A Study of the Book of Mormon

Ether 11 The main stream of this church is what keeps this church alive. It is the Spirit and Testimony of all those saints who heed to and enjoy the promptings of the Spirit.

Ether 10 It was back and forth, one king after another. Some ruled in righeousness; others were wicked. When the king was righteous, the nation was prosperous and industrial. When they were not as faithful, wars and robbers arose. Why? I believe, in part, because they were not faithful, so they had not the strength to combat evil. The world in which we live today is so diverse. Progress is hard to detect from failure because of the covers that are put. If our Heavenly Father already knows what we are going to do, why are we here? Elder Holland once said that we are a funny people. Our existence is like a football game that's already been won. The score's already over, we know which team has won, and we're still deciding which jersey we're going to put on! We're here to be proven. Abraham 3:25-26 . We are going through a testing period. He knows this already. It's a matter of agency. And there is a judgment. Without actions, we cannot be judged. Alma 12...

Ether 9 Vs. 3 ) The only way to avoid destruction was to completely choose the right. The King Omer was warned in a dream by the Lord.   Vs. 5-6 ) Meanwhile, the wicked were power hungry and rebelled against one another and killed each other. Akish had his father-in-law killed and later his son, and eventually his power hungry empire imploded on itself and after it had fallen, vs. 13 ) Omer returned and established his son Emer as King. Vs. 16 ) Under the reign of Emer, the Lord blessed the land. Ether 9:19 - In the Americas, they had elephants! Vs. 22 ) Emer is immortalized in history for having had seen the Savior. This one phrase tells us so much about his character. This explains success in his reign. Vs. 26 ) King Heth, great grandson on Emer, dethroned his father. And unlike kings before him, Heth did not protect the prophets when they came out to call the people to repentance. Vs. 30-35 ) The Lord sent them a plague and poisonous serpents.

Ether 8 Shule (king) begat Omer (king), who begat Jared , rebelled against dad and went to the land Heth with 1/2 of the people. Jared fought Omer and took him captive. Omer in captivity begat Esrom and Coriantum .   Esrom & Coriantumr fought Jared , their brother and regained the kingdom. Vs. 9 ) The Jaredies had a scriptural account, record of everything from the beginning of the creation. This record also talks of secret plans and combinations. (BT- I understand now why the later prophets kept these things secret.) Jared was sorrowful because of the loss of the kingdom, it was not godly sorrow.  The daughter of Jared.  Vs. 10 ) What did she want to be loved, she cared for her father, though corrupt, she dug up those secret combinations. Vs. 13-15 ) Secret combinations were administered which came from Cain & the old serpent. There's a line: there nothing new about doing bad. Only the devil would have us believe there is.  Vs. 23 ) This is why the ...

Ether 7 Vs. 5 - Captivity came quickly among the people. Within two generations, it happened. Jared's great-grandson revolted. I believe [that] to understand this chapter, we ust establish black and white, the good and the bad. (There were kings who ruled in righteousness, but did they have the scriptures? There is no mention of them, is there?) First there was Orihah , (righteous, walked humbly before the Lord - GOOD), who begat Kib (It doesn't say how Kib was, but his son rebelled against him), who begat Corihor (He rebelled against his father and brought him into captivity) and later Shule (He was born in captivity and rebelled against his brother [Corihor], restoring the kingdom to Kib [his father]. Kib then, because of his old age, gives it to Shule. He ruled in righteousness. Corihor [Shule's brother] repents of his sins, and received power in his brother's kingdom.). Corihor begat Noah . (He rebels: Noah and Cohor [brothers], these guys rebelled and gave bat...

Ether 6:12-30 Vs. 12 - Upon having arrived in the Promised Land, this people humbled themselves to the ground and gave thanks, a much different attitude than their children. -- In short, the Jaredites that first came to the Americas were a humble, righteous people. Because they were, they began to multiply and become strong. Vs. 22 - The people desired to have a king to lead them. Mahonri's first response is that this thing leadeth to captivity. -- ALmost all the sons of Mahonri and Jared understood this and wouldn't be responsible for the captivity of the people. But they were not completely united. One of Jared's sons consented to be king, Orihah. Vs. 28, 30 - How ever Orihah was not an evil man. He did reign in righteousness. He had humbled himself from before the Lord.

Ether 6:1-11 Vs. 3 - Double meaning. The Lord prepared stones fro the Jaredite boats that they might not cross the waters in darkness. The same happens for us. The Lord has given us light that we might not travel through this life in darkness. Vs. 5-8 - What a beautiful, spiritual parallel these verses are.  The waters can be compared to the world. While we must live and pass through this world, we do not need to be swallowed up in it.  The wind that pushed them along was the Power of God which if we let it will lead us to progress along the waters. The wind (the power of God) never did cease to blow. The vessels that protected them from the waters were their preparation, having had headed to the word or council of the Lord, they were protected from the waters or the world, though at times they did get swallowed up in them. Like the early latter-day Saints, at times they were swallowed up in afflictions, but the Lord always allowed them to come out on top, because they cr...

Ether 5 Vs. 1 - Moroni had written down all that is found in chapter 4 from memory. How clear was his intelligence, his recollection. Look at this! "I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate;" There was a part of the plates that was sealed up. Moroni just said he told us what is on them according to his memory. So it was a summary that we have. Of what though? It's also interesting to note that it was Moroni who sealed up that part of the Book of Mormon. So what we have now is literally what Mormon and Moroni  were commanded of the Lord to write. Vs. 4 - Is there no power in the Book of Mormon? Most definitely there is. By the power of this book will all the world be judged at the Last Day. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost all testify of the Book of Mormon.

Ether 4:8-19 Vs. 9 - Why does a loving older brother tell us these things as if to cause fear in our hearts? He can't deny what is true. Vs. 10 - If I don't believe the word of God, I believe not His disciples. Example - If I say I believe the words of Pres. Hinckley, I believe he is a prophet, but then if I don't hearken unto his counsel and fail to be obedient, I lie. Vs. 11 - Because I believe in God and I have received of his Spirit, I know and must bear record of these truths. Knowledge by the Spirit : This is Testimony. Ether 4:11 - "...For because of my Spirit, he shall know that these things are true..." 2 Nephi 32:5 - "...if Ye will enter into the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." 3 Nephi 16:6 (Words of Christ) "...the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father." 1 Cor. 12 - "...no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Ether 4:...