1 Ne. 13-14: The Establishment of God's Kingdom

The angel shares with Nephi the series of events which have lead to the restoration of God's kingdom here on Earth.
"His gospel was first established on the earth beginning with Adam and has been taught in every dispensation through such prophets as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Each of these prophets foretold the coming of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of the world. Those prophecies have been fulfilled. The Savior did establish His Church...
"After the Savior’s Resurrection, He commissioned His Apostles to lead the Church and administer gospel ordinances. Faithful to this charge, they were persecuted, and some were eventually martyred. As a result, the Lord’s priesthood authority was no longer on earth, and the world fell into spiritual darkness." (Elder Robert D. Hales)
In 1Ne. 12:19-23 the Nephite nation is destroyed...

"The fate of these civilizations, as recorded in scripture, is a testimony to all the world: if we don’t have the word of God or don’t cling to and heed the word of God, we will wander off in strange paths and be lost as individuals, as families, and as nations.

As with voices from the dust, the prophets of the Lord cry out to us on earth today: take hold of the scriptures! Cling to them, walk by them, live by them, rejoice in them, feast on them. Don’t nibble. They are “the power of God unto salvation” ³ that lead us back to our Savior Jesus Christ." (Robert D. Hales)

"In the centuries that followed, God’s children had the Light of Christ, could pray, and could feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. But the fulness of the gospel had been lost." (Robert D. Hales)

Despite the wickedness of the world, the Lord made sure the holy records were preserved until the right time to bring them forth unto this latter day generation!

"For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb." (1Ne. 13:35)

In the 2000 years the fullness of the gospel was lost to man, many events occurred in preparation of the restoration:

1. Making the scriptures available and helping God’s children learn to read them. They had to be translated from Hebrew/Greek to Latin to English.

2. Through the influence of the Holy Ghost, an interest in learning began to grow in the hearts of people. This Renaissance or “rebirth” spread throughout Europe. 

3. Once translated, they had to be made available.  Johannes Gutenberg was inspired to invent a press with movable type, and the Bible was one of the first books he printed. 

4. Meanwhile, the inspiration of God also rested upon explorers. In 1492 Christopher Columbus set out to find a new path to the Far East. Columbus was led by the hand of God in his journey. He said, “God gave me the faith, and afterwards the courage.

      "And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of           
      my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and     
      wrought (divine guidance) upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even 
      unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land." (1Ne. 13:12)
5. The Revolutionary war occurs:
      "And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was  
     upon all those that were gathered together ^aagainst them to battle.
     And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were ^adelivered by the 
     power of God out of the hands of all other nations." (1Ne. 13:18-19)
6. December 23, 1805, the Prophet Joseph Smith was born.
"As a young man, Joseph “was called up to serious reflection” ⁹ on the subject of religion. Because he was born in a land of religious freedom, he could question which of all the churches was right. And because the Bible had been translated into English, he could seek an answer from the word of God. He read in the book of James, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,” ¹⁰ and he did as directed. In answer to Joseph’s prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to him. ¹¹ This humble farm boy was the prophet chosen by God to restore the ancient Church of Jesus Christ and His priesthood in these latter days. This restoration was to be the last, the dispensation of the fulness of times, restoring all the priesthood blessings which man could possess on earth. With this divine commission, his work was not to reform nor was it to protest what was already on the earth. It was to restore what had been on earth and had been lost." (Robert D. Hales)
"After centuries of spiritual darkness, the power and authority to act in God’s name, to perform sacred ordinances, and to lead His Church were once again upon the earth." (Robert D. Hales)

 “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.” Elder John Taylor
"The Lord expects us to be as faithful, as devoted, as courageous as those who went before us. They were called to give their lives for the gospel. We are called to live our lives for the same purpose. In these last days we have special reason to do so." (Robert D. Hales)
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and 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.
"At the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni figuratively looks out over the last remnant of his people. He knew their extinction could have been avoided if they had not forgotten God’s holy word and lost the Spirit of the Lord. Is it any wonder that Moroni writes personally to us, to you and to me, pleading for us to claim the blessings of the scriptures?
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
"We are living in the latter days, brothers and sisters, in the fulness of times. We must remember that we have control over who we are no matter how difficult the world becomes. Like those in 1 Nephi, the true and faithful will be able to withstand the fiery darts of the adversary when he is loosed upon this earth." (Elder Hales)


-Sarah Mason

References:
Oct05 General Conference; Preparations for the Restoration & The Second Coming by Elder Robert D. Hales
Oct06 Ensign, Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto our Salvation by Robert D. Hales

1Ne. 12: Righteous Desires of Our Hearts

Nephi continues to share his visions.

President Boyd K. Packer spoke of Heavenly Father’s desire to give us the righteous desires of our hearts: “No message appears in scripture more times, in more ways than ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1991, 26; or Ensign, Nov. 1991, 21). Nephi applied the invitation to ask for the “things that [his] father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known” (1 Nephi 11:1). Nephi’s righteous desires were rewarded, for he not only recorded information that was similar to what we have recorded about Lehi’s vision, but he recorded a panoramic vision of this world to the end of time (see 1 Nephi 14:18–30). [Book of Mormon Student Manual p31]


Nephi shares challenges which the world will face : wars and rumors of wars; great slaughters among people; contentions in the land; mist of darkness (temptations of the devil); lightenings, thunderings, earthquakes, and other tumultuous noises; earth & rocks rent; mountains tumbling; plains broken up; cities sunk, burned with fire, and tumbling to ground...This all seems oh so familiar in today's world. Think about it. There are natural disasters happening everywhere, unrest & wars around the world, and Satan's temptations are stronger then ever! I have watched family members and close friends stray away and fall into Satan's traps. It breaks my heart to see them fall away and lose what is most important. Satan has a way of tempting even the strongest to fall away...and he does it little by little, inching his way into our thoughts. We must be careful not to play at the edge because this is when one decision can lead to another bad decision until you find yourself lost and no longer on the righteous path.

My mom was brushing her teeth one day and notice a tiny spider that was crawling down in the sink. He would near the edge of the running water and scurry back up. The spider repeated this pattern, getting closer to the edge every time. Then, he got too close and was swept up by the water, which washed him down the drain.

If we are like this spider, getting too close to the edge, we too can be swept up by satan's temptations and lost.

The following is an article from the Nov.07 Ensign,
Have We Not Reason To Rejoice? by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation.

No longer as strangers on earth need we roam.

Good tidings are sounding to us and each nation.

(“Now Let Us Rejoice,” Hymns, no. 3)

"These words by Brother William W. Phelps are quite a contrast to the world’s tendency to focus on bad news. It is true, we live in a time foretold in the scriptures as a day of “wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places” (Mormon 8:30), when “the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them” (D&C 45:26).

"But how does this affect us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Are we living with apprehension, fear, and worry? Or have we, amidst all of our challenges, not reason to rejoice?

"We all go through different life experiences. Some are filled with joy, and others with sorrow and uncertainty.

"I remember a time when things didn’t look good for our family when I was a child. It was in the winter of 1944, one of the coldest during World War II. The war front was approaching our town, and my mother had to take us four children, leave all our possessions behind, and join the millions of fleeing refugees in a desperate search for a place to survive. Our father was still in the military, but he and Mother had agreed that if they were ever separated during the war, they would try to reunite at the hometown of my grandparents. They felt this place offered the greatest hope for shelter and safety.

"With bombing raids during the night and air attacks during the day, it took us many days to reach my grandparents. My memories of those days are of darkness and coldness.

"My father returned to us unharmed, but our future looked extremely bleak. We were living in the rubble of postwar Germany with a devastating feeling of hopelessness and darkness about our future.

"In the middle of this despair, my family learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the healing message of the restoredgospel of Jesus Christ. This message made all the difference; it lifted us above our daily misery. Life was still thorny and the circumstances still horrible, but the gospel brought light, hope, and joy into our lives. The plain and simple truths of the gospel warmed our hearts and enlightened our minds. They helped us look at ourselves and the world around us with different eyes and from an elevated viewpoint.

"My dear brothers and sisters, aren’t the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in His Church great reasons to rejoice?

"Wherever you live on this earth and whatever your life’s situation may be, I testify to you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the divine power to lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness. The Lord knows your circumstances and your challenges. He said to Paul and to all of us, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” And like Paul we can answer: “My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9)."

As long as we are striving to be our best selves and following God's commandments, He will provide the way.

A few years ago, I considered very seriously serving a full time mission. I prayed about it and started to get very excited about the thought, knowing that if I did go, everything I worried about leaving behind (my car payment, my health, hopes to get married) would all be taken care of and that things would work out in the end. During this time of thought, I decided to get my knee checked. It was June 2010 I went in to see Dr. West and left to prepare for surgery number 3. When he got in there, he found things a lot worse then he expected and months of therapy followed. So, I prayed again about going. I felt that the Lord would be happy either way; it was up to me to decide. I had a righteous desire to serve a full time mission, but I also had a righteous desire to remain home and be a missionary right where I was. So, I prayed for opportunities to serve and to be a missionary right here in Utah. I prayed for opportunities to share the gospel and be an example to those around me. I found opportunities at Close To My Heart, and since I was laid off, I have found opportunity at various other jobs as well. At first I wondered why I found myself at a job, only to work it a short time and then move onto the next. But I was going wherever I felt the Lord wanted me. Each of these job included mostly non-members or inactive members of the church and I have been given many opportunities to shine and to stand as a witness.

One particular time I was in a room with 3 other friends who weren't active, as well as a nonmember. We got talking about the church and feelings toward the LDS church. They felt we expected perfection and they didn't understand having to attend church in such a reverent manner, dressed in Sunday Best, and they felt degraded for not knowing the doctrine perfectly. I explained to them that the church is a church of order and we go to worship our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ, in a reverent manner as respect. I told them that you didn't have to be perfect, all the Lord expects of us is to try our very hardest and to learn from our mistakes. Nobody is perfect. This is why the atonement is such a great blessing. We can repent and try again. I can see how members here in Utah might assume everybody knows everything about the church. It breaks my heart to hear how one friend in particular was offended in such away, she fears attending church because she doesn't want to be embarrassed again. But I was happy for the opportunity to stand as a witness and explain to them the meaning behind things they misunderstood. At first I was a little uncomfortable (4:1 ratio) but then I was touched by the spirit and had no probably expressing my thoughts and sharing my testimony.

One of these girls I am very close with, we are great friends and hang out quite a bit. We have a lot in common and have some good laughs. She is currently dating a young boy preparing to go on a mission. His preparation has been bumpy and things have gotten in the way of him going as soon as he had planned. She is having a hard time understanding it all and why the church is being so strict. She can see his frustrations which makes things harder to believe. I just continue being a friend to her, inviting her to church when I can and being an example of a faithful latter day saint. I pray for her always and hope she will someday come to a better understanding of the love this church carries and how much happiness it brings to life.

"...their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him." (1Ne 12:11)

"White is a symbol for cleanliness, righteousness, and holiness. Being completely clean is necessary to be like the Savior. To have white garments symbolizes that a person is clothed in purity, or that purity is a characteristic of that individual. Such cleanliness is made possible only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in which His blood was shed for our sins." (Book of Mormon Student Manual p26)

"The image of a loving, forgiving God comes through clearly to those who read and understand the scriptures. Since he is our Father, he naturally desires to raise us up, not to push us down, to help us live, not to bring about our spiritual death." (Pres. Spencer W. Kimble: God Will Forgive)

I firmly believe this to be true. I know that he has the power to forgive as long as we strive to better ourselves and follow the steps necessary for repentance. He knows our strengths and he knows our weaknesses...

 "For my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2Cor 12:9)


"Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weaknesses 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." (Jacob4:7)


"The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, “No one understands. No one knows.” No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying upon only our own power." (Elder David A. Bednar: The Atonement & the Journey of Mortality)


What are your own desires in life? Are they righteous desires? Are they desires which will strengthen your relationship with him and lead you back to his presence? Strive to become a better you. Set goals, pray for direction, everything will work out in the end. I promise, as you strive to obtain righteous desires of your heart, you will find happiness and feel of his unconditional love! 


-Sarah M.