Malachi 1 - 4

Alma taught -

"...I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people." (Book of Mormon Alma 13:1)

And they were ordained as priests -

"...in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption." (Book of Mormon Alma 13:2)

"And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest—" (Book of Mormon Alma 13:6)

Malachi understood this and was greatly disturbed with the behavior of the priest in his day. But as I read his words, I felt strong impressions that he was also seeing the priests of our day as the Lord says -

"...O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart." (Old Testament Malachi 2:1 - 2)

Speaking of the oaths and covenants he has made with those of the priesthood, the Lord states -

"My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." (Old Testament Malachi 2:5 - 7)

As the messenger of the Lord, the faithful priesthood bearer is a sincere worshiper. He acts as if he were in the Lord’s presence when upon the Lord’s errand. He is honest in all his dealings with others, and his speech is dignified and appropriate. He walks with the Lord with confidence and assurance and is comfortable in his role of blessing others and leading them into a better way of life. He is a student of the scriptures and has the capacity to teach the words of life to others. The Lord speaks to those priesthood holders that have not kept their covenants -

"...ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi..." (Old Testament Malachi 2:8)

The Lord goes on to give several examples how they have corrupted their covenants that are very much apparent today -

"...why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" (Old Testament Malachi 2:10)

Many of his priests have married women who worship other things in doing so -

"...dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god." (Old Testament Malachi 2:11)

Not only married women of the world but have abandoned their wives, leaving them in tears of suffering, while pursuing the younger woman of the world for -

"...this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." (Old Testament Malachi 2:13 - 14)

This angers the Lord greatly as he states -

"For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away..." (Old Testament Malachi 2:16)

Many priesthood holders go through the motions suggesting they are keeping their covenants but -

"...offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible." (Old Testament Malachi 1:7)

To which the Lord answers -

"...if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?" (Old Testament Malachi 1:8)

There is no question that offering the best of the sacrifice to the Lord is much different that offering that which a priests does not want. The is angered as he says -

"...Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?" (Old Testament Malachi 3:13 - 14)

It may appear that these men may seem to prosper in their corruption, to possess many of the things of this world, where there doesn't seem like there is much justice, for -

"...now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered." (Old Testament Malachi 3:15)

But eventually, the promise is -

"...behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." (Old Testament Malachi 4:1)

But to the repentant, the promise is to them -

"...that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." (Old Testament Malachi 4:2 - 3)

Zechariah 9 - 14

One of the Articles of Faith state -

"10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes..." (Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:10)

As scriptural history records, much of the Kingdom of Israel was carried away by the assyrians. Because there is little history of these people after this time, many refer to them as the lost tribes of Israel.

Speaking of his teachings amongst the Jews, the Savior tells the people of Nephi in his visit to the Americas -

"This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:
17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 15:16 - 17)

And then he explains -

"...they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.
23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 15:22 - 23)

It is interesting that he tells this people -

"...not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.
15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 15:14 - 15)

And then he tells them -

"...I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister.
2 For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 16:1 - 2)

These then would not be gentiles, but those that he had led away to whom he was about to visit. He then tells them of the many testimonies that will be written of him saying -

"For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 29:12)

And that someday -

"...it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 29:13 - 14)

The Lord revealed to Zechariah, of the house of Israel -

"I will sow them among the people...in far countries..." (Old Testament Zechariah 10:9)

In 1836, in the Kirtland Temple, shortly after its dedication, Joseph Smith reports -

"...Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 110:11)

Joseph Smith himself who ancestry is from Great Britain, is one of the children of Israel as Joseph of Old prophecied of him -

"...Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;
15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 3:14 - 15)

Shortly after the keys to the gathering of Israel were restored, great missionaries as Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and many others traveled to the British Isles where great numbers of saints were baptized and began the great gathering. My thoughts are that most of these early saints are descendants of Israel fulfilling the prophecies of Zachariah saying -

"...they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.
8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
9 And ...they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again." (Old Testament Zechariah 10:7 - 9)

"And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD." (Old Testament Zechariah 10:12)

Haggai - Zechariah 8

As Judah returned from captivity, things must have been very difficult as they found a barren an forsaken land. Being so difficult, the people must have assumed that in these conditions, there was no way they could re-build the temple. It is then the word of the Lord came to Haggai -

This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built...Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?" (Old Testament Haggai 1:2 - 4)

This same type of warning was delivered in modern day -

"For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me...let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people;
41 For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times.
...If ye labor with all your might, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy.
45 And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
46 But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them.
...I command you again to build a house to my name, even in this place, that you may prove yourselves unto me that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, immortality, and eternal life.
(Doctrine and Covenants Section 124:33 - 55)

What the Lord was teaching the people of Judah was -

"For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 132:5)

"...I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation.
10 I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:9 - 10)

Because of their own justification in not re-building the temple -

"...thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways." (Old Testament Haggai 1:5)

And then he explains -

"Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes." (Old Testament Haggai 1:6)

And because of their disobedience -

"Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands." (Old Testament Haggai 1:10 - 11)

It is the same in our day as the world pursues the things of this world but are never satisfied as with a "bag with holes". Samuel the Lamanite told those of Zarahemla -

"...for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head." (Book of Mormon Helaman 13:38)

Alma taught his son -

"...wickedness never was happiness." (Book of Mormon Alma 41:10)

Elder James E. Talmage wrote -

"...Material belongings, relative wealth or poverty, physical environment—the things on which we are prone to set our hearts and anchor our aspirations, the things for which we sweat and strive, ofttimes at the sacrifice of happiness and to the forfeiture of real success—these after all are but externals, the worth of which in the reckoning to come shall be counted in terms of the use we have made of them...." (James E. Talmage, The Vitality of Mormonism, 1919, p. 352.)

"...Consider your ways."(Old Testament Haggai 1:7)

Nahum - Zephaniah

These great prophets also testified of the destruction of Israel. Nahum also prophecied of the destruction of Ninevah after they had turned from their repentance with the preaching of Jonah. Zephaniah pleaded -

"Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger." (Old Testament Zephaniah 2:3)

Even though we witness many of the righteous suffer because of the wicked, Zephaniah suggests that the Lord will be generally merciful to those that seek meekness and righteousness. It is this remnant that -

"...shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." (Old Testament Zephaniah 3:13)

And of the meek and the righteous the Lord suggests that in the latter days or -

"...In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." (Old Testament Zephaniah 3:16 - 17)

What jumped out to me was -

"...and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack." (Old Testament Zephaniah 3:16)

Where the very definition of Zion is -

"...the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:18)

As people of Zion, we have a great work to do - "Let not thine hands be slack".

Habbakuk struggled with the reasoning of why the Lord would allow the wicked success in overpowering his people. Speaking of their posterity, the Lord told Nephi and Sam -

"...if it so be that they rebel against me, they (their brothers posterity) shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 2:24)

Because -

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
4 Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:3 - 4)

These same principles applied to the children of Israel.

Jonah 1 - Micah 7

Much of the Old Testament is about the covenants of the Lord with the children of Israel - husband and wife. Because of the covenants, Israel believed they were the chosen one. They believed all others must therefore be despised by the Lord. But the experience of Jonah though teaches that the Lord loves all his children that repent and come unto him -

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Old Testament Micah 6:8)

Jonah was greatly entrenched in this belief. As the Lord commanded Jonah -

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me." (Old Testament Jonah 1:2)

Jonah seemed to have no problem declaring repentance to his people - the chosen people. But to call repentance to the gentiles was something he struggled with and so -

"...Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD..." (Old Testament Jonah 1:3)

As he fled on a ship -

"...the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep." (Old Testament Jonah 1:4 - 5)

The mariners were greatly afraid, and at last resort they approached Jonah -

"What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you." (Old Testament Jonah 1:11 - 12)

They didn't do this right away but rowed hard to avoid this request. But finally leaving no choice to save their lives -

"...they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging." (Old Testament Jonah 1:15)

Nephi said -

"...I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 3:7)

The Lord didn't let Jonah of the hook and -

"...prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." (Old Testament Jonah 1:17)

And when Jonah was humbled enough -

"THEN Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me..." (Old Testament Jonah 2:1 - 2)

"And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." (Old Testament Jonah 2:10)

So Jonah did that which he was commanded -

"...and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." (Old Testament Jonah 3:3 - 4)

But to Jonah's surprise -

"...the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them..." (Old Testament Jonah 3:5)

In that the Lord -

"...God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and repented; and God turned away the evil that he had said he would bring upon them." (JST Old Testament Jonah 3:10)

This greatly frustrated Jonah in that they were still gentiles. The Lord than taught him a great lesson as he built a booth on the east side of the city. The Lord -

"...prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd." (Old Testament Jonah 4:6)

But then the Lord -

"...prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered." (Old Testament Jonah 4:7)

And -

"...when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live." (Old Testament Jonah 4:8)

And then the Lord approached Jonah -

"...Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death." (Old Testament Jonah 4:9)

The Lord then compares this experience -

"...Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand..." (Old Testament Jonah 4:10 - 11)

These people had never heard these teachings meaning to decern between there righto or left hand. The Lord made it clear God loves all his children.

In June of 1978, the First Presidency proclaimed -

"As we have witnessed the expansion of the work of the Lord over the earth, we have been grateful that people of many nations have responded to the message of the restored gospel, and have joined the Church in ever-increasing numbers. This, in turn, has inspired us with a desire to extend to every worthy member of the Church all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords.
7 Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.
8 He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple. Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color. Priesthood leaders are instructed to follow the policy of carefully interviewing all candidates for ordination to either the Aaronic or the Melchizedek Priesthood to insure that they meet the established standards for worthiness.
9 We declare with soberness that the Lord has now made known his will for the blessing of all his children throughout the earth who will hearken to the voice of his authorized servants, and prepare themselves to receive every blessing of the gospel." (Doctrine and Covenants Official Declaration 2:6 - 9)

Much like Jonah, many latter-day saints struggled with this concept just as Jonah had with the gentiles of Ninevah. Ammon, a son of Mosiah, said -

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth..." (Book of Mormon Alma 26:37)

Obadiah

In one short book, Obadiah prophecies of the reasons and the eventual fall and utter destruction of Edom (descendants of Esau) saying in the last days -

"...upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it." (Old Testament Obadiah 1:17 - 18)

Mount Zion is the Kingdom of God on the earth and mount or mountain many times refers particularly to his house or temple. It is Lord and his Kingdom on earth that will judge the nations for -
"...the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 1:36)

In the last verse in his prophecy of the last days, Obadiah introduces a new thought -

"...And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's." (Old Testament Obadiah 1:21)

Obadiah suggests that in the last days there will be many saviours. Paul talked of some of the ancients, saying -

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." (New Testament Hebrews 11:39 - 40)

If there are those that could not be made perfect without us then this would suggest that we could be saviors. And if saviours on Mount Zion, the saviours in his kingdom or temples.

In modern revelation, the Lord said -

"Therefore, blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles, and through this priesthood, a savior unto my people Israel. " (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:11)

So how, through the priesthood can we be saviors? The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote -

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning your dead: When any of you are baptized for your dead, let there be a recorder, and let him be eye–witness of your baptisms; let him hear with his ears, that he may testify of a truth, saith the Lord..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 127:6)

The Lord provides for saviors on Mount Zion to perform work for the dead in sacred temples in that they without us cannot be made perfect. We see this even in Paul's day for -

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" (New Testament 1 Corinthians 15:29)

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught -

“‘But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations, and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah.’ (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, [Deseret Book, 1968], p. 330.)”

Amos 1 - 8

By the time we read the words of the prophet Amos, we have heard promises of eventual destruction (unless Israel repents) so many times that it is hard to believe that the Lord would show the patience he did. To blog about these promises of destruction seems so reduntant. But Amos touches on two thing I would like to address. First -

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Old Testament Amos 3:7)

In modern revelation on the gifts of the Spirit we read -

"To some it 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.
14 To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 46:13 - 14)

It becomes clear that the Lord reveals truths to those he designates as prophets. His prophets testify truth to all the people. It is the people's burden to exhibit faith to receive their own personal witness -

"...for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith..." (Book of Mormon Ether 12:6)

with the promise that -

"...if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Book of Mormon Moroni 10:4 - 5)

The second is -

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it." (Old Testament Amos 8:11 - 12)

The reason they would not find it because there would be no "prophet" to reveal it. There seems to be a famine from the days of Malachi to the days of John the Baptist. But there was a greater famine from the days of the ancient apostles to the restoration of the gospel to the Prophet Joseph Smith. I testify that this is true. Joseph Smith and others in succession are true prophets of God. Like Alma of old, I too -

"...would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which maketh these things known unto me..." (Book of Mormon Alma 38:6)

Joel 1 - 3

Of the first visit of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph later records the Moroni -

"...also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be..." (Pearl of Great Price JS-History 1:41)

As Peter standing with the eleven on the Day of Pentacost -

"...suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled..." (New Testament Acts 2:2 - 7)

Then -

"...Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel..."(New Testament Acts 2:14 - 16)

It becomes apparent that the words of Joel are of great importance as he prophecied in the latter-days -

"...it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions..." (Old Testament Joel 2:28)

The Spirit will not be restricted to a few but even -

"...upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit." (Old Testament Joel 2:29)

And with the pouring out of his Spirit the Lord promises -

"...I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come." (Old Testament Joel 2:30 - 31)

It becomes clear that it will be a "terrible" day for the wicked, but for the righteous it will be a great day -

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." (Old Testament Joel 2:32)

And they will be delivered as -

"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more." (Old Testament Joel 3:16 - 17)

"Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."
(Old Testament Joel 2:12 - 13)

Hosea 3 - 14

Hosea lived during the days of Isaiah. His prophecies seemed more focused on Ephraim, the kingdom of Israel, or Samaria and their eventual scattering and desolation. Much of his prophecies were in regards to the "whoring and idolatry" of Israel as the Lord is the husband and Israel is the wife. In the last of his writings, Hosea looks toward the last days, prophecying -

O ISRAEL, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips." (Old Testament Hosea 14:1 - 2)

Calves of our lips meaning the most sincere or special sacrifice of our lips. And as Israel again returns and repents with "calves of our lips", the Lord promises -

"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon." (Old Testament Hosea 14:4 - 7)

And as Israel agains to keep the commandments -

"Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found." (Old Testament Hosea 14:8)

The question like always is -

"Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. (Old Testament Hosea 14:9)