LDS Book

Have you even found yourself sliding down the slippery slope of sin and wondered what you could do to pull yourself back up? Well, the prophet Alma had some great advice on that very subject.

We read in The Book of Alma chapters 9-14, how the Lord sent Alma to the city of Ammonihah to call the rebellious Nephites to repentance. Now these people were pretty prideful and did not want to be confronted with the idea that they might be doing something wrong. So Alma’s message was not well received. In fact, the first time he went to Ammoniah they threw him out of the city, forcing him to sneak in again through the back way.

The people of Ammoniah were sliding down that slippery slope with smiles on their faces. They were content to live in sin and did not want to change. Nor did they believe that God would destroy their city if they persisted in their evil doings. Alma knew if they were not brought to a state of humility and repentance soon, the wrath of God would be upon them. Summoning all his courage he said, “I did boldly testify unto them.”

It’s interesting to me that Alma begins by reminding these backsliding Nephites of the wonderful blessings the Lord had poured out upon them—things they already knew to be true but had chosen to forgot or ignore. We read this account in Alma 9:9-11.

“Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were all led by him through the wilderness? And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren? Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe.”

What can we learn from this? Well, for me it’s a lesson in gratitude—a call for us all to remember the many blessings we’ve been given as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. If we were in constant remembrance of His goodness and mercy towards us, and continually mindful of all of our many blessings, it would be pretty difficult to become prideful and rebellious in the first place, wouldn’t it?

Alma knew that if we found ourselves sliding down that slippery slope to sin, we could grab hold of the rope of gratitude and pull ourselves back up to higher ground by recalling each and every blessing until our hearts were so full of gratitude and humility that the spirit could to work within us once again. It’s pretty hard to sin with a heart full of gratitude. Oh, and if you want to know how it turned out for the people of Ammoniah, just read the Alma chapters 9-14. It’s an awesome story!

Since the days of Adam, God has spoken to his people through the holy prophets. The scriptures are replete with those accounts. Today, prophets continue to serve as mouthpieces for our Heavenly Father in leading and directing His children here on earth. But what exactly is a prophet and how does that relate to a seer and a revelator? King Limhi asked Ammon that very question.

In the Book of Mormon we read about how the people living in land of Lehi-Nephi found an ancient record kept by an extinct civilization (the Jaredites). The account was etched on brass plates in a strange language they could not read. King Limhi, ruler of the people of Lehi-Nephi, became very curious about this civilization and anxious to learn what befell them. So he asked Ammon, a Nephite missionary from the land of Zarahemla, if he could translate these records. Ammon explained to King Limhi that he could not interpret them, but that he did indeed know of a man with such powers. In Mosiah 8:13-18, we read Ammon’s wonderful explanation as he teaches King Limhi and his people about prophets, seers and revelators.

“I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer. And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of Zarahemla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and who has this high gift from God.”

Ammon is referring to King Mosiah 11 (son of King Benjamin) who was the prophet king over the Nephites in the land of Zarahemla. King Limhi asked Ammon if a seer is greater than a prophet.

“And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God. But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.”

Today the term prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title given to members of the First Presidency and the quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Thomas S. Monson at the head of the church as president. These are the men who serve as mouthpieces for the Lord in our day. They are our interperters—the ones we should look to for guidance and direction that “hidden things shall be made known…which otherwise could not be known.”

During the 1978 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Spencer W. Kimball theorized as to why mankind has continued to reject the prophets of God. Here are some powerful excerpts and explanations from that conference talk:

“Various excuses have been used over the centuries to dismiss these divine messengers. There has been denial because the prophet came from an obscure place. ‘Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?’ ( John 1:46 .) Jesus was also met with the question, ‘Is not this the carpenter’s son?’ ( Matt. 13:55 .) By one means or another, the swiftest method of rejection of the holy prophets has been to find a pretext, however false or absurd, to dismiss the man so that his message could also be dismissed.

“We wonder how often hearers first rejected the prophets because they despised them, and finally despised the prophets even more because they had rejected them. Even so, why else is the record of rejection so complete? The cares of the world are so many and so entangling, even very good people are diverted from following the truth because they care too much for the things of the world. . . .

“Sometimes people let their hearts get so set upon things and the honors of this world that they cannot learn the lessons they most need to learn. Simple truths are often rejected in favor of the much less-demanding philosophies of men, and this is another cause for the rejection of the prophets.

“But while there are various excuses for rejection, there’s a certain cause for this sad record. It must not be passed over: the cares of the world, the honors of the world, and looking beyond the mark are all determined by a persuasive few who presume to speak for all. . . .

“The holy prophets have not only refused to follow erroneous human trends, but have pointed out these errors. No wonder the response to the prophets has not always been one of indifference. So often the prophets have been rejected because they first rejected the wrong ways of their own society.

“Prophets have a way of jarring the carnal mind. Too often the holy prophets are wrongly perceived as harsh and as anxious to make a record in order to say, ‘I told you so.’ Those prophets I have known are the most loving of men. It is because of their love and integrity that they cannot modify the Lord’s message merely to make people feel comfortable. They are too kind to be so cruel. I am so grateful that prophets do not crave popularity.”

To read this article in its entirety go to: http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1978.htm/ensign%20may%201978%20.htm/listen%20to%20the%20prophets.htm?fn=default.htm$f=templates$3.0

In D&C 124:45 we read; “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.”

God’s revelations come through His servants, the prophets. Their words outline for us the path leading to eternal life. Failure to heed the words of the prophets, particularly those of the living prophet, can bring about the loss of great blessings. President George Q. Cannon, a General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained:

“What can we do better than to show respect to our God by listening to His servant, by treating him with reverence, asking his counsel and seeking for his guidance? I know we pray to God for him, that he may be inspired from on high. Do you believe your prayers? Do you believe that God will and does inspire him? I hope you do; and I hope that having this feeling, you will be prompted to different action. . . . And shall we say that in some things we are willing to be guided; we think it right to be guided in matters of doctrine, etc.; but in other matters, just as important and necessary for the salvation and preservation of this people, we are not willing? Latter-day Saints, you cannot do it. You cannot get away from this authority and remain Latter-day Saints, for you sever yourselves from the Church of God, because everything you have is based on the recognition of this authority.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1900, p. 13.)

During the April 2011 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we were privileged to hear inspired words of revelation from a living prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify to the world that he is a prophet of God chosen to lead and direct His people in these the last days. To read his prophetic messages, and those of other inspired General Authorities go to: http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/priesthood-power?lang=eng

I’m reading through the Book of Mormon again for the umpteenth time, and was once more struck by the great prophecy of Joseph of old that Lehi related to his children before his death. I mean, how amazing is it that Joseph of old could actually see our day and knew that a great prophet, after his own name, would lead the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ​? Also amazing to me is the fact that somehow, this scripture was eliminated from the biblical account of Joseph’s life.

In 2 Nephi 4:2 Lehi said, “For behold, he (meaning Joseph) truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass.”

Lehi quotes the words of Joseph of old directly: “The saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of they loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers…and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them. Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together…Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise; 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. Yea, thus prophesied Joseph.” 2 Nephi 3:7-15

So the next time your world starts to close in on you read 2 Nephi 3 & 4 to remind yourself of the bigger picture. God is in charge. He knows all things and is in control of all things. We don’t need to be afraid or left in the dark about future events. He speaks to us of this great work and of all things to come through the voice of His holy prophets. All we have to do is listen.

I don’t think I ever realized the supreme importance of writing down our personal testimonies or testifying of all the times our prayers have been answered and the many miracles and merciful dealings of God in our lives, until I read 3 Nephi 23:7-13. In these passages Jesus visits the Nephites right after his crucifixion and commences to administer and teach them. Included is an important lesson about keeping an accurate record of the spiritual workings of God.

We live at a time when prophesy is rapidly being fulfilled. Do we testify of these things? Do we bear record of them in our personal journals? Do we witness them to our families and neighbors? In these passages we learn just how Jesus feels about this.

3 Nephi 23:7-13

And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept. And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said: Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled. And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them? And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written. And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Opps. I’d better get writing….

In his book, The Power Within Us, Russel M. Nelson, of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles states the importance of following the counsel and teachings of all the prophets both ancient and modern.

“If the most important things in life are to know God and to keep his commandments, then heeding his prophets and abiding their teachings should be among our most important objectives. In a way, the very repetition of the teachings of the prophets may have sounded monotonous throughout the years. The pleadings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Abinadi have not differed significantly from those of President Harold B. Lee, President Spencer W. Kimball, and President Ezra Taft Benson. Surely when measured by eternal standards, teachings of the prophets are more important and enduring than the latest findings of competent researchers, even if these findings are both discovered and taught by use of modern technology and teaching aids. Success is determined largely by individual desire to learn. When we crave learning as much as we want to satisfy pangs of hunger, we will achieve our desired objectives.” (The Power Within Us, Russell M. Nelson, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City UT, 1989, p. 20)

“Feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted.” (2 Nephi 9:15) “If ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,…ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:20)

These are powerful words and advice for the last days.

Ezekiel was one of four Old Testament prophets living at about the same time period. He, along with Daniel, Lehi, and Jeremiah served the Lord during the dark days of captivity that befell the children of Israel. A creative writer with a vivid imagination, he used graphic images and dramatic allegories to drive home sharp words like the point of a mighty sword. Ezekiel’s prophetic mission, to preach God’s warning of certain doom to his people, lasted twenty-two years. All the while he knew that their fate was sealed. Pain frustration, anger disappointment, grief, and an abiding love for his people lace the last words of the prophet, making his story all the more poignant.

Paramount among Ezekiel’s teachings is the fact that each individual is responsible for his or her own actions and, as a result, each will be rewarded or punished according to the choices they make. He taught that no one that rejects the Lord’s counsel can escape judgment. But he also taught that everyone who repents and turns from iniquity can call upon God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness.

In Ezekiel’s time the Lord’s covenant people rejected Him in favor of idol worship. The prophet warned Israel that they were to be destroyed for this very sin. Some may think it strange that ancient Israel, the covenant people, was guilty of such infidelity to their God. Yet today we are often guilty of that very sin.

Modern idolatry is essentially the same as ancient idolatry, with the outward appearance slightly changed. It’s found among us in many different forms. Oh, we may not worship figures of wood or stone, but we have other idols that we devote ourselves to. Those idols can include all kinds of media, celebrities, computers, vanity, online games, ipods, careers, fashion, popularity, and pornography, texting—anything and everything in excess that takes priority over or leads us away from the service of God.

Today God sees this sin as clearly as he did in ancient times. President Kimball, a modern prophet warned: “There are no corners so dark, no deserts so uninhabited, no canyons so remote, no automobiles so hidden, no homes so tight and shut in but that the all-seeing One can penetrate and observe” (“Message of Inspiration,” Church News, 30 May, 1970, p.2)

“In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.” (Ezekiel 6:6)

Probably we should all take a good long look at our lives to make sure we have no hidden idols in our homes or our hearts.

The prophet Jeremiah (626-586 B.C.) sealed his place in history as one of the four major Jewish prophets of the Old Testament. Called to serve on the eve of a great catastrophe, this brave and dedicated prophet-patriarch launched a heart-wrenching forty-year campaign to warn Judah of it’s impending doom, knowing his efforts would prove futile. Considered an outlaw and a traitor for proclaiming the might wrath of God against the children of Israel, he suffered great persecution. He was reviled and hated by kings, princes, priests, and even his own countrymen. Yet this brokenhearted prophet fearlessly declared God’s truth to the end of his days.

Jeremiah is credited with writing the Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations. His words are punctuated with grief and sadness as he suffered alongside his people, knowing they were beyond any further help from God. Much of his writings deal with the disastrous state of Judah at the time. However, the great prophet also foretold of the latter days—the restoration of Israel, the gospel covenant, and the building of Zion.

Although not his last words, one of the most beautiful analogies that came out of this dark time was Jeremiah’s teachings of how we are all like clay in the potters hands. You can find it in The Book of Jeremiah chapter 18: The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

I love to think of myself as clay in the Master’s hands to be lovingly molded and shaped day by day into a beautiful vessel that radiates the light and love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—a masterful work of art created by His hands. If we “liken” this scripture to ourselves, I believe the bumps and bruises we get along the way can be looked at as something not to be feared or hated but welcomed—knowing that with each trial our rough edges are smoothed over and all the imperfections rubbed away until in the end we become perfected by the Master.

In the Old Testament we read about, Nathan, another prophet of God. The name in Hebrew means God has given. Nathan lived in the days of King David and his son King Solomon. Nathan was a wise and steadfast servant of God who was frequently consulted by the kings. We only have a few short paragraphs of Nathan’s teachings/prophecies in the Old Testament. However, in 2 Chronicles 9:29 we learn that this great prophet wrote an entire book. Sadly, it is among the many lost records we no longer have available to us.

Nathan was one of the prophets I could not included in my book Last Words for the Last Days due to lack of information and space. I would like to include his words here though. We first read his words in 2 Samuel chapter 7, where we learn that through Nathan the Lord commanded David to start making preparations for the building of the original Temple in Jerusalem, but that his son would actually build the temple:

“And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? …And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:4-7, 12-13)
Then in 2 Samuel chapter 12 we learn that the Lord sent Nathan to rebuke King David after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed. The Lord wanted David to know that He knew of his sins:

“And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

“And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despiesd the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. (2 Samuel 12:1-9)

Then Nathan revealed the plot of David’s son Adonijah in his attempt to succeed David as king in place of Solomon:

“And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

“Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.” (1 Kings 1:9-14)

That’s all we hear from the prophet Nathan. Perhaps someday the Lord will restore the Book of Nathan so we can learn more about this devout prophet of God.