Lesson 13: The Baptismal Covenant, the Sabbath, and the Sacrament

1. Through the ordinance of baptism, followers of Jesus Christ covenant to take His name upon them. The Book of Mormon teaches that the members of Christ’s Church are to gather together on the Sabbath day and enjoy the sacred privilege of partaking of the sacrament. When we partake of the sacrament, we renew our baptismal covenants and invite the Holy Ghost to be with us.

2. L. Tom Perry, “The Sabbath and the Sacrament, ”Ensign , May 2011; Russell M. Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign, May 2015; Dallin H. Oaks, “Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament,” Ensign , Nov. 200.

3. Mosiah 18:8–10- What do you remember about your baptism? When we are baptized, we covenant to …bear one another’s burdens, stand as witnesses of God, serve Him, and keep His commandments.)

4.  Mosiah 25:23–24 - : As we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and live accordingly, the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon us.

5. Exodus 31:13, 16–17;   Mosiah 18:17, 23–25; What does it mean that the Sabbath is a “sign” between us and the Lord?

6. Moroni 6:4–6

7.  When we become members of Christ’s Church, we are commanded to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy. As Church members, we are to meet together often to be nourished by the good word of God, to fast, to pray, to strengthen each other, and to partake of the sacrament.)

8. “Most people don’t come to church looking merely for a few new gospel facts or to see old friends, though all of that is important. They come seeking a spiritual experience. They want peace. They want their faith fortified and their hope renewed. They want, in short, to be nourished by the good word of God, to be strengthened by the powers of heaven” (JRHolland, Ensign, May 1988)

9. “How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear” (RMNelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign , May 201).

10. How do our efforts to keep the Sabbath day holy affect the other days of the week?

11. 3 Nephi 18:1–11; 20:3–9; Moroni 4:3; 5:2

12. “Partaking of the sacrament provides us with a sacred moment in a holy place.” (LTPerry, “As Now We Take the Sacrament,” Ensign, May 2006) How might this idea of “a sacred moment” and “a holy place” influence our thoughts and actions as we partake of the sacrament?

13  3 Nephi 18:1–11 : As we partake of the sacrament and always remember Jesus Christ, we will have His Spirit to be with us. What can we do to remember the Savior while partaking of the sacrament and during the rest of the week?

14.  Moroni 4:3 and 5:2 What might be the result if we fail to “always remember him”?

15. 3 Nephi 20:3-9 - When Jesus visited the Nephites on the day after He instituted the sacrament, He again administered the ordinance to them. What additional blessings that come from partaking of the sacrament?

16. What does it mean that our souls “shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled”?

17. n what ways has partaking of the sacrament satisfied your spiritual hunger and thirst?

18. How might partaking of the sacrament with humility and gratitude help us to better remember the Savior during the rest of the week?

19. “During sacrament meeting—and especially during the sacrament service—we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others. … Sacrament meeting is not a time for reading books or magazines. Young people, it is not a time for whispered conversations on cell phones or for texting persons at other locations. When we partake of the sacrament, we make a sacred covenant that we will always remember the Savior. How sad to see persons obviously violating that covenant in the very meeting where they are making it” (“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament,” Ensignor Liahona, Nov. 2008, 18–19).

20. Mark 14:37- One application of this verse is for us to set aside all distractions and give the Lord our full attention each week as we worship in sacrament meeting.

21. The rabbis had determined 39 chief or principal types of work that were forbidden. In application, this came to mean that “scattering two seeds was sowing; sweeping away or breaking a single clod was ploughing; plucking one blade of grass was sin; watering fruit or removing a withered leaf was forbidden; picking fruit, or even lifting it from the ground, was reaping; cutting a mushroom was a double sin, one both of harvesting and of sowing, for a new one would grow in the place of the old; fishing, or anything that put an end to life, ranked with harvesting, rubbing ears of corn together, or anything else connected with food, was classed as binding of sheaves. One could spit upon a rock but not upon the ground, for by scratching the earth you were guilty of cultivating. You could eat an egg laid by a fryer on the Sabbath but not an egg laid by a laying hen, because it was not the work of a fryer to produce eggs. Such distinctions, which went on endlessly, included prohibition against administering to the sick or afflicted. A broken bone could not be set or a dislocated joint put back, for if this were done, the body would start to heal itself, thus causing it to work. However, it was ruled that labor could be performed to save life. Thus, is someone were buried under ruins on the Sabbath, they might be dug and taken out if they were found alive, but if dead, they were to be left until the Sabbath was over.

              Christ, who kept with exactness and honor the law as given on Sinai, had no reverence for those trappings with which men had embellished that law. (JFMcConkie, Studies in Scripture 5:280-1)

22. What is your favorite scripture? Do you think that God has a favorite scripture? If He did, how would we know it?  Might it be emphasized by having the Lord say: 1) I want every member of My Church to hear it every week of their life, 2) When it is read it must be word perfect 3) The person reading it must be a worthy holder of the Priesthood and 4) They must read it kneeling down.

What is there about the Sacrament Prayers that make them so special to Heavenly Father?

23 What does the word Sacrament mean? Originally it meant “a means of consecrating, dedicating, or securing by a religious sanction”. Sacrament eventually came to designate a sacred religious observance.

24. When the Sacrament was instituted by the Savior the occasion was the Passover. They ate the Passover meal which was done to help them site their minds forward to the events of the very night on which the Sacrament was instituted. There was no way for the apostles of Jesus to have understood the significance of the event. The Saints in the early days followed that custom. That is, they ate before they administered the Sacrament; but that custom was later discontinued by instructions from Paul to the Saints to eat their meal at home so that when they met to partake of the Sacrament they could concentrate on the atonement.

25. The no Sacrament Bread story-What if there was no bread because there had been no Savior?

26. The cloth covering the sacrament reminds us of the covered corpse of the Savior.

27. “A white shirt contributes to the sacredness of the holy sacrament.” (McKay, CR Oct. 56, p.89)

28. “May I suggest that wherever possible a white shirt be worn by those who handle the sacrament. For sacred ordinances in the Church we often use ceremonial clothing, and a white shirt could be seen as a gentle reminder of the white clothing you wore in the baptismal font and an anticipation of the white shirt you will soon wear into the temple and onto your missions.) (Holland, Ensign, Nov. 95, p.68)

29. The sacrament, is for many Latter-day Saints one of our first lessons on symbolism. Others- baptism, Lehi’s dream, parables of Jesus, Book of Revelation, Isaiah, TEMPLE.

30. Who should and who should not partake of the Sacrament? 3 Nephi 18:4-5; D&C 46:4-5; 3 Nephi 18:28-30; I Corinthians 11:27-30

31. “We want every Latter-day Saint to come to the sacrament table because it is the place for self-investigation, for self-inspection, where we may learn to rectify our courses and to make right our own lives, bringing ourselves into harmony with the teachings of the Church and with our brethren and sisters.” (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard, p. 150, written by Bryant S. Hinckley)

32. “I feel impressed to emphasize that the Lord has designated the Sacrament meeting as the most important meeting in the Church.”  “The partaking of the Sacrament is one of the most sacred ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (DOMcKay, Era, April 1961 p. 214)

33. “With so very much at stake, this ordinance commemorating our escape from the angel of darkness should be taken more seriously than it sometimes is. It should be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment. It should encourage spiritual feelings and impressions. As such it should not be rushed. It is not something to “get over” so that the real purpose of a sacrament meeting can be pursued. This is the real purpose of the meeting. And everything that is said or sung or prayed in those services should be consistent with the grandeur of this sacred ordinance.

The administration and passing of the sacrament is preceded by a hymn which all of us should sing. It doesn’t matter what kind of musical voice we have. Sacramental hymns are more like prayers anyway-and everyone can give voice to a prayer!” (Holland, Ensign, Nov. 95, p.68)

34. “One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour? I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed.” (JRHolland, This Do In Remembrance of Me, Ensign, Nov. 1995)

Lesson 12: Our Need for Spiritual Rebirth

1.  From the Book of Mormon we learn that “the natural man is an enemy to God” (Mosiah 3:19). In this lesson, students are instructed that through repenting and exercising faith in Jesus Christ, we can overcome the natural man, be “born again,” and experience a mighty change of heart. This change is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.

2. David A. Bednar, “The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality,” Ensign, Apr. 2012;

3. D. Todd Christofferson, “Born Again,” Ensign , May 2008.

4. “You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible!” (ETBenson) Why ?

5.  Alma 41:10–11 - Consequences of wickedness. What are some deceptions that Satan uses? A “state of nature” is to be “in a carnal state,” “in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity,” and “without God in the world.”  It is contrary to the nature of God, and the “nature of God” is the “nature of happiness.”

6.  Mosiah 16:2–5 How did Abinadi use to describe humankind’s fallen state? How about “persists?”

7.  Mosiah 3:19 - how we can overcome our fallen state. What does it mean to “yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit”? As we follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit and draw upon the power of the Atonement, we can put off the natural man.

8. Mosiah 5:1–5  - "Please note that the conversion described in [Mosiah 5] is mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon ‘the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah’ (2 Nephi 2:8)” (DABednar,  ”Ensign, May 2007, 20).

9. Mosiah 5:7-8 How does our relationship to Jesus Christ changes as we are born again? In what way do we become the children of Jesus Christ?

10. Who in the Book of Mormon experienced a change in their nature because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

10.Mosiah 27:24–26 - How did Alma describe this miraculous change? Only by becoming new creatures in Christ can we inherit the kingdom of God.

11.   “You may ask, Why doesn’t this mighty change happen more quickly with me? You should remember that the remarkable examples of King Benjamin’s people, Alma, and some others in scripture are just that—remarkable and not typical. For most of us, the changes are more gradual and occur over time. Being born again, unlike our physical birth, is more a process than an event. And engaging in that process is the central purpose of mortality.

“At the same time, let us not justify ourselves in a casual effort. Let us not be content to retain some disposition to do evil. Let us worthily partake of the sacrament each week and continue to draw upon the Holy Spirit to root out the last vestiges of impurity within us. I testify that as you continue in the path of spiritual rebirth, the atoning grace of Jesus Christ will take away your sins and the stain of those sins in you, temptations will lose their appeal, and through Christ you will become holy, as He and our Father are holy” (DTChristofferson,)    

12.  “It is … through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts” (Bible Dictionary, “Grace”).

13. Alma 5:14, 26–27 - What does humility have to do with this process?

14. Ether 12:27 -If we come unto Jesus Christ, then He will show us our weakness. If we are humble and have faith in the Lord, then He will make weak things become strong unto us.

15. “If you have problems in your life, don’t assume there is something wrong with you. Struggling with those problems is at the very core of life’s purpose. As we draw close to God, He will show us our weaknesses and through them make us wiser, stronger. If you’re seeing more of your weaknesses, that just might mean you’re moving nearer to God, not farther away” ( Bruce C. Hafen, “The Atonement: All for All,” Ensign, May 2004, 97).

Elijah F. Sheets, later the bishop of the Salt Lake City Eighth Ward for forty-eight years (the longest tenure of any bishop in Church history), is born in Charlestown, Pennsylvania.  (May 22, 1821)

- 55 years ago today - Mar 22, 1961 --

Elder Lee proposed to the General Priesthood Committee overhauling the ward teaching program of the past, under the new title "Priesthood Correlation Program." Twelve to fourteen stakes would be selected as pilot programs. Pres. McKay suggested calling the men "Home Teachers," instead of "Priesthood watchmen" that Elder Lee suggested. This was approved. (7)

Lesson 11: Protecting Ourselves against the False Doctrines of the Last Days

1. In addition to teaching “the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” the Book of  Mormon fortifies followers of Christ against the false teachings & ideas prevalent in the last days. One way it accomplishes this is by exposing the enemies of Christ & identifying the false doctrines they spread. We learn to discern between the truths of the gospel & the false concepts of the world.

2. Dallin H. Oaks, “Be Not Deceived,” Ensign ,Nov. 2004;  “As He Thinketh in His Heart” (Feb. 8, 2013),lds.org/broadcasts)

3. Neil L. Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds,” Ensign, May 2014.

4. a) God-given truth versus moral relativism (no universal right or wrong); b) religious liberty versus the rights of special interest groups; c) the right to an abortion versus the right to life.

5. JSM 1:22. “the elect according to the covenant” refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ. What threats do “false Christs” and “false prophets” pose in our day?

6. “The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (TPC Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 132).

7.  2 Nephi 28:3–9- Modern-day examples of these false ideas? (moral relativism; belief that because of God’s great love for us He will not punish sin; and prejudice against Christians)

8. “False prophets and false teachers are those who declare that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a duplicitous deceiver; they challenge the First Vision as an authentic experience. They declare that the Book of Mormon and other canonical works are not ancient records of scripture. They also attempt to redefine the nature of the Godhead, and they deny that God has given and continues to give revelation today to His ordained and sustained prophets. … “Perhaps most damningly, they deny Christ’s Resurrection and Atonement, arguing that no God can save us. They reject the need for a Savior. In short, these detractors attempt to reinterpret the doctrines of the Church to fit their own preconceived views, and in the process deny Christ and His messianic role. “False prophets and false teachers are also those who attempt to change the God-given and scripturally based doctrines that protect the sanctity of marriage, the divine nature of the family, and the essential doctrine of personal morality. They advocate a redefinition of morality to justify fornication, adultery, and homosexual relationships” (MRBallard, “Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 63–64).

9.  2 Nephi 28:12–15, What are some of the consequences of believing in false teachings and ideas?

10.  “We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin” (Ulisses Soares Presidency of the Seventy, Ensign  May 2015, 75).       Alma 30:53 -Korihor

11.  Jacob 7:1–7; Alma 1:2–6; Alma 30:12–18.

Jacob 7:1-7 (Sherem)	Alma 1:2-6-(Nehor)	Alma 30:12-18 (Korihor)
Vs. 2-No Christ	Vs. 2-Large & noted for strength	Vs. 12-No Christ
Vs. 2- Flattered people	Vs. 3- Attacked Church	Vs. 13- Denounced doctrine
Vs. 2- Overthrew doctrine of Christ	Vs. 3- Priestcraft	Vs. 13-No man can know the future.
Vs. 3- labored diligently	Vs. 4- All saved at last day	Vs. 14-Doctrines=foolish traditions
Vs. 4- Learned- perfect knowledge of the language	Vs. 5- Repeated doctrines until believed	Vs. 15-Cannot know of things you cannot see. (Sec. Humanism)
Vs. 4 Flattery & power of speech.	Vs. 5- People paid him	Vs. 16- No remission of sins
Vs. 5- Attacked prophet	Vs. 6- He wore costly clothes	Vs. 16- Foolish traditions
Vs. 7- Misused scripture (Law of Moses)	Vs. 6- Established church according to his doctrines	Vs. 17- No atonement. Each man fares for himself.
Vs. 7-No man knows future		Vs. 17-No crime
		Vs. 18-Caused people to sin. Death is the end.

12  Jacob 7:5, 8–12 and Alma 30:39–44  What fortified Jacob and Alma against false teachings?

13. When we rely on our testimonies of Christ and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we can overcome challenges to our faith. (An anti-Christ in Seminary?)

14. 2 Nephi 26:29-Priestcraft defined 

15. 3 Nephi 18:24-Christ is the Light we hold up; 27:27- Christ is the manner of person we should be.

16. “Let us beware of false prophets and false teachers, both men and women, who are self-appointed declarers of the doctrines of the Church and who seek to spread their false gospel and attract followers by sponsoring symposia, books, and journals whose contents challenge fundamental doctrines of the Church. Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce” (MRBallard, Ensign, Nov. 1999, 63).

17. Moroni 7:12–17; Ether 4:11–12- How to know right from wrong.

18. “May I suggest three short tests to avoid being deceived. …“1. What do the standard works have to say about it? … “2. The second guide is: what do the latter-day Presidents of the Church have to say on the subject—particularly the living President? …“3. The third and final test is the Holy Ghost—the test of the Spirit. … This test can only be fully effective if one’s channels of communication with God are clean and virtuous and uncluttered with sin” (ETBenson, CR Oct. 1963, 16–17).

19. Jacob 7, Alma 1, and Alma 30 - Why 3 accounts so similar with so little room on the plates?

20. From the scriptures I conclude that followers of Christ think differently than others. I was introduced to that idea as a young man studying law at the University of Chicago. Raised in Mormon country with little contact with persons of other beliefs, I was intrigued when I learned that a part-time worker in our law library was studying for the ministry, pursuing the degree Doctor of Divinity. Imagine my surprise when I learned in our conversations that while he believed that Jesus Christ was “a great teacher,” he did not believe that He was the divine Son of God. “What church do you belong to?” I naively asked him.

“Oh, it doesn’t matter,” he replied. “I’ll take any position that offers me a good situation—teaching, preaching, or counseling.” This man desired to do what he saw as good, but he lacked the fundamental, underlying belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that I assumed was believed by all Christians. When it came to the purpose and practice of religion, he obviously thought differently than I.

On many important subjects involving religion, Latter-day Saints think differently than many others.

21. For example, because Latter-day Saints know our Heavenly Father’s plan for His children, we know that this mortal life is not a one-act play sandwiched between an unknowable past and an uncertain future..

22. A recent survey reports that 53 percent of the American public believe cohabitating is not a sin. Similarly, in my conference talk last October, I cited the fact that in a recent period 41 percent of all births in the United States were to women who were not married. Most of these births were to couples who were cohabiting—living together outside of marriage. Couples giving birth to children and raising them without being married is common and accepted by many.

23.  How should we respond to familiar proposals to redefine the family? I suggest that it may be preferable to refrain from arguing about such proposals. They will often be better off to respond by identifying the worldly premises or assumptions in the assertions they face and then by identifying the different assumptions or premises that guide the thinking of Latter-day Saints.

24. We anchor ourselves to the word of God, contained in the scriptures and in the teachings of modern prophets. Unless we are anchored to these truths as our major premises and assumptions, we cannot be sure that our conclusions are true. Being anchored to eternal truth will not protect us from the tribulation and persecution Jesus predicted but it will give us the peace that comes from faith in Jesus Christ and the knowledge that we are on the pathway to eternal life.

25. We think differently about family issues than many people in the world because of what we know about the eternal purpose and nature of our family relationships. Our family proclamation states that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God” and that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” Knowing that marriage between a man and a woman is essential to God’s eternal plan, Latter-day Saints persist in the time-honored religious principle that marriage is foremost an institution for the procreation and raising of children. We also adhere to the proven experience that marriage is the best institution for the economic, political, and moral well-being of the human family. As President Spencer W. Kimball said many years ago: “We know that when things go wrong in the family, things go wrong in every other institution in society.”

26. We reject the modern idea that marriage is a relationship that exists primarily for the fulfillment of the individuals who enter into it, with either one of them being able to terminate it at will. We focus on the well-being of children, not just ourselves.  “By divine design, both a man and a woman are essential for bringing children into mortality and providing the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.”

27. This declaration is not politically correct, but it is true, and we are responsible to teach and practice its truth. That obviously sets us against many assumptions and practices in today’s world—the birth of millions of innocent children to unwed mothers being only one illustration.

28. Men and women spirits “complete each other” because they are different, and they “progress together toward exaltation” by, among other things, honoring those eternal, created differences. We rejoice in the distinctive and mutually supportive roles of men and women in God’s plan. Men and women are to be different, yet they are inseparably bound together in a mutually supportive relationship to accomplish God’s plan. All of us—men and women alike—find true and lasting happiness when we understand and rejoice in our unique roles in God’s great plan of salvation.

29. When we begin by measuring modern practices and proposals against what we know of God’s plan and the premises given in the word of God and the teachings of His living prophets, we must anticipate that our conclusions will differ from persons who do not think in that way. But we are firm in this because we know that this puts us on safe ground eternally.

30.We should apply the caution Jesus gave to His disciples to “beware of the … doctrine of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:12). We cannot escape the conclusions, teachings, and advocacy of modern Pharisees. We must live in the world. But the teaching that we not be “of the world” (John 15:19; 17:14, 16) requires us to identify error and exclude it from our thinking, our desires, and our actions. In this way, through faith and trust in Jesus Christ and our knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s plan, we can press forward with confidence in these troubled times.(DHOaks, Feb. 8, 2013-Address to S&I) Abridged by Gary

“If there is nothing beyond death, then what is wrong with giving oneself wholly to pleasure in the short time one has left to live? The loss of faith in the ‘other world’ has saddled modern Western society with a fatal moral problem” 

Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham

Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham

No wonder the Lord wants the plan taught plainly and repetitively. And why not? It is God’s plan—not ours! And, given the unimpressive outcomes of man’s plans to solve the world’s problems, aren’t we glad.

1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints embraces the book of Abraham as scripture. This book, a record of the biblical prophet and patriarch Abraham, recounts how Abraham 1) sought the blessings of the priesthood, 2) rejected the idolatry of his father, 3) covenanted with Jehovah, 4) married Sarai, 5) moved to Canaan and Egypt, and 6) received knowledge about the Creation. The book of Abraham largely follows the biblical narrative but adds important information regarding Abraham’s life and teachings.

2. The book of Abraham was first published in 1842 and was canonized as part of the Pearl of Great Price in 1880. The book originated with Egyptian papyri that Joseph Smith translated beginning in 1835. Many people saw the papyri, but no eyewitness account of the translation survives, making it impossible to reconstruct the process. Only small fragments of the long papyrus scrolls once in Joseph Smith’s possession exist today. The relationship between those fragments and the text we have today is largely a matter of conjecture.

3. We do know some things about the translation process. The word translation typically assumes an expert knowledge of multiple languages. Joseph Smith claimed no expertise in any language. He readily acknowledged that he was one of the “weak things of the world,” called to speak words sent “from heaven.”  Speaking of the translation of the Book of Mormon, the Lord said, “You cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.” The same principle can be applied to the book of Abraham. The Lord did not require Joseph Smith to have knowledge of Egyptian. By the gift and power of God, Joseph received knowledge about the life and teachings of Abraham.

4. On many particulars, the book of Abraham is consistent with historical knowledge about the ancient world. Some of this knowledge, which is discussed later in this essay, had not yet been discovered or was not well known in 1842. But even this evidence of ancient origins, substantial though it may be, cannot prove the truthfulness of the book of Abraham any more than archaeological evidence can prove the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt or the Resurrection of the Son of God. The book of Abraham’s status as scripture ultimately rests on faith in the saving truths found within the book itself as witnessed by the Holy Ghost.

5. Thousands of years ago, the prophet Nephi learned that one purpose of the Book of Mormon was to “establish the truth” of the Bible. In a similar way, the book of Abraham supports, expands, and clarifies the biblical account of Abraham’s life. In the biblical account, God covenants with Abraham to “make of thee a great nation.”  The book of Abraham provides context for that covenant by showing that Abraham was a seeker of “great knowledge” and a “follower of righteousness” who chose the right path in spite of great hardship. He rejected the wickedness of his father’s household and spurned the idols of the surrounding culture, despite the threat of death. 

6. In the Bible, God’s covenant with Abraham appears to begin during Abraham’s life. According to the book of Abraham, the covenant began before the foundation of the earth and was passed down through Adam, Noah, and other prophets.  Abraham thus takes his place in a long line of prophets and patriarchs whose mission is to preserve and extend God’s covenant on earth. The heart of this covenant is the priesthood, through which “the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” are conveyed.

7. The book of Abraham clarifies several teachings that are obscure in the Bible. Life did not begin at birth, as is commonly believed. Prior to coming to earth, individuals existed as spirits. In a vision, Abraham saw that one of the spirits was “like unto God.” This divine being, Jesus Christ, led other spirits in organizing the earth out of “materials” or preexisting matter, not ex nihilo or out of nothing, as many Christians later came to believe. Abraham further learned that mortal life was crucial to the plan of happiness God would provide for His children: “We will prove them herewith,” God stated, “to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them,” adding a promise to add glory forever upon the faithful.  Nowhere in the Bible is the purpose and potential of earth life stated so clearly as in the book of Abraham.

8. The powerful truths found in the book of Abraham emerged from a set of unique historical events. In the summer of 1835, an entrepreneur named Michael Chandler arrived at Church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio, with four mummies and multiple scrolls of papyrus. Chandler found a ready audience. Due partly to the exploits of the French emperor Napoleon, the antiquities unearthed in the catacombs of Egypt had created a fascination across the Western world. Chandler capitalized on this interest by touring with ancient Egyptian artifacts and charging visitors a fee to see them.

9. These artifacts had been uncovered by Antonio Lebolo, a former cavalryman in the Italian army. Lebolo, who oversaw some of the excavations for the consul general of France, pulled 11 mummies from a tomb not far from the ancient city of Thebes. Lebolo shipped the artifacts to Italy, and after his death, they ended up in New York. At some point the mummies and scrolls came into Chandler’s possession.

10. By the time the collection arrived in Kirtland, all but four mummies and several papyrus scrolls had already been sold. A group of Latter-day Saints in Kirtland purchased the remaining artifacts for the Church. After Joseph Smith examined the papyri and commenced “the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics,” his history recounts, “much to our joy [we] found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham.”

11. Joseph Smith worked on the translation of the book of Abraham during the summer and fall of 1835, by which time he completed at least the first chapter and part of the second chapter.  His journal next speaks of translating the papyri in the spring of 1842, after the Saints had relocated to Nauvoo, Illinois. All five chapters of the book of Abraham, along with three illustrations (now known as facsimiles 1, 2, and 3), were published in the Times and Seasons, the Church’s newspaper in Nauvoo, between March and May 1842.

12. The book of Abraham was the last of Joseph Smith’s translation efforts. In these inspired translations, Joseph Smith did not claim to know the ancient languages of the records he was translating. Much like the Book of Mormon, Joseph’s translation of the book of Abraham was recorded in the language of the King James Bible. This was the idiom of scripture familiar to early Latter-day Saints, and its use was consistent with the Lord’s pattern of revealing His truths “after the manner of their [His servants’] language, that they might come to understanding.”

13. Joseph’s translations took a variety of forms. Some of his translations, like that of the Book of Mormon, utilized ancient documents in his possession. Other times, his translations were not based on any known physical records. Joseph’s translation of portions of the Bible, for example, included restoration of original text, harmonization of contradictions within the Bible itself, and inspired commentary.

14. Some evidence suggests that Joseph studied the characters on the Egyptian papyri and attempted to learn the Egyptian language. His history reports that, in July 1835, he was “continually engaged in translating an alphabet to the Book of Abraham, and arranging a grammar of the Egyptian language as practiced by the ancients.” This “grammar,” as it was called, consisted of columns of hieroglyphic characters followed by English translations recorded in a large notebook by Joseph’s scribe, William W. Phelps. Another manuscript, written by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, has Egyptian characters followed by explanations.

15. The relationship of these documents to the book of Abraham is not fully understood. Neither the rules nor the translations in the grammar book correspond to those recognized by Egyptologists today. Whatever the role of the grammar book, it appears that Joseph Smith began translating portions of the book of Abraham almost immediately after the purchase of the papyri. Phelps apparently viewed Joseph Smith as uniquely capable of understanding the Egyptian characters: “As no one could translate these writings,” he told his wife, “they were presented to President Smith. He soon knew what they were.”

16. After the Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo, the Egyptian artifacts remained behind. Joseph Smith’s family sold the papyri and the mummies in 1856. The papyri were divided up and sold to various parties; historians believe that most were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Ten papyrus fragments once in Joseph Smith’s possession ended up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In 1967, the museum transferred these fragments to the Church, which subsequently published them in the Church’s magazine, the Improvement Era.

17. The discovery of the papyrus fragments renewed debate about Joseph Smith’s translation. The fragments included one vignette, or illustration, that appears in the book of Abraham as facsimile 1. Long before the fragments were published by the Church, some Egyptologists had said that Joseph Smith’s explanations of the various elements of these facsimiles did not match their own interpretations of these drawings. Joseph Smith had published the facsimiles as freestanding drawings, cut off from the hieroglyphs or hieratic characters that originally surrounded the vignettes. The discovery of the fragments meant that readers could now see the hieroglyphs and characters immediately surrounding the vignette that became facsimile 1.

18. None of the characters on the papyrus fragments mentioned Abraham’s name or any of the events recorded in the book of Abraham. Mormon and non-Mormon Egyptologists agree that the characters on the fragments do not match the translation given in the book of Abraham, though there is not unanimity, even among non-Mormon scholars, about the proper interpretation of the vignettes on these fragments. Scholars have identified the papyrus fragments as parts of standard funerary texts that were deposited with mummified bodies. These fragments date to between the third century B.C.E. and the first century C.E., long after Abraham lived.

19. Of course, the fragments do not have to be as old as Abraham for the book of Abraham and its illustrations to be authentic. Ancient records are often transmitted as copies or as copies of copies. The record of Abraham could have been edited or redacted by later writers much as the Book of Mormon prophet-historians Mormon and Moroni revised the writings of earlier peoples. Moreover, documents initially composed for one context can be repackaged for another context or purpose. Illustrations once connected with Abraham could have either drifted or been dislodged from their original context and reinterpreted hundreds of years later in terms of burial practices in a later period of Egyptian history. The opposite could also be true: illustrations with no clear connection to Abraham anciently could, by revelation, shed light on the life and teachings of this prophetic figure.

20. Some have assumed that the hieroglyphs adjacent to and surrounding facsimile 1 must be a source for the text of the book of Abraham. But this claim rests on the assumption that a vignette and its adjacent text must be associated in meaning. In fact, it was not uncommon for ancient Egyptian vignettes to be placed some distance from their associated commentary.

21. Neither the Lord nor Joseph Smith explained the process of translation of the book of Abraham, but some insight can be gained from the Lord’s instructions to Joseph regarding translation. In April 1829, Joseph received a revelation for Oliver Cowdery that taught that both intellectual work and revelation were essential to translating sacred records. It was necessary to “study it out in your mind” and then seek spiritual confirmation. Records indicate that Joseph and others studied the papyri and that close observers also believed that the translation came by revelation. As John Whitmer observed, “Joseph the Seer saw these Record[s] and by the revelation of Jesus Christ could translate these records.”

It is likely futile to assess Joseph’s ability to translate papyri when we now have only a fraction of the papyri he had in his possession. Eyewitnesses spoke of “a long roll” or multiple “rolls” of papyrus. Since only fragments survive, it is likely that much of the papyri accessible to Joseph when he translated the book of Abraham is not among these fragments. The loss of a significant portion of the papyri means the relationship of the papyri to the published text cannot be settled conclusively by reference to the papyri.

22. Alternatively, Joseph’s study of the papyri may have led to a revelation about key events and teachings in the life of Abraham, much as he had earlier received a revelation about the life of Moses while studying the Bible. This view assumes a broader definition of the words translator and translation. According to this view, Joseph’s translation was not a literal rendering of the papyri as a conventional translation would be. Rather, the physical artifacts provided an occasion for meditation, reflection, and revelation. They catalyzed a process whereby God gave to Joseph Smith a revelation about the life of Abraham, even if that revelation did not directly correlate to the characters on the papyri.

23. A careful study of the book of Abraham provides a better measure of the book’s merits than any hypothesis that treats the text as a conventional translation. Evidence suggests that elements of the book of Abraham fit comfortably in the ancient world and supports the claim that the book of Abraham is an authentic record.

24. The book of Abraham speaks disapprovingly of human sacrifice offered on an altar in Chaldea. Some victims were placed on the altar as sacrifices because they rejected the idols worshipped by their leaders. Recent scholarship has found instances of such punishment dating to Abraham’s time. People who challenged the standing religious order, either in Egypt or in the regions over which it had influence (such as Canaan), could and did suffer execution for their offenses. The conflict over the religion of Pharaoh, as described in Abraham 1:11–12, is an example of punishment now known to have been meted out during the Abrahamic era.

25. The book of Abraham contains other details that are consistent with modern discoveries about the ancient world. The book speaks of “the plain of Olishem,” a name not mentioned in the Bible. An ancient inscription, not discovered and translated until the 20th century, mentions a town called “Ulisum,” located in northwestern Syria.³⁷Further, Abraham 3:22–23 is written in a poetic structure more characteristic of Near Eastern languages than early American writing style.

26. Joseph Smith’s explanations of the facsimiles of the book of Abraham contain additional earmarks of the ancient world. Facsimile 1 and Abraham 1:17 mention the idolatrous god Elkenah. This deity is not mentioned in the Bible, yet modern scholars have identified it as being among the gods worshipped by ancient Mesopotamians. Joseph Smith represented the four figures in figure 6 of facsimile 2 as “this earth in its four quarters.” A similar interpretation has been argued by scholars who study identical figures in other ancient Egyptian texts. Facsimile 1 contains a crocodile deity swimming in what Joseph Smith called “the firmament over our heads.” This interpretation makes sense in light of scholarship that identifies Egyptian conceptions of heaven with “a heavenly ocean.”

27. The book of Abraham is consistent with various details found in nonbiblical stories about Abraham that circulated in the ancient world around the time the papyri were likely created. In the book of Abraham, God teaches Abraham about the sun, the moon, and the stars. “I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt,” the Lord says, “that ye may declare all these words.” Ancient texts repeatedly refer to Abraham instructing the Egyptians in knowledge of the heavens. For example, Eupolemus, who lived under Egyptian rule in the second century B.C.E., wrote that Abraham taught astronomy and other sciences to the Egyptian priests. A third-century papyrus from an Egyptian temple library connects Abraham with an illustration similar to facsimile 1 in the book of Abraham. A later Egyptian text, discovered in the 20th century, tells how the Pharaoh tried to sacrifice Abraham, only to be foiled when Abraham was delivered by an angel. Later, according to this text, Abraham taught members of the Pharaoh’s court through astronomy. All these details are found in the book of Abraham.

Other details in the book of Abraham are found in ancient traditions located across the Near East. These include Terah, Abraham’s father, being an idolator; a famine striking Abraham’s homeland; Abraham’s familiarity with Egyptian idols; and Abraham's being younger than 75 years old when he left Haran, as the biblical account states. Some of these extra biblical elements were available in apocryphal books or biblical commentaries in Joseph Smith’s lifetime, but others were confined to nonbiblical traditions inaccessible or unknown to 19th-century Americans.

28. The veracity and value of the book of Abraham cannot be settled by scholarly debate concerning the book’s translation and historicity. The book’s status as scripture lies in the eternal truths it teaches and the powerful spirit it conveys. The book of Abraham imparts profound truths about the nature of God, His relationship to us as His children, and the purpose of this mortal life. The truth of the book of Abraham is ultimately found through careful study of its teachings, sincere prayer, and the confirmation of the Spirit.

Lesson 10: Prayer and Revelation

Lesson 10: Prayer and Revelation

Come prepared to share your Favorite Scripture on Prayer

1.Prayer is a sacred privilege and commandment that allows us to communicate with a loving Heavenly Father. He hears and answers our prayers. Those who diligently seek the Lord’s guidance can be blessed with personal revelation. This lesson highlights what we can do to prepare our hearts and our minds to receive answers to our prayers.

2. Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, Jan. 1983; Richard G. Scott, “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life,” Ensign ,May 2012; David A. Bednar, “The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign, May 2011, 87–90.

3. 3 Nephi 14:7–11-  While technology allows us to communicate with nearly anyone we choose, why do we sometimes find it difficult to communicate effectively with our Heavenly Father?

4.  “No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place” (James E. Faust,  Ensign, May 2002, 59).

5. 2 Nephi 32:8–9- What do you think it means to “pray always”? What does it mean that the Lord will “consecrate” our efforts for the welfare of our soul when you pray for His help?

6. 10:17–19  what these verses teach about revelation, including who is entitled to revelation.

What do these verses teach about personal revelation?

7. “The spirit of revelation] is not restricted to the presiding authorities of the Church; rather, it belongs to and should be operative in the life of every man, woman, and child who reaches the age of accountability and enters into sacred covenants. Sincere desire and worthiness invite the spirit of revelation into our lives” (DABednar Ensign , May 2011).

8. 1 Nephi 15:1–3, 7–11- verse 11 is an example of an “if-then” statement in the scriptures.

9. Alma 26:22

10. Jacob 4:6- What Jacob’s people did, to invite revelation.

11. “When we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. “If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline” (RDHalesEnsign  Nov. 2006).

12. How the Lord provides personal revelation; 1 Nephi 4:6; 1 Nephi 8:2; Jacob 7:5; Enos 1:10;

Helaman 13:5; 3 Nephi 11:3

13. “The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. …“Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, ‘Speak [Lord], for thy servant heareth.’ (1 Sam. 3:10.)” BK Packer, Ensign, Jan. 1983).

14. “His answers will seldom come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. Rather, He will prompt you in quiet moments when the Spirit can most effectively touch your mind and heart. Hence, you should find periods of quiet time to recognize when you are being instructed and strengthened” (RGScott Ensign, May 2007).

15. 1 Nephi 18:1–3; 2 Nephi 28:30; Alma 12:9–11The Lord reveals truth to us according to how diligently we give heed to His word. Revelation often comes to us line upon line.)

16. “Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently ‘distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven’ (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare” (DABednar).

17. If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now. William Cowper declared, ‘Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees’ (TSMonson, Ensign , Nov. 2007, 61).

18. President Hunter’s counsel reflected his testimony of the help that comes through prayer:

“I said to him, ‘My brother, if you will go home and pray for him every morning and every night, I’ll meet you two weeks from today at this same time and then we will decide what should be done.’”

After following this counsel, the man returned and humbly said of the other man, “He needs some help.” “Are you willing to help him?” President Hunter asked. “Yes, of course,” the man said. “All the venom was gone and all the bitterness was gone,” President Hunter later recalled. “This is the way it is when we pray for one another.”

19. If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies.

20. Developing spirituality and attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not an easy matter. It takes time and frequently involves a struggle. It will not happen by chance, but is accomplished only through deliberate effort and by calling upon God and keeping his commandments. …

The Prophet Joseph Smith … the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment”

21. None of us has attained perfection or the zenith of spiritual growth that is possible in mortality. Every person can and must make spiritual progress. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the divine plan for that spiritual growth eternally. It is more than a code of ethics. It is more than an ideal social order. It is more than positive thinking about self-improvement and determination. The gospel is the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ with his priesthood and sustenance and with the Holy Spirit. With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to his gospel, a step at a time improving as we go, pleading for strength, improving our attitudes and our ambitions, we will find ourselves successfully in the fold of the Good Shepherd. That will require discipline and training and exertion and strength.

22. What I needed to know about the promptings I found in the Book of Mormon. “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, … feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” Perhaps the single greatest thing I learned from reading the Book of Mormon is that the voice of the Spirit comes as a feeling rather than a sound. You will learn, as I have learned, to “listen” for that voice that is felt rather than heard. Nephi scolded his older brothers, saying, “Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words.”  Some critics have said that these verses are in error because you hear words; you do not feel them. But if you know anything at all about spiritual communication, you know that the best word to describe what takes place is the word feeling. The gift of the Holy Ghost, if you consent, will guide and protect you and even correct your actions. It is a spiritual voice that comes into the mind as a thought or a feeling put into your heart. The prophet Enos said, “The voice of the Lord came into my mind.” And the Lord told Oliver Cowdery, “Behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you.” It is not expected that you go through life without making mistakes, but you will not make a major mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Spirit. This promise applies to all members of the Church. (BKPacker, Oct. 2011)