Thought: As a 17-year-old boy reading the Book of Mormon for the first time, I focused on Moroni’s promise: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4). As I knelt in prayer, I received a powerful spiritual witness that the Book of Mormon is true. That witness has helped me chart my course through life. I exhort all people to read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I especially ask the remnant of the house of Israel, the descendants of the people of the Book of Mormon, wherever you may be, to read and reread the Book of Mormon. Learn of the promises contained in the Book of Mormon. Follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Make and keep covenants with the Lord. Seek for and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I close with the words spoken by Amaleki, another Book of Mormon prophet: “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26). As we come unto our Savior, Jesus Christ, and purify our hearts, we will all be instruments in fulfilling the mighty promises of the Book of Mormon. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. (Elder Larry Echo Hawk, General Conference, Oct. 2012)
Book of the Week:
Studies In Scripture Vol. 8-Jackson ;
mormonchannel.org
Gary's "GREEN VERSES" Book of Helaman
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Helaman 1:11
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I find it interesting the a band of robbers swore by their
maker.
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Helaman 2:13
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A description of their day; a warning for ours.
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Helaman 3:20
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This is the verse that tells about my personal Book of Mormon
hero.
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Helaman 3:35
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A great verse telling about the process of sanctification.
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Helaman 4:23-24
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That's my goal to have my children remember my words & to
speak memorable words to them.
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Helaman 5:12
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The best council that any of us could give to our children.
Build a testimony on the rock of Jesus.
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Helaman 6:20
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What we should do when we find evil amongst us.
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Helaman 6:37
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What else we should do when we find evil people amongst us.
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Helaman 7:16
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Why do we follow Satan when he doesn't even like us and is only
faithful to himself.
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Helaman 8:12-13
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Following some of God's prophets will not cut the mustard. We
need to follow the old & the new.
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Helaman 9:39-41
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People react to the same miracle in a myriad of manners.
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Helaman 10:4-5
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We build God's trust in us by working with unwearyingness. (I
love that word)
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Helaman 11:23
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Does knowing the doctrine, allow us to receive revelation?
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Helaman 12:1
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Mormon tells it like it is. We humans are unsteady and need the
infinite goodness of our God.
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Helaman 13:22
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Do is spend more time "remembering" my God or my
financial and worldly concerns?
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Hel. 14:30-31
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A great summary of the good and bad of how we use our agency.
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Helaman 15:3
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God chastens us because He loves us. We need to learn how to
chasten those who we love with love.
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Helaman 16:18
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Secular Humanism alive and well 2000 years ago.
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Third
Nephi The book known to us as 3 Nephi was originally called
"The Book of Nephi," The title "Third Nephi" was first
added by Elder Orson Pratt in the 1879 edition to distinguish this book from
the first two books in the Nephite record. It was originally called, "The
Book of Nephi the son of Nephi, which was the son of Helaman"
Unique Contributions of 3 Nephi - 1. It
testifies of the reality of Christ's resurrection. 2. It defines Christ's
gospel. 3. It explains the purpose of the Law of Moses & Christ's role in its
fulfillment. 4. Clarifies "other sheep" prophecy and doctrinal
teaching on the gathering of Israel. 5. Provides a unique view of the
attributes of the resurrected Christ. (DCBM 4:2)
“In the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the
Second Coming. A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just
prior to Christ’s coming to America. By careful study of that time period, we
can determine why some were destroyed in the terrible judgments that preceded
His coming and what brought others to stand at the temple in the land Bountiful
and thrust their hands into the wounds of His hands and feet.” (ETB, CR, Oct.
1986, p. 5)
Chapter
synopsis
3
Nephi 1 – The First Christmas in the new world. Christ is born-Signs fulfilled
3
Nephi 2 - Gadianton Robbers begin war which threatens very existence of
Nephites, who were forced to unite with Lamanites to protect themselves.
3
Nephi 3 – Blasphemous letter from Giddianhi to Lachoneus. Lachoneus’ response
3
Nephi 4 – Siege fails - Robbers destroyed
3
Nephi 5 – All believe, Mormon editorializes.
3
Nephi 6 – Corruption beginning with lawyers and judges
3
Nephi 7 – Tribes, a King named Jacob and a prophet named Nephi
3
Nephi 8 - Signs of the crucifixion of Christ
3
Nephi 9 - The voice of the resurrected Christ.
3 Nephi 1
Vs.
3 - As his Great Grandfather? (Alma 45:18-9) See also 3 Nephi 28 and
TPJS p. 170.
Vs. 9 - Here we see a phenomenon which is repeated ad nauseam in
the Book of Mormon: the wicked who refuse to believe dare not allow others to
believe. There is no room in their tightly controlled system for faith or
spirit or revelation or hope.(DCBM 4:5)
Vs. 12-14 - See DNTC 1:84-85 time of quickening, Divine
Investiture of Authority; Mormon Doctrine p. 693-4; Mortal Messiah 1:349
footnote - the Spirit or an angel)
"3 Nephi 1:14 is perhaps the most significant of all the
verses, but it is also the most confusing until one realizes that the premortal
Jesus is here speaking in his role as Jehovah. He is telling Nephi that by
coming to earth as the mortal Messiah, he will fulfill his other role as the
living Christ. Thus, as Father Jehovah (the Israelites knew him as Father), he
fulfills his own will by sending himself to earth, and he does the will of the
Son when he takes up a physical body to become the earthly Christ. As the Son,
it was also his desire to do the will of his actual Father, the mighty Elohim
(Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:2). But in 3 Nephi, he was speaking as Father Jehovah
before his mortal sojourn. (Skinner, 3rd
Nephi, the 5th Gospel, p. 7)
Prophesied
signs of Christ’s birth;
- Great
lights in the heavens resulting in a day, a night and a day w/out
darkness. (Helaman 14:3)
- A
new and unique star (Helaman 14:5)
- Many
signs and wonders in heaven. (Helaman 14:6)
- All
shall fall amazed. (Helaman 14:7)
Vs. 19 - See Zechariah 14:7 - But
it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord,
not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be
light. (2nd coming)
Vs. 22 - "Signs flow from faith and, indeed, are a product of
it. They strengthen the faithful but
produce faith only in the spiritually responsive. Therefore, their chief
purpose is not to produce faith, but to reward it. It is not an uncommon thing
in scripture to see the most marvelous signs and evidences of God's power
ignored or rationalized away by those without faith."(Book of Mormon
Institute Student Manual)
Vs. 25 - Do you remember what a jot and tittle are?
Vs. 30 - How is our rising generation?
3 Nephi 2
Vs. 1&2 - People don’t lose their faith all at once– Began to
forget=the opposite of remember
Conversion which comes as the result of an outward sign and
requires no work has little staying power.
The unbeliever may say he desires a sign. These people, however,
are generally sign seekers not because they would believe, but because they do
not wish to do so. They use their demand for a sign as a way to taunt
believers. (see 1 Nephi 16:37-38)
Vs. 8 - A new time reckoning - 1) Time that Lehi left Jerusalem 2)
Reign of judges 3)Birth of Christ
Vs. 15 - "The dark skin was a sign of the curse. The curses
was the withdrawal of the Spirit of the Lord. The dark skin is no longer
considered a sign of the curse. (ATGQ 3:123)
3 Nephi 3
Vs. 1 - Compare Giddianhi's letter to Lachoneus to Ammoron's to
Captain Moroni in Alma 54.
Vs. 2 - "When the Devil cannot overcome an individual through
temptation to commit wickedness, when he sees that a person is determined to
walk in the line and travel straight forward into the celestial kingdom, he
will adopt a course of flattery, will strive to exercise a pleasing influence
and move along smoothly with him, and when he sees an opportunity he will try
to turn him out of the way, if it is only to the extent of a hair's
breadth." (Discourses of Brigham Young p. 81)
"There are at least 3 dangers that threaten the Church
within, and the authorities need to awaken to the fact that people should be
warned unceasingly against them. As I see these, they are flattery of prominent
men in the world, false educational ideas, and sexual impurity." (Gospel
Doctrine p. 312-13)
Vs. 10 - What would you do? Remember King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20)
Nephite response to Gadianton threat
1. Don’t be
afraid (3 Nephi 3:11)
2. Cry unto the
Lord (3 Nephi 2:12)
3. Gather people (3 Nephi 2:13)
4. Build fortifications (3 Nephi
2:14)
5. Repent of sins ((3 Nephi 2:15)
7. Exert to follow righteous leaders (3 Nephi 2:16)
8. Organize people (3 Nephi 2:17)
9. Appoint leaders with Spirit (3
Nephi 2:19)
10. Leaders promise Lord’s blessings (3 Nephi 2:21)
11. Made weapons of war (3 Nephi
2:26)
Vs. 11-26 - "The parallels between these conditions in the
days before the Lord's first coming to ancient America and those shaping up in
these last days-just before the Lord's 2nd Coming-are striking. (Ogden)
Vs. 21 – The warning against becoming an anti, or even an
anti-anti.
3 Nephi 4
Vs. 5 - Bad guys need Good Guys. A parasite needs a host.
Vs. 28 - Zemnarihah found hanging around. "Jewish law
required tree to be chopped down which a person was hanged on." (Welch, Reexploring the Book of Mormon p. 250)
3 Nephi 5
Vs. 1 100% believers!
Vs. 3-6 - robbers taught gospel-end of secret combinations.
Vs. 8 = "No scriptural record is complete, all scripture
requires the Holy Ghost to carry our understanding beyond the written record.
(DCBM 4:22)
Vs. 12 - The first time Mormon identifies himself by name.
Vs. 13 -“The word disciple is closely associated with the word
discipline, and it might well be said that a disciple is a disciplined believer
or adherent. The word literally means “a learner” and denotes one who follows
the teachings of another. A disciple, however, is not merely a pupil but is an
imitator of the teacher. In the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day a disciple of a
rabbi would leave his home and move in with his teacher. He served the teacher
in the most servile ways, treating him as an absolute authority. He was
expected not only to learn all that his rabbi knew but also to become like him
in character and piety. In turn, the rabbi provided food and lodging and saw
his own distinctive interpretations transmitted through his disciples to future
generations. When Mark says that Jesus chose twelve men “that they should be
with him” (Mark 3:14), he accurately reflects contemporary understanding of how
future leaders were trained. Inherent in such a call was the idea of a
disciple’s total commitment. Such would be Mormon’s understanding of
discipleship, for he knew full well the charge of the Savior to the twelve he
chose from among the Nephites. Of them, he asked: “What manner of men ought ye
to be?” And he answered his own question, “Verily I say unto you. Even as I
am.” (3 Nephi 27:27) (DCBM 4:23)
Vs. 18 - See 1 Nephi 1:3; 14:30.
Vs. 20 - Lehi's departure a secret.
Vs. 21-26 - A reminder of the blessings and responsibilities of
being Covenant Israel. Note vs. 25; the Book of Mormon a key to the house of
Jacob coming to a knowledge of the covenant.
3 Nephi 6
Vs. 1 - Three years after the destruction of the robbers, the
people returned to their lands.
Vs. 3 - Robbers given land.
Vs. 5 - Is this true today?
Vs. 10 “Pride gets no
pleasure out of possessing something but possessing more of it than the next
man…. It is the comparison that makes you proud; the pleasure of being above
the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone (C.S. Lewis,
Mere Christianity, p. 109-110)
“Pride is the great stumbling block of Zion…. Pride is ugly; it
says if you succeed I am a failure…. Pride is basically competitive in nature,
when competition ends, pride ends. (ETB, CR, Apr. 89, p. 3-7)
Vs. 14 - What can we do to remove inequality in the Church?
Perpetual Education fund...
Vs. 14 - Firm - Steadfast - Immovable
Vs. 18 - “There is a big difference between an honest mistake made
in a moment of spiritual weakness and a willful decision to disobey
persistently the commandments of the God. Those who deliberately choose to
violate God’s commandments or ignore the standards of the Church, even when
promising themselves and others that someday they will be strong enough to
repent, are stepping into a dangerous slippery slope upon which many have lost
their spiritual footing. (MR Ballard, Ensign Nov. 97, p. 40)
Vs. 21- Angry at testimonies of others? “Most of us recognize a fool when we see one
but, few of us recognize a fool when we are one. Often it is anger which blurs
our vision. Letting off steam produces more heat than light.” (NA Maxwell, Ensign,
Nov. 89. p. 82-84)
Vs. 28 - Satan's covenant given and administered by the devil.
(See Moses 5:29-31)
Vs. 29-30 - "As the time approached for the rest of Samuel
the Lamanite's prophecies to be fulfilled concerning the Savior's death and subsequent
Resurrection, secret combinations increased in strength in the New World. Murders
on the American continent also increased. We take this as a confirmation of the
principle that whenever great righteousness or goodness is about to be manifest,
great wickedness instigated by Satan will increase concomitantly."
(Skinner p. 9)
3 Nephi 7
Vs. 5 & 14 - Just because there is no war doesn't mean there
is no peace. There is not true peace without the Prince of Peace.
Vs. 6 - "Now I tell you it is time the people of the United
States were waking up with the understanding that if they don't save the Constitution
from the dangers that threaten it, we will have a change of government."
(JFSmith CR April 1950 p. 159) "But whatever may be our fate, be assured
that this [Constitution] will stand. We...face difficult days in this beloved
land...It may cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction,
however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes will be floating on
the breeze over this people." (ETB, The Constitution A Heavenly Banner,
Sept. 17, 1987)
Vs. 8 - See D&C 82:7
Vs. 9 - The name "Jacob" means to supplant or deceive.
Vs. 16-26 - When times get
tough a prophet comes forth. It was a time of polarization. Sound familiar?
3 Nephi 8
"No single historical event in the whole Book of Mormon account is
recorded in so great detail or at such extended length as the fulfillment of
the signs signifying that Jesus had been lifted up on the cross and had
voluntarily laid down his life for the world." (BRM, The Promised Messiah p. 542)
3 Nephi 9
Vs. 2 - Look out for the
Triple Wo!
Vs. 13 - The righteous were spare and told to return and repent so
the Great Healer could heal them spiritually. "The greatest miracles I see
today are not necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles
I see are the healing of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and
are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of nervous breakdowns." (HBL
CR, April 1973, p. 178)
Vs. 17 - See Mosiah 5:7; 27:25; D&C 34:1-3; 39:1, 4
Vs. 19-20 - “It is
difficult for us today to realize the tremendous revolution involved in
altering the ritualism of the Law of Moses into the humble and lowly concept of
worship, not with the sacrificial blood of animals, but with this broken heart
and contrite spirit of the worshiper…[Animal sacrifice] was always a vicarious
sacrifice, apparently with little actual sacrifice except for the value of the
animal sacrificed, by the individuals themselves, to cancel the debit, so to
speak, against their lives and living in the eyes of the Almighty One. The
sinner seemingly, in general, took on no obligation and considered himself
under no obligation to abandon his sins, but took on only the obligation to
offer sacrifice therefore. But under the new covenant that came in with Christ,
the sinner must offer the sacrifice out of his own life, not by offering the
blood of some other creature; he must give up his sins, he must repent, he
himself must make the sacrifice.” (JR Clark, Behold the Lamb of God, pp.
107-9) The sacrifice now required is to give yourself.
James Talmage believed that Jesus died
of a broken heart (Jesus the Christ p.613).
When Jesus' disciples offer up a broken heart, they imitate their Master
in a profound way. They choose to become like him. (Skinner p. 15)
"We must be careful as we seek to become more and more
godlike, that we do not become discouraged and lose hope. Becoming Christlike
is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow,
almost imperceptible. The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose
lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul
on the road to Damascus, Enos praying far into the night, King Lamoni. Such
astonishing examples of the power of change even those steeped in sin give
confidence that the Atonement can reach even those deepest in despair. But we
must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real
and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for
every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of
people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more
imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they
are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and
commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said "were baptized
with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not." (President
Benson, "A Mighty Change of Heart," Ensign, Oct. 1989, pp. 2-5)
