35w - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. He Taught Among the Nephites in Ancient Central America in A.D. 34. - Part II.

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Preparation for TODAY'S THEME

I hope your memories are still quite clear about that which you read and listened to during my just previous blog post. If you don't really remember what you learned in reading and listening simultaneously to Chapters eight, nine and ten of The Book of Third Nephi, you may want to review them!

The occurrences that were described in that blog post were exceedingly powerful and even unforgettable. However, if you feel the need to do so, I make it easier for you by giving you Chapter Eight right here then when you have finished listening to and reading it you can access each of the succeeding two chapters by clicking on Next.

You may remember it takes only 16.7 minutes to read and listen to those three very key chapters. Your reviewing those three chapters should firmly implant the memory of those exceedingly important historic events in your minds and hearts, again, only if you feel the need to do so.

TODAY'S THEME



The Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ Ascends Toward the Surprised Nephites -by Arnold Friberg



The Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ Comes Among The Nephites in the Land Bountiful in (Central America in A.D. 34) -by John Scott

The following is the witness our Savior and Redeemer gave of Himself in His initial appearance to the Nephite people. Please read the entire eleventh chapter of Third Nephi by using the connection to that Book of Mormon scripture I have provided at the end of this post, just after you have watched the video I have provided you of a living apostle's testimony of Jesus Christ.

III 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.

2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death.

3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.

5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

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

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

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

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. (emphasis added)

There will be yet several more of my posts that give us the Savior's personal witness through Book of Mormon - Third Nephi scriptural passages.

Now, for a few moments I would like to share with you some of the verses of 3 Nephi, Chapter 9 that caused me to do some personal reflecting. In these verses it was reported that the Savior's voice was heard during the great darkness that was experienced by the more righteous Nephite people. The unrighteous Nephites had already been destroyed. First, please read these quotes from:

3 Nephi 9:3. Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof. (emphasis added)

and then this:

4. And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned. (emphasis added)

There were a number of other cities mentioned whose destruction, along with all of the Nephites who lived in them, were reported by the Savior's voice.

I reflected on what the Savior's voice was heard telling the more righteous Nephites who had been spared from destruction and as He told them why He, Jesus Christ had brought about the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Nephites. Here are some examples:

2. ... and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen! (emphasis added)

also

10. And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations. (emphasis added)

Those were just a few reasons the Lord's voice gave for having destroyed the people He had just destroyed. He gave more reasons, all of them having to do with the specifics of the unrepentant wickedness of that people.

I cited those examples so that I could perhaps put in proper perspective why our supremely loving Savior and Redeemer chose to bring about such destruction.
There is, of course, one great precedent for all of this destruction brought about by God, in the past history of this world. We are told in the Old Testament how, because of such all-encompassing wickedness in the world at the time of Noah, our Lord and our Heavenly Father brought about the great flood which killed everyone on the earth except for Noah and his family along with the animals they had been commanded to bring on to their ark (huge boat.)

Remembering the Great Flood should help us all to understand that mankind has been sent to earth for God's purposes, not for mankind's most often, selfish purposes. Our true challenge is to prove that we can become worthy of living with Heavenly Father and Jesus in Eternity and to become like them through their mercy and grace. Actually recalling the great flood of Noah and the destruction brought upon the wickedness of these Nephites is surely a WAKE UP CALL for each of us in our day.

The news of our day, as you know, is filled with the worst kinds of evil taking place throughout the world. That is true even in places like the Salt Lake City area of Utah in the United States of America. In the not too distant past we never heard of all the crime and evil that we do in this area today. How is it in your communities?

However, getting back to the destruction of the more wicked part of the Nephites in Central America in about A.D. 34. There was still something that I had to think and pray about: the deaths of the huge number of innocent Nephite children who must have been killed before reaching the age of accountability brought me and surely you too, a deep grief.

The Lord's first Latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith was told this: in a revelation given him which is now in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants:

D. and C. 137:10 And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.

We have to realize that if those innocent Nephite children had not been destroyed along with their "ripe in wickedness" parents and older siblings, most of them would have grown up to be as wicked as them.

God's word, given above tells us surely that all of the children who were killed in the great destruction in their land who had not reached the age of accountability, (eight years of age according to the Lord to His Latter-day prophets.) will be saved in the Celestial Kingdom. There can be no greater honor bestowed on a human as their lives continue on, first as a spirit person again like before their birth and then as a resurrected person because Jesus has brought the resurrection about.

Even their wicked parents and siblings will be resurrected, but will be unable to inherit the Celestial Kingdom of God because of their unrepentant sins.

In view of what I have just written I will now, as I have in a good number of earlier blog posts quote a scripture which accurately describes the Lord Jesus Christ's sacred and divine "Job Description."

Moses (Pearl of Great Price) 1:39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (emphasis added)

Now at this point I would like you to experience this LDS (YouTube) video that I included in my Easter morning (April 12, 2009) blog post 35m.


Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We can learn from this living apostle's words and personal apostolic witness of our Savior's Sacred Sacrifice of Himself! I suggest you  prayerfully contemplate that which is presented to you in this video which I believe will more fully prepare you to appreciate the initial appearance of Jesus Christ to the Nephite people.

Elder Holland's Witness of our Savior Jesus Christ's Atonement made in the Garden of Gethsemane.

You have read the first eleven verses of this scriptural link. It is TODAY'S THEME. I may also refer to some of these 41 verses in my next post.

3 Nephi 11: 1-41

I'll look forward to having you log onto my next post, 35x in about three days.


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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.





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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: Jesus Christ-Post 35w Testifies of his Own Eternal Role Personally To the Nephites in Ancient America . When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

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

35v - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Resurrected Jesus Christ Taught Among the Nephites in Ancient Central America in A.D. 34. - Part I.

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

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SPECIAL NOTE: A LDS Mother's Day Video can be accessed at the end of this post - just before my usual ending.

TODAY'S THEME



Jesus Christ -by Heinrich Hofmann



As I explained in my just previous blog post, I'm extending this current blog series in order to include more actions and statements of our Savior, Jesus Christ as recorded by the Nephites just before and during His visits with them in the Western Hemisphere after His resurrection.

I have attempted to gear these additional posts to helping us focus on what our Redeemer Jesus Christ had to say, soon after His resurrection, by both the spoken word and by His actions among the more righteous portion of the descendants of Father Lehi and their ancestor, Joseph, Who Was Sold Into Egypt, that testify to us His being the resurrected Son of God.

Ever since their departure from Jerusalem and along their arduous journey on the edge of one of the world's most formidable deserts, then, while

Nephi, Fourth Son of Lehi Leads the Way Across the Formidable Arabian Desert -by Scott Snow

crossing a great and ofttimes, treacherous ocean to reach what is believed to be Central America, they went through many severe trials and much tribulation.

Lehi's Family and Those Who Came With Them Arrive in Central America -by Arnold Friberg

They were a divided nation in many respects, right from the beginning with the rebelliousness of Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael countering the righteous and proven leadership of Lehi's fourth oldest son, Nephi who was supported in his leadership by their father whom Nephi respected and honored. Nephi's brothers were always quick to point out that Nephi was their younger brother.







Nephi Subdues His Rebellious Brothers -by Arnold Friberg



Reading the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, from its beginning to the Book of Third Nephi shows us that the struggle between righteousness and wickedness was quite constant among them. I believe that successfully facing those challenges served to produce a portion of Lehi's people who were fully prepared for the visit from their Redeemer whose coming had been regularly prophesied for about six centuries among them.

The Book of Mormon also has something to say about what happens to those who failed to prepare for His visit. You will learn of this in this post.

I believe that you and I will learn something about true spiritual preparedness, that could apply to and help us from what we experience as we now delve into that which is presented in this post.

I also believe that you and I will learn from the experience of the Nephite people, that true spiritual preparation has more to do with "having a broken heart and a contrite spirit" (I urge you to remember that phrase and recognize it when the Savior uses it in the second chapter you will read, and listen to in this post- III Nephi 9:20) than just being proud of our more spiritual accomplishments and abilities.

I searched hard for a picture which would help you feel what the more righteous Nephites were feeling after having witnessed a "great cataclysm of nature"* that killed many of their people and caused extraordinary destruction in their land. I couldn't find such a picture in lds.org nor even from Google Search.

What I discovered, and I'm very grateful for this actually, is that our just reading the words written by the Prophet Nephi who lived in A.D. 34 (and chosen and transcribed later in about 400 A.D. by the Prophet Mormon), can never come close to fully impacting us as much as when we simultaneously read while listening to the very inspired reading by the the lds.org scripture reader's voice. To me, his reading came with much feeling, particularly in chapter 8.

Perhaps such gives us special images of what was occurring that no picture could fully equal.

You may have noticed that I placed quote (") marks around the words, "a great cataclysm of nature," above. I and other LDS writers have used that term to describe that which caused such extraordinary destruction among the Nephites, but after reading and listening to the three chapters of the Book of Mormon to which I will soon link you, I would like you to tell me what our Resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ tells us about, what and who caused this great destruction to fall upon this Nephite Nation.

You may have also noticed that I mentioned you will be reading three chapters one after the other. I made that decision to suggest your doing that only after reading recently all three of them myself, one after the other. My experience shows that your experience will be magnified many times by reading them one after another.

I'm sure that you readers of this blog are very busy people and perhaps you often just glance at a few things that I have written in any one of my blog posts. In view of that, I prepared by timing how long it takes to hear the lds.org reader read through these three chapters.

It takes 16 minutes and seven seconds to read and listen to all three chapters, back to back.

I suggest that you evaluate what time you have available to you right now. If reading and listening that long would take more time than you have available right now, I suggest you schedule a time later today to get back into this blog and have this special experience.

Even though you may, as is true in my case, have read and listened to each of these chapters many times before separately, I'm sure you will have a special experience reading them one after another. One more suggestion: You may want to write yourself a note to remind yourself: When you have reached the end of Chapter 8, please click on the word, Next, which appears under the line found at the end of the chapter on the right side of the page. That will take you to Chapter 9. You will then need to again click on the word, Listen, when Chapter 9 is on your screen. You will repeat all of that for Chapter 10. That will take you back to this blog post for just a few summary comments from me. Please forgive me if I seem to think you need more help than you actually do. I'm focusing on those readers of this blog who may be less experienced in Internet matters as is the case with me!That will take you back to this blog post for just a few summary comments from me. Please forgive me if I seem to think you need more help than you actually do. I'm focusing on those readers of this blog who may be less experienced in Internet matters as is the case with me!That will take you back to this blog post for just a few summary comments from me. Please forgive me if I seem to think you need more help than you actually do. I'm focusing on those readers of this blog who may be less experienced in Internet matters as is the case with me!

That experience can be facilitated by your asking your Heavenly Father to touch you with His Spirit as you prepare to read and listen to these three Book of Mormon Chapters, one after the other.

As I suggested above after Listening to and Reading Chapter Eight select "Next" and proceed until you have read all three chapters. III Nephi 8:1-25

In your reading and listening to Chapter 9, did you find what the Savior told the Nephites about "having a broken heart and a contrite spirit?" Earlier in that same chapter did you notice that our Savior took responsibility for causing the great destruction which took place? An example:

III Nephi 9:3 Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof.

That was just one example of about 10 such cases where Jesus Christ states that He brought about the deadly disasters. In those same passages He tells of their specific wickedness and explains thus:

Verse 8, . . and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and saints should not come up any more unto me against them.

I suggest that you will be hard pressed to find anything that has been written about Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer that is more dynamic than than that which you will read from the scriptures suggested today in this post. There are passages in the Gospels of the New Testament, however, that are equally dynamic.

My next blog post in this series will be published in about three days.

* The Neal A. Maxwell Institute at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah has done research on Cataclysms of Nature that have taken place in our day and time. The very unusual things that occurred in the cataclysm in the Nephite area of the world just before the resurrected Savior's visit there, had highly unusual identical elements in them that were also found in the modern cataclysms that the scientists had studied.

Nonetheless, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Christ, in the first portion of Chapter 9, took responsibility for the destruction that took place among the more wicked portion of the Nephites. That is not something that causes me to doubt that the Lord unleashed those powers of nature to bring about righteous punishment. After all, He, along with His and our Eternal Father, created the earth because of which, these potential cataclysms have to be something that could occur at His command.

Later in the day I published this post I found this lds.org Mother's Day Video. I decided to share it with each of you. Please feel free to share it with your family and particularly with any mothers in your family.
Happy Mother's Day! Neil Birch

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.




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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: Jesus Christ Testifies of his Own Eternal Role Personally To the Nephites in Ancient America - Post 35v. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)
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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.


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

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. 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

35u The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Resurrected Jesus Christ Bore Witness of Himself.

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



The Resurrected Jesus and His Angels Bless Nephite Children -by Del Parson



After telling you readers of my blog posts that I had found all of the testimonies of the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer, that I could find in the Book of Mormon, and then urging each of you to find any that I may have overlooked, I finally today realized that I had failed to show you all of the testimonies that Jesus Christ gave of Himself to the Nephite people, by both the spoken word and by the actions He performed.

There was only one that I listed, and it was in my May 3rd post, 35t, III Nephi 27:13-17. In my opinion that is a very striking, to the point, statement by our resurrected Savior indicating his continuing role with us!

I repeat it:

III Nephi 27:13- 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.

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—

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.

Upon further reflection yesterday, I realized that His statements to various Nephites beginning with one to the Prophet Nephi just before His birth on earth and then during His personal ministry among the Nephites after His resurrection, provide us with equally cogent and convincing evidence of His divine role.

I have decided to extend this presently long series, (posts 35a to 35t) - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ with a number of shorter posts, which will cover primarily the statements and actions of our Savior among the Nephites that testify to His being the Son of God.

I'm now pulling together those statements and they will comprise the content of this post and in a further yet unknown number of posts (35u to 35?).

I covered that which is in III Nephi of the Book of Mormon in a series I entitled, "The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America", in posts 33a to 33t. It so happened that there were the exact same number of posts in that series as there were in the series I just ended with: The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, with Post 35t.

I'm committed to making each of the posts in this extension of the series
that ran from 35a to 35t, shorter and more to the point!

If any of you happened to come to the same conclusion as I did, regarding adding the Savior's statements from III Nephi to the list given at the end of post 35t, please let me know by return e-mail (my address is found in the ending of each post) so I can give you credit for that in my next blogpost.

STATEMENTS MADE BY JESUS CHRIST TO THE NEPHITES

To the Nephite prophet, Nephi, son of Nephi A.D. 1:

III Nephi 1:10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.

11 And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

12 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold,
the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. (emphasis added)



The Baby Jesus Was Born -by Carl Heinrich Bloch

Just as Jesus, while still in his pre-mortal state, had told Nephi, son of Nephi, Jesus was born in Bethelehem the following day. Nephi and his people knew it because the signs that had been foretold by the prophet, Samuel the Lamanite, were seen by all, both the wicked and the righteous.

III Nephi 1:15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.

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

To me, and perhaps to you who have read the Book of III Nephi before, it appears that the Savior had a special love for the Nephites.

I think He manifested that special love when He, despite being on the verge of being born and taking on a mortal body and and being a member of the Godhead already, paid attention to the urgent need the Nephites had for hope, by manifesting to Nephi as shown in the scripture above that the signs would be shown that night, thus making it so their enemies would not be able to carry out their plans to kill all of the believers in the coming of Christ.

I'm sure that He doesn't favor one group of followers over another, even though it perhaps may seem so to some of us when we read of His praising the Nephite's exceptional faith when He first arrived in Central America soon after His resurrection. However, as you may remember, He told the Nephites after coming among them that He had not seen such faith as theirs shown by the Jews among whom He had ministered during His mortal life. He, the judge of all mankind knows that true faith and the actions that follow make a big difference.

I'll be back in about three days with more evidence of the realities of the eternal love of our Savior, Jesus the Christ.

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.




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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: - Jesus Christ Testifies of his Own Eternal Role Personally To the Nephites in Ancient America -Post 35u.  When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down 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.

_____________

Thank you for your continuing readership. Please invite your friends and relatives to view this blog.

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: Is content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

35t - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Jaron and Aaron Bear Witness of Jesus Christ.

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

THE BOOK OF MORMON, ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST

Christ with Children -by Del Parson

Jarom 399 B.C.

Jarom 1:9 And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land.

11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.

12 And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance. (emphasis added)

Aaron, one of the sons of King Mosiah (90-77B.C.)

Aaron, one of the four sons of king Mosiah was a valiant missionary serving with his three brothers, Ammon, Himni and Omner on a very challenging and yet, very successful mission to the Lamanites.

Alma 21: 9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake.

As you learned in my post 35q (April 24, 2009) these four sons of the king had been converted from their ways of wickedness through the appearance and a reprimand by an angel of the Lord. I show this picture again that I showed in that previous post.

An Angel Reprimands Alma the younger and the Four Sons of King Mosiah -by Gary Kapp

 

In the painting above is depicted Aaron and his three brothers, Alma the Younger is the person pictured, toward whom the angel appears to be pointing. Alma is the most prostrate of the five friends shown in this vivid scene.

In my opinion, the testimony of Alma the Younger is one of the most striking and convincing testimonies of our savior, Jesus Christ found in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I quoted nineteen verses from Alma, Chapter 36 in my post 35b, but have chosen to focus on these eight verses from that same chapter here because it is such a fervent testimony of Jesus Christ!

Alma the Younger (about 73 B.C.)

Alma 36: 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.

Alma the Younger and Amulek (about 78 B.C.)

Alma, 16:20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did hear with great joy and gladness. (emphasis added)

Helaman, (About 30 B.C.) son of Alma the younger, father of Nephi and Lehi

Helaman 5:9-12

9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.

10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.

11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

The Resurrected Savior's own testimony of His role (in about A.D 34-35) to the Nephite people in the Western Hemisphere.


The Resurrected Savior Jesus Christ Testifies to the Nephites in Central America A.D. 34 -by John Scott

 III Nephi 27:13 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.

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—

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. (emphasis added)



Moroni Prays Before Burying the Plates of Gold on Which the Book of Mormon was Engraven -by Tom Lovell

(The Rest of the Testimonies of Jesus Christ I, Neil Birch found in the Book of Mormon) - Post 35t.

Ether, (Reported by the prophet, Moroni, son of Mormon.

Ether 13:4 Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake
concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land (to be built in what is the state of Missouri of the United States of America)

5 And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel.

6 And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.

7 For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not. (emphasis and clarification added)

I add this scripture written by the prophet, Moroni.

Moroni (about A.D. 421) Moroni 10:32-34

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.


33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. (emphasis added)

Now, this is the final testimony that Jesus is the Christ that I found. I remembered it just before finishing this post. It is found in the two paragraphs of the Title Page of the Book of Mormon. It was written by the prophet, Moroni, son of the prophet, Mormon.

1 Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The
interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

2 An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. (emphasis added)

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I have done my best, in the time I had, in searching for prophetic testimonies of Jesus Christ and thus end my series: The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ which comprises my posts, 35a through 35t.

There is a possibility I may have overlooked other testimonies of our Savior that are found in the Book of Mormon. There may be testimonies that appeared to be inferences of the truth that Jesus is the Christ and I therefore perhaps ignored them or perhaps I didn't notice them.

If you feel so inclined, I invite you to check through the following list of scriptures I have found and used in posts 35a through 35t, then check to see if you can find, by any means at your disposal, any that I failed to include. Please report any such verses that you find, to me using my e-mail address which is found in the very last section of this post. I will report your find along with your name (if you give me permission to do so) in a future post of mine.

THE REST OF THE TESTIMONIES

OF JESUS CHRIST WHICH I FOUND:

35a: II Nephi 29: 1-14. 35b: Alma 45:2-12; Alma 36:6-25. 35c: Ether 3:6-14. 35d: II Nephi 2: 2-10. 35e: II Nephi 25: 20-21. 35f: I Nephi 11:1-36; I Nephi 8:1-38. 35g: II Nephi 33:1-15; II Nephi 31:5-13. 35h: Jacob 1:7-8; II Nephi 9:40-43; II Nephi 10:1-5; II Nephi 3:1-31; I Nephi 4:1-37; I Nephi 5:1-22. 35i: Enos 1:1-27. My Special Easter Season Post follows post 35i. 35j: Mosiah 3:1-21; III Nephi 13:35; Moroni: 10:3-5. 35k: Mosiah 4:1-30. 35l: Omni 1:23, 26; Helaman 8:13-24. 35m: Mosiah 3:18-19; Mosiah 5:10-12. 35n: Mosiah 16:1-15; Mosiah 15: 1-31; Mosiah 5: 2-5. 35o: Mosiah 14:1-12. 35p: Helaman 13:2-4; Helaman 14:2-9; Helaman 16:1-4. 35q: Alma 17:26-39; Alma 18:1-43; Alma 19:1-36; Alma 24:5-10. 35r: Alma 8:18-32; Alma 34:1-41. 35s: I Nephi 11:1-7; I Nephi 11:21-23; I Nephi 1:8-9; Omni 1:25-26; Helaman 8:13-20. 35t: Jarom 1:9-12; Alma 21:9; Alma 36:16-23; Alma 16:20; Helaman 5:9-21; III Nephi 27:13-17; Ether 13:4-7; Moroni 10:32-34; Alma 16:20; Helaman 5:9-12; III Nephi 27:13-17; Ether 13:4-7. Moroni 10:32-34; Book of Mormon Title Page.

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DISCLAIMER

This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.

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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following:  Testimonies of Jesus Christ Found in the Book of Mormon -Post 35t. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

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

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. 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

35s - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Father Lehi Bears Witness of Jesus Christ! Omni and Others Also Bear Witness!

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

Lehi's  Tree of Life Vision -by Jerry Thompson

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. (emphasis added)

Those were the words of the prophet Nephi, fourth oldest son of the prophet Lehi. Below is a picture of Nephi as a young man on his trek along with his father and the rest of the family and some friends, to their Promised Land in the Western Hemisphere. Below the picture are additional words spoken by the Spirit of the Lord to Nephi:

Nephi Crossing the Arabian Desert  -by Scott Snow

I Nephi 11: 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. (emphasis added)

Thus Nephi became a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the eighteen posts in this series of posts entitled: "The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ" I included those three verses of Nephi's earlier in post 35f. I also led you to the testimonies of many additional prophets whose words of testimony of Jesus Christ are recorded in the Book of Mormon.

Actually, I inadvertently overlooked including in my list of prophecies of Christ, the first prophecy found of Him in the Book of Mormon which was made by Nephi's father, Lehi and recorded by Nephi. It is found in the very first chapter of the Book of Mormon. It is in the book of I Nephi which was written by Lehi's son, Nephi. It is as follows:

Lehi Preaching in Jerusalem -by Del Parson

Although Lehi did not mention the name of the one he saw whose luster was "above that of the sun at noon-day," it is clear, however, that He, about whom he, Lehi, was speaking was Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, as he mentioned the twelve others following him, who we can easily determine were the future Twelve Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ

I Nephi 1: 8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament. (emphasis added)

In this post, 35s, I hope to record all of the rest of the testimonies of Jesus Christ that I have discovered in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I may not have room for all of those so possibly I would need to use one more post. I'm quite sure I still will have overlooked other individuals mentioned in the Book of Mormon who testified of Christ. By the way, The word, Jesus, is mentioned in that book a phenomenal number of times.

The point of all of this is that the Book of Mormon is very truly and surely, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It stands side by side with the New Testament in bearing witness to that splendiferous truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God! Forgive me for getting carried away about this great truth by brightening up that long, but meaningful word. (In case English is not your native language, my 1953 Webster's Collegiate Dictionary tells its meaning: splendiferous: splendid, gorgeous.)

Now, here come the rest of the testimonies of Jesus Christ that I found in this book of books, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. That is, if they all fit well into this post, 35s, if not that will be a part of post 35t.

Amaleki, son of Abinadom, (279 to 130 B.C.)

Omni: 1: 25 And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord, wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil.

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

Here is another sure testimony of Jesus Christ.
Nephi, son of Nephi, son of Helaman (About 23-20 B.C.)

Helaman 8: 13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.

14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal. (emphasis added)



Moses and the Children of Israel Gaze Upon the Brazen Serpent Which Represents Jesus Christ -by Judith Mehr



16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.

17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.



Abraham Prepares to Sacrifice His Son, Isaac -by Del Parson



18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.



Adam and Eve Teaching Their Children -by Del Parson



Noah Telling People About the Coming Flood -by Harry Anderson

20 And behold, also Zenock*, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy? (The prophets' names marked with an * are prophets before Father Lehi's times whose records were on the Plates of Brass which Lehi's sons obtained from Jerusalem through challenging circumstances. They are some of the records of prophets' words that are not found in our Old Testament.) (emphasis added)



City of Zion Translated -by Del Parson



19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos* did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.

Painting: Carl Heinrich Bloch

Jesus was Born to Mary -by Carl Heinrich Bloch

I have decided that there is most likely enough for you in this post already even though I have additional prophetic testimonies of Jesus Christ to tell you about. You will have the opportunity of learning of them in my post: 35t which will be published in about three days.

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.




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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: (Eight of Many Other) Testimonies of Jesus Christ. - Post 35s. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

____________

"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
__________

I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.


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

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

Neil Birch