Lehi and Nephi shared Lehi’s dream of “The Tree of Life” with their family. In Nephi’s explanation of the meaning of the dream, Nephi directed them to the interpretation of the “iron railing.”
“After He had said these words, He said: Look! And I looked and saw the Son of God [the “Word”][1] mingling as a mortal with mankind. I saw many fall down at His feet and worship Him. Then I realized the iron railing my father saw was God’s word. It led to the source of living waters or to the tree of life, whose waters represent God’s love. I also concluded the tree of life represented God’s love” (CofC, 1 Nephi 3:10, emphasis added).
The dream shared with Lehi and Nephi made clear that the only way of remaining on the path through the mists of darkness was by clinging to the “rail of iron,” Christ and His word. Vision is clouded by dark mists[2], or temptations of the accuser, so partaking of God’s love would be accomplished by placing both hands on the rail as one passed through the mists of darkness and deception.
Nephi grasped the “rail of iron” by immersing himself in scripture using the brass plates and God’s revelations to him to instruct his brothers and children.
“Not many days after his death, Laman, Lemuel, and Ishmael’s sons were angry with me because of the Lord’s warnings and correction that I was inspired to tell them based on His word. I taught them many things, as my father did before he died. Much of what was said is written on my other plates, since more historical details are written on them. But on these plates I only write the things within my soul and quotes of the scriptures from the brass plates. My soul delights in the scriptures, and I ponder upon them and write them for my children’s instruction and benefit. My soul rejoices in the things of the Lord, and I continually ponder in my heart what God has shown and told me” (CofC, 2 Nephi 3:6, emphasis added).
Nephi’s devotion was not seeking to fulfill an obligation set by God’s commandment. Nephi approached the scriptures passionately. In his own words he uses terms like “delights,” “rejoices,” and “ponders continually.”
Near the end of Nephi’s record and life he continues expressing his passion for the scriptures when he applies a food metaphor to his closing counsel to his posterity.
“Now, my dear people, after you’ve made your way onto this straightforward and narrow path, I want to ask if everything is done? I tell you: No. Because you’ve only come to this point by Christ’s word, with unshaken faith in Him, relying exclusively on the merits of Him who’s powerful to save. Therefore you must press on resolutely with constancy, purpose, and a firm belief in Christ, having a complete brightness of hope and a love for God and for all mankind. This is what the Father has said: If you press forward, feasting on Christ’s word, and persevere to the end, you will have eternal life” (CofC, 2 Nephi 13:4, emphasis added).
Fourteen years following their depart Zarahemla.
“As Alma was traveling from Gideon southward to Manti, to his surprise he came upon Mosiah’s sons on their way to Zarahemla. Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma when the angel first appeared to him. So Alma was overjoyed at seeing his friends again. They were still his faithful brothers in the Lord and that added to his joy. Their understanding of the truth had expanded greatly. They had grown from their experiences and from serious study of the scriptures. But this isn’t all; they also faithfully prayed and fasted, and as a result, they had the spirit of prophecy and revelation. When they taught, they taught with the power and authority of God . . .” (CofC, Alma 12:1, emphasis added).
Mosiah’s sons had increased their understanding through their experiences and their devotion to the scriptures. They fasted and prayed “faithfully” and were rewarded with the spirits of revelation and prophecy as well as power and authority from God. Their authority was untethered from any mortal institution. Their power and authority came by the power of the Holy Ghost, or the sanctified spirits dwelling in them.[3]
As we reflect on this account, it would be well to contemplate Nephi’s application of the scriptures he diligently studied.
“. . . I applied all scriptures to us, to educate and benefit us . . .” (CofC, 1 Nephi 6:1-2, emphasis added).
The question is, “How do we apply the scriptures to our day?” Why do Alma and the sons of Mosiah’s stories reflect events in our day? The first similarity is identified by taking a broader view of events in their day and comparing them to current events.
Prior to the days of Alma the younger and Mosiah’s sons is the account of king Benjamin and Alma the elder. The Lord directed Alma the elder to appoint his son Alma presiding high priest of the Holy Order prior to his passing. The secular government was changed from a monarchy, passing from father to son succession to popular vote by the voice of the people. Mosiah, successor to Benjamin’s throne, restructured the secular government after his sons refused his position. Alma the younger was appointed by the people to serve as chief judge and presiding high priest of the Holy Order. In these positions the elements of the offices of “king” and “High Priest” were consolidated.
Near the end of Benjamin’s reign, an angel appeared to Benjamin and instructed him what to say to the people gathered at the temple. After rehearsing the words of the angel, they [Nephites] were overcome by Lord’s Spirit and repented of their sins. Following their repentance they were adopted into the family of Christ and took upon themselves His name. This began their covenant relationship with the Lord. The king enquired if they believed his words and they gave the following response:
“After king Benjamin had said all these things to his people, he sent out a message, asking his people if they believed what he taught them. And they all cried out with one voice, saying: Yes, we believe everything you’ve taught us. And we know these things are true because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has caused a big change in our hearts [sanctification of their spirits][4]. We’re not inclined to do evil anymore, but rather want to continually do good. We, through God’s infinite goodness and the manifestations of His Spirit, can clearly envision what’s to come [spirit of prophecy]. And if necessary, we could even prophesy about all of it [spirit of revelation]. And it’s our faith in the things our king has taught us that’s given us this valuable knowledge, which makes us rejoice! We’re willing to enter into a covenant with God, promising to obey His commandments and do His will for the rest of our lives. We don’t want to cause ourselves the never-ending torment described by the angel, nor do we want to incur God’s anger.
Now these are the words king Benjamin hoped to hear from them. Therefore he told them: You’ve said the words I wanted to hear, and the covenant you’ve made is a righteous covenant. Now because of the covenant you’ve made, you’ll be called the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. Today, He has spiritually begotten you. You’ve said your hearts have changed through faith in His name. As a result, you’re born of Him and have become His sons and daughters . . .” (CofC, Mosiah 3:1-2, emphasis added).
This event in the days of Benjamin and Alma the elder began the covenant relationship between the Lord and the people of Zarahemla in 124 B. C. Approximately 40 years later Alma the elder passed on and Alma the younger became presiding judge and high priest over the congregations.[5] In that time there had been wars and divisions among the people. Thousands and tens of thousands had been killed and suffered deprivations and the stress of war. After the wars there was a brief period of peace. Prosperity and pride ensued among the people because of their exceeding riches.
“In the eighth year of the judges’ rule, members of the congregation began to get proud because of their prosperity: wealth, fine clothing, woven linen, increasing flocks and herds, gold, silver, and all kinds of valuable property, which they gained through hard work. They thought of themselves as superior to others because of these things, and they showed off their wealth to be noticed, hoping to be envied. Now this disappointed Alma immensely, as well as others Alma had ordained to be teachers, priests, and elders over the congregation. Many of them shared the disappointment and concern over the wickedness they could see growing among their people. They regretted seeing congregation members devoted to getting rich and acting prideful — people who valued property over their fellow man, and gave more attention to what they owned than helping others in need. And as entertainment they randomly began to abuse those who didn’t share their views. So in this eighth year of the judges’ rule, significant tensions developed among the congregation members; there was jealousy, arguments, malicious and abusive conduct, and pride, even worse than the pride of those who didn’t belong to God’s congregation. So ended the eighth year of the judges’ rule. The congregation’s awful example was a big obstacle for those who didn’t belong to the congregation; so the congregation began to decline.
At the start of the ninth year, Alma could see the congregation’s bad behavior. Their terrible example led unbelievers to go from one bad act to the next. That would ultimately result in destroying the people.[6] He also saw great inequality among the people:[7] some proudly exalting themselves, despising others, turning their backs on the needy, the naked, and the hungry, thirsty, sick, and distressed.[8] This discouraged others. But he saw others were humbling themselves, assisting those needing help, sharing their possessions with the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all kinds of troubles and difficulties to obey Christ. They relied on the spirit of prophecy, trusted He would come, and looked forward to the time of His arrival. As a result, their sins remained forgiven. They rejoiced over the resurrection of the dead, accomplished through the will, power, and deliverance from the chains of death by Jesus Christ.
Now Alma was very discouraged seeing the pains and troubles of God’s humble followers, the abuse piled on them by others, and the growing inequality. Despite his discouragement, the Spirit of the Lord inspired him. He appointed a wise man from the congregation’s elders and the people voted to authorize him to adopt new laws, consistent with their existing law, to limit sinful, criminal behavior. The man’s name was Nephihah, and he was elected chief judge; he accepted the judgment seat to judge and govern the people. Alma didn’t authorize him to be the high priest over the congregation — he kept that office himself. Only the judgment seat was handed over to Nephihah. He did this to free himself to go preach God’s word to the Nephites, and urge them to remember their duty. He wanted to use God’s word to confront all the pride, clever lies, and resulting conflicts among his people.[9] He could see no way he could bring them back to the right way except by directly confronting them with pure testimony of the truth. So at the start of the ninth year of the judges’ rule over the Nephites, Alma handed over the judgment seat to Nephihah and devoted himself completely to the High Priesthood of the Holy Order of God, to teaching God’s word according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy” (CofC, Alma 2:3-5, emphasis added).
Preaching by the spirits of prophecy and revelation, Alma the younger achieved wonderful success that could be described as “awe inspiring”[10] among the Lord’s congregations throughout the land. Until he and Amulek were rejected in the city of Ammonihah.
The people of Ammonihah rejected Alma and Amulek, killed those who repented and burned the scriptures. Thereafter they imprisoned and abused the Lord’s messengers until those who persecuted and abused them were killed in the prison where they were held. In accordance with Alma’s prophetic warning, Alma and Amulek departed the city, the Lamanites swept into the city and destroyed their inhabitants with the sword [fulfilling the words of RE Isaiah 1:3, . . . If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.].
Alma and Amulek extended the Lord’s offer through Isaiah to Ammonihah’s inhabitants. They rejected the offer to “wash yourself, make yourself clean.” Rather than cleanse blood from their hands, they covered their hands with blood. Isaiah was clear about what happens to those who reject the invitation to be cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. They perish by the sword.
The Lord in effect drew a line in the sand for the Nephites who had been blessed abundantly by God. Some among the Nephites embraced the Lord’s invitation while others, like the citizens of Ammonihah, suffered the consequences of their rebellion.
Prophetically, the Lord drew a line in the sand for the latter-day Gentiles through Nephi. The close of the Gentile opportunity has many parallels with events in Alma the youngers ministry.
“If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word and power and in person, in order to remove barriers to their belief, and if they don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants — indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel [beneficiaries of all the Lord’s promises to Israel]. And they’ll become a blessed family in the promised land forever. They won’t be enslaved anymore [by the great whore Babylon][11], and the house of Israel won’t be embarrassed anymore. And the great pit dug for them by that utterly wicked church, which the accuser and his followers founded so that he could take people’s souls down to hell — that great pit dug for people’s destruction will be filled with those who dug it, to their complete destruction [like the people of Ammonihah], says the Lamb of God — not the destruction of the soul, but throwing it into that endless hell. This is according to the accuser’s imprisonment, and according to God’s justice as well, upon all those who insist on doing wicked and corrupt things in God’s sight.
Then the Angel told me: You’ve seen that if the Gentiles repent, it will turn out well for them [because they enter the Lord’s covenant and receive the blessings of Israel]. You also know about the Lord’s covenants with the house of Israel. And you’ve also heard that whoever doesn’t repent must perish. As a result, if the Gentiles harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, I will afflict them. Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting [eternal]— one way or the other — either to convince them [Gentiles], resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:25-26, emphasis added).
When Alma the younger resigned his judgeship, it triggered similar events described in the previous passage for the Nephite people. They could repent and return to their covenant obligations, cleansing the blood of their generation from their hands and reclaiming the covenant blessings of Israel. Those who reject the Lord’s invitation suffer the consequences of slavery through subjection to the “accuser.” Their hard hearts and blind minds bring about their temporal and spiritual destruction. The circumstances of Alma’s day mirror events from the days of latter-day Gentiles. Like the Nephites, the latter-day Gentiles began their covenant relationship with the Lord in the days of Joseph Smith. Two hundred years have passed and we find ourselves needing to be reminded of our covenant beginnings. Evidence the church that started with Joseph Smith still exists is not sufficient evidence the Lord’s covenant remains intact. As they say, “The proof is in the pudding.” Other than enormous prosperity, little evidence of the authority given to Joseph Smith remains. Hence the need to remind the Lord’s covenant people of the Restored doctrines and new revelations.
The key question for the Gentiles is “What is the “awe-inspiring work” that distinguishes those who repent and accept the Lord’s covenant invitation and those who harden their hearts, suffering temporally and spiritually in bondage to the “accuser.” Since the introduction of the “Book of Mormon” and more recently the “Covenant of Christ” there is no mystery. The Savior shared the answer with survivors at His ministry to this continent. Like the days of Alma the younger, the Lord sends a servant with the words of Christ as his credentials. Those who receive the Lord’s servant and the words of Christ he delivers are joined with Israel. Those who harden their hearts against the Savior’s words are cut off.
“At that time, to advance My cause, the Father will begin a work, which will be a great and awe-inspiring work among them [the Gentiles]. There will be many who won’t believe it, although a man will tell it to them [like Alma the younger]. But the ministry of My servant will be led by My hand; therefore they won’t be able to harm his work, although he’ll be opposed and discredited by them. Yet I’ll support him; I’ll show them My wisdom is greater than the accuser’s deceitful scheming. Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant. And then you, a remnant of the house of Jacob [descendants of Lehi], will rise up from them. And you’ll be mixed in with them who will outnumber you. You’ll be among them like a lion among his prey in the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who moves unopposed to take down and tear to pieces. Your hand will be against your opponents and all your enemies will be cut down. Yes, woe to the Gentiles unless they repent: For when that day comes, says the Father, I’ll take away your strength from you, and I’ll destroy your security. Your cities will fall and I’ll break open your guarded borders. Your sciences and learning will turn into foolishness, and your false beliefs will cause your failure. I’ll expose the fraud of those in authority, and your trusted institutions will lose everyone’s loyalty. False prophets and false ministers will be brought to shame and humiliation. All lying, deceiving, envying, strife, priestcraft, and whoredoms will come to an end. At that time, says the Father, I’ll cut down anyone who won’t repent and draw near to My Beloved Son to preserve My people, the house of Israel. I’ll take vengeance and unleash My fierce anger on all the unbelieving, beyond anything they expect” (CofC, 3 Nephi 9:12, emphasis added).
This describes modern parallels to Alma the younger’s ministry but we have yet to examine the relevance of Mosiah’s sons in the latter-day context. The ministries of Alma the younger and Mosiah’s sons were concurrent with one another. While Alma the younger cried repentance to the Nephites around Zarahemla, Mosiah’s sons minister to the Lamanites bringing thousands of souls to Christ.
The Savior alludes to a similar outcome for Lehi’s descendants in the fulfillment of the earlier prophecy. Prior to the Gentiles being cut off from Israel, an “awe inspiring” work moves from the Gentiles to Lehi’s descendants.
“I [Jesus] tell you the truth. And I’ll give you a sign to identify the time when these things are about to happen, when I will gather My people, the house of Israel, from their long-scattered state, and will again establish My Zion among them. This is the sign for you: When the things that I’m declaring to you now and after this by the power of the Holy Ghost that are given to you by the Father are then revealed to the Gentiles, and taken as a message through them to you, that is when the Father’s covenant is being fulfilled. You are descendants of Jacob and will be scattered by the Gentiles. But the Father will reveal these things first to the Gentiles, then from them to you. It’s the Father’s plan for the Gentiles to be established in this land as a free people through His power, to allow the history and prophecies to come from them to a remnant of your descendants. That vindicates the Father’s covenant with His people, O house of Israel. Therefore the record of these events, and the events that will take place among you after this, will come from the Gentiles to your descendants. But your descendants will first fall away in unbelief because of iniquity. That’s an essential part of the Father’s plan. The covenant requires this record to come from the Gentiles, so the Gentiles will understand His direct involvement. Then the Gentiles, provided they don’t harden their hearts, will be able to repent and come to Me and be baptized in My name and know the true points of My doctrine, so they can be included with My people, the house of Israel. When these things happen, and your descendants begin to know these things, it will be a sign to let them know the Father’s work is underway, to fulfill the covenant He made to everyone who’s part of the house of Israel. When that time comes, kings will be at a loss for words not knowing what to say, for they’ll see what they were never told about and be forced to consider what they never expected” (CofC, 3 Nephi 9:11, emphasis added).
We have the benefit of time passing since the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ began with Joseph Smith. Since its beginnings two hundred years have gone by. In that time descendants of Lehi have yet to “know” these things. We stand at the beginning of a more understandable version of the Covenant of Christ being carried to Lehi’s descendants now. Because these events occur in the near future, the example of Mosiah’s sons mass conversions among the Lamanites is a pattern to be repeated in our day. The Gentile culture of “super heroes” and extraordinary powers displayed on the big screen are a preliminary metaphor for the work of the Father in fulfilling His covenant promises to His Family, Israel in the last days.
Those called to the Holy Order and endowed with power through the “Powers of Heaven” form a holy alliance between Heaven and Earth. Together they prepare the righteous for their association with their Patriarchal Fathers in Heaven. Together they prepare the Earth for the Savior’s appearance to the Gentiles who repent and the descendants of Lehi who return to the Lord’s covenant.
In the account of Mosiah’s sons, the sons of the king are most prominent in the account. Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni are frequently featured in the account. In addition to Mosiah’s sons, there is a group of select individuals chosen to accompany them in their ministry.
“After Mosiah’s sons had done all this, they took a small number with them and went to their father the king and asked him to allow them to go up to the land of Nephi with those they had chosen, in order to preach what they had heard and share God’s word with their Lamanite brothers and sisters, so they could perhaps bring them to know the Lord who is God and convince them of their forefathers’ iniquity. Perhaps to cure them of their hatred of the Nephites, and so they could also be brought to rejoice in the Lord who is God and be friendly to each other, and so there wouldn’t be any more wars in the whole land that the Lord their God had given them. Now they wanted salvation to be explained to every creature, because they couldn’t stand for any human soul to perish. Indeed, the very thought that any soul might endure endless torment made them shake and tremble [because of their personal encounter with this suffering][12]. This is how the Spirit of the Lord acted upon them. They were once the vilest of sinners, but the Lord saw fit in His infinite mercy to spare them. Nevertheless, they suffered great anguish of soul because of their iniquities, experiencing terrible dread that they could be rejected forever” (CofC, Mosiah 12:1, emphasis added).
There were four sons of Mosiah but there were others who accompanied them who are rarely mentioned. There is no reference to the specific number but there are reasons to believe there is a type or pattern involved in these events. I hope to have them discussed in a latter paper.
When king Mosiah was approached by his sons to lead a contingent to the Lamanites, the faithful king sought the Lord’s counsel on the matter and was told the following:
“They pled with their father for many days to be able to go up to the land of Nephi. And king Mosiah went and asked the Lord if he should let his sons go among the Lamanites to preach the word. The Lord said to Mosiah: Let them go there, because many will believe in their words; and they will have eternal life. And I’ll protect your sons from the power of the Lamanites. Mosiah gave them permission to go and do as they requested. . .” (CofC, Mosiah 28:2-3, emphasis added).
The Lord’s answer gave king Mosiah the confidence to send his sons and their associates to a wildly hostile and ferocious people.[13] The Lord also promised they would be protected by Him, implying an endowment of power would be given them.
Nephi foresaw the faithful in the latter-days would be given a similar endowment of power from Heaven.
“Then I looked and saw the whore of the whole earth. She was spread everywhere across the seas, ruling over the whole earth, among all people of every nation, tribe, and language. And I saw the congregation of the Lamb of God; its numbers were few because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who was spread everywhere across the seas. Nevertheless, I saw that the congregation of the Lamb, who were God’s holy ones, were also there throughout the earth; but their presence was small because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw. And I saw the great mother of abominations assembled in large numbers all over the earth among all Gentile nations to fight against the Lamb of God. Then I saw the power of the Lamb of God descend upon the holy ones [repentant Gentiles] of the Lamb’s congregation and upon the Lord’s covenant people [descendants of Lehi, Israel], who were scattered across the earth. They were armed with righteousness and God’s power in great glory” (CofC, 1 Nephi 3:28, emphasis added).
A time comes when there will be the Lord’s servants who repent, fast and pray and search His words in scripture, in search of the Holy Ghost and the spirits of revelation and prophecy. That, coupled with the ministry of Angels engaged in fulfilling the work of the Father’s covenants,[14] will overcome the great whore and her minions who fight against the Lamb of God.
A contingent like Alma the younger, the sons of Mosiah and their select group of a few righteous people form the “holy ones”[15] who are empowered by God to carry out this great work.
“Then the lord of the vineyard sent his servant, and the servant went and did as the lord had commanded him and brought a few other servants. And the lord of the vineyard told them: Get started and work hard in the vineyard. This is the last time[16] I’ll tend my vineyard — the end is near and the harvest is coming quickly. If you work hard with me, you’ll have joy in the fruit that I’ll harvest for myself at the end of the growing season.
Then the servants went ahead and worked hard, and the lord of the vineyard also worked with them. And they obeyed the lord of the vineyard’s direction in all things.[17] And original fruit again grew in the vineyard, and the original branches began to grow and produce abundantly, and the wild branches began to be cut off and thrown away. And they kept the root and the top equal based on their strength.[18] This is how they worked with all diligence according to the lord of the vineyard’s commandments, until the bad had been thrown out of the vineyard and the lord had saved the good for himself, so the trees had again produced the original fruit. And they became like one body and the fruit was equally good; and the lord of the vineyard had saved the original fruit for himself, which was most valuable to him from the beginning” (CofC, Jacob 3:26-27, emphasis added).
Alma the younger and sons of Mosiah served in a transitional time where the covenant was carried by the Nephites to the Lamanites in a similar manner to the Gentiles carrying the covenant to Lehi’s descendants and then assisting them in gathering Israel to the New Jerusalem. It was both transitional and intermediate in the sense the ministry of these men occurred in approximately 82 B.C. There follows after them several generations that preach prior to the coming of Jesus Christ to their posterity in A.D. 32-34.
When these events reoccur in the last days, it will be the “last time” the Lord sends his laborers into the vineyard and “. . . following that, the end will happen quickly.”
[1] “In the Highest Council of Heaven there was One who spoke out [the “Word”]. And the One who spoke out was among the Gods, and He was a God. He was in the Council of the Gods, and the creation of the cosmos was organized through Him. And without Him does not exist one thing that has come into existence in the cosmos. In Him was the power of life and this power was conveyed into the cosmos as the Light in men and every thing. The Light shone in the chaos and those in darkness have not been able to grasp it” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 1:1, emphasis added).
[2] “. . . Then the Angel said to me: See the filthy river your father saw and talked about; its depths are the depths of hell. And the dark mists are the temptations of the accuser, who blinds people’s eyes, hardens their hearts, and leads them away into wide roads, to perish and be lost. The large and spacious building your father saw represents false and foolish thinking and the pride of mankind. A great and terrible gulf divides them — which is the sword of the justice of the Eternal God and Messiah, who is the Lamb of God, whom the Holy Ghost testifies of, from the beginning of the world until now, and from this time forth and forever” (CofC, 1 Nephi 3:17, emphasis added).
[3] “The holy ghost is most correctly understood as the individual spirit within each man or woman — it is the heavenly record from each one’s prior experiences, although now veiled. In that sense it is a he (or, if one is female, a she). The holy ghost is the light of truth. In that sense, it is an it. The holy ghost is also the received communication, inspiration, or light from above, and the source of that light can be any number of holy beings sent to shed that light upon mankind. In that sense, it is a they. But mankind wants it to be singular, because that makes it easier to grasp. The holy ghost is a personage. It is an individual. It is a spirit that will dwell inside man. The holy ghost, which resides inside of each person, receives intelligence from Christ. The holy ghost is the record of heaven that man has lost contact with because of the veil. It is a personage of spirit who resides inside each man or woman, and one must “receive” it after baptism by finally listening to that inner truth of all things or record of the Father and the Son (Genesis 4:9–10). The holy ghost bears record of the Father and the Son (see Genesis 3:4). When the Son speaks to individuals through the holy ghost, they hear the words in the first person — hence, the holy ghost speaking that it is the Son in Genesis 3:4. “Your spirit or your ghost is within you, connected to heaven to such a degree through this process that you are in possession of a ‘holy spirit’ or a holy ghost within you.” From Adam until Christ, the holy ghost was the primary voice by which revelation was delivered from God to mankind. It is active and has been active in delivering the words of prophecy to “holy men” throughout history. The scriptures have explained that the holy ghost which dwells in man — this personage of spirit — has the following other descriptions or attributes: the Record of Heaven, the Comforter, the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, the truth of all things, that which quickens all things — which makes alive all things, that which knows all things, and has all power according to Wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgment (Genesis 4:9). This is a description of the personage of spirit that dwells inside each person. This is the holy ghost. This is something that can be in contact with the holy spirit, or the mind of the Father and Son . . .” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Holy Ghost, pp.118-119, emphasis added).
[4] “The baptism of fire and the holy ghost is for sanctification. It is done upon the body and the Spirit within each person. The work of this “baptism of fire” is always sanctification. It brings the recipient into greater contact with God. The end of that increasing contact is to receive the Son, through whose blood all can be sanctified (see Genesis 4:9). Once sanctified, one is prepared for the presence of the Father (see Alma 21:3; 1 Nephi 3:5). It is the companionship of the Spirit that makes one justified by leading him or her to do what is right. It is the resulting application of Christ’s blood on one’s behalf that sanctifies (see Genesis 4:9). One cannot receive sanctification without first receiving baptism and then also the holy ghost. “In effect, you receive holiness through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. This in turn makes your own spirit holy.” Man is unworthy to enter into God’s presence and, therefore, requires a power higher than his own from which to borrow purity. This purifying agent is the holy ghost (see 3 Nephi 9:3–4). Christ will administer the final rites and confer the final blessings only upon the pure (see 3 Nephi 9:4–5). The reference to “blood” as sanctifying is a reference to the Lord (see Genesis 4:9). He alone sanctifies. Christ sanctifies mankind; they don’t sanctify themselves. “To be purified, to be sanctified by the Lamb — removing from you, and taking upon Himself the responsibility to answer for whatever failings you have — this is not ritual purity. This is purity in fact. To be sanctified is to be qualified to stand in the presence of God without sin, clean of all blood and sin — righteous forever. He is Christ’s, and Christ is the Father’s, and all that each of them will be is the same; for we shall see Him as He is, because we will be like Him. To be like Him is to be sanctified” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, pp.232-233, emphasis added).
[5] “Now, as I was saying, after king Mosiah had done these things, he took the brass plates and everything he had kept — all the records and the Interpreters as well — and conferred them on Alma’s son Alma, and commanded him to maintain and protect them, adding to the record of the people. He was to hand them down from one generation to another, just as they had been handed down since Lehi left Jerusalem” (CofC, Mosiah 13:1, emphasis added).
[6] “ . . . If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” (RE Isaiah 1:3, emphasis added)
[7] “And the people wanted Alma to be their king, since they loved and trusted him. But he told them: It isn’t advisable for us to have a king. This is what the Lord has said: You must not value one person over another, and no one should consider themselves better than another. Therefore I advise you against having a king. However, if it were possible to always have ethical men as your kings, it would be worthwhile to have a king — but remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests . . .” (CofC, Mosiah 11:2, emphasis added).
[8] “Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourself, make yourself clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow . . .” (RE Isaiah 1:3, emphasis added).
[9] “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; reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the holy ghost, and then showing forth afterward an increase of love toward him whom you have reproved (lest he esteem you to be his enemy), that he may know that your faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death; your bowels also being full of charity toward all men, and to the household of faith; and virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly. Then shall your confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the doctrines of the Priesthood shall distill upon your soul as the dews from heaven. The holy ghost shall be your constant companion, and your scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth, and your dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto you for ever and ever” (RE T&C 139:6, emphasis added).
[10] “At that time, to advance My cause, the Father will begin a work, which will be a great and awe-inspiring work among them [Gentiles]. There will be many who won’t believe it, although a man will tell it to them. But the ministry of My servant will be led by My hand; therefore they won’t be able to harm his work, although he’ll be opposed and discredited by them. Yet I’ll support him; I’ll show them [Gentiles] My wisdom is greater than the accuser’s deceitful scheming. Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant . . .” (CofC, 3 Nephi 9:12, emphasis added).
[11] “Go away from Babylon, flee from Chaldea; loudly shout this, announce this, send this message to the ends of the earth! Say: The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob! They have never thirsted; He led them through the deserts, He made water flow out of the rock for them; He split the rock and the waters gushed out. And despite all this and even greater things, the Lord states: There’s no peace for the wicked” (RE I Nephi 6:5, emphasis added).
“Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go out of Babylon, gather yourselves out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off, unto the islands of the sea. Send forth unto foreign lands, call upon all nations, firstly upon the gentiles and then upon the Jews. And behold and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about. Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom. Behold and lo, the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet him; prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Let them therefore which are among the gentiles flee unto Zion, and let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord’s house. Go out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon. But verily thus says the Lord: Let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goes, let him not look back, lest sudden destruction shall come upon him” (RE T&C 58:2, emphasis added).
[12] “Now Alma and those who were with him when the angel appeared to them began to teach the people from then on, traveling throughout the land, declaring to the people what they had heard and seen, preaching God’s word in very trying circumstances: receiving very harsh treatment by unbelievers and getting beaten by many of them. But despite all this, they imparted great comfort to the congregation, confirming their faith and urging them with long-suffering and consistent effort to keep God’s commandments. Four of them were Mosiah’s sons: Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni; these were the names of Mosiah’s sons. They traveled throughout the land of Zarahemla and among all the people who were under king Mosiah’s rule, earnestly trying to repair all the harm they had done to the congregation, confessing their sins, explaining everything they had seen, and teaching the prophecies and scriptures to all who wanted to hear them. So they were instruments in God’s hands in bringing many to know the truth and their Redeemer. And how blessed are they! Because they proclaimed peace and good news of good things, declaring to the people that the Lord reigns” (CofC, Mosiah 11:29, emphasis added).
[13] “Now the Lamanites didn’t know anything about the Lord or the Lord’s strength; therefore they depended on their own strength, but still they were strong men. They were wild, ferocious people, eager to kill. They believed their ancestors’ tradition, which is this: They were driven from the land of Jerusalem because of their forefathers’ sins and offenses there. Then, their brothers mistreated them in the wilderness, and again while crossing the sea, and they were oppressed while in their original inheritance after crossing the sea. But the truth is that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the Lord’s commandments. Therefore the Lord blessed him, since the Lord heard his prayers and answered them. That resulted in him taking the lead in their journey in the wilderness. And Nephi’s brothers were furious with him because they didn’t understand how the Lord works. They were also furious with him on the sea because they hardened their hearts against the Lord. They were also angry with him once they arrived in the promised land because they claimed he had wrongly asserted authority over the people taking it away from them; therefore they tried to kill him. They were also furious with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, taking the records engraved on the brass plates — so they said he robbed them. Therefore they taught their children to hate, murder, rob, and plunder them, and to do all they could to destroy them. They have an eternal hatred for the children of Nephi. And because of this, king Laman has — by his sly, devious lies and tempting promises — deceived me, so that I led my people up into this land, and now they want to destroy them. We’ve suffered here for many years” (CofC, Mosiah 6:12, emphasis added).
[14] “And because He’s done this, my dear people, have miracles stopped? I tell you: No. And neither have angels stopped ministering to mankind. They are obedient to Him, to minister according to His commands, revealing themselves to those of strong faith and of a firm mind in every form of godliness. The responsibility of their ministry is to call people to repentance, and to fulfill and do the work of the Father’s covenants that He’s made to mankind, to prepare the way among people by declaring Christ’s word to the Lord’s chosen vessels, so they can bear testimony of Him. And by doing this, the Lord God prepares the way for the remainder of mankind to have faith in Christ, so the Holy Ghost can have a place in their hearts according to the power of the Holy Ghost. This is how the Father vindicates the covenants He’s made to mankind. Christ has said: If you have faith in Me, you’ll have power to do whatever I consider needed and proper. And He’s said to everyone on earth: Repent and come to Me and be baptized in My name and have faith in Me, so you can be saved” (CofC, Moroni 7:6, emphasis added).
[15] “The Holy Order is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from Heaven.” Among other things, the purpose of the Holy Order is to put in place a mechanism by which God can reveal from heaven what is necessary for the salvation of man on Earth. In every generation, when God has provided salvation for mankind, it is the Holy Order that is used by God to fix what is broken, restore what has been lost, repair, heal, forgive, and reconnect those who are willing to give heed to the message sent from Heaven to enable mankind to become sons of God. It conveys blessings and information that are withheld from the world . . .” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Holy Order, p.120, emphasis added).
[16] “When He sets about a second time to recover His people, that will be the very last time the Lord’s servants will go out in His power to tend and prune His vineyard — following that, the end will happen quickly. And how blessed are those who have worked diligently in His vineyard! But how cursed are those who will be thrown out to where they belong! And the world will be burned with fire. How merciful God is to us! He remembers the house of Israel, both roots and branches, and reaches out His hands to them all day long. But they’re a stubborn, quarrelsome people. Nevertheless, all those who don’t harden their hearts will be saved in God’s kingdom” (CofC, Jacob 4:1, emphasis added).
[17] “Now, therefore, know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Walker in the Path who has proven for evermore that Father Ahman sent Him into the world to prove His Father’s path” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 12:21, emphasis added).
[18] “So, let's ease into what it really means to be equal with one another with a Scripture that is taken from Alma. And this is just describing how the people behaved:
And when their priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, [and] the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God, they all returned again diligently unto their labors, and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers; for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner. And thus they were all equal; and they did...labor every man according to his strength. (Alma 1:5 RE, emphasis added) They weren't all priests. (Well, that's not equal.) They weren't all teachers. (That's not equal either.) But they were all equal. “And they did all labor….” Oh, so they have one thing in common, and the one thing that they have in common is work, “...every man according to his strength.” You have to give what you have. And one man's strength may not be another man's strength, but he needs to give according to the strength that he has. And one woman's strength may not be what another woman's strength is, but she must give according to the strength that she has” (Equality, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.5, emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
2/3/25
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