Moroni 10

Ladies, I don't have much for this chapter. I've been reading it over and over for the last few weeks, hoping to have a grand finish, but I'm just emotionally and mentally spent right now. So I'd like to just quote some of my favorite passages from this chapter:

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the agifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are bdifferent ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the cSpirit of God unto men, to profit them.

20 Wherefore, there must be afaith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.
21 And except ye have acharity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in adespair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.
23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: aIf ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

32 Yea, acome unto Christ, and be bperfected in him, and cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye asanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the bblood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your csins, that ye become dholy, without spot.

I have loved reading the Book of Mormon this past year with you and only wish that I would have been more consistent in my posts! I know the Book of Mormon is a true testament of Christ and I know as I read and study it, my life is so enriched and my perspective is clearer. I have a testimony that Christ is our Savior and in our times of trouble he is also our friend. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

-Tori

Moroni Ch. 8

Read it HERE.

Summary: Infant baptism is an evil abomination—Little children are alive in Christ because of the atonement—Faith, repentance, meekness and lowliness of heart, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end lead to salvation. Between A.D. 400 and 421

This chapter is a letter Moroni received from his father, Mormon. It is interesting that he includes it; he must have really understood the importance of these words. Mormon explains that children are not capable of sin, so therefore they are not able to repent, and do not need baptism as a saving ordinance until they reach the age of accountability.

22 For behold that all little children are ^aalive in Christ, and also all they that are without the ^blaw. For the power of ^credemption cometh on all them that have ^dno law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing—

24 Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for ^arepentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.

25 And the first fruits of ^arepentance is ^bbaptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth ^cremission of sins;

Mormon is also explaining that the people who live and die without having the opportunity to hear the gospel.Many persons live and die and never know the law of Christ. Such persons will be taught the gospel in the spirit world. There they will have the opportunity to exercise faith and repent of their sins. Living proxies on the earth perform the needed ordinances in their behalf, and the blessings of salvation may be theirs. (see the institute manual.) Temple work is a blessing, and it is an important responsibility. It is not only edifying for one to go through the temple and be reminded of one's covenants, it is salvation to those who have passed on without having the opportunity to learn of and believe in Christ. Heavenly Father is merciful. He would not condemn one of his children simply because they lived and died without hearing of Him or His gospel.

Finally, here are some more verses in which Mormon expounds on the reasons little children do not need baptism.

8 ^aListen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the ^bwhole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little ^cchildren are ^dwhole, for they are not capable of committing ^esin; wherefore the curse of ^fAdam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of^gcircumcision is done away in me.

11 And their little ^achildren need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the ^bremission of sins.

12 But little ^achildren are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a ^brespecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

13 Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.

15 For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.

God is merciful. He is no respecter of persons. He has created a way for all to be able to return to His presence and experience exaltation. It is my hope that I can live worthily enough to experience these blessings in the next life.

Elise

Moroni 7

Wow. This chapter is full of treasures. I strongly encourage each of you to read it. It is too wonderful to overlook, and I'm not sure I will be able to summarize all of the important parts here.
An invitation to enter into the rest of the Lord—Pray with real intent—The Spirit of Christ enables men to know good from evil—Satan persuades men to deny Christ and do evil—The prophets manifest the coming of Christ—By faith miracles are wrought and angels minister—Men should hope for eternal life and cleave unto charity. Between A.D. 400 and 421

Outline of important principles:
vs 3: Peaceable followers of Christ have hope that they will soon enter into the rest of the Lord.
vs 5: By their works shall you know them: For if their works be good, then they be good also.
vs 6: Pray with real intent
vs 12: All things which are good come of God
vs 15: "For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night."
This verse is awesome. What a powerful promise, that we can know something with such great surety. For some reason, I never realized that the Lord has promised us something so great, but seeing it here gives me hope and faith. I think this is a great verse to draw on time and again, as a reminder that the Lord will make all things known unto us, if we ask in faith. He will help us make righteous decisions that will lead us where we need to go. "Wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." This gives so much comfort to me. We have the opportunity to know with a perfect knowledge, things tbat are of God. What a tremendous blessing that is and will be to us in our lives.
vs 18: Judge righteously
vs 19-25: Through faith and Christ, we are able to lay hold on every good thing.
29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have aangels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.
31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.
33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is cexpedient in me.
This is also another good reminder of principles I could never hear enough. As hard as this life may be at times, we have that hope to hold onto, that miracles still happen. The Lord is ever mindful of us, and He loves us. Even tho it is a necessary part of life, I know the Lord does not like to see us suffering. That is why He provides so many ways for us to feel of His love. Our Savior, and the Love of God and Christ are what will help us get through this life. Love is the bright spot we have to hold onto in this life. Along with that, we have the promise of always having the Holy Ghost to dwell in our hearts and help guide us. What an incredible promise. Isn't it also awesome to think that we still have angels here among us? Those who have the faith will be blessed to see them in this life, perhaps in times where they need extra guidance or extra help. The glorious works of God will not cease on this earth.
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he bmust needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But 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.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

I hate to just copy straight from the scriptures, but what better way to wrap up the beautiful promises made in this chapter? This chapter truly helps us to understand the eternal picture and what awaits us in the life to come. Heavenly Father truly loves us. Our Savior truly loves us. They want us to return to live with them some day, and they know we will need reminders along the way. We will need them to hold our hands at times. This Gospel is a beautiful thing. We are so blessed to have it in our lives.

~Chelsea~

Moroni 6

Repentant persons are baptized and fellowshipped—Church members who repent are forgiven—Meetings are conducted by the power of the Holy Ghost. Between A.D. 400 and 421

In verse 2 it says that they received those to baptism who had a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

What does it mean to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) explained that it is the same as godly sorrow, which 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.’ (3 Ne. 9:20; Moro. 6:2; D&C 20:37; 59:8; Ps. 34:18; 51:17; Isa. 57:15.) Such a spirit is the absolute prerequisite for true repentance” (“A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Oct. 1989, 4).

Elder Bruce D. Porter of the Seventy explained further, defining the meaning of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit”: When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master. . . .

“. . . Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that

God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them

God’s way instead. . . .

“There is yet another dimension of a broken heart—namely, our deep gratitude for Christ’s suffering on

our behalf. . . . When we remember the Savior and His suffering, our hearts too will break in gratitude for the Anointed One.

“As we make the sacrifice to Him of all that we have and all that we are, the Lord will fill our hearts with

peace. He will ‘bind up the brokenhearted’ (Isaiah 61:1) and grace our lives with the love of God” (in

Conference Report, Oct. 2007, 32–33; or Ensign, Nov. 2007, 32).

3 -Then we take upon ourselves the name of Christ

4 - Then we are cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost

5 - The church meets together to fast and pray

6 - And partake of the sacrament

Moroni Ch. 2

Read it HERE.

Summary: Jesus gave the Nephite apostles power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. Between A.D. 400 and 421

“While in every instance the Nephite Twelve are spoken of as disciples, the fact remains that they had been endowed with divine authority to be special witnesses for Christ among their own people. Therefore, they were virtually apostles to the Nephite race” ( Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:158; see also Mormon 9:18). (quote taken from the institute manual)

Verse three in this chapter is important; one of the reasons we have apostles is so they can not only bear witness of Christ, but remind us of what He taught us.

3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost.

I know that my heart is not always open to the promptings of the Spirit. I know that I miss many spiritual insights I could gain if I was a little closer to God. I am grateful we have prophets and apostles to help me remember to listen to Christ, how to listen, and often what I have missed by listening on my own.

Elise

Moroni 1

So we are into the really short chapters. This is going to take some brain power, but I will try to think of something fabulous to say.

One thing that caught my attention was how incredibly wicked the people had become. There were literally no righteous left among them, except for Moroni. He had to go into hiding because he would not deny Christ. And those who were righteous were killed. It is scary to think that people can be so wicked. I guess we have seen that in our days too. When the church first was restored to the earth, it was met with much opposition. People were persecuted and slain for their testimonies, namely Joseph Smith. It is amazing the influence that Satan can have over the hearts of men if they let him. That is why a sure testimony of Christ is so important in this life. There are so many ways that Satan can destroy us today, if we give in to the natural man. We need our Savior to strengthen us, to remind us of our eternal potential, to push us towards righteousness, and to encourages us to continue on. Christ is the light and hope that we need to hold onto in these perilous times. We cannot deny Him. It would be a fate worse than death. That is why Joseph Smith (I believe...maybe I am wrong) said that true religion requires the sacrifice of all things. In the end, we will be blessed more than we can fathom now. What lies beyond this life is so much more glorious than anything we could have in this life. With that great sacrifice comes the promise of a beautiful eternity with our families, our God, and our Savior...we will be forever surrounded by those with whom we share the greatest love in this life. We do not yet know what we will be called to do in this life, but we need to hold on to the light and the hope of Christ to get through whatever it may be.

~Chelsea~

Ether Ch. 11

Read it HERE.

Summary: Wars, dissensions, and wickedness dominate Jaredite life—Their prophets predict the utter destruction of the Jaredites unless they repent—The people reject the words of the prophets.

In this chapter we read about several leaders of the Jaredites. Many Generations passed in which the people lived in wickedness, and the prophets were discouraged because no one would hearken to their teaching.

Here is a run down of the leaders (father to son) that are named in this chapter:

Com: A good king; prophets who were rejected by the people found protection with him; he was blessed through the end of his life.

Shiblom: The people grew wicked during his reign; his brother caused that all the prophets should be put to death; wars and pestilence grow rampant--more than had previously been seen on the face of the earth; finally the people begin to repent, but Shiblom is killed.

Ahah: Wicked king; murdered many people; his days were numbered few.

Ethem: Wicked king; more prophets come to implore the people to repent, but are rejected by all and withdraw.

Moron: Wicked king; overthrown by a leader of the secret combination but retains half his kingdom; eventually reclaims his entire kingdom, but a new leader of the secret combination overthrows him for good and forces him into captivity for the rest of his life.

Coriantor: Dwelt in captivity all of his days because of the sins of his father, Moron; more prophets come and tell the people that unless they repent, God will cause them to be destroyed and will give their land to another people. The people reject the prophets. Ether is born and Coriantor dies.

The problem with the generations of people in this chapter is that they are so immersed in wickedness, wars, and secret combinations, they have lost all desire for righteousness. When the prophets testify that they must repent, the people harden their hearts. This chapter contains several verses like the one below:

22 And they did reject all the words of the prophets, because of their secret society and wicked abominations.

Henry B. Eyring reminds us of the importance of heeding the prophets:

“Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. If it does not, they consider it either faulty advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the counsel. Those without faith may think that they hear only men seeking to exert influence for some selfish motive. . . .

“Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had put myself in harm’s way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found that I moved toward safety” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 32–33; or Ensign, May 1997, 25).

Elise

Ether Ch. 5

Read it HERE.

Summary: Three witnesses and the work itself shall stand as a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

This chapter is only a few verses long, but it is succinct and important. Moroni is addressing the future translator of the plates, who we know to be Joseph Smith. It is interesting that he would write directly and specifically to him when almost 14 centuries elapse from the time this is written from the time Joseph even reads the words.

The institute manual points out something interesting in verse 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.

We understand the three witnesses to be Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. (read their testimony here). However, the Institute Manual adds that the Godhead are also witnesses of the Book of Mormon.

Dallin H. Oaks, a living apostle (also having vast experience in law), emphasizes the importance of witnesses. This quote is lengthy but good:

“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” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 46, 49; or Ensign, May 1999, 35–37).

I also add my testimony--that I know this book is true. I know the prophets and the people written about in the Book of Mormon really lived. I have prayed about this book and had an immediate, powerful verification of the truthfulness and importance of this book. I cannot deny the feelings I have had and the ways this book has improved my life. The fruits of this book are good.

We can spend our time proving the logical or historical accuracy of this book, but we cannot ignore the most important part: it is written by prophets of God who bear testimony of Christ and instruct us on how to know and emulate Him better. It is a message of hope. Without these things, it would remain, simply, a history book. I know it is much more than that. If you find yourself doubting its truthfulness, I suggest that you read it and pray about it. Heavenly Father is mindful of your desires and will answer your prayer.

Elise

Ether 4

I apologize (again) for being so MIA! My life is insanely busy!!
Summary: Moroni is commanded to seal up the writings of the brother of Jared—They shall not be revealed until men have faith even as the brother of Jared—Christ commands men to believe his words and those of his disciples—Men are commanded to repent and believe the gospel and be saved.
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.
What an amazing opportunity we have to listen to counsel directly from the Savior in this chapter. He loves us so much, and all He asks is for us to believe in Him. I think, when we truly believe in Him, it can change our lives. Because we believe in Him, we will have a desire to do all things good, as He promised. Christ is the constant light in this world when all else seems lost and dark. He is that one hope we can always hold on to. He sacrificed everything because He loves us, and He wanted us to have someone to turn to in times of sorrow and need, and even times of joy. He is the reason we can experience joy in this life. Our testimonies of Christ are an amazing gift. We are so blessed to know Him. Not only do we have someone to turn to in times of need, but we also have someone who can help share our burdens, and help us become clean again when we make mistakes. Part of that all-encompassing goodness includes having a broken heart and contrite spirit. It includes acknowledging your weaknesses and being made whole again.
In this chapter, I believe that the Savior speaks of the wickedness of the people with great sadness. After all that happened when He came to this earth, the people still lost their way, and He had to let them go. But He offered them/us hope and a great reminder, that when we are ready, we know to whom we should turn. And He will be waiting there with open arms to embrace us.

Chelsea

Ether 1

Ether is an interesting book of scripture. We get about a thousand or so years of history crammed into fifteen chapters, with a few chapters devoted to the brother of Jared, a few devoted to doctrine, and the rest describes the wickedness and fall of a civilization. Alma gives us insight into why this book is included in the Book of Mormon in his last message and testimony to his son Helaman:

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.

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. (Alma 37).

So apparently the main lesson of the Jaredites is supposed to be a cautionary tale of secret combinations. Those are something I've never really understood, but we are warned by leaders today that they are still very present. It's a little scary, because we see in this people and with the Nephites how secret combinations can undermine and ruin an entire society. They start out as a small, secret group and eventually grow until the point that they are no longer a secret because everyone is apart of it.

This chapter establishes the genealogy of Ether back to Jared and describes how the Jaredites were spared when the Lord confounded the languages at the tower of Babel. I think we can deduce a few things from how Jared and his brother are described. I used to be confused and wondered why Jared didn't pray himself. But I think that his brother, who we know was named Mahonri Moriancumer, must have been the prophet, while Jared was the head of the family. So Jared too was a very faithful man, but he knew that his brother could receive revelation for them all. So he prays and is told that they need to leave and the Lord will guide them to a choice land.

-Tori

Mormon Chapter 9

Assuming you read the chapter, did you love it? I’m sure I have read this chapter multiple times throughout my life, but this time through, I loved it! What an incredible blessing it is to know where we are going after we die, and that there is a plan for us! There is a process and we know about it! I know I take for granted the knowledge I have about the Plan of Salvation. And even still, after hearing this lesson many, many times, I still continue to learn more! We truly learn the mysteries of God line up line, precept upon precept! Our minds and knowledge continue to expand as we study the scriptures and learn of Him! It’s absolutely incredible! Everyone should hear what we know! :)

I already stated that  I loved this chapter, and I highly recommend reading this chapter if you haven’t already. Moroni is such an incredible man and this last chapter in Mormon is incredibly powerful!

A few parts stood out to me…

Moroni is addressing those who do not believe in Christ, and goes on to tell them…

v.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 ^afilthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the ^bdamned souls in ^chell.”

We truly have a loving God. I do not think of “hell” as a punishment really, but as an act of mercy.   How sad God will be that some of his children will not dwell in his presence, and if he “forced” it, this is exactly what it would be like. The final judgment will be a just judgment, and we will be in the best place for us.

I also find this principle fascinating and it rings true. Verse 14, “And then cometh the ^ajudgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is ^bfilthy 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.” I find this interesting because we often live our lives in some degree of denial of who we, and others, really are! This life is a probationary state where we have the opportunity to become the best people we can! If we do not work on perfecting ourselves here, it will not be any easier (probably even more difficult) in the next life!  We will be the same after we die!

I really like the last parts of chapter 9, verses 21-29ish because there are many specific instructions given…

• Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;(v.21)
• And he that ^abelieveth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be ^bdamned; (v.23)
• strip yourselves of all uncleanness, (v.28)
• See that ye are not baptized ^aunworthily; (v.29)
• see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ ^bunworthily (v.29)

I also find it interesting how Moroni explains their language…

(v.32 –34) ”And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the ^areformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.   And if our plates had been ^asufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no ^bimperfection in our record.    But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore  hath prepared ^ameans for the interpretation thereof. “

Have a wonderful 2010!

Mormon Ch. 8

Read it HERE.

Summary: The Lamanites seek out and destroy the Nephites—The Book of Mormon shall come forth by the power of God—Woes pronounced upon those who breathe out wrath and strife against the work of the Lord—The Nephite record shall come forth in a day of wickedness, degeneracy, and apostasy. Between A.D. 400 and 421

At the beginning of this chapter, we find that Moroni has continued this record on his father's behalf. We learn that Hh witnessed the death of his father and the destruction of the Nephite nation. He has no friends and no relatives. He is not sure how long he will live, and has to finish the record alone and in hiding.

Elder L. Tom Perry gives us a little insight into Moroni's reasons for writing this chapter:

“He must have felt compelled to describe how his people had been hunted by the Lamanites until they were all destroyed. In his feeling of loneliness, he reports that his father was among those who were killed. We sense that the only thing Moroni is living for is to complete the record, as he writes, ‘Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not’ (Mormon 8:4).

“All he has is the faith that the Lord will preserve him long enough to complete the record and that someday it will be found by one chosen of the Lord. He realizes that the record will be a voice of warning to future generations of what occurs when nations like his own turn away from the teachings of the Lord. It is from the depths of his heart that Moroni cries out to those who will eventually receive the record. He wants to spare those who read his account the heartache and misery which comes from disobedience.

“He writes first to the members of the Church and then to those who have not embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ. Moroni’s last words to the members of the Church are written as a voice of warning. He writes as one who sees the history of his people repeating itself in the future” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 18–19;

or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 15–16).

It is sobering to think of the Lord preserving Moroni's life so he can finish this record. We are blessed to have it published and circulated throughout our church. We owe this in some part to the prophet Joseph Smith, who is the one Moroni speaks of in these verses:

16 And blessed be ^ahe that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be ^bbrought 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 ^afaults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that ^bcondemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire.

President Boyd K. Packer bears a solid testimony of Joseph Smith's mission:

“The truth is, simply, that he was a prophet of God—nothing more and not one whit less!

“The scriptures did not come so much from Joseph Smith as they did through him. He was a conduit through which the revelations were given. . . .“The Prophet Joseph Smith was an unschooled farm boy. To read some of his early letters in the original shows him to be somewhat unpolished in spelling and grammar and in expression.

“That the revelations came through him in any form of literary refinement is nothing short of a miracle”

(in Conference Report, Apr. 1974, 137; or Ensign, May 1974, 94).

We have a book, the Book of Mormon, that is filled with the word of God. It testifies of the truthfulness of the Bible. It testifies of Jesus Christ and His role as our Savior. It testifies of a loving God. It gives us the information we need to live righteously so we can return to live with our Father in Heaven.

I love this book, and I am grateful to Moroni, Joseph Smith, and all the other prophets who sacrificed everything so I may read its words.

Elise

Mormon 7

I apologize for my absenteeism lately. It is amazing how time just escapes you sometimes. I really am going to try harder to keep up!

Summary: Mormon invites the Lamanites of the latter days to believe in Christ, accept his gospel, and be saved—All who believe the Bible will also believe the Book of Mormon. About A.D. 385

This chapter is short but powerful. As I read it, I kept thinking: how incredible would it be to have such a sure testimony? You can feel Mormon's conviction as he invites the Lamanites to join him in his testimony. He has absolutely no doubt. He must have an incredible relationship with God and the Savior. He reminds me of the prophet and apostles today. You can feel, when they bear testimony, that they have special relationships with God and Christ, and they have absolutely no doubt that this Gospel is true. They have no doubt that God lives, that Christ lives, and that He died for us. We are all invited to partake of this miraculous gift.
Mormon finishes the chapter by exclaiming to the Lamanites that it is easy to believe in the Gospel. He also lays out exactly what they need to do, and what we need to do in this life to prepare to meet God on the other side of the veil. The Gospel is a beautiful gift, which we have all been blessed with. I cannot imagine my life without it. I am convinced that I would be miserable and a failure. I would be completely lost! I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a pert of this Gospel. It is something I have always needed and will always need. I would not be who I am without it. The Gospel, and all that that encompasses is what keeps me going every single day. This life is not something I can do on my own. I need my Father in Heaven, and I need my Savior, and I need the blessings of the Gospel. I am so grateful for all of it.
I also read something else interesting today. It is in this month's Ensign. It's called "Dad's Lessons in Love." It is an incredible story that made me want to put all of my selfish desires aside and be the best mother and wife I can possibly be. (I need a lot of those little boosts :)) I definitely recommend reading it. Forget romance novels...this is the real stuff. This is exactly what marriage is about. I know you will enjoy it as well.

~Chelsea~

Mormon Ch. 2

Read it HERE.

Summary: Mormon leads the Nephite armies—Blood and carnage sweep the land—The Nephites lament and mourn with the sorrowing of the damned—Their day of grace is passed—Mormon obtains the plates of Nephi—Wars continue. Between A.D. 327 and 350

This is a sad chapter. The Nephites are wicked and the Lamanites are warring against them. Mormon is encouraged by the Nephites' distress, thinking that they will repent so God could bless them again (vs. 12). However, the only sorrow the Nephites have for their sins is the "sorrowing of the damned," meaning that they lamented the fact that God could no longer allow them to take happiness in their sins (vs. 13).

Mormon comments on the Nephites' future due to their sins:

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.


Mormon 2:15. “The Day of Grace Was Passed”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland noted the chilling line in Mormon’s account that time had run out for saving his people: “It is at this moment in Nephite history—just under 950 years since it had begun and just over 300 years since they had been visited by the Son of God himself—that Mormon realized the story was finished. In perhaps the most chilling line he ever wrote,Mormon asserted simply, ‘I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and
spiritually.’

His people had learned that most fateful of all lessons—that the Spirit of God will not always strive with man; that it is possible, collectively as well as individually, to have time run out. The day of repentance can pass, and it had passed for the Nephites. Their numbers were being ‘hewn down in open rebellion against their God,’ and in a metaphor almost too vivid in its moral commentary, they were being ‘heaped up as dung upon the face of the land’”
(Christ and the New Covenant, 319).

(Found in the Institute Manual.)

Mormon writes that though the Lamanites came against the Nephites again, and the Nephites won, the Lord was not with them. "Yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren." (vs. 26)

These are chilling reminders, and a chilling prediction of what is to befall the Nephites when they don't turn their hearts toward God. We know there will be battles upon battles until the Nephites are destroyed. Thankfully, Heavenly Father preserved Mormon so he could record the history and we can learn from their mistakes.


Elise

Congratulations, Tori!

Yes, Tori had her baby boy early this morning.

Daniel Adam James

born 12/3/09 at 1:33 am, weighing 7lbs 1.2 oz, and 20 1/2 inches long.

. . .Need I say more?

What a darling, darling baby! And she did it all naturally, folks! Tori, we're proud of you. Here's to the fastest recovery, ever.

3 Nephi 29

This chapter has two parts. The first explains what is the effect of the Book of Mormon coming forth:
1. It means the Lord has begun to gather Israel to its land of inheritance.
2. The words of the Lord as revealed to his prophets are being fulfilled.
3. We cannot spurn the doings of the Lord or we will feel the hand of his justice upon us.

The second part is cautionary:
1. Don't spurn the doings of the Lord or deny Christ.
2. Don't deny that revelations can and still come from the Lord.
3. Don't deny that Christ can still perform miracles.
4. Don't abuse the children of Israel!

It's an interesting chapter. We have just read all about Christ's visit among the Nephites, and we're about to get an abbreviated account of the next several hundred years of their history. I'm not sure why Mormon placed it here particularly but I think it serves us as a good reminder that the Book of Mormon is the word of the Lord, its emphasis is on Christ, and we need to both accept it and recognize what its coming forth means. This is the dispensation of the fullness of times and we are a part of it! That is always thrilling to think about. Whether or not we live to see Christ come again, we are a part of a very great work and we can either help it or attempt (and fail) to hinder it. The work will go forward regardless but hopefully we will too, as faithful saints of God.

-Tori

3 Nephi Chapter 28

Nine of the Twelve desire and are promised an inheritance in Christ’s kingdom when they die—The Three Nephites desire and are given power over death so as to remain on the earth until Jesus comes again—They are translated and see things not lawful to utter, and they are now ministering among men.

This is an incredible chapter! I really want to quote 80% of it, but I wont. I definitely recommend that you READ IT.

Christ asks his chosen 12, "What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father? (v.1)"

9 of the12 asked that, "after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.(v.2)"

And Christ responds, "Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye are ^aseventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my ^bkingdom; and with me ye shall find ^crest."

How positively wonderful! Isn't that what we want? I know that is what I want more than anything! How amazing is our Savior and Father in Heaven!

The other 3 are hesitant to tell the Savior what they  desire, but he knows their thoughts. He knows that they desire the same thing as John the Beloved. Versus 7-10 tell us what Christ thinks about this:

"Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall ^anever taste of ^bdeath; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the ^cpowers of heaven. And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from ^amortality to ^bimmortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father. And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the ^asins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might ^bbring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand. And for this cause ye shall have ^afulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are ^bone; "

Then we learn of the events that took place, (13-17) "And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were ^acaught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things. And it was ^aforbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them ^bpower that they could utter the things which they saw and heard;  And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a ^atransfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God. "

Here is something I found very interesting from the Book of Mormon Student Manual about the definitions of Transfiguration and Translated Beings...

Translated beings. “Persons who are changed so
that they do not experience pain or death until their
resurrection to immortality” (Guide to the Scriptures,
“Translated Beings”).
“Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation
was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately
into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness,
but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is
that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for
such characters He held in reserve to be ministering
angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not
entered into so great a fullness as those who are
resurrected from the dead” ( Joseph Smith, History of
the Church, 4:210).

Transfiguration. “The condition of persons who are
temporarily changed in appearance and nature—that
is, lifted to a higher spiritual level—so that they can
endure the presence and glory of heavenly beings”
(Guide to the Scriptures, “Transfiguration”).

The three were transfigured and then translated if I'm not mistaken. Fascinating!

They are now known as the "Three Nephites" and they were able to endure some pretty incredible situations like...

• being cast into prison, and "the prisons could not hold them (19)",
• they were buried and "they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they were delivered out of the depths of the earth...(20)",
• "they were cast into a furnace and received no harm(21)", and 
• "they were cast into a den of wild beasts... and received no harm(22)"

I find it interesting in verse 25, Mormon tells us that he was about to "write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world." He also tells us that "great and marvelous works shall be wrought by them" both among the Jews and Gentiles and they shall know them not.

Mormon also explains that he inquired of the Lord, "and He hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they must taste of death;  Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a ^achange wrought upon their bodies, that they might not ^bsuffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world. Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not ^atempt them; and they were ^bsanctified in the flesh, that they were ^choly, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them. And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change, and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell with God eternally in the heavens. "

Incredible, absolutely incredible!

3 Nephi Ch. 27

Read it HERE.

Summary: Jesus commands them to call the Church in his name—His mission and atoning sacrifice constitute his gospel—Men are commanded to repent and be baptized that they may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost—They are to be even as Jesus is. Between A.D. 34 and 35

I loved this chapter. The disciples are busy ministering throughout the land, and are working hard to be of one purpose and one heart. There have arisen some disputations among the people concerning what to call the church. The disciples ask Christ, who appears to them and simply reminds them that they have taken upon them His name, and that since this is His church it should be named accordingly.

Then, as a reminder, Christ goes through a brief synopsis of the gospel and the plan of salvation--in order to re-emphasize what His church is about. It is a great summary, and it is also a little lengthy to just copy on this post, but it is worth a read:

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.


This is what we believe! We follow Christ. We live as best as we possibly can, and when we make mistakes, we repent. Christ sacrificed for us--not just us as a whole, but each one of us--so we could have this ability. He wants us to use the power of repentence so we can experience eternal exaltation. That will be worth anything we need to go through in this life.

I was recently talking to an older friend of mine who has five children. Her youngest son left the church for a time during his teenage years, and maybe even into his twenties, but he finally returned. During the years he was wayward, she spent countless hours fasting and praying for his welfare. She often would have friends say to her that at least she had four children who were faithful in the church.

This comment would make her sad. No matter how exceptional her other children were, that joy did not take away from the profound sorrow she experienced for her youngest one.

I think this is the same way Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ feel about those who know what they must do to return to them, but choose to disregard that great sacrifice. They are mindful of us, of each of us. Our difficulties do not go unnoticed. All we need to do is put our faith in Christ and follow Him. As difficult as this can be sometimes, it is not as difficult as it will be if we choose to not follow Christ and lose all the blessings He wants to give us.


Elise

3 Nephi 23

Jesus tells the people that "great are the words of Isaiah" and "all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake." When the Saviour emphasizes something like this we know that it is important. Reading Isaiah is tough sometimes, but I think if we open our hearts we'll find insights we previously missed. Also, sometimes you just need a good interpreter. There are a bunch of books out there that explain Isaiah in easier terms. Someday I think I would like to buy one of them and really attempt a serious study of Isaiah.

Then the Saviour asks to review their records. He reads them and asks where they recorded the prophecies of Samuel. They sheepishly admit that it hasn't been recorded and promise to recitify that. I like this little story because it shows 1. that very righteous men can overlook important things, and 2. that we need to be mindful that we are recording important things in our lives. I have a blog, a pregnancy journal, and an actual bound journal that unfortunately I don't write in very often. With all of those journals, I think I stil let things fall through the cracks sometimes, especially spiritual experiences because they are too personal to write about on my blog and don't make it to any other journals. I challenge us to all do better at recording those special moments in our lives, both temporal and spiritual.

-Tori

3 Nephi Ch. 21

Read it HERE.

Summary: Israel shall be gathered when the Book of Mormon comes forth—The Gentiles shall be established as a free people in America—They shall be saved if they believe and obey; otherwise they shall be cut off and destroyed—Israel shall build the New Jerusalem, and the lost tribes shall return. [A.D. 34]


Jesus told the Nephites He would give them a sign (3 Nephi 21:1) so they would know when the gathering of Israel had begun. He then foretold the Restoration of the gospel, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the establishment of a free nation in America, and thetaking of the gospel to their seed (see vs. 1–7). He called the Restoration of the latter days “a great and a marvelous work” (see v. 9).

The way Jesus says something in verse 6 was very interesting to me:

"6 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;" (emphasis mine.)

Why is this an important blessing? Where is the benefit in actually being numbered among the people of God?

Verse 11 mentions God's people again as the "people who are of the covenant." What covenant is this, and why is it important? The covenant Jesus is talking about here is the Abrahamic Covenant.

Among the promises made to Abraham were the following:

~ His posterity would be numerous (see Genesis 17:5–6; Abraham 2:9; 3:14).

~ His seed, or descendants, would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood (see Abraham 2:9).
~ Through the ministry of his seed, "all the families of the earth [would] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal" (Abraham 2:11).

A person can receive all the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant—even if he or she is not a literal descendant of Abraham—by obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel (see Galatians 3:26–29; 4:1–7; D&C 84:33–40).

(information found here.)

But so what? We could live our lives, having no knowledge of the Church, have our work done for us after we have passed on, and accept the Gospel in the next life, right? Why is being numbered among God's people in this life such an important blessing?

I believe it is because making and keeping covenants with God serves as a compass in this life. We have the way back to our Father in Heaven laid out for us; all we need to do is follow Christ. He led the way. When we are active among God's people, He will bless us with His spirit. This spirit will guide us through the difficult or confusing parts of this life.

Our mortal lives will be better. We will find it easier to endure. We will experience more joy and greater perspective. These are some of the blessings that are waiting for us right now.


One final quote from President Hinkley on the blessings and responsibilities we have as members of Christ's church:

"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" (in Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 84–85; or Ensign, May 2004, 83–84).


Elise