A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 21:15-17 What surprises me about this set of verses is that in a sense, nothing had changed. Their external circumstances had not changed. After Aaron and his brethren had been released from prison, they went back to the synogogues of the Amalekites and into any assembly of the Lamanites that would let them come in. The venues did not change. What did change was this: "And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord," ( vs. 16 ). I went back and looked for any reference to the Spirit of the Lord guiding their previous efforts, and there was none. Imprisonment and the subsequent sufferings that resulted seems to have been the humility catalyst needed to prepare this particular set of missionaries for the work that lay ahead of them. Now verse 17 states that: ...the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins , and of the traditions of their fathers, which were...

Alma 19:12-13 At the appointed time, king Lamoni awakens from his deep sleep, and there is his wife, the queen, waiting for him. The first words out of his mouth are these: "Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art thou." The first part of this statement makes sense. King Lamoni had just received a powerful witness of the reality of God, but he then gives the same blessing to his wife. Why? I am reminded of the statement of Nephi's brother Jacob, "Behold, the Lamanites your brethren... their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children... and one day they shall become a blessed people." ( Jacob 3:5-7 ) King Lamoni goes on to testify that he had seen his Redeemer, and then emphasis three points: "and he shall come forth," "and be born of a woman," "and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name." ( vs. 13 ) These are curious points of testimony for ...

Alma 18:18-43 There are a couple of items that are assumed here. Ammon is working by power. And now King Lamoni is recognizing that power: the power to discern the thoughts of his heart, the power to slay the enemies of the king. Lamoni tells Ammon that if he will explain to him how he has this power, that he would in turn give him up to half of his kingdom. This power that Lamoni recognizes, he sees as extremely valuable. In verse 20 , King Lamoni demands, "tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of my brethren that scattered my flocks." The king goes on in the following verse to explain that he would give armed guard to protect Ammon, but that he recognized Ammon as more powerful than his armies, "But I know that thou art more powerful than all they;" ( vs. 21 ). Now to put what follows into proper context, I have been brought to consider a talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland given as instruction to new mission presidents regarding the importance of teac...

Alma 8:29-32 After many days, the word of the Lord came to Alma: "Go; and also say unto my servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people, saying—Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my fierce anger away." In subsequent verses, we learn that Alma and Amulek accomplished this commandment of the Lord through "the spirit and power which the Lord had given them." ( vs 32 ) So it is, that those that go about the work of the Lord when called of the Lord to do so , they are empowered to do it through the influence of the Holy Ghost. In other words, they are endowed with power, or they have power given them. Verse 31 takes pains to explain the evidence of that power, in that they weren't able to be confined or thrown in dungeons, nor could anyone kill them. Now later in the account we learn that Alma and Amulek were thrown into prison (and verse 31 makes reference to this), and...

Alma 7:15-21 I find in verses 15 and 16 a recap of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism unto the remission of sins, endurance until the end. His testimony of these principles is confirmed to him according to the witness of the Holy Spirit. Our fears are what bind us to destruction. Our faith is what causes us to live lives of extraordinary capacity and interest.  There are sins which bind us down and commandments that liberate and free us. Commandments are not only those written in stone by Moses thousands of years ago, but also include the whisperings of the Spirit and "every word which proceedeth forth from the mouth of God." ( Doctrine and Covenants 84:44 ) It is also by the manifestation of the Spirit that Alma received a witness of the faith of those at Gideon (see vs. 17 ). This thought has been impressed upon me recently as to how this work is guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Obedience to that Spirit is requisite to be a true servant of the Lord. Alm...

2 Nephi 32 In plain terms, Nephi now explains the "now what?" part of discipleship. There is no law of Moses, no rules and regulations, no measured or calculated formula for success. Instead, Nephi says this: Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye shall do.  ...And receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you all things what ye shall do.  In other words, go to God himself for your instruction. Develop with Him a relationship of friendship and trust. He will lead us safely home, if we listen to His voice ( see "Let the Holy Spirit Guide", hymn no. 143 ).

2 Nephi 31 And now at the end of his record, Nephi takes opportunity to write just a few more concerning the doctrine of Christ. Specifically, Nephi is addressing baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Verse 12 is an interesting argument given by the Lord himself. It reads, "And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me ; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do." (italics added) In other words, what Christ is saying is that when we are baptized we are given the Holy Ghost, which is the same thing that happened to the Lord when he was baptized. Having the companionship of the Holy Ghost is the qualifier to being able to do the things which Christ was able to do. What strikes me is that following the influence of the Holy Ghost is the what enables us to be able to do what Christ did. These ramification are deep, for if God is willing to give us the very sam...

2 Nephi 15:26 The beginning of this verse reads: " And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far." Footnotes on the word "ensign" lead to other scriptures that also call it a "standard". The verse that I find most enlightening is found in D & C 115:5 , "Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;" This verse explains how the ensign shall be lifted up -- it is through the light that emanates from the lives of the people. This is a personal mandate that my life ought to so be that others are able to discern a difference. The next part of the verse reads "and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth;" The word "hiss" in the Spanish translation is the equivalent of "whisper". There are many ways in which this "hissing" or "whispering" of the truth can take place: print media, electronic media, films, television, the Internet, pe...

2 Nephi 2:1-4 I am enthralled with the notion that Jacob in his youth had come to know God by personal manifestation. His father, Lehi, is also aware of this and makes mention of it several times in these first verses. When we consider Jacob's position however, it was extremely appropriate that Jacob would be privileged to have such a personal manifestation. God reveals himself to his prophets, of whom Jacob eventually becomes one. Thus is the pattern of God. God then requires his prophets, those to whom he has revealed himself to testify of him. That is a weighty responsibility. Lehi gives him the perspective of that privilege by explaining that the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thus what he had experienced put him on an equal plane as those who would walk with Christ in His mortal ministry. That is an important point.

1 Nephi 10:17-22 This is the doctrine that is "no respecter of persons" ( see Acts 10:34 ). And it seems that Nephi feels this same way as he describes his desires to know what his father knew. Nephi explains that his father spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, and that that power was received because of his faith on Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Then in his youth, Nephi already had a foundation to understand how God communicates with his children-- through the power of the Holy Ghost. This scripture then broadens our perspective on the purposes and mission of the Holy Ghost. While His presence is evident throughout the Old Testament, I'm not aware of any direct references to the workings of the Holy Ghost in it. As He is introduced in the New Testament through the Savior, the Holy Ghost's mission is to comfort in the absence of the Savior's personal ministry. But thankfully, the pattern of revelation that comes via the Holy Ghost is set up early in the Book of Morm...

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:...