Chapter 16

This chapter ends with the statement by Abinadi that “…redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father,” reemphasizing the point that Jesus Christ acts in the role of our Father, the head of our spiritual salvation and resurrection.  We have three fathers: God the Father who is father of our spirits, Jesus Christ, the father of our spiritual rebirth, and our mortal father. 

Chapter 15

The doctrine of Christ being our father disturbs some folks who prefer to think of him as our brother.  Yes, God the Father is our father in heaven.  Jesus is his son.  But Jesus becomes our adoptive father when we are reborn and receive the ordinance of baptism.  We take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.  Thereafter, we belong to a new family, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Christ at the head.  He is also our father because he was sent by the Father and has been given the authority to act for God the Father.  He is also the father of this earth because he created it.

Chapter 14

Continuing his teaching of Christ’s mission, Abinadi quotes the book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-three:  “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…Surely he has born our griefs, and carried our sorrows…he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Trust Jesus.  Salvation comes only through him.  Love Jesus.  He loves us.

Chapter 13

“I say unto you that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish…Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?  Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?” Thus Abinadi declared the truth of Jesus Christ’s mission to his people.

Chapter 12

Abinadi is a type of Christ.  He testifies boldly concerning the sins and hypocrisy of the leaders knowing full well the consequence would be death.  Yet, courageously he pursued his mission, as did the Savior.  Having the courage to live one’s faith is a central purpose for this life.

Chapter 11

The prophet, Abinadi, is called upon by the Lord to confront the wickedness of King Noah who ruled next when his father Zeniff died.  A courageous and forthright prophet, Abinadi calls King Noah to repentance for his idolatrous and adulterous behavior.  He also predicts that King Noah’s people will be brought into bondage by the Lamanites unless they humble themselves and repent.

Our prophets today constantly call us to repentance.  We need a daily habit of scripture study and prayer to thwart the evil that is everywhere in this modern world.  We can’t quit.  We’ve got to move forward and endure to the end exercising faith in Christ.

Chapter 10

Perhaps Zeniff’s biggest mistake was ignoring the fact that the prophet Mosiah had led them out of the land of Nephi for a reason.  The Lamanites were a wicked and idolatrous people.  Even though Zeniff felt he had superior knowledge of the situation because of his spying, he went back to the land of Nephi without any mention of the prophet’s blessing.  He was ignoring the wisdom of his leaders.  Sometimes we ignore the advice of our parents or leaders because we think we know better.  We snuggle up to sin with the thought that we possess the ability to not let it affect us. In Zeniff’s case, his decision eventually led to war and loss of life for his followers.   

Chapter 9

Zeniff was a spy for the Nephites.  The intelligence he had obtained was tempered by his inner desire not to go to war with the Lamanites.  This opinion differed sharply with his superior officer who wanted to take an army against the Lamanites.  A civil war broke out and many lost their lives.  Zeniff was rescued and returned to Zarahemla.  But the story only begins there.  Zeniff was driven within by a desire to go back to the “homeland” of Nephi.  I picture it being mountainous, full of lakes and rivers, beautiful to the eye and heart- warming.  Whatever was driving him, he called it “over-zealousness.”   

I have been pondering whether or not I have been likewise over-zealous about something in my life.  I got that way on my mission, sometimes missing the mark because I wanted to be almost truer than true.  I acted that way when I was a student sometimes putting study above the need to sleep and eat. 

Nevertheless, I think pushing myself zealously toward a goal has often been in my best interest.  And I think Zeniff was not being sinful in his desire to return to his beloved mountains. 

But we must be cautious about overdoing something.  And we must be wise in our priorities.

The Tabahonzo Miracle

The Tabahonzo Miracle

By Walt Stone

Elder Kim and I were walking on the second farm road in Shiprock, New Mexico.  Our pickup was back at our apartment.  A big black dog came charging towards us, barking. 

“Don’t worry,” said Elder Kim. “He’s friendly.”

The dog jumped up on Elder Kim, stretching his length to five or six feet.  Like I said, this was a big dog.  Not too far behind the dog came a little, old Navajo man dressed in jeans, a rough coat with a sheep’s wool collar and a greasy flattened ball cap with the logo warn out.  He had on his work clothes.  His boots were scuffed and well worn.

“Ya’at’eeh ashiikeh,” he said in Navajo.  “Hello boys.”

“Hi Brother Tabahonzo; this is my new companion, Elder Stone.”

“Oo’ ya’at’eeh Elder Tse; Yes, hello Elder Stone,” he replied with a little grin.  We exchanged handshakes in the soft-gripped manner of this very polite people. Good thing Elder Kim had taught me not to grab to tightly.

Elder Kim then went on to tell Eugene Tabahonzo, a 70ish Navajo man, that I had taken the place of Elder Novak who had been transferred and that I was from northern Utah.  They met Eugene a few times when they were out trackting on the several farm roads west of Shiprock. But they had not yet been to his home.  The homes in the area were able to take advantage of the San Juan River, allowing them to irrigate their small gardens and farms.  The Tabahonzos grew a few vegetables, squash, watermelons, and corn in their modest garden.  Elder Kim and Elder Novak had not succeeded in being asked to come into his home which was a frame home with the stucco painted turquoise with white trim; nicer than most.  They had exchanged only a few words of greeting.

But today, Eugene seemed to want to talk, almost as if he had sought us out.  He told us about his family.  Most of his children were raised but he had a teenage daughter, Eugenia, at home and some of the older children were relying heavily upon Eugene and his wife to provide child care and most of their meals.  Eugene was concerned for his family.  How would they do after he was gone? How would his dear wife manage?  What chance did Eugenia have to make a life for herself without her aging parents becoming a burden?

The subject of religion came up.  Brother Tabahonzo said that it would “take a miracle” for him to ever join a church.  “I am an atheist,” he said.  Elder Kim reached into his backpack and produced a soft-bound, blue Book of Mormon.  “This is your miracle,” he said.

Brother Tabahonzo chuckled.  “You think so?  The Book of Mormon…hmmm…I’ve seen one of these before…hmmm….oh yes, I remember, when I was a young boy, a cowboy at the ranch where I worked gave me his beat up copy.  He had told me to read it.  I never got around to it at the time. That was 50 or 60 years ago.  Maybe today is the day I give it a try!” We chatted about a few more things before making an appointment to come back and see him.

The big black dog greeted us again when we returned in a few days.  It was later in the evening after dinner time.  Brother Tabahonzo came to the door giving us a quick “Ya’at’eeh” but instead of inviting us in, he ushered us to a small trailer home adjacent to the main house.  He said it was his “office,” but then confessed that his wife and daughter were not happy about him meeting with the missionaries. 

“My wife is pretty mad at me,” he said, “we will have to meet out here for a while.”  That little while went on for several weeks.  Soon, Eugenia began coming to the trailer, although she remained out of sight in the kitchen.  Eugene had read the entire Book of Mormon after just a few days.  He was very literate and wanted more.  We gave him the Doctrine and Covenants and gave him a steady dose of the discussions.  He prayed about what he was reading and learning and found his “miracle” really was the Book of Mormon.  We challenged him to baptism and things seemed to be progressing towards that end.

But then he announced one day that he could not see us anymore.  “My wife will leave me if I join the church…she can’t understand what I’m doing…our family seems to be falling apart…my children are on their mom’s side, there’s been lots of troubl.”   Elder Kim and I sat stunned for several minutes in the living room of his trailer.  Eugene was crying softly.  Elder Kim and I mixed our tears with his.  

Then a miracle happened.  Elder raised his head and said, “Brother Tabahonzo, I don’t think all of your family is against you.  Would it be alright if we asked Eugenia to join us?  I know she has been listening to us the past weeks.”  Brother Tabahonzo nodded.

“Eugenia, would you come in please,” Elder Kim said politely. No answer came. “Eugenia, your dad would like you to come out here for a minute.”  Eugenia came around the door of the kitchen and peered into the room.  She was crying too!  “Dad, don’t worry about Mom.  She won’t leave you.  She loves you.  I love you.  I will talk to her,” said Eugenia.

“Eugenia, how do you feel about the things we have been teaching your father?” Elder Kim asked.

More tears came from Eugenia as she looked at us and said, “I know it’s true!  Dad, I want to be baptized too!

As Elder Kim and I walked to our pick-up truck that night, accompanied part way by the big black dog, we felt the love of the Savior and our Heavenly Father.  In about a week we went back.  This time we were invited into the main house.  We met Sister Tabahonzo and she greeted us warmly, calling us “shiyaazh, my sons.”  Within a few weeks a baptismal service was held for Eugene, his wife, and Eugenia.  The entire family attended.  It was truly a “marvelous work and wonder.”

Chapter 8

Verse 20 has an interesting typo.  Can you find it?  This chapter helped me reflect upon the role that the prophets have played in my life.  President McKay was larger than life.  He was the prophet of my childhood.  He was stately, white haired, handsome.  He emphasized families.

President Joseph Fielding Smith was a doctrinal giant, but I don’t remember too much about him from my childhood.

President Harold B. Lee was prophet when I was called on my mission.  I was privileged to be with him in the Salt Lake Temple when he talked to us and answered any questions we had.

President Spencer W. Kimball impacted me on my mission after the passing of President Lee.  When he gave his landmark talk “Go Ye Into All the World” I was watching and listening in a chapel in Page, Arizona.  I loved his talks. Because of his throat cancer and surgeries, he had a very memorable speaking voice.  He told us to “lengthen our stride” and just “do it.”  He received the revelation allowing the priesthood to be given to all worthy males.

President Ezra Taft Benson emphasized the Book of Mormon going to all the world.  And he taught us that pride (enmity) is the universal sin that can be overcome only by humbling ourselves.

President Howard W. Hunter was president for a short time.  We saw him in Tucson when he came for a regional conference.  He emphasized the temple.

President Gordon B. Hinckley was the president of my married adulthood.  He taught us to be friends to all people regardless of their faith.  He was interviewed after 9-11 happened and comforted the world.  He brought the church out of obscurity.

President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet that is teaching us through his favorite method, stories, that we must be directed by the Holy Ghost in all things.

These great Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ have had an enormous effect for good upon me and the direction of my life.

Chapter 7

The story of Zeniff going back to the land of Nephi-Lehi, his son Noah’s wicked reign, and Noah’s son, Limhi’s bondage to the Lamanites, provides the backdrop for this wonderful admonition from Limhi to his people after they have been found by a group from Zarahemla led by Ammon:  “But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.”  We can liken this to ourselves.  When we are in bondage due to sin, we can escape by turning to the Lord and repenting of our sins.  The arrival of Ammon gives King Limhi hope.  Our missionaries provide this hope to the world by bringing the message of Hope in Christ.

Chapter 6

King Benjamin lived three more years after his famous sermon before he passed away.  Mosiah, his son, reigned in his stead.  King Benjamin’s righteous leadership was highlighted by his humility and self-reliance.  He loved the Savior and had a covenant relationship with him.  He placed his people under this Christian covering.  The covering we call covenants puts us under the protection of Christ if we will keep his commandments in our hearts as well as our actions.

Chapter 5

What is significant about covenants?  Why does King Benjamin make such a big deal about it?  And what about the new name that is given when entering into a covenant with God?

Let’s step back to our premortal life.  We first existed as “Intelligences.”  This is the part of us that has always existed. 

From Intelligences we were born as Spirits to Heavenly Parents.  Surely they gave us names.  We don’t remember our names but we know we were—and are today—children of God, meaning the Father.

When we came to Earth we received new parents and new names.

Then we matured and became accountable for our actions.  We were ready for a major change in our existence.  We were ready for the covenant of baptism.  When we were baptized we received a new name:  Jesus Christ.  We became his sons and his daughters.  This is the same covenant that King Benjamin’s people were renewing.  King Benjamin emphasizes that we become the Children of Christ.  He becomes our new father.  We now have three fathers: Heavenly Father, our mortal parents, and Christ as the father our rebirth.

As we progress in our journey we will receive more covenants and more new names.  Each layer of covenants is like a new layer of an eternal quilt that covers us and protects us until we return to our Father in Heaven.

Christ Comes to America--A story from my mission

Entering the mission home in Salt Lake City, Utah in September of 1973, was exciting and terrifying.  My parents dropped me off for what would be a three day experience.  Saying good bye was difficult. We were given our missionary discussions in a small black 3 ring binder.  And some of us were asked to go get a haircut after the first assembly was over.  I was soon introduced to the other missionaries who were going to the Navajo mission with me.  I could not imagine how I could learn such a strange language.

I remember we met in a large room.  I would say about 200 chairs were set up. The mission home president stood to welcome us and give us our first assignment.  He had us open our missionary discussions.  He showed us how there were seven discussions and each discussion was divided into concepts.  He told us that each of us was to memorize one of these concepts before we went to bed and prepare ourselves to “pass it off” in front of all the other missionaries the following day at our second big assembly.

The terror of passing off a discussion in front of all the other missionaries sunk deep into my chest.  Not only was I terrified; now I was petrified.  That evening I scanned through the various concepts, unable to settle on one to read through, let alone to try to memorize.  I went to bed without being able to memorize a single word.  I wondered what they would do to elders who couldn’t do their very first assignment in the mission field.  Do they chastise you in front of everyone?  Do they send you to the corner of shame and make you wear a “dork dot” on your lapel?  Even if there wasn’t any special punishment, the embarrassment alone would be hard to overcome.

I couldn’t sleep.  I wrestled with the Lord in desperate prayer through the night.  At four in the morning I went down to the men’s restroom with my discussion book in hand and sat on the cool blue tiles with my back against the wall.  I begged the Lord for help as I scanned the pages. 

Finally, I came to the discussion about my relationship to Christ.  I saw a heading that caught my eye.  It read something like this:  After Christ was resurrected he came to America and visited with the Nephites.  He taught them his doctrine, ordained disciples, and set up his church, just as he had done in Jerusalem.  I was directed to read 3Nephi chapter 11 which I did.  While I was reading, the Spirit of the Lord testified to my soul of the truthfulness of this event. Never before had any scripture impacted me like this.  I was reborn in that moment.  My testimony was anchored forever.

I had no problem memorizing the concept, although it wasn’t word perfect.  But my soul was comforted and I knew the Lord loved me and would allow me to tell the Navajo people many times that the Lord had come to their ancestors here in America.  And I did! 

A Mission Story

Two Mission Stories

By Walt Stone

1.  A CONVERSION STORY

Elder Kim and I were assigned to the “Farm Road” area of Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo reservation.  At the end of the last farm road was a little shack inhabited by Ina Yazzie and her three young boys.  When Elder Kim, my senior companion, first took me to her place we opened a broken down gate of a picket fence and were immediately charged by an aggressive, noisy guard turkey who had been hiding behind the one small, leafless tree in the yard.  Elder Kim stepped to one side and let the turkey come after me.  He pecked and screeched at me saying “get off my property” in turkey language.  Elder Kim just laughed and so did Ina who was watching from her doorway.

She approached us and shooed the turkey away inviting us to enter her humble dwelling.  The entrance was not actually into the home.  It was into a screened porch she used to house a sheep, goat, and dog.  The ground was peppered with dung of all types.  We tip toed past the droppings and winced at the smell. Ina chuckled.

Entering the one room shack, I noticed there was a wood burning stove in the middle of the room with the stove pipe extending through the roof.  There was an unmade bed to one side and two chairs.

Elder Kim took one of the chairs and Ina took the other.  So I was left to sit on the bed.  I sat down, but heard a “squeak.”  I had sat on her baby!  Don’t worry he wasn’t hurt.  I scooted over and made sure there wasn’t another child under the covers.  The other two boys were in the room shouting and laughing and playing some sort of tag.  Both were naked; neither looked like they had bathed in some time—if ever.

 As I looked over at Elder Kim, I noticed he had settled into the chair and had his eyes closed.  Could he be asleep already?  He was getting up at 4:00 a.m. so it was entirely possible.

Meanwhile, Ina began speaking to me in Navajo.  “What is your name?” she asked.  “What is your clan?”  “What is this called (pointing to the stove with her lips)?”  “Do you have a story?”  Each question was followed by a pause as she waited to see if I could answer.  She was teaching me Navajo.  In return, she let me practice my missionary discussions on her, all of this in Navajo. This scene repeated itself twice a week for a period of six months.  No English was spoken the entire time.

As the weeks went on, little changes took place.  The turkey disappeared.  The screen porch got swept and packed down. (It had a dirt floor, as did the home.)  The animals were put out in the yard.  The bed got made.  The children got dressed.  We even saw them get a bath one day as Ina put them into an aluminum tub used to water the animals.  They were having a bubble fight.

One day Elder Kim went with another missionary and I brought a Navajo elder to Ina’s place.  He took up the conversation with Ina and I tried to understand them. Even though she had worked hard to teach me, without any English spoken at all, I didn’t think I was making much progress.  The Navajo elder asked her how things were going with the discussions.  She said something like, “Well, Elder Stone has taught me all the discussions and I want to be baptized.  I’ve been trying to tell him my desires, but he doesn’t seem to understand.  Will you tell him?”

When the Navajo Elder told me what Ina had said, I almost fell off the bed!  She wanted to be baptized?  Amazing!  So the baptism was planned and carried out.  It was a wonderful occasion.  Ina Yazzie and her boys looked like angels.

When I got the news that I was to be transferred we went over to Ina’s home to give her the news.  She was sad and so was I but she was sustained by her faith.  Then something amazing happened.  She said to me, “Elder Stone, thanks for baptizing me.  Thanks for bringing the gospel to me and my boys.  I will always be grateful to you.”  Then she chuckled.  Every word she had spoken was in perfect English.  She spoke perfect English!  She had always spoken perfect English but she had hidden it from me.  She did it as a prank at first but then she just kept going because she decided I really needed to learn the language without the crutch of English.

As we drove away in our pick-up I turned to see Ina standing outside her home.  The yard was picked up and in order.  A tree was bursting out in leaves. The little picket fence mended.  The animals were grazing on grass.   She held the baby.  The boys were playing with sticks.  Ina was standing by the door of her screened porch smiling.  Her dress was second hand but clean and neat, her rose colored sweater reminded me of the Navajo sunsets I had come to love. 

Chapter 4

King Benjamin tells us how to retain a remission of our sins.  He says the key is to take care of the poor and needy.  It makes perfect sense to me.  It is when our hearts our turned to others especially those with temporal needs that we can have confidence that our sins are wiped clean.  There are plenty of people in our neighborhood we can take care of.  We all need lots of help.  We can also focus in our own families and make sure they are being loved and cared for.  Sharing our testimonies also covers a multitude of sins.

Chapter 3

Priceless words from an angel are given by King Benjamin to his people: “For behold, the time cometh and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reighneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases….And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.  And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the son of God….”

Chapter 2

King Benjamin begins his final words to his people by declaring that his son, Mosiah will be taking his place.  He has a wonderful surprise for them because he has been visited by an angel and he plans to tell them what the angel said.  But just before that he says, “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”

The Book of Mosiah Chapter 1

King Benjamin tells his oldest son Mosiah that he will become the next king.  During their discussion, King Benjamin makes it plain that without the scriptures and the teachings of the prophets that his people would have been raised in ignorance and would have fallen to the Lamanites because of disbelief in God.  I can bear witness that without the Book of Mormon I too would have fallen into disbelief and most likely would have gone after the things of this world forgetting my God.  I owe every happiness I have in this life to my testimony of the Gospel of Christ.  My belief in the commandments and doctrine of Christ has saved me thus far.  But I must continue in Christ and strictly abide by his teaching.  I must endure in faith to the end of my life.

Words of Mormon

Mormon explains that he abridged the Large Plates of Nephi including Lehi’s writings. Then he tells us he attached the Small Plates of Nephi to his plates without any abridgement.  He did this “for a wise purpose.”  We know that the translation of the abridgment (116 pages) of the Book of Lehi was lost by Martin Harris.  But with the inclusion by Mormon of the Small Plates, we get the record of Lehi and his family as they flee Jerusalem and settle in the New World (1^st and 2^nd Books of Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni).  As we begin The Book of Mosiah, we are starting the abridgment by Mormon of the Large Plates—minus the Book of Lehi which was lost by Martin Harris. 

Omni

This is the last book written on the Small Plates of Nephi.  There are several authors covering a period of about 140 years.  One of the authors, Amaleki, connects the historical records between the small and large plates by telling us that the Nephites were forced to flee out of the Land of Nephi down to the land of Zarahemla.  Here they discovered the people of Mulek who left Jerusalem about the same time as Lehi but took a different route to the Promised Land.  The Nephites and the Mulekites unite themselves. Mosiah is the leader of the Nephites and Zarahemla leads the Mulekites.  Because the Mulekites did not bring the scriptures with them from Jerusalem like Lehi’s family, their language and religion had become corrupted.  So as these two groups of people united there must have been a great deal of teaching going on.  When Mosiah died, his son, King Benjamin reigned in his stead.  Amaleki concludes his record with this classic exhortation:  “…come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption.  Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.”

Jarom

Jarom, the son of Enos, continues the Small Plates of Nephi.  It is apparent from Jarom’s words that there is precious small space remaining on the plates.  It sufficeth him to say that his fathers were clear on the Doctrine of Christ.  During his day, it became more and more difficult to keep his people on the right path.  However, he was successful in doing that by “…prick[ing] their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance.”

Enos

Enos was Jacob’s son and grandson of Lehi.  He had a desire to repent.  He went into the mountains to hunt and in the process prayed all day and all night, periodically kneeing and pleading, walking and crying to the Lord, and kneeling again in solemn humility, until in the morning came the voice of the Lord forgiving him of his sin, sweeping his guilt away. He described this process as a “wrestle.”  Enos rejoiced and wondered out loud how it was done.  They Lord told him it was because of his faith in the Atonement of Christ.  Enos then prayed for his family, the Nephites, and for his family, the Lamanites who had apostatized.  Once we obtain blessings (in this case forgiveness of sins) for ourselves we naturally and appropriately ask for those same blessings for others.

Chapter 7

Jacob describes his experience with one of the church members in his town.  His name was Sherem.  “And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.”  While Sherem was an anti-Christ, we have wonderful church leaders, most importantly, apostles and prophets who also have a perfect knowledge of the language and use their knowledge to persuade us to do what is right.  I love the Apostles of Jesus Christ and I am studying their inspired words every day. 

Chapter 6

Jacob uses one of his best one-liners: O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life. O be wise; what can I say more?”

Chapter 5

The allegory of the Olive Tree by Zenos gives us the history of the House of Israel.  It shows us that (1) there is missing scripture in the Bible since there is not a Book of Zenos found there from which Jacob was quoting; and (2) shows us by its content regarding olive trees that Joseph Smith could not have possibly written it, he having no idea, whatsoever, of olive tree husbandry; and having no access to such knowledge.

Chapter 4

I rely daily upon the atonement of Christ.  The atonement gives me hope.  Otherwise, I would despair because of my weaknesses and sin.  Jacob asks, “…why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him?”  He testifies, “…we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken….”  Jacob also teaches that we can know the truth of all things by the Spirit: “…the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not.  Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly for the salvation of our souls.”

Chapter 3

Jacob gives us these beautiful words regarding the pure in heart: “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.  O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.” 

Chapter 2

Jacob calls his sons and his grandsons to repentance for two flagrant sins.  First is pride.  Second is sexual sin.  I would pass this call to repentance on to my sons and grandsons.  Avoid pride.  One form of pride is enmity or hate.  We are all guilty of it.  We should avoid anger and control our tempers.  More importantly, we must keep ourselves sexually pure.  Avoid watching other people have sex either in the movies or the videos we look at on the internet.  Avoid looking at, fantasizing about, or engaging in any sexual behavior that is disloyal to your sisters, mother, wives, and children.  Sex belongs to marriage between husbands and wives only.  If you have made mistakes, take the walk to the bishop’s office if needed.  Go before the Lord in humility and with a broken heart.  He will heal you and your relationships.  

The Book of Jacob, Chapter 1

The death of Nephi must have been extremely difficult for the Nephites.  He had been there for them from the beginning.  He had led their army in defending against the Lamanites, wielding the sword of Laban on their behalf.  When my parents died there was a void in my life and the lives of my brothers.  They had been there for us from the beginning.  They defended us and nurtured us.  I honor them.  Jacob, Nephi’s younger brother now led the way.  He was the prophet.  He had seen the Savior and had spent his ministry inviting his people to come unto Christ.  I too, invite my family to come unto Christ.  I invite you to trust Jesus.  He keeps all of his promises.  Thank you for your love and kindness to us as your parents.  

Chapter 33

“When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men….And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day.”  Nephi’s final words are full of hope and warning.  I love my children and grand children.  I hope that knowledge will enter them by the power of the Holy Ghost and that it will make a positive difference in their lives.  I warn them against pride and choosing to disobey the Lord’s commandments.  Not to create fear, but out of love, and a desire for them to have the happiest possible life.  Come unto to Christ. 

Chapter 32

We’ve all heard of “show and tell.”  Nephi tells us that if we read the scriptures the Lord will “tell you all things what ye should do.”  Likewise, he says “if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”  This is gospel “show and tell” in its clearest formula.

Chapter 31

Nephi records the doctrine of Christ.  Faith in God the Father and The Son; Repentance; Baptism by Immersion; Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost; Endure to the End.  The respective ordinances are: faith and repentance—baptism; the Gift of the Holy Ghost—Confirmation; endure to the end—the endowment and sealing ordinances of the temple.

Chapter 30

The Book of Mormon goes forth as we speak to the world.  It will have a profound effect upon the earth’s inhabitants.  The “scales of darkness” will start to fall away from those who do not know about Jesus.  This second witness of Christ changes everything.  When the Savior returns again, as prophesied, “Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time.”

Chapter 29

The Lord has caused his word to be written by whomever he has spoken to.  Therefore, we have the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the words of the living prophets from General Conference and other times when they speak by the power of the Spirit.  There is much scripture yet to be written.  There is also much scripture that has already been written but is yet to come forth, for example, the words the Lord has spoken to the Lost Tribes of Israel.  Reading scriptures fortifies us.  The act of faith involved in opening the scriptures signifies to the Spirit that we want to be taught in much the same way raising our hands in class signals to the teacher we are ready to learn.  The Lord smiles down on us when we read his words.

Chapter 28

Nephi reveals Satan’s tactics in the latter-days.  Satan will say that miracles can’t happen because God has done his work already.  He will tell us to “Eat, drink, and be merry” and that there will be no consequences for unrighteous living.  Satan will encourage us to “rage” in our hearts towards our fellow beings.  He will also pacify us and use flattery to slowly convert us to his way of using and abusing others.  Nephi makes us aware of these tactics and warns us to turn away for Satan’s plan.

Chapter 27

We have the Book of Mormon.  It is true.  Joseph Smith translated it by the gift and power of God.  Part of the book was sealed so Joseph didn’t translate it, but it will come forth someday and we will learn from its pages all of the works of the Lord from the beginning.  The Book of Mormon has been the cornerstone of my religion.  Jesus is on almost every page.  Through the Book of Mormon I have come to know the doctrine of Christ.  I have come to love him.  Because of the book, my children and grandchildren know to whom they can turn for remission of sins.

Chapter 26

With his prophetic mantle, Nephi is able to see the future and bear the sorrow of the loss of his people.  This destruction in about 400 A.D. comes as the Nephites reject Christ.  Yet, Nephi acknowledges that God is just.  He is also privileged to see Christ’s visit to America after his resurrection.  If I were able to see the future of my own family, would I be able to see the good and the bad with Nephi’s eye, understanding that God will take care of my family with mercy and justice?  It is my prayer that my family will remain true and faithful and be able to come unto Christ and partake of his goodness.  Meanwhile, I need to remain faithful myself, enduring to the end with dignity, patience, and cheerfulness. 

Chapter 25

I am grateful for the Plan of Happiness.  I am grateful for my family.  Had we not been created male and female from the beginning we could not have had children.  I have empathy for those who believe in same sex relationships.  I don’t condone or condemn their actions.  But for “me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  Nephi teaches that “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”  God loves all of his children.  Children are the key to discerning his purposes.  He has them; and he wants us to have them for eternity.  Any plan to the contrary is not of God.  

Chapter 24

I like this one line regarding the millennial rest, “The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing.”  I liken this unto retirement. 

Chapter 23

Jesus will come again to the earth.  This time he will be coming in glory.  When he comes, the wicked people on the earth will be destroyed.  Their spirits will go to the spirit world to be taught and nurtured by a loving but just God.  They will suffer the consequences of their sins but will not remain in hell forever.  God is a loving person who will eventually rescue their souls.  Meanwhile, the righteous sons and daughters of God who remain on the earth will enjoy the fruits of their righteousness.  We will carry on the work of salvation.  We will live our lives free of Satan’s temptations and power.  We will not experience death.  Our wives will not suffer in child bearing.  It will be a thousand years of peace and joy.  We can have this happiness now.  We can choose the right way. The right way is to follow Jesus, keep his commandments, and walk in holiness day to day.   

Chapter 22

Feeling grateful and giving thanks to our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ is important to spirituality and well being.  Gratitude swells within us. We let go of fear and feel the presence of a Loving Father.    

Chapter 21

D&C 113 gives some answers about who the “rod,” “stem,” and “root,” of Jesse are.  Suffice it to say Jesus is the Stem and Joseph Smith is the Root.  The identity of the rod is not stated.  The glorious peace of the Millennium is described by Isaiah.  Little children will grow up without fear!  Faith will flourish.  We must try to eliminate fear from our lives now.    

Chapter 20

Regarding our ability to function without God, he asks, “Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it?”  

Chapter 19

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  Can you hear it?  Handel’s pen has engraved it upon our hearts.  Do you believe it?  Jesus is the Christ; he will take care of us forever.

Chapter 18

Isaiah’s two sons were named by the Lord.  “Things are going to get very bad” and “Things are going to get a lot better,” were the two names…really.  My interpretations are pretty close.  One name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, is named for the destruction and captivity of Israel by Assyria.  The other name, Shearjashub, is named for when Israel is freed from bondage and gathered in.  We have named our children after our parents, close friends, or because we just liked the name.  We love each of our children and grandchildren and we honor their sacred names. 

Chapter 17

This chapter reminds me of Handel’s Messiah because of vs. 14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  According to Stefan Zweig, author of Decisive Moments in History, the 21^st of August, 1741, Handel received the lyrics for the Messiah from his lyricist, Jennens, the poet who had written the words for two previous oratorios by Handel. The music descended from the heavens into Handel’s pen as a rushing of many waters. After three short weeks wherein Handel hardly ate, drank, or slept, the work was completed.  Handel put down his pen on September 14^th (Zweig, pp. 63-83). I especially love this book because my friend, Lowell Bangerter, translated it from German into English.

Chapter 16

The cleansing power of Christ is available immediately when we repent.  Isaiah testifies that is precisely what happened to him.  In a sacred setting, couched in temple symbols he paints a picture of a personal visit with the Savior in which he (Isaiah) expresses his feelings of unworthiness.  In response Jehovah sends an angel to touch his lips, symbolizing a purging of sin from Isaiah’s life.  We have access to this same cleansing power.  If we humble ourselves and ask the Lord for forgiveness he will do it.  How is it done?  By the power and righteousness of the Great Jehovah who is full of grace and truth.  He speaks to us through his Spirit the comforting words of peace: “Thou art clean.”

Chapter 15

We live in a wonderful time in the earth’s history. Yet, there are many who “call evil good, and good evil.”  Isaiah describes a day of great innovation and invention.  His description of planes and railroads in vs. 28-29 is classic: “Whose arrows shall be sharp and all their bows bent, and their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.  They shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall deliver.”  Can you see the metal wheels of the railroad engines sparking down the tracks?  Can you see the great passenger airplanes that eat up the passengers and then deliver them safely to their destinations?  All of these latter-day inventions came forth after the restoration of the gospel and establishment of Christ’s church again upon the earth.  Before 1830 transportation by horse or boat had been the same for thousands of years.  With the “ensign to the nations,” that is the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Lord has blessed the earth with the means to get the message to all of the world. 

Chapter 14

The Atonement of Christ is a great covering.  He is our refuge from the storms of life.  Instead of blaming him when things are hard, we must come to him and place our burdens upon him in faith.  His Atonement purges our sins and burns them up.  The enabling power flowing from His Atonement is the way we will overcome every affliction including addiction, bad habits, smallness of character, selfishness, fears, and laziness.  When something bad happens, we must turn to him and not away.  “Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden, and I shall give thee rest.”  Wayward sons and daughters will return through and with Christ who is ready and able to save. 

Chapter 13

Isaiah paints a picture of pride, disobedience to God, and the consequence of sin.  Both men and women are equally chastised by the Lord: the men for failing to be providers and righteous priesthood bearers (refusing to give priesthood blessings); the women for their worldliness and vanity.  This is a humbling chapter.  All of must self-evaluate and say, “Lord, is it I?”

 

Chapter 12

Isaiah sees the temples built in the mountains in the latter-days and almost in the same breath he talks about Christ’s second coming and the peace of the millennium!  These are the temples of our God, built in Salt Lake City, Logan, Ogden, and Provo.  This is the Conference Center.  This is the church in the Latter-days.  Isaiah saw our day.  We are living in the glorious last days that all the prophets saw with great joy.  We must think about Jesus Christ’s coming and prepare ourselves to meet him.

 

Chapter 11

It was Nephi’s challenge to convince his people that the Savior would be coming into the world to redeem the world.  It is our challenge today to believe he will come again to the earth that he redeemed.  But more challenging and more crucial is the decision to believe Him and His message.  Yesterday, I went to a lecture by Tom Tyler, my friend from Las Vegas days.  He said Jesus wants to put his arms around us.  In fact, if he were to visit us in person right now, the first thing he would do is give us an affectionate hug.  When Nephi and Jacob saw Jesus, as recorded in this chapter, he would have hugged them.  Jesus is a loving, affectionate being.  The Spirit fills us with this love.  Love casts out our fears.  Hugs are amazing!

Chapter 10

Oh, despicable me!  We say it to ourselves almost every day when we fall short.  Yet Christ is there. Our Father in Heaven is there.  They say to us, “Therefore, cheer up your hearts and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves.”  The barrier of unbelief comes because Satan is a real being and daily tells us of our worthlessness.  For some reason, many of us, having heard this message so constantly throughout our lives, have unfortunately come to believe it.  Don’t believe it! It is a lie!  “Wherefore…reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in the through the grace of God that ye are saved.  Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine.”

Chapter 9

 After all, “he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.  And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day.” Nephi exhorts, “come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation.” For Christ commands all of us to “repent and be baptized in his name, having a perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel.”

Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, death came into the world: both physical and spiritual.  Christ’s atonement provides the escape from both.  First, we will be resurrected.  Second, if we repent, we can escape his judgment.  Mercy and grace of Christ save us spiritually as well.

Yet, we sin daily and the tendency is to think of ourselves as pathetic and weak, not able to correct our direction and certainly unworthy of the Lord’s grace.  Nevertheless, it is true.  He will forgive and cover for our sins.  His righteousness substitutes and covers for our wickedness.  Thus, making us worthy to stand and receive of his blessings and goodness in the short run—giving us hope-- so that in the long run he can change our hearts and our dispositions; thus, sanctifying us and preparing us to enter his presence.

Chapter 8

The Lord is the “Rock” of our redemption.  When he says, “Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged,” he is telling us that we are from his lineage; we are from the same quarry.  We are his adopted people.  We are children of Christ when we enter the covenant of baptism and take upon us his name. “I am he that comforteth you,” he says.  When he comes into our lives “sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”  He wants us to wake up and trust him. 

Chapter 7

The Lord challenges us to give any evidence that he ever has or ever will desert us. He tells us that “I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.  I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”  In other words, Jesus did everything he could have to convince us that he will never, ever give up on us or desert us.  When he says he justifies us, he means that he forgives us immediately, when we repent and seek his forgiveness. This is possible because he suffered in our place.  Isaiah said, “For the Lord will help me.”

 

 

 

Chapter 6

I recently attended a meeting where Elder Larry Echohawk spoke.  He said that he had talked to Elder Packer and Elder Packer said he (Elder Packer) is among the “Gentiles” spoken of in this chapter.  Elder Packer told Elder Echohawk, who is among the House of Israel spoken of in this chapter, that much more needs to be done to find and teach his people. Isaiah saw the native people of the Americas being carried on the shoulders of the Gentiles in the latter days. These Gentiles are my ancestors and others who are non-native and non-Lehi inhabitants of the Americas. We who are Gentiles scattered and afflicted the native people, but we are now supposed to make up for past wrongs and do all we can to assist in bringing them to Christ.

 Elder Echohawk is a “Lamanite” who descends from Lehi in the Book of Mormon.  I served my mission among the Navajo.  I have a tender place in my heart for these choice people.  I was pleased to hear from Elder Echohawk that much is being planned by church leaders to reach Lehi’s children.  The native people of North America still need to blossom.  I want to do my part.

Chapter 5

When Nephi took his people away from the original colony because his brothers wanted to take his life, he founded a new colony in the mountains.  He built a temple!  “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”  When we do the things the Lord commands, we too can be happy.

Chapter 4

Dear Nephi! You have given me a look into your heart.  You are strong and mighty, yet you too have weakness, remorse, sin, and regret in your life. In your pleading to God, you have spoken the very words of prayer that are my pleadings.  You have shown me the way.  You have reminded me of the Rock who will never give up on me. I love you Nephi.  I give my everlasting thanks to you.

Chapter 3

This is the “Joseph” chapter.  Lehi talks to his youngest son, Joseph, who was born in the wilderness between Jerusalem and Bountiful.  He is “little” so Lehi tells him to follow the way of Nephi, his older brother.  He tells Joseph that he is named for Joseph, son of Israel, who was sold into Egypt.  He quotes Joseph, son of Israel, who prophesied that another Joseph would be born in the latter-days whose father would also be named Joseph.  This latter-day prophet would be a “choice seer.”  He would bring forth the Book of Mormon and do much to restore the House of Israel bringing them out of darkness.  These prophesies of Lehi and Joseph, son of Israel, are being fulfilled in our day.  The magnificent prophet, Joseph Smith, wrote the very words that Lehi spoke about him.  How excited he must have been to read about himself.  I think he would have received these words with great humility.  Likening these scriptures to ourselves would be to look at our own family histories and honor our ancestors by knowing their stories and doing their temple work.  We would also look forward to our own children and grandchildren doing the Lord’s will and keeping his commandments, thus bring the blessings of heaven upon themselves for ever.

Chapter 2

“Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth…Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth.”

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

Jean and I have been to several reunions this summer: the Browns, the Indian Student Placement Workers, her sister’s retirement gathering, and coming up is the Stone brothers’ reunion.  Plus, we have had a mini-reunion of sorts with Michelle, Zane, Annie, and Soren being with us during July.  Uncle Kay Brown taught us that people who link with their relatives are healthier and happier.  The ISPS reunion reminded me of my love for my dear Native American friends.  Being with Ginger, Jean’s sister, reminded me of how important my Logan roots are.  Healing, loving feelings came at every one of these gatherings.  Joy comes from strengthening family ties.  We are here on earth to have joy.  This is made possible by the grace of Christ.

 

2 Nephi Chapter 1

Tender hearted Lehi pleads with his wayward sons and their families to wake up to holy things.  “Awake! And arise from the dust…arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity…Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness.  Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.  Rebel no more….”  We have access to the atoning power of Christ to overcome our evil thoughts and bad habits.  We can become unselfish.  We can be longsuffering, gentle, meek, and loving.  But we can’t do it as a self-help assignment my using will power.  The only way is to call upon God and beg his son to give us his grace and enabling strength.  Otherwise, we will be blown to and fro with every new diet, or philosophy, or new gee-wiz-this-will-work gizmo from the world.  Simplify your life by trusting in the arm of God.  Call upon his holy name.  By so doing we can awake and arise to happiness, peace, and well-being.

Chapter 22

The history of the House of Israel extends to the premortal life.  For reasons of righteousness, God extended covenants to certain of his children as a responsibility to be carried out in this mortal life.  It is not politically correct to say that God has a chosen people.  But the fact is, he does.  They are not better.  They are chosen for a responsibility.  The children of Jacob have been chosen to suffer and be refined in a furnace of affliction.  How this all works out, I don’t know.  I have difficulty understanding this responsibility.  But I do know that the key responsibility for our day is for us of the House of Israel is missionary work.  We are to go to all the world and tell them of Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for our sins and was resurrected.  He lives today and we must proclaim it with all our hearts, mind, and might. We must invite our children to come with us.  We must support them in their missions.  We must go on missions ourselves.  We must love and lift our friends and neighbors.  Jesus is our light and our life.

Chapter 21

Isaiah sees our day and the gathering of Israel.  It is a great and happy day.  We see the fulfillment of these words in the hastening of the missionary work.  The world is being prepared for the return of the Savior.  He has graven us upon his hands, wrists, feet.  The prints of the nails serve as a token of his great love and sacrifice and remain there to teach us of his devotion to us.  When we see him again he will extend his hands to us; we will see and feel those prints.  Can we know now of his love and not wait to accept his love, not wait to repent and turn our lives for fully to him?  

Chapter 20

“For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah is talking about the trials of the House of Israel, but it is easy to relate, for we have many afflictions.  “I have chosen thee,” is an important place of contact with God.  He has chosen me to fulfill my life in ways that brings honor to him and to my posterity, also my ancestors who have been cheering me on. “He” is my “Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”  He makes this promise, “O that thou hast hearkened to my commandments—then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.”  I want this for me and my family.  This motivates me to keep his commandments.   

Chapter 19

“…but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us…that ye (we) may have hope….”  The whole point of the Gospel of Christ is to give us hope.  We, who are hopelessly groping our way in sin, still can be happy in this life and the next; but only if we repent and change our hearts, rendering ourselves unto God, completely and fully.  We, who tend to rationalize our selfishness; we who ignore our Lord and trample him under our feet, as Nephi says it; we who go after the gods of this world; we who quit; we who lack faith; we who fall short; can have hope in that one Being who can give it.  He loves us completely and forever.  We must place our hope in him.  Then our hope will overcome our fear and doubt and become faith. 

Chapter 18

Nephi’s description of building the ship and travelling to America is so brief that it is breathtaking.  These accomplishments are, in and of themselves, worthy of great praise by us, the readers of his record.  Yet, Nephi only mentions them in passing to get to his main point: We will reach the Promised Land if, and only if, we are willing to submit to the Lord’s will in all things.

Building the ship was not done after the knowledge Nephi possessed.  The Lord revealed what and how.

Sailing through the thousands of miles of open sea, around continents, islands, and unknown waters and to the precise place they were supposed to go, was accomplished only through the Lord’s tutorials.

When “rudeness” was introduced by some of the family aboard ship, the Lord chastened the sea-goers with a near death experience.  He will not be mocked, and rudeness will not be accepted without consequences. 

As Nephi mentioned early in the ship-building process, “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things,” we too must seek Him daily and listen to His promptings, then he will show us the way to go.

Chapter 17

Eight years; they traveled for eight years in the wilderness before they reached Bountiful!  What took them so long?  In all of that traveling, the only thing Nephi says is his brothers stopped murmuring.  I supposed that was very significant to him.  They are rewarded for their efforts with a new home on the beach.  They are “exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore,” Nephi exclaims.  

Were Nephi and his father, Lehi, metallurgists?  He knew how to make a bellows “to blow the fire.”  He knew how to make tools.  But building a ship was new.  He needed to be instructed by the Lord to accomplish this monumental task, and he needed his brothers’ help.

Their eight years without murmuring ended with a vengeance.  They sought to throw Nephi into the sea.  But the Lord gave Nephi power to shock and shake them.

Am I currently in my eight years in the desert period?  Or, am I in my make my tools and build a ship period, relying on the Lord to instruct me in a new and untested field of learning and doing?  Does Satan redouble his efforts when he sees me moving upward and onward?   

Chapter 16

Who should I marry?  How will I know I have chosen wisely?  When should I move forward with my marriage plan?  I met Jean when I was 16 and she was 15.  By today’s church standards, we were way too young to pair up and get serious.  And then there is the little matter of her being a Catholic.  Here are some principles we learned in the process.

(1)         My parents were supportive of the relationship.  They adored Jean and liked how happy she made me.  Even though her mother was not supportive once we became engaged, we still needed to be respectful of her feelings.  Her father wanted us to be respectful of her mother’s feelings too.

(2)         Catholics are good too.

(3)         Priesthood leaders give key advice and support.

(4)         The temple is the goal.

For Nephi, I wonder if the girls from Ishmael’s family lined up by age with Lehi’s boys.  What criteria did they use in their courtships?  Did they know each other from childhood or recent experiences?  Chances are, they were well acquainted.  Perhaps Nephi had his eye on his future bride before they left Jerusalem, making his faith in leaving her behind all that much more impressive and heart-breaking. 

The key point in choosing a spouse is how you feel when you are together talking about points of doctrine:

Does he love the Lord?

Is she rebellious or obedient?

How does he feel about the importance of the temple?

Can she talk easily about matters of the heart?

Does he love the Church and the ways the Lord does things?

Does she want to follow the prophet?

What does he feel about having children? 

How do discussions about the roles of men and women go?

Given a great deal of compatibility on the points of doctrine, moving forward toward marriage is mutually gratifying.  Fears are swept aside and doors open for things to work out.  Manipulation is a non-factor.  The Spirit of the Lord whispers to both of you that this marriage can work.

Nephi didn’t have to worry much at all about playing the field.  The field was very limited.  But he got it right.   

 

Chapter 15

“Have ye inquired of the Lord?”  Nephi, with this question challenges us all to revisit our prayer life with our Father in Heaven.  He quotes the Lord on the matter of prayer, “If ye will not harden your hearts and ask me in faith believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.”  Whatever we need, whenever we lack wisdom, when we petition with a penitent heart, he will tell us all things what we should do.  And we “shall come to the knowledge of (our) Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that (we) may know how to come unto him and be saved.”     

Chapter 14

Nephi’s vision was all inclusive regarding the winding up scenes of this earth and its future in the eternities.  However, he was commanded not to write any more regarding the future because that was John the Revelator’s privilege and calling.  Nephi doesn’t mope about this or aspire in any way.  Each writer of scripture was happy with his part.  Generally speaking, “his part” was the story of his own experience with the members of the Godhead and how they interacted with his family.  That said, Nephi is given the opportunity to quote the words of an angel regarding the future: “For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.”     

Chapter 13

Nephi is shown the history of the Americas, its native people, its discovery and habitation by other people from faraway lands, the fate of his recorded history and religious writings in the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the Church of Christ on the earth and the establishment of Zion on the American continent.  It must have helped motivate him to continue the writings to completion for they would have a great impact on the future of the people here.  Together with the Bible, the Book of Mormon provides unshakable evidence of the Living Christ.  Drink from the fountain of living waters.      

Chapter 12

The coming of Jesus Christ to the American continent is seen by Nephi in a vision.  He sees Jesus ordain “twelve ministers,” who seemed to me to be the same in authority as the original Twelve.  The only difference is that the original Twelve will judge the twelve ministers and not vice versa. The argument about whether there were two sets of twelve apostles on the earth at the same time is solved in my mind because of the two worlds that existed then.  So, it is my opinion that the there were two sets of apostles, both with all of the keys of authority.  What is by far a more important matter is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  What a joy it was for me to tell the Navajo people I taught on my mission that Jesus came to their people anciently and set up his church and gospel the very same as he had done in the old world.  He came to them after his death and resurrection in Jerusalem.  Thus, the Book of Mormon is a second witness of his ministry and glorious resurrection.  His visit was also a type of things to come.  What great rejoicing awaits the earth for the Lord of Lords will return again and rule and reign among us!