Saturday, October 6, 2012

3 Nephi 20-26


The Chosen People

On the second day of his visit to America, Christ talked about his covenants with the House of Israel, and told the Nephites that they were included in the family of Abraham.

”And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you… ”And behold, ye are the children  of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” (3 Nephi 20:22, 25) 

So today we are going to discuss why this was important, and what relevance it has to us.
           
Ask your class: By show of hands, how many of you in this class are members of the House of Israel, descendants of Abraham? If your hand isn’t up, raise it.  Being a member of the Church means being of the House of Israel.  When any member of the Church receives a patriarchal blessing, he finds out which of the tribes of the house of Israel he belongs to. 
           
The Lord made a marvelous covenant with Abraham.  How did this Abrahamic Covenant come to pass? What is necessary to receive any blessing or revelation of the Lord?  Desire, of course!  And worthiness.  

And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.” (Abraham 1:2)  

Abraham had been “a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge,” but he was not content with this level of spirituality (remember last week’s lesson?) and he desired to be a “greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God,” therefore, he received the Priesthood, the “right of the firstborn.”  ”I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed.”  (Abraham 1:4) 

After receiving the Priesthood, because of his faith and desire, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham.  Because of this covenant, the House of Israel, or the descendants of Abraham, have been called the Chosen People.

Blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant

1)      LAND: A promised land (Genesis 13:14-15; 3 Nephi 20:14)
2)      SEED:  A great posterity (Genesis 13:16; Abraham 2:9)
3)      PRIESTHOOD:  The Priesthood and its attached gospel (Abraham 2:9)
4)      MINISTRY TO THE WORLD:  The opportunity/ability to share all this with all the families of the earth (Abraham 2:10-11; 3 Nephi 20:25)

Foreordination to the House of Israel

Let’s discuss why these people were favored of the Lord.  If we imagine that it’s just by luck that any given person was born into the family of Abraham, then God is a respecter of persons.  But it isn’t just luck.  It’s a grand foreordination.  Elder Melvin J. Ballard said that Israel is “a group of souls tested, tried, and proven before they were born into the world…Through this lineage were to come the true and tried souls that had demonstrated their righteousness in the spirit world before they came.”  (quoted in Robert L. Millet, The Power of the Word, p. 212)  Therefore—and here I’m quoting Robert Millet—when the Patriarch declares your lineage in your patriarchal blessing, it is “as much a statement about who and what we were as it is about who we are now and what we may become.”  (The Power of the Word, p. 213)

The Responsibilities of the Chosen People

Elder Russell M. Nelson has said, “Once we know who we are and the royal lineage of which we are a part, our actions and directions in life will be more appropriate to our inheritance.”  (The Power of the Word, p. 214) I think this is why Christ spent so much time talking about the covenant with the Nephites.

A previous group of Nephites felt that they were a chosen people, only they had the idea twisted.  As you recall, the Zoramites had a podium in their chapel called the Rameumptom which had room for only one person on top of it. The person on the top would offer the prayer recorded in Alma 31:15-18, wherein they would say, “We believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren…we believe that thou has elected us to be they holy children…thou hast elected us that we shall be saved whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell…And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.”
           
To the Zoramites, being a chosen people meant exclusivity.  It meant being elevated, like on a spiritual Rameumptom, with no room for anyone else to join them.  It meant a separation between them and everyone else.  I think that many of the Jews in Jerusalem at Christ’s time felt the same way.  But this is not how the Chosen People should feel.
           
Kent Jackson, associate professor of ancient scriptures at Brigham Young University, says, “Since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when gospel blessings have been on the earth, they have been made available through the House of Israel.  Thus, Abraham’s and Sarah’s descendants are a chosen people. They are chosen not because they have an easier path to salvation, or because God loves them more than other people.  They are chosen to service, in the same sense that individual Latter-day Saints are chosen for callings in the Church.” (Ensign, February 1990, p. 53)

FINDING OTHERS ONCE YOU ARE FOUND

An excellent example of members of the House of Israel gathering a new member into the fold in the year 1946 is found in the story, “Soldiers Were My Missionaries,” told by Kenneth D. Newman (Ensign, February 1990, pp. 47-49)  (You may, however, have equally uplifting stories of "gathering" among your own ward members, if you ask.  You can use this one as a back-up, or in case you have extra time.)

 
I don't have any pictures from 1946, 
but here's one from 2010:
 Army Basic Training Graduation 
at Fort Benning, Georgia

“Serving in the United States Army was a great opportunity for me, in view of the rich friendships I made, the goals I began to perceive for myself, and most important—exposure to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ…

“Two enlisted men from Utah gave freely of their time and shared their testimonies of the gospel. They made available many books dealing with the restored church…My LDS friends in the service also conducted some study meetings in the barracks…"

 Army Barracks at Fort Benning, Georgia
(I took the previous photographs in this blog post and hold the copyright.  
You are free to use them for any teaching purpose.)

“One evening during an instruction period, one of the elders said to me, after discussing Joseph Smith’s vision and the Word of Wisdom, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know for yourself, as we know, that our message of the Restoration is true? Surely you don’t want to sit on the fence for the rest of your life, wondering whether it is true.’

“I guess I replied in a rather noncommittal way. They then bore strong personal witness and made a specific challenge to me concerning the Word of Wisdom. One said, “I promise you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that if you will make the attempt to stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, and if you will pray about our message, the sure knowledge will be given you by the Spirit.

“The witness and the promise were too much for me to ignore. I tried to dismiss the urgings, and tossed that night in my bunk. I had seen these young men kneel nightly at their bunks, even when all kinds of distractions surrounded them, to pray fervently. I had observed how they faithfully sent home to their bishops that small part of an enlisted man’s modest pay in tithing. I had measured their behavior against the rest of us, their clean living habits and their wholesome attitude about their assignments; and I felt the bonds of our friendship and love…

“As I served as battery clerk for our battalion, it seemed every visitor to our headquarters office that morning was giving instead of ‘bumming’ cigarettes. I had to say no many times. During lulls in the work, I would find myself reaching for the shirt pocket where the cigarettes were always kept. I paced and swore. By noon I figured a few ‘drags’ on one cigarette couldn’t hurt. I went to the recreation room to light up, only to find the elders there, having sought me out to lend encouragement to my attempts to stop smoking. I later learned they were fasting for my success…

“But prayer finally won out. I dropped to my knees and asked for help and enlightenment—to know whether Joseph Smith, Jr., was visited by the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. I waited; nothing happened. The fog was damp and chilling. The rocks hurt my knees. The thought passed through my mind, ‘It’s the same. My prayer isn’t going to have any different result than all the others through the years. I’m not going to get an answer.’ I arose.

But at that moment I felt a surge of energy pass over me, through me, around me, until I dropped back upon my knees. The feeling intensified, subsided, repeated its motion, lifting me seemingly, gently receding, then pressing forward again. My entire being seemed filled with this sweetness. I let it happen. For a time I felt like I was a part of the ocean—the rhythm was the same. I seemed purged of all ugliness and doubt, and they were replaced with the witness of the Holy Ghost. It was not a momentary lapse into nothingness, but an extended period of enlightenment. I wanted the experience to stay with me, to sustain me, and for a long while I remained on my knees.

“When finally I arose, new waves of spiritual strength enveloped me, and I began walking, first hesitantly, then briskly, and finally I ran back to the barracks, up the stairs, two or three at a time, and burst into the large room where we bunked. I sought out the elders and told them I knew for myself about Joseph’s first vision and mission. It was a hallowed time.

“One of them said, ‘We’ve got to get you baptized.’…

“Nothing I have ever done, nothing I have ever learned in college and years of applied working skills can compare to the simple truth that I learned that night in prayer; and no decision I have ever made in life—in family, in church, in business—compares to that decision to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never made so wise and so fulfilling a choice.”

Conclusion

“Those of Israel who follow the Light of Christ in this life will be led eventually to the higher light of the Holy Ghost and will come to know and come unto him.  In time they come to know of their noble heritage and of the royal blood that flows through their veins.  They come to earth with a predisposition to receive truth, with an inner attraction to the message of the gospel.  ‘My sheep hear my voice,’ the Master said, ‘and I know them, and they follow me’ (John 10:27)”  (Robert Millet, p. 214)  

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that my people shall know my name; yea, in that day they shall know that I am he that doth speak.”  (3 Nephi 20:39)

It is our responsibility as found members of the House of Israel to find the others who are literal descendants of the family.  W. J. Cameron said, “God’s grading is always upward.  If He raises up a nation, it is that other nations may be raise up through its ministry…The divine selection is not a prize, a compliment paid to the man or the race—it is a burden imposed.” (ibid., p. 214)

But it is a glorious and joyful burden.  

And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!” (3 Nephi 20:40)


(For a little more on the Abrahamic Covenant, see Old Testament Lesson #7.)



THE IMPORTANCE OF MALACHI

When Lehi left Jerusalem, he took with him the Brass Plates.  These plates contained many of the same books that we find in our Old Testament.  But there was a very important book that was not included, and that was the book of Malachi.  The name Malachi means "messenger," and that's about all we know about the authorship of the book.  The reason it wasn't in the Brass Plates was very simple:  It wasn't written yet.  It wasn't written until nearly 200 years after Lehi left.  but the Lord felt that this scripture was so important that he brought it to the Nephites personally.  On the second day of his visit to America after his resurrection, after reciting a passage from Isaiah, he recited chapters 3 and 4 of Malachi to them.  We find them recorded as 3 Nephi 24 and 25.  This passage is so important and so relevant to us of the latter days that Moroni recited it to Joseph Smith three times on the night he first visited him in his bedroom.  This is the passage we get to study today.

 This is what happened after Jesus recited the words of Malachi:

"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had told these things he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all things unto them, both great and small."  (3 Nephi 26:1)

So what did Jesus tell them about this scripture as he "expounded" upon it?  We can read the whole chapter and not find out.  

"And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people; but behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people."  (3 Nephi 26:6-7)

If we had the big plates, the Plates of Nephi, we could read about it, but we don't have them yet.  Yet!  This scripture is a test for us.

"And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them."   (3 Nephi 26:9)

This photo comes from lds.org and may be
copied and used for the classroom

If we totally exhaust the Book of Mormon with our study, then we will get the Plates of Nephi and that will be a great blessing.  But that's not the only consequence of the test.  There is a bad one as well, if we flunk.

"And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them unto their condemnation.  Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people."  (3 Nephi 26:10)

If we don't "use up" the Book of Mormon and never get the Plates of Nephi, we're going to be in big trouble. President Spencer W. Kimball said, "I have had many people ask me through the years, 'When do you think we will get the balance of the Book of Mormon records?' and I have said, 'How many in the congregation would like to read the sealed portion of the plates?'  And almost always there is a 100-percent response.  And then I ask the same congregation, 'How many of you have read the part that has been opened to us?'  And there are many who have not read the Book of Mormon, the unsealed portion.  We are quite often looking for the spectacular, the unobtainable.  I have found many people who want to live the higher laws when they do not live the lower laws" (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 531-532).

So, we are left to try to figure out Malachi for ourselves, and our willingness to try is part of our test.  So let's see what we can do with it today.

MALACHI 3--THE ACCUSATIONS

"Thus said the Father unto Malachi--Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

"But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." (3 Nephi 24:1-3)

This passage tells us the Lord is going to come again, and asks the question, "Who may abide the day of his coming?"  The answer is those who have been purified by His Atonement.  

And in this chapter, the Lord makes two accusations of wrongdoing.  Since this chapter was given to Joseph Smith and is about the latter days, these accusations apply to us.  We've got to take care of these wrongs in order to qualify to be purified.  After each accusation, the children of the Lord (us) ask the Lord a question, the kind of question kids often ask their parents when they are in trouble, a "what do you mean? what did I do?" kind of a question.  The Lord answers and explains, and then tells what blessings will come if we change and correct the wrong.

(Divide the class in two and have half of the class study the first accusation [verses 7-12] and the other half study the second accusation [verses 13-17].)

The first accusation is found in verse 7:

"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them.  Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts.  But ye say: Wherein shall we return?"  The word "return" might more clearly be translated as "turn" or "change."  So Team One needs to find out what actions we need to change, or in what ways we need to turn toward the Lord, and what blessings we will get if we change.  I found 4 distinct blessings; see what you find.

(Write on the board: "What did we do wrong?")

The second accusation is in verse 13:

"Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord.  Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee?"
Team Two can find out what we have said that is wrong, and what 3 blessings we will receive if we change.

(Write on the other side of the board:  "What did we say wrong?")

What Did We Do Wrong?
We've been lax in paying our tithing.  Howard W. Hunter compared not paying tithing to embezzlement.  "The Lord's share came into his hands lawfully, but he misappropriated it to his own use."  (April 1964 General Conference)  Ezra Taft Benson said, "Tithing is not a donation.  It is not optional...It is a commandment."  (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 470)  Dean L. Larsen said, "For many who live in conditions of poverty, there may be no other way to escape their impoverishment than to give obedience to this law."  (October 1994 General Conference)

The blessings:  1) Opening of the windows of heaven, 2) the rebuking of the devourer, 3) the growth and preservation of crops [or possibly other types of profits], 4) being respected by all nations.


Money from Philippines,
in honor of my reader who teaches there


Regarding the blessings that come to tithe-payers, Harold B. Lee said, "The opening of the windows of heaven, of course, means revelations from God to him who is willing thus to sacrifice."  (Harold B. Lee, October 1971 General Conference.)  One clear evidence of this blessing is found in temple-building.  Tithing builds temples, and it is my understanding that areas with a majority of full tithe payers are the areas considered for temples.  Of course, the temple is a really big "window to heaven."

What Did We Say Wrong?
We've been jealous of those with the "easy" life of entertaining themselves on the Sabbath, not keeping the commandments, living by their own rules, spending their money on luxuries precluded by our tithes and donations, wearing what they like, eating and drinking what they like, living unmarried if they like.  It looks like they are having fun all the time.  (Think:  beer commercials.)  Sometimes, when we get tired of doing our duties or when our trials get hard, we look with envy on the neighbors without them.  We say, "What good is it to live the gospel, when those people look so happy?"  But, "When all of the evidence is in, the world's graduate school of hard knocks will teach what you young men were taught in the kindergarten of your spiritual training.  'Wickedness never was happiness'" (Glenn Pace, October 1987 General Conference)

The blessings:  1) their names are recorded in the Lord's book of remembrance, 2) they will belong to the Lord's family and fall under his protection, 3) they will be spared (at the judgment, and also from the trials of sin in this life).

MALACHI 4--THE JUDGMENT

Now, Malachi tells what is going to happen if you are on the right side or the wrong side at the judgment day.  It may not be readily apparent in this life that things go better if you're righteous, but there will be no doubt that the Lord rewards the righteous there and makes all things fair.

"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

"But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall."  (3 Nephi 25:1-2)  Calves in the stall are provided with shelter, with food, with a caring owner, with every need met.  Besides being "burned as [in] an oven" the wicked will be left "without root or branch:"  without their parents and ancestors, without their children and descendants.  We occasionally hear stories in the news of people whose homes burn to the ground, "but," they say, "we still have each other; all our family got out safely," and that makes it a happy ending.  The wicked will suffer the fire as well as losing their family, so they will truly lose everything.  Families are the real treasures, one of the few treasures we can take with us to the next life.

 The copyright of this photo of my brother 
Gary Wyatt's family is held by him, 
but you may use it for teaching purposes.

In the Old Testament, Malachi is the very last book, and these are the very last verses we read before we start reading about the Savior's birth in Matthew of the New Testament:

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (3 Nephi 25:5-6 or Malachi 4:5-6)

The Prophet Joseph Smith said that the word "turn" here could better be translated as "bind" or "seal."  This is the blessing that will be of great worth to the righteous; the opportunity to belong to our families in the eternities.

ISAIAH 54--THE LATTER DAYS

This would be a good point to backtrack a little and overview what the Lord quoted to the Nephites from Isaiah, recorded in chapter 22 because there are a few real gems here.  I'll elaborate on four:

First, (verse 2-3) the church will spread over the earth, and that church organization can be a protection and a strength to us, as a tent is in a storm.

This photo of the Brigham City temple
was taken by my friend, Debbie Raymond,
who holds the copyright.
It may be used for church or home purposes.

Second, the Savior takes care of those who are without family or spouse in this life:

"For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel--the God of the whole earth shall he be called.  For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit...For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee...for the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."  (3 Nephi 22:5-6, 10)

Although we in the church often refer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, as our Brother, He never refers to Himself as such in the scriptures.  He refers to Himself as our Father, the one whose name we take upon ourselves when we come into His kingdom/family.  His perfection and Atonement put Him on a peak so far above us that we hardly seem to be siblings. He calls us friends, He calls us His children if we qualify, but He never calls us siblings.  And it seems too casual, almost, for us to do so.  

BUT, here in 3 Nephi, to those who are bereft of a companion here on the earth, who are alone, who feel rejected, who have been widowed, abused, divorced, or never married, He refers to Himself in an even more intimate associationHusband!  And to emphasize the incredible power of this Husband, he flanks that title with several other mighty identities:
  • "Thy Maker"--the God of the universe, the Creator 
  • "The Lord of Hosts"--the all powerful leader of the heavenly army, the one in charge of the outcomes of earthly battles as well
  • "Thy Redeemer"--a title in ancient Israel that refered to a kinsman who would cover the debts of a family member in trouble, saving them from slavery
  • "The Holy One of Israel"--the one who is perfect and without sin, and is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose works are well-known throughout the Old Testament
(See Susan Ward Easton [now Black], "Names of Christ in the Book of Mormon," Ensign, July 1978)

This photo from lds.org and free to copy for class.

And thirdly, to those who are have been challenged by, unsuccessful in, unsure of, or helpless in their roles as righteous parents, whose children may have wandered, He gives this wonderful promise:

"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."  (3 Nephi 22:13).  Many translations of the Bible clarify this verse by substituting "all thy children shall be taught by the Lord," which does work very well with Hebrew word usage.  In the last days, through the Holy Ghost, through our temple covenants, the Lord will teach all of the children of the righteous, not just those who are at church each week or who are agreeable at family home evening, but even those who have strayed.

 President Hinckley teaching children.
This photo from lds.org and free to copy for class.

And lastly, although there will be a lot of trouble of all sorts in our day, we can take comfort in the final verses of this passage, which President Ezra Taft Benson always carried in his wallet, and which he displayed on his desk:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."  (from his funeral, reported in the July 1994 Ensign, p. 82)



THE IMPORTANCE OF RECORD-KEEPING

Jesus, in chapter 23, emphasized how important record-keeping is to him.  He asked Nephi to bring their records forth, and he went through them and said, "Why can't I find the story of Samuel the Lamanite here?  Didn't he come?  Didn't he prophesy a lot of important things?  Didn't these things all come to pass?  Didn't a lot of the righteous rise from the dead?"  And he commanded those things to be written.

Likewise, can we imagine Jesus saying to us, "Didn't I answer your prayer?  Didn't I heal you when you were sick?  Didn't you feel my Spirit in that fast and testimony meeting?  Didn't I tell you the Book of Mormon was true?  Why have these things not been written down?"  If we record the workings of God in our lives, our journals can become our personal scriptures, through which we can strengthen our own testimonies as we re-read them, and through which we can teach our children's children's children long after we are gone.



Sunday, September 30, 2012

Much Overdue Thanks

I just realized that I have overlooked thanking the many of you who prayed for my soldier son, Hyrum, and put his name in your temples while he was serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.  Although he was posted in the most-attacked base in Afghanistan (on the border of Pakistan) he has arrived back in Germany safe and sound, and will be back in the states by Christmas, and then will receive a medical release.


Here he is back in Germany with his cute little wife
and his ever-present cane.

3 Nephi 17-19


THE FIRST MEETING


In the previous lesson, we discussed all that transpired between Jesus Christ and the people in America on the first day of His appearance to them:
  • Allowing a personal witness for each individual of His Atonement
  • Giving authority and instruction for baptisms
  • Teaching them His doctrine (the basic principles and ordinances of the gospel)
  • The "Sermon on the Mount" but here given at the temple, an expansion on the basics of the gospel and their application in daily life
  • The template for prayer in "The Lord's Prayer"
  • Announcement of the fulfillment of the Law of Moses
  • Reminder of the Abrahamic Covenant, and allusions to the large numbers of groups throughout the world who are included in this, many of which are not known by the others
"Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.  I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.  Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may undersatnd, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.  But now I go unto the Father; and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them."  (3 Nephi 17:1-4)

That was the end of His agenda for Day One.  BUT...

"It came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them."  (3 Nephi 17:5)

And all the rest of the wonderful story about Christ's first day with the Nephites took place because 1) they (nonverbally) asked for more, and 2) He did not stick with His agenda, but acted in pure love according to their needs.  This is the single best example ever of a meeting that was lead by the Spirit.  (Okay, that was a redundant sentence, but I meant to be redundant, because it really was the SINGLE, BEST, EVER example of a meeting led by the Spirit.)

THE TARRYING

Two great concepts were taught through this "tarrying" as noted in the paragraph above:

  1. No matter how great the experience, spiritually hungering for more may lead to greater gifts.  Would Christ have given the Nephites all the wonderful gifts we are about to describe if they had not begged for more?  Undoubtedly, He would have still instituted the sacrament the next day, but some of the other incredible spiritual outpourings would probably not have happened without a great spiritual craving on the part of the Nephites.  Remember the great Beatitude that He taught them earlier that very day?  "Blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."  (3 Nephi 12:6)
  2. Making plans is important, but being flexible with those plans is sometimes necessary in order to create the best experience possible and to serve in the best way possible.

Many great blessings were bestowed upon the Nephites during this tarrying.

(You may want to have your class search through the next two chapters to find all the great gifts that were given because the Nephites hungered for more.  Here are the ones I see.)
  1. The blessing of the sick, lame, blind, halt, maimed, leprous, withered, deaf, or afflicted in any other way--every single one!  (3 Nephi 17:6-10)
  2. The blessing of every one of the children.  (3 Nephi 17:11-13; 21-22)
  3. The unutterable prayer Christ prayed (3 Nephi 17:14-17)
  4. Incredible joy for both the people and for Christ (3 Nephi 17:17-20)
  5. The ministering of angels to the children and the powerful manifestation of the Holy Ghost by fire around them (3 Nephi 17:23-24)
  6. The institution of the sacrament with additional instructions (3 Nephi 18) (please see postscript at the very end of this post)
  7. The bestowal of the power to the confer the Holy Ghost on the apostles (3 Nephi 18:36-37)
  8. The overshadowing of the apostles and Christ in a cloud, perhaps like the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration in the Bible. (3 Nephi 18:38)


MINISTERING TO CHILDREN

After this visit from Christ, this civilization in America stayed righteous for 200 years!  This is the only time we can find recorded in the history of the world such a long period of righteousness.  Christ also visited the Jews in Jerusalem and His visit there certainly did not have this effect.  Both groups heard the Sermon on the Mount, both groups witnessed healing, praying, the institution of the sacrament, the ordaining of apostles, the bestowal of the Priesthood, the receipt of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Besides differences in personal righteousness which we would have no way of perceiving, the greatest difference between the two groups was the level of ministering, blessing, and teaching that was done among children.


Anyone who thinks a call to teach Primary is insignificant does not have the same perspective that Christ does.

In Jerusalem, children were brought to Christ to be blessed.  "Then there were brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray and the disciples rebuked [those who had brought them] saying, There is no need, for Jesus hath said, Such shall be saved.  But Jesus said [Allow] little children and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:13-14, including JST and Hebrew footnotes)   

In Christ's opinion, little children should be ministered to, even though they are indeed holy and saved.  Why?  Childhood is the most effective time to teach the gospel.  Sister Michaelene P. Grassli, former Primary General President, said, "Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential power of today's children to perpetuate righteousness.  No group of people in the Church is as receptive to the truth, both in efficiency of learning and with the greatest degree of retention."  (October 1992 General Conference)






Here are important concepts about teaching and ministering to children that were noted by Sister Grassli from the experience in 3 Nephi 17:
  • First, Christ commanded that the children be brought.  It was not a suggestion. (verse 11)
  • Second, Jesus waited until they had all been brought.  He was not content with a representative sample.  (verse 12)
  • Third, with the children all gathered around him, Jesus prayed so powerfully that "no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things."  At this time, the children were not with a babysitter or kept in another area--they were on the "front row."  They experienced this spiritual event and they were effected by it. (verse 13-17)
  • Fourth, he blessed the little children one by one, not just as a group.  There were 2,500 people in this congregation: imagine how much time it must have taken to bless every child.  But maybe time bends for important events. (verse 21)
  • After personally blessing each one, he instructed their parents to Behold their little ones.  The word behold in the Book of Mormon means much more than just "look at."  Behold implied a very important concept, something really worth studying.  If they could behold the children as Christ did, they could see their eternal possibilities.  It could really change their perspective as parents and teachers. (verse 23)
  • Then they were really given something to behold.  Christ and the angels ministered to the children, and they were surrounded by fire.  Maybe the adults wouldn't have seen the angels and the fire had they not prepared themselves spiritual when Christ said, "Behold." (verse 24)
  • Later in Christ's visit, He taught the children greater things than He had taught their parents, and then He gave them the verbal capacity to teach these concepts to the adults.  (3 Nephi 26:14)



Christ said we should become as little children in order to enter heaven, and nowhere is this better illustrated than in the story of His ministry among the Nephite children, when they were literally in a circle of heavenly fire on earth.  As we watch the Church's video depiction of this event, note how the children look steadfastly at Christ as they come to him, never looking back, neither to the right or the left.  If we do this, then we too can, at the end of everything, enter the circle of fire that is Christ's heavenly kingdom, and our joy can also be full.

Show your class the video "My Joy is Full".
 

All of the photographs in this blog entry come from lds.org 
and are free to download, print and use in class.

Postscript on the Sacrament:  Just in case it has ever worried you whether you should stop someone from "partaking of the sacrament unworthily" (see 3 Nephi 18:28-29), please put your mind at ease by noting that it is clearly stated in verse 26 that Jesus was no longer speaking to the general congregation at this point, but to the leadership only.  All of the instruction about what to do with members who have sinned and not yet repented is clearly outlined there, for the instruction of the congregational leadership.  If you're not the bishop, it's not your worry.
And as far as nonmembers partaking of the sacrament, the Church Handbook states that it is fine for them to partake or not to, whatever they choose, just as it is fine for little children who are not yet baptized to partake of the sacrament.  (So sorry I don't have the exact reference, because at present I am not in possession of a Handbook, but just look in the index under "sacrament, nonmembers."  As soon as I get it, I'll post the exact quote in here.)

Monday, September 24, 2012

3 Nephi 12-16 (part one)


After explaining his basic doctrine to the Nephites after the destruction in the New World (chapter 11), Jesus Christ elaborated on what that doctrine meant in more specific and relevant terms, culminating in the announcement that the Law of Moses was now complete, and the people were to live the simple law of the gospel.

THE AUDIENCE

When we read these chapters of 3 Nephi, it is very instructive to take note of and mark who the audience is in each instance, especially since it is very specifically noted by the author.  I like to draw a box around the audience.  For example, in 3 Nephi 11 we read that the whole multitude fell to the earth to worship Christ, and that he invited them all to come forth and touch him and witness of his sacrifice.  Then in verse 18, he instructed Nephi to come forward and receive the authority to baptize, and in verse 22, others received this same power and the instruction in how to do it, and the doctrine of Christ was explained to these, clearly now in leadership positions.  Interesting!  He didn't teach this doctrine to everyone.

In 3 Nephi 12:1, when Christ was through speaking to Nephi and the 12 apostles, they are now called, "He stretched forth his hand unto the multitude and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you and to be your servants..."  This was how the doctrine of Christ was going to be taught to everyone--just as it is today--by the leadership who received it from Christ.

And in another way, still used today:  member missionary work, as He spoke to the multitude"And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am.  Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall received a remission of their sins."  (3 Nephi 12:2)

(Why did he give Nephi authority to baptize when he obviously had already been baptizing?  Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, "We read that the Savior commanded Nephi and the people to be baptized again, because he had organized anew the Church under the gospel.  Before that it had been organized under the law [of Moses]."  [Doctrines of Salvation 2:336]) 

BEATITUDES

For discussion on the beatitudes, go to the New Testament Lesson.  There are a few notable changes to the beatitudes in 3 Nephi versus Matthew.  In verse 3:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me..."  In verse 6"Blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.In verse 10:  "And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake..."  And verse 12:  "For ye shall have great joy..." And in each verse, the word all is added, perhaps not as a change from the New Testament message, but just as an emphasis.

HOW TO COME UNTO CHRIST

While explaining His doctrine briefly to the apostles, Jesus said to them twice that they must repent and become as a little child and be baptized in order to receive the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 11:37) and ultimately to inherit the kingdom of God (3 Nephi 11:38).

In the first beatitude, he stated, "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (3 Nephi 12:3)

What exactly does it mean to become as a little child, and to come unto Christ?  Is it just a declaration of belief?  Is it just a feeling of humility?  The best commentary on scripture is always other scripture.  As we read on, we can find another phrase that clarifies that meaning:  "Therefore come unto me and be ye saved: for verily I say unto you that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.(3 Nephi 12:20)  To "come unto Christ" is not just an ethereal, vague thinking of Christ or a respect and awe of Him, it is a concrete following of him; it is both a state of being and of doing.

THE LAW OF MOSES vs. THE LAW OF THE GOSPEL
   OR
DOING vs. DOING AND BECOMING

In the rest of Chapter 12, Jesus itemized several rules found in the Law of Moses (or more specifically the rules, traditions, and ethics codes of the rabbis originally based upon the Old Testament Law of Moses), and how they should be elevated in his not new, but newly reinstated Law of the Gospel.  For example, the ten commandments stated "thou shalt not kill," but that is simply a state of doing.  It's clear how to keep from killing someone.  But Jesus said, "whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of [God's] judgment, and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [which is pronounced ray-cah, and means "empty," according to Andrew Skinner, on KBYU's scripture study TV program] shall be in danger of the council, and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."  (3 Nephi 21-22)  All three of those are basically the same thing: to belittle another with anger while putting ourselves above them (which is pretty much what we are always doing when we are angry, when you think about it) will condemn us.  To keep from being angry is not just a state of doing, it is a state of doing and being:  of keeping ourselves equal to our brother in our own eyes, and therefore treating him with patience and encouragement, even when he does something dumb.

Throughout the next paragraphs, Christ names other ways in which He expects his disciples to not just follow outward rules and regulations and "ethics," but ways in which He expects them to be and do what he asks, which is in every instance a way of keeping themselves humble, childlike, and one with their fellow men:
  • apologizing (verses 23-24)
  • not creating enmity with others, even if we're sure we're "right" (verses 25-26)
  • respecting and honoring the physical bodies and emotional states of ourselves and others by abhoring not only sexual sin, but pornographic thoughts (verses 27-30)
  • doing the best for a spouse despite monumental marital problems (verses 31-32), for if a wife were divorced in the Hebrew culture, she was no longer supported by her husband and had very little option for supporting herself except for prostitution which, of course, "causeth her to commit adultery."
  • speaking the truth all the time, not just when you are sworn to do so (verses 33-37)
  • not worrying about whether you receive recompense for the offense of another against you, but instead seeking peace with him at your personal expense (which ironically brings inner peace to you) (verses 38-41)
  • being generous to others without judgment (verse 42)
  • and, in summary of all of the above:  seeking the best welfare and spiritual growth (another way of saying "love") of everyone, regardless of their position towards you.
In summary, if you live this Law of the Gospel,  "ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good" [a poetic way of saying he loves and blesses both of them] (verse 45).  By doing and being as Christ commanded, we become as He and our Father in Heaven are:  We become Unconditional Love, which is the way to peace and the way to the kingdom of God.

"Therefore, those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.  Old things are done away, and all things have become new.  Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."  (verses 46-48).  Here is another important change:  In the New Testament Christ did not include himself in the sentence about who was perfect.  But now that he was glorified, he did.  No one, not even Christ himself, can be perfected in mortal life.

BUT WAIT--THERE'S MORE!

Chapter 13 continues examples of the importance of being while doing:
  • Giving alms in secret which creates a change in ourselves, not in our appearance. (verse 1-4)
  • Praying privately and sincerely creates a change in ourselves, not in our fellow man's esteem. (verse 5-8)  The Lord's Prayer creates a template for us to follow ("after this manner therefore pray ye"), so we know what an appropriate prayer is, which is not like other insincere prayers found in the Book of Mormon (verses 9-13) (Think: Rameumptom).
  • Forgiving others allows us to be free of their offense and  forgiven of ours, two of the greatest changes needed in our state of being. (verse 14-15)
  • Fasting discreetly creates a change within us; we don't need anyone to see a change on the outside.  (verse 16-18)
  • Collecting material, social, and political treasures does us little good, but living the Gospel and creating changes in our being lays up heavenly treasures, for our being is the only thing we will take with us to heaven, the only heavenly treasure we have. (verse 19-21)
  • Keeping an eternal vision ("the light in our eye") keeps our being and our doing on the same path. (verse 22-23)
  • Serving God changes our being.  Serving Mammon, or material wealth, confuses our development. (verse 24)
A CHANGE OF AUDIENCE

"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them:" 
  • It's vital that you remember what I just taught you because it is your responsibility to make sure it is taught and shown to everyone else.  This is your main purpose.  Therefore, "take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on."  The Lord takes care of the creatures and the plants without their having to plan anything themselves, and he will do so for you.  Don't plan excessively.  Don't worry.  Just seek to build up the kingdom and eveything will fall in place for you.
Notice:  He did not give this counsel to the multitude.  This was for the full-time general authorities.  The rest of us are supposed to practice provident living, store food, plan for our future, and not expect God to work everything out for us.

NOW BACK TO THE MULTITUDE WITH MORE DOINGS AND BEINGS...
  •  Don't judge others, because you'll feel judgment by them (either real or imagined) as well as by yourself (comparing yourself to them), and someone always loses. Judging creates a state of being that is detrimental to both sides, creating enmity between you and preventing you from noticing and repairing your own faults in an appropriate way, and preventing you from wanting to help lift them. (Chapter 14, verses 1-5)
  • Be enlightened by your deep spiritual experiences but don't storytell to others who will not understand them; it will be to the detriment of both of you.  (verse 6)
  • Treat others as your equals (verse 12).  Put their interests as high as your own.  This comes not only the Law of Moses, but also from the "prophets" or revelations.
Then, some extremely important counsel:  "Ask!" (verses 7-11)  So often we forget to ask the Lord our questions, and He generally does not just drop revelation upon us.  I'm quite certain that Joseph Smith said that he never received a revelation that was not the answer to a question.  I can't find the quote (if I do, I'll fill it in, or maybe someone can stick it in the comments) but it's borne out quite obviously in the Doctrine and Covenants revelations. 

And one more bit of vital counsel:  How to recognize trustworthy leaders who are servants of the Lord.  (By their fruits.)  (verse 15-20)

NOT EVERYONE THAT SAYETH TO ME LORD, LORD

And so to summarize this whole concept of the importance of becoming and not just doing, Christ said, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in they name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (verses 21-22)  Isn't it interesting that this condemnation immediately follows Christ's pronouncement that "by their fruits ye shall know" whether someone is a disciple of Christ?

Well, fruits are apparently not just doing, but being, because "then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (verse 23)  What???  They just barely said that they did all these great things in Christ's name?  What did they do wrong?  It was not what they did, it was what they were.  Christ never knew them.  In Hebrew, to know is to become as one, particularly as in a marital union.  If Christ never knew them, it is because they never became united with Him and his purpose.  What they did was only for show: for doing alone, and not for becoming.

BUILDING ON THE ROCK


It is a very sandy foundation to be based on outward appearances and observances.  Many a Latter-day Saint has lived a dual life:  acting pious, while being base.  Living a double life never works.  Only integrity of purpose with God will create a person who can never be destroyed, no matter what rains descend upon, no matter what floods crash down upon him, and what whirlwinds pull at him to tear him to pieces.  The person who follows Christ in both what he does and what he becomes inside, is the person who will inherit the peace of Christ both in this world, and in the world to come.

My niece Natalie Hanson and her young family 
outside the Oakland Temple. 
She holds the copyright but you may use it for teaching.

Choose Your Own Adventure

When our oldest son was in elementary school, he really enjoyed reading a series of books called Choose Your Own Adventure.





He loved these books because he would read a page, and then he had a choice to make about what the protagonist would do.  If he chose one action, he was to turn to a certain page, but if he chose another action, he was to turn to a different page.  Then he continued reading, and again had a choice to make.  As the cover shows, there were 42 different endings to the book, and the reader's choices selected which one he got.  He could read the book again, and come up with a different adventure and a different ending.

3 Nephi 16 is a little bit like a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

The adventure actually begins in 3 Nephi 15:14, with Christ telling the Nephites that the people in Jerusalem did not know about them, and they did not know that He would visit them.  He had given them a hint, that "other sheep [He] had which are not of this fold; them also [He] must bring, and they shall hear [His] voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (verse 16-17) but they didn't ask Him anything more about it.  He would have revealed this to them if they had asked (3 Nephi 16:4), but they assumed they knew the answer--that it was the Gentiles He was talking about, despite the fact that He had told them He wouldn't go to the Gentiles right away.

How different would the adventure have been if they had asked?  And what hints is Christ giving to us about which we don't ask?  We must invest something in order to receive revelation; we must at least invest curiosity and desire and a question.

Christ commanded the people of Nephi to write of this encounter with Him so that it would go to the Gentiles after the apostacy of the House of Israel, "that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of [the House of Israel]...may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer." (3 Nephi 16:4)  


So here is where the Gentiles "Choose Their Own Adventure":


What does the "fulness of the Gentiles" mean?  Elder Bruce R. McConkie said it means the time when they have had "a full opportunity to accept the truth."  (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 2:290)  I think also that the word fulness in the Book of Mormon often refers to being full of the Holy Ghost, so that through the conversion of the Gentiles, and through their acting upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and their testifying through the power of the Holy Ghost, the gospel would be brought back to the House of Israel.

Those Gentiles who take the opportunity to choose the gospel, which will be restored in America and initially available there, will blessed "because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father.  Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles..." (3 Nephi 16:7)

The other choice of adventure?

The Gentiles who don't believe will come to America along with the others, but they will scatter the Native Americans of the House of Israel, and cast them out, and tread them under their feet, and they will be the ones who hate and despise them and cause them so much grief and sorrow--which is a suffering that the Lord allows to come upon the first Americans because of their rejection of the gospel as Lamanites.  But this kind of warfare is not what believing Gentiles would do.  This is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to displace, torture, and even practice genocide upon another race.  It is well-documented that President Joseph Smith sent missionaries to the Native Americans, and that President Brigham Young openly taught the Mormon pioneers to respect and treat kindly the Native Americans.  I believe that the tragic scattering and mistreatment of these people was part of the "sinnings against [His] gospel," practiced by the unbelieving Gentiles, condemned in 3 Nephi 16:10. 


And here comes the next choice of adventure:

Those Gentiles who sin against the gospel, reject it, consider themselves better than other nations or peoples (including the American Indians), participate in sexual misconduct, murder, organized crime, churches that prey upon people for money, etc., will lose the opportunity for the gospel and God will turn again to the House of Israel and bring His gospel unto them.  (3 Nephi 16:10-11).

And the next choice for the American branch of the House of Israel:

If the descendants of the Lamanites choose the gospel, the Gentiles will  no longer have power to oppress them.  (3 Nephi 16:12)

And the next choice for the Gentiles:

Even if they were in the "unbelieving" group, if they will now "repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel" and they will not suffer a reciprocal fate of being trodden down themselves  (3 Nephi 16:13-14), BUT...

Next choice:

If they don't choose the gospel, they'll be beaten down and become worthless, like salt that has lost its savor.  Salt has one purpose and if it becomes corrupted and loses its ability to flavor food, it's useless.  If these people lose their special stature as believers in Jesus Christ, with the purpose to bring His gospel to the world, they will have no good purpose at all.

And the best choice of adventure:

If both peoples choose the Lord, the words of Isaiah will be fulfilled:  "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion."  (3 Nephi 16:18)  There won't be House of Israel vs. Gentiles, or Native Americans vs. Pioneers, or any other peoples vs. any other peoples anymore--they will all be one in the gospel of Jesus Christ and never again will there be a trail of tears.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

3 Nephi 8-11


NATURAL DISASTERS

In chapter 8 of 3 Nephi we find what is probably the most detailed account of an event that is recorded anywhere in the Book of Mormon: the destruction in the New World at the death of Christ.  A precise account was obviously very important since it is prefaced by this guarantee:

"And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record--for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity--And now it came to pass, if there was no mistake made by this man in the reckoning of our time, the thirty and third year had passed away..."  (3 Nephi 8:1-2)

The Christians were expecting the prophecies of Samuel to be fulfilled any time.  In the first month of the 34th year on the fourth day, "there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land." (3 Nephi 8:5)  This storm contained just about every kind of natural disaster known to man: thunderstorms, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, earthquakes, floods, fire, mudslides.  The storm only lasted for three hours, but it did massive destruction, completely changing the face of the land.

(The Chaiten Volcano eruption in Chile.  
Photo by Evan Ackerman, who writes, "The plume of ash is thought to generate enough static electricity to cause what is called a 'dirty thunderstorm' in the same way that colliding ice particles provide the juice for regular thunderstorms.")

When it was over, a thick darkness covered the land.  Perhaps it was caused by volcanic ash, or smoke, or dust, or all of them together, but it was so thick that it prevented any type of light to shine, even with "exceedingly dry wood."  This darkness lasted for three days.  It brought the people to their knees in remorse because they knew it was the judgment of God (3 Nephi 8:24-25).

Finally, they heard a voice, the voice of God, saying "I told you so:" declaring that it was indeed his wrath that had caused the fearsome events, just as Samuel the Lamanite had prophecied.  He itemized the disasters (3 Nephi 9:3-12) and then he said, "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" (3 Nephi 9:13)  God selected individuals to be spared amid great earthly upheaval.

Living in a day when natural disasters have been prophesied concerning the second coming of Christ, it is important for us to know how these individual people qualified to be saved.  Chapter 10 verse 12 gives us the simple answer:  "And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who 1) received the prophets and 2) stoned them not; and it was they who 3) had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared--And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness." 

The bottom line is pretty simple:  We'd better listen to and obey the General Conference addresses!


The only "natural disaster" to fear is the disaster of remaining a "natural man," because  "...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."  (1 Cor. 2:14)  "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.  (Mosiah 3:19)

JESUS CHRIST'S CALL

Once He had their attention, Jesus Christ issued a call to the survivors:  "Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life.  Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me." (3 Nephi 9:14)  He identified himself as Jesus Christ, by whom "redemption cometh, and in [whom] is the law of Moses fulfilled...the light and the life of the world...Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." (3 Nephi 9:15-18).

(Picture from LDS.org)

Having given this introduction, what do you suppose was the first thing that Jesus Christ said to these people, while it was still dark, while there was still nothing that could possibly distract them from His message?  The same thing the missionaries tell people today; the same thing the prophets preach to us today; the same thing that is found in every Church manual for every age group; the same thing that every Primary child memorizes: simply, the doctrine of Christ, found in the Fourth Article of Faith. Faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The people at this point, had faith in Jesus Christ, because they had "received the prophets," and because it was pretty hard not to believe in Jesus Christ considering the present circumstances.  Jesus Christ offered them forgiveness on condition of repentance (3 Nephi 9:13).  Then he promised them the Gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 9:20).  And as soon as He actually appeared to them and ministered among them, and allowed them to witness his wounds and praise His name (3 Nephi 11:13-17), He gave Nephi authorization to baptize (3 Nephi 11:18-21).  Of course, Nephi already had the power to baptize (3 Nephi 1:23), but now everyone knew that he was the man to go to.  And they knew the exact manner in which baptisms should be performed, which had apparently been in dispute (3 Nephi 11:23-30).

Once Christ appeared to the people and they were able to touch him and witness his scars, he repeated his message.  "Behold, very, very, I say unto you [remember, this is the important attention phrase in the Book of Mormon], I will declare unto you my doctrine.  And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me...and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.  And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God...and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost." (3 Nephi 11:31-35)

And to be sure they got the message, he stated it once more:  "And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things."  (3 Nephi 11:37).  What things?  The witness of the Father given through the Gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 11:35-36).

And in case they didn't get it that time, he stated it once more in almost identical phrasing but with a different ending.   "And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."  (3 Nephi 11:38). 

Jesus impressed upon the people the importance of living his doctrine:   "Verily, verily, I say unto you,"  [there is that important attention phrase again!] "that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them."  (3 Nephi 11:39)

The message has not changed for us today.

"Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God.  Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved." (3 Nephi 9:22)

(Picture from LDS.org)