Thought: “The Book of Mormon is the keystone in
our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we
do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. Unlike the Bible,
which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt
religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to
reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of
the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. But it does even more. Much
of the Christian world today rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question
His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious
resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about
the truth of all of those. It also provides the most complete explanation of
the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a
keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ.” (Ezra Taft
Benson, Ensign, November 1986 pg. 6)
Book of the Week:
Lehi in the Desert and the World of the Jaredites-Nibley
Gary's "GREEN VERSES" Third Nephi 1-18
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3 Nephi 1:13
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Have you ever wondered how happy this announcement made each of
us in our pre-earth estate?
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3 Nephi 2:1
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Problems begin when we forget. The cure is to continually have
those same kind of experiences.
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3 Nephi 3:12
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Righteous people are not afraid of the demands or even the
advances of Satan's hosts.
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3 Nephi 4:33
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Repentance and humility qualify us for God's deliverance from earthly
& eternal destruction.
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3 Nephi 5:13
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I want to live my life so that others (especially Jesus) will
recognize me as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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3 Nephi 6:5
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Nothing can hinder us from prospering continually except falling
into transgression.
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3 Nephi 7:18
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Jealousy is not an uncommon attribute of those who fight against
the Kingdom of God.
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3 Nephi 8:24
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I wonder when He comes again, what will we say we wish we had
done.
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3 Nephi 9:20
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Striving to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit & to
recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
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3 Nephi 10:14
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A shout-out from Mormon reminding us we have this Book to help
us prepare for the 2nd coming.
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3 Nephi 11:29
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Next time through, count the warnings against contention in the
Book of Mormon!
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3 Nephi 12:20
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If you think you are saved by grace alone, re-read the Sermon on
the Mount.
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3 Nephi 13:33
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When we put God first we get Him on our team to help us with all
else that He would have us have.
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3 Nephi 14:21-23
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It is not just what we profess, but what we DO.
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3 Nephi 15:21
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The secret is out, we found the "other sheep".
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3 Nephi 16:13
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Living Israel is even more important than being a descendent of
Israel.
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3 Nephi 17:3
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Some key words; homes, ponder, ask, prepare your minds.
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3 Nephi 18:21
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A word of encouragement in support of Family Prayer.
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3 Nephi 10-18
3 Nephi 9
Vs. 13 - "The greatest miracles I see today are not
necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the
healing of sick souls," (HBLee, CR, April 1973 p. 178)
Vs. 15 - Jesus the Creator. See John 1:3; Hebrews 1:1-3;
Colossians 1:13-16; Moses 1:32-33; Mosiah 3:8; 4:2; Helaman 14:12; D&C
76:24; 93:9-10
Vs. 17 - becoming the sons of God. See Mosiah 5:7; 27:25; D&C
34:1-3; 39:1, 4.
Vs. 19 - No more sacrifices
Vs. 20 - James E. Talmage thought that Jesus died of a broken
heart, thus when we offer up a broken heart, we imitate Jesus. The word
contrite literally means crushed. Jesus was crushed for us in Gethsemane.
(Skinner p. 15) "The sacrifice now required is to give yourself."
(JRClark)
3 Nephi 10
Vs. 1 - The voice of the Savior to people in the dark saying,
"I've been trying and I will continue to try. The phrase at the end of this verse has been seen by some as an
indication that all of the women were killed in the great destructions. I do
not personally agree.
Vs. 6 - The Savior's call is to Repent and Return with Full
purpose of heart.
Vs. 12 - It was the MORE righteous part of the people who were
spared.
Vs. 14 - An editorial message from Mormon to us, "Prophecies
get fulfilled!"
Vs. 18 - Look at 3 Nephi 8:5 and this verse and determine how long
after Christ's resurrection did He visit America.
3 Nephi 11
Vs.
1- "I promise you that with increased attendance in the temples of our
God, you will receive increased personal revelation to bless your life as you
bless those who have died. )ETB ensign, May 1987 p. 85)
Jesus'
life and the temple: 1)Zacharias, 40 days, 12 years old, 2 cleansings, daily
teaching, veil torn into two pieces at death, Apostles stay in Jerusalem at the
temple until endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49, 53), washing of feet,
Book of Revelation, Acts 1:1-3; Infallible proofs=Gk, tekmeriois literally means sure signs and tokens. See 3 Nephi
17:15
Vs.
3 - "Dramatic and miraculous answers to prayer may come, but they are thee
exceptions. Even at the highest levels of responsibility in this kingdom of God
the voice ist still small. My testimony is that the Lord is speaking you! But
with the deafening decibles of today's environment, all too often we fail to
hear him. With TV, radio and tapes, what young person has time to listen?
Listening is a challenge for all of us today. (Graham W. Doxey, CR Oct. 1991 p.
33) "The still small voice is
so quiet you won't hear it when you are noisy inside." (HBEyring, BYU
Devotional Oct. 29, 1989)
Vs.
8 - When has the voice of Heavenly Father been heard since the fall?
Vs.
9-11 - To me (Skinner), however, the most significant thing in 3 Nephi is the
way Jesus chose to introduce himself. (11:9-11) Of all the things he could have
said, it was the bitter cup and suffering the will of the Father that he
emphasized. . . Three times in Gethsemane Jesus pled for the removal of the
bitter cup. (Matt. 26:39-44 see also D&C 19:16-19) Joseph Fielding Smith
taught that Jesus' greatest suffering was not on the cross, but in the garden.
(DS 1:130)
JESUS
GOT EXACTLY WHAT WE DESERVE.
Vs.
13-17 - "The doctrine of the Resurrection is the single most fundamental
and crucial doctrine in the Christian religion. It cannot be over-emphasized,
nor can it be disregarded. Without the resurrection, the gospel of Jesus Christ
becomes a litany of wise sayings and seemingly unexplainable miracles...with no
ultimate triumph. No, the ultimate triumph is the ultimate miracle."
(HWHunter, CR, April 1986 p. 18) Proofs of Jesus' resurrection; Luke 24:36-39;
Acts 1:1-3.
Resurrection
means to rise again or rise with power. It comes from the Latin resurgere and is related to words such
as surge, resurgence. The Book of Mormon is the great witness of the
resurrection and also the doctrine. See 2 Nephi 9:8-11, Alma 11:41-44; 3 Nephi
26:3-5; Mosiah 15:19-24)
Vs.
21to 3 Nephi 12:2 - Jesus mentions baptism 19 times
Vs.
23 - Spencer W. Kimball's baptism.
Vs.
29 - Contention and Anger - See Lynn G. Robbins GD April 5, 1998
Vs.
37-38 - When the Lord repeats himself...
Vs.
30, 31, 32, 35, 39, 40. - Christ's doctrine
3 Nephi 12-14 - The Temple
Sermon on Exaltation
Psalms, Beatitude, Temple, Mountain, 3 Nephi 12:8; Psalm 24:3-6
12:4 - The Beatitudes: Pattern for Coming unto
Christ Robert E. Wells, Ensign, December, 1987 p. 9)"It may be that the pain and suffering at the death of loved
ones is an essential part of our mortal experience that obliges us to face the
question of the reality of the spirit world and the hope of the Resurrection.
It is through suffering that we discover what is eternally important. It might
be that it is a blessing for us to become more fully aware that God’s ways are
not always our ways, and that we must trust him when things don’t go as we
believe they should. When we can see the Lord’s purposes fulfilled in our
sorrowful moments, the Holy Ghost can console us and the Atonement and
Resurrection can become the cornerstones of our faith. Again, both the Joseph
Smith Translation and the Book of Mormon accounts indicate that the mourner is
truly blessed only if he comes unto Christ."
12:13 - Salt is a symbol of the covenant men make with
God. It doesn't lose it savor with time but by mixing.
12:16 - We do not let our light shine so people will
glorify us!
12:20 - Saved by grace alone?
12:44 - "Besides loving God, we are commanded to do what for many is
a more difficult commandment; to love all, even enemies. It is easier, of
course, to be kind to those who are kind to us- the usual kind of friendly
reciprocity. Whom would you bar from your circle? We might deny ourselves a
nearness to our Savior because of our prejudices, attitudes that Christ would
surely condemn. Love has no boundary, no limitation of good will."
(DBHaight, Ensign Nov. 82 p. 10-12)
3
Nephi 13 - The secret of true
religion is religion in secret. (Ivan J. Berrett)
Vs. 21 - "I believe that the
ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and posterity"
(DHOaks Ensign Nov. 1993, p. 75)
Vs. 33 -
3
Nephi 14 -
Vs. 1 - Unrighteous judgment comes when
we compare others to ourselves.
Vs. 13-14 - The course leading to
eternal life is both strait and straight. It is straight because it has an
invariable direction - always it is the same. It is strait because it is narrow
and restricted, a course where full obedience to the full law is required.
Straightness has reference to direction. Straitness to width.
Vs. 21-23 - Another good faith with
works scripture. See 15:1
3
Nehi 15
Vs. 4 - See 2 Nephi 25:27; Mosiah
13:27-31
3
Nephi 16
Vs. 2, 3 - Other other sheep
Vs. 13 - Anybody who will, may be of the
House of Israel.
3
Nephi 17 - Many people's favorite
chapter in all scripture. In this chapter Christ tells us how to be like him.
Vs. 9 - This is a line I would like to
get in!
Vs. 20 - When has my joy been full?
Vs. 24-25 - "The Ministry of
Angels" JRHolland, Oct. 2008 - God never leaves us alone, never leaves us
unaided in the challenges that we face." Who do you think the angels were?
3 Nephi 18 -
"The Institution of the Sacrament here may be a response to the desire of
the Nephite to have Him stay with them longer (17:5) - Ted Gibbons.
1st Nephite Sacrament meeting. Read this chapter during
sacrament and picture yourself there!
Vs. 7, 11 - We are presented with a fairly simple way to
evaluate our sacramental experience. It we are experiencing the manifestations
of the Spirit.
Vs. 12-13 - Worthily partaking of the Sacrament allows us to
be built upon his rock, so WHEN trials come, we will be strong.
Vs. 15-18- How to keep the spirit of Sacrament with you
always.
Vs. 21 - Family Prayer
Vs. 26, 28 - The leaders job to monitor Sacrament. When we
partake of the Sacrament unworthily we are taking upon us the name of God in
vain. (Ogden)
Vs. 29 - Damnation = a stoppage or half of progress. It
blocks the channel of power.
Vs. 32 - How to treat the less active.
Vs. 39 - Jesus ascends.
