A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 16 In this chapter, there is an account of a war between the Lamanites and the Nephites. It came at the end of a period of elongated peace. Before the Nephites are able to gather sufficient strength to withstand the Lamanite army, the town of Ammonihah is consumed. Other Nephites are taken captive. Fortunately, their military leader is a man by the name of Zoram who inquires of Alma as to where to go to find those Nephites that had been taken captive. Alma, being possessor of the spirit of prophecy, is able to tell Zoram exactly where to find the prisoners upon inquiry from the Lord. (See verses 4-8 ) The people of Ammonihah are destroyed in one day. ( vs. 10 ) --- After the wars are past, the work of the ministry is resumed. Alma and Amulek continued "preaching repentance to the people" together. (See vs. 13 ) In verse 14 , there is a hidden gem: "And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any respect of persons , cont...

Mosiah 12:20-24 The verses quoted in this section are taken from Isaiah 52:7-10 .  In context, I have to remind myself that these priests that quoted them where utterly clueless on the very points of doctrine that make this verse of scripture so rich in meaning and significance. Perhaps they used this passage of scripture through some gross distortion of it, as justification for their vain and pacifying promises to the people of Noah. But oh how beautiful and rich in symbolism is the true meaning of these verses. There is a verse of one of our hymns ("Come, Ye Disconsolate") that concludes with this line: "Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal." I feel that the significance of these verses is in the reality of that statement. As I work through these verses, I am asking myself why are these verses so significant and reassuring at the same time. What follows is a personal Q and A relative to the verses quoted from Isaiah. What is the significance of being in the...

2 Nephi 13:16-26 These verses list the destruction that will come upon the lofty daughters of Zion "in that day." The time period refers to the day of the Lord, or, as far as I can tell, this is a direct reference to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In no uncertain terms, all the fine decorations, all the worldly ornamentation that the daughters of Zion put their trust into will be eventually stripped from them. There is a direct correlation here with unrighteousness as well. This curse of humiliation falls upon them because of their haughtiness, their wanton eyes and stretched-forth necks. The personal application for me is to avoid the luxurious, and in my walk among men, I should be humble and simple.

2 Nephi 6:14-18 , See also Doctrine and Covenants 97:22-26 There are several points of engagement or, better said, doctrines that I am trying to find cohesiveness between this morning. In the end of times, the Lord will return "in power and great glory," ( vs 14 ). At the Lord's return, there will be great destruction among the wicked. Zion shall be spared "if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her," ( D & C 97:25 ) All people shall eventually know that "the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel," whether by faith or by destruction (see vs 15, 18 ). President Henry B. Eyering has commented recently, "...at some moment in the world to come, everyone you met in this life will know what you know now... They will know that you knew. And they will remember whether you offered them what someone had offered you." ( “Let Us Raise Our Voice of Warning,” Liahona , Jan 2009, 2–7 ) There seems to be coming some eventual point in ...