Post 44f: The Words of Admonition Spoken by the Book of Mormon Prophet Lehi to His Children, When He Was Soon to Die, Can Benefit Each of Us, Those of Us Living Now in This, The Twenty First Century!

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

****

TODAY'S THEME:

TODAY'S THEME PREVIEW: The Prophet and Progenitor of the Nephite Nation, Lehi, not long before his death spoke to each of his children in turn to prepare them to live righteously as he personally had lived. In this following segment of scripture he particularly is addressing his next to last son who is mentioned in the book of 2 Nephi, Chapter 2, Jacob.

Those principles of righteousness which Lehi desired his son, Jacob and his other children to live by are principles which each of us should earnestly desire applying in our lives and teaching them to our children. They are taught by Father Lehi in:

The Book of Mormon, 2Nephi CHAPTER 2

Redemption cometh through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be—Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. About 588–570 B.C.

Lehi Preaching to the Unrighteous in Jerusalem before God Commanded Him to take His Family and Leave and go through the Wilderness and across a vast ocean to be guided to a Promised Land -by Del Parson

1 AND now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

Nephi Rebuking His Rebellious Brothers. -by Arnold Friberg

2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

Jacob (when still a boy) is to the Right of Nephi with His Mother and His Father, Lehi to Nephi's Left -by Arnold Friberg

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law (of Moses) no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

The Crucifixion -by Harry Anderson

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

Why Weepest Thou? -by Simon Dewey

9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

Jesus Casting Out the Devil, Satan

18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

Adam and Eve Kneeling at an Altar -by Del Parson

20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

Adam and Eve Teaching Their Children -by Del Parson

21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

The Birth of Jesus -by Carl Heinrich Bloch

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, (Jesus Christ) and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen. (emphasis and clarification added by Neil Birch)

After you have very carefully read the prophetic guidance Father Lehi gave to his son Jacob, which applied also to each of his other children, and eventually apply to each of us too; and if you then proceed to live by the counsel he gave and also teach your own children to do so too, you will find that you have been preparing to seek the blessings which come by becoming temple worthy and making temple attendance an important part of your life.

 In the cases of some of you viewers of this blog post you very likely might want to be taught by the Mormon missionaries as investigators of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and consider the possibility of becoming baptized members of that church to open up to you the great temple blessings which are made available to all worthy LDS Church members.

In the video you will find at the regular end of this post, in which President Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convincingly and interestingly teaches each of us that temple blessings are among the greatest blessings available to mankind and are worthy of much preparation and sacrifice to obtain.

As you each continue to read the Book of Mormon you will learn that the Nephite people of which Lehi was their progenitor, were builders of temples and worshipped regularly in them:

2Nephi 5:16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, (somewhere in or near Mexico or Central America) wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.

The presence of temples among the Nephites is made clear throughout the Book of Mormon. We read in the Book of 3 Nephi the following:

3 Nephi 11:1 AND now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place. ( A.D. 34)

Also we read in that same Book of Mormon chapter:



Jesus Descending From Heaven to Visit Among the Nephite Nation in Ancient America (A.D. 34

3Nephi 11: 8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

Jesus Christ Teaches In the Americas (The temple located in Bountiful can be seen in this painting.) - John Scott, Artist

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

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

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

Now you may find yourself ready to learn how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of our time, throughout the world, have discovered that great blessings come to individuals and families by their making temple attendance/service an important part of their lives; so important that they will even make great sacrifices so the blessings of temple ordinances and regular temple attendance will be theirs. You will be told of such sacrifices having been made by a financially poor family in the video you will soon experience.

This Mormon Messages Video featuring the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson, will help each of you to more fully appreciate how important Temple ordinances are, or could become, in your lives.

  

Temples are a Beacon

____________

DISCLAIMER
This Blog 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: Father Lehi, the First Book of Mormon Prophet, Taught His Children to Live Worthily. A Mormon Messages Video, Temples are a Beacon, Involving President Thomas S. Monson, is Featured in: -Post 44f. 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 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

Post 44e: The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is a Very Vital Publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Because as its Title Clearly States, It Testifies of Jesus Christ, and Does So In Addition To The Marvelous Testifying of Him Provided in the Holy Bible!

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

****

TODAY'S THEME:

• A PREVIEW:
• A FUTURE EVENT  (AS RECORDED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IN THE HOLY BIBLE); FORETOLD BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIS TWELVE APOSTLES IN PALESTINE NOT LONG BEFORE HIS MORTALITY ENDED AND BECAME AN ACCOMPLISHED EVENT NOT LONG AFTERWARDS, WHEN HE, AS A RESURRECTED PERSONAGE, ASCENDED UP FROM HIS TWELVE APOSTLES INTO THE SKY IN PALESTINE- AND THEN SOON AFTERWARDS, (AS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF MORMON, ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST) APPEARED TO ANOTHER  SET OF HIS TWELVE APOSTLES WHO LIVED FAR ACROSS THE WORLD IN A LAND SOMEWHERE NEAR WHAT WE NOW KNOW AS CENTRAL AMERICA.
• ____________

Go Ye Therefore And Teach All Nations. -by Harry Anderson

Note: After Jesus' Resurrection He taught his apostles for forty days before ascending into Heaven as we are told in:    

Acts Chapter 1: 1 THE former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.



The Ascension -by Harry Anderson

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (emphasis added)

Now after having shown you that the Savior Jesus Christ left his apostles after teaching and instructing them forty days after his atonement, crucifixion and resurrection and then ascending up into the sky, I now go back to a time not long before those crucial events of his life I just mentioned took place, when Jesus prophesied to his apostles about something very important concerning his responsibilities regarding "his sheep" (His followers):

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

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

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

Now in order to assist you to learn about those other sheep Jesus has that he must bring, or rescue, and to make them an official part of "his fold", we turn to a record of the Resurrected Jesus Christ's post Ascension into Heaven visit to a nation of Israelites whose ancestors had left Jerusalem 600 years previously under the direction of God.

For those of you blog readers who may not yet know, back in 600 B.C. After a very difficult journey which began from the suburbs of Jerusalem which was being threatened by King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon, a righteous man named, Lehi, a prophet of God who is not mentioned in the Bible, along with his family and selected relatives and friends began a very long and arduous journey.

First they traveled through the deserts of Arabia which took about about eleven years; and then, with God's special guidance that prophet and his people built a ship and were guided by God to a land located somewhere near modern day Central America where they settled down and prospered, with the more righteous among them looking forward steadfastly to the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ about whom their scriptures they brought with them clearly informed them as did the prophets who were among them.

They knew the birth of the Savior of the World would take place in about 600 years from the time of their arrival in their promised land, the general location of which was mentioned just above.

Their prophets taught them that the Son of God, the Savior Jesus Christ, would visit them soon after His Atonement, Crucifixion, and Resurrection from the dead that would take place in Jerusalem! They were also promised that specific signs would appear in the Heavens when he was born as a baby into the World.

From their sacred record, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ (which had been translated from ancient golden plates by the power of God into the English language by a modern-day Prophet of God, Joseph Smith, in 1830 A.D.) I quote sacred words spoken by The Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ who personally appeared among that people, the Nephites, in A.D. 34.; which were spoken to His disciples (apostles) whom He had chosen from among that people:

3 Nephi 15: 12 Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of Joseph.

13 And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.

14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.

15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land (Palestine).

16 This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:

17 That 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.

18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they (His apostles and other disciples in Palestine) understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.

20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them.

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

22 And they (his apostles and disciples in Palestine) understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.

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

24 But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me. (clarification and emphasis added by J. Neil Birch)

Sometime soon after ascending into Heaven in Palestine we learn from that other set of Sacred Scriptures, from which I just quoted, one of the Book of Mormon's "sub" books: "Third Nephi", that He, Jesus Christ, appeared to these Nephites whose ancestors 600 years before were led from Jerusalem by the Hand of the Lord where they had been told by the prophet, Lehi, who lived and served among them, that their Savior, Jesus Christ would appear among them after His Resurrection. They were living in Ancient America, most likely not far from, or in modern day Central America. I quote a relatively small portion of that record which gives us an insight into His purposes in visiting this Israelitish nation (His, Jesus') Other Sheep:

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ: 

Jesus commands them to call the Church in his name—His mission and atoning sacrifice constitute his gospel—Men are commanded to repent and be baptized that they may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost—They are to be even as Jesus is. About A.D. 34–35


3 Nephi 27:1 AND it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting.

2 And Jesus again showed himself unto them, for they were praying unto the Father in his name; and Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, and said unto them: What will ye that I shall give unto you?

3 And they said unto him: Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell us the name whereby we shall call this church; for there are disputations among the people concerning this matter.

4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing?

5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;

6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.

8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;

10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.

11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.

12 For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you.

13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

The Crucifixion -by Harry Anderson

14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—(Blog readers, when you view the upcoming video you should review the brief notes you might want to make right now on a note pad reminding you of those words of our Savior which I just now highlighted and underlined in this verse and in the next two verses!)

15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

And He Healed Them (Nephites in Ancient America) All Every One -By Gary Kapp

22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

23 Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.

24 Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been.

25 For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men.

26 And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged.

27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

28 And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you. (That's quite a promise!)

29 Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

30 And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.

31 Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of this generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of joy.

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 (Judas Iscariot, one of his twelve apostles in Palestine who actually betrayed Jesus by assisting those who sought to kill him); 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.

33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.

After having viewed this blog post to this point you must question why such critics whose opinions you will hear in the upcoming You Tube video actually say what you will hear them say about the beliefs of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Now, here is the You Tube Video I promised to provide! I don't believe it was produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I do believe that very faithful and knowledgeable and skillfully talented members of that church produced it.

 Defending the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

____________

DISCLAIMER
This Blog 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 Book of Mormon is Very True and is in Turn Sure Evidence That the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Just What its Members Declare it is: The Lord Jesus Christ's Only True Church -Post 44e. 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 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

Post 44d: A Book of Mormon Scripture and a Mormon Messages Video To Set You on the Right Path in This The First Month of the New Year, January 2012!

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

****

TODAY'S THEME

Although He Died Not Long After This kind of Scene, The Great Prophet, General Mormon Left Behind to his son, Moroni the Golden Plates on Which Was Inscribed, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ -Painting by Arnold Friberg

Sacred Inspired Words From The Prophet Mormon As Your Guide for This New Year! (Please read and meditate on everything in this scripture, It Was Written for Each of You, both men and women!) Please note that when Mormon refers to men he is almost always referring to women also.

MORONI CHAPTER 7

An invitation to enter into the rest of the Lord—Pray with real intent—The Spirit of Christ enables men to know good from evil—Satan persuades men to deny Christ and do evil—The prophets manifest the coming of Christ—By faith miracles are wrought and angels minister—Men should hope for eternal life and cleave unto charity. About A.D. 401–421

1 AND now I, Moroni, write a few of the words of my father Mormon, which he spake concerning faith, hope, and charity; for after this manner did he speak unto the people, as he taught them in the synagogue which they had built for the place of worship.

2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.

3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, (Mormon would surely include non-members who could possibly be thinking about becoming members of the Lord Jesus Christ's Church) that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.

5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.

6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.

8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.

10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift.

11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil.

12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?

21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing.

22 For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.

23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.

The Resurrected Jesus Christ Descends From the Sky To Teach the Nephites in Ancient America - A.D. 34






The Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ Teaches the Nephites in Ancient America in A.D. 34 -by John Scott

24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them.

25 Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ.

26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.

The Resurrected Jesus Christ with Angels Nearby Blesses Nephite Children in A.D. 34 -by Del Parson

30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.

31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.

32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.

33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.

35 And now, my beloved brethren if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?

36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.

39 But behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of you, for I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be numbered among the people of his church.

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that you can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ 

Jesus Christ in Gethsemane - The Atonement -painting by Harry Anderson

Why Weepest Thou? -by Simon Dewey

42 and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—



Christ's Image -by Heinrich Hofmann

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. (emphasis and clarification added by Blogger, J. Neil Birch)

The Prophet Mormon's clear and emphatic message of looking forward with hope, faith and charity and not looking backward toward evil is reemphasized by this very special New Year's Video!

A Mormon Messages Video for You!  New Years - Look not behind thee!

Now I, Neil Birch suggest you consider possibly scrolling all of the way up and once again read every verse of Moroni, Chapter Seven if you have the time and the desire, or do so later! You have been told that which Your Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ have in Store for You even right now as you live according to Mormon's words!  Also remember the statements the young people made especially near the end of the Video!

____________




DISCLAIMER
This Blog 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 Prophet Mormon's Message in Moroni 7 Will Guide Us to Look Forward to a Happy and Successful Life At the Beginning of This and Every New Year! A Mormon Messages Video is Included. -Post 44d. 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 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

Post 44c: Please Lay Hold Upon Every Good Thing, and in So Doing Do Not Overlook the Holy Scriptures Which Include, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ!

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

****

TODAY'S THEME



Mormon Abridging The Plates. -by Tom Lovell

MORMON CHAPTER 7

Mormon invites the Lamanites of the latter days to believe in Christ, accept his gospel, and be saved—All who believe the Bible will also believe the Book of Mormon. About A.D. 385

1 AND now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak:

2 Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.

3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.

4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you.

5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.

6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.

7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you.

9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.

Dear Blog readers you are now invited to read a message, sent through the power of the Spirit to the General Address of Righteous Persons Who Have Lived on Earth Who Now Live Among Other Resurrected Righteous Persons and  perhaps also among Righteous Spirits Who Have not yet been resurrected who: live now on the "Other Side of the Veil."

"Dear Prophet, Mormon,
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your message above (Chapter Seven of the Book of Mormon) which was written to us and to all others who are descendants of your people.

We are each young descendants, or partly so in the case of some of us, (also several others among us were adopted into the House of Israel through baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) of your and our ancestor, Father Lehi and his people who lived during the thousand year period covered by the Book of Mormon.

Each of us know that the record you were commanded by Our Savior Jesus Christ to inscribe on plates of gold, has become sacred scripture in our time on earth, equal to that of the Holy Bible with which we also have been blessed. 


Plates of Gold Modeled After the Description Given by Joseph Smith and Others Who Had Seen and Witnessed the Existence of Them. The Larger Portion of the Plates Had Been Sealed, (as is Shown Above). Plates Were Most Likely Sealed by Mormon's Son, Moroni . -Model Made by Steven Pratt.

                                                                                           
We unitedly praise and thank you and your dear son, Moroni and most of all, our Dear Savior Jesus Christ for bringing about the Book of Mormon; which was the key preparatory accomplishment in bringing about the restoration of His one and only true Church upon the earth once again after it had been taken from the earth after each of His original apostles had died (with the exception of His apostle John whose life our Savior Jesus Christ extended until His Second Coming so he could continue bringing souls unto Him) in the Meridian of Time.

We truly love and appreciate your precious book and that church, each of which carries the truly sacred name of our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sins and who will bring about eventually our glorious resurrections and those of our righteous loved ones, past present and future!

We have devotedly read and studied your book, the Book of Mormon at relatively young ages and are very grateful for it. We are equally grateful for the Restoration of our Savior Jesus Christ's only true Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Day Saints, which came about almost seven years after your son, Moroni made his first appearance to the young North American man, Joseph Smith on September 21, 1823 which was, just three months and two days before Joseph's eighteenth birthday.

Here is a picture of that special event for you!


The Angel Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith -by Tom Lovell

As you surely already know, your son Moroni, having been assigned by Our Savior, Jesus Christ, very carefully and methodically prepared young Joseph Smith 

The Angel Moroni Delivers the Plates of Gold to Joseph Smith on the Hill Cumorah in New York State (U.S.A.) -by Kenneth Riley

to translate 

Joseph Smith Translating the Book of Mormon -by Del Parson

the Book of Mormon through the gift and power of God, and then not long afterwards,


Peter Whitmer, Sr. Log Home, Fayette, New York, U.S.A, -Photo Courtesy of Steve Mortensen

on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith officiated at a meeting at the Peter Whitmer, Sr. Log Home in Fayette, New York, United States of America, where Jesus Christ's true church began officially to function, after an almost two thousand year long hiatus, once again on the earth.

P.S. Out of necessity because of our living so far from each other, a respected Book of Mormon Internet blogger, J. Neil Birch who lives in Murray, Utah (U.S.A.) volunteered to write the above message for us. We approve what he has written!

If you were to ask him, (Brother Birch), he would happily tell you that when he served as a full-time Indian Seminary coordinator and teacher in Farmington, New Mexico (U.S.A.) during the years 1963 to 1966, for his and our church's Indian Seminary Program, he greatly enjoyed reading and discussing Mormon, Chapter 7 (quoted at the beginning of this post) with his small classes of teen-age Navajo Indian Seminary Students!

Brother Birch taught diligently as he tried to help each of of his Navajo Indian students come to know that chapter was written by you, Dear Prophet Mormon, for them and for millions of  other descendants of your people!

He told us that he remembers on at least one occasion while teaching Seminary there that several of his Navajo Indian Students expressed great joy because of what you had written in Mormon, Chapter Seven, taking it all in very personally.

Each of us young Lamanites are so truly blessed. Our blessings are so great it is very difficult for us to express adequately our deep gratitude for these blessings of which your book is such a key part!

Forgive our using so many words in thanking you. Perhaps we did so because our blessings have also come in great numbers!

Now in tribute to you, Dear Prophet Mormon and to your dear son, Moroni and especially out of our love for your and our Dear Lord, Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sins and died for us; we now present this precious Mormon Messages Video, in your honor!

We have taken it upon our selves to have the young LDS youth featured in the Mormon Messages Video you will view next, represent us! They, like us are modern day Lamanites or adopted in as such is the case with several of them!

With Much Love and Thanks!

Some Modern Day Lamanite Youth.

All of you blog viewers, please enjoy this very special video!"

Mormon Messages: "Lay hold upon every good thing: Scriptures"

____________



DISCLAIMER
This Blog 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 Book of Mormon Which is Included in the Holy Scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Should be Treasured by All Mankind! -Post 44c. 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 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