Mosiah 6-10

            Ok, here is where things might start to get a little confusing. The next few chapters of Mosiah contain some really great spiritual information, but also a pretty complex subplot of people moving around and going to different places. I will try to explain it, but a good way to get a basic explanation would be to go to scripturestories.lds.org and look at Chapters 13 through 17.

            When King Benjamin was finished teaching his people, he had the names of all of the people who “had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments” written down, so that the church would have a record of its members; and also, I would guess, as a sort of census. His son Mosiah then began his reign, and Benjamin died.

            King Mosiah wanted to know what had happened to a group of people who had left Zarahemla (the Nephite capital city) and gone to live in the land of Lehi-Nephi, which was the original land of Nephite possession, so he sent a group of sixteen men to go looking for them. The group ended up getting lost in the jungle, so they decided to camp after forty days of wandering. The leader of the group, Ammon, decided to take a few of his men and go check out the city below them. As they were wandering around the outside of the city, they met the king of the land, who had them promptly thrown in jail. After two days, they were brought before the king, who demanded to know who they were. After being told that they were from Zarahemla, the king rejoiced and said that his name was Limhi, and he was a grandson of the man who had originally taken off from Zarahemla.

            Limhi tells Ammon the sad tale of his people. The story is told in more detail in chapter nine, but I will tell you the basics. Limhi’s grandfather, Zeniff, was a spy for the Nephite army, and while doing his job, he saw the Lamanites living in the land of Nephi, the original lands of the Nephites. Zeniff and about half of the army wanted to negotiate with the king of the Lamanites to allow them to live there, and the other half realized that that was a bad idea. They had a big internal skirmish, and most of the entire army was killed. The survivors returned to Zarahemla, and Zeniff got as many people as he could to follow him back to the land of Nephi.

            Zeniff negotiates a treaty with the Lamanite king, who gives the people of Zeniff two of his cities (does the gift of two whole cities without any payment in return, by your sworn enemy, sound at least a little fishy to anyone else?). They live in peace for a while, and then the Lamanite king decides to come put the people of Zeniff in bondage, by force. Zeniff is a man of God, and instructs his people to pray for strength, and they are able to beat the Lamanites back multiple times.

            Keep in mind that the occurrences during the time of Zeniff happened at about the same time that the first king Mosiah was alive, during the latter half of the book of Omni.

            I am going to quickly leave the story of Zeniff and return to the story of Limhi meeting Ammon.

            After talking with Ammon, Limhi calls his people together to call them to repentance. He reminds them of their sinful ways, and calls them to repentance, and a remembrance of the good things that the Lord has done for them and for their ancestors. His people are in bondage (more on that later), yet he still says:

                        “O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many struggling, which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made. Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did he do for them. And again, that same God has brought or fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even until now.” (Mosiah 7:18-20).

            “For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them… But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.” (Mosiah 7:29, 33)

            Ammon takes the opportunity to teach the people the things which were taught by King Benjamin, then Limhi brings forth a set of plates upon which are writings which no one in the kingdom can decipher. Limhi explains that a group that he sent out to find Zarahemla found the ruins of a great civilization, who they assumed had been the rest of the Nephites, and a set of records. Ammon says that he does not have the power to translate, but that king Mosiah has such power, that he is a seer, which, “is greater than a prophet… a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should posses the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God” (Mosiah 8:15-16).

            Then, after telling them this, we are given the record of Zeniff, which has been recorded on plates kept by the people of Limhi. The contents of these records are found in chapters 9 through 22 in the book of Mosiah.

Mosiah 1-5

The Book of Mosiah comprises about 40 years of Nephite history, and includes some very important events in their story. The book starts with a man named Benjamin, who is the son of the Mosiah mentioned in the Book of Omni, and is the king of the combined Nephite and Mulekite peoples (collectively called Nephites). King Benjamin is a good, righteous leader like his father before him, and Amaleki (the prophet who wrote the last entries in Omni) decides to give the responsibility of taking care of the records to him.

            After many years of taking care of the people – leading them into battle in defense against the Lamanites, confounding false Christs and punishing them “according to their crimes,” and teaching the people – King Benjamin is old and decides to give up his throne to his son Mosiah. To Mosiah and his other sons, he gives this wise council:

·         “And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.” (Mosiah 1:2)

o   King Benjamin educates his sons not only that they may read the writings of the prophets of old, but that they will be able to write down those inspirations which they receive.

§  Joseph Smith said that if you are discussing important things, sacred things, and forget to write down the inspiration which the Spirit gives you, “…perhaps for neglecting to write these things when God had revealed them, not esteeming them of sufficient worth, the Spirit may withdraw, and God may be angry, and there is, or was, a vast knowledge, of infinite importance, which is now lost.”

·         I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief…” (Mosiah 1:5)

o   If we do not always focus on the things of the Spirit, here specifically the scriptures, we will not remember what the Lord has done for our ancestors, and his great glory and mercy. We will forget, and then we will decide not to believe – if we are not continuously striving to read the scriptures.

·         “O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true… And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.” (Mosiah 1:6-7)

o   I think this one pretty much speaks for itself. We need to remember that the Book of Mormon is true, and that if we keep the commandments contained within it and in the Bible, the Lord will bless us.

After speaking to his sons, King Benjamin asks them to gather the people so that he may address them one last time. He talks about many things, including: how he has served them throughout his reign, and treated them fairly; serving God; rebellion against God; the appearance of Jesus Christ in the flesh; Jesus’ Atonement; Salvation through Christ; the ability for men to become ‘saints’; the torment of the wicked; the results of faithfulness; charity; becoming the sons and daughters of Christ, and being steadfast and immovable in good works. This is a lot of information, and I obviously won’t be able to cover it all, but this section is written so beautifully, and so clearly, I urge you to go and read it for yourself. Here is a very small portion of the scriptures that I liked in this section. Since pretty much every verse is highlighted, it is a really hard decision to narrow them down, but here are a few:

·         “I… have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.” (Mosiah 2:11)

·         “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)

·         “…if ye should serve him [God] with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments.” (Mosiah 2:21-22)

·         “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.” (Mosiah 2:41)

·         “And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men. For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen be the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.” (Mosiah 3:9-11)

·         “And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.” (Mosiah 3:17)

·         “And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.” (Mosiah 3:20).

·         “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” (Mosiah 4:9)

·         “And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.” (Mosiah 4:19)

·         “And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.” (Mosiah 4:16)

·         “And under this head [Christ] ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.” (Mosiah 5:8)

·         “I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name [of Christ] written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you. For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” (Mosiah 5:12-13)

·         “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and earth, who is God above all. Amen.” (Mosiah 5:15)

Enos - Words of Mormon

The books between Jacob and Mosiah are very short. In order, they are the books of Enos, Jarom, Omni, and the Words of Mormon. The first three are very small-abbreviated histories of the Nephites, mostly keeping track of who has the records and showing that they were continuously cared for. That being said, there are still some great lessons to be learned within their verses. The Words of Mormon is a short chapter that Mormon wrote in approximately 385 AD to say that the previous books were the actual words of their authors – that we are transitioning from the Small Plates of Nephi, which he did not abridge, to the Large Plates of Nephi, which he did abridge.

The Book of Enos

Enos is the son of Jacob, and was given the plates when his father passed away. He wants to know if the things that his father taught are true, so while hunting in the woods, he decides to kneel down and pray.

His prayer gives us a good model for how we should sincerely pray to our Father in Heaven. Here is (basically) what happened:

1.      He went somewhere

a.       Enos went into the woods to pray – somewhere secluded and away from distractions. If you really want to get an answer to a prayer, make sure you do it in a place where you can be alone and where the Holy Ghost can be. Some of the best places include the woods, like Enos, or the temple. Christ said that we should pray in our “closets,” and although I don’t know if I could naturally fit into my closet, I know that the meaning behind this literal phrase is to pray wherever is private enough to offer up your heart to God.

2.      The words of his father suck deep down into his heart.

a.       Although my father is not the prophet, I know that I should listen to him and do the things that he asks because I know that he loves me, and that he has gone through many of the experiences that I will go through in life. This verse also shows that we should listen to the modern day prophets, who are inspired and instructed to share the gospel and lead the Church out of love for is.

3.      He felt a deep need

a.       Verse 3 says that his “soul hungered…” for the truth and a remission of his sins. We should feel a deep need for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As 2 Nephi 32:3 says, “feast upon the words of Christ, for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do.” Enos truly hungers for knowledge, and he comes prepared to feast upon the things that he will be told. Whenever we read the scriptures or say a prayer, we should be ready and open to receive whatever the Lord gives us.

4.      He knelt down

a.       While prayers do not necessarily need to be said while kneeling, to kneel can bring us closer to God. We show our humility, and can focus more on what we are saying and thinking.

5.      He prayed fervently (and probably vocally)

a.       Enos says, “I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication”. When I looked up “cried” in the scriptures, it lead me to Psalms 138:3 – “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”

                                                                                      i.      I am so glad to know that when I pray to the Lord, he will answer me and give me the strength that I need.

                                                                                    ii.      At the same time that the Lord gives me strength, it may not necessarily be physical strength. The verse in Psalms mentions strength for the soul, but in the majority of cases, I think that internal strength is what matters most.

b.      We figure that Enos prayed vocally because when you pray vocally, it focuses your thoughts and allows you to keep your thoughts from wandering.

6.      There was a high level of intensity in his prayer

a.       Enos prayed all day and all night to receive an answer to his prayer. While this is obviously not going to happen with most people, we can do specific things to make our prayers more intense and personally powerful. By doing some of the things mentioned above such as kneeling and saying the prayer out loud, we can show the Lord that we really care about our communication with Him, and that we really want to know His will for us.

7.      He received an answer

a.       When we pray, the Lord will answer us. We may not get the answer on our personal time schedule, or in the way that we expect, but we will receive an answer some time.

So for what did Enos pray? Well, at first he prayed to be forgiven of his sins. When the Lord said that his sins had been forgiven, he asked, “Lord, how is it done?” The response was, “Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen… wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.” I have not seen Christ while I have been on this earth, but I know that He is real. I know that He died for my sins. I am so grateful that He was willing to make that sacrifice for me, one thing that I know for certain that I could not do by myself. Christ was, and is, the greatest person to ever walk on this earth, of which earth He is the Creator, Savior, and Redeemer.

            Once Enos finished praying for himself, he “began to feel a desire for the welfare of… the Nephites,” so he prayed for them. The Lord said that as long as the Nephites were diligent in keeping the commandments, they would be blessed. It would take a lot of love for Enos to pray for the welfare of his whole nation, but what is even more astounding is that he next prayed for the Lamanites, his enemies. The Lord promised that the Lamanites would be brought to the knowledge of the gospel, and be able to receive “a record of… the Nephites,” or the Book of Mormon. I am not sure if I have enough to love to pray for blessings to come upon those who actively seek for my destruction, but Enos is obviously a better man than I am. However, to “bless them that curse you” is a commandment from Christ, and one that I need to work on.

The Book of Jarom

Before Enos dies, he gives charge of the plates to his son Jarom. Jarom tells us a little about what has been going on in the two hundred years since the descendents of Lehi landed in the Promised Land. One verse that I really liked talked about how the leaders of the Church had to admonish the people often so they would remember the Lord. “And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentence.”

The Book of Omni

This Section of the Book of Mormon contains the shortest writings of any of the Book of Mormon authors. Basically, the book keeps a record of the various people who were in charge of the plates through the ages.

Jarom gave the plates to his son, Omni, who gives them to his son, Amaron.

Amaron gives them to his brother, Chemish, who writes the fewest verses of any of the people who wrote passages in the Book of Mormon – 1 verse.

Chemish’s son Abinadom is the next record keeper, and he gives the plates to his son Amaleki.

Amaleki tells of an exodus made by many of the Nephites. One of their leaders, Mosiah, is warned by the Lord to flee from the land of Nephi where his people have been living for a very long time. After being led through the wilderness by the Lord, they discover a people with whom they have not had any contact. These people are descendents of a man named Mulek, and are led by a man named Zarahemla. Mulek was the son of Zedekiah, the king of Jerusalem at the time that Lehi was told to escape, and he was lead with his people across the ocean to the Promised Land. Unfortunately, they did not have the brass plates from which to learn their history (as now contained in the Old Testament), and gradually lost and corrupted their language. Mosiah commands that they be taught in the learning of the Nephites, and the Mulekites join the Nephites for the rest of Nephite history.

The Words of Mormon

At this time, Mormon inserts a small section to clarify that the previous chapters were the Small Plates of Nephi, which he inserted on top of the records that he had already compiled. The record was pleasing to him “because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ,” but he was not sure why he was directed by the Lord to include the entire plates without abridging them. From various events that happened in the early history of the Church, we know exactly why he was told to put the unabridged sections into the plates for his son to hide.

Excitement!

     Right now, my joy is pretty darn full. I don't really know how it could get much more full than it is right now. This week, my cousin surprised our family by announcing that he had received his mission call. I was able to go and be there with him when he opened it. He is going to the Mexico Tampico mission, so not quite Honduras, but close. I think I was almost more excited for him to get his call than I was to get mine (almost, but not quite).
     When I was driving back to my dorm with another cousin and his wife, we were talking about how many missionaries our family has and will have within the next few years. We realized that at one point, we could have up to about six missionaries out from our family, depending on when various people leave and come home. I love my family so much, and it is amazing that we have this opportunity to share the message that has brought us so close together, and has brought us so much joy with the people in many far away lands and languages. In March, we will have one in Fiji, one in Honduras, and one on his way to Mexico! I was thinking about this seeming paradox today during church - our family will be spread farther apart than we probably ever have, but yet I have a feeling that this experience will just bring us closer together.
     On the subject of many languages, in my Elder's Quorum and Missionary Preparation classes today, we read a scripture that I have heard before, but that takes on new meaning as I become a part of it. Doctrine and Covenants 90:11 says "For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ."
     Soon, I will be one of those ordained to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to another people, in their own language. I cannot wait for my opportunity to serve the Lord, and to bring the peace and love that has filled and guided my life to the people of Honduras. I am so excited for my mission, and for the missions of my cousins. Our family is just a little unit in the Army of the Lord, but with love and His help, we will have many victories for Him.

Jacob 6 and 7

Jacob 6 explains a little about chapter 5, the end of the world, and the Second Coming of Christ. Some of my favorite verses include:

·         Verse 2: “And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh.”

·         Verse 3: “And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard”

o   I am so excited to serve the Lord in his vineyard, and I can’t wait to see how my life changes because of the work I do. I know that the changes and blessings will probably not be the ones that I expect, but I see the Lord’s hand in my life so much already, in mostly unexpected ways, that I have learned to appreciate any guidance that I am given.

·         Verse 4: “ And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long”

o   The Lord truly does extend blessings to me and to all of His children every day.

·         Verses 8: “Behold will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?”

o   In all honesty, I really don’t understand how someone could reject all of the things that testify of Christ. Besides the words of every prophet since the world began, everything beautiful and meaningful in this world testifies of Him. Whenever I walk in the woods, I can see the touch of the Master’s Hand. When I listen to a piece of music that stirs my soul, I know that I am listening to something eternally beautiful. Making “a mock of the great plan of redemption” makes me extremely sad. In essence, the great plan of redemption is that we lived with our Father in Heaven before we lived on this earth; and that if we live righteously, we can live with our families in happiness forever. Many times in the world, I see people who are lost, and think that no one cares for them and loves them, or that they have sinned and have no way to get to heaven. I am so sad for them, and I just want to shout that a perfect Father in Heaven loves them, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for their sins, if they just accept His sacrifice and try to live their lives in accordance with His.

·         Verse 12: “O be wise: what can I say more?”

Jacob 7 contains the first example of an Anti-Christ to be found in the Book of Mormon. Ezra Taft Benson, the 13^th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said that, “The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.” Even though it is sad to see people over whom Satan has so much power, it is good to look at history and learn from the mistakes and triumphs of others. The Book of Mormon truly was written for our day.

            In this chapter, a man named Sherem starts to go about teaching “that there should be no Christ.” “And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts… And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.” Jacob says that Sherem “had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.” Obviously, Jacob is able to rebut every argument that Sherem brings up, but of my favorite part is when Jacob asks, “Believest thou the scriptures?” Sherem says yes, but then Jacob says, “Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ… [and] I know if there should be no atonement made all mankind must be lost.”

            Eventually, Sherem asks Jacob to show him a sign, but Jacob says, “What am I that I should tempt God to show thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true?” Sherem still keeps pressing for a sign, and eventually, the Lord gives him one, when “the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell to the earth.” He is unconscious for many days, but then wakes up and calls all the people together to tell them how wrong he truly was. “And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by the power of the devil.” When he finishes his message, he dies, giving the crowd further proof that the things he spake were true.

            “And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave… and I make an end of my writing upon these plates.” Unfortunately, this is the end of Jacob’s record, but he passes the plates on to his son Enos to continue keeping the history of the people.

Jacob 5

The Fifth Chapter of the Book of Jacob is one of the longest (if not the longest) in the Book of Mormon. I always used to kind of just make a cursory pass through this section, but in seminary a few years ago, I started looking at this chapter more closely. We watched a video that explained that this chapter is about missionary work and the different eras, or dispensations, of Christ’s Gospel on the earth, and also the times when the faith of the human race has been diminished – times of apostasy and darkness. Ultimately, it concludes with the Second Coming of the Savior.

            Chapter five is quotation by Jacob of the “allegory of the tame and wild olive trees” given by an ancient prophet named Zenos. There are actually many references to Zenos and other prophets in the Book of Mormon. We assume that these were Hebrew prophets whose teachings were known before the fall of Jerusalem, but whose writings have since been lost or forgotten. He describes a grove or vineyard of olive trees, and the master of the vineyard’s attempts to cultivate the best harvest possible. At various points, the branches of the main tree are strong or weak, and the master and his servants seek to do all that they can in order to keep it healthy.

            The main tree of the vineyard represents the House of Israel, the Lord’s chosen people. The Master of the vineyard is generally considered to be an allegory of Jesus Christ, but a few people also think that it could be Heavenly Father (personally I think it is Christ). The Master chooses servants to help him during the story, and these represent the prophets and missionaries who help care for the Master’s garden. One thing that has helped me to appreciate this section more fully is that I will be going on a mission in a few months. I will be one of the Lord’s servants bringing His scattered children back into His presence. I cannot wait to be able to devote all of my time to His service.

Basically, the verses within the chapter fall into these categories:

·         Verses 1 – 15: The Scattering of Israel before the time of Christ.

o   This section starts with a “tame,” or domesticated, olive tree that has started to decay. The Master is saddened by this, so he decides to give it a little extra care (“I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it”).

o   The tree develops some “young and tender branches,” but “the main top thereof began to perish.”

o   Seeing this, the Master calls his servant and asks him to cut the dying branches off and burn them; and then to graft on branches from a wild olive tree. Meanwhile, the Master takes the young branches and plants them in various locations throughout the vineyard.

o   Explanation/Translation:

§  The House of Israel (before the birth of Christ) is growing weak. The Lord decides to nourish His people, and some of them are more righteous, but others are still wicked.

§  He decides to move, or scatter the branches of the House of Israel – all of the other Israelite groups except for the House of Judah, which is from where the modern days Jews are descended.

§  The Gentiles, or non-Israelites, are brought in to the remaining main tree (House of Judah) in an attempt to give it strength and to help it grow.

·         Verses 16 – 28: The time of Christ

o   After a time, the Master and His servant go to inspect the progress that the garden has been making.

o   The root of the main tree has been strengthened by the addition of the new, wild branches, and the it has started to produce good fruit. In the context of this chapter, fruit symbolizes the blessings of salvation.

o   The branches that have been scattered, however, are having mixed results. Most of them are doing okay, and the ones in the poorest soil are doing the best.

o   However, the branch that was placed in the best soil has brought forth mixed fruit. Some of it is good, and some is evil.

o   When the Master suggests that they should just cut off and burn the branches that are evil, the servant suggests that they wait a little longer before destroying it. The master agrees, and they turn to giving the limb more attention.

o   Explanation/Translation:

§  The addition of Gentiles to the contact with the Israelites has helped them grow stronger, and they are able to have the Lord with them to guide them.

§  Most of the tribes scattered by the Lord are doing all right. The one tribe that is not having as much success is a representation of the people of Nephi and of Laman. They have been given the promised land of the New World, yet the people of Nephi have the blessings of salvation, and the people of Laman do not.

§  Always merciful, the Lord lets His people have an extra chance to repent and become better.

§  I find it interesting that the branches that are the most ‘fruitful’ are those which are found in the worst soil. I see this as a confirmation that adversity can help us to take hold of what nourishment we do receive, and grow stronger despite of/or because of it. Also, the Lord will never forget us in our times of need. About the branch in the worst soil, He says, “I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit.”

·         Verses 29 – 50: The Great Apostasy

o   The season for gathering in fruit is growing short, so the Master and His servant decide to go and check on the vineyard.

o   By this time, all of the fruit has become corrupt and bad. The Master is very sad that the wild branches that He so carefully grafted in have overpowered His precious tree. When He looks at the branches He scattered throughout the vineyard, these too have become corrupt.

o   “And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?” This scripture reminded me of John 11:35, which says, “Jesus wept.” Even though it is almost incomprehensible for me to think of  someone as perfect as Christ weeping, I know that when He does, it is because it makes Him so sad to see His brothers and sisters stray from the path of righteousness, and turn away from those things that would lead them back to their Father.

o   Explanation/Translation:

§  The word “apostasy” in the section title means a falling away from the truth that was previously known. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had to come forth because there had been an apostasy, the Great Apostasy, after the death of Christ and His Apostles. It was foretold in many places in the Bible, including Amos 8:11, which says that in “the days to come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” During the Apostasy, the full extent of the Lord’s truth and church were not on the earth. Most of the churches that did exist had pieces of the truth, but a complete restoration was needed, not just a reformation.

§  At the time of apostasy, the nations of the Gentiles had overpowered the Jews, and led them to corruption. Darkness spread throughout the earth (i.e., the Dark Ages), and none of the nations, or branches in the vineyard of the Lord, had the fullness of Christ’s gospel, which brings out good fruit – the blessings of eternal salvation.

§  I liked verse thirty-three, where the Lord says to His servant, “What shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit thereof unto mine own self?” This shows that the Lord desires our input, and does not give us the answers immediately all the time. We must learn and grown for ourselves. However, even though the Lord knows what will happen in the end, and allows us to choose what is best for us, He still allows moments such as verse forty-one where we can see that He has compassion on us.

·         Verses 51 – 76: The Gathering of Israel and Spreading of the Gospel to all the World

o   The Master declares, “Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.” He wants to try one last time to spare His beloved tree, so He is willing to remove some of the wild branches and re-graft in the original branches that had been scattered.

o   The Master calls many other servants to assist in the last push before the harvest. “Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way… let us go to and labor with our might this last time.”

o   With the help and care of the extra servants, the main tree starts to grow stronger, and brings forth good fruit again. “The trees [became] again the natural fruit; and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning.”

o   Explanation/Translation:

§  God is willing to allow time for His children to repent, but He will not hold off forever. Christ will come, and we must be ready for when He does. We are only in this life for a short time, so we must do all that we can now.

§  “Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand.” In the Church, we often call missionary work ‘laboring in the vineyard’ for this very reason. We are called to go and work as hard as possible so that we may prepare the Garden of the Lord for His last coming.

§  As the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread throughout the world, His chosen people will naturally tend to come to Him. Those who are ready to receive the message will be found, and grafted into the Tree of the House of Israel.

·         Verses 75 – 77: The Second Coming of Christ

o   The days of preparation are over, and the Master of the vineyard calls all of the servants together to thank them for their diligence and explain a little bit about what will happen next.

o   The Master explains that the work of gathering His people together is over, and that He will be collecting the harvest soon. Once the good and bad fruit are separated, the bad will be cast away, “And then cometh the season and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.”

o   Explanation/Translation:

§  I really liked the quote that is in verse 75, “And blessed are thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments… behold ye shall have a joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.” I hope to work hard enough and with enough diligence that I will be able receive a fraction of this praise from my Master.

§  The Second Coming of Christ should be something for the righteous to look forward to, and for the wicked to take as a wake-up call. We need to prepare so that we are not cast away with the wicked. 

Jacob 1-4

After 2 Nephi ends, the next few books are fairly short. The Book of Jacob, written by Nephi's younger brother Jacob, is only 7 chapters long (although chapter 5 is one of the longest in the entire Book of Mormon); and the Books of Enos, Jarom, and Omni are each only 1 chapter long.

THE BOOK OF JACOB

I am going to summarize chapters 1 – 4, and then dedicate an entire post to chapter 5.

·         Jacob and his brother Joseph teach the people about Christ, but they start becoming wicked anyways. I really liked some of the verses in this chapter, including:

o   Jacob 1:6-8 : “We knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come. Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness. Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his crass and bear the shame of the world”

o   Jacob 1:17 : “Wherefore, I… taught them… having first obtained mine errand from the Lord.” I thought that this verse really applied to me, especially after I got my mission call. My errand from the Lord is to teach His Children in Honduras!

·         Jacob then takes a few chapters to preach to the people, and hopefully get them to repent. He says, “Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts.” He is not even talking about sins that have been committed (yet), but he is preempting things that the Lord has warned him are in the hearts of the people, that they might/will commit in the future.

o   Some of the things that Jacob talks to the people about are greed, pride, and especially unchastity

§  Jacob teaches that, “Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.”

§  He also says that the Lord, “delight(s) is the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.”

·         “For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people… And I will not suffer… that the cries of the fair daughters of this people… shall come up unto me against the men of my people.

·         Jacob then spends a few verses talking to the people in his flock who are doing the things that they are supposed to. He says, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause… lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love, for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.”

·         Jacob uses chapter 4 to teach about the knowledge that his people have of Christ, and the knowledge that the more ancient prophets did as well. Some of the verses I liked most include:

o   Jacob 4:4 : “For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also the holy prophets which were before us.”

o   Jacob 4:12-13 : “Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come? Behold my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.”