30f - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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

Mary, Baby Jesus and Joseph -by Ted Henninger

In this series we have read scriptures regarding the coming birth of Jesus the Christ written by the following Book of Mormon prophets:

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.)

Each of these scriptures helped us to see very clearly that these Book of Mormon prophets knew very clearly about the coming birth of Jesus the Christ many years before He was born. They were very grateful for what His birth and life's mission would do for them, and for their descendants, and all of the House of Israel, and each of us you and me, and all mankind.

Each of those scriptures are sure evidence of the truthfulness of the theme of our Christmas series of posts.

Now we have come to the time of about 6 B.C. There are the words of a number of other Nephite prophets I could quote, but I choose to quote Samuel, the Lamanite. The Lord commanded him to travel to the City of Zarahemla to tell the people there of the coming birth of Jesus Christ and of the signs that would appear confirming that. The Nephites Samuel tried to teach at first were hard-hearted and they chased him away from their city. However, the Lord commanded his faithful servant, Samuel to return sometime later.

Below several other pictures is a picture of Samuel preaching from the wall of the City of Zarhemla. The Lord protected him as Samuel was on the Lord's errand. The arrows could not harm Samuel. They each missed.

Here are pictures of some children and several adults whom you can pretend are happily anticipating Christmas and could be listening to these scriptural testimonies as they are being read to them by a loving teacher.

Painting by Arnold Friberg

Samuel was commanded by the Lord to tell this unbelieving people of signs that should be shown from the heavens in their land (ancient Central America) just before the Savior of the World was to be born.

You now, along with the children and the adults pictured above can read of the great prophesies Samuel made, by the power of the Holy Ghost (by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation.)

Please read this scripture. (You can also listen to  this one because you will be reading from the first verse.) Helaman 14: 1-31

You may want to make notes of what you thought and felt as you read this scripture and viewed the picture of Samuel the Lamanite preaching from the wall of the City of Zarahemla. In my next post I'll briefly review what important things Samuel prophesied of the coming of Christ.

Check back in two or three days for my next blog post.

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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 Decide To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: (The First) Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? -Post 30f. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item/s 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

30e - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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

Christmas, a Joyful Time!

What makes Christmas a joyful time? Is it just because Baby Jesus was born then? And because we receive presents then?


Or is it really because of what that baby was to do for all of us after He had grown up!



Jesus, although having lived perfectly, and having gone through very extreme persecution by even His nation's leaders, and then having shown many marvelous miracles though His divine power, and then being betrayed by one of His chosen apostles, and then by going through His suffering in Gethsemane to atone for our sins, and then by dieing on the cross, and then bringing about the Forgiveness of Sins (Atonement) for those who repent! and then eventual resurrection for all of us, even for those who had lived wicked lives without repenting during their mortal lives?

Painting by Arnold Friberg

One of my favorite Book of Mormon Prophets is Abinadi who bravely faced one very wicked Nephite king, Noah, and his wicked priests, and taught them the truth about Jesus Christ who was to born as a baby so as to become the Redeemer of the World.

We aren't told anything about Abinadi's background in the Book of Mosiah, one of the individual books in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ. What we learned about what he did in the land of Nephi-Lehi must have been written by Alma or Mosiah and perhaps edited by Mormon, the great compiler of the Book of Mormon. These events occurred about 148 years before Baby Jesus was born.

I have written much about Abinadi in a previous blog (Post 12). He was sent to call King Noah and his priests to repentance, but he knew beforehand that they would not believe his true words. Abinadi actually knew that they would kill him, nonetheless he told them exactly what God wanted him to tell them.

I state very surely that Abinadi's words and actions were a great future Christmas gift for us. What he tells us in what I will ask you to read below really tells us why Christmas is such a wonderful event. This is just a small portion of what Abinadi taught King Noah and his people, including one of his wicked priests, Alma, who was brought to repentance, and did much good as a result, including writing all of Abinadi's words and under authority from God founded Jesus' Church.I suggest you prayerfully read Abinadi's words which will help you understand more fully why Christmas should be such a joyful time. Before you read Abinadi's words. This  painting really tells us a lot about what was going on there in the king's court room.

Before reading the scripture below, please say a silent or vocal prayer asking Heavenly Father to help you really understand Abinadi's inspired words and by them understand the greatest of all earthly missions, that of Jesus Christ who was born in a lowly Bethlehem manger.

Please ask the Lord to help you know how all of this applies to you personally.

You can now read that scripture. Listening may help you to better remember what you read! That option will be given you when the scripture is on your screen: Mosiah 14: 1-12



MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES! (On behalf of the Ancient Prophet, Abinadi) Please read and listen to this scripture again to really understand and appreciate Abinadi's words.

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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 Blog Post You Decide To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: (The First) Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? - Post 30e. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item/s 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

30d - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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TODAY'S THEME

What is it about the Christmas season that causes people to want to give to others? The group in the photo to the left, are shown giving to the needy during the 2007 Christmas season.

Long before the First Christmas, the day baby Jesus was born, did the anticipation of His birth in the distant future cause Lehi and his descendants to think of the welfare of others? The Book of Mormon scriptures I've been quoting for you show that yes, they were very concerned for the welfare of others, including your and my spiritual welfare.

In the scriptural reference I gave in my just previous blog post, one of Lehi's descendants, Omni, showed us he was looking forward to the day when Jesus Christ was to be born because he knew personally, by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, that the son of God would be born about 600 years after his not too distant ancestor, Lehi, left Jerusalem for America, and about 385 years from his (Omni's) own time.

As with Lehi, Nephi and many others, Omni really cared about people who would be born after him. He wanted each of them to have the happiness and joy that he personally experienced, that comes from accepting Jesus Christ as one's personal savior. Read again his words:

Omni: 1: 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

Omni knew as did Enos, Nephi, Lehi and many others, whose words we read in the Book of Mormon, that Christ would be fathered by our Heavenly Father and be born of Mary of Nazareth.

They counted heavily on that and on what Christ would do in atoning for our sins and bringing about the resurrection of all mankind. I'm positive that their writing about that helped make life seem even more worthwhile to those prophets. It is easy to see that they valued service to others very highly, especially the service of bringing others to Christ, which service would be the greatest of all Christmas gifts.
There were other prophets who by writing that which would come to be contained in the Book of Mormon, were blessing others regarding teaching about the First Christmas!

Now I would like you to read the scripture for today so you can see that the prophet, King Benjamin, had the same great desire as Omni and the others before him, who all desired that you and I and everyone else, would be blessed with the conviction that Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, who was to be born about 124 years from King Benjamin's day, did fully accomplish that which only He could accomplish.

King Benjamin Speaking From the Tower on the Temple -by Gary L. Kapp

Please enjoy reading these verses: Mosiah 3:5-11


Certainly King Benjamin looked forward to the First Christmas as did all his people after hearing his great sermon pictured here, which was given by him not long before he died. It could be viewed as his Christmas present to his people and all the rest of us mortals even before there was Christmas. Thanks King Benjamin! We love your great words!

Log in again in several more days. More is 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.


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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 Blog Post You Decide To Open), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: (The First Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? Post 30d. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item/s 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 have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

30c - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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

You are seeing in the first picture above, the Nativity Scene on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is a special part of their annual Christmas season decorating and lighting effort. In the next picture the Salt Lake Temple is shown surrounded by Christmas lighting.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosts a vast number of visitors, from around the world, at Temple Square each year.

It is my desire in this series of blog posts, to help you understand why the Book of Mormon prophet, Lehi, and his family, down through the centuries, beginning at about 600 BC, worshiped Jesus Christ. Let me refer back briefly to part of the scripture I linked for you in my just previous post. Please read this:  Enos 1:4-10

Now, after having read that scriptural excerpt, please answer this question in your own mind or if you desire, write it out on a piece of paper: You would have been right if your answer was similar to this:

Why was Enos so deeply grateful for the future coming of Christ?

Enos was extremely grateful that Christ had already forgiven his sins even though it would be about 500 years until his birth would take place (the First Christmas). Christ's being born and then bringing about his atonement for our sins was sure to happen because it was revealed to Enos, through the Spirit of the Lord, that his sins were actually forgiven him. Not only were his sins forgiven, but also he was given promises regarding his people, the Nephites', temporal and spiritual welfare.

On further in that great answer Enos received from the Lord: He was given promises regarding the coming forth of their record, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, many more centuries later (in our day).

Now I would like you to read today's quote from the Book of Mormon. Please read:

Omni 1:26

Please think that scripture through and pray about it's truthfulness.

There is still much more to come regarding this important topic as I continue this series of blog posts. Please log in again in two or three days. See you then! I wish you the best even though we don't know one another!

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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 Blog Post You Decide To Open), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: The First Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? - Post 30c. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down 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

30b - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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

I obtained This Nativity scene to the immediate left, from Mexico through the Internet. It shows us that in at least that nation, there are still people in our world who still remember the basic and true meaning of Christmas.

Then, however, as also seen above and to the right and to the left, I found differing Nativity scenes from other nations. One is from Peru. Can you guess which one it is? Surely Nativity scenes are seen throughout the Christian part of the world as Christmas nears.

However, you can also view much obsessive gift giving and "Christmas" office parties where much alcohol is consumed, which, makes one wonder how such activities can help participants really remember the original Christmas and it's sacred meaning.

It is very good that many others celebrate with Nativity scenes, gift giving to loved ones and with many other wonderful Christmas traditions helping them remember it's true and wonderful meaning.

Christmas carols and reading of the birth of our savior in Luke, Chapter 2 of the New Testament are often a part of the Christmas celebration with many LDS families I know of. In our family on Christmas day we have a long-standing custom of having the grandchildren dress as characters from the nativity scene while another grandchild reads of the birth of the Savior from the scripture mentioned above. You may have a custom of doing similar things at Christmas time, whatever your religion may be. If so, I commend you!

I remind you of several verses from the writings of Nephi in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, I linked you to in my just previous blog post. These showed the depth of understanding, Nephi, Lehi's son and other members of their family had about the Savior of this World and how His future coming would affect them:

I

Nephi 10:4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world. 

6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

In addition to that I now suggest you read about Enos' experience. He was either a grandson or great grand-son of Lehi. He lived in the ancient Americas.

Enos Prayed All Day Long -by Robert T. Barrett

This is what Enos wrote: (You can listen to this also) Enos 1:1-27


You now are beginning to understand why Father Lehi and his family would follow the Lord's guidance and make their very difficult journey to their promised land. But this is just the beginning of what we can learn from the Book of Mormon about the Savior of the world and His great mission to benefit all of us. There is more coming. Log into my blog again soon.




Now I have one more Christmas Scene for you. This is from Finland where I served two missions (One was with my wife, Melva) for the LDS Church. It is from the Internet also.



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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 BlogPost, (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: (The First Christmas. Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? - Post 30b. 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.

____________


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

30a - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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

Today as I begin another blog post, we are fifty days away from Christmas 2008.




The Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) area already appears to have much Christmas gift stock on the shelves in many if not in all of the stores.

Nephi, Son of Lehi Migrating Eastword with His Father's Family and Close Relatives and one Friend. -by Scott Snow

With the stores, emphasizing the gift-giving side of Christmas this early, why shouldn't I, an LDS Book of Mormon blogger, compare the common view of Christmas today with that of Lehi and his family from Jerusalem as they crossed the dry Arabian desert being led by the Lord to their promised land which we now know as Central America.






As recorded in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Lehi, with his family members of faith with him, from the very first part of this book of special treasures, provides us much evidence of their looking forward with great faith, for the promised birth of the Savior of mankind.

Inspired by the future coming of Christ, they continued their long, arduous journey across Arabia and then by ship, continuing on to their promised land of America, until, as recorded in that sacred book, Lehi's righteous descendants, just before the birth of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, saw the signs of Christ's birth amidst a very troubling time for them, the believers in Jesus Christ.

The first example I will give you from the Book of Mormon shows Lehi and his waiting time for the birth of Christ far exceeding our stores' fifty day waiting time for Christmas. How about a 600 year waiting time? They had much hope and faith in the promised birth of the Savior of mankind with their looking forward with all their hearts to that promised event for so long before it happened, while knowing it would happen long after their deaths.

What kind of knowledge did they have that gave them the faith to follow God's lead to their promised land where they could more fully worship and learn of His son, Jesus the Christ? You can better answer that question after reading these first two of many excerpts from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, with others being given soon in my rapidly following blog posts. Please read the following scripture: I Nephi 10:1-10. Now please read this one: I Nephi 11:13-23

The Annunciation: The Angel Gabriel Appears to Mary -by John Scott

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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: (The First Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendant, Enos, Look Forward To that? - Post 30a. . . 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

Post 29 - The Book of Mormon, Studied Regularly, While Allowing its Teachings to Guide Our Lives, Will Lead Us To a Fullness of Joy!

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



Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Photo from the Ensign Magazine



Elder Neal Maxwell was a very much loved and respected Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ in our day and served for many years as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

After a valiant struggle with a very serious physical affliction for a number of years, he left this life a few years ago. Besides all of his many regular responsibilities he continued to carry during his relatively long illness, he reached out especially to others who had similar afflictions. He was an inspiration to them and to all church members who learned much from him regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ during his long service as an apostle.

His physical condition which eventually claimed his life was not the first time in his life that he had faced great physical challenges. As a young man he served in the South Pacific as a soldier in the battlefield. His life was miraculously saved on a number of occasions. As a young soldier under much pressure of every kind he continued to live the teachings of his Savior and His Church very faithfully.

He didn't have any social or financial advantages to help him in his progress in his education and in his vocational efforts. He was nonetheless very successful in these aspects of his life. He then gave up all these opportunities to devote himself full-time to the service of his Lord and Savior as one of his apostles, a special witness of Jesus Christ in our day.

As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ he was remarkable in his success in teaching members of the LDS Church about the Gospel of his and our Lord, Jesus Christ, in his profound way of speaking. His General Conference speeches were always among the favorite talks of those who viewed our general conferences.

In the October 1997 General Conference of the Church, Elder Maxwell had the following to say. Notice his humble subimission to the Lord Jesus Christ regarding his very serious physical condition

Brothers and sisters, I renew but also widen and deepen my specific expressions of everlasting gratitude given in April conference. I have been mercifully granted what might be called a "delay en route." Whether short or long, it is a wonderful blessing from the Lord! I have thereby learned, however, that there is another side to the "Why me?" question, since some are not granted any "delay en route" at all. Whichever side of that question, what is needed is mortal submission, even when there is no immediate divine explanation. Thus we are to press forward, whatever the length of the near horizon, while rejoicing in what awaits us on the far horizon.

Elder Maxwell often spoke about and taught from the Book of Mormon in his teaching members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The following is a particularly insightful and inspired comment of his, in this respect.

"The Book of Mormon will be with us 'as long as the earth shall stand.' We need all that time to explore it, for the book is like a vast mansion with gardens, towers courtyards, and wings. There are rooms yet to be entered, with flaming fireplaces waiting to warm us. the rooms glimpsed so far contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored, but decor dating from Eden is evident. There are panels inlaid with incredible insights, particularly insights about the great question. Yet we as Church members sometimes behave like hurried tourists, scarcely venturing beyond the entry hall."
[Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 33, as quoted in The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book, ed. Cory H. Maxwell [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 33.)

Unfortunately, many who are not members of the LDS Church often have been told by others that the Book of Mormon is nonsense and is not worthy of the title, "Holy Scripture." Those who so criticize the Book of Mormon have not really read it.

Throughout the course of my twenty eight blog posts, entitled, "Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon" I have given some insights into what Elder Maxwell told us above. However, in this particular blog post I want to show you one significant and very unique, insightful chapter of this treasure house of a book.

As before, I encourage each of you to obtain your own personal copy of the Book of Mormon and study it prayerfully and intensely, like you should do with the Holy Bible. After all, they are both testaments of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The following verse is one I quoted several times before in my blog posts.

II Nephi 2:25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

As I mentioned in one of my first two blog posts, a very educated Jewish man while visiting at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, heard that scripture read in a class he was visiting. He was deeply touched by it. Of course he was touched by those words, they provided an answer to the great question, "Why is there life?" or what is the purpose of life?"

On several occasions in these blog posts I have also written that after our Savior's death and resurrection, he came to Father Lehi's descendants in Central America as he alluded to when he told his disciples in Jerusalem after his resurrection: 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."

I will deal with our Savior's visit to Father Lehi's descendants more fully in the future, but for now will ask you to read just one chapter in which our resurrected Savior teaches by His example why Lehi could teach, "Men are that they might have joy."


Angels Descend from Heaven to be with the Resurrected Jesus Christ and Nephite Children in Ancient Central America in A.D. 34 -by Robert T. Barrett

 As you read this full chapter from the Book of Mormon you may want to use the Listen feature that is available:  III Nephi 17:1-25

What more could I add after your having read about that great experience in ancient America. After reading that chapter you know much more now about what brings about true ultimate joy than ever before.

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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 Blog Post You Decide To Open), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: (Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "The Book of Mormon Will Be With Us As Long As The Earth Shall Stand. . . -Post 29. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down 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 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 in it. 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