Friday, September 9, 2016

Worth More than It's Weight In Gold- 1 Nephi 19:1

1 Nephi 19:1-Worth More Than It's Weight In Gold


What
 1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.

1-The Lord commanded Nephi to make plates of ore (gold plates). And engrave on them.
2-He did that
3-He engraved their journeyings in the wilderness
4-He engraved the prophecies of his father .
5-He engraved many of his own prophecies on them.

Why
Nephi will explain later the purpose of these and the second plates but this verse tells us that he made them because he was commanded to make them. He was told what he should engrave on them.
His purpose was to testify of Christ to those of us who are here now in the latter days.
Making these plates and engraving upon them would be a very difficult and time consuming process. It would not be taken lightly.

Pattern
Other plates have been kept.

1 Nephi 3:3

3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.

They would continue to be kept by following prophets after Nephi.

Jacob 3:13

13 And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates; but many of their proceedings are written upon the larger plates, and their wars, and their contentions, and the reigns of their kings.

Jacob 4:2

2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—

Mosiah 1:16

16 And moreover, he also gave him charge concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass; and also the plates of Nephi; and also, the sword of Laban, and the ball or director, which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.

Joseph Smith—History 1:42

42 Again, he told me, that when I got those platesof which he had spoken—for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled—I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.

Words of Mormon 1:10

10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

Confrence 10/03 Henry B. Eyring

An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Oliver Cowdery preached the first missionary sermon the first Sunday after the Church was organized. He went into the mission field to proclaim what he knew by what he saw and heard and felt. With two others he signed a testimony which they never denied. Their witness is printed in the front of the Book of Mormon:
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. Oliver Cowdery David Whitmer Martin Harris”2

...Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”5
The Prophet Joseph taught us what it means to feast on the scriptures. He said that the Book of Mormon would get a man “nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”6 You will grow closer to the Lord and love Him more. That is the promise in Jacob 3:2:
O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.”
You and those you love will receive the word of God by obeying it. That will allow them to feel His love. That is one of the great blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we feel that love we can know that our course in life is approved of God. That is the feast of the delicious fruit described in the Book of Mormon.7
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”5
The Prophet Joseph taught us what it means to feast on the scriptures. He said that the Book of Mormon would get a man “nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”6 You will grow closer to the Lord and love Him more. That is the promise in Jacob 3:2:
OCTOBER 1999 | A Testimony of the Book of Mormon -Russel M. Nelson
When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book—from its first chapter to the last—the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.3 And look for a second undergirding theme: God will keep His covenants with the remnants of the house of Israel.4
The Book of Mormon is a crucial component of that covenant.5 It is holy scripture that encompasses sacred writings from the small and large plates of Nephi, the plates of Mormon, the plates of Ether, and the plates of brass, which contained “the five books of Moses, … a record of the Jews, … and … prophecies of the holy prophets.”6
When Mormon abridged these records, he noted that he could not write a “hundredth part” of their proceedings.7 Thus, historical aspects of the book assume secondary significance.
The Holy Bible has 66 individual books; the Book of Mormon contains 15. Its first book of Nephi—written some six centuries before the birth of Jesus—records that the prophet Lehi8 received a vision of the tree of life.9His son Nephi prayed to know its meaning. In answer, he was given a remarkable vision. He beheld a virgin bearing a Child in her arms. He envisioned the Redeemer of the world, His earthly ministry, and His Crucifixion. He saw 12 others who would follow the Holy One. And he 


foresaw the ongoing opposition to the work of God and of His Apostles.10
Other great prophets of the Book of Mormon—in their own way and time—testified of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Among them were the brother of Jared,11 Zenock, Neum, and Zenos.12 Testimonies of Jesus Christ that predated His birth in Bethlehem were also recorded from King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, Amulek, the sons of Mosiah, Captain Moroni, the brothers Nephi and Lehi, and Samuel the Lamanite.13 In a seemingly endless sequence of prophetic proclamations—testimonies of “all the holy prophets”14 for “a great many thousand years before his coming”15—the Book of Mormon makes the solemn declaration that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
Christ
When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book—from its first chapter to the last—the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.3 And look for a second undergirding theme: God will keep His covenants with the remnants of the house of Israel. Russel M. Nelson
Apply
This little verse tells me how important the Book of Mormon is. It took hundreds of years to complete and is a record of the most important and sacred events that happened during that time to Lehi and his descendants. It took great pains to work the ore and make the plates and then to engrave upon them. Not only one set, but two plus the brass plates of Laban. We are so very blessed to have the translation of this great and sacred record. We could not have it without the careful work of many prophets who were directed by God on how to make the plates, what to write and how to preserve them. Their preservation is such a miracle and beautiful story. We cannot begin to understand all the time and effort and love that has gone into this book so that we can have it today. It should be studied and pondered and respected and loved as a guide and testimony to us of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Hymns
13- An Angel From On High
D&C 128
 20 And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings fromCumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!
Joseph Smith History. Ch.1
 34 He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;


Children

118-Book of Mormon Stories

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