The Scriptures and Revelation part 1

1 Nephi 5:10 - 19, NC 1 Nephi 1 par 22


And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel my father Lehi took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.  And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses which gave an account of the creation of the world and also of Adam and Eve who were our first parents, and also a record of the Jews from the beginning even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and also the prophecies of the holy prophets from the beginning even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.  And it came to pass that my father Lehi also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers.  Wherefore, he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph, yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob who was sold into Egypt and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord that he might preserve his father Jacob and all his household from perishing with famine.  And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt by that same God who had preserved them.  And thus my father Lehi did discover the genealogy of his fathers.  And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore, he and his fathers had kept the records.  And now, when my father saw all these things he was filled with the Spirit and began to prophesy concerning his seed: that these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, and tongues, and people who were of his seed.  Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish neither should they be dimmed any more by time.  And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.


How long would it take to "search" the brass plates?

Is this account in any way reminiscent of or like unto an earlier experience Lehi had?


 ...and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.  And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. And he read, saying:  Wo,wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations!  Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem - that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon. (1 Nephi 1:11 - 13, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 3)


Are there any other examples of the Spirit inspiring or giving revelation to someone who is searching scripture?

In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions I often said to myself, What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right? Or are they all wrong together? And if any one of them be right, which is it? And how shall I know it?  While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse [Epistle of Jacob 1:2], which reads, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.  It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart.  I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did. (JSH 1:10 -12, Teachings and Commandments, JSH part 2 par. 3)

Did Joseph experience the same principle as Lehi here?

Joseph "labored" and Lehi "searched"; are these related actions?

When someone is "searching" are they "laboring"?

Does searching and laboring entail something more involved than just getting eyeballs over some words on a page or merely accepting preconceived notions of what the words on the page mean?

Let's apply a modern example of searching or laboring.

We, Joseph Smith Jr. and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit on the sixteenth of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, by the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlarged, so as to see and understand the things of God, even those things which were from the beginning, before the world was, which were ordained of the Father through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father even from the beginning, of whom we bear record.  And the record which we bear is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the Heavenly vision.  For while we were doing the work of translation which the Lord had appointed unto us, we came to the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of John [John 5:5], which was given to us as follows, speaking of the resurrection of the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth, they who have done good in the resurrection of the just, and they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust.  Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit.  And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and we beheld the glory of the Son on the right hand of the Father and received of his fullness,... (D&C 76: 11 - 20, T&C 69 pars. 3 - 4)

What follows is a revelation which those familiar with Mormonism refer to as the vision of the three degrees of glory.

As we look at what Joseph and Sidney are doing with the scriptures as they translate could we say that they were laboring or searching?

Is it the same Spirit, active here in Joseph and Sidney that caused them to marvel as they read this passage of scripture and gave them the revelation of the degrees of glory, that also caused the scripture of James to enter into Joseph's heart and filled Lehi with prophecy and revelation as he searched the brass plates?

What do the scriptures say about those who wrote the scriptures?

We have, therefore, a more sure knowledge of the word of prophecy, to which word of prophecy you would do well to take heed, as unto a light which shines in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts; knowing this first: that no prophecy of the scriptures is given of any private will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (JST 2 Peter 1:19 - 21, NC 2 Peter par. 5)

The scriptures were written by those who were moved by the Holy Ghost to prophesy and reveal.

They contain the things of God.

How are the things of God to be understood?

But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.  But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  Even so the things of God knows no man, except he has the Spirit of God.  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:9 - 13, NC 1 Corinthians par. 8)

As Lehi, Joseph and Sidney were laboring over or searching those things that were written by individuals who were moved upon by the Holy Ghost to write what happened?

When the Spirit moved upon them to enlarge their understandings of what they were reading did that have the effect of moving upon them to create more scripture?

Did these individuals end up writing by the power of the Holy Ghost inspired words that are part of the things of God?

Is that the end of the matter?

Because they followed this pattern is everything of God revealed now?

Let's go back to the vision of the three degrees of glory.

But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his Kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpasses all understanding, in glory, and in might, and in dominion, which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for men to utter, neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him and purify themselves before him, to whom he grants the privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves that through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory. (D&C 76:114 - 118, T&C 69 par. 29)

Did you catch that?

How much of the degrees of glory was revealed?

The Prophet Joseph taught,

I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 305)

How are the revelation and the other things not written to be understood?

Is it possible that other scripture would and could be created by individuals who's understandings are enlarged and opened as they are given to know things of this revelation by the Holy Spirit?

What would be stopping us?

Joseph taught

The great thing for us to know is to comprehend what God did institute before the foundation
of the world. Who knows it? It is the constitutional disposition of mankind to set up stakes and set
bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 320)

I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things
of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will
fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot
stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive
their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 331)

Is it possible for us in our laboring and searching in the scriptures to read into them our traditions and set up bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty?

Is it possible that our traditions make it almost impossible for God to reveal things to us from His scriptures because it would make us fly apart like glass?

Is that what Joseph was referring to as he talked about the people being prepared to receive more concerning the glories of the kingdoms?

Is it possible that if we come from a Mormon tradition that our minds are so set upon what we suppose we know concerning the vision of the degrees of glory that it is impossible for God to reveal more to us concerning the matter?

Is it possible that part of the hundredfold Joseph could have revealed could have been related to a context greater than just this one eternal round?

Joseph spoke in other sermons concerning Jacob's ladder and our progression stretching on into the eons of time.

Could these things be part of the 100 fold more that could be revealed?

Is it possible that our Mormon tradition of "eternal progression" is woefully inaccurate and incomplete but our reading into the scriptures our tradition prevents us from receiving anything more concerning the subject?

Is eternal progression something that God instituted before the foundation of the world?

Would that be a great thing for us to comprehend?

Is it possible that what God could reveal to us in this matter would completely obliterate our traditions and preconceived notions concerning eternal progression?

This is only one example of the possibility of the scriptures opening up a conduit of revelation to us personally.

Let's add to this the following admonition of the Savior to all men.

And again I say unto you, Ye must repent and be baptized in my name and become as a little child or ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God. (3 Nephi 11:38, NC 3 Nephi 5 par. 9)

Are children burdened down by tradition?

Is it in the disposition of children to set bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty?

Are the hearts of children open to receive whatever the Lord would reveal to them?

Is the reason that Lehi and Joseph had their understandings enlarged as they labored over and searched the scriptures because their hearts were as the hearts of children and they paid no attention to tradition?

We have just looked briefly at one example of what has been revealed that has the promise that more could be revealed in the matter.

Is there any declaration or promise of this nature concerning the Book of Mormon?

And now there cannot be written in this book even an hundreth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people.  But behold, the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people.  And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people, and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people from the gentiles according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.  And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first to try their faith, and if it should so be that they shall believe these things, then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.  And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them unto their condemnation.  Behold, I were about to write them all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbid it, saying, I will try the faith of my people. (3 Nephi 26:6 - 11, NC 3 Nephi 12 par. 1)

Is it possible for the Spirit to move upon anyone who is willing to search and labor over the Book of Mormon with the disposition of a child and open up the windows of revelation to them so that they receive new scripture?

Is it a condemnation upon us if we do not do so?

Sariah and Lehi Offer Sacrifice

1 Nephi 5:9, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 22


And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord, and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.  

In the post "Sariah and Lehi" we touched very very briefly that it had appeared that Sariah had grown in light.

A question has come to my mind since that post.

Was it the return of her sons that gave her the confidence that God had commanded them to flee Jerusalem and retrieve the brass plates or had she obtained that confidence by revelation?

Just because she mentions her surety to her sons upon their return could she have obtained a revelation before they returned?

Does the Book of Mormon contain everything that was had among Lehi and his family and among the Nephites?

Is it possible that there could be a "book of Sariah" or a "book of Lehi and Sariah"?

When they first traveled into the wilderness the account reads,

And it came to pass that he (Lehi) built an altar of stones and made an offering unto the Lord and gave thanks unto the Lord our God. (1 Nephi, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 8)

Now we read,

And it came to pass that they (Lehi and Sariah) did rejoice exceedingly and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord, and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel. (1 Nephi, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 22)

Has something changed?

This second event is reminiscent of what is contained in the Book of Moses brought forth by the Prophet Joseph

And Adam called upon the name of the Lord, and Eve also, his wife, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way towards the garden of Eden speaking unto them and they saw Him not,...And He gave unto them commandment that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks for an offering unto the Lord.  And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord...And in that day, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, who bears record of the Father and the Son, saying, I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as you have fallen, you may be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.  And in that day Adam blessed God, and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the Earth, saying, Blessed be the name of God.  For because of my transgression my eyes are open, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.  And Eve his wife heard all these things ans was glad, saying, Were it not for our transgression, we should never had seed, and should never had known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the Eternal life which God gives unto all the obedient. (Moses 5:4 - 11, OC Genesis 3 pars. 2 - 4)

Adam and Eve offered sacrifice together.

Did Adam and Eve have the Law of Moses?

Did Adam and Eve possess the same revelation together?

Was this sacrifice together part of the original religion given to Adam and Eve by God?

Were Lehi and Sariah performing something together that predates the Law of Moses?

Did Sariah and Lehi now possess a same revelation together just like Adam and Eve?

Is the Book of Mormon giving an obscure reference here to an ordinance that belongs to the original religion revealed to Adam and Eve in the beginning?

If sacrifice was part of the original religion God revealed to Adam and Eve and if we are to have all things restored to their original order is it necessary then for sacrifice, even as it was had with Adam and Eve, to be restored?

The following is part of the discourse from the Prophet Joseph given 05 October 1840.  It is recorded in History of the Church, 4:207-212 and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pp. 166 - 173.  I would invite everyone to read the entire discourse and study it.

Andrew F Ehat and Lyndon W Cook editors of the book The Words of Joseph Smith, with a foreward by Truman G Madsen, comment as follows concerning this discourse on page 50 of The Words of Joseph Smith.

 "This discourse is apparently the only discourse for which the Prophet ever prepared a text.  He did not personally deliver this "Treatise on Priesthood," but had his scribe, Robert B. Thompson, read it to the Saints assembled in general conference....In this important address the Prophet makes many important statements on Temple Priesthood the day after announcing plans for the construction of the Nauvoo Temple."

What is here is not someone else's notes of what they understood the Prophet to be saying in a discourse.  These are Joseph's words written down right as Joseph was dictating them.  Therefore we know that these words are true and they are totally and completely from Joseph himself.

The following is from The Words of Joseph Smith. All spelling, capitalization and grammatical errors are preserved from the written discourse.  

Starting in the discourse on page 42 and reading to page 44 of The Words of Joseph Smith we read,

 "And God said unto Noah the end of all flesh is before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold I will destroy them with the earth," thus we behold the Keys of this priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah that he talked with him in a familiar and friendly manner, that he continued to him the Keys, the Covenants, the power and glory with which he blessed Adam at the beginning and the offring of Sacrifice which also shall be continued at the last time, for all ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the priesthood under the direction and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation.  Therefore all things had under the Authority of the Priesthood at any former period shall be had again - bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets.  "then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord Se[e] Malichi 3 Chap. 3&4 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of Silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord.  It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine, set forth in the above quotation, As it is generally supposed that Sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice was offered up- and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of Sacrifice in the future, but those who assert this, are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood.  or with the prophets The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the priesthood.  It began with the priesthood and will be continued until after the coming of Christ from generation to generation-We free-quently have mention made of offering of Sacrifice by the servants of the most high in ancient days prior to the law of moses, See which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority power and blessings."

This next part of the the discourse, which talks about the coming of Elijah to restore all these things necessary for the ordinances of the temple to be attended to in righteousness, is also very interesting. The Kirtland temple was dedicated in 1836 and this discourse was given October 5 1840 fully more than four years following the Kirtland temple. Tradition dictates that Elijah restored a fulness of all priesthood power and authority in the Kirtland temple.  Joseph is teaching that that is not the case.  The Prophet Joseph made references to the mission of Elijah also in 1842, 1843, and as late a January and March 1844, just a few months before his death, as a future event. In his January 1844 discourse Joseph also stated, 

"...I would to God that this temple was now done that we might go into it & go to work & improve our time & make use of the seals while they are on earth the Saints have none to much time to save & redeem their dead, & gather together their living relatives that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten..." (The Words of Joseph Smith p.318.)  

Joseph knew that the time was short for the seals to be on the earth before he would be taken.  He desperately encouraged the saints to complete the temple before that time.

The discourse continues,

"Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will, (a reference to a yet future event) before the last dispensation, restore the authority and delive[r] the Keys of this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness. It is true that the Savior had authority and power to bestow this blessing but the Sons of Levi were too predjudi[ced].  

And I will send Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord &c &c.  Why send Elijah because he holds the Keys of Authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood and without the authority is given the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.  It is a very prevalent opinion that the sacrifices which were offered were entirely consumed, this was not the case if you read Leviticus [2] Chap [2-3] verses you will observe that the priests took a part as a memorial and offered it up before the Lord, while the remainder was kept for the maintenance of the priests.  So that the offerings and sacrifices are not all consumed upon the Alter, but the blood is sprinkled and the fat and certain other portions are consumed  These sacrifices as well as every ordinance belonging to the priesthood will when the temple of the Lord shall be built and the Sons of Levi be purified be fully restored and attended to then all their powers ramifications ramifications and blessings- this ever was and will exist when the powers of the Melchisid Priesthood are sufficiently manifest.  Else how can the restitution of all things spoken by all the Holy Prophets be brought to pass  It is not to be understood that, the law of moses will be established again with all it rights and variety of ceremonies, this has never been spoken of by the prophets but those things which existed prior to Mose's day viz Sacrifice will be continued- It may be asked by some what necessity for Sacrifice since the great Sacrifice was offered?  In answer to which if Repentance Baptism and faith existed prior to the days of Christ what necessity for them since that time-"

Is what is occurring here with Lehi and Sariah an obscure allusion to the possibility that Lehi and his family possessed the original religion given to Adam and Eve?

Was this a work of restoration that God was performing with Lehi and his family?

The Book of Mormon does contain a fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Is this event alluding to what the Prophet Joseph was teaching needed to be restored, as far as sacrifice is concerned?

Is what Sariah and Lehi are doing here part of what will be had in a temple when the Lord commands one to be built?

When God revealed the original religion to Adam and Eve did He reveal it to them together?

What is so important about a husband and a wife receiving something together?

The following is from the talk "Marriage and Family" delivered in St George on the 26th of July 2014 by Denver Snuffer.

Adam and Eve had sons and daughters, their children likewise were married and they had sons
and daughters. They were visited and they were instructed by the angel. They were baptized,
then they received the Holy Ghost. Look what is provided by access to the Holy Ghost in verse
66 in chapter 6. They are baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, this is the record of the
Father and Son from henceforth and forever. It's also referred to and defined more in verse 61:
"It is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of
immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all
things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth,
justice, and judgment."
So that is what was within them. What happens when they are so endowed and they are
equipped? This is Moses chapter 5, verses 10 and 11. I am so glad that these verses were restored
to us, because contained in this is a much, much greater lesson if you have the eyes to see it:
"And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the
families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my
eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God."That's Adam prophesying what is going to befall all the future generations. That was what Adam
did. Now look at what Eve did: "And Eve, his wife, heard all these things [the prophecy comes
through Adam, Eve hears it] and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never
should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our
redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient."
There is a profound difference between, the response to the power of the Spirit upon these two.
With respect to its effect upon Adam on the one hand, and its effect upon Eve on the other, there
was a fundamental difference. These were remarkably different reactions. To the man it is, that
he prophesies, that is, he declares the truth. The "truth" being a knowledge of things as they are,
and as they were, and as they are to come. That definition is given to us in the Doctrine and
Covenants.6 This is the role of the man, and this is the role Adam fulfilled. But to Eve on the
other hand, she obtains wisdom through the Spirit.
The role of the man is knowledge, the role of the woman is wisdom, and you see that on display
right here in these verses. It is role of the woman to have the understanding, to take the prophecy
that has been delivered by Adam, to process it and to say, here is what it means. This is the role
of the woman. This is the gift of the woman. This is eternally the role of the woman. This is why
there is a male and there is a female. In many respects the gift of wisdom eludes the male, and in
many respects the gift of knowledge eludes the female. I'm not talking about "knowledge" in the
sense that a woman can't have a PhD. Two of the brightest people I know are daughters of mine.
It's not that I am referring to. I'm talking about knowledge in a godly sense. Knowledge in "the
gift of God" sense, and I'm talking about wisdom in "the gift of God" sense, and the scriptural
sense. This is an example.
Now look at verse 12. "And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God." [And how did they do
that? They did that by a ritual. They did that by offering sacrifice. They did that by observing
what they understood, but they did it together.] "And they," [it is they, the two of them,] "they
made all things known unto their sons and their daughters." [This was not Adam preaching
repentance, this was not Eve preaching repentance. This was they, both together. This was the
two of them. They are equally yoked. This is the two of them joined together to make the
declaration. They together. The two of them however, beginning in verse 12, begin to make all
things known unto their sons and daughters after they had been adequately prepared to
understand and declare the truth. They were first prepared before they began to preach.

Is it possible that in this quick reference to Lehi and Sariah offering sacrifice and giving thanks to the God of Israel that we see a glimpse of all that has been shared above?

Is the original religion revealed to Adam and Eve by God intended to be a religion where a man (who has the role of receiving Godly knowledge) and a woman (who has the role of imparting Godly wisdom) are married by covenant (between God and each other) and receive together understanding and revelations whereby with the combined knowledge and wisdom they possess they are able to invite and persuade their children to live in righteousness?

Ultimately, is revelation intended to be received by a husband and wife together?

Would that make them "one flesh"?

Could it be said of them that they had become of "one mind"?

Would this make them "one in purpose"?

If this is the original religion or part of it then does it reflect heaven?

Is it possible that the original religion is meant to teach, by experience, what it is that our Divine Parents do; receive together and wisely impart knowledge to their offspring to invite and seek to persuade their offspring to follow after them in righteousness?

Is this event in the Book of Mormon meant to be an introduction to us; an invitation to us to look into marriage?

A Book of Mormon Witness and Invitation

This post is like another one on this blog in that it does not follow the format that I have been following so far.

I was listening to a good brother speak about the power of witnessing with the Book of Mormon from a Joseph Smith Restoration Conference held in Boise Idaho last Saturday, June 08th.

He brought up the original history of those who began to witness of the Restoration using the Book of Mormon.

Their witness was that the Book of Mormon was truly a divine scriptural text and they did not try to use the Bible to prove it.

This brother's message was that the Book of Mormon has power all by itself to witness for itself that it is part of a Restoration work the Lord began with Joseph Smith.

I agree with this good brother.

I have been very hesitant to share, at large, my witness of the Book of Mormon.  

I have been fearful to invite people to search out the Book of Mormon for themselves.

This presentation from this good brother was a call to repentance for me and I give thanks for it.

Below, I have copied a letter to the editor that I intend to distribute to as many newspapers as possible in the hopes that some might publish it.

I also intend to search out other digital outlets to see if they might also post it.  

I do this in the hopes that some may be persuaded to accept the invitation to look into the Book of Mormon for themselves as if they had never heard of it before.

I post the letter here because I do not know if anyone might run into it here and somehow be influenced by it.

To All Christians,

I would ask for your time and consideration concerning an invitation involving a very important topic.

I am not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I do not seek to promote the LDS church. 

I am not a member of any sect claiming to have as its founder Joseph Smith.  I do not seek to promote any Mormon sect.   

I am not a member of any religious denomination, organization or society.  I do not seek to promote any religious denomination, organization, or society.

I am an independent Christian. 

I believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God who was sent as the Messenger of Heaven to proclaim salvation to all who would believe on Him and Him alone.

I believe what Christ declared; “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

I believe that Christ, the Son of God, was crucified, died and rose again the third day the first fruits of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:20-22); just as the prophets testified He would.

What I invite any and all individuals who identify themselves as “Christians” to do is to read and carefully consider the contents of the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith; independent of the LDS Church, independent of any other Mormon sects, and independent of anything stated by any religious organization, denomination, society or person concerning Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.

This may seem a very strange request given my stated independence from any organization.  Please, let me explain.

As Christians, we claim that the Bible contains the word of God.  We claim the Bible to be scripture and to contain the revealed words of God to individuals who testified that they had communion with God and Christ and who testified that salvation was and is to come through Jesus Christ.  They pointed to Christ.  We even declare that the Law of Moses, described in the Bible, with all of its ceremonies and sacrifices was established to point to Christ as Savior and Redeemer of all men.

There are literally thousands of distinct religious denominations, organizations and sects that claim the Bible as scripture canon. 

Does anyone of these bodies own the Bible? Does anyone of these bodies own any or all the truth contained in the Bible?

Truth in the Bible comes from God.  It is owned exclusively by Him.  He brings forth His truth among all humanity, to anyone who will listen, to bless the lives of all.  He desires that all men would write His truth on the tables of their hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3).  God’s truth is not the property of any man or any organization.

The same principle applies for any or all of God’s truth contained in the Book of Mormon and any or all of God’s truth contained in the teachings of Joseph Smith.

Neither the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the “Mormons”, nor any Mormon sect owns any of God’s truth that may be contained in the Book of Mormon or in the teachings of Joseph Smith.  It is not their property no matter what they claim.

If there is any of God’s truth contained in the Book of Mormon or the teachings of Joseph Smith those truths belong to God and God alone and they are sent forth from Him to all humanity for their blessing and benefit.

God invites all humanity to search everything to see if His truth is there and then cling to what truth, if any, is found. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

This is why I invite all Christians to consider the message of the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith independent of any organization and independent of what any organization or person might say concerning them.  Take the matter to God who possesses all truth.

Joseph Smith, in his own history, stated that he was seeking God and knew not where to go to find him; for all men preached differently of God.  He was impressed by and pondered on the teachings of James chapter 1 verse 5 in the New Testament.  “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Joseph decided to take the matter to God.  Joseph went alone to a grove of trees near his home and knelt and asked God what to do.  He received an answer from God.

A test of Joseph’s experience is not a test of Joseph but a test of James.  Joseph testified that James was correct.  Any man may ask God a question and God will not upbraid him but will give him an answer. 

Joseph taught that we each individually should go to God to find our answers and trust in God and God alone.

Joseph taught that the way of salvation is through Jesus Christ the Son of God.  He taught that Christ had prepared the way for any who will exercise faith in Christ to be saved in the Kingdom of God.

The Book of Mormon  likewise teaches, “…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.” (Helaman 5:9)

also, “…cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be unto the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.  Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” (Alma 37: 36-37)

No individual except Christ possesses power to save the souls of humanity.  The Book of Mormon clearly states , “…the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.  And whoso knocketh, to him will he open;…”(2 Nephi 9:41-42)

The prophecies in the Book of Mormon give warning that there will be men in our day who declare that they have the power to permit or to deny salvation but they will deny miracles wrought by God. “And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men;  Behold hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work.” (2 Nephi 28:5-6)

All Christians know, and the Bible and the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith all teach, that God is a God of miracles.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)(Mormon 9:15 – 25). 

To grant salvation to one who believes in Christ is a miracle wrought by Christ not a work accomplished by any man, group of men, religious society or denomination. 

God and Christ continue their work among humanity in power and great glory and have not imparted their power to any individual or organization to save or condemn any part of humanity.  Christ holds that power alone.  He is the keeper of the gate and He cannot be deceived.

The Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith invite all to come to Christ to be saved. 

I invite all Christians to prove these things.  Go to God and ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not if His truth, any or all of it, is contained in the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith.

 I witness that God will speak to and answer any individual who sincerely asks Him a question. 

If God answers that His truth is in the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith then follow His truth in them.  If He answers that His truths are not there then discard them.

I only invite that this matter be taken up between you personally and God not between you and any other individual, organization, denomination, or society. 

Let it be an independent appraisal and then be accountable to God alone for your answers and your actions with respect to your answers. 

I witness that He is willing to direct the affairs of anyone who seeks Him to their salvation.  God and Christ alone are the only ones worthy of our worship, adoration and obedience.

Jon Saunders

Central, Utah

The Book of Mormon can be found for free on www.scriptures.info in the volume titled New Covenants that contians both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith can be found at the same website for free in the volume Teachings and Commandments.

God's Restoration, in all its glory, can be discovered in these things.

I know that the principles, teachings, tenants, and the Doctrine of Christ found in the Book of Mormon and in the teachings of the Prophet Joseph are the words and will of God unto salvation.

I know this because of His mercy by His Holy Spirit.

Sariah and Lehi

1 Nephi 5:1 - 8, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 21

And it came to pass that after we had came down into the wilderness unto our father, behold he was filled with joy.  And also my mother, Sariah, was exceeding glad, for she truly had mourned because of us; for she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness.  And she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man, saying, Behold, thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.  And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.  And it had came to pass that my father spake unto her saying, I know that I am a visionary man, for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision, I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem and had perished with my brethren.  But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.  And after this manner of language did my father Lehi comfort my mother Sariah concerning us while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem to obtain the record of the Jews.  And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold, their joy was full, and my mother was comforted; and she spake, saying, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons and delivered them out of the hands Laban and gave them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them.  And after this manner of language did she speak.

I have to confess that up to this point I have always read this part of the Book of Mormon and simply thought to myself, Well here we see the unbelief of Sariah and the patience of Lehi.

I really believe that I have been incredibly wrong and in need of repentance.

I have never before read the Book of Mormon with the understanding in mind that God chose what was to be included and therefore, in my mind, there is an important lesson to be learned by this experience that does not, in my present understanding, include showing Sariah in a bad light.

From the principles that I have learned from our little Book of Mormon study group I am now inclined to believe that this event was recorded with the intent that we be able to see a real and tender exchange between a husband and a wife at a very trying time when they do not know what the outcome of what the Lord commanded will be.

I cannot remember any other recorded event in the Book of Mormon of a husband and a wife having a conversation or discussion together concerning an important matter.

In my mind that would make this exchange between Sariah and Lehi a very important recorded event.

As a group we believe that there is one way individuals can obtain a fullness of joy even as God possess it; That is by being in a loving faithful vibrant marriage between one man and one woman.

I would like to present a couple of things to give some background as to why we believe this.

I served a Spanish speaking LDS mission many years back.  In the Spanish language if a group of people mentioned, even if it is only two people, and just one of them is male then the group is refered to with a masculine pronoun.

I did not know that Hebrew is the same. 

In both Spanish and Hebrew a married couple would be refered to with maculine pronouns.

With that in mind let's look at scripture.

"And I, God, created man in my own image. In the image of my Only Begotten created I him. Male and female created I them.  And I, God, blessed them." (Moses, OC Genesis 2 par 8)

God created man, male and female, in God's own image and in the image of God's Only Begotten Son.

What is the image of God?

The image of God is a man and a woman; a husband and a wife.

Is this also the image of God's Only Begotten Son from the beginning?

Only in this image is it possible to obtain a fullness of joy.

There is much more light and truth given concerning this matter in two talks. 

One of the talks I will only refer to here, "Our Divine Parents," Denver Snuffer, April 2018, given in Mesa Arizona.

The other talk, Marriage and Family, I would like to quote at length to persuade all to believe that the image of God is in a loving, light filled marriage between one man and one woman.

If you go to Genesis chapter 2 verse 18 it says: "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the
man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." [If it is not good for man to be
alone, we have to necessarily conclude that if you're going to be "good" in the sense that God
desires for man to be good, you have to be with a woman. There has to be a union of the man and
the woman. Otherwise no matter who you are, no matter what you are, no matter what virtues
you may hold, you cannot be, in the eyes of God. Meaning "good" in the sense God uses the
word "good" to describe the condition of man in his separate, single state.]
The work of God, after all, is to bring to pass "the immortality and the eternal life of man." That
is not even a possibility if you do not have the man and the woman together. The condition of
“eternal life” requires procreation. Therefore, it is not "good" for man to be alone.
In the creation, this is preceding chapter of Genesis chapter 1, the creation of man is described:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it." (Genesis 1:27 - 28) [You see, when it comes to the image of
God, the image of God is both male and female. That is who the Eloheim are. When we talk
about the “Eloheim” a singular verb is used. That is, the Eloheim “is.” This singular verb is used
despite the fact that the word “Eloheim” is plural. Why would you use a single verb with a plural
noun? The reason you would do that is they two are one. It is because there is no difference
between the Father and His Consort, the one about whom so little is said. ("Marriage and Family," St George, Lecture 9, Denver Snuffer, July 26, 2014)

If the Book of Mormon is the keystone to the religion that Joseph was seeking to restore, the religion of Adam, then it necessarily must include teachings about the image of God, or in other words marriage between one man and one woman.

What does Jacob have to say about this subject?

"But the word of God burthens me because of your grosser crimes.  For behold, thus saith the Lord, this people begins to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms because of the things which are written concerning David, and Solomon, his son.  Behold, David, and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.  Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.  Wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.  Wherefore, my brethren, hear me and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall have none, for I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women.  And whoredoms are an abomination before me, thus saith the Lord of hosts.  Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.  For if I will, saith the Lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people.  Otherwise, they shall hearken unto these things: For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem,..." (Jacob, NC Jacob 2 pars. 6 - 8)

Jacob clearly stated that if the Lord intended a people to take more wives and concubines to raise up seed He would have commanded it but He has not commanded any such thing.

Jacob further stated,

"Behold, the Lamanites, your brethren whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursings which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you.  For they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord which was given unto our fathers, that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.  And now this commandment they observe to keep.  Wherefore, because of this observance in keeping this commandment the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them, and one day they shall become a blessed people.  Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands, and their husbands and their wives love their children,..." (Jacob, NC Jacob 2 par. 11)

It would appear from what Jacob declared that their family life qualified the Lamanites to be preserved inspite of the other incorrect and filthy things the Lamanites did because of their cursings.

What should a marriage be like to qualify to be in the image of God or something that God would want to preserve into the next life?

Can it be said concerning your own marriage, that it is not good for the man to be alone? Are the
two of you together, better than what each of you are alone? Is your marriage a source of joy, of
happiness, of contentment, of companionship? The Lord told them to multiply and replenish the
earth. Do you find within your family relationship there is joy, rejoicing and happiness as a
consequence of the environment you and your wife have put together in your home?
As a woman, is your relationship in the image of God? Is there godliness about the way in which
you and your husband interact? If you had to reckon whether or not someone, looking at the two
of you, would see in you the image of God, would they? These are not just happy notions for the
afterlife, these ought to be descriptions of what your marriage could and should look like. Can
you sense the glory of God in your marriage? Remember, we looked at this in D&C 93:36. "The
glory of God is intelligence, or another words Light and Truth." The glory of God being light,
the glory of God being truth. Is that something present in the marriage that you now have? Is
your marriage filled with life? With light? With truth? With understanding?
Turn back to D&C 121, there a couple versus there that I want to call to your attention,
particularly if you view the man and the woman together as one. Read these verses as if they
describe "the one," which is you and your wife. This is beginning at verse 40. "Many are called,
but few are chosen. No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the
priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love
unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without
hypocrisy, and without guile."
Within your family, within your marriage, are you and your wife learning to use persuasion?
Within your marriage, are you and your husband learning to use gentleness in dealing with one
another? Are the two of you together, facing one another, in all the difficulties that come as a
result of being married, are you facing that together in meekness? Do you find that, in all the
relationship troubles, turmoil, and challenges, together you face it all with mutual kindness? Is
there a search for understanding that results in pure knowledge, when it comes to any dilemma
you two confront?
Look at verse 37: "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to
cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or
compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the
heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen
to the priesthood or the authority of that man." [It has been my observation that as soon as the
Spirit of the Lord withdraws, that quickly will another spirit step in to assure you that you right,
that you should be vindicated, that you ought to proceed on in the arrogance of your heart to feel
yourself justified and vindicated. There are false spirits that go about, but there is no better an
audience to receive the whisperings of those false spirits, than the abusers of their authority.
Those who, having grieved the Spirit and caused it to withdraw, then accept counsel from
another spirit saying: "You are right, press on! Well done! You are good and you are doing good
using this great authority from God! You will be vindicated. This is all God's work, and you're a
great man because you are engaged in God's work! Do not back down, do not relent. Forget
about persuasion, you should never be long-suffering, you should make those under your rule
suffer if they resist your power. They should yield to your rule. There is no place for meekness.
We believe in a God of strength, a God of power, a God whose work can be done despite the
frailties of man! God’s work cannot fail, and you are doing God’s work! There is no need for
men to be meek. And it's kind in the end, to punish, and to force, and coerce, because we have a
good objective in mind." This false spirit influences much of what happens today among the
Latter-day Saints. It grieves God, and leaves the Saints in a state of confusion.]
All the lies and all the deceit that led to Catholicism falling into the abyss it fell into are presently
in play with the Latter-day Saints. Those same deceiving spirits who worked this deception out
long ago, are now taking the Restoration of the Gospel as another opportunity for them. And so
they once again whisper to the priests and the priests listen. As soon as the Spirit of God is
withdrawn, another spirit convinces men they have God’s power, and therefore cannot go astray.
So, does your marriage help you avoid covering your sins? You are never going to solve this
problem in a community of Zion, until you first begin to solve it the walls within your own home. You are never going to have Zion somewhere in a community, until first that community
has been composed of those who have a marriage that is in the image of God.
Does your marriage help you to avoid “gratifying your pride?” Does it help hold down your
“vain ambition?” Is your ambition to exalt the two of you, rather than the one of you? Does it
bring you time and time again, to not exercise control, but to respect the freedom to choose?
Your children will make mistakes. It is not your job to force them to avoid the mistakes. It is
your job to counsel them, and to let them have the experience through which your counsel then
makes sense, and is vindicated. You hope the mistakes they make are not too serious, but even if
they are serious and they involve lifelong struggles, it is their right to choose. It is your
obligation to teach and to persuade, and then to rejoice when they return after they are tired of
filling their bellies with the husks the pigs are fed. It is your job to go and greet them and put a
robe on their shoulder and put a ring on their hand and to the kill the fatted calf. It's not your job
to beat them and chain them to the farm so that they cannot go away and behave foolishly. They
need to know that your bonds of love towards them are stronger than death itself.5 They need to
know that they will endure as an object of your love within your heart into eternity. Not only
your children, but one another, because we all make mistakes. Do not exercise dominion, do not
exercise compulsion; but exercise long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and kindness. Some of
the biggest disasters come when you did not give people the right to choose freely, and you
attempt to coerce them. Be wise, be prudent, be someone who they would respect and who they
would gladly listen to. Your children will correctly measure you in the end, even if they do not
do so at the beginning.
Look at Doctrine and Covenants section 130, starting with verse 18. We have looked at these
verses in several contexts, but we need to look at them again today in this context: "Whatever
principle of intelligence (and understand that means Light and Truth) we attain unto in this life, it
will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in
this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in
the world to come. There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this
world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it
is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."
Think about those verses and as an invitation to work this out inside your marriage first. To work
out, inside the relationship between you and your wife, the principle of intelligence that gives
you the opportunity to be diligent, the opportunity to be obedient, the opportunity to gain
experience that will make you more like God. Your marriage is a laboratory to prove you, and to
let you become more intelligent." ("Marriage and Family," St George, Lecture 9, Denver Snuffer, July 26, 2014)

As we look at the conversation between Sariah and Lehi can we see any of the above principles in action in their marriage during this very trying time?

Is there a search for understanding here that results in increased knowledge?

Is there persuasion?

Is there light and truth shared?

I don't know if I am right but I get the feeling that this conversation took place over time. 

Is it possible that it took a significant amount of time to retrieve the plates of brass?

Was Sariah being impossible when she pointed out the dire situation they were in being in the wilderness and possibly losing their sons?

Isn't it interesting that the record states that Lehi's response to Sariah's concerns was to comfort her?

Did Lehi ever use any appeal to his authority as father to answer Sariah's concern?

Did Sariah grow in light as a result of this experience?

Is it important that she shared her witness of her surety that the Lord had sent them into the wilderness and that the Lord had protected their sons?

Is this account included in the Book of Mormon to show not only growth but also to show a good example of a husband and a wife working together to uphold and sustain each other in a very difficult time?

Would it be important for such an event to be recorded to demonstrate actions the Lord would approve of between a husband and a wife?

I am constantly mentioning the inadequacy of being able to share all that is possible to find in the Book of Mormon in this blog but it is reality.

I do believe that this account of Sariah and Lehi together is meant for us to look into in order to learn and grow in our relationship with our spouse.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in this subject to read and study both talks and also a book called Bonds That Make US Free.

These are most excellent resources to assist a husband and wife seeking to create a home that reflects heaven.

Evidence of Nephi's Kingship

1 Nephi 4:, NC 1 Nephi 1 pars. 18 - 20

And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them on mine own body, yea, every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.  And after I had done this I went forth unto the treasury of Laban.  And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold I saw the servant of Laban, who had the keys of the treasury.  And I commanded him in the voice of the Laban that he should go with me into the treasury; and he supposing me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.  And he spake unto me cancerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master Laban had been out by night among them.  And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.  And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings which were upon the plates of brass to my elder brethren who were without the walls.  And I also bade him that he should follow me.  And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore, he did follow me.  And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews as I went forth unto my brethren who were without the walls.  And it came to pass that when Laman saw me, he was exceedingly frightened and also Lemuel and Sam.  And they fled from before my presence for they supposed it was Laban and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.  And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore, they did cease to flee from my presence.  And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren, he began to tremble and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.  And now I, Nephi, being a man of large stature and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore, I did seize upon the servant of Laban and held him that he should not flee.  And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth and as I live, even so, that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.  And I spake unto him even with an oath that he need not fear, that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.  And I also spake unto him, saying, Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord?  Therefore if thou wilt go down in the wilderness to our father, thou shalt have place with us.  And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake.  Now Zoram was the name of the servant, and he promised that he would go down unto the wilderness unto our father.  Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.  Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness lest they should pursue us and destroy us.  And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath to us, our fears did cease concerning him.  And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban and departed into the wilderness and journeyed unto the tent of our father.

At this point can we address Nephi's favored status a little bit?

Before doing so we should ask the question, Was it possible for Nephi's brothers to obtain to the exact same "favored" status as Nephi or was Nephi somehow magically better than they were?

Remember what Alma taught concerning the ordination of priests of the order that Nephi was called to by the Lord?

"And thus they have called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds - while if it had not been for this, they might had as great privilege as their brethren- or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren." (Alma 13:4, NC Alma 9 par. 10)

As a group we have discussed the attribute of God that He is no respecter of persons; all who approach Him diligently in humility will find Him.

We believe that Nephi's brothers had just as much right to exercise faith in God in the assignment to retrieve the brass plates as Nephi did.

We have looked at the failures they went through in order to ultimately succeed in getting the plates.

If Laman and Lemuel had not lost their resolve but had trusted in the Lord is it possible that they all might have emerged from the task as favored individuals?

If someone truly desires to repent, or turn to the Lord, does the Lord make them wait to receive His grace?

If Laman and Lemuel had decided, even after the angel had come, to repent and not be wroth but be believing, could the Lord have healed them even then and had them participate in the final successful effort to retrieve the plates?

We do not know much about Sam; just that he believed in Nephi's words.

According to the scriptures that is a gift of the Spirit.

"To some is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.  To others it is given to believe on their words, that the also might have Eternal life, if they continue faithful." (D&C 46:13 - 14, T&C 32 par. 5)

It would appear that it might be a preparatory gift.  Nevertheless Sam possessed it.

One thing that we have learned together in our study group is that those who are the true servants of God, those who are favored, do not lay claim to titles or greatness.

The Lord is the one who renames them, so to speak, after they have accomplished the tasks He commands them to do.  This seems to constitute their "title"; it is an indication of a successfully completed task.

The work the Lord commands must be completed before any "title" is given and it is the Lord who gives the "title" or new name to the person.  The person will not claim any "title" nor assume any "distinction" among his/her peers.

They direct all glory to God.

Let's look at Nephi as an example of this.

Was it Nephi who declared he would be favored of the Lord in this assignment?

"And now, behold, thy brothers murmur saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.  Therefore go my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord because thou hast not murmured." (1 Nephi 3:6, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 10)

It was Nephi's prophetic father who declared it.

Did Nephi ever declare or act in a way that showed he felt superior to his brothers?

Didn't Nephi's plan fail?

If Nephi was "favored" why did he feel sorrowful, and have his life threatened, and why was he  beaten by a rod?

What was the proof that Nephi was favored of the Lord in this assignment?

"...before departing from Jerusalem it was Nephi, not Lehi, who possessed the Sword of Laban, brass plates, and indicia of kingship."(Joseph Smith Papers 2, Denver Snuffer Blog, October 4, 2016)

Nephi was required to complete the task in order to possess any evidence that he had been favored of God in the task.

What was the greatest labor in accomplishing the task?

If Nephi had not performed the labor of persuading his brothers to continue in the task; if he had simply said go back to dad and I will do this, would he have successfully completed the task?

We feel that part of his being favored, along with leaving Jerusalem with the emblems of kingship, was also in his obtaining the skills and attributes he had acquired by working alongside his brothers and receiving an increase of faith in the Lord.

Is it significant that it took three tries to accomplish the task?

It wasn't one or two or four or more tries it was three.

We can see from the scriptures that everything Nephi did required work and effort; physical and faith filled effort.

There was no delegating.

"It was Nephi, not Lehi, who received the revelation giving instructions on how to build the boat for the trip to the promised land. It was Nephi who received the more fulsome revelation of the tree of life. It was Nephi who was shown the entire sweep of history in a revelation summarized in 1 Nephi chapters 11-14. Nephi prepared, and God preserved the Small Plates of Nephi as the foundational scripture of the Book of Mormon. Mormon did not abridge Nephi–we have his record in full."(Joseph Smith Papers 2, Denver Snuffer Blog, October 4, 2016)

Isn't it in the looking back on life, at what the Lord has done in giving gifts and strength for an individual to complete everything He has commanded them to do, what allows that individual to know that because of their faith in Christ they have been favored? 

This is what Nephi penned after 40 years of reflection upon what the Lord had done for him.

"And having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days, yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God,..." (1 Nephi 1:1, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 1) 

Was it in the remembrance of all of the physical labor and the meditation and the study and the crying unto God that Nephi is able to see God's goodness manifest in these events and therefore see that he had been favored?

In the context of Nephi's life he ministered to very few individuals.  

He had his family and the family of Ishmael.  

All of his labors were confined to them yet within this very small sphere of influence Nephi was able to work and toil and labor and sacrifice in faith for them and look back and see the evidence that the Lord had favored him in all of it.

There was no title or office or percs.  

There was only work and sacrifice.

The evidence of favor consisted in God being willing to manifest His goodness and His mysteries to Nephi as he toiled, sacrificed and labored.

What does it mean for God to manifest his goodness?

What does it mean for God to manifest His mysteries?

In my small sphere of influence could I also work in faith, willing to sacrifice for God, and be able to look back over my life and see evidence of God's favor; of Him manifesting His goodness and His mysteries to me in my labors?

Is this what has been going on from the beginning?

Is Nephi being favored of God an example the Lord placed in the Book of Mormon to show us that we in our own small spheres of influence can by our faithful labor and sacrifice for the Lord by ministering to others also become favored and receive of His goodness and mysteries just like Nephi?

This seems to be an important lesson we could learn.

We do not need some great podium from which to proclaim anything in order to be favored of God.

"The agenda for you is different than the agenda for me. Your needs are different than mine. Your responsibilities are different than mine. You have your own family, you have your own ward, you have your own neighbors and you have your own issues. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters – you are part of a community somewhere. And inside of that, all of you need to listen to the voice of God because he loves everyone. He loves that eccentric aunt that you just dread having come around. You can't for the life of you, understand why she thinks cloves should be poked into a turkey on Thanksgiving. You wonder if maybe there should be a procedure that more easily confines her to someplace where they administer psychotropic drugs. God loves her as much as He loves you. God loves all of us. Your agenda, and the people you can affect, and the relief that you can administer, and the needs that are in front of your eyes day by day, are uniquely yours. And the relief that you can grant to those around you, that's yours. It was given to you by God as a gift. Don't harden your heart." (Lecture 3 - Repentance, 40 Years in Mormonism, Denver Snuffer, September 29, 2013)

Isn't this what Nephi did?

Just a couple of things about Zoram and Nephi's initial encounter:

Is it possible that Nephi received an gift of the Spirit to be able to talk in the voice of Laban?

Were Zoram's eyes holden so that he did not recognize Nephi only Laban's garments and sword?

Is this a manifestation of God's goodness to Nephi in this task?

Isn't it interesting that the only mention of "keys" in the Book of Mormon is right here?

Zoram had the keys to the treasury of Laban.

The Book of Mormon which the Prophet Joseph declared to contain the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ only contains this one mention of any "keys" and they don't have anything to do with any "priesthood."

Again, outside the walls of Jerusalem, is the Lord's goodness manifest in giving Nephi strength to hold Zoram so he could not flee back to Jerusalem?

How does Nephi have authority to invoke again the name of the Lord to make an oath with Zoram?

Was it always intended by the Lord that Zoram would become part of Lehi's party and eventually a family member fleeing to the Promised Land?

"...notwithstanding our afflictions we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands, a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed.  Yea, the Lord hath consecrated this land unto me and to my children forever and also all they who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord." (2 Nephi 1:5, NC 2 Nephi 1 par. 1)

If we are to take Lehi's words at face value doesn't that mean that anyone who has come here to the Americas, regardless of the manner in which they came, have been led here by the hand of the Lord?

Many times as a group we end up with more questions than answers as we study the Book of Mormon together.

We are sure that we are just scratching the surface and that there is so much more to be found.

We also know that everyone's understandings are different and that can lead to many new and wonderful discoveries in the Book of Mormon that we are unaware of at present.

We hope that our questions will lead to more and more contact with the Holy Spirit that we may be made holy.