1
Nephi 19:4
Testimony
of Two Nations
What
4 Wherefore,
I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, which gives
an account, or which gives a greater account of the wars and
contentions and destructions of my people. And this have I done, and
commanded my people what they should do after I was gone; and that
these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or
from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord.
1-
Nephi had two sets of plates
2-He
recorded the wars and destruction on the first set.
3-As
he tells in verse 3, the second set was for the commandments and the
ministry and prophecies.
4-He
would have these records handed down from one prophet to another
after he was gone.
Why
A
record was to be kept of the people of Lehi and all his descendants
to testify of Christ so this record could be preserved to bring forth
to us in the latter days so that we could know Christ, learn of Him
and His teachings and ministry on this continent.
3 Nephi 27:25
25
For behold, out of the books which have been written,
and which shall be written,
shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known
unto men.
1 Nephi 1:16
16
And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my
father hath written,
for he hath written many
things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also
hath written many
things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I
shall not make a full account.
Pattern
The
pattern of keeping records by prophets to testify of Christ and the
plan of Salvation began with Adam.
The
first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses. We must
assume that he had records and knowledge of Adam and the creation
from existing records he had at the time. Following Moses, Joshua and
other prophets wrote.
The
New Testament is written by apostles as they record the life and
teachings of Jesus and subsequent happenings after His death by
apostles.
3 Nephi 23:13
- 2 Nephi 29
- 7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
13
And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written;
therefore it was written according
as he commanded.
8 Wherefore
murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not
that the testimony of two nations
is a witness unto you that I am God,
that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak
the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the
two nations shall run together the testimony of the two
nations shall run together also.
9 And
I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same
yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words
according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken
one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another;
for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until
the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
10 Wherefore,
because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all
my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not
caused more to be written.
11 For
I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in
the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they
shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of
the books which shall be written I
will judge the world, every man according to their works,
according to that which is written.
12 For
behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of
Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall
also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall
write it.
13 And
it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of
the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and
the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost
tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the
words of the Nephites and the Jews.
14 And
it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of
Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their
possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I
will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people,
who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that
I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember
his seed forever.
Christ
The
scriptures were written by prophets to testify of Christ.
Conference
4/05
Boyd K. Packer
The
Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ—Plain and Precious
Things
Joseph
Smith said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the
most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion,
and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by
any other book” (Book of Mormon introduction; see also History
of the Church, 4:461).
...When
I first read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, I read the
promise that if I “would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name
of Christ, if [the things I had read were] true; and if [I would] ask
with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he
[would] manifest the truth of it unto [me], by the power of the Holy
Ghost” (Moro.
10:4).
I tried to follow those instructions, as I understood them.
If
I expected a glorious manifestation to come at once as an
overpowering experience, it did not happen. Nevertheless, it felt
good, and I began to believe.
The
next verse has an even greater promise: “By the power of the Holy
Ghost ye may know the truth of all things”
(Moro.
10:5;
emphasis added). I did not know how the Holy Ghost worked, even
though the Book of Mormon explains it a number of times in a number
of ways.
I
studied and learned that “angels speak by the power of the Holy
Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.” It said, as
well, that one is to “feast upon the words of Christ; [with the
promise that] the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye
should do” (2
Ne. 32:3).
And
it says plainly that “if ye cannot understand … it will be
because ye ask not, neither do ye knock” (2
Ne. 32:4).
I
also read, “If ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy
Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (2
Ne. 32:5).
I had already done that when I was confirmed a member of the Church
by the “laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (A
of F 1:4).
...The
prophet Nephi also said that he had written “the things of my soul
… for the learning and the profit of my children” (2
Ne. 4:15).
I had read that before, and it did not mean all that much to me,
either. But later when we had children, I understood that both Lehi
and Nephi felt just as deeply about their children as we feel about
our children and grandchildren.
I
found these scriptures to be plain and precious. I wondered how young
Joseph Smith could have such insights. The fact is I do not believe
he had such penetrating insights. He did not have to have them. He
just translated what was written on the
From
the Book of Mormon we learn about:
The
doctrine of Christ and the Atonement (see 2
Ne. 31:2–21; 2
Ne. 32:1–6; 3
Ne. 11:31–40; 3
Ne. 27:13–21).
The
workings of the evil one (see 2
Ne. 2:27; Alma
28:13; 3
Ne. 2:2).
Clear,
prophetic warnings and many, many other things pertaining to the
redemption of man and to our lives. All are parts of the fulness of
the gospel (see D&C
20:9).
The
Book of Mormon confirms the teachings of the Old Testament. It
confirms the teachings of the New Testament. It restores “many
plain and precious things” (1
Ne. 13:28)
lost or taken from them (see also 1
Ne. 13:20–42; 1
Ne. 14:23).
It is in truth another testament of Jesus Christ.
Apply
One thing is for
sure and that is that we will not live on this earth forever. At
some time we will all face death. And then what? Where are we
going? Who will be there? What is the purpose of this life? Will
life go on after this life? Will I see my family again? Do I have a
Father and Mother in heaven? Is there a heaven or a hell? If so who
goes where and why? Is love eternal?
For these reasons
and to answer these questions I want to know all I can. I want to do
all the good I can and by reading and studying these precious works I
can feel the Savior's love and guidance in my life and find peace and
trust in Him.
I am ever grateful
for the scriptures and the knowledge and faith that they bring.
Hymns
65-Come All Ye
Saints Who Dwell On Earth
Luke 9:23-24
23 ¶And
he said to them all,
If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me.
24 For whosoever
will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose
his life for my sake, the same shall save it
Children
5-I Know My Father
Lives
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