It's True!

Ether 4:11

"But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good."


I love how now of the reasons this record is true is because it 'persuadeth men to do good.' We are taught in these scriptures that whatever persuadeth to do good is of Christ, so the Book of Mormon must be of Christ. The Spirit manifests the truth of this book. If you have the Spirit with you as you read the Book of Mormon, you will know that the record is true no doubt.

Sealed Portion

Ether 3:26-27
"For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things-it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things.

And the Lord said unto him: Write these things and seal them up; and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children of men."


These verses cross reference with 2 Nephi 27:6-23 where the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon is prophesied.  That chapter talks of the sealed portion of the Gold Plates and how Joseph Smith would not be able to translate them, but that the Lord would bring them forth in his time. This sealed portion is what the Brother of Jared wrote. It contains all that the Lord showed him and withholds nothing. It's awesome that the Book of Mormon includes prophesies about itself and all that comes with it. I am excited for the time when this sealed portion will come forth, but I also know that I need to focus on what we have and learn all that I can from it.

Truth

Moroni 10:5

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."


Truth comes through the Holy Ghost. Without the Holy Ghost, only partial truths are found. We need to live worthily to have the Holy Ghost with us so we know what is true and what is untrue.

Inquire

Ether 1:38

"And it came to pass the Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance."

This is the third time in this verse where Jared asks his brother to inquire of the Lord. They knew the importance of doing what the Lord wanted them to do, so they asked him over and over what to do. I love how Jared had such faith that the Lord may bless them with a choice land. He knew, however, that it was dependent upon their faithfulness and hoped to remain worthy of such a blessed land. Jared's request was granted and these people were driven out to a much better land because of their reliance on the Lord.

Creations

Mormon 9:16-17

"Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?

Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?"


We don't know exactly how the world was created, but we have great theories. These creations worked because God made it happen. Through his power, God created the world and us. How remarkable! We cannot comprehend or understand exactly how these things were done, because they are so beyond us.

A Good Reminder

Mormon 8:37

"For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted."

This verse is a reminder to me not to be like this. I don't want to be so caught up in my personal appearance and personal possessions that I forget those who are without. What does it matter if I have the newest and greatest? People matter much more than possessions. It's important to remember that and be more generous.

Preserving Records

Mormon 6:6

"And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one land to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni."

Mormon knows that this is the end, and he is concerned about the records. He knows how much sacrifice and work went forth to make these records, and he knows how valuable the writings are. He hides them in the hill Cumorah so the Lamanites would not destroy them, and you know what? They were preserved for a long time! They came forth again in the 1800s and we now have the translated records in The Book of Mormon! What a miraculous blessing.

Direction

Mormon 5:16

For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to strive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as chaff before the wind."

This verse makes me so sad. To think of life without Christ and God is miserable. How could anyone feel happy or purposeful without deity? Without God, man is driven too and fro without true direction. How great it is to have the gospel and know what this life is all about!

Wickedness

Mormon 4:10,18

"And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.

And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun."

Because the Nephites continued in their wickedness, the Lord no longer protected them against the Lamanites. In fact, the Lord allowed the Nephites to be swept off because of their extreme wickedness. The wicked who delight in killing and other evils do not have the Spirit with them. They do not have that divine guidance, and so are more likely to be destroyed.

Work

Moroni 9:6

"And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

Even though there is opposition all around, we must never stop our labors in the kingdom of God. These labors include scripture study, prayer, family home evening, home and visiting teaching, fulfilling callings, sharing the gospel in our homes and with non-members, serving others, being filled with charity, and so much more. There is no time to complain or criticize. There is only time to work and act and do what the Lord wants us to do.

Prepare

Mormon 3:22

" And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth the repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ."

Mormon is so sad that no one is listening to his words, because he knows his words are true. He knows that his people will face judgment and he fears for them. The gospel is true, and its consequences hold. We must prepare ourselves and be clean before our Savior.

Youth

Mormon 2:2

"Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the head of an army of the Nephites, against the Lamanites; therefore three hundred and twenty and six years had passed away."

Mormon is a young boy who is chosen to lead the Nephite army. This goes to show that sometimes younger people are more capable of doing great things. He was one of the only righteous people among the Nephites, and the Lord blessed him with strength and leadership skills. The youth are powerful.

Personal Peace

John 20:16

"Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

This verse is so special. I feel the Spirit whenever I read these simple words. I know the Savior knows me by name just as He did Mary. I know that I can come to Him with my problems, and he will call my by name, Emily, and help me. He will bring me peace and fill me with love. Mary knew right away that Jesus was there and immediately called Him Master. I hope I will know Him when He calls me. I also love how Christ first appeared to the woman who was seeking Him. She sought Him and found Him. If I seek Him, I, too, will find Him.

Charity

4 Nephi 1:15

"And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people."

In Moroni 7 we are asked to pray for this love of God. This verse explains why! These people had absolutely no contention. Since they were all filled with charity, they loved each other and worked things out in righteous ways rather then arguing and getting angry. What a great thing to have! I need to pray for this!

Spurning

3 Nephi 29:5

"Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!"

To spurn something is to reject with contempt. This is a warning to anyone who may reject the teachings and works of Christ with contempt. This is pretty extreme, but unfortunately there are a lot of people who do this. There are many controversial doings of the Lord in these Latter-days, including modesty, chastity, marriage between a man and a woman, and Priesthood authority. Each of these things have been ridiculed and to some extent spurned by the world. Don't fall into this path!

Pray for Charity

Moroni 7: 48

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as his is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

This is a call to action. I need to start praying to have charity so I can be counted as a daughter of Christ and be more like Him.

Joy

3 Nephi 28:9-10

"...for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand.

And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;"

Here, a fulness of joy is said to be bringing souls unto Christ.  Missionary work brings a fulness of joy. The gospel is joy, so sharing it and spreading it with all of God's children is delightful!

Church

3 Nephi 27:9

"Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;
And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. It is called after the name of Christ, because it was Christ who appeared to Joseph Smith and began the restoration of His gospel.
I love how these scriptures say if you pray to the Father in the name of Christ that the Father will hear you. How amazing is that? The Father loves us enough to listen to us :)

Scripture

3 Nephi 26:12

"Therefore I, Mormon, do write the things which have been commanded me of the Lord..."

Mormon personally knew the Lord. Mormon only did that which the Lord approved of. The Book of Mormon is entirely approved of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ personally knows what was written, and had a say in what was and was not included. It is truly and inspired book.

Constant

3 Nephi 24:6

"For I am the Lord, I change not..."

I love the simplicity and boldness of this scripture. Christ is the Lord, and he is unchanging. He is the same Savior who created the world, taught Old Testament Prophets, lived in Jerusalem, died on the cross and was resurrected 3 days later, and who appeared with the Father to Joseph Smith to begin the restoration of His gospel. His laws do not change with time. They are constant. There is no mortal law or popular trend that can discount His commandments. Sin is sin, and the punishments are set.

Search

3 Nephi 23:5

"And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved.
Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things."

Salvation, simply put, can come through heeding the words of Christ, repenting, and being baptized. That first ordinance in the gospel is crucial for eternal happiness. It signifies that you want to be as the Savior, keep His commandments, and love one another. Searching the prophets may include reading the scriptures, conference talks, church books, and other materials where prophets have made prophecy. I know when I read these things I am filled with the Spirit and have a greater understanding of the gospel.

repent

3 Nephi 21:20

"For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel;"

We are not guaranteed a spot among Christ's people. We have to work on it! We need to keep ourselves clean and pure so we can be worthy to stand beside Him.

Sacrament

3 Nephi 20:8

"And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled."

Christ is offering the Sacrament to the Nephites. He teaches that the bread and wine are symbolic of his body and blood; both of which he sacrificed for us. When we partake of the sacrament, our souls are filled. It fills our spirits with the reality of Christ's atonement and reminds us to use the atonement daily.

Obedience

D&C 130:21

"And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

Obedience brings freedom and blessings. It opens the doors to so much more. We do not receive good things when we are disobedient.

Listen with your Heart

3 Nephi 19:33

"And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed."

Christ was with these people praying with them. I love that the listeners not only listened with their ears, but with their hearts as well. How many times has my heart been open when I've prayed or listened to a prayer? Is my heart open to hear the counsel of the Prophet? What about when I read the scriptures? I hope that my heart is always open so that I can receive the inspiration the Lord wants to give me.

We are all His children

3 Nephi 18:25

"And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation."

Christ did not tell anyone to leave him while he was preaching, so we should not shun people from coming to church just because we think they are bad people. It is not up to us to judge. Christ is the ultimate judge, and he still let these people come unto Him. We are ALL His children, and He loves us all. So why would we deny someone the privilege of coming unto Christ?

Sincerity

3 Nephi 17:21-23

"And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
And when he had done this he wept again;
And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones."

The footnote for 'wept' says to look in the Topical Guide unto 'sincerity.'  Christ wept because he sincerely loved the children. He knew they were God's children, and he knew they were pure and innocent. He took the time to bless each child. How wonderful! As a mom, I know this would make me cry, because I know the Savior loves my children.

Faith

3 Nephi 16:6

"And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father."

These people did not see Christ when he was alive, yet they still believed in Him. Today, we do not see Christ, but so many of us believe in Him and strive to follow His example. Through the Holy Ghost we can have confirmations that our belief in Christ is correct. That He is real and true and His gospel is still in place.

Keep His Laws

3 Nephi 15:1

"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last day."

Jesus does not speak in vain. His words are still in effect today! They are still true and applicable. We still need to follow Him and keep His commandments. That is, if we want to be like Him someday.