Moses 6

1. Moses 6:1- A responsibility of parents.

2. Moses 6:2-3 The priesthood was passed in a patriarchal order from Adam to his son Seth (D&C 107:40–43). Abel had been chosen to carry the responsibilities of the priesthood to succeeding generations. But after he was murdered, Seth, who was born 130 years after the Fall of Adam and Eve, was selected as the chosen son to carry this sacred priesthood responsibility. He was ordained when he was 69 years old and lived a total of 912 years. The scriptures refer to him as a “perfect man, and his likeness was the express likeness of his father”

3. Moses 6:5 -  Since the time of Adam and Eve, people have written, learned from, and taught from inspired writings (the scriptures). These writings have included family lineage and the inspired actions and sayings of family members (Luke 24:32; Jacob 4:1–6; Alma 18:38–39; D&C 20:8–13, 17–26, 35; Abraham 1:28, 31). “In the beginning God gave Adam a language that was pure, perfect, and undefiled. This Adamic language, now unknown, was far superior to any tongue which is presently extant. “This first language spoken by mortals was either the celestial tongue of the Gods or such adaptation of it as was necessary to meet the limitations of mortality; and Adam and his posterity had power to speak, read, and write it” (Mormon Doctrine, 19).  D&C 68:2-4

4. Moses 6:7. The priesthood “is without beginning of days or end of years” (D&C 84:17). From the time of Adam & Eve, the priesthood, the gospel, & the ordinances were available as we have them today (Moses 5:58–59; D&C 107:40–42). “The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed. …“The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam’s authority” (TPJS, 157).

5. Moses 6:8–25- There were 20 generations of the priesthood from Adam to Abraham, being passed from father to son. 8 generations in Moses 6:8–25(from Adam to Methuselah); in Moses 8:5–12, three more generations (Lamech, Noah, and Shem), and Genesis 11:10–26 records the 9 generations from Shem to Abram (Abraham). (D&C 107:40–52.)

6. Moses 6:17; 40-41-The people of God  moved from a land filled with wickedness to a land of promise. A pattern repeated many times in scripture (1 Nephi 1–18; Omni 1:12–19; Ether 1–4).

7. Moses 6:23- Anybody know of any "Preachers of Righteousness" today? Alma 4:19; 17:9–17;31:5

8. Moses 6:26–32; Exodus 4:10–12; Jeremiah 1:4–10, 17–19; D&C 112:3–5, 7–11; 1 Corinthians 1:26–27; Ether 12:23–27; D&C 1:19–20;33:8–10

9. Moses 6:26–36. Heart, Ears, and Eyes- What was Enoch blessed to feel, hear, and see that the people could not? Why? Truths illustrated by Enoch’s washing of his eyes…

10. Moses 6:27–28, 43–44; Jacob 4:8–14; D&C 3:6–8). Who do we seek counsel from?

11. Moses 6:35-36;Mosiah 8:13-18 A “seer” is a prophet who is blessed by the Spirit to see things not visible to the natural eye.

12. Moses 6:37-47; 1 Nephi 16:1-3-  The wicked often take offense at the words of the prophets.

Because of the Fall and our own sins, we are “shut out” from the presence of God (Moses 6:48–49; Mosiah 16:3–4; Ether 3:2).

13. Moses 6:53-54-Because of the Atonement of Christ, all children are born innocent ( Mosiah 3:16; Moroni 8:8; D&C 29:46; 93:38; Articles of Faith 1:2).

14. True or False - 1. Little children are fallen beings. 2. Little children must repent and be baptized.

3. Little children begin to sin at age eight. 4. Without the Atonement little children would be damned.

5. Little children who die are saved in the celestial kingdom.

15. Moses 6:55- “Conceived in sin” means “born into a world of sin” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 101). D&C 105:9-10- Would be different if we were not allowed to experience the bitterness of sin and its consequences? It is not necessary to commit sin in order to learn about the consequences of sin.  The Savior learned about the consequences of sin by taking upon Himself the sins of the world.  (Alma 7:11–13).

16. “No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind” (ETBenson, Ensign,May 1987, 85).

17. Moses 6:56. God gave us the great gift of agency in the day He created us (Moses 7:32). Moral agency enables us to choose between good and evil and to experience the consequences of our choices (2 Nephi 2:14–16, 25–29; D&C 101:78).

18. Moses 6:57-58; D&C 68:25-27)The Lord has commanded parents to teach their children to repent.

19  Moses 6:59–60; John 3:3–5; Mosiah 27:25; Alma 36:17–24;D&C 5:16 “Two births are essential to salvation. Man cannot be saved without birth into mortality, nor can he return to his heavenly home without a birth into the realm of the Spirit. … The elements present in a mortal birth and in a spiritual birth are the same. They are water, blood, and spirit. Thus every mortal birth is a heaven-given reminder to prepare for the second birth. …“In every mortal birth the child is immersed in water in the mother’s womb. At the appointed time the spirit enters the body, and blood always flows in the veins of the new person. Otherwise, without each of these, there is no life, no birth, no mortality. “In every birth into the kingdom of heaven, the newborn babe in Christ is immersed in water, he receives the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the blood of Christ cleanses him from all sin. Otherwise, without each of these, there is no Spirit-birth, no newness of life, no hope of eternal life. …“… These elements were again present in [Christ’s] death. He sweat great drops of blood in Gethsemane as he took upon himself the sins of all men on conditions of repentance. This same agony and suffering recurred on the cross. It was then that he permitted his spirit to leave his body, and it was then that blood and water gushed from his riven side” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 288–89).

20. Moses 6:60. Justification- To be justified is to be made just, or free from guilt and sin. The Holy Ghost is the member of the Godhead whose power acts as a cleansing agent that removes guilt and sin from our lives (see 2 Nephi 31:17). President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Through the shedding of the blood of Christ, we are cleansed and sanctified; and we are justified, through the Spirit of God” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:324–25). 

Sanctification- To be sanctified is to be holy and worthy of eternal life and immortal glory (see Moroni 10:32–33). Through His perfect Atonement, Jesus Christ shed His blood and made it possible for all who have faith and repent to be sanctified (see Mosiah 3:11, 18; Alma 34:10–16). Thus, we are ransomed and made holy by the blood of Christ. President Joseph Fielding Smith, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught:

“The atonement by which men are redeemed, was made by one without blemish and without spot. He had to be one who had life in himself, and therefore all power over death. No mortal man could make the atonement. Moreover, the atonement had to be made by the shedding of blood, for blood is the vitalizing force of the mortal body. …“The Scriptures are replete with passages teaching us that there could be no remission of sins without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ” (CR Apr. 1956, 127).

21. Moses 6:63- In the creation of the heavens and the earth, the Lord used physical symbols to teach us doctrines and principles of Jesus Christ and His gospel (2 Nephi 11:4). Understanding gospel symbols requires the uniting of an earthly or concrete dimension with a transcendent, spiritual dimension. The prophet Alma taught that “all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44). These things not only testify of the existence of a Supreme Being, but also that He is Jesus Christ, the Creator of all.

Lesson 24: All Are Alike unto God

1. To protect themselves after the death of Lehi, Nephi and other righteous members of Lehi’s family were directed by the Lord to separate from Laman and Lemuel and their followers. Thereafter, contentions and wars often defined the relationship between the Nephites and Lamanites. This lesson discusses how the gospel of Jesus Christ transcends religious, ethnic, cultural, and other differences to unite God’s children.

2. Dallin H. Oaks, “All Men Everywhere,” Ensign , May 2006, 77–80.

3. Howard W. Hunter, Faith, "Ensign, Nov. 1991, 18–19.

4. 2 Nephi 5:1–7  2 Nephi 5:34.

5. 2 Nephi 26:23–28, 33  none, any, and all.   Jesus Christ loves all people and invites all to come unto Him and partake of His salvation.  Alma 5:33–34; Alma 19:36.

6. Jacob 7:24; Enos 1:11, 20

7. “The Book of Mormon promises that all who receive and act upon the Lord’s invitation to ‘repent and believe in his Son’ become ‘the covenant people of the Lord’ (2 Nephi 30:2). This is a potent reminder that neither riches nor lineage nor any other privileges of birth should cause us to believe that we are ‘better one than another’ (Alma 5:54; Jacob 3:9). ‘Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another’ (Mosiah 23:7)” (Oaks)

8. Ponder your attitude toward individuals who come from a different background.

9.  Mosiah 27; Mosiah 28:1–3  When we see others as our brothers and sisters, our desire to share the gospel with them increases.

10. “All men and women have not only a physical lineage leading back to Adam and Eve, their first earthly parents, but also a spiritual heritage leading back to God the Eternal Father. Thus, all persons on earth are literally brothers and sisters in the family of God. “It is in understanding and accepting this universal fatherhood of God that all human beings can best appreciate God’s concern for them and their relationship to each other. This is a message of life and love that strikes squarely against all stifling traditions based on race, language, economic or political standing, educational rank, or cultural background, for we are all of the same spiritual descent” (TPC: Howard W. Hunter [2015], 123–24).

11. Helaman 6:1–8- 50 years after the sons of Mosiah served their missions to the Lamanites.

12. Alma 27:1–2, 20–24 - Alma 53:10–11, 13–17 - As people embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ, they become unified with one another.

13.  4 Nephi 1:1–2, 3, 11–13, 15–18,

14. What do you think it means to have no “manner of -ites”?

15.  “Your Heavenly Father assigned you to be born into a specific lineage from which you received your inheritance of race, culture, and traditions. That lineage can provide a rich heritage and great reasons to rejoice. Yet you have the responsibility to determine if there is any part of that heritage that must be discarded because it works against the Lord’s plan of happiness. …

“I testify that you will remove barriers to happiness and find greater peace as you make your first allegiance your membership in the Church of Jesus Christ, and His teachings the foundation of your life. Where family or national traditions or customs conflict with the teachings of God, set them aside. Where traditions and customs are in harmony with His teachings, they should be cherished and followed to preserve your culture and heritage” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 1998, 86–87).

16. How has being a member of the Church helped you feel unified with Church members who have backgrounds different from yours?

How to Truly Understand the Symbolism of Eden-Meridian By Michael Wilcox · August 9, 2016

 

The following is the first chapter of “Twice Blessed” by S. Michael Wilcox. 

Genesis was the first revealed scripture God gave to the world. Therein are stories and truths that we might call “first-tier” principles. Given so early in the world’s history, they seem to teach those elemental ideals that God would have all His children from the very beginning learn and internalize in their lives. Part of our receiving the healing hope and guidance of these primeval stories, especially that of Adam and Eve, is in our learning how to read them.

The earliest chapters of Genesis are not written in the style of writing we may call “historical narrative,” but are written in one we can title “mythopoetic.” Understanding this is essential. When we read something in the historical-narrative style we anticipate that almost all the elements of the story can be taken at face value and read straightforwardly. The history of David’s life and the ministry of Jesus are of this genre. However, when we switch to the mythopoetic, there are other expectations and unique ways of teaching, which are equally valid. It is somewhat counterproductive to read the mythopoetic with the historical-narrative mind. We will miss a great deal and become subject to misunderstanding and sometimes outright foolishness.

We must not be alarmed at the world “myth,” which suggests to too many people a story of fiction. In this style, not everything must be read as literally as in historical narrative. The figurative and symbolic come into play. The writing is often driven by imagery and emblematic story. We are aiming at the meaning and truths behind the story—not its details.

We are especially invited to deeply relate to the characters in the account, for what happens to them in many cases is archetypal. We must see ourselves in these stories. The personalities and events represent the broad spectrum of humanity. For example, the Creation story is best appreciated when read with the mind-set with which we would read a poem. When read this way, it is more alive, lovelier. The emphasis is on the beauty, variety, and creative genius of God, not a scientific exposition of the grand creative process. “I did it. I did a good job. So love it and take care of it,” the Lord tells us in beautiful and repetitive language alive with imagery. This should receive the emphasis, and this accent is what is rightly depicted in the endowment.

If we tie the creative process down too sharply, we are going to have difficulties, such as in how the account in Genesis, and even in our modern-day scriptures, differs from that given in the temple. On the poetic level the concern goes away, as the details are secondary to the emotional impact desired.

Naked and Not Ashamed

Such is the story in the Garden of Eden. At first glance this is obvious, as man was not factually made from “the dust of the ground” (Genesis 2:7); woman did not literally arise from the rib or side of a man, and snakes don’t talk or walk with legs. We can remember also that we never have to reject or deny the literal when reading this literary style, as both may be in play, but the essential truths are to be found in the figurative. Here is an example in the Adam and Eve story that may serve as a prelude to the one image dealing with forgiveness we want to particularly understand, as it is central to the Lord’s purpose in the whole Eden episode. Remember, this is a forgiveness story.

“I, the Lord God, caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam” (Moses 3:21). Deep sleep, when used elsewhere in the Bible, does not mean the person is sleeping as we view sleep. In the case of Abraham (see Genesis 15:12) and Daniel (see Daniel 8:18 or 10:9), for example, the person is in a revelatory state, receiving visions and truths in a celestial environment. Each is fully alert.

Of the termination of the First Vision, Joseph Smith wrote, “When I came to myself” (JS—H 1:20), and Paul spoke of a vision he had when he was caught up to the third heaven: “Whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2). In a manner of speaking, they were both in a state of deep sleep at the time of these revelations. This reading of the description of deep sleep highly elevates the moment in the Garden of Eden when Eve, or woman, is introduced onto the stage of creation.

I do not wish to make this a treatise on figurative language, but I feel the groundwork needs to be set for the first wonderful teaching given in earth’s history of forgiveness, for forgiveness is a dominant theme in this story and it is relevant to us all. We are all Adam. We are all Eve.

We are told both Adam and Eve were “naked . . . and were not ashamed” (Moses 3:25). This could certainly be literal, although we might also say that modesty is an eternal principle. Nonetheless, the beauty and power is in the figurative. In their innocence, Adam and Eve had nothing to hide from each other or God. They had nothing to cover up. They were “not ashamed” because of this, for there was no action that could generate shame. They were innocent and determined to obey all of the Father’s commandments.

When Lucifer accomplished his aim in getting them both to take of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we read, “The eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they had been naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (Moses 4:13).

For the fullest insight into this verse we might add as clarification, “They knew that they had been naked—and had not been ashamed.” Now they wished to hide, to cover up. Let us not get diverted in the story by doctrinal issues of the necessity of the Fall, or the courage of Eve, or how much they knew or did not know at this moment. We are looking at the story for insight into our own lives and behavior, and that insight comes with the symbolic.

Fruits from the Tree

In a certain sense, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents human agency and our mortal state. We exercise agency in response to law and thereby taste the fruits of good and the fruits of evil actions. We learn by our own experience what the consequences of good and evil taste like and can increasingly choose the good. The Lord explained it all to Adam, saying, “They taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good” (Moses 6:55).

That is what the tree is all about. It presents the great opposites—despair and delight, good and evil, virtue and vice, sorrow and joy. These are the fruits our choices produce. The tree stands before each of us, and it stands there all the time. Where can you go to get away from the tree in this life? Though many wish to avoid or deny the consequences of choice, the tree will give its fruits as we pick them—bitter or sweet. What fruits come from good? What fruits come from evil?

Later the Father tells the Son, “The man is become as one of us to know good and evil” (Moses 4:28; emphasis added). The core truth of godhood or divinity is the ability to distinguish between all good and all evil choices, with the additional understanding that a god will always choose the good. Godhood is the ultimate and final fruit of the tree, or a perfect knowledge of the fruits of good and evil coupled with perfect choice. This is what we are down here to learn.

Once we learn this we can partake of the tree of life and live forever, but in a state of exaltation. Jesus learned it better than any other human being, for His perception was always correct and He consistently chose the fruits of goodness. We, however, are going to make many mistakes as we taste the fruits of this tree that we savor every hour of our lives. Forgiveness will be a constant aspect of life. We will see our nakedness and be ashamed. How we deal with that sense of shame will make all the difference in our mortal progression.

Fig-Leaf Aprons

Adam and Eve, in response to Satan’s suggestion, chose to hide—to cover up. “They heard the voice of the Lord God, . . .and Adam and his wife went to hide themselves from the presence of the Lord God” (Moses 4:14). This is a very human response, and we all can relate to it. When you or I exercise our agency and partake of forbidden fruit, or as the Lord taught it, we “taste the bitter, that [we] may know to prize the good,” we too feel ashamed and wish to hide or cover up our actions.

Examples of this are too numerous to name. We, like Adam and Eve, hear the voice of the Lord God calling to us, and He has many voices to invite us out of our coverts. We perceive our nakedness, sew our fig-leaf aprons, and disappear “amongst the trees of the garden” (Moses 4:14), because often we are not ready for the face-to-face encounter with God and our own actions.

There are many types of fig-leaf aprons, and I suppose we are fairly acquainted with them all. We certainly all sew them. Some ways they are most frequently sewn are through telling lies, making excuses, rationalizing, blaming others, hiding in the shadows of self-comforting doubt or intellectual posturing, trying to change the moral landscape to make forbidden things acceptable, etc. There may be as many fig-leaf aprons as there are people to sew them, but God has a better way, as He always does.

Coats of Skins

I assume the Lord’s calling to His two beloved children was with a voice of tenderness. He certainly knew where they were hiding and why they had sewn the aprons. In the ensuing conversation they came out of hiding, acknowledged their actions, and waited for the Lord’s response. Repentance, in a symbolic, visual sense, is removing the aprons, coming out of hiding, and talking openly, trustingly, and honestly with God—and ourselves, we might add.

There are consequences of labor for both the man and the woman, but the main thing to understand is the replacement of the fig-leaf aprons for the coats of skins. “Unto Adam, and also unto his wife, did I, the Lord God, make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Moses 4:27). On the figurative level the coats of skins represent the Lord’s way of covering nakedness, His answer to those moments when we are ashamed because we are tasting the bitter and are learning to prize the good fruits of our actions.

What is His way? Is it not through sending His Son to the earth to “be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. . . . That he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance” (Alma 7:12–13)? If we were to finish the symbolic power and beauty of the coats of skins and what they teach, we might ask, “What animal would be the most appropriate to use to make the coats?” And, “How would one obtain their skins?” We would answer, “A lamb would be most appropriate, for Jesus is the lamb of God.” And, “The lamb’s sacrifice would enable the covering protection to be obtained.”

“You don’t need to hide from me,” the Father assures us all. “There is no reason to sew aprons. I know your nakedness already and have provided my own covering for you. It is the covering of forgiveness made possible through my love and through the love of my Son’s sacrifice.” We need never hide from the Lord. We need never justify, blame, rationalize, lie, or pretend that eternal law is not eternal law.

God does not wish us to evade Him, fear Him, or fail to trust Him. As did Adam and Eve, we simply respond to our Heavenly Father’s voice calling to us, get out of the covering of the trees, remove our aprons, and allow Him to clothe us in His forgiveness—in His Son’s atoning sacrifice.

There is also inherent in the two coverings the comparison of the warmth, permanence, and fullness of the skins against the less substantial, perishable nature and thinness of the fig leaves. Every day Adam and Eve put on those coats of skins as a constant reminder that they were covered by the forgiving foresight and eternal design of the Father. They were covered by the Son’s life and ever-inviting atoning love and mercy.

So it was with our first parents, and so it is with us. From time to time I hear the Lord ask me, “What are you sewing, Mike? Why do you need the fig leaves?” It is always asked with concern, and I hear in His voice the moving toward forgiveness already. I drop my needle, we talk, and I feel again the warmth of that skin covering. We are daily clothed in forgiveness, for we will need it daily, as we are so beautifully shown in the Lord’s own house. This we must never forget about ourselves and about all other selves. It was one of the first truths our Father in Heaven wished us to know! Humanity’s experience on this planet begins with a choice and the subsequent forgiveness.

Lesson 23: The Scattering and Gathering of Israel

1. The Lord scattered the house of Israel because they hardened their hearts against Him, but He promised that they would be gathered in the last days. Prophecies in the Book of Mormon make clear that the long-promised gathering has begun. Members of the Church have the responsibility to bless the families of the earth by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2.  Look for gospel truths throughout today’s lesson that can encourage and help to share the gospel with others.

3. 1 Nephi 22:3–5  

4. 2 Nephi 25:15–17

5. 3 Nephi 5:24–26

6. 3 Nephi 20:13, 29–31

7. 3 Nephi 30:2

8.  “Why was Israel scattered? The answer is clear; it is plain; of it there is no doubt. Our Israelite forebears were scattered because they rejected the gospel, defiled the priesthood, forsook the church, and departed from the kingdom. …“What, then, is involved in the gathering of Israel? The gathering of Israel consists in believing and accepting and living in harmony with all that the Lord once offered his ancient chosen people. … It consists of believing the gospel, joining the Church, and coming into the kingdom. … It may also consist of assembling to an appointed place or land of worship” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 515).

9.  1 Nephi 10:12–14; 1 Nephi 15:7, 12–16 - Gentiles who have received the fulness of the gospel will take the gospel to Lehi's seed. In the Book of Mormon, the word Gentiles usually refers to those who are not from the tribe of Judah or from the land of Judah. These Gentiles will have the responsibility to bring the gospel to all the earth.

10. How does the metaphor of the olive tree help us understand the scattering and gathering of Israel?

11. “We have heretofore identified the Jews as both [those who live in] the kingdom of Judah and as their lineal descendants. … And we have said, within this usage of terms, that all other people are Gentiles, including the lost and scattered remnants of the kingdom of Israel. … Thus Joseph Smith, of the tribe of Ephraim, … was the Gentile by whose hand the Book of Mormon came forth, and the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints … are the Gentiles who carry salvation to the Lamanites and to the Jews” (The Millennial Messiah [1982], 233).

12. 1 Nephi 22:8–12 -  "make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations”  refers to the Lord showing His power throughout the world.

13. In the last days, the Lord will work through members of His Church to bless the families of the earth with His gospel and covenants.

14. “Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world. … After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? The Lord is counting on us and our sons—and He is profoundly grateful for our daughters—who worthily serve as missionaries in this great time of the gathering of Israel” (RMNelson, “Covenants,” Ensign  Nov. 2011, 88).

15. What are ways in which we can participate by sharing the gospel with the families of the earth?

16. 3 Nephi 16:4–5; 21:1–7

17.  The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign that God is fulfilling His covenant to gather Israel in the latter days.

18. 3 Nephi 16:4–5 

The Book of Mormon, the Instrument to Gather Scattered Israel - C. Scott Grow- Of the 70

              36 years ago I served a mission in southeast Mexico. No stakes, only two branches. With two or three exceptions, all the missionaries were from the United States.

I remember the people of the Nealtican Branch. All buildings in the town were made of adobe, except the Catholic cathedral and the LDS chapel. I remember standing in the small adobe house of the branch president. It had a dirt floor, windows with no glass, and a rug hanging over the entryway. There was no furniture in the house. His family had no shoes.He told me that they had sold everything they had to buy bus tickets to the Mesa temple, where they were sealed for time and all eternity. Many of the branch members had done the same thing.

A month ago I returned to Mexico to serve in the Mexico North Area Presidency. Nealtican is the center of a thriving stake of Zion. Mexico has 200 stakes and a million members of the Church. Many stake and ward leaders are highly educated and financially secure. Thousands of young men and women from Mexico are serving full-time missions.

Truly the vision seen by Lehi and interpreted by Nephi is coming to pass. “And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel.

Truly the people of Mexico and other Latin American countries are among the descendants of prophets. The Book of Mormon is their inheritance. Jesus Christ did minister unto their fathers.

When the ancient prophet Moroni appeared to Joseph, he told him “that God had a work for [him] to do; and that [his] name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.” 

That prophecy has come to pass. The name of Joseph Smith is known and revered throughout the world, even in the remote village of Nealtican, Mexico.

Recently, a member in Monterrey, Mexico, told me how the Book of Mormon changed his life. As a teenager, Jesús Santos was impressed by the LDS missionaries he saw walking down the dusty streets. He wanted to talk to them about their church but was told by a friend that you have to wait for them to contact you.

Many times he would go to the Church building and look through the iron fence at the missionaries and the Mutual youth playing games. They seemed to be so wholesome, and he wanted to be part of them. He would lean his chin on the fence, hoping that they would notice him and invite him to participate with them. It never happened.

As Jesús recounted his story to me, he said, “It is sad. I was a young man and could have served a full-time mission.”

He moved to Monterrey, Mexico. Nine years later he was visiting a friend across town when the missionaries knocked at the door. His friend wanted to send them away. Jesús begged him to let the missionaries talk to them for just two minutes. His friend consented.

The missionaries talked about the Book of Mormon, how Lehi’s family traveled from Jerusalem to the Americas, and how the resurrected Jesus Christ visited Lehi’s descendants in America.

Jesús wanted to know more. He was especially intrigued by the picture depicting Christ’s appearance in America. He gave the missionaries his address. He waited for months, but they never made contact with him.

Three more years passed. Some friends invited his family to a family home evening. They gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon.

As soon as he began to read it, he knew the Book of Mormon was true. Finally, 12 years after he first became aware of the Church, he and his wife were baptized. So many years had been lost. If missionaries had just talked to him, if the Mutual youth had just noticed a lonely teenager looking over the fence, if the missionaries in Monterrey had found him at home, his life would have been different during those 12 years. Gratefully, member neighbors invited him for a family home evening and shared with him that book which has such great converting power, the Book of Mormon.

Today Jesús Santos serves as the president of the Monterrey Mexico Temple.

Jesus Christ gave us the Book of Mormon as the instrument to gather scattered Israel. At the time of His appearance in America, He told the people, “And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be asign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.” 

The Book of Mormon is its own witness to the people of Latin America and of all nations. Its very coming forth in these latter days bears witness that God has once again begun to gather scattered Israel.

In my mind’s eye, I can still see Jesús Santos as a ragged 18-year-old boy looking over the fence at the chapel. Can you see him? Can you invite him and others like him to be one with us? Whom do you know that would respond to your invitation toread the Book of Mormon? Will you invite them? Don’t wait.

I testify that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is the means whereby people from all nations shall be gathered into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Church is founded upon apostles and prophets, just as it was in ancient days. President Gordon B. Hinckley is the Lord’s anointed prophet on the earth today. Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer. This is His Church and His kingdom. He is our King Immanuel. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Gathering of Scattered Israel  - Elder Russell M. Nelson

              My beloved brothers and sisters, thank you for your faith, your devotion, and your love. We share an enormous responsibility to be who the Lord wants us to be and to do what He wants us to do. We are part of a great movement—the gathering of scattered Israel.

Abrahamic Covenant-a promise to make his posterity a chosen people. The Son of God would come through Abraham’s lineage, that certain lands would be inherited, that nations and kindreds of the earth would be blessed through his seed. The Book of Mormon teaches that this Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled only in these latter days!  It also emphasizes that we are among the covenant people of the Lord.  Ours is the privilege to participate personally in the fulfillment of these promises. What an exciting time to live!

Israel Became Scattered-Ten tribes were carried captive into Assyria. From there they became lost to the records of mankind. (Obviously, the ten tribes are not lost to the Lord.) Two remaining tribes continued a short time and then, because of their rebellion, were taken captive into Babylon.  When they returned, but again they honored Him not. I will scatter you among the heathen,”  and that He did—into all nations.

Israel to Be Gathered- This promise of the gathering, woven all through the fabric of the scriptures, will be fulfilled just as surely as were the prophecies of the scattering of Israel. 

The Church of Jesus Christ in the Meridian of Time and the Apostasy-Prior to His Crucifixion, the Lord  established His Church. And the Master sent His disciples into the world to preach His gospel. 

This Great Apostasy followed the pattern that had ended each previous dispensation. The very first was in the time of Adam. Then came dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Their disobedience resulted in apostasy. Thus, all previous dispensations were limited in time and location.

The Restoration of All Things- It would not end in apostasy, and it would fill the world. 

The Gathering of Israel—an Integral Part of the Restoration of All Things

As prophesied by Peter and Paul, all things were to be restored in this dispensation. It is a necessary prelude to the Second Coming of the Lord.  This doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil.

The Book of Mormon is central to this work. It declares the doctrine of the gathering.  It causes people to learn about Jesus Christ, to believe His gospel, and to join His Church. In fact, if there were no Book of Mormon, the promised gathering of Israel would not occur.  To us the honored name of Abraham is important. It is mentioned in more verses of scriptures of the Restoration than in all verses of the Bible.  In the temple we receive our ultimate blessings, as the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times-The time to gather, both in heaven and on earth. Peter, James, and John were sent by the Lord with “the keys of [His] kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times."

 Moses appeared  “and committed … the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.

 Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham

Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.”  These events occurred on April 3, 1836.  

Gathering of Souls on the Other Side of the Veil

To Participate in the Gathering: A Commitment by Covenant- Missionary work is crucial to the gathering.

The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. “Every nation is the gathering place for its own people.”  .”  Zion is wherever righteous Saints are. Publications, communications, and congregations are now such that nearly all members have access to the doctrines, keys, ordinances, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location.

Top Ten Scriptures used in General Conference from 1971-2015 (Number of times used)  1. Moses 1:39  (170) 2. Moses 3:19 (90) 3. Mosiah 18:9 (71) 4. John 17:3 (71) 5. JSH 1:17 (71) 6. 3 Nephi 27:27 (66) 7. 2 Nephi 2:25(66)  8. John 14:27 (65) 9. D&C 14:7 (65) 10. Articles of Faith 1:13 (65)

Neil L. Anderson- Daniel and the stone cut without hands. Compared the gathering to pieces of a puzzle. I am stuck and all I feel is guild. Pray for opportunities to be a witness of God in all times and places. The timing of another's conversion is not entirely up to you.

Dallin H. Oaks- Share the Gospel out Great Commission. Ideas that will work everywhere. 1. Pray for a desire to help. 2. Keep Commandments. 3. Pray for inspiration on what we can do to spread. 4. Promise if inspired to share. 5. We are not the judges of who is prepared. 6. Pray to help us find someone. 7. Pray for discernment to know who is ready. 8. Invite to learn about the Gospel of Jesus as opposed to about the Church. 9. Develop love and concern 10. Have a special Sacrament Meeting to invite friends. 11. Use Social Media

LeGrand Curtis Jr. - Blessings that came as a result of the Ghana Freeze of 1989

Dieter Uchtdorf- To be successful we must find our Amuleks.

Dale G. Renlund- D&C 64:9-11-Firecracker-Joy with repentance. Returning to the right road, never just going on. Repentance must involve faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without the Savior repentance is only miserable behavior modification. The atonement leaves no tracks, no traces, no scars. The atonement will not be imposed upon us. Repentance is a choice. Minimizing our sins reduces the desire for the needed changes. Instead of making excuses, let us choose repentance. When we choose to repent, we immediately invite the Savior into our lives.

Pearl of Great Price - Moses 5

1. Moses 5:1–4; 2 Nephi 2:11;Abraham 3:24–26-Upon Leaving the Garden

2. Proclamation to the world on the Family

3. 5:5–6. “I like the beautiful lesson taught and the impressive example set by our first parent, Father Adam. To Adam it was not a matter of blind obedience, but rather it displayed his complete and unwavering confidence and faith in the word and instruction from the Lord” (HDTaylor, IE,  Dec. 1970).

4. 5:7–11. Adam and Eve were the first Christians . “Some say the kingdom of God was not set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and that John the Baptist did not preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. But I say, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam to the present time, whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name” (TPJS, 271). (2 Nephi 25:26;Alma 46:13–15; D&C 138:12–16, 38–46).

5.  5:10–12. Adam and Eve Knew They Could Be Saved

6. Moses 5:13- Mosiah 2:36-37' 16:3-5; 3:19, 25-26.  A friend or an enemy to God? John 15:12-17.

7. Cain was taught the gospel - Moses 5:12, 16, 18, 25–31; Helaman 6:26–27.

8. 5:18-21-Cain made an offering to God only after Satan commanded him. His offering was not what God had commanded (Moses 5:5) and God did not accept it (Hebrews 11:4; D&C 124:75).

9. God warns sinners, giving them many opportunities to repent (Moses 5:22–25, 34–35; Mosiah 26:30;  D&C 138:30–35).

10. Hiding sins from God (Moses 5:35;  Proverbs 15:3; 2 Nephi 9:20; 27:27; Alma 39:8; D&C 1:3).

11. 5:26–54; 7:22; Alma 3:19; 32:19;D&C 82:3). Moses 5:16–17.  “Cain had the great honor of being Adam’s son, and he, too, was privileged with the same blessings as his father. What a mighty man he could have been! How his name might have stood out with excellent luster as that of one of the valiant sons of God! How he might have been honored to the latest generation! But he would have none of it! “Cain’s great sin was not committed in ignorance. We have every reason to believe that he had the privilege of standing in the presence of messengers from heaven. In fact the scriptures infer that he was blessed by communication with the Father and was instructed by messengers from his presence. No doubt he held the Priesthood; otherwise his sin could not make of him Perdition. He sinned against the light. And this he did, so we are told, because he loved Satan more than he loved God. “From the Bible one might infer that Cain was the first born child of Adam, but the Bible gives only a meager history. In the Book of Moses we obtain a more extended view and a better insight into conditions in that early day. Adam and Eve were the parents of numerous children, sons and daughters, even before Cain and Abel were born, as we gain the information from that story” (JFSmith, The Way to Perfection, 97–98).

12. Abel “magnified the Priesthood which was conferred upon him, and died a righteous man, and therefore has become an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still the keys of his dispensation” (TJPS, 169).

13. 5:16–28. “By faith in this atonement or plan of redemption, Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not do it in faith, he could have no faith, or could not exercise faith contrary to the plan of heaven. It must be shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone for man; for this was the plan of redemption; and without the shedding of blood was no remission; and as the sacrifice was instituted for a type, by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared; to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised, because redemption was not purchased in that way, nor the power of atonement instituted after that order; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin” (TPJS, 58).

14. Cain was the first man on earth to enter into a covenant with Satan and to use covenants to prevent others from disclosing sinful acts. However, he was not the last. In the scriptures this kind of covenant relationship is called a secret combination. Helaman 6:21–30; Ether 8:13–25.

15. 5:33- Cain’s rejoicing is both ironic and tragic, manifesting how complete his rebellion against God had become. Did he think he was free from future work? (Moses 4:23–31). Did he consider himself free from the righteous example of Abel? (1 John 3:12). Or did he feel he was free because he was rich? The scriptures make it clear that instead of true freedom, Cain was in total bondage and damnation. (2 Nephi 2:27).

16. 5:34–35 -Why we cannot hide our sins from the Lord (Proverbs 15:3; 2 Nephi 9:20; 27:27;Alma 39:8; D&C 1:3).

17. 5:36-37, 41- Compare Cain’s response to the responses of Adam and Eve after they partook of the fruit (Moses 4:18–29; 5:10–11). Why do the wicked and the righteous respond differently when confronted with their own sins? (1 Nephi 16:1–3).

18. "All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not” (TPJS, p.  181). “As Adam represented the Lord on earth, so Cain acted for and on behalf  of Lucifer. Indeed, this first murderer of all murderers is himself Perdition—he was so designated in preexistence—and he will rule over Satan himself when the devil and his angels are cast out everlastingly” (A New Witness For the Articles of Faith, 658). Perdition means “a perishing destruction” or “lost.” “Two persons, Cain and Satan, have received the awesome name-title Perdition. The name signifies that they have no hope whatever of any degree of salvation, that they have wholly given themselves up to iniquity, and that any feeling of righteousness whatever has been destroyed in their breasts” (Mormon Doctrine, 566;  D&C 76:30–38, 43–49).

19. 5:39-40- It must be noted that the mark that was set upon Cain was not the same thing as the curse that he received. The mark was to distinguish him as the one who had been cursed by the Lord. It was placed upon Cain so that no one finding him would kill him. A parallel that illustrates the difference between a mark and a curse might be the account of the Lord placing a mark and a curse upon the Lamanites and their posterity (2 Nephi 5:20–24; Alma 23:16–18). It should be noted that the curse was based on individual disobedience and that by obedience to God the curse was removed, although the mark may not have been removed immediately. Eventually, however, the mark was also removed from some (3 Nephi 2:12–16).

20. 5:42–54- Cain’s descendants. Wicked parents share the responsibility for the sins of their children (Ezekiel 18:20; 2 Nephi 4:3–7; D&C 68:25; 1 Nephi 17:33–41)

21. 5:55–57; 13, 15, 28, 51; Helaman 6:26–30; Ether 8:15–16.

22. 5:58-59; 1 Nephi 12:18; 2 Nephi 11:4; Alma 12:26–33).

23. Gospel ordinances began on earth with Adam & Eve. These ordinances are holy & designed to confirm mankind’s covenant relationship with God (Mosiah 13:30;Alma 13:16; D&C 84:19–21;124:39–40).

24. “Good conduct without the ordinances of the gospel will neither redeem nor exalt mankind; covenants and the ordinances are essential” (BKPacker,  Ensign, Nov. 1985, 82).