An angel is a messenger. The Greek word aggelos (ἄγγελος) is probably derived from the verb agó (ἄγω) which means "to bring," so an angel is someone who brings a message from God. Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi sees an expansive vision narrated by an angel. (See 1 Nephi 11-14.) Jacob... Continue Reading →
The Constitution
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi describes an expansive vision in which he viewed many future events. One of those was the immigration of Europeans suffering religious persecution to the American continent and the establishment of the United States of America: I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out... Continue Reading →
Restoration of All Things
Malachi prophesied that Elijah the prophet would return to the earth "before the great and dreadful day of the Lord" and that he would "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:5-6). Peter, James, and John apparently had that prophecy in mind when... Continue Reading →
Endure in Faith
Persevering through hardship is an essential component of discipleship. Fifteen times in the Book of Mormon, we are promised that those who endure to the end will be saved and will receive eternal life (1 Nephi 13:37, 1 Nephi 22:31, 2 Nephi 9:24, 2 Nephi 31:15, 16, 20, 2 Nephi 33:4, Omni 1:26, Alma 32:13, 15,... Continue Reading →
Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People
In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John repeatedly uses four words to convey the expansiveness of God's saving work: He sees heavenly beings worshipping Jesus Christ and acknowledging that He has redeemed them "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9).He later sees a huge crowd, "of all nations, and kindreds,... Continue Reading →
“Bring Forth My Zion” – 1 Nephi 13:37
The prophet Nephi experienced an expansive vision in which he saw many future events. After witnessing a period of spiritual darkness, he saw the publication of the Book of Mormon. The angel narrating the vision, quoting the Savior, said this: Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?”
dwindle - Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength (Oxford English Dictionary) Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi learns from the Spirit that, without the brass plates containing the scriptures, his family would "dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Nephi 4:13). King Benjamin later emphasized this point to his sons: "Were it not for... Continue Reading →
Nephi’s Vision
The prophet Nephi was so impressed with his father's dream and his father's prophecies that he prayed to see what his father had seen. As a result, he saw a sweeping vision in which an angel showed him many future events and used them to explain the symbols from his father's dream. Today, I summarized the... Continue Reading →
“Wrought Upon” – 1 Nephi 13:12-13
After observing an odious society in which the wealthy oppressed the poor, Nephi saw some people from that society cross the ocean to the "land of promise" where his family's descendants would live. The process began with a single individual: And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the... Continue Reading →
Learning How to Learn – Nephi’s Vision
Nephi's vision is unlike any other that I am aware of. It consists of a guided tour through a sweeping series of future events. Nephi is accompanied throughout the vision, first by the Spirit of the Lord, and then by an angel. These guides not only explain what he is seeing; they also teach him... Continue Reading →