely upon personal study and reason to determine spiritual truths: “The Book of Mormon describes [an] attitude among a people who depended solely ‘upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom’ and upon what they could ‘witness with [their] own eyes.’ (Hel. 16:15, 20.) Upon the basis of reason, these persons rejected the prophecies, saying, ‘It is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come.’ (Vs. 18.) Applying that same attitude, a prominent professor dismissed the Book of Mormon with the assertion, ‘You don’t get books from angels. It is just that simple.’ Those who seek gospel knowledge only by study and reason are particularly susceptible to the self-sufficiency and self-importance that sometimes characterize academic pursuits. As the apostle Paul observed in his day, ‘Knowledge puffeth up.’ He cautioned the learned: ‘Take heed lest by any means this liberty [knowledge] of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. … And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?’ (1 Cor. 8:1, 9, 11.)” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 46–47).

Why do people choose to follow the Prophet? Elder Neil L. Andersen taught: “A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior. Rather, he stands beside you and points the way to the Savior. A prophet’s greatest responsibility and most precious gift to us is his sure witness, his certain knowledge, that Jesus is the Christ. Like Peter of old, our prophet declares, ‘[He is] the Christ, the Son of the living God’ [Matthew 16:16; see also John 6:69]. “In a future day, looking back on our mortality, we will rejoice that we walked the earth at the time of a living prophet. At that day, I pray that we will be able to say: “We listened to him. We believed him. We studied his words with patience and faith. We prayed for him. We stood by him. We were humble enough to follow him. We loved him” (“The Prophet of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 27).

Consider if you had lived in the days of Samuel, whether you would have accepted these prophets and perhaps even stood against the masses in their defense.

Now consider today. In what ways do you feel you are following the living prophet in your life?

Conclusion

Samuel the Lamanite described the regret and sorrow the Nephites would someday experience if they procrastinated their repentance. He taught them that they could not be happy in doing iniquity and counseled them again to repent and be saved. He warned the Nephites that if they persisted in seeking happiness in doing iniquity, they would be destroyed.

Consider now, have you hardened your hearts in any way against the counsel God has given through prophets and apostles recently? Are you following the guidelines given for Covid 19 or do you rebel by not wearing a mask and social distancing? Do you refuse to attend sacrament meeting because of offense? Are your political affiliations and beliefs compromising your full will to follow the counsel of the Prophet? Just so you know, he speaks for the Lord, Particularly at this time, these questions are profound in enduring well to the end. We all have free agency and choices, let us pray that our choice will be to follow the Lord through the words of the living Prophet, just as Samuel the Lamanite has taught.

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“Remember the Lord”

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Through the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, Nephi encouraged his people to remember the Lord. We too are encouraged to remember the Lord, for we are among His people. At this time in our lives upon the earth, it is of particular importance that we continually remember Him and prepare ourselves for the days to come.

As we read this week in Helaman 7–12 let us think about how we remember the Lord. How can we help each other and our families focus on remembering Him?

History and Background

Helaman 7–9 Following the missionary efforts of Nephi and Lehi, the Lamanites increased in their righteousness. Unfortunately, during this same time, the Nephites became wicked and supported the Gadianton robbers, resulting in the Spirit of the Lord being withdrawn from them. The prophet Nephi prophesied that if the Nephites continued to live in wickedness, they would perish. In response, corrupt judges stirred many of the people up to anger against Nephi, while some people boldly defended the prophet. As a testament that his words would be fulfilled, Nephi revealed that the chief judge had been murdered by his brother. When Nephi’s words were verified, some of the people accepted him as a prophet.

Helaman 10 After the trial concluded for the murder of the chief judge, Nephi began to return to his own house. He pondered what the Lord had shown him and also worried about the wickedness of the people. In Nephi’s moment of discouragement, the Lord spoke to him and blessed him forever with the sealing power. The Lord commanded Nephi to continue preaching repentance to the people, a command that Nephi immediately obeyed.

Helaman 11–12 covers 14 years of Nephite history and shows the people going through a cycle of righteousness and wickedness. Because of their pride, the people refused to repent of their wickedness. Nephi sealed the heavens, causing a drought and famine. The drought and famine humbled the people, and they repented and turned to the Lord. Because they did not choose to be humble, the people began to easily forget the Lord their God until they were brought to a realization of how much they needed His help. In His mercy, God chastens His people to bring them unto repentance and salvation.

Part 1: Helaman 7–11 Prophets reveal the will of God to the people.

Now more than ever, we are in need of a prophet, and gratefully we have one. Through the past couple of years, President Russell M Nelson has shown that he is truly led by God and does reveal His will. If you have been following President Nelson and his guidance and instruction then you know that this is a true statement and Helaman 7–11 helps us better understand the roles and responsibilities of prophets, as the Lord has set forth for them to do.

In the Guide to the Scriptures (Prophet scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). it states the following concerning a Prophet: “A person who has been called by and speaks for God. As a messenger of God, a prophet receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God. His responsibility is to make known God’s will and true character to mankind and to show the meaning of His dealings with them. A prophet denounces sin and foretells its consequences. He is a preacher of righteousness. On occasion, prophets may be inspired to foretell the future for the benefit of mankind. His primary responsibility, however, is to bear witness of Christ. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s prophet on earth today. Members of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators.”

In this quote what are the defined roles of the prophet?

In Helaman 7–11 look for how Nephi fulfilled the roles listed in this definition: Helaman 7: The prophet Nephi served as a missionary in the land northward for six years. He returned to his own home after trying to teach the Nephites, who had rejected his words and remained in their wicked state. He was very discouraged. After the people gathered to hear Nephi praying upon the tower in his garden, Nephi began teaching them Helaman 7:12–29. He warned them of the consequences of their decisions teaching them that if we refuse to repent of our sins, we will lose the Lord’s protection and the blessings of eternal life.

How does this fulfill the role of a prophet? Looking at Helaman 8. what was the judge’s main message to the people? Helaman 8:1–6,

1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?
2 Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people and against our law?
3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God.
4 And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness; nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.
5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.
6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us.

What you would do if someone tried to persuade you to disregard what prophets have taught?

Nephi reminded the people of prophet after prophet who had testified of Jesus Christ. He taught the Nephites that as we exercise faith in Jesus Christ and are obedient, we will receive eternal life. Despite the multitude of prophets whose teachings confirmed Nephi’s words, the people rejected Nephi and his message.

Why do prophets sometimes have to speak with boldness like Nephi did? The consequences the Nephites faced if they continued to reject the testimonies of prophets would be tremendous, it is the same for us in our day.

Why do you think those who consistently deny the truth and rebel against God face such serious consequences?

What prophetic warnings have inspired us to repent and come to the Lord? Elder Neil L. Andersen shared the following experience: “Those who choose to serve the Lord will always listen attentively and specifically to the Prophet… Let me illustrate with an experience. Our family lived for many years in the state of Florida. Because Florida has a high concentration of sand, lawns there are planted with a large broadleaf grass we call Saint Augustine. A formidable enemy of a Florida lawn is a small, brown insect called a mole cricket. One evening as my neighbor and I stood on the front steps, he noticed a little bug crossing my sidewalk. ‘You better spray your lawn,’ he warned. ‘There goes a mole cricket.’ I had sprayed the lawn with insecticide not too many weeks previously, and I hardly felt that I had the time or money to do it again so soon. In the light of the next morning, I examined my lawn closely. It was lush and beautifully green. I looked down into the grass to see if I could see any of the little bugs. I could see none. I remember thinking, ‘Well, maybe that little mole cricket was just passing through my yard on the way to my neighbor’s yard.’ The story, however, has a sad ending. I came out the front door one morning, about 10 days after the conversation with my neighbor. Shockingly, as if it had happened overnight, brown spots covered my lawn. I ran to the garden store, bought the insecticide, and sprayed immediately, but it was too late. The lawn was ruined, and to return it to its former state required a new crop of sod, long hours of work, and large expense. My neighbor’s warning was central to my lawn’s welfare. He saw things I could not see. He knew something I did not know. He knew that mole crickets live underground and are active only at night, making my daytime examinations ineffective. He knew that mole crickets did not eat the leaves of the grass but rather found nourishment in the roots. He knew that these little inch-long creatures could eat a lot of roots before I would ever see the effect above the ground. I paid a dear price for my smug independence. .. There are spiritual mole crickets that burrow under our protective walls and invade our delicate roots. Many of these insects of wickedness appear small, at times almost invisible. …Let us not follow the pattern I showed in dealing with my Florida mole crickets. Let us never ignore the warnings. Let us never be smug in our independence. Let us always be listening and learning in humility and faith, anxious to repent should it be necessary” (“Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 16–18).

How do our living prophets and apostles fulfill the roles of a prophet like Nephi? How can we sustain them in their responsibilities?

Part 2: Helaman 9:1–20; 10:1, 11–15 Faith must be built on more than signs and miracles.

As proof that the people were in a sinful state and that what he told them about their destruction would be fulfilled, Nephi revealed that the Nephites’ chief judge had been murdered. Nephi also declared that both the murdered man and his brother were members of the Gadianton robbers. Imagine you are investigating the murder of the chief judge. What do you find for answers to the following questions?

When five people investigated Nephi’s claims, what did they find? Why did they fall to the ground? Helaman 9:1–5

1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Nephi had spoken these words, certain men who were among them ran to the judgment-seat; yea, even there were five who went, and they said among themselves, as they went:
2 Behold, now we will know of a surety whether this man be a prophet and God hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous things unto us. Behold, we do not believe that he hath; yea, we do not believe that he is a prophet; nevertheless, if this thing which he has said concerning the chief judge be true, that he be dead, then will we believe that the other words which he has spoken are true.
3 And it came to pass that they ran in their might, and came in unto the judgment-seat; and behold, the chief judge had fallen to the earth, and did lie in his blood.
4 And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished exceedingly, insomuch that they fell to the earth; for they had not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the chief judge.
5 But now, when they saw they believed, and fear came upon them lest all the judgments which Nephi had spoken should come upon the people; therefore they did quake, and had fallen to the earth.

Who did the people suspect were the murderers? Helaman 9:7–8

7 And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment-seat—and behold, to their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth.
8 And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us.

Who was proven innocent? Helaman 9:10–14, 18

10 And it came to pass that on the morrow the people did assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain.
11 And thus also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi, and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.
12 And it came to pass that they inquired among the people, saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead? And they answered and said: Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison.
13 And it came to pass that the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:
14 We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.

Who was accused? Helaman 9:16, 19

16 And now it came to pass that the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying: Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet.
17 And now behold, we will detect this man, and he shall confess his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.
18 And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them.
19 Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death

What evidence of his innocence did Nephi give? Helaman 9:25–36

25 And now behold, I will show unto you another sign, and see if ye will in this thing seek to destroy me.
26 Behold I say unto you: Go to the house of Seantum, who is the brother of Seezoram, and say unto him—
27 Has Nephi, the pretended prophet, who doth prophesy so much evil concerning this people, agreed with thee, in the which ye have murdered Seezoram, who is your brother?
28 And behold, he shall say unto you, Nay.
29 And ye shall say unto him: Have ye murdered your brother?
30 And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say. And behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is innocent.
31 But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak.
32 And when ye have seen this, ye shall say: From whence cometh this blood? Do we not know that it is the blood of your brother?
33 And then shall he tremble, and shall look pale, even as if death had come upon him.
34 And then shall ye say: Because of this fear and this paleness which has come upon your face, behold, we know that thou art guilty.
35 And then shall greater fear come upon him; and then shall he confess unto you, and deny no more that he has done this murder.
36 And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of God. And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I am sent unto you from God.

Who was the murderer? Helaman 9:37–3837 And it came to pass that they went and did, even according as Nephi had said unto them. And behold, the words which he had said were true; for according to the words he did deny; and also according to the words he did confess.
38 And he was brought to prove that he himself was the very murderer, insomuch that the five were set at liberty, and also was Nephi.

What might these people have felt? Upon seeing Nephi’s knowledge of secret and hidden things, there were those who wanted to proclaim him to be God. This is understandable given the universal acknowledgment of certain characteristics of God.

What may have influenced each group to respond differently to the same miraculous prophecy?

How can we ensure that miracles build our testimonies but do not become the only basis for them?

How can we determine whether the prophet’s words in our day are true?

Mose taught that one test of a true prophet is whether his words come to pass. Nephi’s words did come to pass and the people saw. Have you seen the words of President Nelson come to pass, as well as other prophets who have led the church? If you have then you know they are true and you should, regardless of your political or personal choices, follow the direction of the prophet every whit.

Part 3: Helaman 10:1–12 The Lord gives power to those who seek His will and keep His commandments.

The account of the Lord blessing Nephi in Helaman 10 can inspire each of us to be more diligent in seeking and doing the Lord’s will.

1 And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.
2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him.
3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying:
4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.
9 And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.
10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.
11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.
12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent.

What did Nephi dd to gain the Lord’s trust blessings? Helaman 10:4 for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word

How did the Lord bless these people with power to “cast down” figurative mountains in their lives? Helaman 10:9

Think of a time when you tried your best to do what was right but the reaction you received from others or the results you achieved were different than you expected. This can be considered a mountain by the way it makes us feel, it can be painful and we struggle.

We are given help and direction in casting down those mountains in Helaman 10:1–3, which teaches that by pondering the things of the Lord we become prepared to receive revelation and help.
After being cleared of the murder of the chief judge, Nephi found that the people did not respond in faith and repent after they witnessed the dramatic events covered in Helaman 9. Nephi started to return home feeling discouraged, his mountain was heavy. How did he receive help to cast it down?

Think about the following questions:

What was Nephi pondering about?

Why was he feeling “cast down,” or sad?

What happened as he was pondering?

For Nephi, he pondered on things his father, Lehi, had taught and learned of their truthfulness. Young Joseph Smith “reflected … again and again” on James 1:5 and had truth revealed to him Joseph Smith—History 1:11–19; and President Joseph F. Smith pondered and reflected on scriptures dealing with the redemption of the dead and had truth revealed to him D&C 138:1–6, 11. Pondering righteous thoughts and questions brings inspiration and revelation that helps us cast down our mountain. However, most revelation people receive when pondering the things of the Lord does not come through hearing voices, seeing visions, or other such dramatic ways.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: “Revelations are conveyed in a variety of ways, including, for example, dreams, visions, conversations with heavenly messengers, and inspiration. Some revelations are received immediately and intensely; some are recognized gradually and subtly. …
“… Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently ‘distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven’ (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare and is evident in the experiences of Nephi as he tried several different approaches before successfully obtaining the plates of brass from Laban (see 1 Nephi 3–4). …

“… The fundamental truths of the restored gospel were not delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith all at once in the Sacred Grove. These priceless treasures were revealed as circumstances warranted and as the timing was right.

“President Joseph F. Smith explained how this pattern of revelation occurred in his life: ‘As a boy … I would frequently … ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line … , until He made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. …’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1900, 40–41).

“We as members of the Church tend to emphasize marvelous and dramatic spiritual manifestations so much that we may fail to appreciate and may even overlook the customary pattern by which the Holy Ghost accomplishes His work” (“The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 88).

Can you remember a time when you felt you received personal revelation? What were the circumstances that brought about the revelation? How did pondering help you receive revelation? Remember that revelation can come in many ways. It may involve sudden or gradual moments of enlightenment and understanding or feelings of peace and assurance. The Lord gives each of us the power to defeat that which troubles us by pondering, obeying, and seeking His will.

Part 4: Helaman 12 The Lord wants us to remember Him.

Each one of us as members of the church has made covenants to always remember Jesus Christ both in times of prosperity and times of difficulty. In Helaman 12 for many reasons, people tend to forget the Lord.

What did Mormon want us to see in Helaman 12:1?

1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.

What did he want us to learn from Helaman 12:2–3?

2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.

Why do you think it is so easy for those who are prospering to forget the Lord?

What examples of ease and prosperity in our day might lead a person to forget God?

Some of the lessons Mormon wanted his readers to learn are: If we are not careful, our prosperity can lead us to forget the Lord, and the Lord chastens His people to stir them up in remembrance of Him.Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught about why the Lord chastens us: “Though it is difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct. Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path” (“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 98).

What are personal attitudes that prevent individuals from remembering God? Helaman 12:4–64

O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!
5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!
6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.

Why did Mormon say “the children of men … are less than the dust of the earth”?

What does the dust do that people are sometimes unwilling to do? Helaman 12:7–137

O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.
9 Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake.
10 And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.
11 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake;
12 Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center.
13 Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “Now this prophet [Mormon] did not mean to say that the Lord has greater concern for and loves the dust of the earth more than he does his children. … The point he is making is that the dust of the earth is obedient. It moveth hither and thither at the command of the Lord. All things are in harmony with his laws. Everything in the universe obeys the law given unto it, so far as I know, except man. Everywhere you look you find law and order, the elements obeying the law given to them, true to their calling. But man rebels, and in this thing man is less than the dust of the earth because he rejects the counsels of the Lord” (Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 55).

Mormon understood that people who would have God be their guide are greater than the dust of the earth. His comparison was to draw attention to those who are prideful and reject the Lord’s voice and who have unsteady hearts.

How can we overcome the tendencies described in this chapter?

How has adversity helped us remember God? Helaman 11:4–7

4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.

5 And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. And there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth year the famine did continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the sword but became sore by famine.
6 And this work of destruction did also continue in the seventy and fifth year. For the earth was smitten that it was dry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites as well as among the Nephites, so that they were smitten that they did perish by thousands in the more wicked parts of the land.
7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi.

Find a verse or a phrase from Helaman 12 you could display in your homes or memorize to remind you to remember the goodness and power of God. Make a note in your journal!

Conclusion

Mormon reminded us of the Lord’s great power over physical elements—they all move at His command. Take a moment to ponder your own degree of obedience to the Lord’s commandments. How does your willingness to obey His commandments demonstrate humility? How does using our agency to disobey His words demonstrate pride?
By following His prophet and having faith even when there are not miracles and wonders we remember the Lord, hearken to His voice and repent, we show our humility and our faith in Him. In turn, He keeps His promise to bless and prosper us, eventually granting us eternal life.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Book of Mormon Seminary Manual

Ensign

Conference reports

Guide to the scriptures ChruchofJesusChrist.org

“The Rock of Our Redeemer”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

We live in a time of ever-increasing wickedness. And the closer we approach the Savior’s Second Coming, the more wickedness will increase. As we study the events in the Americas that preceded the Savior’s first coming, we can grow in our understanding of the contrasts between wickedness and righteousness. We can recognize and desire the peace and prosperity that comes to those who remain firm in the faith during times of trial.

History and Background

Helaman 1–2 After Pahoran died, contention arose among the Nephites regarding who should be the next chief judge. His son Pahoran was appointed by the voice of the people. However, the new chief judge was murdered by Kishkumen, who acted as part of a secret combination. Taking advantage of this contention and division, the Lamanites conquered the capital city of Zarahemla. The Nephites regained Zarahemla, and Kishkumen was slain while attempting to kill Helaman (son of Helaman), the new chief judge.

Helaman 3–4 During this time in Book of Mormon history, the Nephites enjoyed periods of peace but also experienced times of contention. Tens of thousands of Nephites joined the Church during the time of peace. Following this interval of great prosperity, pride began to enter the hearts of the people. However, the more humble members of the Church grew in their faith, despite being persecuted by those who were proud. Because of the wickedness among many of the Nephites, they lost all of their southern lands to the Lamanites.

Helaman 5 The Nephites continued in wickedness until the majority of them chose wickedness over righteousness. Nephi and Lehi devoted themselves to preaching the word of God. Their father, Helaman, had taught them to remember their Redeemer and to make Him the foundation of their lives. After teaching the Nephites, Nephi and Lehi preached to the Lamanites, who cast them into prison. The Lord miraculously delivered them, and the majority of the Lamanites repented and converted to the gospel.

Helaman 6 The Lamanites become righteous and fight against the Gadianton robbers, while the Nephites increase in wickedness and support the Gadianton robbers

Part 1: Helaman 1–6 Pride separates us from the Spirit and strength of the Lord.

This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families describes a “pride cycle” that plagued the Nephites. Book of Mormon history reveals a recurring cycle that underlies the rise and fall of nations as well as individuals. This cycle is especially clear in Helaman 3–12 and in 3 Nephi 5–9. Mormon gave a summary of this cycle in Helaman 12:2–6. Notice how the Nephites go from unrighteousness to righteousness and back to unrighteousness again in relatively short periods of time. This same tragic cycle also occurred with the Jaredite nation.

Mormon was careful to point out that pride was not part of the Lord’s Church, but because of great riches, it began to enter into the hearts of some of the members of the Church which had a detrimental effect on the Church in general. Helaman 3:36

President Ezra Taft Benson expressed similar thoughts: “Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church. Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from confessing our sins and forsaking them D&C 58:43).

“Think of the many who are less-active members of the Church because they were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive or fully sup at the Lord’s table.

“Think of the tens of thousands of young men and couples who could be on missions except for the pride that keeps them from yielding their hearts unto God (see Alma 10:6; Helaman 3:34–35).

“Think how temple work would increase if the time spent in this godly service were more important than the many prideful pursuits that compete for our time” (Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 6; or Ensign, May 1989, 6).

Can you find verses in Helaman 1–6 that illustrate the different parts of the cycle?

Helaman 3:24–36 And it came to pass that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.

25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.

26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.

27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—

30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.

32 And it came to pass that there was peace and exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the judges.

33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God—

34 And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day.
Helaman 4:11–26. Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God.

Helaman 4:11–26. Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God.

12 And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—

13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.

14 But behold, Moronihah did preach many things unto the people because of their iniquity, and also Nephi and Lehi, who were the sons of Helaman, did preach many things unto the people, yea, and did prophesy many things unto them concerning their iniquities, and what should come unto them if they did not repent of their sins.

15 And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper.

16 For when Moronihah saw that they did repent he did venture to lead them forth from place to place, and from city to city, even until they had regained the one-half of their property and the one-half of all their lands.

17 And thus ended the sixty and first year of the reign of the judges.

18 And it came to pass in the sixty and second year of the reign of the judges, that Moronihah could obtain no more possessions over the Lamanites.

19 Therefore they did abandon their design to obtain the remainder of their lands, for so numerous were the Lamanites that it became impossible for the Nephites to obtain more power over them; therefore Moronihah did employ all his armies in maintaining those parts which he had taken.

20 And it came to pass, because of the greatness of the number of the Lamanites the Nephites were in great fear, lest they should be overpowered, and trodden down, and slain, and destroyed.

21 Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a stiffnecked people, and that they had set at naught the commandments of God;

22 And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites.

23 And because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.

24 And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples—

25 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.

26 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.

How are we sometimes like the Nephites? Pride is contention, and contention is divisive which makes us vulnerable to the influence of the adversary. For example; A man has angry feelings toward someone in his priesthood quorum. How might this contention affect the way he acts at church?

President Ezra Taft Benson Continues to teach us about this: Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance….Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us. Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21.)

Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12; 3 Ne. 12:30.)

The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Hel. 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.

Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s.

Another major portion of this very prevalent sin of pride is enmity toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them. (See Hel. 6:17; D&C 58:41.)

The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)

In the pre-earthly council, Lucifer placed his proposal in competition with the Father’s plan as advocated by Jesus Christ. (See Moses 4:1–3.) He wished to be honored above all others. (See 2 Ne. 24:13.) In short, his prideful desire was to dethrone God. (See D&C 29:36; 76:28.)

The scriptures abound with evidences of the severe consequences of the sin of pride to individuals, groups, cities, and nations. “Pride goeth before destruction.” (Prov. 16:18.) It destroyed the Nephite nation and the city of Sodom. (See Moro. 8:27; Ezek. 16:49–50.) (“Chapter 18: Beware of Pride” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 229–40).

How can we avoid their tendency toward pride? The antidote for pride is humility. Pride affects all of us at various times and in various degrees. Now you can see why the building in Lehi’s dream that represents the pride of the world was large and spacious and great was the multitude that did enter into it. (See 1 Ne. 8:26, 33; 11:35–36.) Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is the universal sin, the great vice. The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. (See 3 Ne. 9:20; 12:19; D&C 20:37; 59:8; Ps. 34:18; Isa. 57:15; 66:2.)
God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” (Alma 32:16.) Let us choose to be humble.

We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are. (See D&C 38:24; 81:5; 84:106.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. (See Jacob 4:10; Hel. 15:3; D&C 63:55; 101:4–5; 108:1; 124:61, 84; 136:31; Prov. 9:8.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us. (See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service. (See Mosiah 2:16–17.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others. (See Alma 4:19; 31:5; 48:20.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.

We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God. (See D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives. (See 3 Ne. 11:11; 13:33; Moro. 10:32.)

Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.(“Chapter 18: Beware of Pride” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 229–40).

Why does pride separate us from God? Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression. (See Alma 12:10–11.) The proud are not easily taught. (See 1 Ne. 15:3, 7–11.) They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong.

Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others?

Pride fades our feelings of sonship to God and brotherhood to man. It separates and divides us by “ranks,” according to our “riches” and our “chances for learning.” (3 Ne. 6:12.) Unity is impossible for a proud people, and unless we are one we are not the Lord’s. (See Mosiah 18:21; D&C 38:27; 105:2–4; Moses 7:18.)

Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church.

Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from confessing our sins and forsaking them. (See D&C 58:43.)

Think of the many who are less active members of the Church because they were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive or fully sup at the Lord’s table.

Think of the tens of thousands of additional young men and couples who could be on missions except for the pride that keeps them from yielding their hearts unto God. (See Alma 10:6; Hel. 3:34–35.)

Think how temple work would increase if the time spent in this godly service were more important than the many prideful pursuits that compete for our time. (“Chapter 18: Beware of Pride” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 229–40).

How can we recognize our dependence upon God? “To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord—to understand that you have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgment that your talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies. You can be both humble and fearless. You can be both humble and courageous. …“The Lord will strengthen you as you humble yourself before Him” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 86).

The Church members described in Helaman 3:33–34 were persecuting fellow members of the Church. Because of their pride, they oppressed the poor and committed all kinds of other sins Helaman 4:11–13

11 Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God.

How can show greater kindness and respect toward others, including our fellow Church members who may be different from us?

Think of someone you know who may be suffering because of others’ unkind actions and ponder how you can help strengthen and encourage that person.

Part 2: Helaman 3:33–35 Sanctification comes from yielding our hearts to God.

These chapters of Helaman can be very comforting to those who may be experiencing “persecutions … or much affliction”

What advice do you find in these verses that you might give to someone who is being persecuted?

How do you find “joy and consolation” in times of affliction by doing the things described in verse 35?

How do these verses teach us about sanctification?

We are sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ Hebrews 13:12; Alma 13:10–12; 3 Nephi 27:19–20; Moroni 10:32–33; Doctrine and Covenants 76:40–42.
Even after we have been sanctified, it is still possible to fall from divine grace Doctrine and Covenants 20:30–34.Sanctification is “the process of becoming free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the Atonement of Jesus Christ” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Sanctification,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

“Once we have truly repented, Christ will take away the burden of guilt for our sins. We can know for ourselves that we have been forgiven and made clean. The Holy Ghost will verify this to us; He is the Sanctifier. No other testimony of forgiveness can be greater” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Point of Safe Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 101).

“To be sanctified through the blood of Christ is to become clean, pure, and holy. If justification removes the punishment for past sin, then sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Justification and Sanctification,” Ensign, June 2001, 22).

“When the will, passions, and feelings of a person are perfectly submissive to God and his requirements, that person is sanctified” (Brigham Young, “Discourse,” Deseret News, Sept. 7, 1854, 1).

How do fasting and prayer bring the blessings described in Helaman 3:35?

How do we yield our hearts to God? Helaman 3:35.

How does this help us become sanctified?

President James E. Faust taught that such growth comes with the aid of the Holy Spirit fostering our inmost desires to conduct our lives as the Savior would have us live. During this process, we are sanctified: “Christlike conduct flows from the deepest wellsprings of the human heart and soul. It is guided by the Holy Spirit of the Lord, which is promised in gospel ordinances. Our greatest hope should be to enjoy the sanctification which comes from this divine guidance; our greatest fear should be to forfeit these blessings” (Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 23; or Ensign, May 1998, 20).

The Saints of Helaman’s day continued in good works and became stronger in spiritual qualities, which in turn resulted in sanctification. Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained that sanctification is a step in the path of striving toward perfection: “Personal persistence in the path of obedience is something different than achieving perfection in mortality. Perfection is not, as some suppose, a prerequisite for justification and sanctification. It is just the opposite: justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection. We only become perfect ‘in Christ’ (see Moro. 10:32), not independently of Him. Thus, what is required of us in order to obtain mercy in the day of judgment is simple diligence” (“Justification and Sanctification,” Ensign, June 2001, 24–25).

Part 3: Helaman 5:12 If we make Jesus Christ our foundation, we cannot fall.

Satan sends forth “his mighty winds” into all of our lives. Many of us, particularly now in this time of pandemic and a chaotic world have already experienced this, and more storms are likely in the near future. What can you do to help ourselves prepare for these storms by building our lives on Jesus Christ?

President Spencer W. Kimball taught of the great importance that memory plays in our spirituality: “When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be remember. Because all of you have made covenants—you know what to do and you know how to do it—our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day—to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that they ‘may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them.’ Nobody should ever forget to go to sacrament meeting. Remember is the word. Remember is the program”(“Circles of Exaltation” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, June 28, 1968], 5).

How does having Him as our foundation influence other choices we make as we build our lives?

Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Seventy vividly illustrated the necessity of strong foundations for long-term safety and survival: “Someone once said you can’t visually tell the difference between a strand of cobweb and a strand of powerful cable—until stress is put on the strand. Our testimonies are that way, and for most of us, the days of stress for our testimonies have already begun. It may not be the death of a loved one. We might not yet have been asked to give up something that is really precious to us, though the time for such a test may well come to us by and by. Our current stress is more likely to come in the form of overpowering temptations, which show us that a shallow acceptance of the gospel does not have the power to cope with the full fury of the powers of darkness. Perhaps there is a mission call to a place of illness and disappointment, when we had planned on a mission to a place of unbounded opportunity. Or perhaps there are too many questions to which our limited knowledge simply has no answer, and those who claim to know more than we do taunt us with what appears to be a persuasive certainty. “When those times come, our testimonies must be more than the cobweb strands of a fair-weather faith. They need to be like strands of cable, powerful enough to resist the shafts of him who would destroy us. In our days of stress and trouble, we must be built ‘upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, … that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, … and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you, … because of the rock upon which ye are built.’ (Helaman 5:12.)” (The Believing Heart, 2nd ed. [1990], 21–22).

President Spencer W. Kimball described the modern storms Satan sends upon Heavenly Father’s children today: “We, too, are faced with powerful destructive forces unleashed by the adversary. Waves of sin, wickedness, immorality, degradation, tyranny, deceitfulness, conspiracy, and dishonesty threaten all of us. They come with great power and speed and will destroy us if we are not watchful.

“But a warning is sounded for us. It behooves us to be alert and to listen and flee from the evil for our eternal lives. Without help we cannot stand against it. We must flee to high ground or cling fast to that which can keep us from being swept away. That to which we must cling for safety is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our protection from whatever force the evil one can muster. An inspired Book of Mormon prophet counseled his people: ‘Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo’ (Hel. 5:12)” (Conference Report, Oct. 1978, 6; or Ensign, Nov. 1978, 6).

What kind of lives are we building and how can we ensure that we are firmly founded on Christ? During the construction of the Salt Lake Temple, large cracks were found in the foundation stones. Even though it had taken almost nine years to get that far in the construction, President Brigham Young directed that the cracked foundation stones be removed and replaced with stones of a better quality. It took another five years to remove the defective foundation stones and rebuild up to the ground level. “I want to see that temple built,” President Young said, “in a manner that it will endure through the millennium” (“Remarks,” Deseret News, Oct. 14, 1863, 97).Part 5: Helaman 5:14–50 Our faith is strengthened by “the greatness of the evidences [we have] received.”

Part 5: Helaman 5:14–50 Our faith is strengthened by “the greatness of the evidences [we have] received.”

One of the blessings of gathering in Sunday School is the opportunity to strengthen one another’s faith just as the Lamanites did in Helaman 5:50. Right now we cannot attend in person, but we can read and discuss with one another and we can attend zoom meetings and meet together often to share. Though many do not participate and think of this time off from meetings as a holiday, don’t you think we should change that attitude of holiday and continue to make it Holy day with carrying on by sharing and meeting together in the best way we can. In this do you think that we will all be strengthened by the evidences we have seen and heard?

14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;

15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of Gid to the city of Mulek;

16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth among all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.

17 And it came to pass that they did preach with great power, insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done.

18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them—

19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round about baptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the wickedness of the traditions of their fathers.

20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to go to the land of Nephi.

21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the Lamanites and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.

22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.

23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.

24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a pillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.

25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were struck dumb with amazement.

26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.

27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall. And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who were dissenters.

28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.

29 And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.

30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul—

31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not disperse—

32 And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the walls trembled.

33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto them marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide asunder.

34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.

35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.

37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi.
38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse?

39 Now the man’s name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them: They do converse with the angels of God.

40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?

41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.

43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.

44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.

45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.

46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:

47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.

49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.

50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received.

Can you identify “the things which the Lamanites had heard and seen” in verses 20–49?

What spiritual experiences have convinced you that the gospel is true, even if you haven’t seen angels or pillars of fire?

What convincing evidence have you seen of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ?

Conclusion

At this crucial point in Nephite history, it is like our present history. The wicked outnumber the righteous. The laws are so corrupt that they have little effect for good.

Like his great-grandfather Alma, Nephi gave up his position as chief judge and devoted himself full-time to the Lord’s work Alma 4:15–20. During this period of spiritual darkness, the people were “ripening for destruction” (Helaman 5:2). As it seems in our time things may be ripening for destruction.

Nephi and his brother Lehi worked diligently to stem the tide of iniquity and turned many back to the Lord. Do we not need the same today? Is it not important for us to check ourselves, and our motives and priorities?
Let us cleanse ourselves of pride and prejudice. Let us put our political views and personal dislikes aside and turn to God filling in the cracks of our foundation that we become strong through the storm. In doing so we have the opportunity to not only help ourselves but the world, we have the chance to be, even like Jesus Christ, which is our ultimate goal.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

The Teachings of the Presidents of the Chruch Ezra Taft Benson

Ensign

Conference Reports

Doctrine and Covenants

Holy Bible King James Version

The Deseret News

The Believing Heart 2nd Edition

Church Educational System

Guide to the Scriptures

True to the Faith

“The Great Plan of Happiness”

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / 1 Comment

In this scripture block, Alma teaches his son Corianton about individual agency and eternal rewards and consequences. As we ponder these teachings, we hope to be reminded that “wickedness never was happiness” and that righteousness never brings misery. We can see that the choices we make on the earth will determine our degree of happiness after death as we understand the role Jesus Christ can play in meeting the demands of justice. As we choose to repent and follow Him, we benefit from the plan of mercy and progress toward eternal happiness.

Alma’s teachings in Alma 39–42 are doctrinally rich and clarify these important truths. As we study these chapters, let us ponder which truths might be most meaningful to each of us personally and what you can do to discover and better comprehend these truths.

History and Background

Alma 39 Alma reproved his wayward son Corianton, who had forsaken the ministry and committed sexual sin. Alma taught him the seriousness of his actions and expressed disappointment that Corianton was guilty of such a serious sin. Alma commanded his son to stop going after the lusts of his eyes and to repent. (Alma’s counsel to Corianton on other subjects continues in chapters 40–42.)

Alma 40 As Alma warned his son Corianton about the consequences of sin, he also taught about life after death. He explained that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind will be resurrected. He taught about the spirit world, where the dead, depending on their choices in mortality, wait in either paradise or prison until the Resurrection.

Alma 41 Continuing to counsel his son Corianton, Alma taught that the plan of restoration includes not only physical resurrection but also a spiritual restoration in which our eternal state reflects our mortal actions and desires. Alma emphasized that wickedness can never lead to happiness.

Alma 42 Alma concluded his counsel to his son Corianton by explaining that Heavenly Father had provided a way for those who sin to obtain mercy. He taught that the justice of God demands that sinners be cut off from the presence of God. He then testified that Jesus Christ would “appease the demands of justice” (Alma 42:15) by suffering for all who have sinned and by providing mercy to the penitent.

Part 1: Alma 39 Sexual sin is an abomination in the sight of the Lord.

The law of chastity is the Lord’s law of sexual purity. To obey the law of chastity, we must be morally clean in thought, word, and action. We must avoid having any sexual relations before marriage, and we must be completely faithful to our husband or wife during marriage. Homosexual activity of any kind is also a serious sin, regardless of whether those who participate in it are married or single. (“Chastity” and “Same-Sex Attraction,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org.)

Five Lies about the Law of Chastity

These statements are lies about the law of chastity that have become accepted by many people:

I know a lot of people who don’t keep the law of chastity, so I shouldn’t have to obey the law of chastity either.
Committing sexual sin is not very serious.
I can commit sexual sin and no one will know.
Because of all the temptations around me, it isn’t possible to stay sexually pure.
If I have committed sexual sin, I can’t be forgiven.

Why do you think worldly views about chastity are so different from the Lord’s teachings?

As we begin to read this chapter, what did Corianton do wrong? Alma 39:4 4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.

What truth can we learn from verse 4? The sins of others do not provide an excuse for us to sin.

Why do the sins of others not provide an excuse for us to sin? The Lord’s commandments and expectations for us do not change because of other people’s choices.

How di Alma explaine the seriousness of sexual sin. Alma 39:5

5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?

What truth can we learn from Alma 39:5? Sexual sin is an abomination in the sight of the Lord.

Why do you think sexual sin is so serious in the sight of the Lord?

Alma was referring to sexual sins such as fornication and adultery, which involve participating in sexual relations with another person outside of marriage.

Why do you think fornication and adultery are placed next to murder in seriousness?

What was Alma’s purpose in teaching Corianton the seriousness of sexual sin? Alma 39:7–8 To help Corianton repent so that he would not have to stand guilty before God

7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good.

8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.

What truth can we learn from verse 8? We cannot hide our sins from God.

What did Alma teach Corianton that can help us remain sexually pure regardless of the temptations that surround us? Alma 39:9

9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things.

So then, what principle can we learn from Alma 39:9? We can overcome temptation and forsake our sins by exercising self-control.

When people commit sexual sins, they often have feelings of discouragement or despair and can feel they don’t have much worth. The principles in Alma 39–42 can inspire one to feel hope that leads to repentance.

Sister Joy D. Jones taught:

“Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness. They are not the same. Spiritual worth means to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. ‘God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever.’

“On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. As President Brigham Young taught: ‘The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth … is worth worlds.’ No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father” (“Value beyond Measure,” Ensign Nov. 2017, 14).

Lord’s standards regarding chastity? “Never do anything that could lead to sexual transgression. Treat others with respect, not as objects used to satisfy lustful and selfish desires. Before marriage, do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person’s body, with or without clothing. Do not do anything else that arouses sexual feelings. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body. Pay attention to the promptings of the Spirit so that you can be clean and virtuous. The Spirit of the Lord will withdraw from one who is in sexual transgression. “Avoid situations that invite increased temptation, such as late-night or overnight activities away from home or activities where there is a lack of adult supervision. Do not participate in discussions or any media that arouse sexual feelings. Do not participate in any type of pornography. The Spirit can help you know when you are at risk and give you the strength to remove yourself from the situation. Have faith in and be obedient to the righteous counsel of your parents and leaders” (For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011], 36).

If you had to summarize all of this counsel with one principle, what would it be?

What principles do you find here that help you live the law of chastity?

How might you respond to someone who told you that it is too difficult to live the law of chastity in today’s world?

Sister Wendy Nelson contrasted how the worlds view of sexual relations—“worldly sex”—with what she called “God-ordained marital intimacy”:

“With worldly sex, anything goes. With marital intimacy, exquisite care is taken to avoid anything and everything—from language to music to movies—that offends the Spirit, your spirit, or your spouse’s.

“While worldly sex is lustful and kills love, marital intimacy generates more love.

“Worldly sex degrades men and women and their bodies, while marital intimacy honors men and women and celebrates the body as one of the great prizes of mortal life.

“With worldly sex, individuals can feel used, abused, and ultimately more lonely. With marital intimacy, spouses feel more united and loved, more nurtured and understood.

“Worldly sex ravages and eventually ruins relationships. Marital intimacy strengthens marriages. It supports, heals, and hallows the lives of spouses and their marriage. …

“Worldly sex becomes a total obsession because it never fulfills its promises. God-ordained marital intimacy is glorious and will continue eternally for covenant-keeping husbands and wives” (“Love and Marriage” [worldwide devotional, Jan. 8, 2017], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

It’s sometimes easy to believe that our choices don’t affect others or that our sins are private.

What did Alma teach Corianton in Alma 39:11–12 about the effect of his choices?

11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words.

12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities

Who might be affected by the choices we are making, both good and bad?

What do you think it means to turn to the Lord with all of our mind, might, and strength?

What did Alma teach Corianton about Jesus Christ? Alma 39:15

15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.

What doctrine can we learn from Alma’s teachings to Corianton in verse 15? Because of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins.

Why is it important to understand that we can be forgiven, regardless of the sins we may have committed?

Why are you grateful that Jesus Christ has “come to take away the sins of the world” (Alma 39:15) and will forgive all who repent?

Alma taught Corianton that God revealed the glad tidings of the Savior’s coming long before Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry because the people who lived before Christ were just as precious to God as those who would live later. Alma 39:16–19

16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people, to prepare their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at the time of his coming.

17 And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?

18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children?

19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as after the time of his coming?

**Point to Ponder: Prayerfully consider what the Lord would like you personally to do in order to apply these truths in their lives.

Part 2: Alma 40–42 The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes the plan of redemption possible.

Alma 40, 41, and 42 contain words of Alma to his son Corianton, who had committed serious sin while he was serving a mission among the Zoramites. Each chapter addresses a different doctrinal question.

Alma taught Corianton truths we all need to understand, including truths about the purpose of life, the spirit world, resurrection, and judgment. He taught his son Corianton about individual agency and eternal rewards and consequences. we are reminded that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10) and that righteousness never brings misery. We see that the choices we make on the earth will determine our degree of happiness after death. We also gain an understanding of the role Jesus Christ can play in meeting the demands of justice. As we choose to repent and follow Him, we benefit from the plan of mercy and progress toward eternal happiness.

Some doctrines and principles that stand out in these chapters:

Resurrection is the restoration of the spirit to the body in its proper and perfect frame Alma 40:1–5, 8–10, 16–25.

After death, all people enter the world of spirits Alma 40:6–15, 21.

“Wickedness never was happiness” Alma 41;10

Salvation is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ Alma 42.

Why were these particular truths important for Alma’s son Corianton to understand?

Alma’s descriptions of the state of souls after this life can impress on our minds the importance of coming unto the Savior and repenting of our sins in this life.

How did Alma describe the state of each of these groups of people after they die? Alma 40:11–26

11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.

15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken.

16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose that this is what it meaneth.

18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to the resurrection of Christ.

19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice, that I say that they all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to pass before the resurrection of those who die after the resurrection of Christ.

20 Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.

21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.

23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.

24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets—

25 And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.

26 But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.

How can these teachings inspire us to repent?

For more about what happens in the spirit world, see 1 Peter 3:18–20; 4:6 and Doctrine and Covenants 138:29–37.

What comes to your mind when you hear the words “restored” or “restoration”?

How is resurrection connected to the plan of restoration? Alma 41:2

2 I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.

Is it just or fair that a loving God would punish His children? Alma 42:7–26.

Elder Glenn L. Pace of the Seventy taught:

“There are absolute truths of eternity. They do not change as a society drifts from them. No popular vote can change an absolute, eternal truth. Legalizing an act does not make it moral. Don’t be fooled by the argument ‘Everybody’s doing it.’ Your spirit should be offended and your intelligence insulted by such reasoning.

“When all of the evidence is in, the world’s graduate school of hard knocks will teach what you … were taught in the kindergarten of your spiritual training, ‘Wickedness never was happiness’ (Alma 41:10)” (Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 50; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 40).

What does this teach us about the importance of the Savior’s sacrifice?

Conclusion

Let us consider our lives, are there sins that currently trouble us? I testify of the Savior’s willingness to forgive and of the increased peace and happiness that come to us when we repent, let us repent. Though the path to forgiveness is difficult, it is not beyond the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Conference Reports

Ensign

Doctrine and Covenants

King James Holy Bible

“Look to God and Live”

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President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “When we have undergone this mighty change, which is brought about only through faith in Jesus Christ and through the operation of the Spirit upon us, it is as though we have become a new person. Thus, the change is likened to a new birth. Thousands of you have experienced this change. You have forsaken lives of sin, sometimes deep and offensive sin, and through applying the blood of Christ in your lives, have become clean. You have no more disposition to return to your old ways. You are in reality a new person. This is what is meant by a change of heart” (“A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Oct. 1989, 4).

Today we reach out to the Book of Mormon Alma 36–38 to find ways in which we can increase our conversion, through an understanding of the importance of scripture, bearing our testimonies and following the words of Christ we can find that by small and simple things great things come to pass, and we grow.

History and Background.

Chiasmus, sometimes called an inverted parallelism, is a Hebrew literary form where words or ideas are arranged in a certain order and then repeated in reverse order. This repetition emphasizes important ideas and words. In addition, the writer’s main idea is often located at the center of the chiasmus.

Alma used chiasmus to tell the story of his conversion to his son Helaman. The presence of Semitic literary forms such as chiasmus in the Book of Mormon is an external witness that the book is what the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that it is: a translation of an ancient text written in a Middle Eastern language.

Alma 36 After Alma returned from his mission to the Zoramites, he gathered together his three sons and gave individual counsel to each one (see Alma 35:16). His counsel to Helaman is recorded in Alma 36–37, his counsel to Shiblon is recorded in Alma 38, and his counsel to Corianton is recorded in Alma 39–42. Alma testified to Helaman that God will deliver those who put their trust in Him. To illustrate this truth, Alma described how he had been delivered from the pain of his sins many years earlier. After calling on the name of Jesus Christ, he had been born of God and filled with joy. He had then labored to bring others to Jesus Christ.

Alma 37 As recorded in Alma 37, Alma continued his counsel to his son Helaman and gave him charge of the sacred records. He reminded Helaman that the scriptures had already been the means of bringing thousands of Lamanites to the Lord, and he prophesied that the Lord had other great purposes for the records in the future. Alma instructed his son in what he should teach the people, and he taught Helaman the importance of looking to the words of Jesus Christ for guidance by comparing the Savior’s words to the Liahona.

Alma 38 Alma’s son Shiblon served with him as a missionary to the Zoramites. Following this mission, Alma expressed joy in the steadiness and faithfulness Shiblon had demonstrated while suffering persecution among the Zoramites. Alma testified to Shiblon of Jesus Christ’s power of deliverance and counseled him to continue to teach the gospel.

Part 1: Alma 36 We can be born of God as we are humble and repent.

Some may wonder why they have never had a dramatic conversion experience like Alma’s. Some also thing this is the only way in conversion, if there are not dramatic events or dreams, or visions, or signs and wonders, conversion didn’t happen. But we learn from Elder David A. Bednar that: “For many of us, conversion is an ongoing process and not a onetime event that results from a powerful or dramatic experience” (“Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 107–8). Although some things about Alma’s conversion experience are uncommon, his experience teaches principles that we all need to apply to our own ongoing conversion.

Ponder how the testimony or a particular teaching of a family member, friend, or Church leader has blessed your life. Now imagine yourself in Helaman’s position in Alma 36:1–5

1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.

2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.

3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself—not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of God.

5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself;

What did Alma want Helaman to remember? Alma 36: 2

What did Alma want Helaman to learn from him? Alma 36:3 When we put our trust in God, He supports us in all our trials and afflictions.

Alma described to his son Helaman how God had delivered him from the pain of his sins and reviewed what happened to him in his youth as he went about with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the Church. Alma 36:6–10,

In the Book of Mormon there are three accounts of the angel visiting Alma and the sons of Mosiah. Alma 36 contains the most detailed account of what Alma experienced during the three days and nights when he was unable to move or talk. Mosiah 27 and Alma 38.

How did Alma describe the fear or pain he experienced after the angel appeared. Alma 36:11–16

11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.

12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.

13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

President Boyd K. Packer helps us understand what racked and harrowed up means:

“Racked means ‘tortured.’ Anciently a rack was a framework on which the victim was laid with each ankle and wrist tied to a spindle which could then be turned to cause unbearable pain.

“A harrow is a frame with spikes through it. When pulled across the ground, it rips and tears into the soil. The scriptures frequently speak of souls and minds being ‘harrowed up’ with guilt” (“The Touch of the Master’s Hand,” Ensign, May 2001, 23).

Why do you think Alma used such strong words to describe how he felt?

How do these words describe the guilt and pain of a person who has sinned and not repented?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gives the following insight into Alma’s experience: “Alma had been touched by the teaching of his father, but it is particularly important that the prophecy he remembered was one regarding ‘the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.’ (Alma 36:17.) That is the name and that is the message that every person must hear. Alma heard it, and he cried out from the anguish of a hell that kept burning and a conscience that wouldn’t heal. ‘O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.’ (Alma 36:18.) … Whatever other prayers we offer, whatever other needs we have, all somehow depends on that plea: ‘O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.’ He is prepared to provide that mercy. He paid with his very life in order to give it” (However Long and Hard the Road [1985], 85).

Alma used the phrase “born of God” to describe his conversion. What does it mean to be born of God: 1 John 4:7; Mosiah 5:7; 27:25–26; and Alma 5:14; 22:15.

Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Nicodemus asked his question in response to Jesus’ statement that a man would have to be born again to see the kingdom of God. Was Nicodemus’s question naive or sarcastic? His subsequent behavior would suggest not. Rather, Nicodemus was voicing a question deeply felt by many people. How is it possible for a mature person to regain the innocence of the newly born? How is it possible to begin life anew, fortified against the pitfalls that cause mankind to be declared carnal, sensual, and devilish? Jesus answered that there must be a two-fold birth that would allow us to enter into the kingdom of God.

How do people feel and act when they are born of God? The Apostle Paul listed the characteristics of the spiritual person, one who yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and contrasted them to the characteristics of a person dominated by the flesh.

Natural Man Galatians 5:16–21: Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revelings

Colossians 3:2–9 Fornication Uncleanness Inordinate affection Evil concupiscence Covetousness Disobedience Anger Wrath Malice Blasphemy Filthy communication Lying

Spiritual Man Galatians 5:22–25: Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Walking in the Spirit

Colossians 3:10–15: Mercies Kindness Humbleness of mind Meekness Long-suffering Forbearance of one another Forgiveness Charity Peace Thankfulness

How are you being born of God?

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.

“Human nature can be changed, here and now,” said President McKay, and then he quoted the following:

“You can change human nature. No man who has felt in him the Spirit of Christ even for half a minute can deny this truth. …

“You do change human nature, your own human nature, if you surrender it to Christ. Human nature has been changed in the past. Human nature must be changed on an enormous scale in the future, unless the world is to be drowned in its own blood. And only Christ can change it.

“Twelve men did quite a lot to change the world nineteen hundred years ago. Twelve simple men.” (Beverly Nichols, in David O. McKay, Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971, p. 23.)

Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world. Men changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. Like Paul they will be asking, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6.) Peter stated they will “follow his steps.” (1 Pet. 2:21.) John said they will “walk, even as he walked.” (1 Jn. 2:6.)

Finally, men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. To paraphrase President Harold B. Lee, they set fire in others because they are on fire. (See Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 192.)

Their will is swallowed up in his will. (See John 5:30.) They do always those things that please the Lord. (See John 8:29.) Not only would they die for the Lord, but, more important, they want to live for Him.

Enter their homes, and the pictures on their walls, the books on their shelves, the music in the air, their words and acts reveal them as Christians. They stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places. (See Mosiah 18:9.) They have Christ on their minds, as they look unto Him in every thought. (See D&C 6:36.) They have Christ in their hearts as their affections are placed on Him forever. (See Alma 37:36.)

Almost every week they partake of the sacrament and witness anew to their Eternal Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of His Son, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. (See Moro. 4:3.)

In Book of Mormon language, they “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Ne. 32:3), “talk of Christ” (2 Ne. 25:26), “rejoice in Christ” (2 Ne. 25:26), “are made alive in Christ” (2 Ne. 25:25), and “glory in [their] Jesus” (see 2 Ne. 33:6). In short, they lose themselves in the Lord and find eternal life. (See Luke 17:33.)

President David O. McKay tells of a singular event that happened to him. After falling asleep, he said he “beheld in vision something infinitely sublime.” He saw a beautiful city, a great concourse of people dressed in white, and the Savior.

“The city, I understood, was his. It was the City Eternal; and the people following him were to abide there in peace and eternal happiness.

“But who were they?

“As if the Savior read my thoughts, he answered by pointing to a semicircle that then appeared above them, and on which were written in gold the words:

“These Are They Who Have Overcome the World—Who Have Truly Been Born Again!

“When I awoke, it was breaking day.” (Cherished Experiences from the Writings of President David O. McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988, p. 102.)

When we awake and are born of God, a new day will break and Zion will be redeemed.

May we be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, choose to follow Him, be changed for Him, captained by Him, consumed in Him, and born again.” (Born of God By President Ezra Taft Benson Ensign July 1989)

Part 2: Alma 37 The scriptures have been preserved “for a wise purpose.”

Alma continued his counsel to his son Helaman and gave him charge over the sacred records. Alma instructed his son about what to teach the people. Comparing the words of Christ to the Liahona, he impressed upon Helaman the importance of looking to them for guidance. Studying Alma’s words as he gave sacred records to his son Helaman can help us understand how we have felt the power of the scriptures in our lives.

How do we show that the scriptures are sacred to us?

To help prepare his son Helaman to be the spiritual leader and the new record keeper for the people, Alma stressed the importance of the scriptures. Some of the major points he made are that the Lord would preserve the brass plates and the Nephite record in a marvelous but simple way (see Alma 37:1–5). He commanded his son to keep a record of his people and taught him that the scriptures are designed to enlarge our memory, convince us of the error of our ways, and bring us to a knowledge of God and His plan of salvation (see verses 8–9). Then he reminded his son that only one who keeps the commandments is worthy to record scripture (verses 14–16). Alma further promised his son, and us, that following the words of Christ will “carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise” (verse 45).

Elder David A. Bednar described ways we could get more from our personal scripture study: “The scriptures contain the words of Christ and are a reservoir of living water to which we have ready access and from which we can drink deeply and long. You and I must look to and come unto Christ, who is ‘the fountain of living waters’ (1 Nephi 11:25; compare Ether 8:26; 12:28), by reading (see Mosiah 1:5), studying (see D&C 26:1), searching (see John 5:39; Alma 17:2), and feasting (see 2 Nephi 32:3) upon the words of Christ as contained in the holy scriptures. By so doing, we can receive both spiritual direction and protection during our mortal journey” (“A Reservoir of Living Water” [CES fireside for young adults, Feb. 4, 2007], 1).

How can we, like Alma, teach our loved ones to “keep all these things sacred”? Alma 37:2

2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.

How do the scriptures “show forth [God’s] power” to us? Alma 37:14

14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations.

One way to learn about the blessings of having the scriptures is to study what Alma said in Alma 37 about the sacred records and other items he entrusted to Helaman:

The plates of Nephi and the brass plates Alma 37:2–20:

3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning—

4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.

5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.

12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.

13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.

15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.

16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.

17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.

18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power unto future generations.

19 And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he will also still show forth his power in them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved.

20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God as they are written.

The 24 plates of Ether and the interpreters Alma 37:21–37:

21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.

22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.

23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.

24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.

26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness and made known unto us.

27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.

28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.

29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and abominations and their murders.

30 For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness and secret combinations.

31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.

32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.

33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.

35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

The Liahona Alma 37:38–47:

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

In what ways can the scriptures enlarge our memories? Alma 37:8

“The scriptures enlarge our memory by helping us always to remember the Lord and our relationship to Him and the Father. They remind us of what we knew in our premortal life. And they expand our memory in another sense by teaching us about epochs, people, and events that we did not experience personally” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 33).

What can we learn from Alma’s words about the blessings of having the scriptures in our lives today? The words of Christ influence us spiritually and help us progress toward eternal life. If we follow the words of Jesus Christ, they will direct us to receive eternal life.

Part 3: Alma 37:6–7, 41–42 “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

To teach about the importance of “small and simple things” in God’s work, Alma gave two examples: the scriptures and the Liahona Alma 37:6–7, 41–42; see also 1 Nephi 17:41.

7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

What truths do we learn from these verses about the value of “small and simple things”? By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. The Lord works by very small means to bring about the salvation of many souls.

Do you remember examples from your own lives of small and simple things in God’s work?

President Dallin H. Oaks taught:

“I was reminded of the power of small and simple things over time by something I saw on a morning walk. … The thick and strong concrete sidewalk [was] cracking. Is this the result of some large and powerful thrust? No, this cracking is caused by the slow, small growth of one of the roots reaching out from the adjoining tree. …

“So is the powerful effect over time of the small and simple things we are taught in the scriptures and by living prophets. Consider the scripture study we’ve been taught to incorporate into our daily lives. Or consider the personal prayers and the kneeling family prayers that are regular practices for faithful Latter-day Saints. … Though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth. This occurs because each of these small and simple things invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the Testifier who enlightens us and guides us into truth” (“Small and Simple Things,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 90).

Why do we sometimes fail to do the small and simple things?

How can we inspire ourselves and our families to overcome this tendency?

Elder M. Russell Ballard taught the importance of giving heed to small and simple things:

“We observe vast, sweeping world events; however, we must remember that the purposes of the Lord in our personal lives generally are fulfilled through the small and simple things and not the momentous and spectacular. …

“Great and marvelous events seem to motivate us, but small things often do not hold our attention. Noting that the Liahona worked by faith, Alma stated, ‘Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means … [the people of Lehi] were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey’ (Alma 37:41).

“Is our journey sometimes impeded when we forget the importance of small things? (see Alma 37:46). Do we realize that small events and choices determine the direction of our lives just as small helms determine the direction of great ships? (see James 3:4; D&C 123:16). …

“… We need to have family and personal prayers; study the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon; hold family home evenings; follow the admonition of the Savior to love one another; and be thoughtful, kind, and gentle within the family. Through these and other similar small and simple things, we have the promise that our lives will be filled with peace and joy” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1990, 4, 8; or Ensign, May 1990, 6, 8).

Part 4: Alma 37:38–47 The words of Christ can guide us day by day.

Comparing the word of God to the Liahona can inspire us to be more diligent and consistent about reading the scriptures.

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.Over the years several General Authorities have described different means in which the Lord continues to guide us in our journey of life, like a Liahona.Elder W. Rolfe Kerr of the Seventy compared the words of Christ to the Liahona: “So we see, brethren and sisters, that the words of Christ can be a personal Liahona for each of us, showing us the way. Let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way. Let us in faith take the words of Christ into our minds and into our hearts as they are recorded in sacred scripture and as they are uttered by living prophets, seers, and revelators. Let us with faith and diligence feast upon the words of Christ, for the words of Christ will be our spiritual Liahona telling us all things what we should do” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 38; or Ensign, May 2004, 37).

Can you find similarities between the Liahona and the word of God in these verses?

What does this comparison suggest about how we should approach our scripture study?

Over the years several General Authorities have described different means in which the Lord continues to guide us in our journey of life, like a Liahona.

Elder W. Rolfe Kerr of the Seventy compared the words of Christ to the Liahona: “So we see, brethren and sisters, that the words of Christ can be a personal Liahona for each of us, showing us the way. Let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way. Let us in faith take the words of Christ into our minds and into our hearts as they are recorded in sacred scripture and as they are uttered by living prophets, seers, and revelators. Let us with faith and diligence feast upon the words of Christ, for the words of Christ will be our spiritual Liahona telling us all things what we should do” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 38; or Ensign, May 2004, 37).

President Thomas S. Monson compared the Liahona to an individual’s patriarchal blessing: “The same Lord who provided a Liahona for Lehi provides for you and for me today a rare and valuable gift to give direction to our lives. … The gift to which I refer is known as a patriarchal blessing” (Live the Good Life [1988], 36).President Spencer W. Kimball compared the Liahona to the light of Christ, or our conscience:“Wouldn’t you like to have that kind of a ball … ?“… The Lord gave to … every person, a conscience which tells him everytime he starts to go on the wrong path. …“… Every child is given it” (Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 117; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 79).

President Spencer W. Kimball compared the Liahona to the light of Christ, or our conscience: “Wouldn’t you like to have that kind of a ball … ? “… The Lord gave to … every person, a conscience which tells him everytime he starts to go on the wrong path. …“… Every child is given it” (Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 117; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 79).

Elder David A. Bednar compared the Liahona to the gift of the Holy Ghost: “As we each press forward along the pathway of life, we receive direction from the Holy Ghost just as Lehi was directed through the Liahona. …“The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed. …“And the Holy Ghost provides for us today the means whereby we can receive, ‘by small and simple things’ (Alma 37:6), increased understanding about the ways of the Lord. …“The Spirit of the Lord can be our guide and will bless us with direction, instruction, and spiritual protection during our mortal journey” (Conference Report, Apr. 2006, 31; or Ensign, May 2006, 30–31).

Part 5: Alma 38 Sharing our testimonies of Jesus Christ can strengthen those we love.

Alma’s words to his son Shiblon provide a good example of how to strengthen and encourage those we love in living the gospel.

1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence.

2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.

3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites.

4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.

5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things.

7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.

8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.

9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.

10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.

11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.

12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.

14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times.

15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and teach the word unto this people. Be sober. My son, farewell.

Alma encouraged Shiblon to develop qualities that would help him as he continued to teach the gospel and serve others. Alma’s counsel to Shiblon can apply to anyone who wants to serve, teach, or influence others for good.

What counsel did you find in these verses that can help you in your efforts to serve and teach others?

Examine different parts of Alma’s counsel listed below, and choose one that you would like to improve in. Complete the corresponding learning activity to help you apply this counsel in your life. (2017 by Intellectual Reserve)

Alma’s Counsel	Learning Activities
“Be diligent and temperate in all things” (Alma 38:10).	Diligence is consistent, careful, and conscientious effort. To be temperate is to “use moderation in all things or to exercise self-control” (Kent D. Watson, “Being Temperate in All Things,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 38).Write your answers to the following questions in your class notebook or study journal:Why do you think diligence and temperance are needed when a person teaches the gospel and serves others?What are some areas of your life in which you could be more diligent or temperate?How might improving in those areas help you teach and serve others more effectively?
“See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; … do not boast” (Alma 38:11).	One aspect of pride is putting greater trust in oneself than in God. Pride is also evident when a person thinks he or she is superior to or more important than others. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “True disciples speak with quiet confidence, not boastful pride” (Robert D. Hales, “Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 73).Write your answers to the following questions in your class notebook or study journal:What might happen if a Church member is prideful in his or her calling?Think of someone you know who teaches the gospel “with quiet confidence.” What effect have this person’s example and teachings had on you?What are some ways you will seek to avoid pride?
“Use boldness, but not overbearance” (Alma 38:12).	Alma’s counsel to “use boldness” means to teach the word of God without fear (see Philippians 1:14). President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency taught how we can avoid being overbearing: “I do not believe that we need to be … loud, pushy, or insensitive in our approach [to missionary work]” (in James P. Bell, In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust [1999], 373).Write your answers to the following questions in your class notebook or study journal:How can a person be bold without being overbearing?How could being bold but not overbearing help you be successful in teaching and serving others?How will you specifically apply the counsel to be bold but not overbearing as you teach and serve others?
“Bridle all your passions” (Alma 38:12).	A bridle is the headgear used on a horse. It includes reins and sometimes a bit, which give the rider control. A passion is a strong emotion. A bridle is intended to direct—not destroy—desires and passions. “Alma taught his son: ‘See that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love.’ (Alma 38:12; emphasis added.) He did not say eliminate or even suppress your passions, but bridle them—harness, channel, and focus them. Why? Because discipline makes possible a richer, deeper love” (Bruce C. Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, The Belonging Heart: The Atonement and Relationships with God and Family [1994], 302).Write your answers to the following questions in your class notebook or study journal:Why do you think it is important for us to bridle our passions?How do you think bridling your passions can help you be filled with love?What will you do to follow Alma’s counsel to “bridle all your passions”?
“Refrain from idleness” (Alma 38:12).	To be idle is to spend time doing nothing of significance. “Idleness can lead to inappropriate behavior, damaged relationships, and sin. One form of idleness is spending excessive amounts of time in activities that keep you from productive work, such as using the internet, playing video games, and watching television” (For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011], 40).Write your answers to the following questions in your class notebook or study journal:What are some activities that may keep you from productive work?How will refraining from idleness help you teach and serve others more effectively?What is a specific way you will refrain from idleness, starting today?

Conclusion

Alma’s final counsel to his three sons differed greatly. To a certain extent we determine what kind of counsel we might receive in our lives by how faithful we are to the counsel we have already been given. Alma’s conversion story provides one of the clearest examples of how we can know when we have been forgiven of our sins. Counsel given to Shiblon teaches us how to teach and strengthen our testimony, and Finally, the poignant counsel given to Corianton teaches how serious and destructive sexual transgression is. He teaches us through his story that by small and simple things come great things, as well as the importance of the scriptures, and gives us faith and hope through his personal testimony which we too, can give to others by sharing ours. These chapters are rich with gospel knowledge to be had for our day in progressing in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Resources

Book of Mormon student manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Intellectual Reserve in Seminary Manual 2017

CES Firesides

The Virtue of the Word of God.

Featured / The Dixie Dawn / Leave a comment

To begin I would like to share and the following article “When I Felt Deceived about the Church” as it directly helps us in gaining personal insight concerning the Virtue of the Word of God vs. that of Satan. Take notice the differences you find as you read concerning the world and God.

Several years ago, I was following a conversation on social media between two of my former mission companions. These were men whom I loved and respected.

They were discussing questions they had about the Church and its doctrine. It soon became clear that they both had left the Church. It shocked and disturbed me. I had never heard of some of the things they were discussing. I felt like I had to know if these things had any merit. So I began looking into the arguments of those who had concerns about the Church.

Some of the things I read over the next two years led me to question everything about the Church. Some who go through this feel sad. They grieve for the loss of their faith. I became angry. I felt that the Church had deceived me. I wasn’t sure what was real or whom I could trust.

I had a difficult time going to church. I asked to be released from my calling. My relationship with my wife, Cheri, and my family was strained. I continued to go to church, but it was really just for show and to try and keep my family together. Life was a mess. I couldn’t feel the Spirit and questioned whether or not I had ever really felt the Holy Ghost.

When my oldest child, Kayson, was leaving on his mission, I cast a gloomy cloud over what should have been a joyous occasion. After two years, most of my family knew what I was going through. When they all went to the temple with Kayson for his first time, I was not there. Through all of it, I felt so alone.

One day my brothers got together to talk to me about what I was going through. I don’t really remember what they said, but I knew it was done out of love. As we talked, I started to realize what I was missing. It became the catalyst for change. It should have been me to ordain Kayson an elder. It should have been me to escort him through the temple. It should have been me to give him a father’s blessing before he left. Those most important events in his life were meant for me to be there, not someone else. I remember asking myself, “What am I doing?”

Shortly after, a good friend felt inspired to introduce me to a member of his stake presidency. This kind man listened intently to my story and seemed to know what I was going to say before I said it. We talked for hours. My story, my questions, the logic I had been exposed to were so similar to what others had shared with him. I began to realize that there were reasonable answers for many of my concerns and that many of my questions, while sincere, had been planted by people intent on damaging faith.

Were all my questions and concerns immediately resolved? No, of course not. But my heart was softened enough to realize a great truth: questions are good, but some questions are more important than others. Was losing my family and standing before God worth a few unanswered questions? When I focused first on the questions that were most important and put God back in first place in my heart, I began to find answers that reassured me that I was getting back on the right path.

My stake president and bishop also reached out to me. They were a great help to me and Cheri during some dark times. They never gave up. They and my family on both sides of the veil were instrumental in helping me. I know that Heavenly Father knows and loves us. He puts people in our path when we need them. We just need to be willing to accept their help… (When I felt Deceived about the Church, Travis Ewell, Ensign July 2020)

President Ezra Taft Benson said this of the Book of Mormon:

“The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. …

“Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 94–95; or Ensign, May 1975, 64).

This week we study again of priestcraft, and are given examples and guidelines to help us in our day to understand and recognize the true word of God. With so many examples of priestcraft in the Book of Mormon we surely should heed the warning and be prepared. After reading Alma 30–31 and seeking inspiration for our own lives, lets also listen for promptings about what messages we can share that will bless the lives of others we know, as they also seek the truth.

History and Background

Alma 30 Following a great battle with the Lamanites, peace settled over the land of Zarahemla. In the midst of this period of peace, a man named Korihor began to preach that there would be no Christ. His false teachings led those who believed him to sin. He spoke against the leaders of the Church, claiming they were teaching “foolish traditions” Alma 30:27. Korihor was brought before Alma, who taught him that all things testify of Christ. Eventually, Korihor confessed that his actions were guided by the devil.

Alma 31 Alma learned that a group of Nephite dissenters called the Zoramites had strayed from the truth of the gospel. Saddened by these reports of wickedness, Alma took others with him to teach the Zoramites the word of God. They witnessed the apostate worship services and the pride of the Zoramites. Alma prayed earnestly that he and his companions would find comfort and success in bringing the Zoramites back to the Lord.

Part 1: Alma 30:6–31 The adversary tries to deceive us with false doctrine.

Imagine that someone prepared a meal for you. It looked and smelled delicious, but when you ate it, you became extremely sick. Think for a moment how false teachings might be similar to being offered food that looks delicious but is secretly poisonous. By studying how Korihor sought to destroy the faith of the Nephites, we can better recognize those same destructive arguments in our day. By studying Alma’s response to Korihor, we will be better prepared to defend ourselfves and others from those who would destroy your faith.

6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year, there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ.

7 Now there was no law against a man’s belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.

8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.

9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him.

10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed he was also punished; and if he stole he was also punished; and if he committed adultery he was also punished; yea, for all this wickedness they were punished.

11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.

12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:

13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.

14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.

15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.

16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so.

17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.

18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms—telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.

19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people of the Lamanites.

20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who was a high priest over that people.

21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried out of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and began to preach unto them also; and here he did not have much success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high priest, and also the chief judge over the land.

22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the holy prophets?

23 Now the high priest’s name was Giddonah. And Korihor said unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.

24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true.

25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents.

26 And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world—

27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.

28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be.

29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was governor over all the land.

30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.

31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people.

How can we tell that Korihor was an anti-Christ? Alma 30:6, 12

12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:

An anti-Christ is “one who would assume the guise of Christ but in reality would be opposed to Christ 1 John 2:18–22; 4:3–6; 2 John 1:7. In a broader sense it is anyone or anything that counterfeits the true gospel or plan of salvation and that openly or secretly is set up in opposition to Christ” (Bible Dictionary, “Antichrist”).

What “counterfeits [of] the true gospel” do you notice in today’s world? For example, Sister Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President, taught, “Any doctrine or principle [we] hear from the world that is antifamily is also anti-Christ” (“Teaching the Doctrine of the Family,” Ensign, Mar. 2011, 15).

What were his false teachings and the implications of following? Alma 30:12–18 Unless you have physical evidence of religious truths, you should not believe in Jesus Christ or His gospel. There is no such thing as personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. There is no such thing as sin. There is no universal standard of what is right or wrong. People prosper by their own efforts alone. There is no need for God in the affairs of man. The words of the prophets and scriptures are not true, so you should not believe their prophecies. There is no such thing as remission of sins. There is no need to seek help through the Atonement because there is no such thing as an Atonement. There is no life after death, so there is no need to worry about a judgment after this life.

Alma 30:13–14: 13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.

14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.

Alma 30:15: 15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.

Alma 30:16: 16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so.

Alma 30:17: 17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.

Alma 30:18: 18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms—telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught that our belief in God gives us freedom: “Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel which comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred. We have moral agency as a gift of God. Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose” (“Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 25).

Which of Kohor’s teachings are similar to false teachings in our day?

How can we avoid being deceived by these teachings?

Elder Gerald N. Lund, formerly of the Seventy, explained that Korihor has many modern-day equivalents:

“Today, the world is permeated with philosophies similar to those taught by Korihor. We read them in books, see them championed in the movies and on television, and hear them taught in classrooms and sometimes in the churches of our time. …

“… We see clear evidence of Mormon’s inspiration to give us a full account of Korihor and his teachings. Korihor’s teachings are old doctrine, and yet they are ideas as modern as today’s high-speed printing presses and satellite dishes” (“Countering Korihor’s Philosophy,” Ensign, July 1992, 20).

“Sometimes the only defense we have against those who attack our faith is to share our testimony of the truth. There is no embarrassment in taking this approach—Alma, a prophet of God, used this approach with Korihor. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: “Korihor’s arguments sound very contemporary to the modern reader, but Alma used a timeless and ultimately undeniable weapon in response—the power of personal testimony” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 121).

Part 2: Alma 30:39–46 All things testify of God.

Because we live in a world similar to Alma’s, where some people teach that there is no God, Alma’s testimony in Alma 30:39–44 is very helpful for us.

39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.

40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.

41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?

42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God.

43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

45 And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me a sign.

46 And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed.

What truths and evidences does Alma give in these verses that testify there is a God?

President M. Russell Ballard taught that the “eternal evidences” Alma gave for the existence of God “continue to testify to us today” Alma 30:44:

“Astronauts viewing the earth from space have stated how incredibly beautiful it is and how alive it appears. United States Senator Jake Garn wrote of his experience in space: ‘It is impossible for me to describe the beauty of the earth. It is a breathtaking, awe-inspiring, spiritual experience to view the earth from space while traveling at twenty-five times the speed of sound. I could also look into the blackness of the vacuum of space and see billions of stars and galaxies millions of light-years away. The universe is so vast as to be impossible to comprehend. But I did comprehend the hand of God in all things. I felt his presence throughout my seven days in space. I know that God created this earth and the universe. … I know that God lives and is the Creator of us all’ (letter to M. Russell Ballard, 3 March 1988)” (“God’s Love for His Children,” Ensign, May 1988, 58).

As Alma talked with Korihor, he perceived that Korihor had “put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in him.” Alma 30:42

What role does the Holy Ghost play in testifying to us of the reality of God and Jesus Christ? “The Holy Ghost … quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature” (Parley P Pratt Key to the Science of Theology [1978], 61).

The Holy Ghost is also called the Spirit of God, and one of His roles is to witness, or testify, of the truth. The Holy Ghost reveals and confirms truth through feelings, thoughts, and impressions. The feelings that come from the Holy Ghost are powerful, but they are also usually gentle and quiet. As taught in the Bible, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance” Galatians 5:22–23. These feelings are a confirmation from the Holy Ghost that this message is true. After receiving this message, you will then need to choose whether you will live in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ as restored through Joseph Smith.

The Roles of the Holy Ghost in our lives:

Scripture	Title or Function	Meaning
John 14:26	ComforterTeacherBrings truth to remembrance	Soothes and brings peace, joyInstructs and guidesHelps us recall and recognize truth
John 16:8	Reprover of sin	Convinces or convicts
John 16:13	A guide to truth	Acts like a compass
1 Corinthians 12:1–11	Conveyer of gifts	Gives spiritual gifts
2 Nephi 32:3	The power by which angels speak	Brings the word of Christ
2 Nephi 32:5	A personal guide	Directs our decisions
Alma 10:17	Discerner of thoughts	Reveals others’ thoughts
Alma 13:12	Sanctifier	Makes clean and pure
Doctrine and Covenants 45:57	Protector from deception	Reveals the deceptions of Satan
Doctrine and Covenants 46:30	A guide in prayers	Prompts us when we pray
Doctrine and Covenants 68:4	Giver of scripture	Gives the word of the Lord, which is scripture
Doctrine and Covenants 132:7	Sealer	Makes valid for time and all eternity

How can we help those who have doubts or questions seek truth through the Holy Ghost? We can encourage them to pray addressing Heavenly Father, and expressing the true feelings of their heart such as: gratitude, questions, requests to confirm the truth of the Book of Mormon and what they have been taught is true.

When they come asking questions or investigating Church doctrine, practices, or history, the following are some of the ways we can help them:

Listen carefully and prayerfully: Listen attentively before you respond, seeking to clarify and understand the actual questions they are asking. Thoughtfully seek to understand the true intent of their questions and their feelings and beliefs.

Teach and testify of gospel truths: Share applicable teachings from the scriptures and modern prophets and how they have made a difference in your life. Help those with whom you speak examine or reframe their questions in the context of the gospel and the plan of salvation.

Invite them to act in faith: Remember that the Lord requires us to seek spiritual knowledge for ourselves. We must therefore invite others to act in faith through prayer, obedience to the commandments, and diligent study of the word of God, using divinely appointed sources, particularly the Book of Mormon. If they are members who are struggling or fallen away, invite them to remember experiences they may have had when they felt the Holy Ghost and to hold fast to eternal truths they have learned until additional knowledge comes.

Follow through: Offer to search for answers, and then follow through by sharing what you learn. You could also search for answers together. Express confidence in the Lord’s promise to provide personal revelation.

Related scriptural references to help: Jeremiah 1:4–5; Amos 3:7; Matthew 5:14–16; Matthew 16:15–19; John 15:16; John 17:3; Ephesians 2:19–20; Ephesians 4:11–14; 2 Nephi 2:27; Mosiah 18:8–10; 3 Nephi 18:15, 20–21; D&C 1:37–38; D&C 18:15–16; D&C 21:4–6
Related doctrinal topics to help: The Godhead: The Holy Ghost; The Atonement of Jesus Christ: Faith in Jesus Christ; Prophets and Revelation; Commandments

Part 3: Alma 31 God’s word has the power to lead people to righteousness.

Do you have experiences of a time when the Virtue of the Word of God helped you make changes in your life? Alma 31 is about life changing. It teaches us that God’s word has a powerful affect upon on minds. Alma 31:5

5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

Going a stop further with the above question lets add to that, what would you do if a friend or family member began to stray from living the gospel?

What might be challenging about trying to help someone who is straying from the gospel?

In this chapter Alma and several others tried to help a group of people who had strayed from the gospel. read Alma 31:1–4

1 Now it came to pass that after the end of Korihor, Alma having received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of the Lord, and that Zoram, who was their leader, was leading the hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols, his heart again began to sicken because of the iniquity of the people.

2 For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the Nephites.

3 Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.

4 Now the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would enter into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites.

What were Alma’s feelings when he heard about the iniquity of the Zoramites?

Why did the Nephites begin to fear because of the Zoramites?

What did Alma decide to do to help the Zoramites? Alma 31:5 5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

What does this verse teach us about the effect that preaching the word of God can have? Preaching the word of God can have a more powerful effect than anything else in helping people do what is right.

Why do you think preaching the word of God can be more powerful than force or anything else in helping people do what is right?

The word of God, which includes the scriptures and the teachings of prophets, encompasses the doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior” (Boyd K. Packer, “Little Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17).

In what ways might understanding true doctrine, such as truths about our Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation, help someone change his or her attitude or behavior and desire to do what is right?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:

“Are we really nurturing our youth and our new members in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie—spiritually empty calories? … During a severe winter several years ago, President Boyd K. Packer noted that a goodly number of deer had died of starvation while their stomachs were full of hay. In an honest effort to assist, agencies had supplied the superficial when the substantial was what had been needed. Regrettably they had fed the deer but they had not nourished them. …

“Satan is certainly not subtle in his teachings; why should we be? Whether we are instructing our children at home or standing before an audience in church, let us never make our faith difficult to detect. … Give scripturally based sermons. Teach the revealed doctrine” (“A Teacher Come from God,” Ensign, May 1998, 26–27).

What principle can we learn from the following verses about what can lead people, or even ourselves to stray? 31:8–11.

8 Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore they had had the word of God preached unto them.

9 But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses.

10 Neither would they observe the performances of the church, to continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might not enter into temptation.

11 Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very many instances; therefore, for this cause, Alma and his brethren went into the land to preach the word unto them.

Choosing to not keep the commandments, participate in gospel ordinances, or pray daily will lead us to stray from the gospel.

Elder Rulon G. Craven, who served as a member of the Seventy stated the following: “During the past years I have at times been asked by the Brethren to meet with repentant members of the Church and interview them for the restoration of their temple blessings. This has always been a spiritually moving experience to restore the blessings of those wonderful people who have repented. I have asked some of them the question, ‘What happened in your life that caused you to temporarily lose your membership in the Church?’ With tear-filled eyes they answered: ‘I didn’t obey the basic principles of the gospel: prayer, attending church regularly, serving in church and studying the gospel. I then gave in to temptations and lost the guidance of the Holy Spirit’” (Rulon G. Craven, “Temptation,” Ensign, May 1996, 76).

How can we use the word of God more in our efforts to rescue others? When Alma saw the wickedness of the Zoramites, he prayed. Alma 31:24–25

24 Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods.

25 Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride.

The Savior commanded His people to “continue to minister” to them because we never know when they will return to Him and be healed 3 Nephi 18:22–32. Here are five ways we can continue to minister to those or ourselves who are wrestling with doubt so that they will feel welcome, whether or not they choose to come back.

Continue to love. Throughout my wrestle, I felt like I was alone. Of course, Heavenly Father had not given up on me, and neither had my family or Church leaders. Feeling His love through them helped me know I could go back.
Continue to reach out. Loving others shouldn’t depend on their beliefs, their participation at church, or even how they feel about us. Jesus asks us to reach out to more than those who are already in our circle (see Matthew 5:46–47).
Continue to hope. We fast, we pray, we watch and wait patiently, and we never give up hope. “God has devised means to save each of His children” (Henry B. Eyring, “To My Grandchildren,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 71).
Respect their agency. Have hope but respect their decisions. We don’t need to convince them or argue doctrine with them. Like the prodigal son, many of us need some event in life that will soften our hearts first.
Treat them with dignity, not like they’re bad. Avoid statements that are judgmental, critical, or belittling. Reasonable people can have beliefs different than ours, and we should give them the same respect we hope they’ll give us. (When I felt Deceived about the Church, Travis Ewell, Ensign July 2020)

What concerns did Alma express as he prayed? Alma 31:31–32

31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

Who did Alma pray for? Alma 31:33–35

33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people.

34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

What did Alma request in his prayer?

What blessings came to Alma and his companions because of Alma’s prayer and their faithful actions? Alma 31:37–38

37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on.

38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

What does Alma teach us in these verses about helping others and ourselves? If we pray and act in faith, the Lord will strengthen us as we seek to bring others to Him.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the blessings that come as we pray for others: “Petitioning Heavenly Father for the blessings we desire in our personal lives is good and proper. However, praying earnestly for others, both those whom we love and those who despitefully use us, is also an important element of meaningful prayer. … Praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord” (David A. Bednar, “Pray Always,” Ensign Nov. 2008, 43)

**Point to Ponder: One of our take aways from this chapter: After we ourselves have been or on the path of conversion and have learned or are learning the doctrines of the gospel, it is our responsibility to help others, as Christ has helped us.

Conclusion

Let us not forget, particularly in our present day that Satan, tries to deceive us with false doctrine, he is eloquent at leading the flock astray. Yet in these times we should also remember that all things testify of God. His word leads people to righteousness and happiness, not failure and despair. He has the power to save us and everyone else, we only need to listen and believe.

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Seminary Manual

Ensign

Conference Reports

Christ and the New Covenant

Bible Dictionary, topical guide

They “Never Did Fall Away”

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We all have our personal conversion stories of finding the gospel and coming together with Jesus Christ for the good of our eternal lives. So what is your story. Do you remember how you felt the day you were baptized, or the day you first knew the gospel was true. Do you remember that day when the Holy Ghost testified to you?

Conversion, for most people is a process, its something that doesn’t happen all at once, but over time, as we grow in the gospel, it deepens and strengthens and takes us to new levels and eventually we become unmovable. We stand strong without falling away.

Will this be without challenges or tests and trials? Absolutely not, for the trial of our faith, is what builds our faith, our conversion. Let us think about our conversion and where we are at today as we study Alma 23–29. That we stand like the Anti-Nephi Lehi’s, particularly in our day and at this time, is of great importance to our eternal welfare, and that of our families.

History and Background

Alma 23–24 Following his conversion, the king of the Lamanites proclaimed religious liberty among his people. This proclamation allowed Aaron and his brethren to preach the gospel and establish churches in Lamanite cities. Thousands of Lamanites were converted and never fell away. These converted Lamanites made a covenant to lay down their weapons of war, and they distinguished themselves from the unconverted Lamanites by calling themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies. When the unconverted Lamanites attacked them, some of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies sacrificed their lives to keep their covenant.

Alma 25–26 After destroying the city of Ammonihah, the Lamanites had many other battles with the Nephites and were driven back. Having suffered great losses, many Lamanites laid down their weapons of war, repented, and joined the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. As the sons of Mosiah and their companions concluded their 14-year mission among the Lamanites, Ammon praised the Lord and expressed gratitude for the blessing of being instruments in the hands of God to bring the gospel to the Lamanites.

Alma 27–29 When the Lamanites were unsuccessful in their attacks on the Nephites, they turned their anger toward the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Because of the covenant the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had made to never again shed the blood of others, they refused to take up arms to defend themselves. Ammon led the Anti-Nephi-Lehies to Zarahemla, where they received protection from the Nephites and became known as the people of Ammon. As the Nephites defended the people of Ammon against the Lamanites, thousands of Nephites and Lamanites perished in battle.

Part 1: Alma 23–25; 27 Our conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel changes our lives

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are all striving to deepen our conversion and the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies has the power to help us accomplish this task.

What does it mean to be converted? or What kinds of changes occur in people’s lives when they are converted?

Daniel H. Ludlow, Chairman, Adult Correlation Committee of the Church stated: “The basic meaning of the word convert is “to turn around, to transform, or to change.” Thus, when a person is truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, his whole life is changed.”

Elder Bruce R McConkie teaches us that: “In real conversion, which is essential to salvation (Matt. 18:3), the convert not only changes his beliefs, casting off the false traditions of the past and accepting the beauties of revealed religions, but he changes his whole way of life, and the nature and structure of his very being is quickened and changed by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (What did Jesus mean when he said to Peter, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”? What is conversion? Ensign 1974 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1974/12/i-have-a-question/what-is-conversion?lang=eng)

What did the Lamanites in Alma 23:7 do that helped them become truly converted to the Lord? 7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.

Based on what we you learned from this verse how would you complete the following statement? To become converted unto the Lord, we must …

To become converted unto the Lord, we must become righteous and lay down our weapons of rebellion.

How can we abandon any false traditions and bury our own weapons of rebellion, as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did? Alma 23:5–7

5 And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea, thousands were brought to believe in the traditions of the Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which were handed down even to the present time.

6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.

What are some good traditions that the gospel helps us develop?

What might the Lamanites’ “weapons of … rebellion” represent in our day? How can we “bury them up deep in the earth”? Alma 24:17.

17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

Elder David A. Bednar taught:

“The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through the Savior’s Atonement. True conversion brings a change in one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God (see Acts 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:20) and includes a conscious commitment to become a disciple of Christ.”

After quoting Alma 23:6–8, Elder Bednar went on to explain:

“Two major elements are described in these verses: (1) the knowledge of the truth, which may be interpreted as a testimony, and (2) converted unto the Lord, which I understand to be conversion to the Savior and His gospel. Thus, the powerful combination of both testimony and conversion unto the Lord produced firmness and steadfastness and provided spiritual protection.

“They never did fall away and surrendered ‘the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more.’ To set aside cherished ‘weapons of rebellion’ such as selfishness, pride, and disobedience requires more than merely believing and knowing. Conviction, humility, repentance, and submissiveness precede the abandonment of our weapons of rebellion. Do you and I still possess weapons of rebellion that keep us from becoming converted unto the Lord? If so, then we need to repent now.

“Note that the Lamanites were not converted to the missionaries who taught them or to the excellent programs of the Church. They were not converted to the personalities of their leaders or to preserving a cultural heritage or the traditions of their fathers. They were converted unto the Lord—to Him as the Savior and to His divinity and doctrine—and they never did fall away” (“Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 107–9)

What false traditions or weapons of rebellion might you need to leave behind so you and your family can live the gospel more completely?

“To set aside cherished ‘weapons of rebellion’ such as selfishness, pride, and disobedience requires more than merely believing and knowing. Conviction, humility, repentance, and submissiveness precede the abandonment of our weapons of rebellion. Do you and I still possess weapons of rebellion that keep us from becoming converted unto the Lord? If so, then we need to repent now” (David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 108–9)

Part 2: Alma 24:7–16 Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven when we repent.

The account of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in Alma 24 is an inspiring example of repentance.

The Amalekites and Amulonites, who were former Nephites, stirred many Lamanites up to anger against their king and the other Anti-Nephi-Lehies. In their anger, these Lamanites prepared to attack the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. At this time of strife, the king of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies died. The kingdom was conferred on one of his sons. Ammon gathered with the new king and with Lamoni and others to counsel together and determine how to defend themselves against the Lamanites. Alma 24:1–5

What did the Anti-Nephi-Lehies determine they would not do? Alma 24:6 6 Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their brethren; nay, they would not even make any preparations for war; yea, and also their king commanded them that they should not.

What did the king of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies say about why his people would not prepare for war against their brethren? Alma 24:7–12.

7 Now, these are the words which he said unto the people concerning the matter: I thank my God, my beloved people, that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the traditions of our wicked fathers.

8 And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.

9 And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the many murders which we have committed.

10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.

11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain—

12 Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren.

What did the Anti-Nephi-Lehies do to ensure they would not return to their former sins? from Alma 24:15–18.

15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.

16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be saved.

18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

A young woman commits several sins, she experiences sorrow for what she has done and desires to repent. In an interview with her bishop, the young woman confesses her sins. The bishop expresses love and explains that while it may not be easy, this young woman can repent and become clean again. He then teaches her what she will need to do to repent fully. The young woman follows her bishop’s counsel and, in time, feels the Lord’s forgivness. Later, she feels tempted to commit some of the same sins she had repented of.

What can make remaining clean after repenting of sins difficult?

What principle can we learn from the Anti-Nephi-Lehies about how to remain clean after we have repented and received God’s forgiveness? To remain clean after we have repented and received God’s forgiveness, we must avoid circumstances that may lead us to sin. By burying their weapons deep in the earth, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies promised the Lord that they would never use them again. Scripture records, “They were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin” Alma 24:19. Their actions demonstrate the complete abandonment of sin following sincere repentance.

President Spencer W Kimball taught: “In abandoning sin one cannot merely wish for better conditions. … He must be certain not only that he has abandoned the sin but that he has changed the situations surrounding the sin. He should avoid the places and conditions and circumstances where the sin occurred, for these could most readily breed it again. He must abandon the people with whom the sin was committed. He may not hate the persons involved but he must avoid them and everything associated with the sin” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 171–72).

How did the Anti-Nephi-Lehies’ decision to keep their covenant to never again use their weapons of rebellion affect their attackers? Alma 24:25. When an army attacked the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, they kept their covenant to not use their weapons and instead bowed down to pray. After 1,005 Anti-Nephi-Lehies were killed, many of the Lamanites “threw down their weapons of war, … for they were stung for the murders which they had committed” Over a thousand of the Lamanites joined the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and were also converted unto the Lord.

What principle can we learn from this? As we keep our covenants, we can help others become converted.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles remarked that our resolve to keep our covenants may lead to the conversion of others: “The king of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies instructed his people to bury their weapons deep in the ground that they might not be tempted to use them when their Lamanite brethren came to do battle against them. The people followed their king’s instructions, viewing their actions as ‘a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood’ (Alma 24:18). When the Lamanites attacked, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies ‘went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves’ on the ground before their attackers (Alma 24:21). The Lamanites killed a thousand and five of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies before the slaughter stopped. Why did the slaughter stop, and what were its consequences? From the account in Alma we learn the answers to these questions: …

“‘Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen … , for they repented of the things which they had done. …

“‘… The people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved.’ (Alma 24:24–26) …

“While the message of the story is not to insist on universal pacifism, we do learn that by not returning aggressions from others we can have a profound effect on them. Literally, we can change their hearts when we follow Christ’s example and turn the other cheek. Our examples as peaceable followers of Christ inspire others to follow him” (Living with Enthusiasm [1996], 127–28).

Scriptures with additional insights about repentance: Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Nephi 2:6–8; and Mosiah 5:2.

Part 3: Alma 24:13–15; 26; 29 The gospel brings joy.

In Alma 23–29, the word “joy” appears 24 times, making these chapters a good place to learn how living the gospel—and sharing it—brings joy.

To help us understand how the gospel brings joy, lets look at why Ammon, the sons of Mosiah, and Alma rejoiced: Alma 24:13–15; 26:12–22; and 29:1–17.

13 Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps, if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall be shed for the atonement of our sins.

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?

18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings to destroy his church.

19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction, yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us, and doom us to eternal despair?

20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.

6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?

7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them out of bondage.

12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.

13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.

15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!

16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.

What do we learn from these verses about how the gospel brings us joy?

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy” (“Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign Nov. 2016, 82).

Alma and Ammon found great joy in sharing the gospel. Alma 26 and 29 How do these chapters inspire anyone to share the gospel with others?

When Alma helped others repent, he was reminded of God’s goodness Alma 29:10–13

12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.

What reminds us of God’s goodness?

How have we seen God’s goodness in our lives?

Part 4: Alma 26–27 We can be instruments in God’s hands.

3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

What might it mean to be an instrument in God’s hands? Alma 26:1–5, 11–12

2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?

4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

What can we learn from the example of the sons of Mosiah about how to become instruments in the hands of God? As we pray, fast, search the scriptures, and set a good example for others, we can become instruments in God’s hands.

What are some things we can do to become effective instruments in the hand of God? Alma 26:11–12 Alma 26:26–29

Be humble, recognizing God as the source of our strength: 11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.

Don’t give up when we feel discouraged. Be willing to patiently suffer for the cause of Christ. Teach the gospel in various settings. 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

How do the principles recorded in these passages apply to other callings or to being a good friend or neighbor?

Along with teaching us that we can become instruments in the hands of God, the Book of Mormon also teaches about the effect we can have on others as these instruments. When we become instruments in God’s hands, He grants us power to help others come to a knowledge of the truth. When we bring others to the knowledge of the truth, we help them become converted to the Lord. Both Ammon and Alma bore testimony of these truths. Alma 26:2–5, 15 Alma 29:9–10

9 For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they would also have been strangers to God.

10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting.

**Point to Ponder: ponder the opportunity we have have to help others learn the gospel and become converted. Consider how to incorporate the principles and practices taught to us by these chapters.

Additional reading to help: M. Russell Ballard, “Put Your Trust in the Lord,” Ensign Nov. 2013, 43–45.

Conclusion

Bonnie D. Parkin, Relief Society general president: “What does it mean to be an instrument in everyday terms? I think it means to nurture others. Joseph Smith called it acting ‘according to those sympathies’ in our hearts. … There are countless ways to be instruments in God’s hands. For example, be the kind of visiting teacher you’ve always wanted; ask a young single adult about what she likes to do rather than why she’s not married; share instead of accumulate; carefully choose your dress, speech, and choice of entertainment; smile at your husband or child who knows they’ve caused frustration and heartache; put your arm around a young woman; teach in nursery with a happy heart; show by your attitude that you are finding joy in the journey” (“Sweet Moments,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 107, 109).

Kathleen H. Hughes, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency: “The Lord has touched my spirit time and again, and more often than not, His touch has reached me through the hand of a friend. … Perhaps [we] would feel more of His love if [we] looked for His hand in the actions of those who care for [us]. … God knows the needs of His children, and He often works through us, prompting us to help one another. When we act on such promptings, we tread on holy ground, for we are allowed the opportunity to serve as an agent of God in answering a prayer” (“What Greater Goodness Can We Know: Christlike Friends,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2005, 74–76).

What Can I Do as an Instrument in the Hands of God?

President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: “You can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to help bring about this great work. … You can do something for another person that no one else ever born can do. … Blessings and a comforting peace will come to you if you can love God ‘with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself’ [Luke 10:27]. … If you have done your best, which you usually do, your humble offering, whatever it may be, will be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord” (“Instruments in the Hands of God,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 115–16).

President Gordon B. Hinckley: “There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us. In the words of the Lord to Joshua … , ‘be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God [will be] with thee whithersoever thou goest’ (Joshua 1:9)” (“The Need for Greater Kindness,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 61).

Resources

Book of Mormon Student Manual

Doctrines of the Book of Mormon

Ensign

Conference Reports

Miracle of Forgiveness

Church History

“I Will Make an Instrument of Thee”

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I believe that before we can help others in discovering truths of scriptures and gospel we must first discover those truths for ourselves. This makes our Come Follow Me Sunday School program a very important aspect of our lives as it is designed to help us discover new truths that we may not have known and strengthen those we do.

In your personal and family study are there those of the scriptures that have taught you great lessons and truths? This lesson centers on Alma 17–22 . As you read and study think about these questions: “Abish taught me ” or “Lamoni taught me .” What new or strengthened truths do you find to help you press forward in your gospel journey?

History and Background

Alma 17 In preparation to preach the gospel to the Lamanites, the sons of Mosiah sought the Lord’s guidance by searching the scriptures diligently, praying, and fasting. The Lord comforted them and promised that they would be instruments in His hands “unto the salvation of many souls” Alma 17:11. Earlier He had promised them, through a revelation to their father, that He would “deliver [them] out of the hands of the Lamanites” Mosiah 28:7. Strengthened by the Lord’s promises and trusting that they would someday meet again, they separated to share the gospel in different areas. Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, where he prepared to teach the people by serving their king.

Alma 18 King Lamoni was astonished at the power Ammon had demonstrated in defending the king’s flocks. He even came to believe that Ammon was the Great Spirit. Ammon perceived the thoughts of the king by the power of the Holy Ghost, and Ammon began to teach him the gospel. King Lamoni believed what Ammon taught, recognized the need for a Savior, cried unto the Lord for mercy, and was overcome by the Spirit.

Alma 19–20 King Lamoni experienced a change of heart, leading to the conversion of his wife and many of his people. Ammon and King Lamoni then traveled to Middoni to deliver Ammon’s imprisoned brethren. On the way, they met Lamoni’s father, king over all the land. The king was astonished by the words of Lamoni and Ammon, by Ammon’s strength, and by Ammon’s love for Lamoni. His heart was softened, and he assured them that Ammon’s brethren would be released from prison. He expressed a desire to learn about the words he had heard from his son and Ammon.

Alma 21–22 Ammon’s brother Aaron taught the Amalekites, but they rejected his message about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Then he preached in Middoni, where he and some of his companions were eventually imprisoned. They remained faithful during their time of adversity, and they continued their mission to share the gospel after Ammon and King Lamoni secured their release. After Lamoni’s father was prepared through the example of Ammon, he learned from Aaron about how to be “born of God” Alma 22:15. Lamoni’s father learned that by repenting of his sins he could come to know God and eventually receive eternal life.

Part 1: Alma 17:1–4 Our faith is strengthened as we diligently seek to know the truth.

You have probably heard multiple times the importance of simple gospel habits. Alma 17:1–4 can help us see the powerful effect these habits can have on our lives.

1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.

2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

4 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him.

After preaching the gospel for 14 years in the land of Nephi, the sons of Mosiah were returning to Zarahemla when they were reunited with Alma. Alma had been preaching repentance and establishing the Church among the Nephites in the land of Zarahemla and other lands, the sons of Mosiah had been preaching the gospel to the Lamanites in the land of Nephi. Then they were happily reunited.

How did Alma feel when he saw his friends again? Why do you think he felt this way?

What words describe the sons of Mosiah? Alma 17:1–2

What principle can we learn about how we can come to know the word of God? If we search the scriptures diligently, we will wax strong in the knowledge of the truth and know the word of God.

As you think about the challenges you face, how can it be helpful for you to wax strong in the knowledge of the truth and know the word of God?

What are some additional reasons the sons of Mosiah were successful in bringing people to the knowledge of the truth? Alma 17:3–4

What do we learn from about the blessings we can receive through fasting and prayer? As we pray and fast, and stud the scriptures we can receive the spirit of prophecy and revelation and teach with power.

What does it mean to have the spirit of prophecy and revelation? Having the spirit of prophecy and revelation includes having a testimony of Jesus Christ Revelation 19:10 and the ability to receive revelation and guidance through the Holy Ghost

10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

How might having a testimony of Jesus Christ and the ability to receive revelation through the Holy Ghost help someone teach with power?

Ponder how often you pray and search the scriptures individually and in your family, and think of the opportunities you have to fast. In what ways have these practices helped you become “strong in the knowledge of the truth”

Of the sons of Mosiah, we learn this principle: By searching the scriptures, praying, and fasting, we can receive the Holy Ghost and teach with power. By receiving the Holy Ghost, we can be better prepared to share the gospel with others.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“You can increase in your desire to serve God (see D&C 4:3), and you can begin to think as missionaries think, to read what missionaries read, to pray as missionaries pray, and to feel what missionaries feel. You can avoid the worldly influences that cause the Holy Ghost to withdraw, and you can grow in confidence in recognizing and responding to spiritual promptings. Line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, you can gradually become the missionary you hope to be and the missionary the Savior expects. …

“Proclaiming the gospel … is not simply an activity in which we engage for a limited time or an assignment we must complete as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rather, missionary work is a manifestation of our spiritual identity and heritage” (“Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign Nov. 2005, 46–47).

Part 2: Alma 17–18 Our love can help others prepare to receive the gospel.

Because of their demonstration of love and their understanding of the worth of a soul, Ammon and his companions are models for servants of the Lord everywhere. There are many ways to share the gospel, and all of them are more effective when love is the motivation.

How was Ammon motivated by love to share the gospel? His service to King Lamoni was motivated by love and was given regardless of whether or not he was interested or would accept. Alma 17:22-25

22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people.

23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.

24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.

25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.

Why did Ammon’s heart become swollen with jooy when the king’s flocks were scattered? Alma 17:29

29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.

How did Ammon turn this into a positive experience? Alma 17:30-39

30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.

31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us.

32 And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks, and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather them together again to the place of water.

33 And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our flocks.

34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of Sebus; and they were in number not a few.

35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the flocks of the king.

36 But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him.

37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm.

38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not a few.

39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony of the things which they had done.

How did the king respond when his servants told him how Ammon had defended his flocks? Alma 18:2-5

2 And when they had all testified to the things which they had seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold, is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments upon this people, because of their murders?

3 And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that he cannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they scatter the king’s flocks when he is with us, because of his expertness and great strength; therefore, we know that he is a friend to the king. And now, O king, we do not believe that a man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.

4 And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them: Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at this time to preserve your lives, that I might not slay you as I did your brethren. Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our fathers have spoken.

5 Now this was the tradition of Lamoni, which he had received from his father, that there was a Great Spirit. Notwithstanding they believed in a Great Spirit, they supposed that whatsoever they did was right; nevertheless, Lamoni began to fear exceedingly, with fear lest he had done wrong in slaying his servants;

What was Ammon doing when the king asked where he was? Alma 18:8-9 He was giving service and developing trust.

8 And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants, saying: Where is this man that has such great power?

9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

How did this help King Lamoni to be taught? Alma 18:10-11

10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.

11 Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not.

How did the king’s servants address Ammon when he came to see the king? Alma 18:13

How did Ammon’s words to King Lamoni show that he was still a humble servant? Alma 18:14-17

Why do you think it was important for Ammon to serve the king before trying to teach him?

How can serving with love and developing trust help us present the gospel message to others?

How did sincere love soften the King’s heart and allow him to be more receptive to the gospel message?

What truths about sharing the gospel do we learn from Ammon’s example? Serving with love and developing trust helps us present the gospel message to others in a way that is non invasive with a greater potential to be accepted.

President Dallin H. Oaks shared a valuable lesson he learned from an experience he had as a young man:

“I was assigned to visit a less-active member, a successful professional many years older than I. Looking back on my actions, I realize that I had very little loving concern for the man I visited. I acted out of duty, with a desire to report 100 percent on my home teaching. One evening, close to the end of a month, I phoned to ask if my companion and I could come right over and visit him. His chastening reply taught me an unforgettable lesson.

“‘No, I don’t believe I want you to come over this evening,’ he said. ‘I’m tired. I’ve already dressed for bed. I am reading, and I am just not willing to be interrupted so that you can report 100 percent on your home teaching this month.’ That reply still stings me because I knew he had sensed my selfish motivation.

“I hope no person we approach with an invitation to hear the message of the restored gospel feels that we are acting out of any reason other than a genuine love for them and an unselfish desire to share something we know to be precious” (“Sharing the Gospel,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 8).

What experiences have you had in which sincere love softened someone’s heart and allowed him or her to be more receptive to the gospel message?

Part 3: Alma 18–22 Teaching and learning gospel truths effectively can lead to a change of heart.

Once Ammon and Aaron gained the trust of King Lamoni and his father, they were able to help them understand essential gospel truths.

In Alma 19–20, King Lamoni experienced a mighty change of heart, which led to the conversion of many of his people. Ammon and King Lamoni traveled to the land of Middoni to deliver Ammon’s imprisoned brethren. On the way, they encountered Lamoni’s father, who was king over all the Lamanites. Ammon’s bold testimony and loving protection of Lamoni led King Lamoni’s father to soften his heart and consent to the release of Ammon’s brethren. Because of Ammon’s testimony and example, many people felt the influence of the Holy Ghost and were taught the gospel and converted.

Alma 21–22 tells of Aaron, one of Ammon’s brothers, who attempted to teach the Amalekites and Amulonites about Jesus Christ and the Atonement, but the people rejected him. He and some of his companions ended up in prison in the land of Middoni. They remained faithful during their time of adversity. After Ammon and King Lamoni secured their release, Aaron taught Lamoni’s father how to be “born of God” Alma 22:15. The king learned that by repenting of his sins, he could come to know God and eventually receive eternal life. The faithfulness of Aaron and his brethren helped many Lamanites come to know God and His way of redemption.

What are some of the truths Ammon taught Lamoni? Alma 18:24–39

24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth.

26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit?

27 And he said, Yea.

28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?

29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.

30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels.

31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.

33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou hast spoken. Art thou sent from God?

34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;

35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God.

36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and their travail, and so forth.

38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time.

39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.

What truths did Aaron teach Lamoni’s father? Alma 22:1–16

1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the king which was over all the land save it were the land of Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.

2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king’s palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison.

3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy servants. And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with thee.

4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael, to teach the people of Lamoni.

5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said concerning the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, this is the thing which doth trouble me.

6 And also, what is this that Ammon said—If ye will repent ye shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off at the last day?

7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves together

History and Background

Part One: Doctrine and Covenants 20–21 The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

Part Two: Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 75–79; 22 Sacred ordinances help us become like the Savior

Part Three: Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–60 Priesthood service blesses Church members and their families.

Part Four: Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–7 We are blessed when we receive the Lord’s word through His prophet.

Conclusion

Resources

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History and Background

Part One Being Spiritually Prepared to Repent Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19

Part Two: We Can Do It Better Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: Ether 12:2–22 We will receive a witness of truth as we exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

Part Two: Ether 12:1–9, 28, 32 Faith leads to “hope for a better world.”

Part Three: Ether 12:23–29 Through the grace of Jesus Christ, weak things can become strong.

Grace:

Part Four: Ether 13–15 Rejecting the prophets brings spiritual danger.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: Ether 1–3; 4:8–19 As we continually call upon the Lord, He will reveal His will.

Part Two: Ether 2:14–15 Through His chastening, the Lord invites us to repent and come unto Him.

Part Three: Ether 5 Three witnesses testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: Mormon 7:8–10; 8:12–22; 9:31–37 The Book of Mormon is of great worth.

Part Two: Mormon 8:1–11 We can be faithful even when we are alone.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Some Doctrines and Principles

Part One: Mormon 1–6 We can live righteously despite the wickedness around us.

Part Two: Mormon 2:10–15 Repentance requires a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Part Three: Mormon 3:12 We can love others, even if we don’t agree with their choices.

Part 4: Mormon 6:17 Jesus Christ stands with open arms to receive us.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: 3 Nephi 27:1–22 The Church of Jesus Christ is called in His name and is built upon His gospel.

Part Two: 3 Nephi 29–30 The Book of Mormon is a sign that God’s latter-day work is being fulfilled.

Part Three: 4 Nephi Conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel leads to unity and happiness.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: 3 Nephi 20:25–41; 21:9–11, 22–29 In the latter days, God will perform a great and marvelous work.

Part Two: 3 Nephi 23; 26:1–12 The Savior wants us to search the scriptures.

Part Three 3 Nephi 24:1–6 The Lord is like a refiner’s fire.

Part Four: 3 Nephi 24:7–18 God is merciful to those who return to Him.

Part Five: 3 Nephi 25:5–6 Our hearts should turn to our ancestors.

Conclusion

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History and Background 3 Nephi 17–19

Part One: 3 Nephi 17; 18:24–25, 28–32 The Savior is our perfect example of ministering.

Part Two: 3 Nephi 17:13–22; 18:15–25; 19:6–9, 15–36 The Savior taught us how to pray.

Part Three: 3 Nephi 18:1–12 We can be spiritually filled as we partake of the sacrament.

Part Four: 3 Nephi 19:9–15, 20–22 Disciples of Jesus Christ seek the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Conclusion

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History and Background

Part One: 3 Nephi 12–14 The Savior’s teachings show us how to be true disciples.

Part Two: 3 Nephi 12:21–30 Our thoughts lead to actions.