Book Review - Bible Origami by Todd Huisken

Let me start by saying that this book makes me happy. I will explain.

Since my youth, I have struggled with spatial things. Things such as folding paper airplanes and answering those test questions that involve imagining how an unfolded patterned cube would look when folded back up. These things tend to frustrate me and make me feel helpless.

Fast forward to my adulthood. Todd Huisken (creator of Bible Origami) reached out to me to review his new origami book.  Todd was my dear friend during our freshman year of college but after we graduated we lost touch. We reconnected when he found my blog and asked me if I would give an honest review his book.

Author, Todd Huisken

Todd sent me a copy of his book, "Bible Origami," along with some paper so that I could try creating some of his designs. (I'd kept my spatial inadequacies hidden so he had no idea how challenging this would be for me.)

So I bravely sat down to try my hand at "Bible Origami."  I started with making Joseph's Coat of Many Colors. I followed the directions and illustrations exactly. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was able to do it! I literally screamed out, "LOOK WHAT I MADE!" (Sure, my family mocked me a bit for my over-enthusiasm but they were happy for me.)

Baptism Talk with Kit Kat Reminder

This afternoon I am speaking at the baptism of a sweet nine-year old son who was just adopted into our friends' family.  They asked me to speak at his baptism this afternoon so I wrote this talk this morning.  Our main audience will be children so I know this object lesson will hold their attention and that they'll remember what is said.  Feel free to use this talk.  By the way, I didn't think of the concept of using the Kit Kat, it is "out there" on Pinterest.  I just made the graphics and wrote the talk which was inspired by the Pinterest pins.

There are links listed to access these graphics in PDF format.  PS My son with a sweet tooth will be thrilled with the handouts ;)

This poster can be placed by a basket of Kit Kat's as handouts for after the baptism.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

These signs can be used during the talk as visual reminders to hold the kids' attention.  Depending on your stake, you may or may not be allowed to use visual aids during your talk.  Click HERE to get these pages in PDF format.

These are little handouts that can be printed on a sheet of cardstock at home and then attached to Kit Kat bars.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

Here's the actual talk (feel free to cut, paste and edit if desired):

Do you know that you are just about to participate in your very first saving ordinance and make your very first official promise to Heavenly Father?

Today when you are baptized you will make some promises to your Heavenly Father.

See this Kit Kat bar?  It may look like an ordinary candy but it is a symbol that will help you remember your baptism covenants.

K is for KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 

When you are baptized, you promise to do your best to follow Jesus and keep all of His commandments.   When you make a mistake, you repent and try to do better.

Primary Lesson 19, Manual 5 - "The Saints Are Taught to Recognize Good and Evil"

Here's my handout for church this Sunday to go with Lesson 19 .  I'm posting it on Friday instead of waiting until Saturday night or Sunday morning LOL.

This is an object lesson that I will be using.  The basic idea of it is from the manual but I added the questions/examples in the beginning and also changed some of the wording so that my younger kids could better understand.

Which would you rather have— an imitation item or the real thing?

Would you rather have a cheap fake flower or a beautiful fresh rose? Would you rather have a valuable diamond ring or a fake ring that will fall apart soon? Would you rather snack on a real apple or a plastic one? Would you rather have a true friend or a person who pretends to be your friend?

Imitations are often of poorer quality or less value than the real things they imitate.  Satan is a counterfeiter. He tries to deceive us with bad imitations of good things Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have given us. He does this because he wants us to follow him instead of Heavenly Father and Jesus.

The Prophet Receives Revelation for the Church - Primary Lesson 15, Manual 5

Here's a handout that I made to go with my Primary Lesson today.  I chose to include the story from the last General Conference that President Monson shared about when he was a little boy and started a forest fire because I thought the kids would remember the lesson.  Click HERE to read President Monson's complete talk called "Obedience Brings Blessings."

Click HERE to read the entire Primary lesson called "The Prophet Receives Revelation for the Church."

I am personally so grateful to have a living prophet on the earth today who receives revelation from God.

I agree with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf who said, "Because Heavenly Father loves His children, He has not left them to walk through this mortal life without direction and guidance.  That is why He pleads so earnestly with us through His prophets.  Just as we want what is best for our loved ones, Heavenly Father wants what is best for us."

Click HERE to watch a video about why we need living prophets.  As God's children, it makes perfect sense to me that He would send prophets to earth to guide us.  This is one of the reasons I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contains the fullness of the gospel.  There are lots of great churches and religions out there, but to contain the fullness of the gospel, we need a living prophet and also the priesthood authority from God to perform ordinances such as baptism.  Logically and spiritually this makes perfect sense to me.  I dearly love and appreciate President Thomas S. Monson as he serves as a living prophet on this earth.

Quote - We met for a reason....

I totally believe this and consider this whenever I meet new friends.

Object Lesson - How The Book of Mormon was originally printed

I am very spatially challenged so this was a good thing for me to try.  This object lesson shows the printing method for The Book of Mormon in the olden days.  It could also show how other book were printed in that time frame of the 1800's.


This is directly taken from lds.org (see link at end of post):

Have each child fold a piece of paper into eight sections (see illustration). Then have the children unfold their papers and write numbers on each side as illustrated:

Make sure the children write 15 on the back of 16 and 10 on the back of 9.

Have the children refold their papers: first so that 14 and 15 touch; then so that 12 and 13 touch; and finally so that 8 and 9 touch. Each paper should look like a small book, with 1 on the front and 16 on the back. With scissors or a paper knife, cut the top and right edges of the pages so that they open like a book. Have the children turn the pages so they can see that the numbers are in the right order. (Practice this activity before class so you can show the children how to do it.)

Explain to the children that this is the way the pages of the Book of Mormon were printed: pages were arranged in a certain order and then printed on one large piece of paper. The large piece of paper was then folded and trimmed so that all the pages were in the right order. Many of these small “books” were then combined to make the Book of Mormon. Some books are still printed today using this process.

I teach the younger kids at church (age 8) so I designed my own form so that the kids could just fold the paper and cut.  I thought it would be too challenging for them to have to figure out how to write all the numbers in the right places.  Here are my pages below.  If you print them out, be sure to do them double sided and have the right pages match up on the back.  Believe it or not this was a challenge for me.  I'm glad my children inherited their dad's spatial skills and not mine.

Front side:

Back side:

Click HERE to read the Primary lesson that goes with this object lesson.

Easter Egg Scriptures

Easter Egg Scriptures:

Cut the the following scriptures and put each one with the item indicated into a plastic Easter egg. Write the number of the egg on the outside of the egg so you can open them in order. You can hide them as part of an Easter egg hunt or just take turns opening the eggs, showing the items and reading the scriptures.

1. And he went a little further, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt. (Matt. 26:39) (Sacrament cup)

2. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, what will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26: 14-15) (3 dimes)

Primary - Book of Mormon Lessons

I came across a website called teachldschildren.com that has some wonderful lesson tips for teaching Primary lessons on the Book of Mormon.  Check it out!

Sunday School - Doctrine & Covenants and Church History Lesson 1

D&C Lesson #1: Introduction to the Doctrine & Covenants and Church History

1. Ed J. Pinegar, Richard J. Allen, Karl R. Anderson: The study of the Doctrine and Covenants is a study of God’s love for His children, for in these pages are laid down with clarity the principles and procedures for building Zion – as both a pattern of righteous living and a place where God can dwell with His people. By far the most important edition of the Doctrine and Covenants is the “edition” that resides in the heart and soul of each sincere and willing reader as a living testament of devotion to the Lord and His covenant plan of redemption. Alma taught: “he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full” (Alma 12:10). How much of the word is found “in us,” as Alma put it (Alma 12:13), is a measure of the quality of our hearts as receptacles of truth and our willingness to seek the confirmation of the Holy Spirit. Teachings and Commentaries on the Doctrine and Covenants, preface.

2. Joseph Smith: Prophets, priests and kings have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the latter-day glory, “the dispensation of the fullness of times”. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 231.

3. Steven C. Harper: The early Saints delighted in the Prophet Joseph’s revelations. They read them over and over, committing some to memory. They copied manuscripts of the most important or personal ones and then copied the copies. They treasured these documents. The growing number of missionaries needed the revelations in their ministry, but copies could only be made by hand when the missionaries happened to be at Church headquarters or crossed paths with someone who had a hand-copied manuscript of an earlier manuscript. Access was limited, and the potential for errors great. The Saints needed to publish the revelations. Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants, p. 1.

4. Steven C. Harper: With Zion on their minds Joseph Smith gathered Church leaders at the Johnson home at Hiram, Ohio, in November 1831 to advance the plan for publishing the revelations. Oliver Cowdery asked how many copies the Lord wanted in the first edition of the Book of Commandments. The brethren voted for ten thousand, an extraordinarily large print run for such a project, and twice as many as the first printing of the Book of Mormon. They were willing to impoverish themselves to make the revelations widely available. … It may be hard for modern readers to fully appreciate their actions. A poorly educated, twenty-six year old farmer was planning to publish ten thousand copies of his revelations that called his neighbors idolatrous, commanded them to repent, and foretold calamities upon those who continued in wickedness. Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants, pp. 4-5.

5. Oliver Cowdery held up a printed but not yet bound copy of the Doctrine and Covenants and asked the Saints for their consent to publish it. William Phelps said that he had examined it carefully, that it was well arranged and calculated to govern the Church in righteousness, if followed it would bring the members to see eye to eye. And further that he had received the testimony from God, that the Revelations and commandments contained therein are true, wherefore, he knew assuredly for himself having received witness from Heaven & not from men. John Whitmer who transcribed many of the revelations for Joseph, followed with a similar expression of certainty, adding that he was present when some of the revelations contained therein were given, and was satisfied they come from God. Others followed. Levi Jackman arose and said that he had examined as many of the revelations contained in the book as were printed in Zion, & as firmly believes them as he does the Book of Mormon or the Bible and also the whole contents of the Book, he then called for the vote of the High Council from Zion, which they gave in favor of the Book and also of the committee. Newel Whitney arose and testified that he knew the revelations were true, for God had testified to him by his holy Spirit, for many of them were given under his roof & in his presence through President Joseph Smith Junr. Kirtland Minute Book, August 17, 1835.

6. Steven C. Harper: In 1844, the First Presidency announced plans to publish a second edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, adding seven revelations to the 1835 edition, including today’s sections 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, and 128. … Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles edited the 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Under President Brigham Young’s direction, Elder Pratt made extensive changes that dramatically influence how we read the book today. He added several of Joseph’s revelations and one of Brigham Young’s, amounting to twenty-six new sections, including 2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, 126, 129, 130, 131, 132, and 136. Elder Pratt rearranged the order of the sections and divided them into verses. … But in an important sense the Doctrine and Covenants remains open. As a contemporary of Joseph put it, this book of scripture shows us that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake (Ralph Waldo Emerson). The future of the Doctrine and Covenants is as exciting as its past. Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants, pp. 8-9.

7. Ezra Taft Benson: The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth. The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone. Gen. Conference, April 1987.

8. Ezra Taft Benson: The Doctrine and Covenants is the only book in the world that has a preface written by the Lord Himself. In that preface He declares to the world that His voice is unto all men, that the coming of the Lord is nigh, and that the truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants will all be fulfilled. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1986.

9. Neal A. Maxwell: If asked which book of scripture provides the most frequent chance to “listen” to the Lord talking, most individuals would at first think of the New Testament. The New Testament is a marvelous collection of the deeds and many of the doctrines of the Messiah. But in the Doctrine and Covenants we receive the voice as well as the word of the Lord. We can almost “hear” him talking. Words like these sink into one’s marrow as well as into one’s mind, for the majesty and power of the Lord are so evident …. In many ways the Doctrine and Covenants is the modern equivalent of the thundering directness of Sinai, when the finger of the Lord wrote on the two tablets of stone (Ex. 31:18) – portions of the Doctrine and Covenants with the “thou shalt nots” (D&C 42) and the “Alpha and Omegas” are given by the voice of the Lord. Indeed, the repeated interlacing of truths in the Doctrine and Covenants with those of other books of scripture shows a precision too great to have been managed by something as clumsy as a computer. Only divine direction could achieve this grand consistency. Ensign, Dec. 1978.

10. This dispensation can be divided into six historical periods:

New York Period 1820-1830
Ohio-Missouri Period 1831-1838
Nauvoo Period 1839-1846
Pioneering the West 1846-1898
Expansion of the Church 1899-1950
The Worldwide Church 1951-present

(from the manual and study guide)


Next week: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World” (no specific reading assignment)

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 48

Book of Mormon Lesson #48: “Come Unto Christ”
Moroni 7- 8, 10

1. Joseph F. Smith: [Moroni 7:3 – the rest of the Lord] The ancient prophets speak of “entering into God’s rest”; what does it mean? To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into “God’s rest.” Gospel Doctrine, p. 58.

2. George Q. Cannon: I will tell you a rule by which you may know the Spirit of God from the spirit of evil. The Spirit of God always produces joy and satisfaction of mind. When you have that Spirit you are happy; when you have another spirit you are not happy. The spirit of doubt is the spirit of the evil one; it produces uneasiness and other feelings that interfere with happiness and peace. Journal of Discourses, vol. 15, p. 375.

3. Joseph Smith: A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas. … Thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 151.

4. Joseph Smith (to Brigham Young in a dream): You can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits – it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evils from their hearts, and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Manuscript History of Brigham Young.

5. Theodore M. Burton: God’s light [the Light of Christ] includes the physical light we see, which makes us feel so warm and comfortable. God’s light is also the power to understand and comprehend all things. In other words, all kinds of light are related to intelligence and truth. Gen. Conference, April 1981.

6. Joseph B. Wirthlin: The Light of Christ should not be confused with the personage of the Holy Ghost, for the Light of Christ is not a personage at all. Its influence is preliminary to and preparatory to one’s receiving the Holy Ghost. The Light of Christ will lead the honest soul to “hearken to the voice” [D&C 84:46] to find the true gospel and the true Church and thereby receive the Holy Ghost. Gen. Conference, April 2003.

7. Joseph Fielding McConkie & Robert Millet: [Moroni 7:27-28 – miracles] The greatest of all miracles is the Atonement. Mortal mind cannot fathom or comprehend how one being can assume the burdens and sins of another, much less how one infinitely pure person can take responsibility for the stains of billions of impure persons. Nor can we begin to grasp how one man, Jesus of Nazareth, could take up his physical body in the resurrection and then make immortality available to all who have been tabernacled in flesh. Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 4, p. 339.

8. John Taylor: [Moroni 7:29-31 – angels] The angels are our watchmen. Angels ward off evil. One might as well undertake to throw the water out of this world into the moon with a teaspoon, as to do away with the supervision of angels upon the human mind. They are the police of heaven and report whatever transpires on earth, and carry the petitions and supplications of men, women, and children to the mansions of remembrance where they are kept as tokens of obedience by the sanctified in “golden vials” labeled “the prayers of the saints.” The Gospel Kingdom, p. 31.

9. Joseph F. Smith: When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. Our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh. Gospel Doctrine, pp. 435-36.

10. Joseph Smith: The doctrine of baptizing children, or sprinkling them, or they must welter in hell, is a doctrine not true, not supported in Holy Writ, and is not consistent with the character of God. All children are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the moment that children leave this world, they are taken to the bosom of Abraham. History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 5.

11. Joseph Smith: [Moroni 10:3-5] Search the scriptures … and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory, nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 11-12.

12. William Grant Bangerter: I had great joy yesterday in hearing the call of Elder Helio da Rocha Camargo, our companion and fellow member of the Church. Brother Camargo and his wife were stalwart, faithful people before they joined the Church. They had been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Brother Camargo was a graduate of the military academy of Brazil. Later, still a young man, he became a Methodist minister. … One evening two young men called at his home. … He invited the young men in, and in the process of their presentation they left him a copy of the Book of Mormon. On a subsequent visit they inquired if he had read the book. He explained that he had read considerable, making notes of the things with which he did not agree. The elder then suggested that it was not in keeping with a book of scripture to read it to see what was wrong with it, but that it should be read as Moroni says, “with a sincere heart” and “real intent,” having “faith in Christ” and desiring to know the truth of the book. Brother Camargo said he found it necessary to read the book again. In the process the Spirit witnessed to him that it was the true word of God, and he joined the Church with his family. Gen. Conference, April 1985.

13. Gordon B. Hinckley: If the Book of Mormon is true, then God lives. … If the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. … If the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is verily our Redeemer, the Savior of the world. … If the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. … If this book is true, we have a living prophet. … If the Book of Mormon is true, the Church is true. Be Thou an Example, pp. 103-05.

14. Keith B. McMullin: The Holy Ghost has a more powerful effect upon the soul than anything else received in any other way. A millennium of experience through sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and all the powers of the universe combined cannot approach the sublime and complete experience of one brief moment under the influence of the Holy Ghost. Gen. Conference, April 1996.

15. Gordon B. Hinckley: I plead with you, my brothers and sisters, that if you have any doubt concerning any doctrine of this Church, that you put it to the test. Try it. Live the principle. Get on your knees and pray about it, and God will bless you with a knowledge of the truth of this work. Gen. Conference, April 2005.

16. Stephen E. Robinson: [Moroni 10:32 – come unto Christ, and be perfected in him] Perfection comes through the Atonement of Christ. We become one with him, with a perfect being. And as we become one, there is a merger. Some of my students are studying business, and they understand it better if I talk in business terms. You take a small bankrupt firm that’s about ready to go under and merge it with a corporate giant. What happens? Their assets and liabilities flow together, and the new entity that is created is solvent. … Spiritually, this is what happens when we enter into the covenant relationship with our Savior. We have liabilities, he has assets. He proposes to us a covenant relationship. I use the word “propose” on purpose because it is a marriage of a spiritual sort that is being proposed. That is why he is called the Bridegroom. This covenant relationship is so intimate that it can be described as a marriage. I become one with Christ, and as partners we work together for my salvation and my exaltation. My liabilities and his assets flow into each other. I do all that I can do, and he does what I cannot yet do. The two of us together are perfect. Believing Christ, 1989-90 BYU Devotional and Fireside Speeches.

17. Harold B. Lee: [Moroni 10:32 – then is his grace sufficient for you] Spiritual certainty that is necessary to salvation must be preceded by a maximum of individual effort. Grace, or the free gift of the Lord’s atoning power, must be preceded by personal striving. Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 213.

18. Jeffrey R. Holland: The Savior said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). I submit to you, that may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to this invitation could be any more grievous to the Lord’s merciful heart. I can tell you this as a parent: as concerned as I would be if somewhere in their lives one of my children were seriously troubled or unhappy or disobedient, nevertheless I would be infinitely more devastated that at such a time that child could not trust me to help or thought his or her interest was unimportant to me or unsafe in my care. In that same spirit, I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments. Come Unto Me, Ensign, April 1998.


Next week: Introduction to the Doctrine & Covenants and Church history (read Explanatory Introduction to the D&C)

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 47

Book of Mormon Lesson #47: “To Keep Them in the Right Way”
Moroni 1-6

1. Gordon B. Hinckley: Of all the characters who walk the pages of the Book of Mormon, none stands a greater hero, save Jesus only, than does Moroni, son of Mormon. … Who can sense the depth of his pain, the poignant loneliness that constantly overshadowed him as he moved about, a fugitive relentlessly hunted by his enemies? For how long he actually was alone we do not know, but the record would indicate that it was for a considerable period. His conversation was prayer to the Lord. His companion was the Holy Spirit. There were occasions when the Three Nephites ministered to him. But with all of this, there is an element of terrible tragedy in the life of this man who became a lonely wanderer. Heroes from the Book of Mormon, pp. 195-96.

2. Robert E. Parsons: Why should ordinances be so important? … First, God has commanded them. (D&C 52:15-16). Second, ordinances are the legal means for the orderly accomplishment of stated purposes. … Third, ordinances are effective teaching symbols that clearly portray what is happening. The ordinance of baptism is a perfect example. … The burial in the water symbolizes the burying of the man of sin in a watery grave. The rising of the person from immersion in water is analogous to the dead rising from an earthly grave. … As we wash away our sins in a watery grave and bury the man of sin in a watery tomb, so we come forth to a new, spiritual life, cleansed and forgiven through the sacred ordinance of baptism. Fourth, ordinances serve as witnesses to spiritual agreements between God and man. Studies in Scripture, pp. 287-88.

3. Joseph Fielding Smith: [Moroni 3 – ordinations] There were no Levites who accompanied Levi to the Western Hemisphere. Under these conditions, the Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them. … When the Savior came to the Nephites, he established the Church in its fullness among them, and he informed them that former things had passed away, for they were all fulfilled in him. He gave the Nephites all the authority of the priesthood which we exercise today. … We may be assured that in the days of Moroni the Nephites did ordain teachers and priests in the Aaronic priesthood; but before the visit of the Savior they officiated in the Melchizedek priesthood. Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 1, pp. 124, 126.

4. Joseph Fielding McConkie & Robert Millet: [Moroni 4:3 – take upon them the name of thy Son] Those who have thus been born again become members of the family of Christ and thus take upon them the family name – they become Christians in the true sense of that word and are obligated by covenant to live by the rules and regulations of the royal family, to live a life befitting the new and sacred name they have taken. Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 4, p. 326.

5. Bruce R. McConkie: Family members bear the family name. By it they are known and called and identified; it sets them apart from all those of a different lineage and ancestry. Adopted children take upon themselves the name of their newfound parents and become in all respects as though they had been born in the family. And so it is that the children of Christ, those who are born again, those who are spiritually begotten by their new Father, take upon themselves the name of Christ. By it they are known; in it they are called; it identifies and sets them apart from all others. They are now family members, Christians in the real and true sense of the word. Promised Messiah, p. 63.

6. Melvin J. Ballard: [Moroni 4:3 – always have his Spirit to be with them] If we have done wrong; if there is a feeling in our souls that we would like to be forgiven, then the method to obtain forgiveness is not through rebaptism; it is not to make confession to man; but it is to repent of our sins, to go to those against whom we have sinned or transgressed and obtain their forgiveness, and then repair to the sacrament table where, if we have sincerely repented and put ourselves in proper condition, we shall be forgiven, and spiritual healing will come to our souls. It will really enter into our being. Improvement Era, Oct. 1919.

7. Gordon B. Hinckley: Be true to the promise that you make every Sunday when you go to sacrament meeting and partake of the sacrament. Do you know that when the priest who is at the sacrament table pronounces that prayer which was given by revelation, he places all of the congregation under covenant with the Lord? That is so very, very important. Think of the meaning of the sacrament every time you partake of the sacrament, and be true – true to the faith. Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, vol. 1, p. 396.

8. Dalllin H. Oaks: Our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. … That is what we should ponder as we partake of the sacred emblems of the sacrament. Gen. Conference, April 1985.

9. Russell M. Nelson: The apostle Paul taught that divine doctrines, such as these of identity and priority, are to be written “not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). … When the sacred emblems of His flesh and blood are administered to us, we are invited to take them into our bodies. As we do, His atoning sacrifice literally becomes a part of our own identity. One day you will be asked if you took upon yourself the name of Christ and if you were faithful to that covenant. Fireside Address, Provo, Utah, 10 Sept. 2000.

10. Gordon B. Hinckley: [Moroni 6:4 – nourished] Any convert whose faith grows cold is a tragedy. Any member who falls into inactivity is a matter for serious concern. The Lord left the ninety and nine to find the lost sheep. His concern for the dropout was so serious that He made it the theme of one of His great lessons. We must constantly keep Church officers and the membership aware of the tremendous obligation to fellowship in a very real and warm and wonderful way those who come into the Church as converts, and to reach out with love to those who for one reason or another step into the shadows of inactivity. Church News, 8 April 1989.

11. Gordon B. Hinckley: With the ever increasing number of converts, we must make an increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way. Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with “the good word of God” (Moroni 6:4). Gen. Conference, April 1997.

12. Thomas S. Monson: Long years ago, Joseph Lyon of Salt Lake City shared with me the lesson of a lecture which a minister from another faith observed as he spoke to the Associated Credit Men of Salt Lake. The minister boldly proclaimed, "Mormonism is the greatest philosophy in the world today. The biggest test for the Church will come with the advent of television and radio, which tend to keep people away from the Church." He then proceeded to relate what I've called the "hot coals" story. He described a warm fireplace where the pieces of wood had burned brightly, with the embers still glowing and giving off heat. He then observed that by taking in hand brass tongs, he could remove one of the hot embers. That ember would then slowly pale in light and turn black. No longer would it glow. No longer would it warm. He then pointed out that by returning the black, cold ember to the bed of living coals, the dark ember would begin to glow and brighten and warm. He concluded, "People are somewhat like the coals of a fire. Should they absent themselves from the warmth and spirit of the active church membership, they will not contribute to the whole, but in their isolation will be changed. As with the embers removed from the heat of the fire, as they distance themselves from the intensity of the spirit generated by the active membership, they will lose that warmth and spirit." The reverend closed his comments by observing, "People are more important than the embers of a fire." As years come and then go and life's challenges become more difficult, the visits of home teachers to those who have absented themselves from Church activity can be the key which will eventually open the doors to their return.

13. Mervyn B. Arnold: As a member of the branch presidency in Fortaleza, Brazil, Brother Marques with the other priesthood leaders developed a plan to reactivate those who were less active in his branch. One of those who was less active was a young man by the name of Fernando Araujo. Recently I spoke to Fernando, and he told me of his experience: "I became involved in surfing competitions on Sunday mornings and stopped going to my Church meetings. One Sunday morning Brother Marques knocked on my door and asked my nonmember mother if he could talk to me. When she told him I was sleeping, he asked permission to wake me. He said to me, 'Fernando, you are late for church!' Not listening to my excuses, he took me to church. The next Sunday the same thing happened, so on the third Sunday I decided to leave early to avoid him. As I opened the gate I found him sitting on his car, reading the scriptures. When he saw me he said, 'Good! You are up early. Today we will go and find another young man!' I appealed to my agency, but he said, 'We can talk about that later.' "After eight Sundays I could not get rid of him, so I decided to sleep at a friend's house. I was at the beach the next morning when I saw a man dressed in a suit and tie walking towards me. When I saw that it was Brother Marques, I ran into the water. All of a sudden, I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. It was Brother Marques, in water up to his chest! He took me by the hand and said, 'You are late! Let's go.' When I argued that I didn't have any clothes to wear, he replied, 'They are in the car.' "That day as we walked out of the ocean, I was touched by Brother Marques's sincere love and worry for me. He truly understood the Savior's words: 'I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick' (Ezekiel 34:16). Brother Marques didn't just give me a ride to church—the quorum made sure I remained active. They planned activities that made me feel needed and wanted, I received a calling, and the quorum members became my friends." Following his reactivation, Brother Araujo went on a full-time mission and has served as bishop, stake president, mission president, and regional representative. His widowed mother, three sisters, and several cousins have also entered the waters of baptism. Gen. Conference, April 2004.

14. Joseph B. Wirthlin: The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have perfect thoughts, or have perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our Heavenly Father. Gen. Conference, April 2005.

15. Theodore M. Burton: [church court] The most loving action the Church can take at times is to disfellowship or excommunicate a person. When deemed necessary through inspiration, these repentance remedies can help the sinner fully realize the seriousness of his transgression. If a serious transgression is treated too lightly, it is more likely to be repeated. Such church actions can ensure that the necessary price for repentance is paid. Gen. Conference, April 1983.


Next week: Moroni 7- 8, 10 “Come Unto Christ”

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 42

Book of Mormon Lesson #42: “This is My Gospel”
3 Nephi 27-30; 4 Nephi

1. Boyd K. Packer: Others refer to us as Mormons. I do not mind if they use that title. However, sometimes we are prone ourselves to say “Mormon Church.” I do not think it is best for us to do so. Ensign, April 1998.

2. Dallin H. Oaks: The First Presidency has requested that we not refer to ourselves as “the Mormon Church” but by the name the Lord gave his church by revelation: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. Ensign, March 1998.

3. Joseph Fielding McConkie & Robert Millet: The Savior said that it becomes his Church “if it be called in my name” and also is “built upon my gospel.” The name alone is insufficient. The true Church of Jesus Christ will undoubtedly bear his holy name, but it also must be built upon, preach, and practice his gospel as he has conveyed it to the earth both through his prophets and through his own personal ministry these verses concerning the name of the Church serve as a preface to Jesus’ subsequent teachings about the gospel upon which the Church must be built. Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 3, p. 176.

4. Richard O. Cowan: [3 Ne. 27:13-14 – gospel] This word is derived from the Old English godspel which is a combination of god (meaning “good”) and spel (meaning “story”). Godspel was a translation of the Latin evangelium, which in turn was derived from the Greek evangelion meaning “well,” or “beautiful news.” It is related to the Greek word angelos (meaning “messenger”). Hence, the English word gospel and angel are closely related in meaning even though in our language they have taken on rather different forms. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly is “good news” – the best we could hope to receive. This is My Gospel, p. 228-29.

5. B.H. Roberts: There is no one greater thing that man can do and then do no more and obtain salvation. It is by resisting a temptation today, overcoming a weakness tomorrow, forsaking evil associations the next day, and thus day by day, month after month, year after year, pruning, restraining and weeding out that which is evil in the disposition, that the character is purged of its imperfections. … Nor is it enough that one get rid of evil. He must do good. … He must cultivate noble sentiments by performing noble deeds – not great ones, necessarily, for opportunity to do what the world esteems great things comes but seldom to men in the ordinary walks of life; but noble deeds may be done every day; and every such deed performed with an eye single to the glory of God, draws one that much nearer into harmony with Deity. The Gospel and Man’s Relationship to Deity, p. 197-98.

6. Bruce R. McConkie: [judgment] The book of life is the record of the acts of men as such record is written in their own bodies. It is the record engraven on the very bones, sinews, and flesh of the mortal body. That is, every thought, word, and deed has an effect on the human body; all these leave their marks, marks which can be read by Him who is Eternal as easily as the words in a book can be read. By obedience to telestial law men obtain telestial bodies; terrestrial law leads to terrestrial bodies; and conformity to celestial law – because this law includes the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost – results in the creation of a body which is clean, pure, and spotless, a celestial body. … Men’s bodies will show what law they have lived. Mormon Doctrine, p. 97.

7. Harold B. Lee: [3 Ne. 27:20 – sanctification] The most important of all the commandments of God is the one that you’re having the most difficulty keeping. … Today is the day for you to work … until you’ve been able to conquer that weakness. Then you start on the next one that’s most difficult for you to keep. That’s the way to sanctify yourselves by keeping the commandments of God. Church News, 5 May 1973.

8. Spencer W. Kimball: [3 Ne. 27:27 – even as I am] Hard to do? Of course. The Lord never promised an easy road, nor a simple gospel, nor low standards, nor a low norm. The price is high, but the goods obtained are worth all they cost. The Lord himself turned the other cheek; he suffered himself to be buffeted and beaten without remonstrance; he suffered every indignity and yet spoke no word of condemnation. And his question to all of us is: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?” And his answer to us is: “Even as I am.” Gen. Conference, Oct. 1977.

9. Neal A. Maxwell: It is always easier to be a character than to have character! After all, getting attention is not as important as getting wisdom; the asserting of self is not as important as serving others. Yet, for some, getting attention is their way of validating their worth. Furthermore, focusing on being a character keeps us from directing our lives toward becoming the men and women of Christ by emulating His character. Those with sterling character, always in short supply, are invariably the high-yield and low-maintenance individuals who deflect attention from themselves to others. … It is too bad if seeking the spotlight diverts us from worshipping the Light of the World. Character, after all, is the composite of what we carry into eternity; it is not only portable but eternal. There is no limitation on such luggage. Whom the Lord Loveth, pp. 13-14.

10. Joseph Fielding Smith: Translated beings are still mortal and will have to pass through the experience of death … although this will be instantaneous. … Translated beings have not passed through death; that is, they have not had the separation of the spirit and the body. Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 1, p. 165.

11. Joseph Fielding Smith: [4 Ne. 1:1-18 – a Zion society] What a glorious time that must have been when everybody was happy, when everybody was at peace, when everyone loved his neighbor as himself, and above all he loved God, because we are informed here that the thing which brought about this condition of happiness was the fact that the love of God was in the hearts of the people There never will be a time of peace, happiness, justice tempered by mercy, when all men will receive that which is their right and privilege to receive, until they get in their hearts the love of God. Doctrines of Salvation, 3:319-20.

12. John Taylor: [4 Ne. 1:2 – every man did deal justly] When all act for the benefit of all – when while we love God with all our hearts we love our neighbor as ourselves; when our time, our property, our talents, our mental and bodily powers are all exerted for the good of all; where no man grabs or takes advantage of another; where there is a common interest, a common purse, a common stock; where, as they did on this continent, it is said of them that “they all dealt justly to each other,” and all acted for the general weal, … and every evil are subdued and brought into subjection to the will and Spirit of God. Teachings of the President of the Church – John Taylor, p. 102.

13. Marvin J. Ashton: [4 Ne. 1:2, 13, 15, 18 – no contention] If the adversary can influence us to pick on each other, to find fault, bash, and undermine, to judge or humiliate or taunt, half his battle is won. Why? Because though this sort of conduct may not equate with succumbing to grievous sin, it nevertheless neutralizes us spiritually. The Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where there is bickering, judging, contention, or any kind of bashing. … Let us open our arms to each other, accept each other for who we are, assume everyone is doing the best he or she can, and look for ways to help leave quiet messages of love and encouragement instead of being destructive. Gen. Conference, April 1992.

14. Gordon B. Hinckley: We need not contend, … but if we will pursue a steady course, our very example will become the most effective argument we could ever advance for the virtues of the cause with which we are associated. … We have no desire to quarrel with others. We teach the gospel of peace. … Should we be surprised if we are called upon to endure a little criticism, to make some small sacrifice for our faith when our forbears paid so great a price for theirs? Without contention, without argument, without offense, let us pursue a steady course, moving forward to build the kingdom of God. If there is trouble, let us face it calmly. Let us overcome evil with good. This is God’s work. Ensign, Jan. 2005.

15. Russell M. Nelson: [4 Ne. 1:17 – nor any manner of –ites] Throughout the world, strident voices are engaged in divisive disputation and name-calling. Often demeaning nicknames are added to – or even substituted for – given names. Unfortunately, terms of derision obscure the true identity of children of the covenant. … When the Nephites were truly righteous, they avoided divisive nicknames. … “There were no … Lamanites, nor any manner of –ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.” That lesson from history suggests that we also delete from our personal vocabularies names that segregate. Gen. Conference, April 1995.


Next week: Mormon 1-6; Moroni 9 “How Could Ye Have Departed From the Ways of the Lord?”

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 41

Book of Mormon Lesson #41: “He Did Expound All Things Unto Them”
3 Nephi 22-26

1. Joseph Fielding McConkie & Robert Millet: [3 Ne. 22:4-5 – shame and reproach] Scattered Israel’s unfaithfulness – her failure to forsake the ways of Babylon and receive the covenants of Zion – shall be forgiven; Israel’s God will remember her and the promise he made to her. The reproach of her youth, her spiritual sterility, shall be forgotten. The bridegroom, the Lord of Hosts, has returned to receive his bride, repentant Israel. The wanderings of Israel over the generations, her tendencies toward unfaithfulness, her inclination to go whoring after other gods (Exodus 34:15-16), will be a thing of the past. Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 3, p. 155.

2. Jeffrey R. Holland: [3 Ne. 22:7-10 – covenant with Israel] The imagery of Jehovah as bridegroom and Israel as bride is among the most commonly used metaphors in scripture, being used by the Lord and his prophets to describe the relationship between Deity and the children of the covenant. … Christ has, on occasion, been rightfully angry with backsliding Israel, but that has always been brief and temporary – “a small moment.” Compassion and mercy always return and prevail in a most reassuring way. The mountains and the hills may disappear. The water of the great seas may dry up. The least likely things in the world may happen, but the Lord’s kindness and peace will never be taken from his covenant people. He has sworn with a heavenly oath that he will not be wroth with them forever. Christ and the New Covenant, p.290.

3. Cynthia L. Hallen: [3 Ne. 22:8 – I hid my face] Among orthodox Jews, a husband is not allowed to watch his wife going through the labor of childbirth. He sits in the corner of the delivery room with his back turned so that she will not feel embarrassed or immodest in her unavoidable hour of agony. He does not abandon her, although she may feel very much alone. The woman recites or sings psalms as she endures contractions. When the pain becomes too great for her to continue singing, the husband takes over, reciting psalms for her. Although Zion cannot see the Lord in the time of her probation, when she weeps, he weeps with her; when she sings, he rejoices with her. Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, 7, No. 1:46.

4. Patricia Pinegar: [3 Ne. 22:13-14 – great shall be the peace of thy children] The world is not a safe place. It is not a place where children will feel peace, hope, and direction unless they are taught to love and follow the Savior. … We believe that Christ-centered Primaries can help parents as they teach their children the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the only knowledge that will give our children peace, hope, and direction. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1999.

5. John Taylor: [3 Ne. 22:17 – no weapon formed against thee shall prosper] The day is not far distant when this nation will be shaken from centre to circumference. And now, you may write it down, any of you, and I will prophesy it in the name of God. And then will be fulfilled that prediction to be found in one of the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those who will not take up their sword to fight against their neighbor must needs flee to Zion for safety. And they will come, saying, we do not know anything of the principles of your religion, but we perceive that you are an honest community; you administer justice and righteousness, and we want to live with you and receive the protection of your laws, but as for your religion we will talk about that some other time. Will we protect such people? Yes, all honorable men. When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations. Journal of Discourses, 21:8.

6. Ezra Taft Benson: We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said: “Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.” The sentiments of John Adams were these: “But whatever may be our fate, be assured that this Constitution will stand. … It may … cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes the Stars and Stripes will be floating on the breeze over this people. The Constitution, A Heavenly Banner, p. 28.

7. Victor L. Ludlow: [3 Ne. 23:1 – great are the words of Isaiah] Isaiah was not only difficult, he was deliberately difficult. We must study his words, wrestle with them, and ponder them at great length before his powerful, sublime teachings begin to emerge and inspire us. Because of this, it is easy to become discouraged and give up before we begin to understand his message. However, through serious and prayerful study, when we finally grasp the language and ideas of a particular chapter until they not only make sense, but enlighten and inspire as well, we realize that we have arrived at a profound level of understanding. Isaiah: Prophet, Seer and Poet, pp. 134-35.

8. Wilford Woodruff: [3 Ne. 23:11 – record keeping] “What shall I write?” you ask. Write about anything that is worth preserving, or the best you have; and if you begin this while you are young, it will be quite easy for you when you become men and women. How pleasing it would be to you, and to your children, thirty, fifty, or eighty years hence, to sit down and read what took place around you in your childhood and youth! Would you not like to read what took place with our fathers, and mothers, and grandparents, while they were young and during their lives? But the object is not so much to get you to keep a journal while you are young, it is to get you to continue it after you become men and women, even through your whole lives. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church – Wilford Woodruff, p. 131.

9. Joseph Smith: [3 Ne. 23:14 – Jesus expounds scriptures] Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the Kingdom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the vision [D&C 76]. Every law, every commandment, every promise, every truth, and every point touching the destiny of man, from Genesis to Revelation, where the purity of the Scriptures remains unsullied by the folly of men, go to show the perfection of the theory [of different degrees of glory in the future life] and witness the fact that the document is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 11.

10. Dallin H. Oaks: [3 Ne. 24:8-12 – tithing] During World War II, my widowed mother supported her three young children on a schoolteacher’s salary that was meager. When I became conscious that we went without some desirable things because we didn’t have enough money, I asked my mother why she paid so much of her salary as tithing. I have never forgotten her explanation: “Dallin, there might be some people who can get along without paying tithing, but we can’t. The Lord has chosen to take your father and leave me to raise you children. I cannot do that without the blessings of the Lord, and I obtain those blessings by paying an honest tithing. When I pay my tithing, I have the Lord’s promise that he will bless us, and we must have those blessings if we are to get along.” Gen. Conference, April 1994.

11. Heber J. Grant: I bear witness – and I know the witness I bear is true – that the men and the women who have been absolutely honest with God, have paid their tithing. … God has given them wisdom whereby they have been able to utilize the remaining nine-tenths, and it has been of greater value to them, and they have accomplished more with it than they would if they had not been honest with the Lord. Gen. Conference, April 1912.

12. Joseph Fielding Smith: [3 Ne. 25:5 – Elijah and keys of sealing] The sealing power bestowed upon Elijah, is the power which binds husbands and wives, and children to parents, for time and eternity. It is the binding power existing in every Gospel ordinance. … It was the mission of Elijah to come, and restore it so that the curse of confusion and disorder would not exist in the kingdom of God. Elijah the Prophet and His Mission, p. 5.

13. Richard H. Winkel: When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families. As my wife, Karen, and I have increased our temple service, our love for each other and for our children has increased. And it doesn’t stop there. It extends to parents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, forbears, and especially our grandchildren! This is the Spirit of Elijah, which is the spirit of family history work; and when inspired by the Holy Ghost, it prompts the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. Gen. Conference, Oct. 2006.

14. Joseph Fielding Smith: [3 Ne. 26:9-10 – greater portion of the word] Now the Lord has placed us on probation as members of the Church. He has given us the Book of Mormon, which is the lesser part, to build up our faith through our obedience to the counsels which it contains, and when we ourselves, members of the Church, are willing to keep the commandments as they have been given to us and show our faith as the Nephites did for a short period of time, then the Lord is ready to bring forth the other record and give it to us, but we are not ready to receive it. Why? Because we have not lived up to the requirements in this probationary state in the reading of the record which has been given to us and in following its counsels. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1961.

15. Neal A. Maxwell: Just as there will be many more Church members, families, wards, stakes, and temples, later on there will also be many more nourishing and inspiring scriptures. However, we must first feast worthily upon that which we already have! Gen. Conference, Oct. 1986.

16. Spencer W. Kimball: I have had many people ask me through the years, “When do you think we will get the balance of the Book of Mormon records?” And I have said, “How many in the congregation would like to read the sealed portion of the plates?” And almost always there is a 100-percent response. And then I ask the same congregation, “How many of you have read the part that has been opened to us?” And there are many who have not read the Book of Mormon, the unsealed portion. We are quite often looking for the spectacular, the unobtainable. I have found many people who want to live the higher laws when they do not live the lower laws. Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 531-32.


Next week: 3 Nephi 27-30; 4 Nephi “This is My Gospel”

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 39

Book of Mormon Lesson #39: “Behold, My Joy is Full”
3 Nephi 17-19

1. Ezra Taft Benson: [3 Nephi 17:3 – ponder] Man must take time to meditate, to sweep the cobwebs from his mind, so that he might get a more firm grip on the truth and spend less time chasing phantoms and dallying in projects of lesser worth. … Take time to meditate. Ponder the meaning of the work in which you are engaged. The Lord has counseled “Let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds” (D&C 43:34). You cannot do that when your minds are preoccupied with the worries and cares of the world. The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 390.

2. Joseph B. Wirthlin: Pondering, which means to weigh mentally, to deliberate, to meditate, can achieve the opening of the spiritual eyes of one’s understanding. Gen. Conference, April 1982.

3. Bruce R. McConkie: [3 Ne. 17:10 – they did worship him] To worship the Lord is to put first in our lives the things of his kingdom, to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God, to center our whole hearts upon Christ and that salvation which comes because of him. It is to walk in the light as he is in the light, to do the things that he wants done, to do what he would do under similar circumstances, to be as he is. To worship the Lord is to walk in the Spirit, to rise above the carnal things, to bridle our passions, and to overcome the world. Doctrines of the Restoration, p. 371.

4. Michaelene P. Grassli: [Christ’s] invitation in [3 Ne. 17:11] was neither casual nor inconsequential. “He commanded that their little children should be brought.” And notice what verse 11 doesn’t say. It doesn’t say never mind the little ones because they aren’t accountable yet. It doesn’t say the children were to be taken elsewhere so they wouldn’t disrupt the proceedings. And it doesn’t imply that the children won’t understand. But it does teach that children need to learn the significant things of the kingdom. God’s children share with all of us the divine right to spiritual enlightenment. “So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst.” (v. 12) Do any of us ever consider serving children to be beneath us? Clearly the Savior felt that the Nephite children were worthy not only to be in his presence, but they were also worthy of his time and his attention. The children needed him, and he stood right in their midst. Verse 12 also indicates that Jesus waited “till they had all been brought to him.” He wasn’t looking for a representative sample, and he wasn’t content with just some of the children. He wanted them all to be there, and he ministered to them all. Then Jesus prayed unto the Father so powerfully that “no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things.” (v. 17) And the children were there! They heard that prayer; they saw that event, and they were affected by it. Children can understand and should witness marvelous events—events like priesthood blessings, special ward and family fasts, the testimonies and prayers of their parents and leaders, and gospel discussions with people they love. “He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.” Jesus was ministering to a group of about 2,500 men, women, and children. Consider how much time it must have taken for him to bless and pray over each child, “one by one.” He must have held many of them in his arms or on his lap. And he wept because he was overcome with joy. “He spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.” (v. 23) Jesus specifically directed the attention of the multitude to the children. To me, the word behold is significant. It implies more than just “look and see.” When the Lord instructed the Nephites to behold their little ones, I believe he told them to give attention to their children, to contemplate them, to look beyond the present and see their eternal possibilities. “And as they looked to behold … they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.” (v. 24) I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if the multitude had just looked and not beheld with spiritual eyes. Would they have seen the angels descend? Could they have watched their children encircled about with fire? Would they have been able to observe as the angels ministered to their children? It’s significant to me that later the Savior gave the most sacred teachings only to the children, then loosed their tongues so they could teach the multitude. Is it any wonder that following the Savior’s visit to the Nephites, they lived in peace and righteousness for two hundred years? Because of miraculous instructions, blessings, and attention they and their children received, righteousness was perpetuated by their children’s children for many generations. Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential power of today’s children to perpetuate righteousness. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1982.

5. Gordon B. Hinckley: When I was about five years of age, a very small boy, I was crying from the pain of an earache. … My mother prepared a bag of table salt and put it on the stove to warm. My father softly put his hands upon my head and gave me a blessing, rebuking the pain and the illness by authority of the holy priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ. He then took me tenderly in his arms and placed the bag of warm salt at my ear. The pain subsided and left. I fell asleep in my father’s secure embrace. As I was falling asleep, the words of his administration floated through my mind. That is the earliest remembrance I have of the exercise of the authority of the priesthood in the name of the Lord. Gen. Conference, April 2000.

6. Graham W. Doxey: [3 Ne. 18] Partake of the sacrament. Don’t merely take the sacrament. Think of the covenants you are remaking. Truly witness unto the Father that you will take upon yourself the name of his Son, even Jesus Christ. Recommit yourself to always remember him, to keep the commandments which he has given you. Your obedience will entitle you to have his Spirit to be with you. If this sacred ordinance has become commonplace in your worship, if you let your mind wander else­where during this weekly opportunity for spiritual renewal, if you just take the bread and water as it passes with no thought or recommitment in your life, then you have turned off a significant aid to your hearing of the Spirit. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1991.

7. Ezra Taft Benson: [3 Ne. 18:15 – watch and pray always] We must constantly be watchful as well as prayerful to ensure that our thoughts, words, and deeds stay in the “spiritual safe zone.” Just as the Savior promised protection to the Nephites, his promise is likewise conveyed to us today through the scriptures and living prophets who testify that if we are diligently watchful and prayerful, we will be given the strength to shun any temptation. The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 435.

8. Wilford Woodruff: [3 Ne. 18:18 – Satan desireth to have you] Lucifer has great influence over the children of men; he labors continually to destroy the works of God in heaven and he had to be cast out. He is here, mighty among the children of men. There is a vast number of fallen spirits, cast out with him, here on earth. They do not die and disappear; they have not bodies only as they enter the tabernacles of men. They have not organized bodies, and are not to be seen with the sight of the eye. But there are many evil spirits among us, and they labor to overthrow the church and kingdom of God. … Do you suppose these devils are around us without trying to do something? … I say … we have got a mighty warfare to wage with these spirits. We cannot escape it. What will they do to you? They will try to make us do anything and everything that is not right. The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 238.

9. Harold B. Lee: There are carefully charted on the maps of the opposition the weak spots in every one of us. They are known to the forces of evil, and just the moment we lower the defense of any one of those ports, then becomes the D-Day of our invasion. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1949.

10. Gordon B. Hinckley: [3 Ne. 18:21 – pray in your families] I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together – father, mother, and children. This, more than soft carpets, more than lovely draperies, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes. … I know of nothing that will help to ease family tensions, that in a subtle way will bring about the respect for parents that leads to obedience, that will affect the spirit of repentance which will largely erase the blight of broken homes, than will praying together, confessing weaknesses together before the Lord, and invoking the blessings of the Lord upon the home and those who dwell there. Ensign, Feb. 1991.

11. Joseph Fielding Smith: [3 Ne. 18:28-29 – partaking of the sacrament unworthily] If any of the members are not in good standing; if they have in their hearts any feeling of hatred, envy, or sin of any kind, they should not partake of these emblems. If there are any differences or feelings existing between brethren, these differences should be adjusted before the guilty parties partake. … We should all see that our hearts and hands are clean and pure. Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, p. 343.

12. Spencer W. Kimball: Unless a person forgives his brother his trespasses with all his heart he is unfit to partake of the sacrament. Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 264.

13. L. Tom Perry: Never let a day go by without holding family prayer and family scripture study. Put this, the Lord’s program, to the test; and see if it does not bless your home with greater peace, hope, love, and faith. I promise you that daily family prayer and scripture study will build within the walls of your home a security and bonding that will enrich your lives and prepare your families to meet the challenges of today and the eternities to come. Gen. Conference, April 1993.

14. Heber J. Grant: [Recalling prayers in Brigham Young’s home when he visited there as a boy] Upon more than one occasion, because of the inspiration of the Lord to Brigham Young while he was supplicating God for guidance, I have lifted my head, turned and looked at the place where Brigham Young was praying, to see if the Lord was not there. It seemed to me that he talked to the Lord as one man would talk to another. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, p. 173.

15. Gordon B. Hinckley: Pray and listen. Most of us pray the way we order groceries by telephone: pick up the phone, place the order, and hang up. Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, vol. 1, p. 340.

16. Bruce R. McConkie: [3 Ne. 19:18 – they did pray unto Jesus] Jesus was present before them as the symbol of the Father. Seeing him, it was as though they prayed to the Father. It was a special and unique situation that as far as we know has taken place only once on earth during all the long ages of the Lord’s hand-dealings with his children. Promised Messiah, p. 561.


Next week: 3 Nephi 16, 20-21 “Then Will I Gather Them In”

Sunday School - Book of Mormon Lesson 38

Book of Mormon Lesson #38: 3 Nephi 12-15
“Old Things Are Done Away and All Things Have Become New”

1. Harold B. Lee: In His Sermon on the Mount the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of his own character, which was perfect, or what might be said to be an autobiography, every syllable of which He had written down in deeds, and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives. Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 342.

2. Robert J. Matthews: The Jewish Sermon on the Mount was a missionary-oriented discourse preparatory to sending forth the Twelve to preach. The Nephite sermon was directed to the multitudes, with only portions of it being specifically pointed to the twelve Nephite disciples. The Sermon on the Mount was given prior to the Lord’s atonement and fulfilled the law of Moses; the Nephite sermon was given after the Atonement and fulfillment of the law of Moses. Symposium on the Book of Mormon, 1982.

3. Harold B. Lee: [3 Ne. 12:3 – poor in spirit] To be poor in spirit is to feel yourself as the spiritually needy, ever dependent upon the Lord for your clothes, your food and the air you breathe, your health, your life; realizing that no day should pass without fervent prayer of thanksgiving, for guidance and forgiveness and strength sufficient to each day’s need. Decisions for Successful Living, p. 63.

4. David E. Sorensen: [3 Ne. 12:4 – those who mourn] Remember the Lord has promised that He will help us as we face adversity. He has particular compassion for those who suffer. It was He who said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). … The world sees peace as the absence of conflict or pain, but Jesus offers us solace despite our suffering. … He will strengthen us and bring us peace in the time of our trials. Gen. Conference, April 2005.

5. Alvin R. Dyer: [3 Ne. 12:5 – the meek] I believe there is perhaps a distinction between humility and meekness. It may be said that meekness is a condition of voluntary humility. Improvement Era, Nov. 1970.

6. Chauncey C. Riddle: [3 Ne. 12:6 – hunger and thirst] Perhaps the greatest divider between the seekers of righteousness and the self-righteous is that those who hunger and thirst after true righteousness cannot rest until satisfaction and happiness come to those whom they strive to help. They hurt when others hurt. The self-righteous are often deed-conscious rather than people-conscious. They seem to glory in forms and traditions, formulas and standards. They cast alms to the poor without loving them or stopping to discern what the real problem might be. The Book of Mormon: It Begins With a Family, p. 140.

7. Gordon B. Hinckley: [3 Ne. 12:7 – the merciful] How godlike a quality is mercy. It cannot be legislated. It must come from the heart. … I am convinced that there comes a time, possibly many times, within our lives when we might cry out for mercy on the part of others. How can we expect it unless we have been merciful ourselves? … Mercy is of the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The degree to which each of us is able to extend it becomes an expression of the reality of our discipleship under Him who is our Lord and Master. Gen. Conference, April 1990.

8. Bruce R. McConkie: [3 Ne. 12:8 – the merciful shall see God] We have the power so to live, that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1977.

9. David O. McKay: Who are the pure in heart? Those who let no selfishness or hatred or vile thought becloud their spiritual vision. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1935.

10. Gordon B. Hinckley: [3 Ne. 12:9 – peacemakers] Let us bind up the wounds – oh, the many wounds that have been caused by cutting words, by stubbornly cultivated grievances, by scheming plans to “get even” with those who may have wronged us. We all have a little of this spirit of revenge in us. Fortunately we all have the power to rise above it. … There is no peace in harboring old grudges. There is no peace in reflecting on the pain of old wounds. There is peace only in repentance and forgiveness. This is the sweet peace of the Christ, who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). Be Thou an Example, p. 52.

11. Gordon B. Hinckley: Draw comfort from the words of the Master when we as a church are spoken of by those whose lives are torn with hate. They lash out at one thing and another. They manufacture and spread vile falsehoods behind which there is not a shred of truth. There is nothing new about this. But we shall go forward, returning good for evil, being helpful and kind and generous. Stand a Little Taller, p. 23.

12. James M. Freeman: [3 Ne. 12:13 – salt] Salt from the Dead Sea … was strewn over the sacrifices in the temple to neutralize the smell of the burning flesh, and when it became spoiled by exposure it was cast out upon the walks to prevent slipping in wet weather, and was thus literally “trodden under foot of men.” Manners and Customs of the Bible, pp. 335-36.

13. Gordon B. Hinckley: [3 Ne. 12:22 – angry with his brother] Anger is not an expression of strength. It is an indication of one’s inability to control his thoughts, words, his emotions. Of course it is easy to get angry. When the weakness of anger takes over, the strength of reason leaves. Cultivate within yourselves the mighty power of self-discipline. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 25.

14. Ed J. Pinegar, K. Douglas Bassett, & Ted L. Earl: [3 Ne. 12:23 – be reconciled to thy brother] Harboring an evil thought injures the person who harbors it more than the man against whom he holds ill feeling. Modern psychology emphasizes that truth. If we would have peace, we should banish our enmity for others. Bearing enmity in our hearts injures us and drives peace from our hearts. Latter-day Commentary on the New Testament, p. 110-11.

15. Elaine Pagels: [3 Ne. 12:31-32 – divorce] Among Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries no one questioned the legitimacy of divorce. The only question was what constituted adequate grounds; and it was this question of grounds, no the legitimacy of divorce as such, that split religious schools into opposing factions. The teacher Shammai, for one, took the conservative position: the only offense serious enough to justify divorce was the wife’s infidelity. Shammai’s opponent Hillel, famous for his liberal judgments, argued instead that a man may divorce his wife for any reason he chooses, “even if she burned his soup!” The well-known teacher Akiba, who agreed with Hillel, added emphatically, “and even if he finds a younger woman more beautiful than she.” Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, pp. 13-14.

16. Gordon B. Hinckley: Never forget that it was you who selected your companion. It was you who felt that there was no one else in all the world quite like her. It was you who wished to have her forever. But in too many cases the image of the temple experience fades. A lustful desire may be the cause. Faultfinding replaces praise. When we look for the worst in anyone, we will find it. But if we concentrate on the best, that element will grow until it sparkles. Gen. Conference, April 2003.

17. Bryon R. Merrill: [3 Ne. 12:27-30 – adultery in your heart] Not committing adultery would bring one to a terrestrial plateau; but only by eradicating lust could one come to harmony with celestial law. Book of Mormon: 4 Nephi – Moroni, From Zion to Destruction, p. 171.

18. Neal A. Maxwell: [3 Ne. 12:30 – take up your cross] Given the array of temptations “common to man,” the best way of denying them is by giving them “no heed,” by turning them away decisively at the doorstep of the mind. Otherwise, if we entertain temptations, very soon they begin entertaining us! Whom the Lord Loveth, pp. 29-30.

19. David B. Haight: [3 Ne. 12:43 – love your enemy] Besides loving God, we are commanded to do what to many is a more difficult commandment – to love all, even our enemies, and to go beyond the barriers of race or class or family relationships. It is easier, of course, to be kind to those who are kind to us – the usual standard of friendly reciprocity. … Whom would you bar from your circle? We might deny ourselves a nearness to our Savior because of our prejudices …, attitudes that Christ would surely condemn. Love has no boundary, no limitation of good will. Gen. Conference, Oct. 1982.

20. Glenn I. Latham: Abraham Lincoln was criticized by one of his associates because he went out of his way to make friends of his enemies. His associates asked President Lincoln, “Why don’t you destroy your enemies rather than make friends of them?” Lincoln answered, “Don’t I destroy my enemies when I make friends of them?” Christlike Parenting, p. 79.


Next week: 3 Nephi 17-19 “Behold, My Joy is Full”