Mosiah 18

Abinadi asked Noah and his priests -

"...who shall be his seed?" (Book of Mormon Mosiah 15:10)

Then answering his own question, he said -

"...all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?" (Book of Mormon Mosiah 15:11 - 12)

Alma, who believed and recorded the words of Abinadi later provides more incite on become His seed asking the believers are you -

"...willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?" (Book of Mormon Mosiah 18:8 - 10)

This willingness wasn't all that was required, for after they made this covenant, Alma -

"...commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 18:20 - 21)

It was when there was no contention among themselvers and "their hearts were knit together in unity and in love one towards another" or in other words, they possessed charity, it is then we are told -

"And thus they became the children of God." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 18:22)

Mosiah 15

The priests of Noah asked Abinadi -

"...What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 12:20 - 21)

I think this was a very interesting question that the wicked priest would ask Abinadi. The question continues -

"Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;
23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;
24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?" (Book of Mormon Mosiah 12:22 - 24)

Did these worldly priests think that descendants of Jerusalem would be freed or redeemed just because they were the supposedly "chosen people". Abinadi immediately rebuffs them -

"Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?
26 I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.
27 Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 12:25 - 27)

After delivering one of the greatest lessons in all of scripture on the Savior and the atonement, Abinadi answers their first question -

"...whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?
13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 15:11 - 13)

Therefore it is they who have opened their mouths to prophesy or bear testimony of Christ -

"these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!
15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
16 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!
17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
18 And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 15:14 - 18)

Mosiah 12

I see a great deal of similarities between the King Noah and his priests and the leaders and celebrities of our day for he lived in his own way and

"....did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 11:2)

For -

"...he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots.
15 And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in the land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance; and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 11:14 - 15)

And they -

"...they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the Lamanites; and thus they did boast..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 11:19)

When King Noah was confronted by Abinadi of his and his priest's wickedness, his people defended him saying -

"...O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of God or judged of this man?
14 And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not sinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and he has prophesied in vain.
15 And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 12:13 - 15)

How much in our day does the media suggest -

"l...what great evil hast [we] done, or what great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of God...behold, we are guiltless..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 12:13 - 14)

Think about this as you ponder the prophecies of Abinadi.

Mosiah 5

King Benjamin taught so powerfully with the Spirit that as he finished speaking to his people, they -

"...all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 5:2)

And they said -

"...we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.
5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 5:4 - 5)

Such a covenant is an integral part of the plan of happiness. King Benjamin understood this as he tells them -

"...Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.
7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 5:6 - 7)

It was in making this covenant that Jesus Christ became the "spiritual Father" in that they were reborn through the power of the atonement and as such -

"...shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 5:9)

The would forever have His name -

"...never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 5:11)

Because this could happen, King Benjamin -

"...thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 6:1)

Why? To be -

"...numbered among the people of the church of Christ...that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith." (Book of Mormon Moroni 6:4)

Mosiah 4

Mormon relates that as the people of King Benjamin truly repented of their sins -

"...the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:3)

There is much scriptural evidence of the joy felt by those who receive a remission of sins. But how do we retain this remission of sins. King Benjamin continued to explain -

"...as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:11)

If you do this -

"...ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:12)

Simply, we must be humble, praying regularly, and standing fast in the faith or keeping the promises and covenants we have made, For -

"...this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:8)

Mosiah 2

King Benjamin teaches his people so that they will "learn wisdom". Wisdom being -

"...a wise attitude, belief, or course of action..." In this case, wisdom in serving your fellowman. King Benjamin teaches -

"...that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 2:17)

Can you really serve God without serving your fellowman? Brigham Young said -

“. . . There is no man who ever made a sacrifice on this earth for the Kingdom of heaven, that I know anything about, except the Savior. He drank the bitter cup to the dregs, and tasted for every man and for every woman, and redeemed the earth and all things upon it. But he was God in the flesh, or he could not have endured it. ‘But we suffer, we sacrifice, we give something, we have preached so long.’ What for? ‘Why, for the Lord.’ I would not give the ashes of a rye straw for the man who feels that he is making sacrifice for God. We are doing this for our own happiness, welfare and exaltation, and for nobody else’s. This is the fact, and what we do, we do for the salvation of the inhabitants of the earth, not for the salvation of the heavens, the angels, or the Gods” (Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 176–77).

This is the wisdom King Benjamin taught -

"...if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever..." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 2:20 - 24)

Finally, I like the quote of Elder Antoine R. Ivins -

“The great value, I believe, that the Church has for us is the opportunity it gives us to serve, for, after all, the great benefits of life come from service. Generous, open-hearted, full service to our fellows, I believe, is the thing which brings us the greatest happiness. We can serve our families and gain happiness by it; we can serve our friends and gain happiness by it; but if we would be happy we must serve and serve generously, and I believe myself that the greatest happiness that comes to me from observing the standards of the Church and meeting my obligations to it is the spiritual values that I get out of that service. I would like to be able to say that I always serve for the sheer love of service. I don’t know whether I can honestly say that or not, but I hope I can. I would like to suggest that all of us who serve, serve for the same motive, out of sheer joy and love of service. I would that every man who accepts a responsibility in a priesthood quorum would accept it because of the opportunity for service which it offers him; not that he be a good deacon so he may be the president of his quorum. Not that he be a good priest that some day he may be made president of the elders’ quorum. Not to be a good bishop, that when the stake is reorganized he may become the president of the stake, because if he serves with that motive, there is very likely to be a day of disappointment for him, but if he serves because he loves to, if he serves because he loves his fellows, then whether the other things come or not, he is never disappointed” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1948, pp. 47–48).

Mosiah 3

Christmas is a time we rejoice in the coming of the Savior. We rejoice because of His life and His -

"...infinite atonement..." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 9:7)

Jarom reports that -

"...the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently...persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was…" (Book of Mormon Jarom 1:11)

King Benjamin taught his people -

"...whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them." Book of Mormon Mosiah 3:13)

All of these that looked forward to His coming celebrated the spirit of Christmas. Even before Adam we know that in a pre-existent state -

"...there were many of the noble and great ones..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:22)

We also know there were also the rebellious for -

"...the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (New Testament Revelation 12:9)

One would have to assume that with these extremes there must have been many in different stages of obedience in this pre-earth life suggesting that there was even then the requirement of "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" and "repentance". Just the same hoped that they -

"...might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them." Book of Mormon Mosiah 3:13)

We seen this -

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Old Testament Job 38:7)

It seems to be apparent that all in this pre-earth life must have celebrated the coming of the Savior.

We rejoice now with the coming of the Savior with Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the opportunity of repentance.

In the worlds to come, we will continue to possess agency. Though I do not know the meaning of all things, I assume because of agency and because of an infinite atonement, we will still need faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance. Because of that through the eternities will continually "rejoice with exceedingly great joy". In other words, we will continue to celebrate the birth of the Savior

Enos

Enos writes -

"...I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins." (Book of Mormon Enos 1:2)

He then tells us after his wrestling and supplication to the Lord -

"...there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed." (Book of Mormon Enos 1:5)

Following this, he writes -

"...I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.
10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again..." (Book of Mormon Enos 1:9 - 10)

The comments on this second occasion that the voice came "again" into his suggesting the first was also in his mind. The Lord has revealed the process of receiving revelation or his voice -

"...I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 8:2)

Nephi informed his rebellious brothers -

"...ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 17:45)

The voice of the Lord then is very impressionable, enlighted thoughts that come into your mind as well feelings felt in the heart. President Harold B. Lee tells his experience with the voice of the Lord -

“May I bear humble testimony, if I may be pardoned, to that fact? I was once in a situation where I needed help. The Lord knew I needed help and I was on an important mission. I was awakened in the hours of the morning—as though someone had wakened me to straighten me out on something that I had planned to do in a contrary course—and there was clearly mapped out before me as I lay there that morning, just as surely as though someone had sat on the edge of my bed and told me what to do. Yes, the voice of the Lord comes into our minds, and we are directed thereby” (Harold B. Lee, Divine Revelation [address given to the Brigham Young University student body, 15 Oct. 1952], pp. 7–8).

It may not be necessarily coincidential that this morning I had somewhat the same experience. I have recently been somewhat anxious and worrysome with some changes that are to take place in my life in the near future. This morning I too suddenly became awake as if I was to receive some type of instruction. As I prayed, I too felt feelings of peace from the Holy Ghost. As I continued to ponder and meditate, my thoughts seemed to become organized with a distinct impression of what I was to do "now" in preparation for this change. As I understood what I was to do, in my mind came the verse -

"...if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 38:30)

Enos & Jarom

I need to qualify that my thoughts this morning in that they are my own personal thoughts and not doctrine. Nephi talks of the rebellion of the Lamanites in that they would not hearken to the word of the Lord. Nephi recognized a change that took place with Laman and Lemuel and his posterity and maybe because he was somewhat shocked with their appearance tells us the Lord -

"...caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 5:21 - 22)

As first the reader would have to assume that the Lord literally marked them with a "skin of blackness". There is no question that He did not cause them to harden their hearts or to commit iniquity, which as a result they had became like flint. But I wonder if this physical appearance of darkness was a result of their loathsome and iniquiteous lifestyle, which would be caused by the Lord by natural law. Nephi tells us -

"...because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 5:24)

Enos reveals of the Lamanite lifestyle that they -

"...were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat..." (Book of Mormon Enos 1:20)

No question that running around in a short skin girdle would definitely expose them to more sun which would darken their skin. And finally Jarom informs us -

"...they loved murder and would drink the blood of beasts." (Book of Mormon Jarom 1:6)

I just wondered if this lifestyle was really the curse that Nephi talked about and not a literal marking them with a dark skin as a punishment for rebelliousness.

Jacob 5

The portion of Zenos's allegory that has the most significance in our day is -

"...it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few.
71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:70 - 71)

Zenos foresaw -

"...that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.
73 And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard; and the natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength thereof." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:72 - 73)

It continued as righteous servants -

"...labored, with all diligence, according to the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had been cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved unto himself that the trees had become again the natural fruit; and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning..." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:74)

And to His righteous servants He said -

"...blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:75)

Jacob 5

Jacob tells us that Nephi told him -

"...if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people." (Book of Mormon Jacob 1:4)

Jacob mentions that -

"...I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates..." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:1)

As difficult as it was, he felt it was of greatest importance to write the great allegory of the Prophet Zenos, which I believe is the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon. There is a great deal of meaning throughout the allegory. A few that seemed to impress me as I read this time included wherein -

"...the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and pleasure." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:14)

Later as the Lord of the vineyard returns he mentions three distinct parts for -

"...they went forth whither the master had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the servant: Behold these; and he beheld the first that it had brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good. And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought forth much fruit.
21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.
22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:20 - 22)

He then mentions another location -

"...the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:23)

The third locations is much more familiar as we read the Book of Mormon -

"...he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last. Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others." (Book of Mormon Jacob 5:25)

The Savior specifically mentions to the Nephites in His visit to the Americas -

"...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.
3 But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 16:1 - 3)

I know that I am a descendant of Jacob but not of the branch that was "planted in a good spot of ground". I've wondered if my ancestors as well as many of the those that accepted the gospel in the early days of the Church, are of one of the branches that the allegory of Zeno and the Savior referred to.

Jacob 4

Jacob teaches of the saints -

"...we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:6)

But lest we get caught up in pride -

"Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:7)

Jacob reminds us -

"Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:8)

And tbecause of that, he warns us -

"Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:10)

In the Church we have been given or allowed specific duties and responsibilities that fall under an umbrella or authority. Sometimes we fail to "learn our duty" or think we know better than the instruction or counsel given us by our file leaders by going outside the umbrella of authority we have. Speaking of the Jews, but having great comparison to us, Jacob warns of such saying -

"...the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness...and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall..." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:14)

It is when we look beyond the mark, when we think our ways or better than the Lord's or his servants that we "needs fall", therefore -

"...seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand..." (Book of Mormon Jacob 4:10)

2 Nephi 32

Nephi teaches us -

"...if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 32:5)

Does the Holy Ghost show you or teach you all things you should do and know directly or in some other way?

Moroni testifies that -

"...by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Book of Mormon Moroni 10:5)

Nephi teaches us somewhat of the manner in which we learn what we should do -

"Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 32:2 - 3)

How we know the truth of all things is what has been revealed to others by the power of the Holy Ghost wherefore we must feast upon the words of Christ. That is -

"...seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 88:118)

Nephi chastises those -

"..because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 32:7)

The words of Christ are not just in canonized scripture but given in conference talks, handbooks, lesson manuals, and so forth, for -

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.: (Doctrine and Covenants Section 1:38)

2 Nephi 32

A couple of days ago I blogged this -

Nephi records these words of Isaiah -"...my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge..." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 15:13)

Isn't captivity synonymous to bondage. Isn't being in bondage the opposite of being free.The Savior said -

"...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (New Testament John 8:31 - 32)

How do we gain knowledge?"...seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 88:118)

Knowledge frees us from bondage and limitations that handcuff in our service to God. When it comes to knowing or duty and God's will, we find His word comes in the form of the scriptures, handbooks of instructions, priesthood leadership counsel, inspiration as we sit in council, and by the power of the Holy Ghost

"...now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.100 He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. : (Doctrine and Covenants Section 107:99 - 100)

Note that the first requirement is for one to learn his duty. Knowledge will then set us free in magnifying our callings.

I just wanted to add what Nephi said -

"...because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 32:7)

Why is it that many that are called to serve neglect to learn their duty or "will not search knowledge". This is the challenge.