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Dear friends,

I'm sorry that I'm having problems posting my weekly Book of Mormon post to this blog site. I'm not sure what is wrong, but I can't make it work. 

If you would like to receive the weekly posts, there are two options. 

1. Send an email to me at rsboyer46@gmail.com and I'll add you to the list of those who receive the post via email. 

or

2. I will attempt to post on the Boyer Family Book of Mormon FaceBook group page. If you are already a member of that group, you'll have access to the posts there. If you are not a member of the group but are a FaceBook user, go to that group page and request to be a member or send me a message in FB Messenger to add you to the group. Here is the link to the group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/722078864986795

I'll keep trying each week to see if I can post to this blog site, but I'm not optimistic. I will also look at alternatives and let you know, if I create a new place for this blog. 

Thanks!

Richard

#54 September 14 – 20, 2020, 3 Nephi 11

3 Nephi chapter 11

The chapter of all chapters!

If the book of Third Nephi is the book of all books in the Book of Mormon, the zenith or high-water mark for the whole Book, then this chapter (along with chapter 17) is the chapter of all chapters! This account of the appearance of Christ to a multitude of 2500 people and their intimate interactions with Him is as good as scripture gets. Oh, how we wish we could have been there! The people who experience the events described in this chapter will never fall away, neither will any of their children nor their grandchildren. 

A different format this week

As I explained at the beginning of the last blog post/email, this week’s post is divided into two parts. This second part of this week’s post is a first-person narrative of the events of chapter 11. The experience described in 3 Nephi 11 is so powerful that I’d like to try to write about it in the first person, as if I had been there. I hope this isn’t too presumptive and that none will be offended or bored. I need to make some assumptions, create some fictional characters and start with some backstory to describe the powerful experience of chapter 11, but I’ll do my best to stay with what we know to be true. It has been a powerful experience for me to try to imagine what it was like to be there when Christ came to those who survived the great destruction at the time of His death and then to try to capture those feelings in writing for you. I hope it will be anywhere near as meaningful for you to read this as it was for me to write it. This is as close as I’m going to get in this life to having been there. 

The Day of all Days

Greetings! My name is Amulek. I was born in the year that the sign was given of the birth of Christ, the sign prophesied by the great Lamanite prophet Samuel, that there would be a day, a night and a day without darkness. I am in the thirty fourth year of my life and it is the thirty and fourth year since the sign was given. I want to write about the day of all days, the day that Christ appeared to us at the temple in Bountiful while the feelings are still fresh in my heart. But let me go back first and tell you a little of my story.

My parents were living in Zarahemla at the time I was born. There was a date set by the unbelievers, the wicked people in Zarahemla (most of them members of the secret band of Gadianton robbers), based on Samuel’s prophecy from the wall of Zarahemla that the sign of Christ’s birth would be seen in five years. The wicked unbelievers determined that those who believed in Samuel’s prophecy and were looking for the sign of Christ’s birth should be put to death if the sign was not seen by the date they set. Because my parents believed in the words of Samuel, they were afraid for their lives. My mother was expecting me at that time. I was going to be their first child but they were afraid that I would never be born if she and my father were executed for believing. After I got older, they told me how they, along with the other believers, prayed and fasted and prayed for weeks that the sign would be given. But every night, when the sun went down, it got dark. Even some of the believers began to wonder, but my parents were firm in their faith and trusted in the Lord, even if it would cost them their lives and the life of their unborn baby. 

Finally, the last day came before the fatal deadline when all the believers would be killed if the sign wasn’t seen. Our great prophet and leader, Nephi, son of Helaman, had departed out of the land. No one knew where he had gone. Some wondered if he had been translated like we assumed happened to the great prophet Alma. Nephi was a wonderful spiritual leader, a true man of God. The people missed him so very much. His younger brother, Lehi, a man of similar spiritual stature, had already died. So Nephi, the son of Nephi, was trusted by his father before he departed with the records and became our prophet and spiritual leader. He was only 22 years old at the time. But he was a man of God like his father and grandfathers before him. 

On the day before the executions were set to occur, Nephi went to the Lord and prayed all day and into the evening nearly until sundown, just like the story of Enos, one of my heroes of the ancient prophets. Finally, after several hours of pleading with God, a miracle happened. He heard a voice from heaven. It was the voice of Jesus Christ who told him that the sign would be given that night and that He would come into the world the next day. Miracle of miracles, it happened! That night the sun went down but it didn’t get dark at all. My parents said it was so amazing! They stayed up all night and quietly celebrated with the other believers! They were so grateful! When it finally got dark the next night, there was a new star, a brilliant star unlike anything they’d ever seen, in the night sky. Samuel prophesied the appearance of that star, as well. 

I was born about 3 months later in the summer of the year the sign was given. My mother thought it was extra special that her baby was just about the same age as Jesus, the baby who was born when the sign was given far away in the land of our forefathers. She said that she also felt close to Jesus’s mother Mary because they both had babies about the same age. (Our prophets told us many years ago that His name would be Jesus and His mother’s name would be Mary.) My parents gave me the name of my great grandfather, Amulek, who was a close friend and missionary companion of the great prophet Alma, who was our first chief judge and such an amazing missionary and leader. That Amulek was a man of great faith! Most of his family were killed in the wicked city of Ammonihah when the humble people who believed him and Alma were burned by the wicked people. Amulek had to watch his wife and all but one of his children die in the fire. But my grandfather, just a teenager at the time, was clever and a very fast runner. He escaped from Ammonihah before they could throw him into the flames with the rest of his family. He had to hide from the wicked people for several days but eventually made his way to Zarahemla. Alma and Amulek were put into prison and kept there without food or water for several days. My grandfather wondered if he would ever see his father again, but one day the prison walls collapsed on the wicked people who were tormenting Alma and Amulek. Alma and his father were saved and came out alive. My grandfather no longer had to hide, but he stayed in Zarahemla where he was soon reunited with his father at the home of Alma. Amulek was so sad that his wife and other children had been killed. But he was so grateful that one son survived. So am I, or I wouldn’t be here to tell you this story.

Our family, the descendants of my grandfather, has lived in Zarahemla since then, at least, until recently. For a few years after the sign was given, the year Jesus and I were born, many people believed in the prophet Nephi and tried to be good. But before long, they began to forget the sign. I remember as a little boy wondering how they could forget such an amazing sign, but they did. They asked questions like, “Why wasn’t He born here in this part of the world so we can see Him?” “How do we really know there is such a person as Jesus Christ growing up in another part of the world?” “How do we know that He will come visit us someday?” They were angry with our prophet Nephi and said that he and the other church leaders were just trying to fool them into believing in something that didn’t ever happen. 

Things got pretty bad for all of us because of the Gadianton robbers. They are the worst! They are wicked and don’t believe anything good! They live in the mountains and don’t want to work for their food. All they want to do is to come down out of the mountains and steal from the people who do work. They are wicked, hateful people. What is sad is that so many people who once believed in the prophets left to become robbers with them. I could never understand why they would leave. I guess they believed the lies of the robbers and wanted to have a life like theirs. 

When I was in my early twenties and had just gotten married, we had to gather all our food and animals into the land between Zarahemla and Bountiful for safety. We gathered enough food and supplies to live for seven years. We knew the robbers couldn’t last that long without being able to steal our crops and animals. We had some great leaders – Lachoneus and Gidgiddoni – men of God, like our prophet Nephi. (The son of Lachoneus, also named Lachoneus, and I were good friends. Even though his father was the chief judge and ruler, he went to school in Zarahemla at the same school I attended. My father was a merchant and worked really hard to earn enough money for me to attend a good school.) Well, we outlasted the robbers and they were eventually all defeated. We were so happy! Everyone knew that it was the Lord who saved us. For a few years, I thought people would stay righteous and wait for Christ to come, like Samuel promised He would. But just like before, people began to forget what the Lord had done for us in saving us from the robbers and many became wicked again. It didn’t take very long. Actually, they didn’t just forget. They knew what was right but they turned their backs on Nephi, the church and those of us who believed and willfully decided that they didn’t want to believe any more. Before long, they joined those who were persecuting those of us who believed and were as bad or worse than they were. 

By the time I was about 30 years old, our country fell apart. There were hardly any people who believed in Christ, that He was really alive in the land where our fathers came from over 600 years ago and that He would one day visit us in our land. Nephi continued to preach. He had many revelations and even had angels visit him often, but the people wouldn’t listen to his words. His brother, Timothy, was killed by an angry mob who stoned him for preaching about Christ. But Nephi raised him from the dead. The government was falling apart and everybody was dividing into tribes. It was a terrible time!

By that time, my wife Sariah (named for her ancestor, the wife of Lehi, the great matriarch of all of the righteous Nephite people) and I had been blessed with four children, a daughter, two sons and then another daughter. We gave them names of women and men of faith, hoping they would grow up to be like those for whom they were named. We named our first daughter Rachel, after the wife of the great patriarch Jacob who became known as Israel and was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then we had two sons. We named them after two of our heroes who are less known by our people. We named our first son Sam, after the third son of the great patriarch Lehi and his wife Sariah, the next older brother of Nephi, who was loyal to his younger brother all his days.  And we named our second son, Joseph, after the youngest son of Lehi and Sariah. Finally, we had another daughter and named her Abish, after a Lamanitish girl who was the brave servant of the queen of king Lamoni and who had such great faith.

When I was thirty years old, our amazing leader Lachoneus, who had served us pretty much all my life stepped down as chief judge and governor of the land. His son, Lachoneus, my good friend and brother in Christ, became the chief judge and leader of our government. Tragically, in the first year of his service, he was killed by the wicked Gadianton robbers, who had infiltrated the government and wanted to overthrow it. I was devastated! Lachoneus was such a good man and such a good friend! He and I were about the same age and had known each other all our lives. He had a wife and children, just like I do. I felt so bad for them. Sariah and I knew that we couldn’t stay in Zarahemla any longer. Samuel had prophesied that Zarahemla would be destroyed by fire if the people cast out the prophets and killed the righteous saints. It was happening before our eyes. The prophet Nephi was no longer safe in the city. None of us who believed in the prophecies of Christ were safe. Sariah and I took our family and escaped with only what we could carry with us. We made our way toward the land and city of Bountiful. We knew there was a temple in Bountiful, so many of the righteous were gathering there. There was also a temple in Zarahemla but it was no longer a holy place. It had been desecrated by the wicked people. The righteous priests could no longer serve there. We knew that it provided no protection from the destruction that had been prophesied by Samuel.

We’ve made a life for ourselves in the land Bountiful living outside the city. Fortunately, the robbers are not strong in this area and the more righteous people are gathering here from all over the land. We started to see more and more signs and knew that the time must be coming for the sign of the death of Christ. We wished we could be in the land of Jerusalem where He was teaching and living with the people. We could only trust that He would visit us after He completed His mission there. 

Samuel had prophesied that there would be three days of darkness as a sign of Christ’s death. We didn’t know when that would happen, but the signs suggested that it might not be far off. The prophet Nephi told us that there would be great destruction before Christ would come to our land and that we should be prepared. It sounded awfully frightening. Sariah and I were afraid for our family but we trusted that God would protect us and that we would survive if we remained faithful to our covenants. Nephi joined us in the area near Bountiful. He was getting older now. How we loved our prophet! He had baptized our daughter Rachel at the temple in Zarahemla when she turned eight years old. As I write, she is 12 years old. She is becoming a lovely young woman, like her mother. Sam is 10 and Joseph is 8. They are growing to be fine young men. They were both baptized at the temple in Bountiful when they turned 8 years old by another friend of our family, Jonas. He is the son of Nephi’s brother Timothy, the one who was raised from the dead. Jonas and I knew each other in Zarahemla and have been good friends all our lives. Abish is only 5, so she hasn’t been baptized yet. She is especially precious! Ever since coming to Bountiful, as a family, we have waited, watched and prayed. That’s what the other righteous people who have gathered here are doing. Nephi kept reassuring us that it would not be long until the sign of Christ’s death would be seen and that, after that, He would visit us. Knowing that Christ and I were the same age, I began to wonder how long He would live and when we would see Him. I hoped and prayed it would be in my lifetime. 

It was spring, the beginning of the thirty and fourth year. It was the time of the Spring Equinox so it was time for the Passover celebration. Even though Christ had come far away in the land of our forefathers, we still observed the holy days of the Law of Moses. Some people thought we didn’t need to keep the Law of Moses after the sign was given of Christ’s birth, but Nephi told us that the Law would not be fulfilled until Christ died. The whole reason for the Law was looking forward to His sacrifice and death and to keep us focused on Him. We were looking forward to celebrating Passover at the time of the first full moon after the equinox, as our people have done for centuries, when everything changed. 

On the fourth day of the month, early in the morning before we were even awake, there was a powerful storm and the earth began to shake. The walls of our house began to move. Then came lightning, thunder, whirlwinds and tornados. Many homes and other buildings caught fire. Fortunately, our house didn’t catch fire like some around ours did. People were screaming and running for safety, but there was nowhere to go. The destruction was everywhere. Sariah and I pulled our children out of bed and we ran together into a cave near our home where we had previously stored some food and water for just such an occasion. As we ran, our house collapsed behind us. It’s hard to know what happened after that. The shaking, the lightning, the whirlwinds and the terror continued for about three hours. Some thought it was longer than that, but the best we could tell was that it was about three hours. Then came silence and darkness. It was a penetrating darkness. It didn’t matter if we were in the cave or outside, we couldn’t see anything. I’ve never been in darkness like that before or since. I could feel the darkness like a vapor that surrounded and penetrated us and blocked out all the light. We tried to light a fire, but nothing would burn in that vapor of darkness. We couldn’t even see the fires from the burning homes and buildings outside our cave. There was absolutely no light! Gratefully, we had our children with us or we would not have been able to find them. People were screaming and crying for their loved ones and trying to find them. We called to some of them and they came and joined us in our cave. We couldn’t see them but recognized them by their voices. We were happy to share our food and water with them. There was no light from the sun which must have been up by then. Everything was black! All we could do was to huddle together, holding hands so no one would get lost, and pray. 

I don’t know how long we stayed in the darkness like that. There was no way to know, but it must have been hours. The cries of the people around us gradually died down. I was so grateful that our children were with us. What if we had lost them in the darkness? They were so brave. Even little Abish, who was cuddled close to her mother, was brave and reminded us that our prophet Nephi said we would be blessed for believing. We knew that we had already been blessed. We were alive and we were together!

As we huddled together in the darkness and spoke softly to each other, we heard a voice. There was no question that it was a voice from heaven. Everyone heard it. At first, the message of the voice was frightening, talking about all the cities that had been destroyed. The voice told us that Zarahemla had been destroyed by fire. We thought of people we knew who lived there who had turned their backs on the prophet and the church and wondered if they had been able to escape or if they were killed in the fires. We were so grateful we had followed the warning of the prophet Samuel, that we had left Zarahemla and moved to the land Bountiful!

Then the voice began to speak to those of us who had been saved because we were more righteous than those who were killed. I’ve never thought of myself as being very righteous. I make lots of mistakes and want to be a better person but always fall short. But we’ve always loved God and tried our best to follow the counsel and warnings of His prophets. The voice promised that, if we would repent of our sins and come to Him, He would heal us. That was comforting and sounded wonderful! I began to realize who it was that was speaking to us. Then He told us who He was. I remember His words, words which penetrated my soul as I sat huddled there in the darkness with my family. I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. My heart leaped inside of me! I was filled with warmth and peace, even though in the darkness. Jesus is real and He is speaking to us in our part of the world! He must be speaking to us from the world of spirits because the signs of His death were all around us. 

I can’t remember everything He said. I didn’t need to. But I remember the feeling. I knew that we had been saved from death and that He would continue to protect us. Everyone in our family, even the children, felt His love pierce our hearts through the darkness. We would be ok. Life is good! 

After the Savior stopped speaking, there was silence again. We needed some time to let what He had said sink in and to get control of our emotions. We could tell that the people around us had also stopped crying and felt comforted. We were still in thick darkness but we felt warmth and light in our hearts. It was amazing what hearing His voice did for us. All of our family felt it, even the children. It was so powerful! I’m sure that everyone who survived and heard His voice felt like we did. 

After several hours, He spoke again. This time, His voice was even more tender and gentle. He spoke about how a hen gathers her chicks around her, just like Sariah gathers our children around her when they are sick or frightened. She was doing it even as He spoke. He tenderly told us that He had tried many times to gather us, that He was even now trying to gather us and would continue to do so in the future. I knew that we would be alright. Our house may be reduced to rubble, but He would gather us and take care of us. As we sat in the darkness, our hearts were at peace. 

The darkness lasted for three days and three nights. When the darkness finally dissolved into light it was Sunday morning. We knew it was a special day. Our mourning was turned into joy, and our lamentations into praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Under the law of Moses, our sabbath was on the 7^th day of the week, Saturday. But now we will worship the Lord on the 1^st day of the week, the day the darkness lifted and the light returned. Sunday will always be His day. We realized that we had missed Passover altogether, but it was alright. Nephi later told us that we didn’t need to celebrate Passover any longer. Christ had fulfilled the Law. Our worship was now to be centered in Him. 

The next few weeks are sort of a blur. We saw all the changes that had happened. We gradually learned that many cities had been burned, including our capital city of Zarahemla. And we learned that other cities had been submerged under water and some were buried by mountains of earth that came down upon them. The whole face of the land was changed. Miraculously, the temple in Bountiful was spared and still stood. The city around it had only a little damage, much less than the other cities in our land. People began to try to put their lives back together again. Our family lived in the cave near our home while my sons and I rebuilt our home. Rachel was a lot of help as well. Soon we had rebuilt part of our house and Sariah made it homey and cheerful. We learned that Nephi, his brother Timothy and his son Jonas and their families had also survived. Miraculously, none of our friends who were believers and who were doing their best to follow Nephi were killed. With so much destruction and so many lives lost, it was truly a miracle! People from all over the land began to gather toward Bountiful. The temple there became the center place of our worship. The government had been destroyed before the great destruction occurred, so the church leaders took charge under Nephi’s direction and organized those who survived to look after each other. We had all lost nearly everything so no one was rich or poor. We shared everything with each other. No one felt the need to be selfish or thought that they were any better than anyone else. Despite all that we had lost, it was a wonderful time. I’ve never felt that kind of unity among the believers. There were good people who weren’t among the believers but they hadn’t stoned the prophets or those who believed. Many of them survived as well. We all worked together to begin to rebuild our lives. With the wicked people gone, the contention was also gone. The feeling was amazing! I’ve never experienced anything like it. The closest to this feeling I remember was when we all gathered in the center of the land to stand against the Gadianton robbers. We were completely united and we truly loved each other. 

Even though we knew that we no longer needed to follow the Law of Moses, we still wanted to hold on to some of the holy days that were part of our tradition. We had missed Passover because it occurred during the three days of darkness that followed the great destruction. So we began to look forward to the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of 50 days. This feast occurs each year seven weeks (a week of weeks) and one day (49 + 1 = 50 days) after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the first day of Passover. Nephi said we should gather at the temple to celebrate this holy day on the Sunday seven weeks or the fiftieth day after the darkness ended and the light returned. We began to make preparations for that special day and looked forward to seeing many of our friends at the temple. We hoped that Nephi would be there and have words of counsel and comfort for us.

Finally the holy day came. Life was starting to feel a little like normal. As a family, we packed some food for the day and went into the city Bountiful and to the temple arriving there quite early in the morning. It was a beautiful spring morning. There were already many people on the plaza around the temple. People came from all around Bountiful and gathered as families at the temple mount. We were greeting old friends and marveling about all the changes that had occurred during the three hours of destruction before the darkness enveloped our land just seven weeks ago. Everyone was talking about Jesus Christ. We knew that the destruction and the darkness were signs of His death. We had all heard His voice speak to us while we sat in the darkness during those terrible three days. But we had heard nothing since. Our prophets have assured us that He will come to our land when He finishes His ministry in the land of our forefathers. But we didn’t know when that would occur. 

We were conversing and marveling with each other when something happened that changed our lives forever. We heard a sound, a voice, as if it came out of heaven. But we couldn’t understand the voice. We adults were looking around to see if anyone could understand. Everyone had the same puzzled look on their faces. Everyone, that is, except the children. When I looked at our five-year-old daughter, Abish, she was looking upward toward heaven. She had an angelic expression of her face and tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was pointing to the sky but I couldn’t see anything. Again we heard the voice. Then our other children looked upward as well. Sariah and I couldn’t understand the words, but we knew it was a voice. This time I could tell that Rachel, Sam and Joseph understood the voice and could see something that we couldn’t see. They had the same angelic look on their faces as their younger sister. The tears began to stream down their cheeks, as well, even the boys, but they weren’t embarrassed to be crying. As I looked around, I realized that all the children were seeing something or someone that the adults weren’t seeing. 

Then a third time the voice came. This time Sariah and I, holding hands, looked upward where our children were looking and opened our ears to hear. What we heard was not like anything I’ve ever heard before or since. It was a small, soft voice, not loud or harsh, but it pierced my heart to the very center. We began to shake, but I wasn’t afraid. Sariah and I held tightly to each other as the tears began to flow down our cheeks as well. We kept looking upward toward the voice. Then we understood what it had said three times. Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him. It was the voice of our Father in Heaven! I’ve prayed to Him all my life, but I’ve never heard His voice. Sometimes in quiet moments, I’ve felt of His love but now I was bathed in it. We couldn’t see Him but we knew He was there. He is real! And He is so gentle and loving! I wanted my life to end right then and there so I could go be with Him. Nothing in the world mattered. I wanted to take my family home to Him and be in His presence for eternity. 

While we were looking into heaven toward the voice, all of us now understanding what had been said three times, we saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of [us]. Every eye was upon Him. He stood on one of the steps of the temple where we could all see Him. Even the babies and youngest children looked at Him with knowing looks on their faces. No one dared speak. No one wanted to speak. We didn’t know who it was. I think the children knew but none of the adult dared even open their mouths. Some of us hoped it might be Jesus, but didn’t believe that it could be true. We told ourselves it must be an angel. We knew that Nephi, our prophet, saw angels often. This man in white robes must be an angel. Maybe it was one of our prophets who had come to tell us when to expect that Jesus Christ would visit us. But the voice of the Father had said, Behold my Beloved Son. Could this be His Son? Could this be our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Himself? We hardly dared hope. 

And then He stretched out His hand and spoke. 

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; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

I can’t describe the feelings in my heart as He spoke those words. Instantly, I was a new person and would never be the same old person again. There was nothing to do but to fall to my knees. I was speechless but filled with a joy I had never before known. I was hardly aware of anything or anyone around me. It was just me, Amulek, one humble Nephite, and Jesus Christ, who had just descended from heaven. I became aware that everyone had fallen to their knees. I could only hope that everyone was feeling what I was feeling. But I didn’t want to take my eyes off of Him even for a moment to look around. He captured my heart and soul. 

When He spoke again, it was so gentle, so soft, so tender. He invited us to Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

I couldn’t believe that He wanted to see each of us, to have each one of us come to Him and touch His hands or feet or side. At first no one moved. No one dared. But the children led the way. They pulled their parents and older siblings by the hand and soon we were all moving toward Jesus, gathering around Him waiting our turn to approach Him one-by-one as a family. No one was in a rush. No one pushed or stepped in front of anyone else. Everyone would get their turn. It took about three hours, all the rest of the morning, for us all to see Him personally. But no one was in a hurry or impatient. Nothing in the world was more important than what was happening that morning at the temple in Bountiful.

We waited our turn as a family hardly believing that we would have the privilege of coming into His personal presence. We must have waited over two hours since we were toward the back of the crowd. I estimated there had to be over two thousand people there including all the children. When it was finally our turn, I didn’t feel worthy and held back a little, but Abish took my hand and said, “Come on, Daddy. It’s ok. He’s really nice!” We gathered around the Savior as a family, all six of us. He spoke gently to us, calling each of us by name beginning with the children. As they tenderly touched the marks in His hands and wrists and in His feet, He told them how much He loved them and how thankful He was that they had believed in Him so they could be there that day. He gently embraced each of them and kissed our daughters tenderly on their foreheads. Sariah was overcome with emotion and was kneeling at His feet. Her tears fell on the wounds in His feet, which she gently caressed and wiped with her long hair. He bent down and with His gentle but firm hands on her shoulders raised her up. He spoke her name and thanked her for loving Him and for her unfailing faith. Then He turned to me and opened both His arms for me to come to Him. The tears streamed down my face. He was weeping too. He wrapped me in His arms and embraced me warmly. He spoke my name and thanked me for believing in Him and for leading my family in righteousness. Then He took my right hand and guided it inside His robe where I could feel the wound of the sword in His left side near His heart. As I did, he whispered, “I did it for you because I love you.” I couldn’t say anything. I was overcome with emotion and filled with love. Life will never be the same again. I will never be the same again.

Each one of us,  the whole multitude did see with [our] eyes and did feel with [our] hands, and [do] know of a surety and [do] bear record, that it [is] he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come. We will always know. We will always believe. No one who is here with us today will ever doubt or fall away. And no one who hears us tell the story of what happened here today with Jesus will ever doubt or fall away. 

When each of us, every man, woman and child, old and young, had all gone forth and had witnessed for [ourselves], we spontaneously shouted Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! There was nothing more to say. And [we] did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him. 

Much more happened on this day of all days. Jesus taught us about baptism and told us not to contend with each other. He called Nephi to Him and gave him power to baptize. Even though Nephi was our prophet and has led our people for over 30 years, he didn’t act like he was anyone special. He stayed back in the crowd. But when Jesus called him by name and had him come forward, Nephi bowed himself before the Lord and did kiss his feet. I had the feeling that Nephi already knew Him well and that they loved each other dearly. 

Jesus called eleven others to join with Nephi. I recognized Timothy, Nephi’s brother, and my good friend, Jonas, his son, who were among them. I didn’t hear everything that Jesus said to the Twelve He chose, but I saw Him put His hands on each of their heads and offer a brief prayer. 

Jesus stayed with us all that day and came back on the next two days. Each day was wonderful. Maybe I’ll have a chance to write about some of what happened on those days, especially about how Jesus taught us about the sacrament and about the experience with our children, Jesus and the angels. 

But I’ve written enough for now. I just wanted to capture for my grandchildren and posterity my feelings on this most special day of all days. I will always know that Jesus is our Savior and is the resurrected living Son of God. I will always have the love that I felt from Him in His embrace in my heart. And I will always know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who sent His Son. What else could possibly matter? 

Lord bless you all!

Thanks for reading!

Richard

Sorry. I can't make the end notes post using a this format. 

#52 September 7 – 13, 2020, 3 Nephi 1-7

The Book of Third Nephi

            You made it! This is the book in the Book of Mormon we’ve been waiting for all year, the book that tells of the coming of the Savior. In many ways, the book of Third Nephi is the high point, the zenith, the culmination of the Book of Mormon. Yes, there will still be some profound doctrines taught after this book by Mormon and Moroni in the books of Mormon, Ether and Moroni, but many of the most sublime doctrines and teachings of the Book of Mormon are found in the record of the ministry of Jesus Christ among the people of the Western Hemisphere in Third Nephi. This is the time anticipated by all of the ancient prophets, including those we have studied this year, especially Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma, Alma, Helaman, Helaman, Samuel and Nephi. They all testified of and looked forward to His coming. And so have we! Maybe you are thinking that the most important part of the Book of Mormon should come at the very end, but that is not how it is organized. The Hallelujah Chorus does not come at the end of Handel’s Messiah oratorio, but is the high point of his marvelous work. In fact, Third Nephi is in about the same position in the Book of Mormon, about 2/3 of the way through the book, as the Hallelujah Chorus is in Messiah.

 

            Brother John W. (Jack) Welch calls the book of Third Nephi, the “holy of holies” of the Book of Mormon. He compares our journey through the Book of Mormon to the progression of the faithful through the temple until they come to the most holy place, the place where God is found.

            The more I study the book of 3 Nephi, the more I come to see it as the Holy of Holies of the Book of Mormon, and the more I come to appreciate it metaphorically as the most sacred inner chamber of the Nephite record. … Indeed, it would seem that everything in 3 Nephi has been composed to echo and to call to mind the solemnity of the presence of the Lord, which was traditionally associated in ancient Israel with Jehovah’s appearance in the inner sanctum of the temple, his holy house. … As one progresses through the Book of Mormon, one gets closer and closer to the inner-sanctum of the temple, in the Holy of Holies. All that has gone before is a prelude to, and a preparation for, bringing the people and the readers to that point where they could stand with prophets and priests in the presence of God.

Welch Notes (https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/book/john-w-welch-notes/6420)

 

            Third Nephi is indeed the place where we find God, our Savior, Jesus Christ, most clearly in the Book of Mormon. We see Him descend from heaven and allow 2500 people to touch the prints of the nails in His hands and feet and the wound of the sword in His side. We hear Him teach the doctrine of Christ and watch Him heal all of the infirm and bless the little children. We see Him pray for and with the people and weep with them. We see Him tenderly instruct and minister to His closest disciples. There is nothing in all scripture to match the intimacy and tenderness of the Savior in His ministry among the worthy souls who faithfully waited for Him to come. Truly, it is the high water mark in the Book of Mormon!

 

Robert Millet, Joseph McConkie and Brent Top in their excellent Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon also write that Third Nephi is the high point of the Book of Mormon.

The account of the Savior’s visit is the climax, the apex, of the entire Book of Mormon. All previous Book of Mormon writings had pointed forward to that marvelous event and all things recorded thereafter remind the reader of that event as a symbol of the Lord’s climactic second coming that will yet occur.

 

            They list five “unique contributions”, “doctrinal insights, instructions and clarifications” found in Third Nephi.

1. It testifies of the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and serves as a second witness of his divinity.

2. It defines his gospel, clarifies points of doctrine, and teaches the necessity of gospel ordinances.

3. It explains the purpose of the law of Moses and teaches Jesus’ divine role in the law’s fulfillment.

4. It contains important clarifications concerning the “other sheep” and doctrinal teachings concerning the gathering of Israel. 

5. It provides us with a unique and touching view of the emotional attributes of a glorified God—the resurrected Christ.

 

            They conclude, The book of 3 Nephi is infinitely more than just a “fifth Gospel.” In it the reader will discover perhaps the greatest written account of the ministry, teachings, and nature of the Lord. It does more than just contribute to an understanding of the doctrines of Christ; it invites all men everywhere to come unto him and partake of his mercy and thereby come to know him as he really is.

Millet, McConkie & Top Commentary

 

Elder Holland’s Testimony

            I haven’t mentioned much this year about Elder Holland’s masterful book, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon. It is as powerful and filled with testimony and emotion as Elder Holland’s general conference talks. He devotes a generous portion of his book to the ministry of Christ in the New World. There are separate chapters for “The First Day”, “the Second Day”, and “The Third Day and Beyond.” If you have the time and interest, reading Elder Holland’s book, even if only the three chapters that deal with Christ’s ministry among the Nephites, will reward you generously. Even though we won’t deal with those days until next week, I thought I’d mention it now so you can have time to read those chapters in preparation for or in concert with next week’s reading, if you choose to do so.

 

Four prophets named Nephi

            It gets a little confusing when we have four prophets in the Book of Mormon with the same name, Nephi. (That’s even worse than having three prophets of our modern church with the same name – Joseph Smith.) It is bad enough having two Almas and two Helamans, but four men each named Nephi can be confusing. For the sake of clarity, we will give each a number and list them in order with a little identifying information.

Nephi 1 – son of Lehi, born in Jerusalem, writer of the books of First and Second Nephi, maker of the plates of Nephi, built the ship to take his father’s family to the New World, led the righteous away from his wicked brothers and became their king.

Nephi 2 – son of Helaman 2, brother of Lehi, surrounded by fire in a prison in the land of Nephi, prays on his tower in his garden, prophesies of the murder of the chief judge, prays for a famine in the land and then for it to be ended, responsible for Helaman chapters 4-16.

Nephi 3 – son of Nephi 2, prays all day to save the believers, hears the voice of the Lord telling him that the sign will be given that night, raises his brother Timothy from the dead, is one of the first to greet the resurrected Savior when He appears and becomes one of His apostles, responsible for the book of 3 Nephi, which we will be reading for the next few weeks.

Nephi 4 – son of Nephi 3, prophet during the beginning of the righteous time after the Savior’s ministry. We had no direct words written or spoken by him. Responsible for 4 Nephi 1-18.

During the chapters in the book of 3 Nephi, we will conveniently be reading what was preserved by Nephi 3. Make sense?

 

What to watch for

            The seven chapters for this week, 3 Nephi 1-7, cover the 33 years from when the signs are given of Christ’s birth until just before He appears in person to the righteous people after His resurrection. Even though the signs of His birth occur in chapter 1, there is still significant opposition from Satan. We will see how the righteous people remain firm and steadfast while they wait for Him to come amid increasing wickedness in the world around them. Watch for references to what they do and how they live. They are good examples for those of us who are waiting for Him to come a second time. We will also see the efforts of Satan to deceive and divert the people from faith and preparing for Christ. Watch for references to his devious, wicked ways so we will be warned and can avoid his diabolical influence in our day. And we will see the people who are not waiting for the Savior to come, whose lives are guided by Satan and who oppose the righteous who are anxiously waiting. Watching these people will help us chose not to make the mistakes they made. These chapters are definitely for us who are living in the time before the Savior comes again.

 

Other sources

            I quote fairly liberally from the Millet, McConkie and Top Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon and from the Notes of Jack Welch in this week’s post. With the exception of a couple of small references, I don’t quote directly from Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson’s Come, Follow Me Insights (https://youtu.be/CGYTv8Tddkw) or David Butler and Emily Freeman’s Don’t Miss This (https://youtu.be/pAhO_13LR2c) but both are very good. I learned a lot by listening to both of their lessons twice each and recommend them to you, if you have time.

 

3 Nephi chapter 1

Nephi 3 receives charge for the sacred records

            It is now 91 years since king Mosiah died and Alma began to serve as the first chief judge. And it is 600 years since Lehi left Jerusalem. It is nearly five years since Samuel prophesied the signs of the birth of the Savior. Nephi, the son of Helaman, had departed out of the land of Zarahemla, giving charge unto his son Nephi, who was his eldest son, concerning the plates of brass, and all the records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem. Then he departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead, yea, the record of this people.

            Nephi 2, like his great grandfather Alma the Younger, disappears at the end of his ministry. We presume that Nephi 2 was translated, as was Alma. Remember that he went on a 6-year mission to the Lamanites earlier in his ministry. Maybe the people thought he had gone on another long mission. Communication wasn’t very good in those days so they might not know. We read nine years later, Nephi, who was the father of Nephi, who had the charge of the records, did not return to the land of Zarahemla, and could nowhere be found in all the land. Sounds like there was some hope that he would return, but he didn’t. He must have been needed by the Lord in some other place on this side of the veil or the other.

            Nephi 3 is now the steward of the Nephite records and sacred artifacts. He was probably also the high priest, though the record doesn’t specifically say so. Bro. Welch estimates that he was about 21 or 22 years old when he received the responsibility for the records. (https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/pdf/welch/2020-08-31/3_nephi_1-7_formatted.pdf) That would make him about 55 or 56 years old when the resurrected Christ comes to visit the people of the western hemisphere. He is responsible for all of the book of Third Nephi as abridged by Mormon. He has the weighty responsibility of recording the events and teachings of the Savior’s visit. As we mentioned last week, he had to be corrected by the Savior because he omitted a portion of the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite.

Nephi 3 was a man of Christ, a trusted and faithful servant of the Lord who works miracles, including raising his brother from the dead, and is a powerful spiritual leader. He is taught by angels. He receives stunning revelations while witnessing gross wickedness and spiritual decay among his people. Truly, he saw the “best of times and the worst of times” and yet remained faithful and steadfast through good and bad. He is a prime example of those who were “the most believing part of them.” Mormon makes the following comment about Nephi 3.

We know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record—for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity. (3 Nephi 8:1)

           

The prophesied day approaches

            It is now the 92^nd year of the judges. The prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.

            We don’t know if the people kept a record of the exact day on which Samuel the Lamanite stood on the wall of Zarahemla and prophesied the signs of the birth of the Savior – two days and the night between them without darkness and the appearance of a new star. There were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite. So wicked had the people become that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet. [1]

What kind of religious freedom is that? How can people be put to death for what they believe? Bro. Welch points out that, if the sign is not seen, then Samuel was a false prophet, a sin punishable by death under the Mosaic law. And for those who believed him and were watching for the sign to be given, according to Deuteronomy 18, if a person followed a false prophet, he would then get a false prophet’s reward, which was the death penalty. If members of the church had continued to follow what the people regarded as a false prophet, the threat of death makes clear sense when viewed strictly according to their law. (Welch Notes)

Can you imagine the feelings of the righteous who were faithfully and patiently looking for the sign? How did they feel each night when darkness fell after the sun went down? Did the begin to lose faith or hope or did they hold on? How are we waiting for the signs of the Second Coming of the Savior? Do we wait with faith and patience or do we lose hope and quit watching? For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, there are many signs occurring in our day that point to the imminent return of the Savior.

 

The voice of the Lord

Nephi 3, sorrowing for the wickedness of the people, went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people.[2] The record isn’t clear whether this was on the day before the believers were to be killed if the sign wasn’t given or perhaps was before that. I’m sure he and the other believers had been praying ever since the time of Samuel and more intently as the five-year mark approached. My belief is that the experience Nephi had occurred on the day before the executions were set to occur. Regardless of when, Nephi has an Enos-like experience, and cried mightily unto the Lord all that day. After praying all day, 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.

Whose voice was that? The scripture says it was “the voice of the Lord.” If that was truly the voice of the Lord Jehovah, the premortal Jesus Christ, then it suggests that the spirit is not fully committed to the body until the time of birth. Where was his physical body at that time? It was in His mother’s womb as she traveled between Nazareth and Bethlehem or waited in Bethlehem for His arrival. Gospel writers have speculated when the spirit enters the body – at conception? At quickening (the time when a mother feels movement in her womb, usually about 16-18 weeks)? At birth? I don’t know and I don’t believe it has been revealed. I do know that there is evidence of independent life in an embryonic fetus early in its development. Using current doppler ultrasound techniques, it is possible to detect a beating heart in an embryonic fetus at about 6-7 weeks post conception. Does that mean that the spirit has entered that tiny fetus and will stay there until birth? I don’t know. My personal opinion is that the spirit may be allowed to come and go, at least to some degree, up until birth takes place. But I could be wrong. It may also be that the voice Nephi heard was actually that of an angel speaking by divine investiture of authority as if he were the Lord Jehovah. [3]

           

The sign is given

            Regardless of whether it was the voice of the Lord Himself or that of an angel, the message is clear – the time is at hand and the sign will be given tonight. Can you imagine Nephi’s joy and the joy of the faithful who were holding on to hope that Samuel was a true prophet and that the sign would be given? The message was true! At the going down of the sun there was no darkness; … there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given. … When nighttime finally came after the second day and it was dark, a new star did appear.

            Samuel was a true prophet! Everything is exactly as he prophesied. Now, can you imagine the relief and the joy of the faithful who had been waiting and praying for the sign to be given? Those who were among “the most believing part” were rewarded for their patience and faith. I suspect some of them began to wonder inside if Samuel was really correct. But they had the courage to hold on and wait for the sign, knowing that if it weren’t given that night, they would be executed. Wow! That is real faith!

 

What is the response of the rest of the people? The people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came. … There were many, who had not believed the words of the prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead. … They began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear. This wasn’t just a few people who were overcome. All the people upon the face of the whole earth from the west to the east, both in the land north and in the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth.

It sounds to me like it was the wicked and unbelieving people who were overcome with fear. They began to fear because of their iniquity and their unbelief. By contrast, the righteous were, I’m sure, filled with joy and gratitude. I suspect this is how it will be when the Savior comes again. Every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Some, those who have been faithful to their covenants, will kneel in adoration and gratitude for His tender mercies. But most, those who for whatever reason are not on the covenant path when He comes, will kneel in humble submission and plead for His mercy and forgiveness.

 

Satan doesn’t waste any time

            Satan couldn’t prevent the signs from being given, so now he goes to work to undermine faith in those who saw the signs. Notice how Satan is not a proactive agent who acts for himself, but is always reactionary, responding to the things the Lord and His agents are doing by trying to counteract or undermine them. From this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen;

            Fortunately, most of the people were not deceived by Satan. The more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord. This begins a season of peace and prosperity among the Nephites and Lamanites. Nephi went forth among the people, and also many others, baptizing unto repentance, in the which there was a great remission of sins. And thus the people began again to have peace in the land. This peace lasted for about four years. But these people have short memories, as we will soon discover.

 

What about the Gadianton robbers?

            Interestingly, the ninety and third year did also pass away in peace, save it were for the Gadianton robbers, who dwelt upon the mountains, who did infest the land; for so strong were their holds and their secret places that the people could not overpower them; therefore they did commit many murders, and did do much slaughter among the people. Where were they when the sign was given? Did they totally miss the night without darkness? What rationalizations did they invent to explain away the sign? If they didn’t know of Samuel’s prophecy, the sign must have had no meaning to them, just some unexplained phenomenon. They are proof that signs alone do not convert. It is the Spirit who converts and the robbers were devoid of the Spirit of the Lord.

 

What about the youth?

            Just as he does today, Satan particularly worked on the youth, the rising generation. There was also a cause of much sorrow among the Lamanites; for behold, they had many children who did grow up and began to wax strong in years, that they became for themselves, and were led away by some who were Zoramites, by their lyings and their flattering words, to join those Gadianton robbers. What do you think it means that “they became for themselves”? In our day, we would say that they did their own thing. Being headstrong and proud, they became vulnerable to Satan’s lies and deception. Even the Lamanites, who had been the more faithful people, began to decrease as to their faith and righteousness, because of the wickedness of the rising generation. How soon they forgot! It doesn’t take long for Satan to turn someone’s heart if they are not careful.

 

3 Nephi chapter 2

Satan, that insane insomniac!

            Satan continues to deceive the people. Knowing that the signs have been given of Christ’s birth, Satan is working even harder. The same is true today. He knows that his time is limited and that he will be bound when Christ comes again, so Satan is working feverishly night and day, around the clock, 24/7/365. He knows he can’t win, but is determined to take as many souls with him into misery as he can. Watch his effect on the people, both Nephites and Lamanites.

            The people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.[4]

            Satan is the ultimate anti-Christ. His battle with Christ began in the Councils in Heaven and continues today. Notice that he attacked the “doctrine of Christ” and undermined the faith which was strengthened by the signs and wonders that had been seen. And notice that the people “began to forget.” That’s how a slide off the covenant path often begins, not with an abrupt break from the path, but with subtle, almost imperceptible changes in attitude and feeling. But left unchecked, the effect was that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land.

 

A new way of reckoning time

            After nine years had passed since the sign was given, The Nephites began to reckon their time from this period when the sign was given, or from the coming of Christ; therefore, nine years had passed away.

            We have seen four different systems for numbering the calendar of the Nephite people in the Book of Mormon. Initially, the years were numbered from the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Jerusalem. (See 1 Nephi 1). For many years, they marked their calendar from when Lehi left Jerusalem. Then after the death of Mosiah, they numbered the years from the beginning of the reign of the judges. And now, they number the years from when the signs of His birth were given. This change in the calendar will allow us to determine that Christ was born in the spring of the year. We’ll talk about that next week when we discuss the signs of His death. This calendar system will continue to the end of the Book of Mormon as it continues for us today.

 

Gadianton robbers increase in strength

            Spurred on by Satan, the Gadianton robbers continue to gain strength. By the 13^th year, the Gadianton robbers had become so numerous, and did slay so many of the people, and did lay waste so many cities, and did spread so much death and carnage throughout the land, that it became expedient that all the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, should take up arms against them.

This wickedness of the Gadianton robbers caused the converted Lamanites to join with the Nephites. All the Lamanites who had become converted unto the Lord did unite with their brethren, the Nephites, and were compelled, for the safety of their lives and their women and their children, to take up arms against those Gadianton robbers, yea, and also to maintain their rights, and the privileges of their church and of their worship, and their freedom and their liberty. … those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites; And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites; And their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites.

As we discussed when reading about the conversion of the Lamanites who were converted in the days of Ammon and his brethren, (See Alma 23), the “curse” upon the Lamanites was not their skin color. Their curse was that they were separated from the Lord and His Spirit. They were not in the covenant. This is the curse that was removed when they became righteous, entered into the covenant and enjoyed the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord. Their darker skin color was a mark to distinguish them from the Nephites. When they joined the Nephites, this marker was no longer needed and so it was removed. As we’ve said twice before in these blog posts, there is no skin color today that is a marker of people who are less favored in the sight of God. Righteousness is independent of skin color. Righteousness and favor in the sight of God are based on obedience to truth and the commandments of the Lord, skin color notwithstanding. The scriptures and our church leaders have made it clear that He denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile. (2 Nephi 26:33) All are alike unto God. Anyone, within or without the membership of our church, who sees skin color as an indicator of greater favor or of disfavor with God relative to others of different color is not in harmony with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its teachings or its leaders.

           

            Unfortunately, the Nephites increased in wickedness. Because of the wickedness of the people of Nephi, and their many contentions and dissensions, the Gadianton robbers did gain many advantages over them. … Thus were the people in a state of many afflictions; and the sword of destruction did hang over them, insomuch that they were about to be smitten down by it, and this because of their iniquity.

 

3 Nephi chapter 3

Lachoneus vs Giddianhi

            Mormon, writing as editor of this great book, likes to provide opposites for comparison. As we’ve pointed out before, sometimes we understand a truth better when shown the opposite untruth. So we have seen the contrast between Nephi and Laman, Jacob and Sherem, Abinadi and Noah, Moroni and Amalickiah, Alma and Korihor and others. He now provides us another contrasting pair, Lachoneus, the righteous Nephite governor of the land, and Giddianhi, the wicked leader of the Gadianton robbers.[5]

Mormon gives us the full text of a flattering, threatening, deceitful letter from Giddianhi to Lachoneus inviting the Nephites to join the robbers and yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance. He claims that this generous offer is because of his feeling for your welfare. What a phony! Giddianhi is not worried in the least about their welfare. His invitation is to deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights and government, who have dissented away from you because of your wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs. Revenge, that most useless of all motivations!

 

Preparations against wickedness

            Lachoneus is not impressed with Giddianhi or his offer. He was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber. There is no record that he even replied to Giddianhi. Remember Lehonti, who was taken in by the repeated offers of Amalickiah and eventually “came down” and gave in? Lachoneus knows better than to try to negotiate with a snake. Instead, he turns to the the preparation of his people. He did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them. When we feel threatened by wickedness around us, the best approach is to turn to the Lord rather than to try to negotiate with wickedness and wicked people.

            Watch what Lachoneus does to prepare the people against the attack of the Gadianton robbers. As you watch, “liken” this to yourself and spiritual preparation in our day. How do we fortify ourselves and our families against the attacks of wickedness around us? He caused them to gather together, to build fortifications, to place guards, to watch day and night, to follow wise men who are inspired of God and to repent and to cry unto the Lord. We can do the same in a spiritual sense. We don’t need to be all paranoid and anxious in the face of wickedness around us. The Lord said to the Saints in our day, If ye are prepared ye shall not fear. (D&C 38:30) We don’t need to be frightened as we see the increase in wickedness around us, but we do need to be like the people of Lachoneus – pull together, build our spiritual fortifications, watch carefully, follow the prophets and apostles and trust in the Lord. We’ll be ok.

 

Enter Gidgiddoni

            Lachoneus appointed Gidgiddoni (Where did they get these names? We’re told that Joseph Smith couldn’t pronounce some of the names of people and places in the Book of Mormon, so he would spell them to Oliver Cowdery during the translation of the plates.) to be the chief captain of the army. He is a man like Moroni. Mormon tells us that it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness) some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy; therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as also was the chief judge [Lachoneus]. Mormon knows, though is too modest to say it, that he was also a man like that – the chief captain of the army, a great prophet and a man who had the spirit of revelation. Why can’t we have a man like that to lead our country in these most difficult times?

            The Nephite people want to take the offense and go after the Gadianton robbers in the mountains, but Gidgiddoni knows better. The Lord forbid; for if we should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands. True followers of Christ don’t take the offensive. But when necessary, they will fight in defense of their freedom, their families and their religion.[6]

            So instead of attacking the robbers, the Nephites gathered in the center of the land between Zarahemla and Bountiful. Most importantly, they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle.

 

3 Nephi chapter 4

Provisions for seven years

            The robbers came against the Nephites but they were gathered together in one place and were well supplied and fortified. Interestingly, the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number, and having reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of seven years. Seven years! Isn’t that the number of years that the people of Egypt would enjoy plenty under the leadership of Joseph as foretold in his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream? Seven years to prepare for the famine to come. And also the number of years of famine that would follow? There is probably no coincidence in the fact that the Nephites prepared themselves to last for seven years, if necessary, under siege by the robbers.

But the robbers couldn’t last for anywhere near that long. Wickedness, as Tyler Griffin points out this week, is parasitic and can only survive if it can feed on someone else’s goodness and industry. The robbers found that there was no way that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder. So finally, the robbers went up against the Nephites. Look how they were dressed.

 

The attack of the robbers

Great and terrible was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.

Was it just an accident or were they mocking the religion of the Nephites, mocking their belief in the Lamb of God who would shed His blood for us all, that they were gird in a “lamb-skin” and “dyed in blood”? I don’t think it was an accident.

When the armies of the Nephites saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, [they] had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. The robbers supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror of their armies. But the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them.

What was the result? Great and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was the slaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem. … The Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.

Giddianhi was killed. The robbers replaced him with another leader, Zemnarihah. After another attempted siege and a great battle, the robbers were all either killed or surrendered. Zemnarihah was taken and hanged upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead. And when they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree to the earth. Was this a form of crucifixion?[7]

There is a great celebration among the victorious Nephites. But it is not a celebration of their strength or power as is typical of a victorious army, but it was a celebration of the goodness of God. They did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies. Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

This Hosanna rejoicing not only celebrates a great victory for these people, but celebrates the high point in their righteousness. Mormon wants us to understand why they were victorious.

Their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

Repentance and humility were the key for them and are the key for us. The Lord will fight our battles and we will be victorious in the end if we remember Him, repent and remain humble. Otherwise, we are on our own!

 

3 Nephi chapter 5

A season of great righteousness

            At the end of this greatest of all wars, there was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled. … They knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; … Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.

            Remember to watch for the attitudes and actions of those who are righteous in these times. This was a season of great righteousness. In fact, this is the high water mark leading up to the coming of the Savior. It will all be downhill from here. The end of the great war was about AD 22, 12 years before the coming of Christ. The people will be righteous for about 4 years, then they begin to slide.

 

Mormon’s interlude and testimony

            Before recording the spiritual decline of the Nephites, Mormon pauses to reflect his feelings and testimony. He apologizes that he can’t include all of the great material he has. And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a hundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space of twenty and five years; He can’t write even “a hundredth part.” I wonder if we will get the rest of the records someday.[8]

            Mormon goes on the identify himself by name. Behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon. This is the first time in the Book of Mormon that Mormon identifies himself. He did so in the Words of Mormon, but they were written after this part of the Book was written. He then makes a powerful, inspiring, often-quoted statement about himself:

            Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

            Those words have been quoted by many missionaries and inscribed on many of their missionary plaques. Emily Freeman tells the sweet story of hearing her father (Mac Oswald, a good friend of ours from past years) use these words to bear testimony at the conclusion of his service as mission president when she was a young woman. I don’t think we have to be a full time missionary to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I believe that we are His disciples if we truly do our best to follow our baptismal covenant to take upon ourselves His name and do our best to follow our sacramental covenants to always remember Him and to keep His commandments. I believe we are His disciples when we do our best to stay on the covenant path, as encouraged by our prophet, and do our best to live as He lived and to serve others as He would have us serve them. Doing our best to be disciples of Jesus Christ will make of us men and women of Christ (See Helaman 3:29) so that we may one day live with Him again and become as He is.

 

            Mormon goes on to testify that I know the record which I make to be a just and a true record; … I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi.

            Mormon closes this interlude chapter with his testimony of the latter-day gathering of Israel. Listen to his powerful testimony:

            As surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.

And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them.

And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be.

What a powerful chapter! You’ve got to love Mormon!

 

3 Nephi chapter 6

Nephite slide into apostasy

            Chapter 6 tells of the all too familiar Nephite slide into apostasy as they become proud and turn away from the Lord. Watch the signs of their slide as listed in this chapter. Rather than quote, I will just headline them here in bullet form:

·      Disputing

·      Pride and boastings

·      Exceedingly great riches

·      Persecutions

·      Distinguished by ranks according to wealth and education[9]

·      Great inequality

·      Return railing for railing

·      Church broken up

·      Do all manner of iniquity

·      Seek for power, authority, riches, vain things of the world

·      State of awful wickedness

·      Secret murders

·      Evil covenants

·      Defiance of law and rights of their country

·      No more desire for liberty but for a king

 

Does any of that sound like our day? We’ve got it all in our time. But most telling is Mormon’s chilling comment, They did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.

 

The righteous hold on

            By contrast, look at the things listed in this chapter which the righteous did to remain faithful:

·      Exceedingly humble

·      Receive railing, persecution and afflictions without return

·      Would not turn and revile again

·      Humble and penitent before God

·      Firm, steadfast and immovable

·      Willing to keep the commandments with all diligence

·      Testified of Christ

·      Gave their lives for their testimony of Christ

 

We can be valiant like these courageous followers of Christ. Their examples inspire us!

 

3 Nephi chapter 7

The government is destroyed

            In the last chapter, we read that in the 26^th year there was great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and justice. Now just four years later, in the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land. The remarkable system of government established about 120 years earlier, a democratic system of governance centuries ahead of its time, is now destroyed. It is back to tribes, tribal leaders and a wicked king.

            The people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land. … every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes. … their tribes became exceedingly great.

            As I follow current events in our country, I wonder if we are not headed the same direction. When I was young, it seemed like people were identified in our country by their family and by a religion. Of course, there were loyalty and rivalry between graduates of different high schools and universities, veterans of different branches of the military, fans of different sports teams and other ways of identifying and distinguishing ourselves, but it was all reasonably friendly and respectful of each others’ choices and affiliations. But in the past few years, our country has become so divided and at odds with each other. It’s like we, just like the Nephites, have divided into tribes. It’s not just liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats, but now it’s white supremacists, Antifa, Posse Comitatus, Patriot Prayer, Black Guerrilla Family, etc. I thought the Ku Klux Klan was just a memory of an ugly time in our nation’s past. But it is alive and functional along with dozens of other hate groups operative in our country and in other countries. Many of these groups seek to bring down our government through peaceful protests turned violent and destruction in cities like Portland, Kenosha and even Salt Lake City. Where will it lead? How will it end?

            In their lesson this week, Emily Freeman and David Butler make the point that we don’t need anything more than the books of Helaman and Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon to teach us the signs of the times, what to watch for and beware of and how the events leading to the first and second coming of Christ will play out. Last week, I said that we were in the book of Helaman. I’m beginning to wonder if we haven’t moved, at least in some ways, into the book of Third Nephi.

 

Mormon’s indictment of the secret combinations

            Mormon blames much of the decline of the Nephite/Lamanite society on the secret combinations.

            The regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

They did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

Thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

How could the people forget so quickly? Six years? That seems like such a short time.  And yet think of the difference in our lives in less than one year with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and this era of social unrest. It’s getting easier to see how the Nephites could forget so quickly. Things can change so fast!

 

Contrast Jacob vs Nephi

Worst of all among the wicked and ungodly was an anti-Christ named Jacob. He was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus. He becomes the wicked leader of the wicked secret combination and they make him their king. They escape to the northern lands to build their kingdom and establish the city of Jacobugath. The Savior has some especially scathing words to say about Jacob and his people in next week’s lesson. (See 3 Nephi 9:9)

In contrast to Jacob was the remarkable ministry of Nephi 3. Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds— [Nephi] went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. … Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.[10] … It were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily. And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

For three years Nephi, like his father before him, with unwearyingness preached to the people. Few were converted because of the hardness of their hearts, but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed. That can be us! If we believe in Jesus Christ and trust in Him, despite the wickedness around us, we can receive of His power and Spirit.

Some people responded to the message of Nephi and were baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins. … There were many in the commencement of this year [the 33^rd year] that were baptized unto repentance.

 

The time has come!

            The stage is set and the time has come! The world had been looking forward to the coming of the Messiah to the Old World for 4000 years. The followers of Lehi and Nephi have been waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ to the New World for over 600 years. His mission in mortality among the people in the Old World is nearly complete. He will soon appear in the New World as the resurrected Jesus Christ. Many will be killed in the destruction that occurs in the New World at the time of His death before He comes. But the righteous few, “the most believing part” (Helaman 16:15), those who have been steadfast and immovable in faithfully watching and waiting, will survive the destruction at the time of His death and will live to see Him come.

            In a similar way, the time has nearly come for us! We don’t know exactly when He will come, but the signs are indicating that His coming is getting closer and closer. For the wicked, who are oblivious to the signs of the times, He will come as a “thief in the night”. (D&C 45:19) However, for those who are faithfully and humbly waiting for Him and watching the signs of the times, His coming will not be a surprise. As the time gets closer, the righteous will be able to discern the signs of the times and narrow the window of time when His coming will take place so that they are not caught unaware or unprepared.

            I hope and pray that we and those we love will be among the “most believing part”, the “disciples of Jesus Christ” who will be found watching, waiting and prepared when He comes, whenever it is. These chapters in the Book of Mormon are excellent in helping us prepare! What a remarkable book! A true book truly for our time!

 

Thanks for reading!

Richard

 

Endnotes

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[1] Unbelievers

Here we witness a phenomenon which is repeated ad nauseam in the Book of Mormon: the wicked who refuse to believe dare not allow others to believe. There is no room in their tightly controlled epistemological system for faith or spirit or revelation or hope. They do not know, so they conclude that no one else knows. They cannot feel, so they dare not allow others to feel. In this case they shun the light of evidence that comes from God and refuse others the right to wait patiently on the Lord for the signs to be given.

Millet, McConkie & Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon

 

[2] Where did he go to pray?

The record does not say where he went to pray, it records only that he “bowed himself down unto the earth,” but as the high priest, he would most likely have gone into the Holy of Holies of their temple. The temple in the City of Nephi was built using the floor plan of the Temple of Solomon (2 Nephi 5:16). One may suppose that the temples in Zarahemla and Bountiful were patterned after that model, because the people continued to live the same Law of Moses. The temples would have accommodated the requirements for the performances and ordinances, including a Holy of Holies where the atonement was prefigured, and where the Lord was expected to appear.

Welch Notes 

 

[3] Voice of the Lord

These verses cause us to reflect upon what is yet an unanswered (unrevealed) matter—the time when the individual spirit enters the body. This is the day before Jesus is to be born to Mary in Bethlehem of Judea. We would assume that by this time the spirit of Jesus is within that infant body which is housed within the womb of Mary. How, then, does the voice of Jesus come to Nephi?

Does the spirit enter the body at the time of conception; at the time of quickening, when the mother first feels signs of life within her; or at the time of physical birth? Can it possibly come and go before the time of birth? We do not know. Such has not been made known to us in the latter days. We do know, however, that the words of God are often spoken through his servants by divine investiture of authority (see Commentary 2:227–29). To Adam the Holy Ghost spoke for and in behalf of the Only Begotten Son (see Moses 5:9). Such may have been the case here: The Spirit may have been commissioned by the Father to speak to Nephi in the first person for Christ, as though Jesus himself were speaking. Another possibility is that an angel, acting by that same investiture of authority, spoke to Nephi the words of Christ (see Mortal Messiah 1:349, note 1; compare Revelation 22:6–9). In any event, whether the Lord’s words are spoken by himself or by his anointed servants, “it is the same” (D&C 1:38).

Commentary

 

[4] The Role of the Heart in Apostasy 

The word heart is used five times in these three verses to discuss the influence of Satan over the Nephites who had wandered into apostasy and forgot the sign of the Savior’s birth. 

This makes it clear that apostasy is largely a condition of the heart. Once the people forgot, took for granted, and then rationalized the blessings, they stopped believing and were easily led into sinful behavior. 

Welch Notes 

 

[5] Stark Contrast

In this chapter we are able to witness a stark contrast. On the one hand we find the bold and egotistical Giddianhi, the Gadianton leader who demands a Nephite surrender. On the other hand we see the quiet and righteous confidence of Lachoneus and Gidgiddoni, the humble Nephite leaders who know absolutely from whence true strength comes.

Commentary

 

[6] Christians do not start war

Here we see a remarkable principle at work. God had commanded the Nephites as a people to fight only defensively, to go to war only as it was necessary to the preservation of their lives, their agency, their families, and their worship. As was pointed out in volume 3 of this work (see commentary on Alma 43–62), Christians enter war; they do not begin it. Even when it came to taking the initiative in what would appear to be a noble cause—to go into the mountains and root out the secret combinations—the sensitive Gidgiddoni declined the suggestion and explained that if they did that his people would not enjoy the approbation and thus the strength of the Lord.

Commentary

 

[7] Hanged on a tree

Ancient Israelite law allowed for the execution of people by hanging them on a tree. It was a type of crucifixion. We tend to think that victims were hanged by a noose; however, they also could hang them by their arms. One way or another when people were crucified by hanging on a tree they died of asphyxiation; they could not breathe. Eventually, their diaphragm became exhausted and they were unable to breathe anymore. That may be how Jesus died. He took his last breath and said “Into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), and he died.  

In later Jewish law, once someone had been crucified on a tree, according to the Rabbis, the tree must be chopped down. The reason is that you want to remove from all memory the wickedness of this person who had been so ignominiously put to death. Eventually, some pointed out that they would not have many trees left if they did that. The Rabbis determined that it was acceptable to use a post as a substitute for a tree. Here among the Nephites, there appeared to be plenty of trees around, so they still chopped the tree down as a symbol of bringing Zemnarihah down, and also so that his memory would be obliterated.  

Welch Notes

 

[8] Not even a hundredth part

Scriptures are, by their very nature, fragmentary and abbreviated accounts of both the events they describe and the doctrines and teachings of the prophets they quote. No scriptural record is complete; all scripture requires the Holy Ghost to carry our understanding beyond the written record. Of the vision of the degrees of glory, Joseph Smith said, “I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them” (Teachings, p. 305). The same is true of much that is contained within the covers of holy writ.

Commentary

 

[9] Education 

The spirit and warning of this verse is distinctly relevant to our day. Education, like the priesthood, is a blessing of God given to his servants that they might reach out and lift and exalt others. It is no less congruent for the educated to despise the unlearned than it is for those who hold the priesthood to spurn and disdain those who do not hold that sacred authority. The priesthood can be magnified only as it is used to lift and bless others. To attempt to hoard the blessings of the priesthood or to revel in an office or calling is to lose the authority and power of the priesthood. So it is with education. To fail to use it properly and providently, to the edification and blessing of others, is to become narrow and ignorant.

Commentary

 

[10]  The Righteous Are Prepared for the Calamities

When the great catastrophes soon enough came, the righteous were preserved. They had been called, motivated, and inspired to repent and to leave behind their wickedness. Nephi loved the people, but he had seen in vision how quickly they could fall away. He had already learned what was needed to apply the Atonement, and therefore he was personally instrumental and responsible for seeing that righteous people were there to meet the Savior when he came. 3 Nephi 7:17 says, “He did minister with power and with great authority.” “He did minister many things unto them” too sacred to record completely and too interwoven to speak of them only in part. In verse 18, it says that Nephi taught so well and with such a powerful spirit that “it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.” So, when the calamities struck and when Jesus appeared, Nephi and his righteous followers were prepared in many ways to receive the teachings of Jesus, to begin exercising the authority that he bestowed upon them, and to recognize who it was who came among them as an exalted being. When Jesus appeared at the Temple in Bountiful, he did not just come out of the blue, so to speak.

Welch Notes