Book of Mormon 2020 - 3 Nephi 12-16

In January of this year, I continued writing a post that covered scriptures I did not complete in 2016. This is a very long post. To find the section that includes this week’s scriptures, you can click on: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2020/01/well-i-let-myself-down-quite.html. Then, scroll down to: Lesson 38, Old things are done away, and all things have become new, 3 Nephi 12–15. I focussed on four scriptures in this post: 3 Nephi 13:19-21, 3 Nephi 13:28, 3 Nephi 14:24-27, and 3 Nephi 15:9. In this post, I will be focussing on different scriptures that touched my heart during my Come, Follow Me scripture study.

I love the New Testament Beatitudes that Christ delivered in his Sermon on the Mount. In 3 Nephi 12 Christ delivers a similar sermon to the Nephites gathered at the Temple at Bountiful. In the Book of Mormon, the meaning of the Beatitudes is clearer than that obtained from the New Testament. In my previous post, I included a chart by Brother Bill Beardall comparing the Beatitudes in 3 Nephi 12 and Matthew 5. One of the most important clarifications in 3 Nephi 12 is that there are verses that precede the first New Testament Beatitude. In 3 Nephi 12:1-2 we read, “…therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am…And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.” In verse 3 the words “who come unto me” are added, and each subsequent Beatitude starts with the conjunction ‘and’ indicating that the blessings are for those who have turned to the Lord, had faith, repented, been baptised, and received the Holy Ghost.

I experienced a very powerful wave of gratitude when I read 3 Nephi 12:4 which states, “And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” I just lost my mum two weeks’ ago and I have been missing her so much. I know she will be happy to be re-united with my dad and to meet all the relatives whose names she submitted to the temple, but she is not here now and I cannot run next door to tell her about my day, a problem I have, or something exciting that happened to me. I miss my mum and my best friend. I would not have been able to get through this time without the comfort of the gospel, the Spirit, and being able to pray. I know the peace of being ‘comforted’.

As I watched the video below, I felt comforted. As I watched the release of the hot air balloons into the night sky, I thought of the souls of those leaving this mortal existence, and I was deeply moved.

I was also moved by the Spirit when I read 3 Nephi 12:6. “And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.” I understand the use of hunger and thirst in this context. I am trying to improve my life and set a good example for my children. I love studying the scriptures. I enjoy the challenge of my calling. I love praying and the closeness I feel to my Heavenly Father. I know that my Saviour knows me and loves me. I feel a constant need to work harder and to be more righteous. Just as we need food and water or we cannot survive, I need to pray and study regularly for my spiritual survival.

As hard as I try, I am aware constantly of my many shortcomings. Sometimes I can get quite depressed at the realisation on my own weaknesses. The scripture in 3 Nephi 12:34 made me think. I did some research and pondered and prayed about the meaning and how I could apply it to my life. I found this little Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) extremely helpful in gaining a better understanding of this scripture.

I also looked up a General Conference video from October 2017 by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. This had a profound effect on me. I cannot expect perfection from myself now. As Elder Holland said, “If we persevere, then somewhere in eternity our refinement will be finished and complete.” The title of his talk summarised his message, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually.” Yes, eventually I may be able to get there! I have included his talk below. I would recommend it to anyone who tends to feel inadequate when they know they need to try to become perfect! 😊

I have always been a perfectionist, which is not healthy or sensible. I think I will need to replay Elder Holland’s talk many times! I found another church video with a young woman who shared my tendency to be a perfectionist. This also uplifted and challenged me.

One of my favourite songs tells me that I am not alone. When I feel down or need courage, the Lord will lift me up and support me.

There is a great little verse in 3 Nephi 13:34. It states, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.” I had to read this several times. I found the meaning in the podcast on 3 Nephi 12-16 by Brother John Bytheway (OurTurtleHouse.com). He re-worded it in part as, “Stop worrying. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” He mentioned a book called, How to stop worrying and start living by Dale Carnegie. I am a highly skilled worrier. I worry all the time. I worry, stress, and suffer from repeated stress-related headaches. I need to rely more on the Lord and remember that He can help me with everything I could possibly ever have to worry about! 

There were two scriptures in 3 Nephi 14 that I found interesting. The first was in verse 14 and it reads, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” The spelling of ‘strait’, rather than ‘straight’, had to have a meaning. In Doctrines of Salvation, Volume 2, Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. stated, “Mark you, this word strait is spelled s-t-r-a-I-t and not s-tr-a-I-g-h-t. While no doubt, that path which leads into the presence of God is straight, it is also strait, which means that those who enter into it will find it restricted; it is narrow; they cannot take with them that which does not apply, or which does not belong to the kingdom of God. All such things must be left behind when we enter into this narrow way which leads into the presence of God, where we can receive life eternal. “Few there be that find it” (p. 13). It is more important to gather knowledge of the gospel, build a strong testimony, and live a life of faithful obedience than to try to collect wealth and possessions. These extra material ‘things’ will not make it through a strait gate.

In the very next verse, 3 Nephi 14:15 it states, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Once again, I found a Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) that helped me to understand this verse.

In last week’s blog post, I discussed Christ being the ‘Light’. In 3 Nephi 15:9 He proclaims, “Behold, I am the law, and the light.” Previously, in verse 5, He states, “Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.” I can understand how the Lord’s proclamations must have made such a huge impact on those who were listening. These were the more righteous Nephites and Lamanites. They had been raised to observe the Law of Moses. Now this Law was superseded by a higher law. In an Ensign article called The law after Christ by Stephen Robinson (September 1983) the situation in 3 Nephi is explained. “In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were able to give up observance of the Law of Moses en masse because of the circumstances surrounding the appearance of the Saviour among them. Those who survived the destructions and benefitted from the ministry of the Saviour were able to end the observance of the Law according to Jesus’ instructions (see 3 Ne. 15). They then built a society based upon the principles of the gospel.”

Brother John Bytheway used a chart to demonstrate changes in the law. He called this Three Mountains, Three Temples. The following picture is my representation of his chart based on his verbal description.

Brother Bytheway explained that the higher law of the gospel is an inner law. The outward manifestations of the Law of Moses have become inner expressions of holiness. I love the quote below from President Henry B. Eyring where he states that increasing personal holiness leads to greater happiness. I have found this to be true. As I make a conscious effort to improve daily, I feel more content, happy, and at peace. I have included a beautiful song following President Eyring’s quote. This acapella song called In Christ Alone contains a special message that helps me in my journey to try to be more holy.

Book of Mormon 2020 - 3 Nephi 8-11

 

I wrote about 3 Nephi 8 to 11 in January. This was a post where I caught up on scriptures I had been unable to cover in 2016, when I first started my blog. This ‘catch-up’ post is very long. It is located at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2020/01/well-i-let-myself-down-quite.html. Just scroll down to: Lesson 37, Whosoever will come, him will I receive, 3 Nephi 8–11.

These scriptures touch me, terrify me, console me, inspire me, and give me hope. Chapter 8 is terrifying. Calamities, such as those in Chapter 8, will occur in the Last Days. In Doctrine and Covenants 45:48 we read, “…And the earth shall tremble, and reel to and fro, and the heavens also shall shake”, and in Doctrine and Covenants 34:8 it states, “But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked.” I wonder if I will live through these events. No one knows the time of His coming, but I do not believe it is not too far away! I worry that I will not be found worthy. I worry about my children who do not live gospel lives. I want them to be safe. I hope that the Lord sees the wonderful people that they are and does not see them just for the things they do that are contrary to gospel principles.

I have had a bleak time over the last month. I watched my mum in great pain. I watched as her health deteriorated. I took on the role of her caregiver through end-of-life care. I was with her when she passed away. I organised her funeral and I am still busy with sorting out her final wishes. I was relieved when she finally slipped away because it was what she wanted. But I miss her terribly. I remember praying for mercy and compassion for her in her suffering and then being told through her priesthood blessing that I was to learn patience. The two quotes below helped me through this time. I have also thought of myself as lacking strength, but I learned I could be strong. I can be strong with the help of the Lord. The scriptures in 3 Nephi also helped me endure and remember the power and hope that comes through the light of Christ. I read these scriptures through tears.

In 3 Nephi 9:2 we read, “Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!” There is a significance to the use of ‘wo’ three times. In English we use adjectives to describe, and comparative and superlative adjectives to emphasise qualities, e.g. a good book (descriptive); a better book (comparative), and the best book (superlative). In this scripture the use of three ‘wo’s indicates a superlative – the most emphatic ‘wo’ possible. From verses 3 to 12 the Lord takes credit for the great destruction of so many cities. He explains this in verses 12 and 13, “And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?” The Lord reaches out with the “arm of mercy” (verse 14) after having wielded the arm of justice.

I found two Knowhy videos (Book of Mormon Central) that fascinated me. They talk about evidence of cataclysmic events described in the Book of Mormon. The findings made by historians and archaeologists continue to substantiate the records found in the Book of Mormon.

Jesus Christ introduces himself to the people in 3 Nephi 9:15 by saying, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.” He goes on to add (verses 18-19), “I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.” The importance of Christ as the ‘light’ will be examined later. Here, it is interesting to note the important change from the Law of Moses to a higher law. This higher Law of Sacrifice is explained in verse 20, “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” Brother John Bytheway, in his weekly Come, Follow Me podcast (OurTurtleHouse.com), provides a clear explanation of what it means to have a ‘broken heart’. He explains that ‘breaking’ a horse uses the same meaning, i.e. making the horse submissive to the master. In this case, a broken heart will indicate our submission to the Master. There are four quotes that helped me to understand the Law of Sacrifice more fully. The quote to the right is from President Dallin H. Oaks. Below are quotes from Elder Bruce D. Porter and Elder L. Tom Perry, as well as from Elder Neal A. Maxwell.

In 3 Nephi 10:4-6, Christ uses the analogy of gathering the House of Israel (you) as “a hen [that] gathereth her chickens”. The tense in the repetitions changes to cover what the Lord did in the past, what he would have done, and what he will do in the future. The picture below shows how protective, loving, and caring the mother hen is and indicates how much the Lord loves us and is prepared to protect and care for us. This helps me to feel His love for me personally. Below the image is a Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) video that explains this use of the hen and chickens analogy.

The following graphic is from Mormon LifeHacker (Come, Follow Me Lesson Aids on Facebook).  

The Father introduces His beloved Son to the waiting righteous Nephites and Lamanites. The voice of the Father is heard three times and only on the third time are their ears opened so that they understand and see Christ descending to the earth. As shown in the graphic he states, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world…” (3 Nephi 11:10-11). I thought a lot about the question on the graphic, “How has Jesus Christ been a light in your life?”

The love of my Saviour and Redeemer has helped me through the darkest times. I love Him and honour Him for all that He does for me. I often feel overwhelmed when I recognise the love of Jesus Christ in my life. I feel inadequate and unworthy but so grateful. I cannot cope without prayer, the guidance and light I receive in the gospel and in quiet moments of prayer, and the clarity I receive through personal revelation. I understand the light that Christ brings when I feel the lowest and most helpless. He helps me to understand, to make difficult decisions, and to persevere through tough times. There are three sets of images below that explore some of the wonderful things that the Light of Christ brings to me.

There are three Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) videos below that provide insight into these wonderful scriptures from 3 Nephi. 

If I had been there when the Lord visited the more righteous in America, I would have also fallen to my feet. If I am fortunate to be on the earth when He comes again, I will do the same. I can only imagine the inexpressible joy of being in His presence. I cried my way through this last video, ‘My Joy is Full’.

Book of Mormon 2020 - 3 Nephi 1-7

I wrote about 3 Nephi 1 to 7 in January of this year. This was part of a very long post finishing off the Book of Mormon chapters that I had not covered in 2016. This can be found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2020/01/well-i-let-myself-down-quite.html. You need to scroll down to the second section of this post. When I wrote this section, I summarised the stories in these scriptures quite thoroughly.

The Nephi who is the centre of these scriptures was the son of Nephi and grandson of Helaman. The book of 3 Nephi is one of the holiest and most sacred parts of the entire Book of Mormon. Brother John Welch (2010, Journal of the Book of Mormon, 19:1) states, “everything in 3 Nephi…has been composed to echo and call to mind the solemnity of the presence of the Lord”. The following Knowhy video explains, “Why should 3 Nephi be read as the Book of the High Priest Nephi?”

Nephi was worried about the believers who were going to be put to death on the following day if the day and night and day without darkness, prophesied by Samuel the Lamanite, did not occur. Nephi poured out his heart to the Lord in prayer. In fact, he prayed all day. In 3 Nephi 1:12-13 we read, “And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying: Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world.” I can imagine the earnest nature of this prayer and the relief Nephi must have felt when his prayer was answered. I rely a lot on prayer. Prayer brings us close to God and allows the Spirit to touch us and guide us. I have a strong testimony of the power of prayer.

3 Nephi 1:13 is important to me on a personal level. In Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019), is the following statement regarding 3 Nephi 1:13. “Sometimes we watch steadfastly, we cry to the Lord throughout that day, we wait and we plan and we hope. We must remember that no matter how dark and troublesome that day may be, tomorrow will come. The 3 Nephi story is one of my favourites for this reason: sometimes we have to hold on to the truth that what we are desperately praying for today will eventually come to pass. In His own time and in His own way, He will send the answer we need on the morrow.” I have prayed so hard and for so long for my mum. I have watched her in pain for months, severe pain for the past month. I have seen her fade to less than a shadow of her former self, totally reliant on me as her caregiver. I prayed for mercy and compassion for her. Our Ward fasted for her and, through a Priesthood blessing, I was told to be patient, that things would happen in the Lord’s time. Today the hospice nurse suggested that mum had no more than a few more days. I feel that “the morrow” may now come soon. My patience has increased but so has my appreciation for the Lord’s time and how things will always happen in His time and not in mine.

Brother John Bytheway in his weekly podcast (OurTurtleHouse.com) asked a very interesting question. His question was based on 3 Nephi 1:13. He asked how it was possible for God to speak to Nephi when he was already in Mary’s womb. He suggested that God spoke through the Spirit. The prophesies of Samuel the Lamanite were all fulfilled. In 3 Nephi 1:15 it states, “for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.” Imagine the grandeur of this sign! Many were astonished and believed the sign was a fulfilment of the prophecy, but others were hard-hearted and thought the sign was from Satan.

In a document called The coming of Christ to the Nephites: A pattern for His Second Coming, Brother Bill Beardall summarises all the scriptural references to events and signs that would precede Christ's coming to the Nephites. He describes each event/sign and then gives scriptural references to similar events/signs that will precede Christ’s Second Coming. (Just click on the title above for the link!)

I found 3 Nephi 5 very interesting. In this chapter, we hear from Mormon, who was abridging the plates of Nephi. In verses 12-13 we read, “I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people…Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) answers the question, Why did Mormon introduce himself in 3 Nephi 5?

When you are first introduced to someone, you often start with telling them about the things that are most important to you. In a Māori pepeha (an introduction) it is common to state your mountain (maunga), river (awa), vessel (waka), area (rohe), tribe (iwi), sub-tribe (hapu), place (wahi), and your meeting-house (marae). How did Mormon introduce himself? He said he was a disciple of Jesus Christ! What a beautiful introduction. How did Mormon describe what a true disciple would do? He would pray on behalf of his people (3 Nephi 1:11). He would be a missionary (3 Nephi 5:13). He would be obedient and keep the commandments of God (3 Nephi 5:22; 6:14). He would be humble and endure affliction (3 Nephi 6:13). He would be penitent (3 Nephi 6:13). Strength in the Lord would give him the ability to serve with authority (3 Nephi 7:17). As he aligned his life with the Lord’s teachings, he would be filled with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 7:21). This is a clear framework for anyone who wants to be a disciple! Once again, I found where I was lacking. I need to remain positive and hopeful when faced with the affliction of myself or my loved ones. Elder D. Todd Christofferson (General Conference, October 2018) said, “It is challenging but vital to remain firm and steadfast when we find ourselves being refined 'in the furnace of affliction,' something that comes soon or late to all of us in mortality. Without God, these dark experiences tend to despondency, despair, and even bitterness. With God, comfort replaces pain, peace replaces turmoil, and hope replaces sorrow. Remaining firm in the faith of Christ will bring His sustaining grace and support."

Nephi, son of Nephi, was an example of a true disciple. I found a delightful video that speaks of Nephi as being similar to John the Baptist. This video is from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central).

I loved the things I learned about Nephi, Mormon, and signs sent to strengthen our testimonies. I learned to appreciate the timing of the Lord. I also learned what it means to be a true disciple. I always look forward to reading the rest of the scriptures in 3 Nephi. These scriptures are full of the Saviour’s visit to the Nephites. I can imagine the joy of seeing the Saviour in his infinite grace. I wonder if I will still be around to witness the Lord’s Second Coming? What a truly magnificent thought!

Book of Mormon 2020 - Helaman 13-16

When I re-started my blog in January of this year, the first scriptures I covered were the scriptures found in Helaman 13 to 16. In a single post, I covered the remainder of the Book of Mormon. This is the first section of a very long post found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2020/01/well-i-let-myself-down-quite.html

I admire Samuel the Lamanite. It could not have been easy speaking to the Nephites and calling them to repentance. In Helaman 13:2-3 we read, “they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land…the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart.” This touched me deeply. Here was this amazing Lamanite prophet told to return to a city from which he had been rejected to speak the words the Lord would direct him to speak. I thought of the things I need to do that I don’t want to do. I feel ashamed that my willingness wavers. I am currently the primary caretaker for my mum’s end-of-life-care. I have never done anything harder in my life. I have prayed and prayed that the Lord would show compassion and mercy on my mum and allow her to go gently into the next world. Yet, day after day and week after week I watch her suffer. These verses helped me realise that the Lord has asked me to do something He knows I can do. If He has this faith in me, I must have faith that He will help me.

Helaman 13:4 records, “he cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord put into his heart.” This scripture made me think of the importance of our living Prophet. When we hear the Prophet speak, we know the Lord has put that message in his heart. When the Prophet speaks to us at General Conference, we hear “the will of the Lord…the mind of the Lord… the word of the Lord…the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation” (D&C 68:4).

I love listening to the Prophet in General Conference. I found a little video with a wonderful reminder of some of the most recent words of the Lord from the April 2020 General Conference, direct from our Prophet Russell M. Nelson. This video is called, “PROMISES FROM A PROPHET: The last 6 promises made by Russell M. Nelson during General Conference”.

This little Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) is a wonderful reminder of what the Book of Mormon teaches us about prophets. This includes Samuel the Lamanite.

Samuel the Lamanite prophesied many things connected to the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Brother John Bytheway provided two charts (shown below) that summarise the signs listed by Samuel the Lamanite leading up to the birth and death of the Saviour. He added in the scriptures in 3 Nephi where the prophesied signs were fulfilled (Gospel Doctrine Prep).

Helaman 14:30-31 contains a powerful message. Although this was Samuel speaking to the Nephites, it is relevant for every person who goes through this mortal existence. It states, “And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free…ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.” The choice is in our hands. We know that the consequences of our choices are determined by us. The Atonement of Jesus Christ invokes this agency. Without the Atonement, repentance and forgiveness would not be possible, therefore, we would not have that choice. As a parent, I know how hard it is to see my own adult children make wrong choices. I fear for the pain of the consequences that I know will follow.

I pondered for a while on the scripture found in Helaman 15:4. “But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days.” I understand that the Lord loved the Lamanites but hated their actions. Brother John Bytheway (Gospel Doctrine Prep) explained this distinction, “So perhaps it’s a “hate the sin, love the sinner” distinction.  When we read the whole sentence from Samuel, we see that they are “hated” because their “deeds have been evil continually.”  It was their choices that mattered.” A scripture that clarifies the meaning of ‘hate’ in Helaman 15:4 mentions the opposite ‘love’: “If you keep not my commandments, the love of the father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness” (D&C 95:12).

We know from Helaman 15 that the Lord indeed loved the Lamanites and rewarded them for their faithfulness. “And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity.” As I thought about this scripture, I glanced at the monitor and watched my little mum asleep in the next room. The Lord will bless her. I know of no one who has been as faithful and steadfast as she has been. Through her pain and illness, I have spoken to her about how short a time we have in mortality and that her pain will end. I cannot imagine the Lord will let her suffer for much longer. 

We are so fortunate to have the guidance of a living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. We also have the guidance of the General Authorities, our area, stake, and ward leaders. My wonderful Bishop and Stake President have called a ward fast for today for my mum. At the end of the fast, the Bishop and Stake President will be coming around to give mum a priesthood blessing. Right now, I feel confident that “God is at the helm”. This phrase comes from M. Russell Ballard's talk from October 2015 General Conference. This is explained in the little video below.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Helaman 7-12

I first wrote about Helaman 6 to 12 in 2016. This post will cover Helaman 7 to 12. If you would like to read my previous post, you can check it out at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-of-mormon-34-how-could-you-have.html

The Gadianton Robbers are mentioned repeatedly in the chapters of Helaman. In my initial post I discussed secret combinations and the Gadianton Robbers. I found a clear explanation of secret combinations in 30 Characteristics of Secret Combinations. These 30 characteristics also appear in an article called Waking Up to Secret Combinations (2011) by Darren Andrews. When Nephi returned from northern lands to the Land of Zarahemla he found that the Gadianton robbers were filling the judgement seats, laying aside God’s commandments, and corrupting justice (verse 4). The robbers were condemning the righteous, letting the guilty buy their way out of punishment, and seeking glory and adulation, using their position to more easily commit adultery, steal, murder, and do whatever they wanted (verse 5). When we look at the U.S.A. today we see the same things. The laws have been corrupted, the guilty buy their way to power and freedom from conviction, and those who rule are prime examples of this corruption. The prevalence of secret combinations today is terrifying. We know that their power comes from Satan.

In Helaman 7:7-8 we read, “Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.” Brother John Bytheway called these verses, “Those were the days”. How often do we think about previous years and compare them to 2020, with the same attitude, “Those were the days”? I know I miss travelling. I haven’t seen my oldest son and his beautiful family for several years. I was due to fly to Sydney before the Covid-19 pandemic. Now all I see are photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram. My mum (96 years old) was admitted to Middlemore Hospital in mid-August. For the first nine days I was unable to see her because of the Covid lock-down. Then, for compassionate reasons, I was the only support person allowed in to see her once per day. Now, she has been home for nearly a week and I am her primary caregiver. I am responsible for end-of-life care. I know I often think about previous months and years – “Those were the days”!

The story that follows in Helaman 7 to 9 is covered so well in three media files from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Brother John Bytheway pointed out some interesting ideas in his podcast on Helaman 7-12:

Helaman 7

• Verse 13: Passers-by have stopped to hear Nephi pray on his garden tower. Nephi warns them of their iniquities.
• Verse 17: “O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die?” Nephi points out to his listeners that they were choosing to die spiritually.
• Verse 19: “And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.” The idea that the righteous will be gathered while the wicked will be scattered appears repeatedly in scriptural references.

Helaman 8

• Verses 6-7: Some reject and condemn Nephi, while others defend him as a ‘good man’.
• Verse 27: Nephi delivers a real-time prophecy that the chief judge has been murdered, “he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother…”

Helaman 9

• Verse 4: Five men run to the chief judge and find him lying in his own blood. They believe Nephi and they fall to the earth. They are found and thrown in to prison because of a misunderstanding. It is thought that they killed the chief judge.
• Verse 20: The trial of Nephi is described. The five are released and Nephi is accused of plotting the death of the chief judge. He is offered money to reveal the murderer with whom he plotted. The following verses are Nephi’s condemnation of the people.
• Verse 26: Nephi tells his accusers to look for evidence of the murder at Seantum’s house, as he had killed his own brother, the Chief Judge Seezoram. The events that followed occurred according to Nephi’s words.

Helaman 10

• Verse 1: They could not convict Nephi. “And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.” 

There are two videos from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) that cover some interesting aspects of the events in these chapters. The first discusses why Nephi’s words in Helaman 7-8 sounded so much like a funeral speech. The second looks at how Seantum was able to be convicted under the Law of Moses without two witnesses to his crime.

In Chapter 11, Nephi was bestowed with great blessings because of his unwearying obedience and faithfulness. He is promised, “I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works…that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people…I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people” (Helaman 11:5-7). Nephi calls for a famine to bring the wicked and hard-hearted to repentance. The Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) below addresses the question of how Nephi used the power to seal on Earth and in Heaven.

Miracles can strengthen the faith of believers. Sometimes they can be the reason why people believe. However, many people witnessed Nephi’s miracles and still hardened their hearts. The danger of relying on miracles to build faith is illustrated by the story of Mrs Johnson (Joseph Smith and the Restoration, p. 176, 199)

This incident was enough for Ezra Booth and he joined the Church. Miracles are not sufficient by themselves to truly convert a person. After only a few months in the Church, Ezra apostatized and even wrote a number of articles against the Prophet. (Joseph Smith and the Restoration, p. 176, 199)

It amazes me that with the famine, the people began to remember God (Helaman 11:7), yet once the famine ended, within a few short years, they once again began to forget God (Helaman 11:36-37). It is sad that when things go well and there is plenty, pride creeps in and people stop being grateful or obedient. One of my favourite quotes from President Brigham Young is the one shown below.

A scripture that made me ponder deeply was Helaman 12:7-8, “O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth…For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.” There is a footnote on this scripture that leads to Moses 1:10 which reads, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” In his communication with God, Moses recognised that man on his own is nothing. It is when man connects with God that he can reach his greatest potential and become something. As men and women we are less than the dust of the Earth because we have rebellious spirits. Dust always obeys God but we do not. My lesson from this scripture is that I need to connect with God, I need to become what He wants me to become if I want to be something. I am a child of God but that has the responsibility of being obedient and staying close to the Spirit.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Helaman 1-6

I first wrote about Helaman 1 to 5 in 2016. This post is available at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-of-mormon-33-sure-foundation.html

This post covers Helaman 1 to 6. President Ezra Taft Benson mentioned repeatedly that the lessons that prepared the Nephites and Lamanites for the coming of Jesus Christ are for our benefit. There are so many parallels that impact on our preparations as we face the Lord’s Second Coming (April 1987 General Conference).

Helaman 1 outlines the political upheavals in Nephite government. The three sons of Pahoran vied for the position of Chief Judge. The contention and fighting allowed the Lamanite army, under the leadership of Coriantumr, to obtain the city of Zarahemla. The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) discusses the issue of why the void in leadership was so dangerous for the Nephites.

Brother John Bytheway in his weekly Gospel Doctrine podcast (OurTurtleHouse.com), pointed out something that impressed me and testified strongly of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Pahoran had three sons: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. Hugh Nibley in his book Since Cumorah (1988) discussed the name Paanchi (p. 170). In the 7^th century B.C Paanchi was a popular Egyptian name. This was only discovered in the late 19^th century. Imagine the young Joseph Smith being able to create a name so unusual and unique that was later uncovered to be a genuine, popular name at this point in history, by sheer accident. The Book of Mormon is sacred.

Joseph Smith translating (Del Parsons)

Kishkumen started the Gadianton Robbers. His murder of the Chief Judge Pahoran (the second) was concealed by oaths made within the secret society of the Gadianton Robbers. The scripture that surprised me in in Helaman 1:11 reads, “they all entered into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran”. What surprised me was that men as evil as the Gadianton Robbers would swear anything in the name of God. I followed the footnote to this scripture that led to Moses 5:29, where Satan made Cain swear by the name of God. “Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not”. This seems to be a technique used by Satan to make something evil seem more acceptable. When I thought about the world today, it is understandable. All around us, the evils of Satan are made to appear good and desirable.

In Helaman 2:13 we read, “And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi”. Gadianton took over leadership of this secret society from Kishkumen. In Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019) it states, “Because of this one man [Gadianton] and the evil he put in motion, almost all of the people of Nephi would be destroyed. It is inspiring what good a single person can do, and it is also scary what one evil person can do. The people we choose to align with, the choices we make, and the direction we are facing, although those choices seem small at first, end with much larger consequences”. This really made me think about the influence that various people have made in my own life. I have been fortunate to have had some very good people influence my decisions. I look at the current political leadership in the U.S.A. and I can see clearly the effect of one evil man on an entire country.

The effect of the political contention, the secret society, and the pride of the Nephites, was that they became weak and could not defeat the Lamanites. This Knowhy video examines the question, ‘How did the Nephites become weak in such a short time?’

There is a comprehensive list detailing the wickedness of the Nephites in Helaman 4:11-13. “Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God…it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites… because of…their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands”. When I look around at the world today, I see the wickedness described here. I do not see it among members of the church, but I am sure there are things that I do not see. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I wonder if the world is just too wicked and there are other pandemics, plagues, earthquakes, and natural disasters that will yet be sent to afflict, try, and test us.

Helaman 4:15 states, “And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper”. This is a seemingly simple solution that we can apply in our own lives. Repentance should be part of the way we live from day to day. In Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019) the word repentance is linked to anxiety, with the account of Adam and Eve hiding behind a tree to prevent the Lord from viewing their nakedness. It goes on to say, “The word repentance implies a turning back, and turning back invites Him back into our lives. Then we begin to prosper. We prosper because He is there. We will never find the strength, love, and grace behind the tree that we will in His presence. Turn again to Him”.

One of my very favourite scriptures is Helaman 5:12 which contains the words of counsel from Helaman to his sons Nephi and Lehi, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall”.

Christ is the only sure foundation. Building on a false foundation (money, prestige, popularity, appearance, accomplishments) will lead to unhappiness and weakness in facing Satan’s temptations. Peace comes from being close to the Spirit and following the Lord’s guidance. The following video is inspirational in remembering the importance of Christ as our rock and our Redeemer. It provides us with a clearer understanding of the scriptural use of ‘rock’. This Knowhy video answers the question: ‘Why did Helaman compare Christ to a rock?’

After Nephi and Lehi converted thousands of Lamanites in the city of Zarahemla they went on to preach to the Lamanites in the Land of Nephi. They were thrown into prison. For days they went without food. When the Lamanites came to kill them, they could not go near these wonderful missionaries. It appeared that they were standing amidst flames. The Lamanites were encompassed by a cloud of darkness. They heard a quiet yet powerful voice command them to repent. The earth shook and the cloud continued to overwhelm them. Nephi and Lehi were looking up and appeared to be speaking to someone. Aminadab, a Nephite dissenter living with the Lamanites, testified that, “They do converse with the angels of God” (Helaman 5:39). The Lamanites asked, “What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?” (Helaman 5:40). Aminadab told them that they should repent. When they did, they found they were surrounded by a pillar of fire and angels came down to minister to them. Sometimes we experience a ‘cloud of darkness’, so what can we do to get rid of this cloud? I love church music. One hymn that answers this question is Where can I turn for peace? The following video is this hymn sung by Kathleen Jacob. The background illustrates some of the things that can contribute to our own clouds of darkness.

I have mentioned chiasmus in several previous posts. Helaman 6 provides a further example of chiasmus. In Helaman 6:7-13 we have a very precise chiasmus. This is illustrated below. There is also a Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) video that answers the question: ‘Why was chiasmus used in Nephite record keeping?’

I thought a lot about the significance of these scriptures to my own life. The Nephites succumbed to evil while the Lamanites became more righteous than the Nephites. The Nephites descent into wickedness can be illustrated by the Pride Cycle seen below.

In the April 2009 General Conference, Elder Russell M. Ballard said, “…the Book of Mormon records that ancient civilizations followed exactly the same pattern: righteousness followed by prosperity, followed by material comforts, followed by greed, followed by pride, followed by wickedness and a collapse of morality until the people brought calamities upon themselves sufficient to stir them up to humility, repentance, and change…One of the great lessons of this historical pattern is that our choices, both individually and collectively, do result in spiritual consequences for ourselves and for our posterity”. We are faced with a time of calamities. The world is full of evil and selfishness, so the calamities are not unanticipated. As members we need to be humble and rely on the Lord to guide and support us. We need to avoid pride and all the snares and temptations of Satan. I personally need to rely on the Lord to guide me through this difficult time where daily I see my old mum in constant pain. He knows best and I only pray that He will look on my mum with compassion and mercy. I will try to maintain the connection I have with the Spirit and do my best to be steadfast.

I love these two songs, for the words and the harmonies. The first is a song by Vocal Point (BYU) called, In Christ alone. The second is a song called Waymaker (by Leeland), recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown, sung by David Archuleta and the Housecat Band.

“Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper

Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are…

You mended every heart

You are here.”