We don't know much about Ammaron, the caretaker of the Nephite records who selected Mormon as his successor. We know that he was the brother of Amos, and therefore a descendant of Alma, who organized the church at the waters of Mormon about 450 years earlier. And we know that he was "constrained by the... Continue Reading →
“I Am A Disciple of Jesus Christ” – 3 Nephi 5:13
A disciple is a student. Not a half-hearted student, but a devoted student who strives not only to follow the teacher's words but also to emulate the teacher's actions. Jesus said to His followers in Jerusalem, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31). And on the American continent,... Continue Reading →
The “Hundredth Part” – Mormon’s Prioritization of Events in the Book of Alma
The book of Alma illustrates Mormon's editorial choices. More than 40% of the book is dedicated to Alma's sermons. 20% describes the mission of the sons of Mosiah to the Lamanites. Another 20% describes the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites.
The Legacies of Limhi’s People and Alma’s People
Sometimes it's only in retrospect that we recognize the significance of our experiences, both in terms of our own spiritual growth and in terms of their influence on other people. We've been studying this week about two groups of people—the people of Limhi and the people of Alma—both of whom endured a difficult period of... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus Christ?
A disciple is someone who follows another person for the purpose of learning. (See "disciple," Online Etymological Dictionary.) During the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ, the term was often applied to His twelve apostles, but many other people were also called His disciples: He called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve,... Continue Reading →
What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi?
Like the prophet Abraham, Nephi received a conditional promise from the Lord with an intergenerational impact. After the Lord commanded his father, Lehi, to abandon their home in Jerusalem and "depart into the wilderness" with his family, Nephi's brothers were angry. Nephi must have also been unhappy about the sudden change, but he prayed, and... Continue Reading →
How Do Book of Mormon Prophets Use the Title “Savior?”
The atonement of Jesus Christ is universal. He saves us by revealing the gospel to us and entering into a covenant relationship with us. He is both willing and able to save us.
What Is the Relationship Between Faith and Knowledge?
The authors of the Book of Mormon were comfortable declaring their knowledge of the truthfulness of their message: In the first chapter of the book, Nephi says, "I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge" (1 Nephi... Continue Reading →
The Prayers of Those Who Have Gone Hence – 3 Nephi 5:14
14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done— (3 Nephi 5:14) Mormon's intergenerational perspective was critical to... Continue Reading →
I Have Reason to Bless My God – 3 Nephi 5:20
20 I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath... Continue Reading →