Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - The Restoration and the coming forth of new scripture.

Principle - The Book of Mormon helps bring people to Christ.

1 Nephi 6:4 - This verse talks about Nephi's purpose.  Nephi is being used as a tool in the hands of God in order to persuade men to come unto God and be saved.  What greater calling than to be used as a tool by our Heavenly Father?  I believe that as a missionary, I will also be used as a tool in the hands of God to bring people unto Him and be saved.

1 Nephi 19:18 - This scripture is very similar to 1 Nephi 6:4 in that Nephi is explaining his purpose in life.  Nephi explains that he is writing that he might persuade his people that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.

Principle - The Book of Mormon is convincing evidence of the Restoration.

1 Nephi 13:40 - Nephi writes of the things which he sees in a vision.  He sees the restoration of the gospel and the bringing forth of Latter-Day scripture in order to bring men unto the Savior of the world, that they might be saved.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:8-12 - These scriptures talk about how the Book of Mormon proves the divinity of the latter-day work.  My favorite part of these verses is verse 12 which states that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever.

Principle - Under the direction of Jesus Christ, the priesthood and the Church were restored through His servants.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 - Jesus Christ gave commandments to Joseph Smith and others involved in the Restoration of the true gospel.  And to them was given power to lay the foundation for this church.  Because of their pre-ordained callings, they were able to bring to pass the Restoration of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 13:1 - This is a scripture which describes the giving of the holy Priesthood of Aaron unto Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.  Along with the priesthood they are given they keys of the ministering of angels among other things.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - The Restoration and the coming forth of new scripture.

Principle - God called Joseph Smith to be the prophet of the Restoration.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:17  - This scripture is of the Lord speaking generally about the calling of Joseph Smith to be a prophet.  It also speaks of how the Lord gave commandments unto Joseph Smith, being to bring forth the Book of Mormon.

Doctrine and Covenants 136:37 - This scripture also speaks of the Lord's calling for Joseph Smith to bring forth His work.  The Lord says that He called upon Joseph Smith b His angels or ministering servants.

Principle - Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and brought forth other scriptures b the gift and power of God.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:29 - This scripture speaks of how Joseph Smith is called to be the translator of the Book of Mormon.  And he is to do so through the mercy of God and by the power of God.

2 Nephi 3:11-12 - Joseph in Egypt is prophesying of the coming forth of Joseph Smith as a modern-day prophet of God.  He speaks of how Joseph Smith will be given the power to bring forth the word of God unto the people of the Earth and the power of convincing them of the word of God.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Prophets and Apostasy

Principle - The rejection of the Savior, His teachings, and priesthood authority resulted in the Apostasy of the New Testament Church.

Matthew 24:14 - This scripture prophesies of the coming of false prophets and false teachers throughout the land that will prophesy with great signs and wonders and shall deceive the elect.  When I read this scripture I immediately think of televangelists that I see on televisions on Sundays who speak in great voice that speak to huge crowds of people and try and show miracles unto them.  I believe that these televangelists are examples of those false prophets that are spoken of in this scripture.

1 Timothy 1:15 - This is probably my favorite scripture of all the scriptures in this section of scriptures because of the plainness of it.  It simply says that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.  I enjoy scriptures that speak simply and plainly about things.

Principle - The European Reformation helped prepare the way for the final Restoration.

Joel 2:28-29 - This scripture is a promise from the Lord that he will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh prior to the Second Coming.  This scripture also talks about how our young men will see visions and our old men will dream dreams.  And these are signs given to us that the Second Coming is near.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Prophets and Apostasy

Principle - The Lord provides truth, priesthood authority, ordinances, and organization through His Prophets.

Amos 3:7 - This scripture is nice and short and exactly to the point.  This scripture simply states that God will revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  This is a comforting scripture because it testifies of the promise made by our Heavenly Father that he has yet to reveal things unto us in this day and age.  Things that will be given to us each General Conference when we hear from President Monson and the Apostles.

Alma 12:27-30 -  These verses speak of how God appointed certain individuals to be those who are to know things and to share this knowledge with the people of the Earth.  It states that He sent angels to converse with them that they might now of His glory.  This scripture helps to explain why prophets are so important and why Heavenly Father has restored them on this Earth.

Principle -  Throughout history there as been a recurring pattern of apostasy and restoration.

Amos 8:11-12 -  This scripture teaches us that God will send a spiritual famine to the land when men and women will wander from shore to shore seeking the word of God but shall not find it.  This is kind of a scary scripture in that it could happen again.  However, based on my relationships with members of this great church and knowledge of its truthfulness, I know that if it were to happen again, the members of this church would make it through.

2 Nephi 25:17 -  This scripture is almost the opposite of the scripture listed above in that it speaks not of the apostasy brought on by Heavenly Father but the restoration of His church.  It speaks of the restoration by His hand as a "marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men."  This "marvelous work and wonder" has come to pass as the Book of Mormon was translated and published for all the world to know and come to understand.  It is called the most correct book of any book on Earth and a man would get closer to God by abiding by its teachings than by any other book.

Heavenly Father's Plan

Chapter 7:  Heavenly Father's Plan

Principle: The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible to overcome the obstacles of spiritual and physical death.

We cannot return to live with our Heavenly Father on our own.  It is necessary for us to have the help of Jesus Christ.  We can gain the help of Jesus Christ through the Atonement.  "The Atonement of Jesus Christ [was] an act of pure love."  As we read in Alma Chapter 34 verses 8 through 10, Amulek testifies that Christ shall come among the children of men to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he will atone for the sins of the world as spoken by the Lord God.  It is part of our Heavenly Father's plan that Jesus Christ shall come and die for our sins and it was necessary to happen so that we may live, once again, with our Father in heaven.

Principle: Heavenly Father prepared degrees of glory for His children.

We learn from the scriptures that all the children of God, except the sons of perdition, will be saved in a degree of glory, being celestial, terrestrial, and telestial.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains that "the righteous... will ultimately go to a kingdom of glory more wonderful than any of us can comprehend."  I find that absolutely amazing as I attend school here in Hawaii.  I view Hawaii as paradise on Earth and to believe that there will be a place, a kingdom even more breathtaking and glorious than this place is just amazing and leaves me excited to find out more about a place like that.

Heavenly Father's Plan

Principle:  There are three stages of Heavenly Father's plan:  premortal, mortal, and postmortal.

I also would like to write this blog on the second principle, which states "Jesus Christ is central to Heavenly Father's plan."

I read in the scriptures listed in the Mission Preparation Student Handbook and one that particularly stood out to me was in Alma.  It was Chapter 12 Verse 25.  It talks about how if it weren't for the plan of redemption, which was laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no resurrection of the dead.  It also says "but there was a plan of redemption laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has been spoken."

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said "Salvation is in Christ and comes because of his atoning sacrifice."  His statement is reinforced in the scriptures in Moses Chapter 6 verses 62 and 63.  The scriptures talk about how the plan was presented unto all men only through Jesus Christ.

Search the Scriptures

Chapter 6 - We learn to teach "by study and also by faith," Part 2.

Principle:  God promises the Holy Ghost to those who treasure up His word.                             

·      As we pay the price to learn the restored gospel by study and by faith, the Holy Ghost blesses us with power to teach by the Holy Spirit and the Light of Christ.

·      This takes much prayer and pondering of the word of God.  We must study it and really treasure up the words being spoken by the prophets.

·      In Alma 17:3-2 Alma encounters the sons of Mosiah on their way towards Zarahemla.  It is explained how the sons of Mosiah are able to get such an understanding of the gospel.  “Yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.”

·      The sons of Mosiah did not merely read the scriptures and come to an understanding of them.  It says that they searched the scriptures.  Dilligently.

·      Verse 3 explains that not only did they search the scriptures with diligence but they also prayed much, and also fasted.  With their fasting and praying, they were given the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation.  And when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

·      In Doctrine and Covenants 1:37 we are told to search the commandments, commandments being the scriptures.  For the scriptures are true and faithful.  The Doctrine and Covenants is also called the Book of Commandments.  In a way, we are being commanded by the Lord to search the scriptures.  So in keeping the commandments, we will search and ponder the scriptures.

·      As we read and study the scriptures we will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost will help carry the message of the true gospel of Christ to the hearts of those investigating it.

We learn to teach "by study and also by faith," Part 2

Chapter 6 - We learn to teach "by study and also by faith," Part 2.

Principle:  Bearing testimony invites the Spirit into our teaching.

As is read in Preach My Gospel, the bearing of one's testimony is one of the most powerful ways of inviting the Spirit and helping others feel the Spirit.  Knowing this fact, to be effective teachers and missionaries it is necessary that we use our strongest tool, our testimony.

In 2 Nephi Chapter 33 Verse 1 Nephi explains that he is not strong in writing nor speaking but, when he, or any man for that matter, speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth the truthfulness unto the hearts of the children of men.  With this in mind, let us always speak by the power of the Holy Ghost in order to be most effective as messengers of God.

Doctrine and Covenants Section 100 Verses 5 through 8 speak of how the Lord will help us when teaching or testifying of the truthfulness of his gospel.  It states that we must speak the thoughts that He will put in our hearts and that we will not be confounded before men.  However, this will only be done by faith.  We must have faith in the Lord that he will be there to help us.  

Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated spoke of the ways we can use our testimonies.  "First, we can teach some sacred truth.  Then we can testify that we know what we have taught is true.  And then we must act so that those who hear our testimony see that our actions conform with what we said was true.  The Holy Ghost will then confirm to them the truth of what we said and that we knew it to be true."  If we have faith that the Lord by the power of the Holy Ghost will carry the message given in our testimony to the hearts of those listening, it shall be given unto us.

Chapter 5

We Learn to teach "by study and also by faith," Part 1.

Principle:  We obtain the word by study and by preparing to teach the restored gospel.

As missionaries and as young men preparing to become missionaries it is necessary that we immerse ourselves in the study of the words of the prophets.  As we read and study the wonderful promises promised to us in the scriptures we will be brought closer to God and better receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Some scripture study methods taught by the Missionary Preparation Student Manual are as follows:

• Look for principles.
• Mark your scriptures.
• Use the study aids in the scriptures.
• Ask questions relating to the text.
• Notice questions asked in the scriptures.
• Look for definitions of unfamiliar words or phrases.
• Notice and learn about symbols.
• Insert your name.
• Notice scripture lists.
• Memorize key scriptures.
• Ponder and pray about specific passages.

In Doctrine and Covenants Section 1:37 it reads "Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled."  Another name for the Doctrine and Covenants is the "Book of Commandments."  What we read in the first section is a direct commandment to read the scriptures and really "search" them out.  We must do this in order to keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father and to properly prepare ourselves to become teachers in the mission field.