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Gospel Doctrine, Lesson 41: He Did Expound

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All Things unto Them, 3 Nephi 22-26

#1: President Brigham Young: How many thousands have been miraculously healed in this Church and yet no one has recorded the circumstances. Is this right? Should the miraculous manifestations of the power of God be forgotten and pass into oblivion? Should the knowledge of these things slumber in the hearts of those who witnessed them, and extend no further than their verbal reports will carry them?... We should keep a record because the same will benefit us and the generations of our children after us. We should keep a journal because it will furnish many important items for the general history of the Church which otherwise would be lost. (Millennial Star, 11:153) #2: The Prophet Joseph Smith: If I now had in my possession, every decision which had been had upon important items of doctrine and duties since the commencement of this work, I would not part with them for any sum of money. But this has been neglected, and now we cannot bear record to the Church and to the world, of the great and glorious manifestations which have been made to us with that degree of power and authority we otherwise could, if we now had these things to publish abroad Perhaps, for neglecting to write these things when God had revealed them, not esteeming them of sufficient worth, the Sprit may withdraw, and God may be angry; and there is, or was, a vast knowledge, of infinite importance, which is now lost (TPJS, 72-73) #3: President Wilford Woodruff: I have never spent any of my time more profitably for the benefit of mankind than in my journal writing, for a great portion of the Church history has been compiled from my journals and some of the most glorious gospel sermons, truths, and revelations that were given from God to this people through the mouth of the Prophets Joseph and Brigham, Heber and the Twelve could not be found upon the earth on record only in my journals and they are compiled in the Church history and transmitted to the saints of God in all future generations. Does not this pay me for my troubles? It does.
(Journal, March 17, 1857)

#4: President Spencer W. Kimball: Your own journal, like most others, will tell of problems as old as the world and how you dealt with themYour journal should contain your true self rather than a picture of you when you are made up for a public performance. There is a temptation to paint one's virtues in rich color and whitewash the vices, but there is also the opposite pitfall of accentuating the negative. Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience

that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life What could you do better for your children and your children's children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? Get a notebook, my young folks, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events. (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 350-1) #5: President Ezra Taft Benson: "Tithing is not a donation. It is not optional...It is a commandment. (CR, April 1964) #6: Elder Dean L. Larsen: "For many who live in conditions of poverty, there may be no other way to escape their impoverishment than to give obedience to this law." (CR, October 1994) #7: President Harold B. Lee: "The opening of the windows of heaven, of course, means revelations from God to him who is willing thus to sacrifice." (CR, October 1971) #8: President Joseph F. Smith: By this principle (tithing) the loyalty of the people of this Church shall be put to the test. By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on doing the will of God and keeping His commandments, thereby sanctifying the land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut themselves off from the blessings of Zion. There is a great deal of importance connected with this principle, for by it shall be known whether we are faithful or unfaithful. In this respect it is as essential as faith in God, as repentance of sin, as baptism for the remission of sin, or as the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. (CR, April 1900) #9: President Spencer W. Kimball: I asked [a] man if he paid tithes. He answered with a blush, We cannot afford to tithe. What? Cannot afford integrity? Cannot afford to return to the Great Provider's program that which was already his? He said, My schooling was expensive. Our little ones have cost us much, and there is still another one to come. The doctor and the hospital will take their toll. Our car was wrecked and cost us that much more. Vacation, illness, living costs go up and leave us none to give the Church. Do you believe in God?

Of course, he said. You do? I asked, Would God make promises he would not fulfill? You have no confidence in God, else why do you doubt his glorious promises? Your faith is in yourself. God promised he would open heaven's windows and pour you out rich gifts beyond your comprehension, premised on your faithfulness. Do you not need those blessings? For that onetenth, he'll compensate with blessings little dreamed of. He said: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath Prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9). (Faith Precedes The Miracle, p. 286) #11: The Prophet Joseph Smith: Now, the word turn here should be translated bind, or seal. But what is the object of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion. But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 330) #12: Elder James E. Faust: Perhaps we regard the power bestowed by Elijah as something associated only with formal ordinances performed in sacred places. But these ordinances become dynamic and productive of good only as they reveal themselves in our daily lives. Malachi said that the power of Elijah would turn the hearts of the fathers and the children to each other. The heart is the seat of the emotions and a conduit for revelation. This sealing power thus reveals itself in family relationships, in attributes and virtues developed in a nurturing environment, and in loving service. These are the cords that bind families together, and the priesthood advances their development. (CR, April 1993) #13: Truman Madsen: Jewish literature is replete with the promise and expectation of Elijahs coming. That is the last promise of the Old Testament, in the last verses of Malachi. And it is Jewish tradition that on the second night of Passover they must leave open the door and place at the table head an empty chair and a goblet full of wine in the expectation that Elijah may come. It is interesting, especially in light of that Jewish tradition, that April 3, 1836, was the second day of Passover. The symbolism is beautiful. Elijah comes, as they expect, to a home. He comes to a goblet of wine-the sacramental wine. He comes to turn hearts, which is more than changing minds-he turns hearts to hearts. (The Radiant Light, p. 106-7) Joseph Fielding Smith: Among the Jews [Elijah the Tishbite] finds a place of honor in their history second to none of the prophetsIt was, I am informed, on the third day of April,

1836, that the Jews, in their homes at the Paschal feast, opened their doors for Elijah to enter. On that very day Elijah did enternot in the home of the Jews to partake of the Passover with thembut he appeared in the house of the Lord, erected to his name and received by the Lord in Kirtland, and there bestowed his keys to bring to pass the very things for which these Jews, assembled in their homes, were seeking. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:100-1) #14: It is appropriate that Moses and Elijah, the two who epitomize the law and the prophets, should be mentioned together in the final verses of the Old Testament record. These two outstanding messengers of God operated in three different dispensations: as mortals, as translated beings (in Jesus day on the Mount of Transfiguration), and as resurrected beings (in Joseph Smiths day in the Kirtland Temple). Moses restored in the meridian of time, and again in the fullness of times, the keys of the gathering of Israel; Elijah restored in both dispensations the keys of the sealing power Moses keys for gathering the living to Christ and Elijahs keys for gathering the dead to Christ. That takes care of everyone. (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, Verse by Verse The Book of Mormon, 2:207)
Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional March 20, 2012

"Blessings of the Temple


Elder Sheldon F. Child
Emeritus Member, First Quorum of the Seventy

My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful for the opportunity to be with you today. Sister Child and I always love coming to BYU-Idaho. It was such a beautiful drive up and it is such a fine university. I am grateful for President Clark and the faculty for the high standard of excellence that exists here. I have a soft spot in my heart for this university. Two of our children attended here when it was Ricks College. It was here they established a foundation for learning that has proven so valuable to them. I also have a soft spot in my heart for temples. It was a thrill to drive into this valley and see a shining house of the Lord standing as a beacon, inviting all to enter into its hallowed walls. I love the temple. What a blessing it was for Sister Child and for me to serve in the Salt Lake Temple; to participate in the great work that takes place in Gods holy house. It is the work of salvation for all of Gods children. It is Gods work; therefore, it should be our work. The perception in the past was that temple work was something we did when we got older. Many years ago Elder John A. Widtsoe made this statement: We need more converts to temple work, drawn from all ages, from the young, from the middle-aged, and from the rich and poor, from among the busy and those of leisure Temple work is quite as much benefit to the young and the active as to the aged The young man needs his place in the temple even more than his father and his grandfather The young girl just entering life needs the spirit, influence and direction that come from participation in the temple ordinances. If I say nothing else tonight that will linger, I hope you will remember that temple work is for the young and the middle aged and for the aged. Temple work is for all." 1 Elder Widtsoe would be happy to know how much the youth of the Church love the temple. The baptistery in the Salt Lake Temple opens every morning at 5:00 a.m. where young people flock to do this sacred work. It thrills us to see faithful young adults come to do endowment sessions and young married couples coming to the temple for their date nights. Several years ago Sister Child and I were invited to speak at a BYU stake young adult fireside in Provo. We were asked to speak about the temple. A few weeks before the fireside we realized that it was scheduled on Super Bowl Sunday. We assumed that there would be very few in attendance. As we drove on to the campus there wasnt a car on the road, not a person on the street. The campus looked totally deserted. We were greeted by the stake presi-

dent and taken into a large hall that to our surprise was filled to capacity with faithful young people. Our hearts were touched because of their stalwartness. Sister Child in her remarks expressed gratitude for their attendance when they could be home watching the Super Bowl. Afterwards many of them expressed to us that they loved the temple much more than they loved football. We are grateful for your faithfulness and love of the temple. A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performeda place where the Lord may come; it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. 2 Temple work has always been part of our Heavenly Fathers plan. In the Bible we read that when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, he was commanded to build a sanctuary that I might dwell among them. 3 It was their temple in the wilderness. We read of the splendor and beauty of Solomons Temple, the rebuilding of the Temple of Zerubbabel, and, of course, Herods magnificent temple. In the Book of Mormon we read of many temples on this continent. We read of Nephi building a temple patterned after Solomons temple. We know King Benjamin gathered his people to the temple in Zarahemla to hear his last great sermon and that after Christs crucifixion He appeared to the faithful Saints at the temple in Bountiful. In our day the significance of temples has been taught right from the beginning of the restoration. We know from modern scripture that on the night of September 21, 1823, Moroni visited Joseph three times. Among other things, Moroni quoted prophecies from the Old Testament concerning the last days. He quoted the third chapter of Malachi a little differently than is recorded in the King James Bible. It is recorded in the 2 nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants as Moroni gave it to Joseph. It states: Behold, I will reveal unto you the priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.4 What are the promises that were made to the fathers? The promises of salvation, the promises of exaltation, the promises that come to us as we partake of sacred ordinances that are performed only in the house of the Lord. The hearts of the children are turning to their fathers. In December 1832, less than two years after the Church had been organized, the Saints were gathering in Kirtland, Ohio. They were relatively few in number and most living in poverty. It was under these difficult circumstances that the Lord commanded them to build a temple. He said: Organize yourselves; prepared every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.5 Because of the difficult conditions in which they were living, they didnt immediately act upon that commandment. Five months later, in June 1833, the Saints were chastened by the Lord for their failure to build a temple. He said: Wherefore, ye must needs be chastened and stand rebuked before my face: For ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered the great commandment in all things that I have given unto you concerning the building of mine house.6 You can imagine how it would feel to be chastened by the Lord. Within a few days preparations were made and the construction of the temple began. It was built at a great sacrifice; but as we know, Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven. On April 3, 1836, one week after the temple had been dedicated, Elijah the prophet, along with others holding priesthood keys appeared to Joseph and Oliver. Elijah committed into their hands the sealing power wherein individuals and families can receive the blessings of salvation. What a glorious eventthe sealing power was once again upon the earth. The temple continued to be the focus of the Prophet Joseph throughout his life. As the Saints were driven from place to place, temple sites were selected: first in Jackson County, then in Far West, and finally in Nauvoo where a beautiful temple stands today as a tribute to their faithfulness. Even after his death, Josephs legacy continued. Four days after the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young selected the site for the Salt Lake Temple. Three other temples were built before the Salt Lake Temple was completed: St. George, Logan, and Manti. That legacy continues today with 136 temples scattered around the world,

with 30 more announced or under construction. Gods people have always been a temple building, temple loving, and temple attending people. Why? Why is there such an emphasis on temples and being worthy to enter them? Because temple ordinances are absolutely essential for our exaltation. It is only in the house of the Lord that ordinances are made and covenants entered into that will allow us to live with God and our families forever. Several years before Sister Child and I began our service at the Salt Lake Temple, we served for four years in West Africa. One of the many highlights of our service there was to be involved in the construction and dedication of two temples in West Africa: one in Accra, Ghana, and one in Aba, Nigeria. We witnessed what a blessing these temples were to the faithful Saints in that part of the world. The Accra Ghana Temple is the most beautiful building in Ghana. We were excited about the open house knowing that many would come. We knew that those who came would be impressed with the beauty of the building and the well-manicured grounds; we prayed they would also feel the spirit of the temple. We invited the president of Ghana, President John Kufor, for a private tour of the temple. He is not a member of our faith, but had good feelings toward the Church. He wanted to keep his visit as low-key as possible and indicated that he could spend 15 minutes in the temple. As we escorted him through the various rooms we knew our prayers had been answered. He was not only impressed with the beauty of the temple, but he also felt the Spirit. He remained asking questions and making comments for nearly an hour. As we walked out of the temple we realized that his visit had not been kept a secret. The temple steps were filled with the media with their cameras and microphones, all wanting to get the presidents impression of the building. One of the reporters asked President Kufor what he thought of the Mormon temple. President Kufor commented on its beauty and then stated, This temple will raise the spiritual level of our entire nation. A few weeks later President Hinckley came for the dedication. A press conference was arranged for the prophet to meet with the press. He stated nearly the same words of President Kufor. He said, This temple will not only bless the lives of the members of the Church; it will bless the entire nation of Ghana and all of West Africa. The day before the dedication the prophet held a fireside for members of the Church. They came, some traveling for days, to see and hear a prophet of God. As he stood to address them, he said, Im getting old, you probably wont see me again and I wont see you again in this life, so listen very carefully; what I have to say is very important. He continued, I am going to tell you four things that you need to do to be acceptable to the Lord, to retain your testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be worthy to enter this beautiful house of the Lord. First, he said, You must pray daily. As he talked to them about prayer, it was as if he were a loving grandfather speaking to his grandchildren. He said, Think of the miracle of prayer! Imaginehere we arejust mortal people and we can kneel and pray to our Heavenly Father and He hears us! Now, all of our prayers might not be answered as soon as we would like, or the way we would like, but He hears them. Its a miracle. Through all ages of time, the commandment has been, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.7 Our Heavenly Father loves you; you are His children. He is always there for you if only you will ask in humble daily prayer. President Hinckley ended by saying again, Isnt it a miracle that we can pray to our Heavenly Father and know that He answers our prayers? Well, its marvelous! Cant you just hear President Hinckley saying that? Next he counseled them to have daily scripture study. He admonished them to Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.8 The scriptures point us to our Savior; they keep us on the road that will lead back to Him. You will remember when the Lord commanded Lehi to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban. It was not an easy journey, nor was it an easy task to convince Laban to give them the plates, which contained their genealogy as well as sacred holy writ. Their lives were threatened, their gold and silver were stolen, Laman and Lemuel murmured and wanted to give up and return to their father in the wilderness. But Nephi refused to leave until they had obtained the plates. In his final attempt, he was led by the Spirit to Labans home. There in the street he found a man drunken with wine. It was Laban. The Spirit constrained Nephi to kill Laban, telling him: it is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief. 9

Without the scriptures, not only nations, but individuals, families, and peoples dwindle in unbelief. Next, President Hinckley counseled the Ghanaian Saints to attend their meetings. He went on to say, We need to attend our meetings. It is in our meetings that we gain strength from one another. We are edified and taught the doctrine. The Spirit of the Lord is there. The Lord tells us that where two or more are gathered in His name, He will be in the midst of them. I remember as a young Scout learning a valuable lesson that has stayed with me all these years. We were sitting around a campfire; the coals were red with fire, hot and glowing. Our scoutmaster flipped one of the coals from the fire onto the ground and suggested that we watch what happened to the single piece of coal. We watched for a while and noticed that it was losing its glow and its warmth. After watching until the coal was almost black, the wise scoutmaster tossed it back with the other coals into the warmth of the fire. The coal gradually regained its warmth and its luster. He likened it to our Scout troop and how much we need each other. And so it is within the Church. We need to attend our meetings so, as President Hinckley said, we can strengthen and edify one another, and learn the doctrine that will keep us close to the Savior. The last thing President Hinckley talked about was tithing. He admonished the Saints to pay their tithes and offerings. This can be a challenge for anyone, giving 10 percent to the Lord. But for the people in Africa, because of their living conditions and their poverty, it is truly a test of faith. President Joseph F. Smith acknowledged that it is a test. He said: The loyalty of the people of this church shall be put to a test by this principle of tithing. It shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. It shall be shown whether we be faithful or unfaithful. 10 President Hinckley reminded the Saints of the significance of tithing. He said, We pay tithing first because it is a commandment of the Lord, and second, because it is a commandment with a promise. The promise is that we will be blessed if we pay our tithing. The windows of heaven will be opened and blessings will be poured out upon us. 11 It was a blessing for us to see the faithfulness of the African Saints and the blessings they received as they paid their tithing. Let me tell you about a good friend of ours. Her name is Ester. Her husband died just prior to our arrival in Ghana. She is a young mother trying to raise three small children. She is fortunate in that she has a job, but making ends meet is a challenge, especially when her childrens school fees are due. One Saturday night she went home from work with her weekly paycheck. As she looked at it she realized she had enough to pay her rent and the school fees. What was left was exactly what she needed to pay tithing. That left nothing to buy food for the coming week. She had a testimony of tithing and believed the Lord would bless her to be able to find food for her family and so she put her tithing into an envelope and gave it to the bishop the next day at church. She and her children walked several miles home from church because there was no money for transportation. She said she prayed all the way home and all afternoon that the children would not be hungry because there was no food for them in their home. They went to bed and awoke in the morning hungry but not complaining; they too had faith that the Lord would provide. The children went to school and Ester went to work. As she arrived a man she did not know approached her. He got on his knees and asked her forgiveness. When she told him she had nothing to forgive, he arose and told her this story. Her husband had lent him some money a few weeks before his death and when he heard that he had died he felt he was debt free and did not need to repay the loan. He said, I hadnt given it another thought until yesterday afternoon when I thought of you. I couldnt get you off my mind and I knew I had to repay the money your husband lent to me. He handed her an envelope containing the exact amount of money she had paid for tithing, enough to buy food for her family for the week. What a testimony of tithing! Ester and her children continue to be active members of the Church and enjoy the blessings that come as they faithfully pay their tithing. President Monson said: Always be active in the Church. I will give you a formula which will guarantee to a large extent your success in fulfilling that commitment. It is simple; it consists of just three words: pay your tithing. When members of the Church pay tithing, honestly and faithfully, they have very little difficulty keeping the other commandments of God. It is a benchmark commandment.12 It is a benchmark commandment. The blessing of paying our tithing is a requirement to enter the holy temple where we receive the blessings of eternal lifethe blessings of salvation for us and for our families. The Saints in West Africa love the temple; they love their families and sacrifice a great deal to secure the blessings

of the temple for themselves and their loved ones. Many of them travel for days to come to the temples. They come in small minivans, sometimes two to a seat, traveling during the heat of the day on bad roads, sleeping in the vans at night, sometimes dealing with bandits, and crossing borders which are difficultall at great financial cost to them. And yet they come. I remember being on an assignment in the Ivory Coast to reorganize a stake presidency in Abidjan. One of our Area Seventies was with me as we interviewed the 40 priesthood leaders in the stake trying to find who the Lord wanted to be the stake president. One by one as they came in I would ask them if they had been to the temple in Accra. At that time it had been operating for about 18 months. For many big smiles spread across their faces as they told us they had been and had their wives and children sealed to them. Others hadnt been so blessed. I remember one faithful priesthood leader with tears in his eyes, saying, President, we have been saving our money to go to the temple. Hopefully this year my wife and I will be able to go and maybe take one of our six children to be sealed. My heart ached for them as I thought of my own children. How could I decide which child I would take? Thankfully, because of the General Temple Patron Assistance Fund, we were able to assure that this faithful Ivorian brother and all his family were able to go to the temple and be sealed together forever. You will remember in October 2011 General Conference that President Monson encouraged those who wished to contribute to this worthy fund. President Hinckleys counsel to the Ghanaian Saints to pray daily, search the scriptures, attend their meetings and pay their tithing is not only very important to the Ghanaian Saints, but it is equally important to each of us. It is wise counsel. My dear brothers and sisters, we are living in a great day and age. How blessed we are to live during the dispensation of the fullness of times; when the gospel has been restored in it fullness. We are blessed to live at a time when temples are dotting the earth so that all of our Heavenly Fathers children may receive the blessings that are found in no other place than the House of the Lord. Sister Child and I count our blessings every day. How blessed we are to live within five minutes of the Salt Lake Temple! I hope you realize how blessed you are to have the beautiful Rexburg Idaho Temple here in your midst. I hope you are taking advantage of the great blessing it can be in your life and the lives of those who have gone before. I bear my witness that we have a kind, loving Heavenly Father who loves all of His children. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. I am grateful we have living prophets on the earth today and bear witness that President Thomas S. Monson is the Lords mouthpiece in the world today. May our Heavenly Fathers choicest blessings be with you always is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, April 1921, pp.51-52 Bible Dictionary, 780-781 Exodus 25:8 D&C 2 D&C 88:119 D&C 95:1-3 JS Matthew:7:12 John 5:39 1 Nephi 4:13

10 11 12

Gospel Doctrine, 5th Edition, 1939, 225


See Malachi 3:10 CES Fireside Sept. 7, 2003

LESSON 41 OUTLINE On Table: place setting with goblet of wine and chair On Board: Pictures of Moses, Elijah, Malachi, Isaiah, Moroni

Today we will finish covering Christs 3-day visit to the Nephites. Up to this point He has instructed them in the fulfillment of the law of Moses and set up the higher law of the gospel. Hes commanded them to be baptized again in order to enter into another covenant to live that higher law. Hes instituted the sacrament to help them remember the new covenant theyve entered into. And Christ has quoted much from the scriptures, especially Isaiah, and mostly about our day. So whats next? Christ asks them to DO something. ~What are all of us supposed to do each day, and especially after weve received answers to prayers? (Write in our journals!) 3 Nephi 23:4 ~For whose benefit were the Nephites writing? (ours) ~For whose benefit do WE keep journals? (ours, and we never know who else!) Quotations #1 & 2 ~Do you think our not keeping journals about our answers to prayers shows a lack of gratitude of not esteeming them of sufficient worth? Quotations #3 & 4 Can you imagine Jesus saying to us, Didnt I answer your prayer? Didnt I heal you when you were sick? Didnt you feel my Spirit in that fast & testimony meeting? Didnt I tell you the Book of Mormon is true? Why have these things not been written down? Next Christ asks Nephi to bring Him the records they have kept. ~Are they complete? ~What is missing? (the fulfillment of Samuel the Lamanites prophecy) 3 Nephi 23:9 ~Had these Nephites witnessed this? And so Christ commands them to write it. (v. 13) Once their records are in order, Christ is ready to add to them. ~Which Old World prophet does He quote now? (Malachi) Malachi wasnt written until nearly 200 years after Lehi left Jerusalem, so obviously

it wasnt included in the brass plates. In Hebrew Malachi means my 2 messenger. What was Malachis message? Well it was important enough that Christ delivered it personally to the Nephites! And it is so relevant to us that Moroni recited it to Joseph Smith three times on the night he first visited him in his bedroom. Do you think Malachis message is important for us? ~Malachi is a short book just four chapters, and Christ quotes two of them here. From what you can remember, what are the two important messages of Malachi? (tithing & Elijah) Lets talk about tithing first. 3 Nephi 24:8-12 8: What does this verse tell us about all that we have? (its not ours)

Quotations #5 & 6 ~Are the blessings of tithe-paying always material? Quotation #7 One clear evidence of this blessing is found in temple-building. Tithing builds temples, and it is my understanding that areas with a majority of full tithe-payers are the areas considered for temples. And of course, the temple is a really big window to heaven! Quotations #8-10 On to Elijah! 3 Nephi 25:4-6

~Who is Elijah? ~What keys did he hold that needed to be restored in our dispensation? (sealing) Quotation #11 But Elijahs mission concerns more than temple work: Quotation #12 ~To where did Elijah return? (Kirtland temple) ~And on what Jewish holiday did he come? (Passover. Hence the place setting) Quotations #13 & 14 Heavenly Father does indeed care for every one of us! That we will determine to do our part by keeping journals, studying the scriptures, paying tithing, and seeking out our ancestors is my prayer...

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