Blogging Through the Book of Mormon

1:1 - It seems like we are brought into a reconciliation with time because before now, we've been kind of juggling back and forth between references of the past and those made in current time. HN says, "If you have tears, prepare to shed them because we come to the book of Mormon now. It starts out with a colophon which tells us it was an autograph. It was written by his own hand... This is after Cumorah, after the whole thing is finished. This is the last conclusion that he's putting in here, and it's before the other stories. Don't think that this is following in chronological order. It isn't. This is when the whole thing is over." That's kind of a bleak synopsis, but it makes sense. I thought that this was being written while the destruction was going on, like he would write in between battles, but I guess that's not the case. And it surely helps to know that this is not necessarily in chronological order, because that's the assumption that ...

1:37-49 - The "true believers in Christ, and the true worshipers of Christ... were called Nephites." The IM quotes Elder Neal A. Maxwell as teaching the attributes of a true believer in Christ, when he taught, "True believers are settled in their views of Christ. Despite their weaknesses, their spirituality is centered on the Savior, so their views of everything else are put in that precious perspective." Even since I learned who God truly is, and as I've desperately searched out more information about the Savior, I've slowly started seeing everything through the filter of, this mortality is but a striving ground for the eternities, and God's deep and personal love for each and every one of us. As I've come across issues such as self-esteem, modesty, chastity, all these topics, I've learned more about what they really mean and the purposes for having them as laws in this life. This is going to set Satan right on me, but as far as being "sett...

1:20-26 - Well, the happiest time in the world has run its course and “there was still peace in the land, save it were a small part of the people who had revolted from the church and taken upon them the name of Lamanites; therefore there began to be Lamanites again in the land.” Mormon cites the reason for this change as “those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world. And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more in common among them.” There’s that costly apparel again, like it cited so many time as the beginning of the down fall of the society, and as HN reminds us, they are “costly” apparel, not “good looking” apparel, so that begs the question, why costly and not cute? Costly indicates that someone besides you knows that it’s expensive, so labels, designer logos, etc. It’s a status symbol, so that everyone knows that you have the money to buy these things, ...

1:12-20 - Here Mormon tells us about the shift in ordinances, from the law of Moses to "the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the world of the Lord." They were devout, dedicated themselves to becoming Christ-like, did what that entails and "there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people." We talked about this a little bit the other day. I love the the IM's quote of Elder Russell M. Nelson when he commented on this contention free state, saying, "Personal peace is reached when one, in humble submissiveness, truly loves God. Heed carefully his scripture: 'There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.' Thus, love of God should be our aim. It is the first commandment- the foundation of faith. As we develop love...

1:4-5 - With the new social order in place after the Lord's departure, many things are new and exciting things going on here. There was peace and prosperity in the land "and there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus." I love the topic of miracles because I believe in miracles, my own life is a miracle, I was an angry, hateful, bitter person and now I'm happy and love Jesus and my fellow man. Even though I'm still a major work in progress, the difference in who I am vs. who I was is honestly a miracle, I never could have made that change myself. Jesus has healed my heart, I've tried my best to follow his commandments and asked him for help, and he...

1:1-3 - 4th Nephi is just one chapter but it's very long and content heavy so let's see how this goes. HN says, "I'm referring to that miraculous work, 4 Nephi. It's an epitome; it's a digest. The whole Book of Mormon is there. You don't have to read anything but this one book... How many chapters does it have? One. Does it get it all in there? Yes, it does. It contains the best case and the worst case. It describes them, and it explains them all in one chapter, in one book. It's a marvelous thing... It's very, very short, for the reason that Voltaire explains: 'Happy are the people whose annals are a blank.' If people live happy lives, what are you going to write about them?" Good point, there's not a ton to write about when everyone is happy. The IM teaches, "Fourth Nephi covers the nearly 200 years of unity and harmony following Jesus Christ's visit to the Americas. The people 'were all converted unto the Lord,' ...

29:1-9 - Mormon makes a break from teaching about the translation of the 3 Nephites and goes into prophesying concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, which I guess is safe to say that he had a vested interest in. In the beginning of the book of Nephi, we are unclear of the purpose of these plates but by now the purpose is pretty clear, especially to Mormon who knows “that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant with the Father hath made with the children of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled.” The IM quotes Elder Jeffrey R. Holland as teaching, “Mormon concluded his description of this majestic season (the visit of the Savior among the Nephites)… by testifying that when a record of (Jesus Christ’s) visit would come to the Gentiles (in the form of the Book of Mormon), then all might know that t...

28:1 - Chapter 28 is pretty long, but there’s not a ton on it in the IM, so we’ll see how it goes. The Savior has just finished teaching His disciples how to better magnify their callings, and now, as he’s getting ready to depart “he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?” This is an interesting question and I’ve thought to myself a few times, “what would I ask for if this was the question presented to me by the Savior?” I honestly don’t know. I think that I would maybe ask for an added measure of the Spirit so that I could learn and grow and become a more Christ-like person. Interestingly, in an October 1988 general conference talk entitled “ Answer Me ,” Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Disciples, instead, walk and ‘overcome by faith,’ accepting gratefully the evidence of things not seen which are true and using quietly God’s spiritual gifts. What desirest thou of me? The resurrected Jesus inquired on...

My lesson from yesterday continued on today and it's really been quite interesting. My constant reminder to "Rejoice in Christ" has brought me to some insights, especially when it comes to work. I can do my job, I can even do it at the same pace that I've been doing it, but I don't have to be a psycho about it. My son woke me up this morning, even though he's not supposed to, but I was ok, I didn't get mad, I just loved him and did my daughter's hair, prayed with them and watched my daughter make a paper boat that she was so proud of, it was really a rewarding morning. It was as I was falling back to sleep and thinking about what I experienced yesterday that I had a very profound insight. The woman that I was talking to yesterday prayed that I would be able to go to a day shift and take care of my babies, which is all that I want, my top priority, and to be fair, it's a pretty noble desire, but that's when I realized that my desire shouldn...

I just got the most amazing call to repentance from a person not of our faith but who knew the scriptures and knew how to preach with great power, it was incredible. I learned many lessons from her in our brief yet intense conversation, but the biggest message that I got from her was that I need to rejoice in Christ, I don't really do that, I believe in Christ, I even believe Christ, I try to keep the commandments and try to be a good person, even though I'm struggling with it. She was saying that when her husband was laid off work, she praised God, because she trusted in His promises to her that if she would be faithful he would protect her and guide her and comfort her and would give her the desires of her heart. This reminded me of the time in 1 Nephi 18:15-16 when Nephi, after being tied to the ship's mast for 4 days, finally his brothers "loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, a...

27:25-33 - Jesus is still teaching his disciples and he next teaches that the books of scriptures that are available to the people will be the standard by which they will be held accountable, saying, “out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men.” It’s an interesting concept to be judged by the scriptures, I guess because by the world’s standard there are so many different interpretations of them, and they can seem so confusing, so it can appear that it’s not fair, or that it’s not a good standard. But it is what’s available to the people, and the Lord has promised guidance is we seek him, so it’s a doable standard. The IM quotes President Joseph F. Smith as teaching, “The Lord will make a record also and out of that shall the whole world be judged. And you men bearing the holy Priesthood- you apostles, presidents, bishops, and high priests in Zion- will be called upon to be the judges...