3 Nephi, Chapter 25

Do I have roots and branches?

“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 (v. 1).”  If I was the trunk of a tree, I think that my branches would represent my children, and my roots would represent my parents, grandparents and so on.  When the Lord says “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch”, he is saying that the people would be separated from their ancestors and their children and other posterity.  Our righteousness will determine if we will be allowed to remain with our family forever, or if we will be burned as stubble and separated from them.

I love that I have my family in my life now.  There is nothing that brings me more joy that being with them.  The thought of spending eternity without my family is extremely lonely and sad.  I do not want to imagine that life.  I hope that I will remain faithful and deserving of my temple blessings so that I can be with them forever.  I do not wish eternity alone on anyone else either, which is why I understand the importance of temple work.  We need to do our genealogy work, so that more of our family can be sealed together for time and all eternity.

When will Elijah come?

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (v. 5); 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 (v. 6).”  This is the only reference that can be found in all of the standard works today.  In Malachi 4:5-6 we read, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (v. 5):  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 (v. 6).”  Then in D&C 2:2 we read, “And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.”  And later in D&C 110:14-15 we read, “Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come (v. 14)—To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse (v. 15)—”.  Then finally in Joseph Smith-History 1:38-39 we read, “And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (v. 38 ).  He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming (v. 39).”

Elijah was promised to be sent before the second coming of the Lord.  According to these scriptures, he must come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice versa.  Elijah was to bring the keys of the priesthood that would allow the work in the temple to take place.  If he would not come, the earth would be cursed.  Elijah did come.  In D&C 110:13-16 we read, “After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said (v. 13):  Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come (v. 14)—To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse (v. 15)—Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors (v. 16).”

In D&C 128:17-18 we read, “And again, in connection with this quotation I will give you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, namely, the baptism for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 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 (v. 17).  I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times (v. 18 ).”  Elijah brought the priesthood power which allowed us to do baptisms for the dead.  This allows everyone the choice to enter into the kingdom of God.  If we did not allow all people this chance, they would be lost and therefore wasted.  Because of Elijah, we have the sealing powers, which allow all people to be sealed to family in the eternities.  These verses are found in all the standard works because they have great value.  We need to understand just how important and valuable the work we do in the temples is to our Father in Heaven.  It should be important and valuable to us also.

I am so grateful to be sealed to my family.  I love them very much and they mean so much to me.  I am glad that I am worthy to serve in the temple and allow others that same opportunity.

3 Nephi, Chapter 24

“Who shall stand when he appeareth?”

“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 (v. 1).” In the chapter heading it explains that there would be a messenger,who would prepare the way for the second coming of the Lord.

“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 (v. 2).”  Two questions are asked.  Who will live through the day of the second coming?  Who will be standing when the Lord appears?  The coming of the Lord, will bring a refining to the earth.  To refine is to purify something like a metal.  It is an extreme process and makes the metal free of rock and such.  Like with Jewelry, the Lord will refine the people on the earth.  Those things that are evil will be removed from the righteous. In D&C 64:23-24 we read, “Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming (v. 23).  For after today cometh the burning—this is speaking after the manner of the Lord—for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon (v. 24).”  ”Fuller’s soap” is soap that was used to make garments white.  The Savior will make the garments of the righteous white.  In Alma 5:21 we read, “I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.”

“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 (v. 3).”  The “sons of Levi” will be purified in that day.  In D&C 13:1 we read, “UPON you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.”  In D&C 84:33-34 we read, “For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies (v. 33).  They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God (v. 34).”  Then in D&C 128:24 we read, “Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; 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. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”  The sons of Levi are those who accept the priesthood power and our faithful to it.  They will be purified in the time of the second coming, so that they may make a righteous sacrifice to the Lord.

Our refiner’s fire is the trials and adversity that we face day-to-day.  These small, and sometimes very large, challenges will help to determine what kind of person we can be.  Am I the type of person who will give up and give in to temptations when times get tough, or will these times make me stronger through my willingness to turn to the Lord.  I am grateful that I can experience trials and learn from them.  I hope to have the faith that is necessary to remain strong.

The blessings of tithing

“Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But ye say: Wherein shall we return (v. 7)?  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings (v. 8 ).  Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation (v. 9).  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 (v. 10).  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 (v. 11).  And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts (v. 12).”

The Lord does not need our tithing, He needs our obedience.  We on the other hand need the blessings that come from being obedient to this principle.  There are many reasons that some may give for not paying tithing.  Some say that they cannot afford to live on less.  Others may choose not to pay tithing because they feel they deserve all the money they have worked for.  Personally, I can’t afford to live without paying tithing.  I know that it is because of tithing that I have not been bankrupt time and time again.  Times are tough, and yet my family always seems to get by.  Those who pay tithing are promised more blessings than they can receive.  We are given a promise of safety from the “devourer” that would take away the fruits of our labors.  We will be able to be prosperous if we pay an honest tithe. I have found that when I have faith in tithing, I am blessed by others around me who have plenty of things to share with me and my family.  Usually it is not monetary, but these blessings are always something that we have needed and I am so grateful to those who willing give to us, especially the Lord.

“I will make up my jewels”

“Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee (v.13)?  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 (v. 14)?  And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered (v. 15).  Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name (v. 16).  And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him (v. 17).  Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not (v. 18 ).”

The righteous were feeling like it was worthless to try so hard to live the way God wanted, because those who were wicked were the ones who were happy and “set up”.  The Lord heard how the righteous felt and he gave them a book of remembrance and promised that those who were righteous would be spared in the end.  They were also promised that the righteous would be given the power to discern those who are righteous and those who serve Satan.

There have been times when I have gotten frustrated, that others who are not choosing the right seem to be more prosperous and wealthy while I struggle.  When I have those thoughts, I have to take a step back and look at the situation with my “eternal eyes” on.  I know I will receive greater blessings in the end, if I can endure these struggling times well.  If we were always blessed immediately for doing what was right, we would not truly learn the concept of faith.  Sometimes we need to struggle for a while before getting the blessings, to learn the lessons that Heavenly Father is trying to teach us.  A lot of times, the unseen blessings outweigh those that are obvious like wealth and prosperity.  The eternal blessings that come from doing what is right, will be so much greater in the end, than any earthly blessing that we could receive.

3 Nephi, Chapter 23

How do Isaiah’s words help us today?

“And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah (v. 1).”  The Savior used the word “search” rather than a word like “read”.  I think He did this to tell the people to ponder and study the words of Isaiah rather than just reading.  When we strictly read them, there are a lot of things that we can miss.  As we search them diligently, we will be inspired by the spirit to understand and apply the scriptures to our lives.

Elder Henry B. Eyring said, “We treasure the word of God not only by reading the words of the scriptures but by studying them.  We may be nourished more by pondering a few words, allowing the Holy Ghost to make them treasures to us, than by passing quickly and superficially over who chapters of scripture.” (“Feed My Lambs,” Ensign, November 1997, p. 84.)  Pondering the scriptures is one of the keys to searching the scriptures.  When we search them, we should allow the spirit to be with us and inspire us.  We need to read and think about how the things we have read can work in our lives.  When we sincerely and diligently search them, they will hold a place in our hearts of great worth and we will treasure that worth.  The words of the scriptures should hold a place in our hearts above all other words.  And therefore, the words of Isaiah should be some of the most treasured words in our lives.

How should we study the scriptures?  In Joshua 1:8 we read, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  We should think about the words we read throughout the day and night.  In 2 Timothy 2:15 we read, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, brightly dividing the word of truth.” We must never be ashamed of the gospel, but should be excited for it and want to live it.  In 1 Nephi 15:25 we read, “Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.”  We need to heed the words in the scriptures, meaning that we need to pay close attention to them.  In 1 Nephi 19:24 we read, “Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.”  We need to hear and liken the words to our lives.  The scriptures are written to be useful in our lives.  In 2 Nephi 4:15 we read, “And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.”  We should delight in the scriptures and study with the intention of learning from them.  Finally, in Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:37 we read, “And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”  We need to treasure the words of the scriptures.

“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 (v. 2).  And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake (v. 3).  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 (v. 4).  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 (v. 5).”  The Savior asked the people to study the words of Isaiah and search the prophets.  The words of Isaiah talk about all that should be important to the house of Israel, and the Gentiles.  He was truly a prophet and the Savior testified of the truth of his words.  If we search the scriptures, hearkening to the words there, we are given the promise of being saved.

Why is it important to keep an accurate record?

I love my journals.  When I was younger I wrote a lot of nonsense, but as I have grown older, I have found that being able to look back on my growth is a great blessing.  I forget things a lot easier these days, and without my journals, I would not be able to recall some really great experiences that I have had.  There have been times, when I have not been as good at keeping a journal.  I am disappointed when I realize that I did not write down things that happened that I know meant a lot to me.  I hope that my journals will continue to be a blessing in my life, but even more, I hope that they will someday help my children and their children.

“And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not (v. 6).  And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept (v. 7).  And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said (v. 8 ):  Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so (v. 9)?  And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled (v. 10).  And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them (v. 11)?”  The Savior points out to the Nephites that they did not write all that Samuel had prophesied and how it was fulfilled.  It was important that a record show that the resurrection of others began right after the resurrection of the Savior.  This is a principle of the doctrine of the church, that can be confusing to understand, but with this prophesy and its fulfillment, people will know that the resurrection started with the Savior and it is continuing as the Lord sees fit.

“And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written (v. 12).  And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded (v. 13).”  They were then given a commandment to record the prophesy and fulfillment of it.  This teaches us that even if time has passed, some things are important enough to recall from the past and record.

“And now it came to pass that when Jesus had expounded all the scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them (v. 14).”  When we keep records, we need to teach what we have learned to others.

3 Nephi, Chapter 22

How are the stakes of Zion a “refuge from the storm”?

“And then shall that which is written come to pass: Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord (v. 1).  Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes (v. 2); For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited (v. 3).”  The Lord is comparing Zion to a tent.  The reason the cords need to lengthened and the stakes strengthened is because these things make the tent larger.  Zion’s stakes need to be strengthened because the church would grow greatly in these last days.

In D&C 115:5-6 we read, “Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations (v. 5); And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be 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 (v. 6).”  Today, the stakes are for the defense and refuge of the church.  We need spiritual defense because the adversary is fighting hard to bring the righteous down to his level.  We need a spiritual refuge because the world is so harsh and difficult these days.  The storms of life are beating the righteous down and we need the strength of the stakes of Zion to keep us together and to stand strong in the face of all of it.

Why is the Savior referred to as a husband in these verses?

When I met my husband, I was attracted to his intelligence and his strength of character.  He was truly a good guy, when I was surrounded by guys who were crude, immoral, unkind and so on.  He did not judge me for my mistakes as so many people in my past had, and he loved me more than anyone else had.  These are just a few of the reasons that I decided to marry him.

“Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more (v. 4).  For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel—the God of the whole earth shall he be called (v. 5).  For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God (v. 6).”  The Lord is the husband and the house of Israel is the wife.  I think that this relationship was chosen to represent the Lord’s relationship to the house of Israel because it shows His choice to love the house of Israel.  A husband is devoted to his wife and should be willing to give more than his all to support, love, and care for his wife.  The wife should be willing to do the same.  A husband and wife work together to accomplish common goals, ultimately gaining exaltation together.  The Lord will give His all to do these things for us and we should want to do them for the Lord in return.

“For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee (v. 7).  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer (v. 8 ).”  The Lords kindness is everlasting and his wrath is for a small moment.  He will not be angry with the children of Israel forever, because he loves us.  He promises not to destroy the children of Israel by water again, because He loves us (v. 9).  He shows kindness mercy towards us, because He loves us (v. 10).  He blesses us, because He loves us (v. 11).  And He does all that he can to help us, because He loves us (v. 12).

Those who choose to live in Zion will receive many promised blessings from the Lord.  ”And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children (v. 13).  In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near thee (v. 14).  Behold, they shall surely gather together against thee, not by me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake (v. 15).  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy (v. 16).  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord (v. 17).” Zion will be a place of peace and happiness.  No oppression will be felt there and no enemies will fight them and be able to win.  What a blessing it will be for those who are able to experience Zion.

3 Nephi, Chapter 21

What do the Gentiles have to do with the scattering and gathering of Israel?

“And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion (v. 1);”  There will be a sign when the gathering of Israel is near.

“And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them (v. 2); Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you (v. 3); For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel (v. 4); Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity (v. 5); For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel (v. 6); And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel (v. 7).  And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider (v. 8 ).  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 (v. 9).  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 (v. 10).”

The sign is the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith.  He, with the power of the Holy Ghost, translated the Book of Mormon and it has since, been taken to many of the people across the earth.  The restoration was the beginning of the gathering of the house of Israel.  In D&C 1:29 we read, “And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the bmercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon.”

The gentiles are those who are without the gospel.  As part of the fulfillment of this promise from the Lord, people came to America.  It was established as a free land before the gospel was restored through Joseph Smith.  I know that all the things that led to the establishment of America, were part of the plan.  This allowed the gospel to be restored in a place where it could grow, and it was critical to the establishment of the church.  I am so grateful for those who worked hard to begin what we know today as the United States of America and I know many were influenced by the power of the Lord.

What will happen to the Gentiles?

Those gentiles who are unrepentant will have consequences for their choices.  We learn of those consequences in this chapter.  ”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 (v. 11).  And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver (v. 12).  Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off (v. 13).  Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots (v. 14); And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strongholds (v. 15); And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy land, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers (v. 16); Thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands (v. 17); And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities (v. 18 ).  And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, shall be done away (v. 19).  For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel (v. 20); And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard (v. 21).”  I think the worst of these is being cut off from the people of the Lord, because those are they who will be allowed back into the presence of the Lord and live in the highest degree of glory, eternally.

On the other hand, those who repent and come unto Christ, will be blessed.  ”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 (v. 22); 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 (v. 23).  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 (v. 24).  And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst (v. 25).  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 (v. 26).  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 (v. 27).  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 (v. 28 ).  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 (v. 29).”  I think the greatest of these is having the Lord in the midst of those who chose to believe in Him.

What a wonderful blessing it will be to be numbered among the children of Israel at the second coming of the Savior.  I am looking forward to that blessing.  In order to have that blessing, we need to repent, come unto Christ, believe in Him, be baptized and endure with faith.  I hope and pray to be able to do this.

3 Nephi, Chapter 20

Blessings of partaking of the sacrament

In 2 Nephi 32:3 we read, “… Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”  This scripture teaches us that we need to “feast upon the words of Christ”.  We are not told to look at them or to listen to them, but to feast upon them.  When we are talking about food, to feast is to have an abundance of food available and to fill ourselves up with it.  We should be taking in the abundance of gospel found in the scriptures and filling our spiritual tanks.  I think that it is really easy to nibble on the words of Christ and read them, just to do it.  However, I have a testimony that as we truly feast upon the words by studying, pondering and trying to apply them into our lives, we will be greatly blessed for it.

“And it came to pass that he brake bread again and blessed it, and gave to the disciples to eat (v. 3).  And when they had eaten he commanded them that they should break bread, and give unto the multitude (v. 4).  And when they had given unto the multitude he also gave them wine to drink, and commanded them that they should give unto the multitude (v. 5).  Now, there had been no bread, neither wine, brought by the disciples, neither by the multitude (v. 6); But he truly gave unto them bread to eat, and also wine to drink (v. 7).  And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled (v. 8 ).  Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard (v. 9).”

The Savior offered physical nourishment in the form of the bread and wine, but even greater, spiritual nourishment in the form of the spirit.  The sacrament is there to remind us of the body and blood of the Savior.  Partaking of the sacrament allows us to be spiritually filled by feasting on the word of the Lord.  When we are faithful and obedient by partaking of the sacrament we are feasting on His words, by doing what He has asked of us.  This was yet another miracle for the Nephites to witness.  No one had given the Savior the bread and wine to give to the people, but he was able to do it anyway.  I am sure that it made these Nephites feel as though He was literally giving of himself.

We should be hungering and thirsting after righteousness.  Especially in times like ours when there is so many bad things going on around us.  When we take the time to read the scriptures daily and ponder on the things that we read, we can satisfy that hunger and thirst.  When we choose to listen to hymns and read the church magazines, we can fill our spiritual tanks by inviting the Holy Ghost into our lives.  When we continually keep our prayers in our hearts, we will be blessed with the filling power of the spirit and we will find we are satisfied in a way that no earthly thing can do for us.  The simple act of partaking of the sacrament will give us that same filling satisfaction and the strength that comes from it, to be able to approach every day life.

What does it mean to be of the house of Israel?

When we make promises with the Lord, we are making covenants.  The Lord made many covenants with the children of Israel.  ”And it came to pass that when they had all given glory unto Jesus, he said unto them: Behold now I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel (v. 10).  Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them (v. 11)—And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel (v. 12).  And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them (v. 13).”  The scattered Israel has been promised to be gathered and brought to the knowledge of the Lord.  We are witnessing this gathering today through the spreading of the gospel by missionary work.

Those who are not of the house of Israel directly, can also share in the promises by coming unto the Lord.  In D&C 20:37 we read, “And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.”  In this way, we can all be adopted into the house of Israel.  We, as believers in the gospel, have the duty to share the word of God, and invite more to come unto Him and be baptized.

The Lord also promised a land of inheritance to the righteous (v. 14, 29).  He promised them that their enemies would be cut off (v. 17).  He promised that the land of their gathering would be a New Jerusalem where the Savior would come (v. 22).  He promised them that the full gospel would be preached to them (v. 30).  If they believed in Him and God, then they were promised understanding in addition to the land of their inheritance (v. 31-34).  These covenants will all be fulfilled if we can remain righteous and believe in the Lord.

3 Nephi, Chapter 19

Who would you invite to meet the Savior?

If I knew that Jesus was coming tomorrow, what would I do today?  This chapter is about the second day of the Savior’s visit.  The Nephites who had been there during the first day, knew he was coming on the second day.  ”And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children and did return to his own home (v. 1).  And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them, and that he would also show himself on the morrow unto the multitude (v. 2).  Yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning Jesus; and insomuch did they send forth unto the people that there were many, yea, an exceedingly great number, did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should show himself unto the multitude (v. 3).”  The Nephites went home telling all that they could that they had seen the Savior and that he would return the next day.  Many worked hard to prepare themselves to be there the next day.  I am sure that if I had been there, I would have done my best to let others know what I had seen and that they could see the Savior also.  There are many things that I do daily, that I would not bother to do.  I think most of all, I would want to prepare my family for His visit, so that we could experience it together.

Who were the Nephite apostles?

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles lead the church today.  They share their amazing testimonies, teach gospel principles, and give us the word of God as it pertains to us today.  They are awesome men with strong and firm testimonies in the Gospel, who love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, as well as all of the members of the church.  They have stewardship over all of us and truly act as the mouth-piece for God on the earth today.

“And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—and it came to pass that they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude (v. 4).”  These were the apostles for the Nephites.  They were called directly by the Savior, and they did many things to bless the Nephite people.  They separated the people into twelve groups that they would teach (v. 5). They taught the people how they should pray and ministered to the people (v. 6-7). They taught the people exactly what the Savior had taught them and prayed again, this time praying for the Holy Ghost to be given to them (v. 8-9).   They led the people to the water’s edge (v. 10).  Nephi was baptized, followed by the rest of the twelve apostles and they each received the gift of the Holy Ghost (v. 11-13).  Then the Nephites witnessed angels come and ministered to the apostles (v. 14).

What did Jesus teach the Nephites about prayer?

When the Savior appeared to the Nephites on the second day, the first thing he did was command them that they should pray (v. 15-16).  ”And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray (v. 17).”  The Savior taught the Nephites how to have more effective prayers.

“And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God (v. 18 ).  And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said (v. 19):  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 (v. 20).  Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words (v. 21).  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 (v. 22).”  Jesus went away from the multitude to pray to Heavenly Father.  When appropriate to pray in a group, we should pray in a group.  However, the Savior teaches us by His example, the importance of praying in secret.  Jesus asked Heavenly Father to give the gift of the Holy Ghost to all those who believed the words of the Apostles and believed in Him.  Without a belief in the Savior and faith in the spirit, we cannot truly receive the Holy Ghost.  If we want to feel the love and support of God and Jesus Christ, then we need to be constantly asking for the spirit to be with us.

“And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one (v. 23).  And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire (v. 24).  And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof (v. 25).  And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray (v. 26).”  Jesus prayed that in addition to having the Holy Ghost, that He, Christ, would be in them and be one with them.  As the multitude were praying, Jesus smiled at them and the light of his countenance shone upon them.  I can imagine Heavenly Father smiling as I pray to Him.  I often picture Him smiling when my daughter says prayers to Him, because of the words she chooses and the things that a child is grateful for and asks for.  I know that He is happy when we do what He has asked, because I can feel it as I pray.

“And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying (v. 27):  Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me (v. 28 ).  Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them (v. 29).  And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus (v. 30).”  The Savior asked for those who believe on the words of the apostles, that they would be purified through there faith.  Then when He returned to the disciples and saw that they were still praying just as He had told them to do, He smiled again.

“And it came to pass that he went again a little way off and prayed unto the Father (v. 31); And tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed (v. 32).  And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed (v. 33).  Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man (v. 34).”  The spirit opened the hearts of the multitude so that they would be able to understand the words of the Savior’s prayer.  This prayer was so sacred, that no one would be able to record what was said.

What blessings can come to us as a result of sincere, faithful prayer?

“And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief (v. 35).  Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard (v. 36).”

Because these Nephites prayed with such sincerity and faith, they were able to witness miracles even greater than those that the Jews could witness.  We can experience miracles in our lives as well, if we will be truly sincere in our own prayers.  We need to reflect on our communications with our Father in Heaven and if they are not prayers of faith and sincerity, then we need to see what we should change.  I hope to witness miracles in my own life because of the amount of faith that I can have and show towards my Father in Heaven.

3 Nephi, Chapter 18

What is the proper way to administer the sacrament?

“And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his Disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him (v. 1).  And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth (v. 2).  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 (v. 3).  And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude (v. 4).  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 (v. 5).  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 (v. 6).  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 (v. 7).  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 (v. 8 ).  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 (v. 9).  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 (v. 10).”

When the sacrament is administered each week, we should be thinking of the Savior and the sacrifice that he made to take away our sins and give us the opportunity to live with God again.  Sometimes it can be difficult to keep our minds focused on this.  Sometimes our children can disrupt our reverence and focus, as well as our own thoughts turning to other things in our lives.  It would be a lot easier, if the Savior was passing the Sacrament to each of us.  The members of the priesthood, who pass the sacrament, are doing it in the place of the Savior.  If we can imagine that the Savior is giving the bread and water to us himself, then maybe we will be able to keep our thoughts on Him during the sacrament.  The reverence that is necessary during the sacrament, takes an active role by those taking it and administering it.  It is important to do our best to keep our focus in the right place, so that we can truly worship the Lord and partake of the ordinance of the sacrament in the proper way.  Also, those who administer it, should do it in a way that does not take away the reverence of those who are taking it.  They do this by dressing appropriately, speaking deliberately and clearly when they bless it, and behaving reverently as they pass it.

Why must we remember the Savior while partaking of the Sacrament?

The Savior taught the people that the bread of the Sacrament, is to keep us in remembrance of Him, so that we can have His Spirit with us (see verse 7 above).  ”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 (v. 11).  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 (v. 12).  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 (v. 13).  Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you (v. 14).”  The Savior teaches us that it is important that we keep the sacrament strictly to what he taught the Nephites.  If we make more or less of the sacrament, we change His ordinance and are not following His commandments.  I am so grateful for the sacrament and the chance it gives me to reflect on how I can be more like the Savior.

Jesus teaches the Nephites how to pray

Things that I pray for regularly are things such as asking for the spirit to influence myself and others, safety for myself and my family, the ability to hear the inspirations of the spirit and the willingness to act on them, health and strength, and so on.  I typically pray at morning and night (personal and family), at meals, and for things such as family night.  The Savior taught the Nephites what to pray for and when to pray.

“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 (v. 15).  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 (v. 16).  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 (v. 17):  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 (v. 18 ).  Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name (v. 19); 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 (v. 20).  Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed (v. 21).  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 (v. 22); 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 (v. 23).”

Jesus taught them that we should pray always, pray with our families, and pray in church.  When He says pray always, I think it means to be constantly thinking in communication with God.  Then when we are faced with any challenges, immediately turn to Him in prayer so that we can be protected from the temptations of Satan.  We should pray for the help to watch for Satan’s deceptions.  He repeats that we need to pray always for help with the adversary, because it is the most important reason for our prayers.  We need the strength and guidance of His Spirit, because we are weak on our own and cannot do it alone.

The Savior led by example.  He showed the Nephites how to pray, by praying to God for them (see previous post).  We need to follow His example as well.  We need to pray in the name of Jesus Christ and if we believe it, we can receive it.

We should pray for those who do not have the spirit and the gospel in their lives, so that they may come unto Him through our faith.  When we ask in faith for the strength to overcome adversity and for those things that we stand in need of, the Lord will bless us.  In the Bible Dictionary we read, “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.”  I love this explanation.  We are God’s children and prayer helps us to shape our will to the will of our Father in Heaven.  When we actively ask for things that are good, we are showing our faith in Him and we will receive blessings for it.

How should we treat those who are new to our church?

When I have attended a new ward for the first time, I have felt nervous and have looked for welcoming faces to help me.  I have been raised in the church, so I have not had the experience of attending as an investigator.  I imagine it is a lot more nerve-wracking and uncomfortable to do.  It can be particularly hard to step out of the comfort zone and attend a church meeting where you are new.  The Savior taught the Nephites how they should treat those new people who come to church.

As members of the church, we need to welcome anyone new who would like to come to church (see v. 22 above).  The Savior taught that if they show interest by coming often, we need to pray for them as well (see v. 23 above).  We need to invite others to come to church, so that they can feel the spirit and learn of Christ.  ”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 (v. 24).   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 (v. 25).”

Why should we partake of the sacrament worthily?

I can imagine that there have been people who take the sacrament, but who have no desire to remember the Lord or keep His commandments.  I am sure that when this happens, the Lord feels sad for the choice to give up the blessings that he wants to give them.  I sure that it does not feel good to feel disrespected in such a way as this disrespects Him.  Plus, the sacrament is an ordinance that involves making sacred covenants with the Lord to remember Him and keep His commandments.  It must be saddening to see some enter into this covenant with no intentions for keeping it.

“And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he turned his eyes again upon the Disciples whom he had chosen, and said unto them (v. 26):  Behold verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you another commandment, and then I must go unto my Father that I may fulfil other commandments which he hath given me (v. 27).  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 (v. 28 ); 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 (v. 29).”

Those who take the sacrament without the desire to keep the covenants renewed in it, do it unworthily.  The Savior taught the Nephites that this will bring “damnation to [their] souls.  It was so important to avoid, that those who are the leaders of the church need to keep others from doing this if they know they are not worthy.  This is why, those who confess particular sins to their Bishops, are told not to partake of the Sacrament.  Sin makes us unworthy to partake and therefore will lead to our own damnation.  This is why it is so important to prepare for the sacrament by reflecting on our lives and determining if we are worthy to do so.

“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 (v. 30).  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 (v. 31).  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 (v. 32).  Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation; for wo unto him whom the Father condemneth (v. 33).”

Those who are not worthy, should be ministered to.  We need to help others find their way back to Christ.  We as worthy members, need to pray for those who are not worthy.  Then it is up to them, whether or not they will repent and return to Him.  Our duty is to continue to minister to them, even if they do not show any signs of repenting, because we never know when they may decide to do it.  If we willing shut others out, we will be condemned for it.

“ And I give you these commandments because of the disputations which have been among you. And blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you (v. 34).  And now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that I should go unto the Father for your sakes (v. 35).  And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand the Disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them (v. 36).  And the multitude heard not the words which he spake, therefore they did not bear record; but the Disciples bare record that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. And I will show unto you hereafter that this record is true (v. 37).  And it came to pass that when Jesus had touched them all, there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus (v. 38 ).  And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And the Disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into heaven (v. 39).”

What a wonderful experience for those who were there at the Nephite temple.  How awesome it would have been to witness the Savior come, teach, and bless the people.  What a blessing it would be to know by seeing the Savior and witnessing these things, that all the gospel is true.  I am so glad to have the blessing of the spirit, which bears witness in my heart and mind that these things are true.  I may not have been there to witness that awesome event, but I know it is truth, because the spirit has told me so.

3 Nephi, Chapter 17

Ponder and pray

There have been times in school, when I have struggled to understand what was being taught.  Sometimes the problem has been with the teacher not being clear in their instruction, but usually it is because I have not been prepared to learn the new material.  In order to understand, I have read the manuals, reviewed my notes, and prepared questions for the next class.  I think a lot of understanding comes from being prepared for being taught.

“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 (v. 1).  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 (v. 2).”  The Nephites were not able to understand, because they were weak.  The problem was with the learners, not with the teacher.  Heavenly Father wanted them to understand and know all the things which the Savior had just taught the people, but they did not understand all of it.

“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 (v. 3).”  The Savior told them to ponder, pray and prepare their minds, so that they might understand His words.  He told them to go to their homes to prepare.  Our homes should be a quiet, reverent place where we can also prepared to gain understanding of the gospel.  He also told them to ponder over what he had taught them.  Pondering is meditating or thinking with the intention to learn and understand.  If they would ponder on these things, they would be able to understand more when He visited with them again.  When we pray, we should ponder over the things which we will say to our Father in Heaven, and then continue to ponder so that we can receive the answer.  Pondering invites the spirit, as we focus our attention on conversing with the Lord.

How lost are the lost tribes?

A while back, I lost one of my daughters most loved toys at a store.  I searched all over for it and even asked for assistance from the customer service.  I gave my information to the lost and found desk, but it was never returned.  The item had become a collector’s item and it apparently was taken home by someone else in a matter of minutes from when it was lost.  She was heart broken and I was throughly upset with myself over it.  I have not forgotten about it, even though it has been over a year since it was lost.  Some things are easily lost, but not easily forgotten.

“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 (v. 4).”  The Savior said he was going to the Father and to the lost tribes of Israel.  We know them as the lost tribes, but they are not lost by Heavenly Father.  They are lost to man, but Heavenly Father knows where all things (and therefore, people) are.  Every person who has ever lived, is living, or will live, is known by our Father in Heaven and he accounts for us all.

I am sure that with the lost tribes are records of their people, just as we have a record of the Nephites and Lamanites.  Perhaps they have an abridged record as well, which could be called the Book of the Lost Tribes.  I am sure that someday, when all is revealed, and the tribes are all gathered together again, we will find their records just as wonderful as the Book of Mormon is for us.

Why did Jesus heal the sick?

“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 (v. 5).  And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you (v. 6).”  The people wanted Jesus to stay with them, but they did not say it out loud.  He responded to their unspoken desires with compassion.  The Savior truly knows how we feel and he will always have compassion towards us.

The Savior felt compassion towards the Nephites and then showed His compassion for them through his actions.  ”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 (v. 7).  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 (v. 8 ).  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 (v. 9).  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 (v. 10).”

The Savior blessed and healed all those who were sick or afflicted because they had faith in Him.  They thanked him by worshipping him and kissing his feet.  I am sure that if anyone came to the Savior with the same amount of faith in Him, that he would heal them.  I would hope that I would show this same faith in this situation.

Jesus blesses the little children

“And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought (v. 11).  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 (v. 12).”  All of their little children were brought before Jesus.

“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 (v. 13).  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 (v. 14).”  The Savior groaned because he knew of the wickedness of the people.

“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 (v. 15).  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 (v. 16); 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 (v. 17).  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 (v. 18 ).”  The Savior prayed to God for the Nephites and they were filled with great joy.  I cannot even begin to imagine things so great and marvelous that they could not be written.

“And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise (v. 19).  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 (v. 20).”  I think it is important to realize that although the Savior knew of their sins and the wickedness that had been among them, it did not stop them from being blessed for their faith in Him.  This gives me a sense of hope.  I am not anywhere near perfect.  I am trying to do my best, but I fail at coming near to perfection (as we all do).  I know, however, that my faith is stronger then it has been before and I know through this example, that the Savior will bless me for my faithfulness, even when I fall extremely short of perfection.

“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 (v. 21).”  What an awesome experience.  I think of my own children and what it would mean to them (my 6 year old in particular) to have a personal blessing by the Savior.  Then I think of how I would feel watching my children be blessed and I know that I would have been overcome with joy and so grateful for the awesome experience.  I am sure that everyone cried who witnessed it.  I am so grateful to know that the Savior knows me and my family personally and that he has compassion and love for us and wants to bless us individually with the things that we need.

Angels minister in circles of fire

“And when he had done this he wept again (v. 22); And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones (v. 23).  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 (v. 24).  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 (v. 25).”

What a blessing it must have been to be one of the children who were encircled by fire and had angles minister to them.  We may not have literal angels minister unto each of us, but we do have others who act as angels ministering to us.  We have our bishops, visiting and home teachers, other local church leaders, family members and many more good people who act as our ministering angels.  One who minsters, attends to the wants and needs of another.  When we teach others the gospel or provide service for them, we are ministering unto them.  As we stay in tune with the spirit, we will be lead to those who need us.  We are greatly blessed when we act as angels on earth and minister to those around us.

3 Nephi, Chapter 16

Who are the “other sheep”? (Continued from last chapter)

“And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister (v. 1).  For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them (v. 2).  But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them (v. 3).”  Here is a third group of people that the Savior would visit.  They were another part of the lost tribes of Israel.  The Savior teaches the Nephites that all of the tribes of Israel would be able to see him and he would be the one shepherd for all of them.

In order for us to be included as part of His fold, we need to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized into His church.  Once we are part of his fold, we need to share the gospel with others, so that all people will have the chance to choose to come into His fold as well.

How will scattered Israel be gathered?

What is “the house of Israel”?  It is the tribes of descendants of Jacob, who was also known as Israel.  They are part of the twelve tribes (ten sons of Jacob and 2 sons of Joseph).  We learn in 1 Nephi 5:14, that Lehi was a descendent of Joseph, the son of Jacob.  Therefore, the Nephites were part of the tribes of Israel that the Savior was talking about.  We can also become part of the house of Israel.  In 2 Nephi 30:2 we read, “For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.”  According to this scripture, the gentiles become part of his covenant people by repenting and believing in the Savior, Jesus Christ.  The Gentiles that are talked about in the Book of Mormon, are those who do not have the gospel.

“And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer (v. 4). . . And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father (v. 6).  Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them (v. 7).  But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them (v. 8 ); And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them (v. 9)—”  The remnant of the people of Jerusalem, the house of Israel, would be scattered because they would not believe in the Savior.  Then the gentiles would get the gospel first because they would be be willing to believe in the Savior.

It would be through the Gentiles, that those who would be scattered would “be brought to a knowledge” of their Redeemer (v. 4).  They would be a key factor in the gathering of Israel, but they would also be the ones who would physically scatter the house of Israel and cast them out because the Lord would allow them to do it (v. 8-9).

“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them (v. 10).  And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them (v. 11).  And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel (v. 12).”  When the gentiles would become the most proud and some of the most wicked ever on the earth, the gospel would again be taken to those who had been scattered.

“And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel (v. 5).”  In the last days, the scattered house of Israel would be gathered together and the Lord would remember and fulfill the covenant He made with them.

“But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel (v. 13).  And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father (v. 14).  But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel (v. 15).”  The Gentiles who believe and repent will also be gathered with the house of Israel.  But if they do not believe and repent, they will be trodden down by the house of Israel and by the hand of the Lord.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father commanded me—that I should give unto this people this land for their inheritance (v. 16).  And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled, which say (v. 17):  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion (v. 18 ).  Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem (v. 19).  The Lord 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 God (v. 20).”  The Savior teaches the Nephites that everyone will be brought to the knowledge of Him, and those others of the House of Israel will have joy in Him, just as the prophets have prophesied.