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TODAY'S THEME
The Book of Mormon, Alma 34:32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
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The Resurrected Jesus Christ Begins Instructing and Blessing the Nephites in Central America in A.D. 34 -by John Scott |
in that which was written in 3 Nephi, Chapters 13 and 14 from the Book of Mormon and then compare them to Chapters 6 and 7 of Matthew in the New Testament.This post is planned as a follow-up to the comparison I made in my Post, 39l of that which was recorded in 3 Nephi, Chapter 12 as compared to that which was recorded in Matthew Chapter 5.
Please read the following quotation from Chapter 14 of Third Nephi which is very similar to what you will read in Matthew, Chapter 6. I'm sure you'll agree with me that were we to live by Jesus' guidance given then, which was given to those who heard Him teach in Palestine during His earthly ministry, that we would be at great peace with our God and ourselves. I'm quoting the last four verses from Chapter 14 in Third Nephi:
24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand—
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Now here are the same verses from Matthew, Chapter 6:
24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
As you have no doubt just discerned, the words of Jesus in each of the two different sets of scriptures are identical!
Certainly that is what we should expect from such an important set of teachings given by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in both Ancient America where he ministered among the Nephite-Lamanite people after his resurrection and ascent into Heaven and then which he taught to his followers in Palestine before his resurrection.
Certainly that is what we should expect from such an important set of teachings given by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in both Ancient America where he ministered among the Nephite-Lamanite people after his resurrection and ascent into Heaven and then which he taught to his followers in Palestine before his resurrection.
However, as you would have learned from my post 39l there were some significant differences between what is recorded in Chapter 12 of 3 Nephi (from the Book of Mormon) and in Chapter 5 of Matthew: Here is just one of a good number of such examples of significant differences:
3 Nephi 12:48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
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Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Emphasis Added)
As you would have learned from my Post 39l, it was very correct for Jesus to have added three certain words in his same basic sermon to the Nephites in Ancient Central America.
even as I was added to what he said, in an otherwise identical statement which he had previous to his resurrection from the dead, said to his followers in Palestine.
It was logical and perfectly truthful for Jesus to add those words, "even as I" to his same basic message he was delivering to another portion of his flock after his resurrection from the dead and glorification, or in other words, after having become fully perfect!
even as I was added to what he said, in an otherwise identical statement which he had previous to his resurrection from the dead, said to his followers in Palestine.
It was logical and perfectly truthful for Jesus to add those words, "even as I" to his same basic message he was delivering to another portion of his flock after his resurrection from the dead and glorification, or in other words, after having become fully perfect!
Some very uninformed people who certainly could have not have carefully compared such scriptures as we have above and much more extensively in my Post 39l, and still claimed that the Sermon at the Temple as recorded in 3 Nephi of the Book of Mormon was simply a matter of plagerism!
I Neil Birch, know personally by the witness of the Holy Ghost, that the Book of Mormon stands side by side with the New Testament as the word of God, written by one of His holy prophets, Mormon, using the records of many other prophets who preceded him, and finished by his faithful son, Moroni who hid the golden plates, upon which the Book of Mormon was written, in New York State (U.S.A.) in a place where he led young Joseph Smith, Jr. to view them and then a few years later to take them out of their centuries long hiding place in order to translate them, by the special means of help which God had prepared centuries before by a Nephite father (Mormon) and his son (Moroni.
So far in this post I have begun to fulfill my promise made in post 39m to complete the comparisons of the final part of our Savior's Sermon on the Mount in Palestine with his sermon near the temple in Bountiful in 34 A.D. to the Nephite people.
However, because of the terrible disaster in the Carribean Island Nation of Haiti which occurred several days ago, I have decided to be diverted for at least one more post from finishing what I intend to do regarding those very important comparisons.
However, because of the terrible disaster in the Carribean Island Nation of Haiti which occurred several days ago, I have decided to be diverted for at least one more post from finishing what I intend to do regarding those very important comparisons.
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Instead, I will make some comments about the importance the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attaches to bringing relief to those who are in such great need of it, anywhere in the world. Haiti is not too far from our shores (U.S.A.).
In fact, during the time my wife, Melva, and I were serving as a missionary couple in the Nation of Finland (friom 2004 - 2006) where I had served as a young missionary in my twenties, Melva's brother, Curtis Giles was serving with his dear wife as the president of LDS Church's mission in Haiti. They went through some very difficult circumstances there including having all of their non-Hatiian missionaries sent out of that country for a period of time and then toward the end of their mission being forced to lead that mission from the Dominican Republic which is on the eastern half of the same island where Haiti is located.
Curtis and Ilene still love that people with all their hearts. We haven't spoken with them since the 7.0 earthquake struck there, but we're certain that their hearts are right now very much with that people which they learned to love so much. Curtis learned their language well after having spoken French on his mission as a young man in France. French is spoken much in Haiti.
It is very clear to me and I hope that your reading the sermons given by our Savior that were recorded in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi are such that any people who take upon themselves Jesus' holy and sacred name will naturally seek to bless and comfort the people of that nation who come to be in critical need for such aid.
I first show you a before and an after photograph of the Haitian Presidential Palace located in the Captitol City of Port Au Prince, Haiti. There are much more disturbing photographs that have been appearing in our newspapers and over the Internet and perhaps you have seen many of them already.
I now think that I should show several more pictures which more accurately display the terror and horror the people of Haiti are going through:
Many infants were injured and killed!Many people are living in makeshift tents! Many people were trapped underground for many hours!
I read in this morning's Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT U.S.A.) That a team of doctors is being sent by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Haiti along with the needed supplies.
Other Deseret News articles of told of planeloads of relief supplies being flown by the Church to Haiti. Many plans are underway. Of course, the United States of America is, as a nation, providing much relief to the people of Haiti as are many other nations of the world.
In a later post I hope to summarize better what the Church has been able to do. I believe it will have provided considerable and valuable help as our past record in disastors demonstrates.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been very much involved for many years in assisting in disaster areas throughout the world. I refer you to my post 20 dated: August 19, 2008. The presiding bishop of the Church gave a talk in the April 2008 General Conference of the Church. He spoke of all of the humanitarian aid done in 2007 under his guidance, under the overall direction of the First Presidency of the Church. Instead of quoting Bishop Burton's talk I give you the opportunity of viewing a video made of it.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been very much involved for many years in assisting in disaster areas throughout the world. I refer you to my post 20 dated: August 19, 2008. The presiding bishop of the Church gave a talk in the April 2008 General Conference of the Church. He spoke of all of the humanitarian aid done in 2007 under his guidance, under the overall direction of the First Presidency of the Church. Instead of quoting Bishop Burton's talk I give you the opportunity of viewing a video made of it.
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Here is another glimpse at the effectiveness with which this church is doing its humanitarian service: In that same April 2008 General Conference, one of the two counselors to the then prophet of the LDS Church, President Gordon B. Hinckley, Henry B. Eyring, told the following:
I have seen the miracle of that growth in charity in the hearts of priesthood holders, so have many of you. And so have many outside the Church.
I was in the office of President Gordon B. Hinckley when he was asked to take a phone call. He spoke briefly on the phone and then returned to our conversation. But he took a moment to explain. He said that the call was from the president of the United States, who was flying over Utah in Air Force One on his way to Washington.
The president of the United States had called to thank President Hinckley for what priesthood holders had done in the aftermath of a hurricane. The president of the United States had said that it was a miracle that we were able to get so many people, so quickly, working together so well. He praised our people by saying that we knew how to do things."
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President Gordon B. Hinckley, just previous president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
In ending this important diversion from my initial blog post subject, I would like to share with you an article written last Thursday in the Mormon Times' Section of the Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah)
I, Neil Birch want you readers to know that which the author of this following article said is very accurate. I have learned that over my years as a member and an employee of that church.
The reason this church is the way it is in these matters of service to humankind, is that as the title of the church indicates, it is Jesus Christ's Church and we love and follow him. This service to humankind is in the likeness of his great example of service which far surpasses anything we weak humans can do!
'The Mormons are the only utopia that ever worked'
By Mark W. Cannon
For the Deseret News
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010
For the Deseret News
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010
Peter Drucker
World-class organization and management guru Peter Drucker told me at a Harvard seminar on voluntarism in 1989 that "the Mormons are the only utopia that ever worked."
Drucker has been widely recognized as the father of modern management and as one of the most astute observers of organizational and managerial effectiveness of modern times.
The Nov. 19, 2009, issue of "The Economist" celebrated the century since Drucker's birth, declaring that "four years after his death Peter Drucker remains the king of the management gurus" and that he "remained at the top of his game for more than 60 years, advising generations of bosses and avoiding being ensnared by fashion."
The November 2009 Harvard Business Review also commemorated "The Drucker Centennial" with 30 essays on Drucker's influence.
The Financial Times headlined a story on Nov. 23, 2009, "Drucker's ideas stand the test of time."
Particularly in his later life, he focused on the independent, nonprofit sector and the enormous social benefits that can be accomplished by volunteer uncompensated human effort to help others.
So why would he declare The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the "only utopia that ever worked"?
The word "utopia" was coined by Sir Thomas More to describe a mythical island with ideal economic and social conditions -- where everyone was educated, wise and prosperous. Attempting to live the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ -- including the voluntarism that fascinated Drucker -- would approach a utopia or an ideal Christian society.
Drucker saw the fruits of Mormonism in the multitude of effective service and educational activities that were successfully carried out by volunteers in the LDS Church. He taught at Claremont Graduate University (its graduate school of management is named after him) in Southern California where there is a large Mormon population.
Almost 3,000 Mormon stakes and 25,000 wards and branches in more than 150 countries function with no paid clergy or staff, yet carry out a rich variety of well-organized, effective educational, spiritually enriching, advisory and service programs for people of all ages. Not counting the value of the volunteer activity of more than 50,000 full-time missionaries and a larger number of part-time missionaries -- literally billions of dollars that would have gone to personnel costs are saved and available to expand the mission of the church more rapidly.
Each ward typically has between 400 and 700 members and is directed by an unpaid bishop and two unpaid counselors. Several dozen uncompensated members in each congregation also accept a variety of callings in leading or teaching in organizations such as Relief Society, priesthood, Sunday School, Young Men, Young Women, Primary and the early morning seminaries for high school students, or the Boy Scouts and special service projects like vaccinations, sanitation and emergency relief.
It is not surprising that the astute Drucker came to his remarkable conclusion about the fruits of Mormonism.
Intuitively, people might suspect that sacrificing so much time and resources would interfere with the ability to gain a good education and earn a decent income.
However, the rate of Mormons obtaining higher education was substantially higher than the national average. Also, 12.5 percent more Mormon households earn more than $50,000 per year compared to households in the general population. (This data was developed by The Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of the Pew Forum on Religious & Public Life, 2007.)
At the time Drucker shared his extraordinary conclusion about the Mormons, I was a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. I did not want to quote him without obtaining his approval. So, I wrote him a letter and asked if he would "have any objection to my using the statement you made that: 'The Mormons are the only utopia that worked.'"
Drucker replied and gave his permission -- with one change: When I spoke to him originally, he told me, "The Mormons are the only utopia that ever worked." When I wrote to him, I left the word "ever" out to avoid stating it too strongly for him.
Drucker, however, wanted the statement to be strong and sweeping. He took his pen and wrote "ever" back into the quote.
Mark W. Cannon lives in McLean, Va. He was the first person to fill the statutory position of administrative assistant to the chief justice of the United States, and was subsequently staff director for the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. He has a doctorate in political economy and government from Harvard University. This article is a shortened version of a post on his blog, http://www.fruitsofmormonism.com/.
At the time Drucker shared his extraordinary conclusion about the Mormons, I was a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. I did not want to quote him without obtaining his approval. So, I wrote him a letter and asked if he would "have any objection to my using the statement you made that: 'The Mormons are the only utopia that worked.'"
Drucker replied and gave his permission -- with one change: When I spoke to him originally, he told me, "The Mormons are the only utopia that ever worked." When I wrote to him, I left the word "ever" out to avoid stating it too strongly for him.
Drucker, however, wanted the statement to be strong and sweeping. He took his pen and wrote "ever" back into the quote.
Mark W. Cannon lives in McLean, Va. He was the first person to fill the statutory position of administrative assistant to the chief justice of the United States, and was subsequently staff director for the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. He has a doctorate in political economy and government from Harvard University. This article is a shortened version of a post on his blog, http://www.fruitsofmormonism.com/.
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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.
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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: (The) Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, . . . Post 39n. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)
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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you will find very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.
If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:. Its content is translated from the English in this blog.
Neil Birch
2 comments:
Thank you for the time and energy you put into this blog. It's refreshing to read the perspective of an active member of the LDS church who has really read the Book of Mormon!
Jason and Amy, Thank you very much for your kind comment!
Neil Birch
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