Thought: “Is there not something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like him in our daily walk, to feel his presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book. It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called ‘the words of life’(D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is in the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater abundance... These promises - increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness - are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God.” (ETB, Ensign Nov. 86. P. 7)
Book of the Week: Living the Book of Mormon-Sperry Symposium -2007
BookofMormononline.net?
Gary's Green Verses
| Date | Chapter | Verse | Comments |
| April 12 | Alma 8 | 15 | If I start today, the day will come when I can rejoice because I have been faithful. |
| April 13 | Alma 9 | 20 | A great check list on how the Lord shows favoritism. |
| April 14 | Alma 10 | 6 | Are there things that we "know yet will not know?" |
| April 15 | Alma 11 | 43 | How this motivates me to use the atonement to be guilt free when my day comes! |
| April 16 | Alma 12 | 10-11 | How to gain and lose a testimony |
| April 17 | Alma 13 | 2 | Why we have the Priesthood |
| April 18 | Alma 14 | 11 | Agency causes pain for all involved. Growth spurts hurt sometimes. |
| April 19 | Alma 15 | 16 | A little lesson on priorities |
Notes on Mosiah 26-Alma 14
1. Mosiah 26:29-31 - Although there are many ecclesiastical officers in the Church whose positions entitle and require them to be judges, the authority of those positions does not necessarily quality them to forgive or remit sins. The bishop, and others in comparable positions, can forgive in the sense of waiving the penalties. In our loose connotation we sometimes call this forgiveness, but it is not forgiveness in the sense of "wiping out" or absolution. The waiver means, however, that the individual will not need to be tried again for the same error, and tht he may become active and have fellowship with the people of the Church. In receiving the confession and waiving the penalties the bishop is representing the Lord. He helps to carry the burden, relieves the transgressor's strain and tension, and assures to him a continuation of Church activity. It is the Lord, however, who forgives sin. (SWK, Miracle of Forgiveness p. 332)
2. Mosiah 27: 13 - Our enemies have never done anything that has injures this work of God, and they never will. I look around, I read, I reflect, and I ask the question, Where are the men of influence, of power and prestige, who have worked against the Latter-day Saints? Where is the reputation, for honor and courage, of the governors of Missouri and Illinois, the judges, and all others who have come here to Utah on special missions against the Latter-day Saints? Where are the people to do them honor? They cannot be found. Where are the men who have assailed this work? Where is their influence? They have faded away like the dew before the sun. We need have no fears, we, Latter-day Saints. God will continue to sustain this work; He will sustain the right. If we are loyal, if we are true, if we are worthy of this Gospel, of which God has given us a testimony, there is no danger that the world can ever injure us. We can never be injured, my brethren and sisters, by any mortals, except ourselves. If we fail to serve God, if we fail to do right, then we rob ourselves of the ability and power to grow, to increase in faith and knowledge, to have power with God, and with the righteous. (HJGrant, CR, April 1909 p. 110)
3. Mosiah 28:4 - It is significant to note that the repentance of the sons of Mosiah (and of Alma the Younger and of each of us) did not come without much anguish. Repentance is not a quick fix for long time sinning.
4. Mosiah 29 - A monarch is a good system of government if you have a righteous king (vs. 8). It is hard to dethrone a wicked king without lots of bloodshed. (vs. 21). A democracy is good because it is not common that a majority of the people will choose evil (vs. 26). If the time come that a majority of the people choose evil-look out! (vs. 27). "As we follow the pressing political, social, and moral issues of our day, we note with concern, that the views and voices of the people are hovering around 40% for, and against any particular issue. On the most critical issues the nations of the world are facing (abortion, pornography, substance abuse, same-gender gender marriage, and so on), the proportion of the populace is often just above the 50% mark. The best armor to overcome this spiral is the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Ogden p. 381)
5. The Bible Dictionary gives a great summary of the history of the Urim and Thummim. So does "Verse by Verse" Ogden page 378-9.
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7. ANTI-CHRISTS | SHEREM (JACOB 7) | NEHOR (ALMA 1) | KORIHOR (ALMA 30) | |||||||||
| TOOLS | 2,3,4 | 2 | | |||||||||
| DOCTRINE | 2,7,9 | 3,4 | 1,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 | |||||||||
| METHODS | 4 | 6 | 18,23,24,25 | |||||||||
| DEFENSE | 8,10,11,14 | 7,8 | 20,30,32,33,34,37,38,39,40,41,44 | |||||||||
| COUNTER- MOVE | 13 | 9 | 43,4548 | |||||||||
| OUTCOME | 15,16,17,18,19,20 | 10,11,12,13,14,15 | 47,49,50-55 | |||||||||
| RESULT | 21,23 | 16 | 56-60 | |||||||||
8. Alma 1:31-32 - Some advantages of activity in the Gospel.
9. Alma 2:4 & 12 - A key to overcoming Anti-Christs is know their intent. Have you ever personally met one? William Schnoebelen became a male with in 1968. He worked his way up to Witch High Priest after the order of Melchizedek in the Church of Satan-He met his wife and was married for time and all eternity in the Church of Satan-He became a Master Mason in 1976; Palladium Mason in 1979; Gnostic Bishop in 1978; received a masters in theology in 1980. He joined the LDS Church in 1980, went through the LDS Temple in 1981: was an institute teacher in 1983.- He was saved in 1984, and is now a born again Christian with Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Mr. Schnoebelen will be speaking on the sameness of the Satanic ritual, Masonic ritual and the LDS temple ritual. His thoroughly documented expose will be presented by Ex-Mormons for Jesus in a public meeting Thursday, Nov. 20 at...Call 394-2552 for further information. Representatives of the LDS Church are invited to respond. EX-Mormons for Jesus.
10. Alma 3:4-5 - Now comes the craze of tattooing one's body. I cannot understand why any young man--or young woman, for that matter--would wish to undergo the painful process of disfiguring the skin with various multicolored representations of people, animals, and various symbols. With tattoos, the process is permanent, unless there is another painful and costly undertaking to remove it. Fathers, caution your sons against having their bodies tattooed. They may resist your talk now, but the time will come when they will thank you. A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body. Likewise the piercing of the body for multiple rings in the ears, in the nose, even in the tongue. Can they possibly think that is beautiful? It is a passing fancy, but its effects can be permanent. Some have gone to such extremes that the ring had to be removed by surgery. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have declared that we discourage tattoos and also "the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes." We do not, however, take any position "on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings"--one pair. (GBHinckley - Oct. 2000 CR)
11. Alma 4:6 - Lifted up in the pride of their eyes. (1) What their eyes saw, their hearts desired (Ogden) (2) Pride is essentially competitive in nature (Benson) (3) Riches have a very corrupting effect upon the human heart, and it requires a very pure people to be as hones, virtuous, humble and upright when surrounded by luxury and wealth. (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 525)
12. Alma 4:19 - “The teacher's divine commission has been clearly articulated by the scriptures and by living prophets. He or she is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to be taught out of the standard works and from the words of the living oracles. It is to be taught by the power of the Holy Ghost. It is to be applied to the life situations of the listeners, thus 'likening the scriptures' unto the Saints. Finally, and as the capstone of the teaching enterprise, the teacher is to bear witness, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that what has been taught is true. Faith is developed and commitment is built as a result of testimony, pure and solid testimony.” (DCBM 3:24)
13. Alma 5:14- One measure of the new birth is the appearance of the new man. Paul described the process of salvation as obtaining “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16); that is, learning to think as Christ thinks, believe as he believes, feel as he feels, and do as he would do. Peter described the same thing as partaking of “the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), meaning that we must acquire the attributes of godliness. Joseph Smith explained: “The Savior most clearly show[ed] unto us the nature of salvation, and what he proposed unto the human family when he proposed to save them- that he proposed to make them like unto himself, and he was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings; and for any portion of the human family to be assimilated into their likeness is to be saved; and to be unlike them is to be destroyed; and on this hinge turns the door of salvation” (Lectures on Faith 7:16). As a child learns by imitating and emulating parents and those older than himself, so we learn godliness by imitating others who have set an example in righteousness, especially Jesus Christ. Alma appropriately describes this process of becoming Christlike as receiving the image of Christ in our countenances. The heart can be a symbol for the entire soul, the source of life and power in all that we do. To experience a “mighty change” in our hearts is to gain a full and complete commitment to the gospel cause. It is to be filled with spiritual vigor. It is to have a soul consecrated to the upbuilding of the kingdom. (DCBM 3:28-30
14. Alma 5 - 41?'s and 17 alls
15. Alma 5:46- How Alma gained his testimony
16. Alma 6:6 - Who are you praying for? If we will pray and ask Heavenly Father who we can help and promise to act on the promptings He gives us letting us know how we can help, He will answer our prayers and we will become instruments in His hands to do His work. Acting in love upon the promptings given by the Spirit becomes the catalyst. As you have listened to these experiences of naturally and normally sharing the gospel with those you care about, many of you have had the same experience that Eileen Waite had. You have thought of someone to whom you should reach out and either invite to come back or share with him or her your feelings about the gospel of Jesus Christ. My invitation is to act, without delay, on that prompting. Talk to your friend or family member. Do it in a natural and normal way. Let them know of your love for them and for the Lord. Missionaries can help. My counsel is the same that President Monson has given so many times from this very pulpit: “Never delay a prompting.”12 As you act on the prompting and do it with love, watch as our Heavenly Father uses your willingness to act to bring about a miracle in your life and in the life of the person you care about. (David F. Evans CR April 2012)
17. Alma 7:11 - Howard W. Hunter -Think of it! When his body was taken from the cross and hastily placed in a borrowed tomb, he, the sinless Son of God, had already taken upon him not only the sins and temptations of every human soul who will repent, but all of our sickness and grief and pain of every kind. He suffered these afflictions as we suffer them, according to the flesh. He suffered them all. He did this to perfect his mercy and his ability to lift us above every earthly trial. ("He Is Risen," Ensign, May 1988, p.16)
18. Alma 9:20-22 - How the Lord show favoritism
19. Alma 10:6-7 - Who do we fast for?
20. Alma 10:22-23 - Prayers of Righteous prevents destruction!
21. Alma 11:24 - Another lesson on priorities.
22. Alma 12:10-11 - "A person's worthiness to be entrusted with the mysteries of God is directly related to the hardness or softness of his heart. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ, ensures that your heart will remain soft, pliable, and receptive to the greater portion of the word and the eventual fullness of the mysteries of godliness. (Ogden p. 412)
