The Three Nephites... Names?

Taldarin · #1 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:03 AM

So I have a friend that says he once discovered the names of the three nephites(reading the book of mormon, and the institute manual of the book of mormon?) but he has since forgotten where he found them. He's 100% sure he knew their names, and he's not crazy.

So the question is... Do we know their names, or no? 'cause if they're there, I don't know why I haven't seen it...?

Wingnut · #2 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:12 AM

Mormon specifically states that he was about to write their names, but was then specifically prohibited from doing so. We know the names of the 12 in the Book of Mormon, but we don't know which ones became "the three."

Hemidakota · #3 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:15 AM

There are a few members in the church that will know the names but again, Wingnut is correct, we do not write the names...this is forbidden.

mormonmusic · #4 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:18 AM

Lately, I understand they've been going under the nicknamese Maurice Gibb, Andy Gibb, and Barry Gibb -- the Bee Gees.*

They took a break from endless decades of service to create a string of hits, leaving hints about their identity as the three Nephites -- only to be understood by the spiritually mature:

"Tragedy": Is a reference to the call of the Nephite civilization as described in the Book of Mormon.

"Jive Talkin'": is a song about anti-Mormon propaganda.

"Stayin' Alive" is thinly veiled reference to their immortality.

Wake up everyone!!!!

*Source: The Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer, page 101, as well as my own personal study.

Hemidakota · #5 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taldarin

So I have a friend that says he once discovered the names of the three nephites(reading the book of mormon, and the institute manual of the book of mormon?) but he has since forgotten where he found them. He's 100% sure he knew their names, and he's not crazy.

So the question is... Do we know their names, or no? 'cause if they're there, I don't know why I haven't seen it...?

3Nephi 19:4 And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—and it came to pass that they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude.

Maxel · #6 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemidakota

There are a few members in the church that will know the names but again, Wingnut is correct, we do not write the names...this is forbidden.

Can't disagree with that.

Does anyone know why it's forbidden, though? We know the name of John, who also is tarrying as the Three Nephites, as well as the name of all possible candidates for the 3 Nephites...

I'm not going to question the Lord's decision on the matter, but I do wonder what the reason for withholding their names is.

Vanhin · #7 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemidakota

There are a few members in the church that will know the names but again, Wingnut is correct, we do not write the names...this is forbidden.

How would they know?

Regards,
Vanhin

pam · #8 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 12:31 PM

Also would make sense that we can't write down names that we don't know. But I'm with Vanhin..how would they know?

Wingnut · #9 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 04:40 PM

If they met the Three Nephites and the Nephites revealed their own names.

I just don't understand why it matters. Who cares what their names were? The other nine were guaranteed Celestial glory -- why don't we ever wonder which ones they were? Oh right...because it doesn't matter.

mormonmusic · #10 (**permalink**) 12-14-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wingnut

I just don't understand why it matters. Who cares what their names were?

I think there's something to be said for natural curiosity, scholarly study, etcetera. The names of people can also give you an indication of their origins -- to the scholar. There are times when a name will cross-reference with other situations in scripture as well. So persenally, I'd never discourage exploration of questions like this.

I'm reminded of a couple missionary/teaching situations where people asked questions about matters I thought were peripheral to the question of conversion. I saw two missionaries on different occasions respond with "I'm not sure this is important". The investigators in both circumstances replied emphatically "But TO ME it is!"...so I think we should self-censure, and if a question seems trivial, or unimportant, then let it run its course to the people that think it's important...

To quote Pam -- 'I'm just sayin' [I said it twice today -- see how you guys are changing my personality? I even got fixated on a gingerbread man I saw in a store window today. Thought I'd seen him before and wanted to press the Thanks button.]