33c - The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America

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TODAY'S THEME

The Resurrected Jesus -by Harry Anderson

In this, the third post in a series in which we are learning about the Savior's Ministry among the descendants of Father Lehi, the Nephites of ancient Central America; I will make an effort to help us understand just what our Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ's plan was during this extended visit to this group of people who lived in the Western Hemisphere of this earth. Actually, it was a series of visits in a relatively short span of time.

I will quote a scripture I have used before in several other blog posts to describe what our Savior's sacred "job description" is.

Moses 1:39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

When our Savior, undertakes to save those who are of His sheep fold, it is sure that He sets a plan that will bring about their being saved if they, His followers, continue to live worthy of being saved. The scriptures emphasize the free agency of mankind.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Those of His sheep who were in Palestine, chose to follow Him faithfully and were witnesses of His atonement and resurrection. The Lord was successful in teaching and preparing them, and then left the work in their hands of preaching the gospel to others of the House of Israel and afterwards, to the Gentiles too. The Savior then went on to the Western Hemisphere to gather his "other sheep" about which He had told them (John 10:16).

However, His apostles and other followers in Palestine did not understand Him. We understand Him because in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, He told the Nephites to whom He came, this:

III Nephi 15: 21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.

23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.

24 But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.

The Nephites had been helped since the days of Father Lehi and His fourth son Nephi, and fifth son, Jacob, to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ to visit their descendants in their promised land located in the Western Hemisphere, and most likely, in what we now call Central America. This preparation was helped by all of the many prophets among them over the 634 years from when they left Jerusalem to when the Savior appeared to them shortly after His resurrection.

The key prophet who worked very hard to prepare them from not long before our Savior's birth was also named Nephi, as was his father. He was a direct descendant of Nephi, the son of Lehi. Now, the bigger picture of what was happening among the Nephites of which our Lord and Savior had full knowledge was that while those who were being prepared through the prophecies and teachings of faithful Nephi, there were many Nephites who were scorning the words of the prophet Nephi. Here is one example of Nephi's righteous priesthood power:

III Nephi 7:18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

You may remember that they had been foiled in their plot to execute all the believers in the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite prophet if the signs he had prophesied of showing the coming of the Lord did not come before a certain day.

You have read before in these posts, that after praying all day long this prophet Nephi was told by the voice of the Lord that he would be born the following day and that the signs would all be shown as Samuel had prophesied. When these signs that had been prophesied of appeared, the planned executions were foiled and it was those who had chosen not to follow the prophets who were distraught:

III Nephi 1:16 And there were many, who had not believed the words of the prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead, for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had laid for those who believed in the words of the prophets had been frustrated; for the sign which had been given was already at hand.

The holy scriptures, both of the Old World, the Bible, and the Book of Mormon in the New World are filled with examples of natural disasters such as the great flood of Noah's day that eliminated all human life except for Noah and his family. God, Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ allowed that because most all living souls had rejected His way of life and instead had fully endorsed Satan's plans for their lives.

Mortal life is something which Satan and his followers wouldn't have because they had rejected their (and our)Heavenly Father's plan which had been endorsed by and defended by Jesus Christ at the time we were all (including Satan and his followers) in the spirit world where we all had spirit bodies because this earth had not yet be formed.

Noah and his family lived righteously for a time and then the pattern of apostasy which has been repeated often in this world's often sad history, raised its ugly head once again.

Well, we find that pattern of apostasy in great measure had taken place in the Western Hemisphere. The unbelievers who lived according to their lusts and unrighteous desires suffered the consequences of their choices. I'd like you to read and listen to Chapter 8 of III Nephi from the Book of Mormon again so you can remember more clearly what their choices of living styles brought them. Its not a very pretty picture:

III Nephi 8: 1-25

Now, after having read that many times in my life, reading and listening to it again made me shudder and grieve for those who died in the destruction they had, in effect, brought upon themselves as was the case of the many millions of lives lost in the great flood of Noah's day.

Now would be the best time for you and me to read and listen to the next chapter in which we learn that the people who remained alive after the cataclysmic seismic event had taken the lives of so many, heard the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to them. You may have listened to and read this chapter in connection with an earlier post of mine. Please listen again! After really absorbing this next scripture you will much better understand why the Nephites to whom the resurrected Jesus appeared, were so teachable and willing to obey Him.

We will continue learning more about the Savior's words and actions and the reactions of the Nephite people.

For sure the Savior had a plan and it would surely result in eternal blessings to this people whom He was visiting and to their posterity. Wait and see! You can't even begin to imagine the great results that would come from His visits with them!

III Nephi 9:1-22

I realize that you may have read and listened to both of these chapters in an earlier post. However, I wanted you to read them both again to understand that the events described in them really tell us much about the divine plan our Savior, Jesus Christ had for this people that would result in over two hundred years of righteous living and eternal salvation for millions of Nephites!


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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 Resurrected) Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America - Post 33c. 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 Legal /Statement.
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I deeply appreciate your readership and very much hope you you will find that which was presented to you in this blog post, very beneficial.

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

33b - The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Jesus Christ Visits in the Americas -by John Scott

You now have the special opportunity of reading more of the initial teachings Jesus gave the Nephite people in His visit with them in their homeland in the Western Hemisphere not long after His resurrection in Jerusalem.

You will first read of Jesus' call to twelve men to be His disciples (apostles) who were to serve the people there.

Being that you are most likely acquainted with the four Gospels of the New Testament, you may recognize right away that the teachings you will now read, are teachings that He gave to the people in Palestine when He was still in mortality. It only makes sense that the Savior of the World would teach the same things to this branch of the House of Israel (some of the other sheep of his fold - John 10:16) as He had taught His flock in Palestine during His mortality.

This demonstrates that He is the same person as before, with the exception being, that He is now resurrected and glorified for all eternity.

I invite you now to read the following scripture: (Using the Listen function should help you.) III Nephi 12: 1-48

I remind you, that which is written in each chapter in the greater portion of the Book of Mormon is a summary by the prophet Mormon. In this sub-book, III Nephi, Mormon has made it clear that his record is taken from the writings of this prophet, Nephi who was chosen by our Savior as one of his twelve disciples in that land.

In this particular chapter which you have just read and listened to, in my opinion each principle the Lord Jesus Christ taught the Nephites, applies equally to you and me. Do you agree? When we live by each of these principles in the spirit by which He taught them, we can be sure of rich spiritual blessings and then and in time, be promised eternal life by Him.

That which I shall now highlight for you is something that may not directly apply in our lives, but perhaps you can see some application as you contemplate that which Jesus spoke to the Nephites:

III Nephi 12: 46 Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.

47 Old things are done away, and all things have become new.

48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

I imagine that none of you, as is the case with me, have ever lived under the Law of Moses. Therefore we can't imagine very easily the perhaps difficult transition these Nephites were being asked to make. However, reading some of the Apostle Paul's words regarding the difficulty the people he was teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, had, in giving up living by the Law of Moses, should help us understand the necessity of Jesus saying what He did in verses 46 and 47 above to these Israelites who had also been living the Law of Moses before and since their ancestor, Lehi had left Jerusalem.

New Testament: Galatians 3: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Perhaps our Savior's words, "Old things are done away, and all things have become new," are very applicable to us. Don't we understand these principles more clearly, or like new, after we have really focused on what He said to the Nephites?

I suppose there is much which you have read in this blog post today that should have helped you and me more fully realize that these people, the Nephites, truly existed, and were another part of Jesus' flock which He chose, at that time, to visit and teach. Hopefully, we have learned that we must learn and live more fully the same principles He taught them.

I have a special love for the Nephite-Lamanite people and their descendants. I worked for a good number of years for the Indian Placement Service of the LDS (Mormon) Church, where LDS American Indian children were helped to improve the quality of their education by living with a volunteer LDS foster family during the school year, and then returning home to their own families on the "Indian Reservations" (where the schools, at that time, were generally not of very high quality) for the summer vacation.

Also at that time LDS branches and wards on or near the Indian Reservations often had difficulty functioning because of the lack of experienced leadership.

I have at times, wondered who the other lost sheep were who were also of our Savior's flock that He refers to in John 10:16. Early in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ in His pre-mortal life, said the following to Nephi, the fourth son of Lehi that doesn't answer my question but does promise an answer in the future:

II Nephi 29:13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

I remind you of the inspiring and uplifting Christmas Video I embedded at the end of my just previous blog post (#33a). In case you haven't seen that, I suggest you scroll down through this post to that post. You'll find it near its end. I promise you that it will be a very worthwhile experience.

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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 Resurrected) Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America -Post 33b. 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 Legal /Statement.

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I deeply appreciate your readership and very much hope you you will find that which was presented to you in these, my blog posts, very beneficial.

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

33a - The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America Begins!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Note: At the Bottom of this post you will find a special musical video which will help me and you feel the true spirit of Christmas. Be sure to read and view this post which is about our Savior, Jesus Christ, either before or after viewing the video.

The Resurrected Jesus Christ Descends from the Sky in Central America A.D. 34 -by Arnold Friberg

Please read the scripture I have listed just below the Harry Anderson painting of Jesus Christ, showing Him just after He had descended from the sky to visit with the more righteous Nephites. That scripture will allow you to read and listen to what the Nephite people experienced near the temple in their Land, Bountiful, somewhere in what we now call Central America.

The scene depicted just above shows the Lord Jesus Christ just before descending from the sky to begin His ministry among them. (That scene shows that resurrected bodies are capable of doing things that mortal bodies are incapable of. - We all will eventually be resurrected: I Corinthians 6:14; I Corinthians 15:21-26)

The Lord Jesus Christ -by Harry Anderson

Please read this scripture. It will be convenient to Listen to it also. III Nephi 11:1-41

Once again the Nephite people saw sure evidence of the truthfulness of prophecies made through- out their lives. Now, they would witness the fulfillment of prophecies concerning important events that would change and greatly improve their lives and give them an appreciation of the privilege of their each having become actual witnesses of their Resurrected Lord and Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

They were to know and become dedicated followers of Him who had very recently become the first person ever to experience resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ, who had atoned for all men's sins as their Nephite prophets had prophesied for centuries in that general area of the world we know as the Central American area.

To see the resurrected Lord descend from the sky and then stand before them must have reassured these Nephites immensely and helped each of them know that things were going the way they were supposed to despite there having been such horrendous destruction caused in their land by the seismic experience that had resulted in the death of so many, who were the more unrighteous part of their people (as described in chapters eight and nine of III Nephi).

Any fears they might have had as they first heard a voice speaking to them from the sky, were now certainly gone. Ask yourself how you would have felt if you had been there with them. This was a real event although much different than which they, with the exception of their prophet, Nephi, had ever before experienced.

Let's focus some on what was written which we read and listened to in the scripture above:

III Nephi 11: 6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

In verse seven above we learn that it was their (and our) Heavenly Father who was speaking to them and introducing His "Beloved Son (Jesus Christ) in whom He was well pleased."

When they saw Jesus descending "out of heaven" (from the sky), they thought they saw an angel. Again, a prophecy they had heard often was being fulfilled before their eyes, the Resurrected Son of God, Jesus Christ, was coming down to meet with them after being introduced by their (and our) Heavenly Father.

In III Nephi 11: 9-12 Jesus reminded them that His coming to them was prophesied of by their prophets (which would include their present prophet, Nephi who no doubt was right there among them). Jesus tells them of the very important fact that He had atoned for the sins of all mankind which was what His father had commanded Him to do.

Here Jesus stresses that which is so crucially important to all of us. Because He atoned for all mankind's sins, we each can receive forgiveness of our sins. I'm sure this truth really began to sink into these Nephites' hearts who were witnesses to all of this, as it does into your and into my own heart, as a blessing greater than we could ever imagine having, because it would allow us, depending on our continuing worthiness, to be able to eventually be resurrected return to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus, after our deaths.

It must have brought joy and peace to the hearts of those Nephites who witnessed and heard all of this to know that their sins had been atoned for. We can be sure that which Jesus told them would prepare each of them to want to learn from Him what it was He expected of each of them (and of each of us who are reading this).
Our reading this gives us the opportunity to vicariously feel what our Nephite brethren and sisters felt. We can share in their witness by reading and believing what was written for us and for all mankind.

III Nephi 11: 9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

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

12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

The following verses from that same chapter describe their experiences.

13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

I recommend that we personally very surely allow ourselves to identify with this group of Nephites who became witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we continue on with them, learning of their experiences with our Lord and Savior, let's each of us desire to do what each of them did as they were taught by Him. Let's each of us desire with all our hearts to believe in and keep His commandments just as we will learn that this blessed group of Nephites did.

We can use that word, Hosanna (in verse 17) which they used. The LDS Scriptural dictionary tells us:

Hosanna = save now. The word is taken from Ps.
118:25, one of the Psalms of the Hallel. The chanting of this psalm was connected at the Feast of Tabernacles with the waving of palm branches; hence the use of the word by the multitudes at our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9, 10; John 12:13).

I suggest you read again the scripture I asked you to read earlier in this post:  III Nephi 11:1-41. but I suggest you not start at verse 1 but instead begin with verse 18 and read through the last verse in the chapter, verse 41. (You would find it awkward to try using the Listen function allowed you.)

In summary, Jesus gave their prophet-leader, Nephi, the power to baptize. Remember that it was Nephi who was told thirty five years earlier that He, Jesus, was to be born "the following day." Therefore, through the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation they had already met, on at least the occasion, described below, in the sense that they had communicated on at least, that one time just before He was born to Mary.

Please review all the Savior taught the Nephites in verses 18 though 41 of Chapter 11 of III Nephi. There is more to come. Check back on my next blog post in about three days.

Before you log off I am giving you the opportunity to view a special Christmas Video produced by the BYU Fine Arts Department. I feel this really gives us a true view of what Christmas is all about.

 You will enjoy this video Christmas Card!



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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.




____________




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 Resurrected) Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America -Post 33a. . . 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.)


_____________


"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 Legal /Statement.

_____________


I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in thie 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

32b - Jesus Christ is The Savior, Redeemer, Judge and God of All Mankind!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME



Nephi Trekking Across the Desert Somewhere in the Arabian Peninsula -by Scott Snow

 Nephi, the fourth son of Father Lehi, is shown here as he along with the rest of his father's family and relatives and even a conscripted loyal friend, crossed the Arabian Peninsula about 600 B.C. on their way to their promised land, which we now know as Central America.

After Lehi's family and their relatives and friend had been in the Americas and had been through many difficulties, but nonetheless were well established in their promised land to which the Lord had led them; the prophet, Nephi, son of Lehi who had become the leader of the nation upon the death of Father Lehi, wrote this very significant statement:

II Nephi 33:3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.

4 And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.

5 And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil.

6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.

7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat. (emphasis added)

Now I ask you to read this next scriptural reference. In it Nephi bares his soul to us, making it clear that what the Lord Jesus wants of us, is that we live righteously and that we do so with humble hearts as he, Nephi did. (Listening to the second half of a chapter requires you listen to the first half of the chapter also. You may want to just read without listening.)

II Nephi 4:14-35

Surely Nephi's faith that the Lord would hear his cry regarding the salvation of his people, the Nephites, would be fulfilled. I'm sure Nephi did not expect all of his people to be saved because he had seen in his lifetime that it was a great struggle for his people, and even for himself (See the previous scripture I referred you to), at times, to remain righteous.

Now in the first chapter from the Book of Mormon I refer you to below you will find out what happened to Nephi's descendants. Not all of those living in the Americas at the time of the resurrection of Jesus Christ were his and his father's descendants as the Book of Mormon elsewhere makes clear, but Nephi's posterity are among those discussed in this chapter.

Please read the following scripture: (I suggest that you consider listening along with reading this scripture.

III Nephi 8:1-25

I have read that chapter many times in my Seventy six years of life, but this time, after having been very emotionally involved in writing this series of posts, my grief for the disaster described in this chapter was much greater than I expected. That was decreed by Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus, (who are totally in agreement with one another in whatever they decree), because of the wickedness of many in the Nephite Nation at the time of the Savior's crucifixion.

My emotions, and perhaps yours too, were not only involved in the Savior's ministry and in His having accomplished the great atonement and resurrection for all mankind, including all of us, but also, you, like me, have been rooting for a good number of Father Lehi's posterity to succeed in living faithfully and enduring persecutions, and in fine, following the example of their present prophet, Nephi, so that when Christ appears to them they will be alive and faithful to all that their prophets had taught them. The righteous among them were saved!

After I had just read and listened to all of Chapter 8 of 3 Nephi, I involuntarily uttered the word, WOW! Then I felt great sorrow for those who were destroyed who were not only descendants of Lehi and many of the other great prophets whose life stories are told in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, but also of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt (one of the greatest prophets of all time in my opinion) who knew, according to Father Lehi, by the spirit of Prophecy and Revelation, that he would have posterity on this earth until the end of time.

What happened in Central America soon after the crucifixion of our Savior, did not invalidate the promise the Lord made to Joseph who was sold into Egypt. Some of his and Lehi's and Nephi's descendants were still living after that great cataclysm brought about by a exceedingly huge seismic event.* I was so emotionally involved in reading and listening to Chapter 8 that I momentarily neglected to read and listen, to Chapter 9 to better understand what happened to those Nephites who had remained faithful to Christ. I have now done so and suggest that you do so also.

Listening would be a good option if I may so suggest: III Nephi 9:1-22

In summary, you just read that the Nephites who survived the great destruction, heard the voice of Christ proclaim the destruction of many people because of their wickedness and proclaiming His divinity. You then read that He announced that the Law of Moses was fulfilled and that He invites men to come unto Him and be saved.

To bring you further along in your understanding of what happened to the Nephites who survived the great earthquakes. I invite you to also read and listen to III Nephi Chapter 10. In it Mormon, the compiler of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, tells them that the people heard the voice of Christ speak to them from heaven so as to prepare them for His imminent visit. Because this scripture begins with verse 1 I suggest you consider using the Listen feature.
III Nephi 10:1-19

In a few days I'll publish another blogpost in which you will read of Jesus descending from heaven and teaching those of the Nephites who remained after the great destruction who were able to be there that day. I'll look forward to publishing that post for your benefit and enjoyment.

* Regarding the seismic event which was reported to have occurred in Central America which caused so much destruction, about which you just read, Dan L. Peterson of the Neal Maxwell Institute for Scholarly Education at BYU talks about this in a YouTube video, which can be viewed and listened to, by going to either my #4 or #8 posts and clicking on the arrow which appears on Brother Peterson's image. To sum up what Dan Peterson said, modern scientists who have studied firsthand the damage caused by huge seismic earthquakes, and the way that damage came about, after having studied the description given in III Nephi of the kinds of damage that was reported and the way in which it all happened, is just what these knowledgeable scientists reported that they would expect from a very huge seismic event. They don't happen all the time, but have occurred and have been studied in the recent past by the experts . This is strong evidence that neither Joseph Smith nor any other man in 1830 could have made up the Book of Mormon. In that time they couldn't have come up with such accurate details of the damage caused by a seismic catastrophy and the accurate description of what was actually happening to bring it about.

When one really reads the Book of Mormon, the evidences of its truthfulness appear in great abundance, as hopefully you personally have been finding out, along with the sure witness of the Spirit that can come to you heart, that it is God's true word. Please read all of this chapter I'm referring you to, but I suggest you consider especially focusing on the three verses specified below!

Moroni 10: 4-6

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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 To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on The Following: Jesus Christ is The Savior, Redeemer, Judge and God of All Mankind. Post 32b. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, 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 Legal /Statement.

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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in the 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

32a Jesus Christ is The Savior, Redeemer, Judge and God of All Mankind!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

In this post the long awaited events prophesied for ages regarding the mission of the Holy Messiah are described. Jesus Christ fulfilled His crucial, all important mission. He opened the door to forgiveness, resurrection and to Eternal Life to each of us.

In recent posts I have quoted prophecies from the Book of Mormon regarding these sacred events: Nephi (between 600 and 592 B.C.), Enos (between 544 and 421 B.C, Omni (between 279 and 130 B.C.), Abinadi (148 B.C.), Benjamin (about 124 B.C.). I also have referred to the testimonies of Father Lehi, Nephi's father, and Nephi's brother, Jacob, and Alma who was converted through the bold teachings of the martyr, Abinadi, and Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah. Mosiah testified of Him too. There were others.

The events described in this post show that the above listed, were all true prophets! The Book of Mormon is indeed, Another Testament of Jesus Christ!

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane -by Harry Anderson

Please read Luke's account of the Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Luke 22:40-46



The Betrayal of Jesus -by Ted Henninger

Please read now Mark's account of The Betrayal of Jesus.

Mark 14:42-46




Jesus' Crucifixion -by Harry Anderson

Please read Matthew's account of Jesus' Crucifixion.

Matthew 27:33-50

Jesus' Tomb -Photograph by Intellectual Reserve

Please read Mark's description of Jesus' burial.

Mark: 15: 43-47

Mary and the Resurrected Lord -by Harry Anderson

Please read about Mary and the Resurrected Lord.
John 20:1-18

Jesus Telling His Apostles, "Go Ye Therefore" -by Harry Anderson

Please read Mathew's account of Jesus telling His apostles: "Go Ye Therefore."
Matthew 28: 16-20

Jesus' Ascension -by Harry Anderson

Please read about Jesus' Ascension: Acts 1:3-11

Sometime after His resurrection and appearance to His flock in Jerusalem, Jesus left that continent to tend to a part of his flock which was in Central America. In the next post we will learn about a cataclysmic event that occurred there just prior to His visit to His followers in Central America.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (emphasis added)

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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: Jesus Christ is the Savior, redeemer, Judge and God of All Mankind - Post 32a. 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 Legal /Statement.
_____________
I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found 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

31f - Preparations For The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Visit To The Descendants of Lehi

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Once again, before we check on the state of affairs of the Nephite faithful who are waiting for the visit of their Resurrected Redeemer, Jesus Christ, we will review the progress He is making in his Palestine ministry. Again I'll use paintings from lds.org and link you to matching New Testament scriptures which these paintings illustrate.

This post will cover Jesus' ministry up to near the time of His atonement and crucifixion. Reporting on all of these very important matters is very challenging to me. I do not want to treat it lightly nor do I want to guess about unclear details when dealing with such sacred matters.

We may never fully know all of the things that our Savior was involved in during His earthly ministry in Palestine. I mention such a possible matter which is reported on in a Book of Mormon scriptural passage in the paragraph of this post that comes just before my typical ending which is headed by a straight line that runs about half way across the published post's column.

It is my hope that the paintings, along with the scriptures that explain what is depicted in the paintings, will help you renew your understanding of our Savior's very crucial ministry in His home nation, Israel, and the role the specifics of His ministry played in His sacred development as the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. I hope this post will adequately prepare our minds and hearts for the next post in which we will discuss our Savior's atonement, crucifixion and resurrection.

Mary and Martha With Jesus -by Del Parson

Please read this scripture to access Jesus' comments to Mary and Martha.

Luke 10:38-42

Painting: Del Parson

Jesus Washing His Apostles Feet -by Del Parson

Please read this scripture regarding the Savior washing the Apostles' feet.

John 13:4-15

Painting: Harry Anderson









Please read this scripture regarding Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
John 12: 12-15

With your having just read of Jesus' celebrated entry into Jerusalem the time is very close when that which He knew would and should happen did happen. We will review these events in the next post.

Now it is our opportunity to shift to events in another continent to the descendants of Father Lehi, in Central America. Those who were faithful and looking forward to Jesus' visit with them in the not so distant future had many difficulties to deal with.

Lehi's descendants who were not faithful and who had allowed themselves to be led by Satan, appear to be going downhill fast!

Please read these verses from III Nephi. You may want to Listen to this one.

III Nephi 7:1-26
After having read and listened to Chapter 7 I would like you to review one verse of that chapter which shows that although the righteous Nephites were facing very difficult circumstances the Lord Jesus Christ, was, in effect, already right there with them.

III Nephi 7:15 And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations; (emphasis added)

You will notice that Nephi heard the voice of the Lord who was actually in Palestine many thousands of miles away. But actually the Lord himself in Palestine told his followers such would be the case as you will see in these words of Jesus which the Apostle John in Palestine wrote:

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (emphasis added)

Nephi, who was the prophet-leader of one flock of Jesus' "other sheep" was already being spoken to by the voice of the Lord Jesus who was still in mortality in Palestine. He perhaps anticipated even then that the time would come when he and His and our Savior, Jesus Christ would be speaking face to face in Central America!

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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 To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on The Following: Preparations For The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Visit To Ancient America -Post 31f. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

___________


"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 Legal /Statement.

_____________


I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found 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

31e - Preparations For The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Visit To The Descendants of Lehi

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Jesus, after having called twelve disciples (apostles) in Palestine to serve with Him, went about teaching people and doing much good. His power as the actual Son of God was evident by the miracles he performed along the way. He was doing His Father's will as He fully prepared Himself as the Savior of mankind by serving others. Here is a brief overview of His earlier labors.

Jesus Delivering His Sermon on the Mount -by Harry Anderson

Please read and listen to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:1-48

Jesus With Children -by Harry Anderson

Read about Jesus and Children: Mark 10:13-16



The Good Samaritan -by Walter Rane

 Read Jesus' Account of the Good Samaritan -by Walter Rane Luke 10:25-37



The Prodigal Son -by Clark Kelley Price

To read about the Prodigal Son please read Luke 15:10-32

Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler -by Heinrich Hoffman

Please read about Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler: Matthew 19:16-24

Jesus Healing a Blind Man -by Del Parson

             Please read Listen to and Read About Jesus Healing a Blind Man: John 9: 1-17

Jesus Walking on Water -by Robert Barrett

Please read Mark's account of Jesus Walking on Water: Mark 6:45-51




Jesus Stilling the Storm -by Arnold Friberg

Please read about Jesus stilling the storm: Luke 8:22-25

Jesus Healing Jairus's Daughter -by Greg K. Olson

Read of Jesus healing Jairus's daughter  Mark 5:22-25


Now we will take a look at the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ and the prophet Mormon's report on how well the Nephites, (Father Lehi's descendants and Mormon's ancestors) are doing in becoming prepared for Jesus' visit to them after His resurrection. Remember that Mormon wrote the Book of Mormon by editing the records of previous Nephite prophets. Nephi was the prophet at this time in their history.

You may now read what the Prophet Nephi has written about their trials and tribulations and progress forward in preparing for the visit of their and our Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ after He will be resurrected. The Listen function can be conveniently used because this scripture begins with verse 1.  3Nephi 6: 1-30

After having establishing peace in their land, we would have hoped that the Nephites would have settled into a time of peaceful waiting for the prophecy to be fulfilled of the coming of the resurrected Jesus Christ to their land.

Instead of having remained strengthened in their resolve, as a people, to live righteously after even having been successful in defeating the Gadianton Robbers, it appears that many, but not all, began to slip back into their wicked ways of doing things according to the following six of the thirty verses you just read: Please read:

III Nephi 6: 10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers. (Dear Readers does that sound like your land right now. To me it sounds like that's the way it is here in our land right now!)

12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches. (Sound familiar to you?)

13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God. (We need to be grateful for the righteous who live among us especially if we are listed among the righteous!)

14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord. (That appears to be a significant role reversal in their nation).

15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years. (emphasis added) (Did you notice the similarities between the way many of the Nephites were living and how many of the citizens of our modern day countries are living?

Will the Nephites be ready soon after Jesus' resurrection for His visit? (Will we be ready for His Second Coming?)

Will they succeed in thwarting Satan's mighty efforts?
Their prophets, with Nephi taking a leading role, are working hard to prepare their people for that blessed time when Jesus will visit them, but things look pretty rough from what we just read. Jesus, according to John 10:16 knows he will be visiting His other sheep, some of which are the Nephites. That is a sure thing, but who and how many will be prepared to meet their resurrected Lord? Who will survive His coming?


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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.


____________


TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on The Following: Preparations For The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Visit To Ancient America - Post 31e. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

___________



"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 Legal /Statement.

___________

I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found 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

Jesus Casts Out Satan -by Carl Heinrich Bloch

(Satan is a reality! You would have only had to ask Jesus after His 40 day fast if Satan is real. He was severely tempted by him, but He didn't give in even one centimeter (or an inch.)