40v - The Book of Mormon Is Another Testament of Jesus Christ,( Part 2). Enos, a Near Descendant of Father Lehi, after learning about Jesus Christ directly from Above by the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation, Could Then Testify of Him By That Same Sacred Spirit!

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TODAY'S THEME

Enos Prayed All Day -by Al R. Young

Enos 1: 1 BEHOLD, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—

2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole. (emphasis added)

Have you or anyone you have ever known or heard of, ever offered a prayer that lasted all day long? Whatever answer you just gave, you can now say, at least that: "I have read in the Book of Enos, one of the books within the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that Enos, the son or grandson of the prophet Jacob, son of Father Lehi, did that very thing. Enos' prayer lasted all day long! ALL - DAY - LONG!

You have read the eight verses above so you should know that the end result of Enos' prayer more than justified the time and effort that went into it, isn't that so? To help each of you, and me too, to learn to pray as devotedly as our ancient Brother Enos, I suggest that we come to understand better the various elements of his prayer.

With your patience, I'm going to ask you a number of specific questions in order to assist you to really learn some very important things about praying from the very helpful Book of Mormon passages which make up TODAY'S THEME. You can obtain each answer to my questions listed below by re-reading the scripture used in that Theme above as I guide you through it.

Please find a pen or pencil and a 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of paper to use, and something nearby to lay it on. It won't take long and may really help you. The specific instructions I give you will ease your answering. Please do it!

1. 
   
   The memory of whose words? (in verse 3) caused that Enos' "soul hungered" so much so that he knelt down before his maker (God) thus giving up the hunting he obviously had planned for at least part of the day, to pray all day long? Just write your answer to this question down on your piece of paper. (Your notes will be just for your own use.)
2. 
   
   What was the subject of the words Enos had heard his father speak; words so powerful that they "sunk deep into my heart?" Please write on your note paper the exact eight words Enos mentioned. The answer is found in verse 3 of the scripture. They follow the word, concerning.
3. 
   
   Please also read verse 5 of the scripture above to learn what the outcome of Enos' day-long prayer was. Please write that down on your note paper you have been using. There are eleven words, the first of which is: Enos,
4. 
   
   In the Lord's words to Enos, what was it that brought about the answer He gave to Enos' prayer? A clue: this answer can be found at the beginning of verse 8. There are four words, with the first of them being: thy. Again, please write those four words down on your piece of paper.
5. 
   
   You have just learned about the result of Enos' faith. Look at your answer you wrote on your paper to the question in paragraph#4 to review that. What two reasons did the Lord give Enos for that belief being a challenging act of faith? There are 21 words in verse 8 telling us that, beginning with the word, whom and ending with the word flesh; Please write out on your paper the very important answer to that question.
6. 
   
   What action word does Enos use to describe his prayer? This action noun starts with a,"w". It is the eighth word in verse 2. Again, please write down your answer on your paper!
7. 
   
   What is your opinion as to why Enos used that word that began with a "w" to describe his prayer? First, think that question through. Please then, write down your answer!
8. 
   
   Have you ever prayed in a way so that word that begins with a "w" would apply to your prayer? It should be easy for you to answer this question because you know how you pray. Please write your answer on your paper.
9. 
   
   One final question for you to answer on your piece of paper. Consider listing, for your own use only, the changes you now plan to make in your personal style of praying. I wouldn't expect you to list - "Day-long" or even - "long" prayers." I think that the length of Enos's prayer came from the intensity of the deep-set feelings he was experiencing.

The remaining eighteen verses of this account written by the Prophet, Enos, are very significant and so I will comment briefly on each of the points that he makes in that portion of his book. You will see strong evidence that Enos was functioning under the influence of the Spirit Prophecy and Revelation. I quote from the Book of Mormon, Chapter 4: 6 -8 for a working definition of that term. It was interesting to me and may be to each of you also, while reading this very workable definition of the above term I've highlighted to realize that it was either Enos' father or grandfather, Jacob, son of Lehi who provides us with that definition! You will most likely want to meditate and pray some as you try to catch the full working meaning of what the Prophet Jacob teaches us here as we seek to apply more fully that spirit to our lives on a regular basis:

Book of Mormon, Jacob 6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.  

7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.

Later, if you are interested in learning more about that, you can access my Blog Index and do some research in some of my posts listed in my index under the Term: Prophecy and Revelation which cover that subject.

It is my opinion that it was only after the forgiveness of Enos' sins that he possessed the Spirit of God sufficiently to possess and use the Gift of Prophecy and Revelation as do all prophets and worthy members of Jesus' Church who have the necessary confidence and faith.

Before I help you analyze the last 18 verses of the Book of Enos, please right now if you have the time read all 27 verses of this very short book all together in one reading.
Book of Enos Chapter 1. In so doing remember you can have that book read to you if you click on the word, Listen on the page that comes onto your screen.

Now, please read through my following outline of what you just listened to in the final 18 verses of this short book.

After Enos' sins had been forgiven and he felt an incomparable love for his (and our) Savior Jesus Christ, he plead to Him for the welfare of his brethren, the Nephites. (in verse 9)

1. 
   
   Then, beginning in verse 11 he plead for the welfare of the Lamanites, his unbelieving relatives.
2. 
   
   In verse 13 Enos makes an inspired special request of the Lord: "if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would would preserve a record of my people, (The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ These highlighted words are my words of clarification.) which would perhaps bring the Lamanites unto salvation." Please note Enos' word, perhaps. You blog readers who are already members of His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, may have had, already, along with me, opportunities to reach out to the Lamanites of our day. I suggest that the word, perhaps, would be the best word to use. After all, it is a matter of free-agency for someone to believe in and accept the Lord's truth when it is presented to them. However, here is a very favorite quote of mine from the Doctrine and Covenants.
   
3. In verse 18 the Lord tells Enos that his request (regarding the Book of Mormon being brought to the Lamanites in the Latter-days) was something Enos' fathers "also have required of me." Prophetic inspiration for sure on Enos' part!

   D and C 49:24 But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.
4. 
   
   Enos summarized all of the difficulties he and his people experienced for the rest of his life with their relatives, the Lamanites.

In the last verse of his book, Enos rejoices "in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality," (through the resurrection brought about for all of us by Jesus Christ)

". . .and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me; Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen."

Painting: Heinrich Hoffman

Jesus Christ, The Son of God

Now, after having studied all of this wonderful scripture from the Book of Enos, I feel the strong impulse to allow you to read once again the "cockeyed (twisted)" opinion of Professor Alex Caldiero of Utah Valley University regarding the source of the Book of Mormon. I use the words, "cockeyed (twisted) opinion" because that is what it is to claim that which he claims in the quote below.



Alex Caldiero, Professor at Utah Valley State University, Orem, Utah (U.S.A.)



"I hear Joseph Smith's voice every time I read it (The Book of Mormon). He was a farmer. He was young. He was unlettered and he put this all together. So you have this rough hewn kind of text ..." Alex Caldiero, poet and scholar, Utah Valley University. (clarification added)

As I have written before, I derived the title of this blog (Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?) from that incorrect opinion of that poet and scholar from right here in Utah. It is quoted from a PBS Video, "The Mormons" shown in May of 2007 on prime-time television. I have quoted it a number of times in this blog, the previous time being in my post 35f.

The Book of Enos is an example of a spiritual historic account of a true experience of an ancient Hebrew transplant in Ancient America, who truly testified of Jesus Christ!
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Mormon Messages Please click on the following link. You may have been working your way through this blog post for quite a while, but please, do not skip viewing this video!!

Our True Identity

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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 Post You Decide To Open) After Reading All of this Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: Enos, A son or Grandson of Father Lehi's Fifth Son, Jacob - Post 40v. After Having Clicked on that link, a Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Will Appear On Your Screen. Please Scroll Down From There Into the Main Body of The Index To Your Target Item. (You Can 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. 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

40u - The Book of Mormon, Is Truly Another Testament of Jesus Christ! Part 2.- The Testimony of Jesus is The Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation!

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

Alma 45: 2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?

3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.

4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?

5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.

6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?

7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.

8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.

9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.

10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.

11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct—

12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come.(emphasis added)

From my post 33r we see that Alma's prophecy given in 73 B.C. above matches perfectly our Savior's prophecy given to the Nephites in 34 A.D:

III Nephi 27: 32 But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads.

The spirit of prophecy and revelation which emanates from the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Ghost, (who are all one in spirit but are separate entities,) always gives the truth. From the words of Alma above, you have seen that his prophecy and revelation exactly matched that of the Lord given to the Nephites just after His resurrection quoted above (III Nephi 27:32).

From a previous post (35a) I quoted from the book, "The World and the Prophets" written by Dr. Hugh W. Nibley" the following: ". . . In this great revolution of the second century, the whole orientation of the (Christian) church changed completely. What brought this about? It was the ceasing of prophetic voices. . . Paul had prophesied that "whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away (I Corinthians 13:8)"

Now I want to give you very clear evidence that the Book of Mormon is clearly "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." Please note what it was that Alma the younger remembered his father, Alma, having taught him, as you read the scripture given after this painting. It will be highlighted.

Alma the Younger and the Four Sons of King Mosiah are Severely Reprimanded by an Angel -by Gary L. Kapp

You have seen from the writings of the Prophet Alma above that he was saved from exceeding anguish after he recalled and believed in the prophetic words of his own father, Alma, regarding the future coming to earth of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of mankind. Why then is the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation not a part of the Christian churches of today's world? I must also ask, why don't those churches accept the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ? After all its prophets often testify in their writings of their using the gifts of Prophecy and Revelation.

Alma 36: 6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.

7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.

8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.

9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.

10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.

11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.

12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.

13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.*

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors; (emphasis added)

It should become obvious to each of us that the gift of Prophecy and Revelation is heart and soul of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I will answer my own question (with your tacit permission): They do not accept that sacred book, because as the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians prophesied, (the gift of knowledge and other spiritual gifts) "will vanish away." (I Corinthians 13:8)"

I will end with the words of the Apostle John, one of the Twelve Apostles during the Savior's Mortal Mission.

Revelation: 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (emphasis added)

* Dear Blog Readers I'm inwardly compelled to say something in positive reaction to what was told by Alma the younger to his son, Helaman, as recorded above in this post which I marked with the same red asterisk which I've headed this paragraph with. ____________

Thank the Lord for the good and great King Benjamin for his having so devotedly and effectively persuaded his people he was addressing on the day that he turned his kingdom over to his son, Mosiah! You may have read in one or two of my posts that I'm convinced that Abinadi was there on that occasion and became the very committed and valiant prophet (knowing how to effectively use and value the gift of prophecy and revelation) who stood up to King Noah's wickedness even though he knew he would lose his own life over his confrontation of that wicked King!

In this post (40u) I was privileged to quote Alma the younger as he vividly remembered his father's testimony of Jesus Christ as having been the key factor is bringing him out of his three day horror! You may remember as I do that Alma the Younger's father was formerly one of wicked King Noah's wicked priests until Abinadi's prophetic spirit and words cause him to repent of his wickedness. Young Alma would have never experienced his father, Alma, bearing his testimony of the coming of Jesus Christ which remembering took him out of his three day state of extreme disconcert after having been so severly chastised by an angel of God, if Abinadi hadn't stood up boldly using the spirit of prophecy as he did so, against King Noah's evil course of life!

TO OPEN 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 Reading All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: Alma The Younger Was Converted. Post 40u. After Having Clicked On That Link, a Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Will Have Come Onto Your Screen. Please Scroll Down From There To Your Target Item. (You Can Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device After It HasBeen 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. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: It is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

40t - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ is Truly What Its Name Says It Is! - Part 1

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

Please notice that there are two parts to the title of the Book of Mormon. It wasn't until sometime about in 1985 or 1986 that the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added the last two lines to that book's title.

In actuality, ever since it was first published in Palmyra, New York (U.S.A.), it was always Another Testament of Jesus Christ, but that truth was not, at that time, reflected in that book's official title as it is now. I quote now from the October General Conference 1986 Report Opening Address by the then, President of the Church, Ezra Taft Benson:

President Ezra Taft Benson

Has the fact that we have had the Book of Mormon with us for over a century and a half made it seem less significant to us today? Do we remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon? In the Bible we have the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word testament is the English rendering of a Greek word that can also be translated as covenant. Is this what the Lord meant when He called the Book of Mormon the “new covenant”? It is indeed another testament or witness of Jesus. This is one of the reasons why we have recently added the words “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” to the title of the Book of Mormon. (emphasis by highlighting was added by this blogger.)

My Intent and purpose in this post and in a yet unknown number of subsequent posts, will be to show by many Book of Mormon quotes the powerful statements the Book of Mormon Prophets make in testifying of Jesus Christ, even up to 600 years before His birth.

Except for adding paintings that help illustrate the testimonies of these prophets regarding their and our Savior, Jesus Christ, I will let each of their statements stand on their own. I won't elaborate much. I may add some brief summarizing words at the end of each of these posts that turn out to make up this series.

The Coming of Jesus Christ into the world was foreknown by all of the Ancient prophets we read about in the Old Testament and also in the Latter-day Scriptures, The Pearl of Great Price - Selections From the Book of Moses and also from the Book of Abraham.

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ is not one step behind any of those scriptures and even the New Testament itself, in quoting prophets and apostles who testify of Jesus Christ!

Arriving at the Promised Land -by Arnold Friberg

The Book of Mormon prophet whose testament of Jesus Christ I will quote first in this series of posts, is Nephi, Son of Lehi. He is shown, with others in this painting, in the ship that the Lord inspired him, Nephi, to design and to build with the help of others who were with him. It carried them from the Eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula to somewhere on the West coast of what we know as Central America, which land they, in this painting, are viewing for the first time!

Nephi's mother Sariah and his father, Lehi are standing to Nephi's immediate left with a younger brother (most likely, Jacob) right in front of him.

In this very detailed vision Nephi (Occuring Sometime Between 600 and 592 B.C.) was shown the coming of Jesus Christ into the world in about 600 years and also many of the things that the Savior would accomplish during his mortal lifetime.

I Nephi 11: 1 FOR it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen,*and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?

3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.

4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?

5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.

6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.

7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

Painting: Harry Anderson



The Angel Gabriel Speaking with the Virgin, Mary -by John Scott

8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.

9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.

10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?

11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof—for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.

12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.

13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

The Annunciation - Mary and the Angel, Gabriel

14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.



Baby Jesus With His Mother, Mary and Joseph, by Ted Henniger

21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.



Jesus Baptized by John -by Harry Anderson

 26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God! 

27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.

28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.



Jesus washing the feet of the Twelve Apostles -by Del Parson

29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.



Jesus Blessing the Children -by Del Parson



31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men.

And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.

33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.

34 And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth, that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the Lord.

35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.



Jesus Healing the Blind -by Del Parson



The Crucifixion of Jesus -by Harry Anderson



*In the scripture given above, references (in verses 1 and 8) are made by Nephi to his father's dream. If you would like to learn what Nephi's father, Lehi, saw in his dream, I have provided a scriptural link for you.

(After clicking on the link found below the title of the picture shown here, scroll up on your screen and click on the word, Listen, which is on the upper left hand side. It will make what you read more understandable when you hear it as well as read it.)

Painting: Jerry Thompson

The Tree of Life and the

Great and Spacious Building

Here is the scripture in Nephi's father Lehi's Dream of the Tree of Life and the Great and Spacious Building is told about. You will be able to listen to the scripture as well as read it.

1Nephi 8:1-38

That revelation given to Nephi on a mountain by the Spirit of the Lord. Is there anything like that anywhere in the Old Testament? There are marvelous prophesies there regarding the Savior's Coming (particularly those of the Prophet, Isaiah), but none in such great and accurate detail as the one you have just read and listened to!

You will learn of other prophesies by other Book of Mormon prophets regarding the Coming of Jesus Christ in the blog posts to follow!
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The following link, when clicked upon, will allow you to view the latest Mormon Messages Video. You will find it very well done and hopefully it will be applicable to your particular needs.

http://www.youtube.com/mormonmessages?v=wiiadnMvm20

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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 BlogPost, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Decide To Open), When You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: Nephi Was Told By the Spirit of the Lord of the Birth of the Lord That Will Come in 600 Years, -Post 40t 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 will find very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:

Neil Birch

40s - Living According to The Book of Mormon's Teachings Is Vital to Our Eternal Salvation!

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 the Redeemer of the World -by Heinrich Hoffman

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

As I come to understand the word of the Lord I have inserted above, I recognize that there is nothing more important to Him than that which He anciently stated through His Prophet, Moses! Are you able to really let those words soak into your heart and realize that YOU, and the rest of us mortals, including all human beings who have or who ever will live on this earth are more important to Him than anything else!

Today's Theme is centered on that which I've written above! Now I suggest that you consider some very important advice Our Lord Jesus Christ gave to all of Mankind through His Latter-day Prophet, Joseph Smith. It is found in the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Remember now, this was intended by the Lord Jesus Christ to help us attain that Eternal Life that He mentioned to Moses.

I just finished reading the book entitled: Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling written by Richard Lyman Bushman and Published by: Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc. New York (It was first published in March 2007).

Throughout that very captivating book readers are told of many examples of the ups and downs of members of the LDS Church in its early days. It emphasizes what Joseph Smith, Jr. was required by the Lord to go through to bring about His Church on the earth once again and which in our day has nearly fourteen million members world wide.
In that book there are many examples of dedicated members of the Church who must have failed to live up to what the Lord requires of all of us as He explained in Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants which I quoted above.

I will only give one example of a member of the Church who figured very heavily in the early period of the Church when Joseph Smith was still the Prophet.

My purpose in doing this is to assist each of us, including myself, to honestly look into the way we are living so as to determine if we are really living the way the Lord wants us to live. I will now emphasize verse 57 of Section 84.

D. and C. 84:57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written— (emphasis added)

Please read and reread that verse again and ask yourself if you have done what the Lord wants you to regarding using the Book of Mormon to guide your actions in life!

I believe those of you who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, should take the Lord's words very personally. After all in the scripture from the Book of Moses I quoted first, He stated clearly that

His Work and His Glory is to bring about the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man! (That Means All of us, living and dead and not just Mormons!)

Below are the words of a hymn found in the current LDS Church Hymn Book. This hymn was written after the death of Joseph Smith. Earlier, Joseph excommunicated the author of this hymn, William Wines Phelps for having seriously betrayed himself, Joseph, and other leaders and members of the Church to their enemies who were attempting to destroy them and their church. In June 1840, Phelps plead for forgiveness in a letter to Joseph Smith. Joseph replied with an offer of full fellowship, and ended with a famous couplet,

Now I will excerpt from a recent post of mine (Post 40p) in which I told about one early member of the Lord's Church in this time of the world's history who was a very strong believer in the Lord and in His restored Gospel, but because of some characteristics in his personality he never really coped with until perhaps right at the end of his life he finally did! You'll notice in this excerpt that the Lord in a section of the Doctrine and Covenants spelled out that good man's weakness. The Lord knows your and my key weaknesses too, but perhaps after hearing this particular man's challenges, we will feel compelled to do something about ours. Here is the couplet I mentioned above that Joseph offered to Brother W.W. Phelps.

"Come on, dear brother, since the war is past, For friends at first are friends again at last."

William W. Phelps

Hymn: Praise to the Man, Words written by William W. Phelps, (1792-1872) Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


Verse 1: Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer, Blessed to open the last dispensation, Kings shall extol him, and nations revere,

Verse 2: Praise to his mem'ry he died as a martyr; Honored and blest be his ever great name! Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins, Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame.

Verse 3. Great is his glory and endless his priesthood, Ever and ever the keys he will hold. Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom, Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.

Verse 4. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven, Earth must atone for the blood of that man. Wake up the world for the conflict of justice, Millions shall know "Brother Joseph" again.

Chorus: (Sung after each verse) Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven! Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain, Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren; Death cannot conquer the hero again.

On 11-15-2009 I, Neil Birch am inserting something additional about William W. Phelps and the hymn he wrote which you have just read above.

In June of 1952, at the end of my first mission to Finland I traveled through part of Europe by myself. Later, all solo travel by returning missionaries was not permitted.

One Sunday in that month I arrived in Hamburg, Germany by train. By some miracle, not knowing the German language very well (I had been successful in completing German I and II in my year at Placer College in Auburn, California but had not learned to converse well in that language), I was able to arrive at an LDS Sacrament meeting being held in an LDS Chapel in a nice part of Hamburg.

After entering the building and walking toward the door to the chapel I heard those in attendance at that Sacrament meeting singing: Praise to the Man which I quoted for you above. I was deeply touched. I was handed a German Hymn Book and began singing with them. Tears flowed freely. I was especially touched by the spirit with which those German members were singing. The truthfulness of Joseph Smith's mission was reinforced strongly in my heart and soul by their singing that inspired hymn.

That experience also helped me to develop a love and respect for Brother William Wines Phelps. After finishing my degree at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah in 1960 and my Master of Social Work degree at California State University in San Jose, CA in 1973, I became a social worker. As such I became very interested in helping people overcome particular problems they have somehow developed that hamper their progress. Therefore, I appreciated reading this revelation received by President Joseph Smith August 1, 1831 which, in part, is about William W. Phelps:

D. and C. 58: 40 And also let my servant William W. Phelps stand in the office to which I have appointed him, and receive his inheritance in the land;

41 And also he hath need to repent, for I, the Lord, am not well pleased with him, for he seeketh to excel, and he is not sufficiently meek before me. (emphasis added)

That problem the Lord knew William had, apparently hindered his progress throughout much of his life. I did not mention it above, but Brother Phelps was excommunicated several additional times, each after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Brother Phelps went to Utah with the Church. One record I recently read on the Internet showed that on a certain day he was excommunicated and then the very next day was re baptized and welcomed back into full fellowship. I believe he died in full fellowship. He must have eventually overcome the pride the Lord implies in the scripture above he had. I'm quite sure that eventually he had humbled himself sufficiently!

I, and many other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints love you, Brother W.W. Phelps. We hope that we too can overcome our particular weaknesses and enjoy eternal bliss with our families and fellow saints like you.
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Now I will try to tie together what you just read about dear Brother W. W. Phelps with what the Lord taught him and the other Saints in their day through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I quote again the one verse from Doctrine and Covenants Section 84 which I quoted above. If Brother Phelps and many other early Saints would have heeded this verse more fully they would have had a hard time counting all their blessings!
Now, I will turn right to a key part of the Book of Mormon. It is in 3 Nephi which, in so many ways is the key to and the most sacred part of the Book of Mormon because it conveys to us what the Resurrected and Glorified Jesus Christ told this portion of his sheep (members of the House of Israel.)

D. and C. 84:57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written— (emphasis added)

Here is the introduction to that particular chapter, Chapter 9:

In the darkness the voice of Christ proclaims the destruction of many people and cities for their wickedness—He also proclaims his divinity, announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled, and invites men to come unto him and be saved. About A.D. 34

All of that which the Savior spoke from the darkness above to those Nephites is very important, but I have chosen to excerpt the following verses for the purpose of giving you a key teaching He gave those Nephites that both Brother W.W. Phelps perhaps should have lived by and each of us must learn to live by:

3Nephi 9: 16 I came unto my own, (The Jews) and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.

17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.

18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.

22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved. (clarification and emphasis added)

I personally believe that dear Brother W.W. Phelps did have a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit, perhaps mostly just not long before his death.

But your and my lives are continuing and we can do as the Dear Lord commands us and bring ourselves to have as He instructed: Broken Hearts and Contrite Spirits. After baptism into His Church and having received the Gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us in our lives, we can have such and can be blessed to have that condition the rest of our lives which will bring us back to live with Him the Eternal Life He promises!

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I will now give you an opportunity to view the latest Mormon Messages Video. You will find it very well done and surely will be applicable to your particular needs.

_____________

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 For Any Other Blog Post You Desire to Access, After Reading All of This Paragraph), Please Click On The Following: Book of Mormon's Teachings Must Be Lived To Gain Eternal Life. - Post 40s. When the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To the Little Boy Has Come Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down to Your Chosen Target Item or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

Joseph Smith, a True Prophet . . . Post 40p

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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 will find very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch


I feel the truth I shared above is so profound! I hope all of you are able to really feel the truth of that!