Ether 1

This chapter got me thinking about the relationship between Jared and his brother.  The brother of Jared is "highly favored of the Lord" so Jared goes to him a number of times and tells him to ask the Lord for blessings which are then granted.  Without either brother, the events that follow would not have unfolded.

It seems to me that often times in relationships of all different sorts, we get caught up in who should get credit for what and who is doing the most work.  I'm going to try not to worry about all of that so much and put more trust in my Father in Heaven to help me be doing what I should be doing.  If I am able to do that, I know I will be a much happier person.

The Plates of Ether

When thinking about the Jaradites and why the Book of Ether appears where it does in the Book of Mormon, it helps me to know the history of how the Plates of Ether were found and this history is really a way of summing up the movement of the people in the Book of Mormon.

It is easy to remember when Lehi and his family leave Jerusalem, head into the wilderness, and then embark upon their ocean journey to the promised land, but fairly quickly things get a little muddled if you aren't paying close attention.  The whole family settles together in the promised land, at first, but in 2 Nephi chapter 4 Lehi dies.  Soon after (2 Nephi 5:1-9) we learn that Nephi is told to skedaddle and take all who will follow him because Laman and Lemuel are planning to kill him.  The place where they settle after their flight is called the land of Nephi.

Now the "Nephites" and "Lamanites" are separate for the first time--one group is righteous the other wicked.  However, the Nephites slowly move toward wickedness until, in Omni 1:12, Amaleki tells us that Mosiah was told to leave the land of Nephi and take those who will "hearken to the voice of the Lord" with him. They are led by the Lord to the land of Zarahemla.

The people who built Zarahemla were brought to the promised land by Heavenly Father when Jerusalem was destroyed (just as Lehi was told it would be) and King Zedekiah was taken into Babylon.  You can read about Zedekiah in Jeremiah chapter 52, it's short and pretty interesting.  It was thought that all of the king's sons were killed, but Mulek was brought to the promised land.  This group had no records with them when they came, so their language and religion was corrupt by the time Mosiah and his people joined them.  The people of Zarahemla, or Mulekites, were very glad to see Mosiah because he had the Brass Plates. They wanted to be taught by Mosiah and his people. Mosiah was made king and the people of Zarahelma become known as Nephites.

It is in Omni 1:20-21 that we first learn of the Jaradite nation.  Mosiah is brought a large stone with engravings on it which he interprets by the gift and power of God.  It is an account of Coriantumr and his people, the Jaradites, who came to the promised land at the time of the Tower of Babel.  Coriantumr had lived with the Mulekites for a time which is how they came to have the engraved stone.  The Mulekites did not, however, get the Plates of Ether from Coriantumr.  The Plates of Ether don't find their way to the Nephites until quite a bit later.

 In Omni 1:27-30, we learn from Amaleki that a group of people "who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance" left Zarahemla and went to live in the land of Nephi which was now part of the Lamanite nation.  We are not told exactly when this happens, but we know they were not heard of again in Amaleki's lifetime.  This is the first in a series of events that eventually leads the Nephites to possess the Plates of Ether.

In Mosiah 7:1-2 King Mosiah, who is the grandson of the first King Mosiah, sends a group of men to go and inquire about what happened to these people basically because he is weary of his people bothering him about it.  A man named Ammon is the leader of this group.  (This is not the same Ammon that fought the Lamanites and cut off their arms--when I was younger I was confused by that.)  Ammon and his men do find the descendents of those who left the land of Zarahemla and King Limhi is their ruler (Mosiah 7:9).  He and his people are in bondage to the Lamanites.  It is Limhi's people who have the Plates of Ether.  A group of their men had discovered the plates when Limhi sent them to look for the land of Zarahemla.  Limhi had hoped that the people of Zarahemla could lend him and his people some aid.  Now, these men must have taken a wrong turn because they ended up in a land full of bones and ruin.  It was all that was left of the once great Jaradite nation, but they didn't know that because they could not read the engravings on the plates they found there.  Limhi and his people feared that the people of Zarahemla had been destroyed.  So when Ammon and his men showed up they were was very glad to see them.

Ammon and the people of King Limhi return to Zarahemla.  With them, they bring the Plates of Ether which they give to Mosiah because he is a prophet and can interpret them.  In Mosiah 28:11-12 is says that he does translate the plates, but the translation is not placed here, among the pages of the Book of Mosiah.  It simply tells us that "the people of Mosiah did mourn exceedingly" when they learned what was in the account (Mosiah 28:18), and that these records were passed down along with all the other records kept by the Nephites.  Mosiah 28:19 speaks of the Plates of Ether, and I believe it is Mormon writing when it says:

"And this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it is expedient that all people should know the things which are written in this account."

This is why Mormon commanded Moroni to include the Jaradite account in the Book of Mormon when he realized he would not be able to do so himself.  I imagine including this account was one of those things on his mental "to-do" list.  I like to imagine stuff like that because it reminds me that all of these people and prophets once lived and breathed just as I do. Mormon 8:1 says:

"Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon.  Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father."

Then in Moroni 1:1, Moroni tells us:

"I...having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me."

I feel so much for Moroni.  I can't imagine what that must have been like.  Moroni finishes off the record with some chapters of his own which have some pretty great stuff in them.

I know this was long, but sometimes I just need a mental run-down of how all these things fit together.  So, that is how the Plates of Ether came to be included as the second to the last book of the Book of Mormon even though the events depicted in the book take place first.  

Mormon 8

When I read Mormon 8, I can almost hear the sadness in Moroni's words. And yet, I can hear determination in those words as well. As Moroni observes the destruction of his people, he says over and over that this work will come forth. It is as if he is answering all those who say it won't. Almost as if their words are replaying themselves in his mind and so he tells us in many different verses that these records will not be destroyed and anyone who doesn't recognize their worth when it is brought forth--well, it will be to their detriment. An example of this is Mormon 8:26, which reads in part:

"And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it..."

I can see the faith it would take after witnessing the Lamanite's victory in every other aspect of his life. His father, Mormon, and all his family and friends have been killed. Moroni expects to die any day at the hands of those same men that have sworn to destroy the records and therefore the religion of the Nephites. Yet he speaks of how these records that contain the gospel will one day "shine forth out of darkness." (Mormon 8:16) I guess I shouldn't say it took great faith because in Mormon 8:34 he tells us that he was shown the time when the Book of Mormon would come forth, so he knows it will be given to future generations. Still, when I read Mormon 8, I feel like he may be trying to remind himself that this is not the end of these things he has held so dear even though at times he might feel that all is lost. His father's work with the records will not be wasted even though no one in his own time listened, neither the Nephites nor the Lamanites. He is telling us that this record was written for us, and so we shall receive them.  How we receive them...if we believe on their words and take them into our hearts...that is up to us.

Changed

Somehow my busy life crowded out thoughts of this blog for quite sometime. I have been forced to slow down a bit this week and so I have returned. Writing about my gospel study helps to sharpen and clarify what I have learned. As I try to put things into precise words my understanding grows and so does my desire to share what I have learned. Today I just want to share a quote that touched me deeply when I read it. Ezra Taft Benson said, "Christ changes men, and changed men change the world."

Mormon 6-9

 I love the wrap up in Mormon 6-9.  It comes before the actual end of the whole Book of Mormon because Moroni says he is hiding up the records and moving on.  Then later finds he has more time to write.  It makes him seem more real to me.  He knew so much.  He was shown a great deal, yet he didn't know everything.

I love the wrap up in chapters 6-9 even more because it breathes of life and truth. Sincere testimonies are borne and they strengthen my own testimony.

Mormon 9:21 says:

"Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth."

Mormon 5--Communion

Mormon 5:2 reads:  "...they repented not of their iniquities but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them."

I think this too often describes me.  The scriptures say to pray always.  They tell us to pray anywhere about anything.  Some days I pray often throughout the day in my heart but fail to devote time to a true morning and evening prayer.  You know the prayers where your attention in truly focused on communicating with your Father in Heaven and actually listening for answers.  Those are the prayers that peel away the layers of distraction and worry and allow for repentance and peace.  Those are the prayers that untie the knots in my stomach and that bring me closer to my Savior.  They must not be forgotten or pushed aside until fatigue makes it difficult to think and seek real communion with that Being who created me and everything around me.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity to pray.  For the freedom I have to worship and pray how I see fit and to teach my children to do so.  I'm so grateful...I need to show my gratitude by remembering always to take time out of my day and take advantage of the great gift that is sincere prayer.

Mormon 2

In Mormon 2, Mormon is appointed to lead the Nephite army at age 16.  They fought long and hard.  They won and lost battles.  Mormon say in verse 8 that "there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land."  Finally, the people begin to lament and mourn  what is happening.  Mormon says that he began to rejoice when he saw this because he knows the wonderful mercy of the Lord, but then in verses 13 and 14 he says:

"But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.  And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God..."

Those verses are very interesting to me.  Sorrow for sin needs to be sorrow because we realize we have done what is contrary to that which is right.  We should sorrow because we have chosen to act in defiance to God's will.  Therefore, we have separated ourselves from his fold.  It is a slightly different way of thinking about it than being sorry because wickedness often does bring with it consequences that cause us no end of sorrow and trouble.