Day 29 - Helaman 11-16; D&C 113-116; Abraham 5; JS Matthew

[pam]

Helaman 14:14 I give unto you…a sign of his death

The timing of Christ’s death is not specified in Mormon’s abridgement of Samuel’s prophecy, but Samuel apparently prophesied the approximate lifespan of Christ. This is evidenced by the fact that the people in AD 34 began to look for the sign of his death, the thirty and third year had passed away; And the people began to look with great earnestness for the sign which had been given by the prophet Samuel, the Lamanite, yea for the time that there should be darkness for the space of three days over the face of the land (3 Ne 8:3). It is truly remarkable that the Lord allowed Samuel to give the exact timing of such an apocalyptic event. What is even more remarkable is that the people did not repent in preparation. Rather, they continued in their wickedness arguing about what those signs were to mean until it was too late and they were destroyed (3 Ne 8:4-23).

[KeithLBrown]

Originally Posted by pam

I know. The time has gone quickly and I really am so enjoying this. I am looking forward to the next challenge.

That is good. It is my humble prayer that even for those who joined us and were unbale to complete the challenge, that it has encouraged them and motivated them to become better students of the Word and that they will want to read it on a more consistent basis. That was the ultimate goal of this challenge. And, if that goal was achieved than this challenge can be counted as a huge blessing and success for everyone.

I received a note from Seanette and she is working on the reading schedule for the New Testament reading challenge that starts on 10 August.

[pam]

Helaman 14:30-31

For those who choose to cast blame on others for their own downfalls, this scripture plainly speaks this is not so.

30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowlege and he hath made you free.

31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.

[pam]

Helaman 15:12 in the latter times the promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites

“Contrary to the opinion of those who may have read the Book of Mormon only superficially or who have not read it at all and formed opinions based on hearsay, it does not portray a consistently negative image of the Lamanites. It does suggest a glorious future for this choice people. Samuel the Lamanite testified: ‘The promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, . . . they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep’ (Helaman 15:12-13; see also 3 Nephi 5:21-23).

“Significantly Latter-day Saints shall have a role in assisting the Lamanites to achieve their destiny. Nephi spoke of the time when the Gentiles would take the Book of Mormon to the remnant of his people:

‘The gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.
And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.’ (2 Nephi 30:5-6)

“…In 1947, Elder Spencer W. Kimball envisioned the Lamanites' glorious future. He saw them as leaders in business, law, government, the arts, literature, and in the Church. ‘I saw the Church growing in rapid strides and I saw wards and stakes organized. I saw stakes by the hundreds [and] a temple.’ The first truly ‘Lamanite’ stake was organized in Mexico City in 1961, and by 1989, there were 100 stakes in Mexico alone. In 1983 a temple was dedicated there, and within a few years one half dozen temples were opened in predominantly Lamanite areas of Latin America and Polynesia. In 1990, 58% of the Church's 330,877 converts were baptized in Latin America.

“The Lamanites truly are a people of destiny. When Church members more accurately appreciate the image and more fully understand the teachings of the Book of Mormon concerning the Lamanites, they should not feel the least hesitancy or embarrassment about sharing this book and its message with the descendants of these people. On the contrary, they should be eager to fulfill their responsibility to do so.” (Richard O. Cowan, Book of Mormon Symposium Series, Helaman 3 – 3 Nephi 8, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD Tate, Jr., p. 262-4)

[pam]

Helaman 16:2 they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows

Samuel the Lamanite’s message was an ultimatum to the people. In these situations, the Lord always preserves his servants at least until they can deliver their message. Abinadi’s confrontation with Noah’s court is a good example, They stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him; but he withstood them, and said unto them: Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver…therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time. (Mosiah 13:2-3). The Lord could have preserved Abinadi after his message was delivered, but his martyrdom was necessary for God’s judgments on Noah and his priests to be just (Mosiah 13:9-10, Alma 14:11).

In the lives of every true disciple, there is a time when an insurmountable task must be undertaken. Like Samuel the Lamanite, we will be asked to scale a figurative wall only to find a hostile and unforgiving situation. As we face our assignments and scale our personal walls, we must always remember the courage and fortitude of Samuel the Lamanite. We must remember that the Spirit of the Lord protects his servants even when greatly outnumbered. We may not be asked to preach to a hostile crowd, we may not have arrows and stones hurled our way, but whatever our challenge, we will be protected from harms way if we face our assignments with faith and courage.

Joseph Smith
“I saw (in vision) Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 108)

Gordon B. Hinckley
“We have nothing to fear. God is at the helm. He will overrule for the good of this work. He will shower down blessings upon those who walk in obedience to His commandments. Such has been His promise. Of His ability to keep that promise none of us can doubt.” (Ensign, May 1995, p. 71.)

[pam]

DC 115:3-4 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

What changes have been made in the name of the Church? Its full designation does not appear in the revelations until 1838. (D&C 115:4)

“Richard Lloyd Anderson, professor of religion and history, Brigham Young University A concise answer to this question is found by comparing the name of the Church on the title pages of the first three printings of the revelations: ‘The Church of Christ’ (Book of Commandments, 1833), ‘The Church of the Latter Day Saints’ (Doctrine and Covenants, 1835), and ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ (Doctrine and Covenants, 1844).

“The Savior told the Nephites that his church should be called in his name. (See 3 Ne. 27:8.) As a result, the restored Church’s official title from 1830 to 1834 was ‘The Church of Christ.’ That title is found in the revelation on the organization and government of the Church (D&C 20:1) and in early minute books. During this period, however, members of the Church regularly called themselves ‘saints’; the word saint is used approximately three dozen times in the D&C before 1834.

“On 3 May 1834, official action modified the name of the Church. In a priesthood conference presided over by Joseph Smith, a motion passed ‘by unanimous voice’ that the Church be known as ‘The Church of the Latter Day Saints.’ (See The Evening and the Morning Star, May 1834, 2:160.) This alteration was not seen as a de-emphasis of Christ; on the contrary, it was done in hopes that the name of the Church would more clearly reflect the fact that Christ was at its head.

“In the same issue of the Kirtland newspaper in which the announcement appeared, an editorial explained that the change stemmed from a misleading nickname: the ‘Mormonite’ church. The new name also had these advantages: (1) Since American Christians, including Congregationalists and reformers, frequently designated themselves as ‘The Church of Christ,’ that title did not distinguish the restored gospel from a host of Protestant sects. (2) Since Paul and Peter used the Greek word saint (‘a holy person’) to refer to believers in Christ, the term Latter-day Saints implied that Church members were modern followers of Christ. Thus it also asserted the claim of restoration.

“Just as the term saint flourished when the official name was ‘The Church of Christ,’ the name of Christ regularly supplemented the official name of ‘The Church of the Latter Day Saints.’ For example, in 1835, the church was referred to as ‘the church of Christ’ and the Twelve apostles were commissioned as ‘special witnesses of the name of Christ.’ (D&C 107:59, 23) The Saints certainly did not feel that the Church was leaving out the name of Christ.

“Sometimes during this period the first and second titles would be combined—‘the church of Christ of Latter Day saints’—as they were in priesthood minutes (Messenger and Advocate, Feb. 1836, 2:266) and in the publication of the first high council minutes (see headnote, D&C 5, 1835 edition).

“A vivid illustration of the way members then understood the official name of the Church is found in a letter from John Smith, the Prophet’s uncle, to his son Elias before the latter was converted. Writing 19 Oct. 1834, Uncle John answers the question of why the name could be changed:

‘The Church of Christ is the Church of Saints and always was. This is the reason why the apostle directed letters sometimes to the Church of God, others to the Church, and again to the Brethren, sometimes to the Saints, always meaning the Church of Christ.’ (Archives, University of Utah)

“Thus, the final version of the Church’s name was no radical shift from the previous practice of using both ‘Christ’ and ‘Saints’ in designating the restored Church and its members. Revealed on 26 April 1838 (D&C 115:4), the full title, ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,’ is striking by comparison to the names of the scores of churches that obscure their Christianity under the label of their founders or of some characteristic belief or aspect of church organization. It is a highly effective name, for while it is distinctive, it indicates that Jesus is at its head. It is also descriptive of divine restoration. And it is more than a name—it is a public commitment to a holy life through the Savior’s power.” (Richard Lloyd Anderson, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Jan. 1979, 13-4)

Joseph L Wirthlin
The members of this Church carry a great and grave responsibility in using the title Latter-day Saints. As I think of my own life, I wonder if I merit the name Latter-day Saint. Do you ponder over this divine title, determining whether or not your lives are compatible with the title of Latter-day Saint? We only become Latter-day Saints insofar as we live the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and a real Latter-day Saint is willing to take upon him the full name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, keep his commandments, his covenants. It demands wholehearted, devoted loyalty to the anointed of the Lord who preside over his Church, and beyond that cleanliness of life is a prime requisite, for I am convinced that anyone who claims to be a Latter-day Saint and drinks a glass of beer or smokes a cigarette is not entitled to the divine title of Latter-day Saint. (Conference Report, April 1946, pp. 160-167)

Boyd K. Packer
In a revelation given in 1838, the Lord spoke to “the elders and people of my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in all the world,” saying, “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Others refer to us as Mormons. I do not mind if they use that title. However, sometimes we are prone ourselves to say “Mormon Church.” I do not think it best for us to do so.

The First Presidency has told us to “keep in mind that this is the Church of Jesus Christ; please emphasize that fact in making contacts with others. … We feel that some may be misled by the too frequent use of the term ‘Mormon Church.’ ” (“The Peaceable Followers of Christ,” Ensign, Apr. 1998, 63–64)

Russell M. Nelson
By divine directive, the title of the Church bears the sacred name of Jesus Christ, whose church this is. (See D&C 115:3–4.) He so decreed more than once. Nearly two thousand years ago, the Lord said, “Ye shall call the church in my name; …

“And how be it my church save it be called in my name?” (3 Ne. 27:7–8; italics added.)

We worship God the Eternal Father in the name of His Son by the power of the Holy Ghost. We know the premortal Jesus to be Jehovah, God of the Old Testament. We know Him to be “the chief corner stone” upon which the organization of His Church is based. (Eph. 2:20.) We know Him to be the Rock from whom revelation comes to His authorized agents (see 1 Cor. 10:4; Hel. 5:12) and to all who worthily seek Him (see D&C 88:63)… We revere the name of Jesus Christ. He is our risen Redeemer. (“Thus Shall My Church Be Called,” Ensign, May 1990, 17)

Gordon B. Hinckley
Many of our people are disturbed by the practice of the media, and of many others, to disregard totally the true name of the Church and to use the nickname “the Mormon Church.”… I suppose that regardless of our efforts, we may never convert the world to general use of the full and correct name of the Church. Because of the shortness of the word Mormon and the ease with which it is spoken and written, they will continue to call us the Mormons, the Mormon church, and so forth.

They could do worse. More than fifty years ago, when I was a missionary in England, I said to one of my associates, “How can we get people, including our own members, to speak of the Church by its proper name?”

He replied, “You can’t. The word Mormon is too deeply ingrained and too easy to say.” He went on, “…While I’m thankful for the privilege of being a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of the Church which bears His name, I am not ashamed of the nickname Mormon.”

“Look,” he went on to say, “if there is any name that is totally honorable in its derivation, it is the name Mormon. And so, when someone asks me about it and what it means, I quietly say—‘Mormon means more good.’ ” (The Prophet Joseph Smith first said this in 1843; see Times and Seasons, 4:194; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 299–300.)

His statement intrigued me—Mormon means “more good.” I knew, of course, that “more good” was not a derivative of the word Mormon. I had studied both Latin and Greek, and I knew that English is derived in some measure from those two languages and that the words more good are not a cognate of the word Mormon. But his was a positive attitude based on an interesting perception. And, as we all know, our lives are guided in large measure by our perceptions. Ever since, when I have seen the word Mormon used in the media to describe us—in a newspaper or a magazine or book or whatever—there flashes into my mind his statement, which has become my motto: Mormon means “more good.” (“Mormon Should Mean ‘More Good,’ ” Ensign, Nov. 1990, 51)

[Seanette]

Read this on 7/31.
Helaman 10 – Nephi is given sealing power. The Lord commands him to preach repentance and he does. The people try unsuccessfully to imprison him. The Spirit carries Nephi from place to place until he has preached to all. Contentions among the people lead to internal wars.
Helaman 11 – Nephi asks God to replace war with famine, and He does by way of drought. The people begin to remember God after many die. When Nephi sees that the people have repented, he prays for rain and an end to the famine, which is granted. There is a time of peace, the Church spreads, and the people prosper. Nephi and Lehi have many revelations and keep the Church in order. Many Nephite dissenters and Lamanites join the Gadiantons. The people begin again to forget God, and pride and wickedness spread.
Helaman 12 – This is a sermon on pride and the Lord’s chastening of His people. We are reminded of man’s nothingness when compared to God. Those who hearken to God are blessed. There is a brief discussion of judgment.
Helaman 13 – Samuel the Lamanite prophesies. The Nephites will be destroyed unless they repent. The city of Zarahemla would be destroyed if not for the righteous there. The Nephites’ treasures shall be cursed. The Nephites do not remember God, and mock, stone, exile, and kill prophets. They seek flattering preachers who will excuse sin. Their riches will become slippery and impossible to hold. The people are surrounded by demons.
Helaman 14 – Samuel predicts a new star and a night without darkness at Christ’s birth five years from the time of the prophecy, with many other signs and wonders. He explains redemption by Christ’s death and our repentance. He describes the signs of Christ’s death: three days of darkness, thunder and lightning for many hours, earthquakes, tempests, geographical changes, and graves opening to yield up the dead.
Helaman 15 – The Lord chastens the Nephites because He loves them. Believing Lamanites are solid in the faith, and the Lord will be merciful to them because of this.
Section 113 – Answers to questions about Isaiah’s writings. The stem of Jesse is Christ. The rod coming from the stem of Jesse is a servant of Christ, descended from Jesse and from Ephraim. The root of Jesse is a descendant of Jesse and of Joseph, entitled to the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom. Scattered remnants of Zion have a right to the priesthood and are called to return to the Lord.
Section 114 – Positions held by those who are not faithful shall be given to others.
Section 115 – The Lord names the Church by its present name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Zion and its stakes are places of defense and refuge for the Saints. The Saints are to build a Temple at Far West. Joseph Smith holds the keys of the kingdom of God on the earth.
Section 116 – Adam-Ondi-Ahman is Spring Hill, Missouri.