Day 77: 3 Nephi 21-23

Happy Monday Everyone!

I spent the weekend enjoying our church's General Conference.  There were so many talks that were written for me.  The music was so inspiring and uplifting, too.  Let's start off the day by listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Music has a way of bring in the Spirit.


I cannot wait to share some of my favorite talks from Conference as soon as they are available on the Mormon Channel.  I took so many notes and am looking forward to reading the words and listening to them over & over again.

I thought the song If the Savior Stood Beside Me was perfect for our reading today.  The Savior, Jesus Christ, is still teaching and ministering to the Nephites in the Americas.  I cannot even imagine being a part of that.

Here are some of my favorite scriptures and thoughts from today's reading.

Chapter 21 is talking about the Gathering of Israel.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we believe in the literal gathering of Israel.  

3 Nephi 21:1–9. The Latter-day Gathering of Israel

• •
  Jesus told the Nephites He would give them “a sign” (3 Nephi 21:1) so they would know when the gathering of Israel had begun. He then foretold the Restoration of the gospel, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the establishment of a free nation in America, and the taking of the gospel to their seed (see verses 1–7). He called the Restoration of the latter days “a great and a marvelous work” (see verse 9). In the early days of the Restoration, the Savior said “a marvelous work is about to come forth” (see D&C 4:1).
  President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of the miracle of the Restoration and of our responsibility to help move the work forward:
  “This glorious gospel was ushered in with the appearance of the Father and the Son to the boy Joseph. The dawn of the dispensation of the fulness of times rose upon the world. All of the good, the beautiful, the divine of all previous dispensations was restored in this most remarkable season. …
  “Do we really comprehend, do we understand the tremendous significance of that which we have? …
  “We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.
  “We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us” .

Here is a talk given by Elder Nelson in a past General Conference about the Gathering of Israel.

3 Nephi 22:13
"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."

3 Nephi 22:13. “Thy Children Shall Be Taught of the Lord”

• •
  While serving as the general president of the Primary, Sister Patricia P. Pinegar explained how 3 Nephi 22:13 is used in our day to guide us in teaching our children: “The world is not a safe place. It is not a place where children will feel peace, hope, and direction unless they are taught to love and follow the Savior. Please help them know that these great blessings can be theirs, and show them what they need to do to receive these blessings” 

3 Nephi 23:1-5

 1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.

 2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.

 3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.

 4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles.

 5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.

3 Nephi 23:1–5. Search the Scriptures

• •
  The Lord commands His Saints to search the scriptures rather than merely read them. When people search the scriptures they carefully examine them in an effort to discover something, or they explore thoroughly by serious inquiry and inspection. Searching the scriptures also indicates that we meditate (see Joshua 1:8), study (see 2 Timothy 3:15; D&C 26:1), heed (see 1 Nephi 15:25), and ponder (see 2 Nephi 4:15). In addition to the scriptures, the Savior commanded us to search the words of the prophets (see 3 Nephi 23:5).
• •
  The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) encouraged the Saints to search the scriptures in order to receive an independent witness of the truth and to obtain direct instructions from God: “Search the Scriptures—search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory, nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them. Then again we say: Search the Scriptures, search the Prophets, and learn what portion of them belongs to you” (History of the Church, 1:282).
• •
  Although searching the scriptures may be difficult at first, President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) promised that those who seriously study the scriptures will be enlightened and their spirits lifted: “I am grateful for the emphasis on reading the scriptures. I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine” (“The Light within You,” Ensign, May 1995, 99).
• •
  President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency said that if we rush too quickly while reading the scriptures we are not allowing the Holy Ghost to tutor us:
  “The Holy Ghost will guide what we say if we study and ponder the scriptures every day. The words of the scriptures invite the Holy Spirit. … With daily study of the scriptures, we can count on this blessing. …
  “We treasure the word of God not only by reading the words of the scriptures but by studying them. We may be nourished more by pondering a few words, allowing the Holy Ghost to make them treasures to us, than by passing quickly and superficially over whole chapters of scripture”.

I want you all to know that I know that the things we read and studied today in the Book of Mormon are true.  This book is inspired of the Lord and we can become closer to him by reading and pondering His words in our hearts.  I am so thankful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today.  To learn more about it click HERE.  

Have a wonderful night everyone!
Robyn

 (Conference Bingo!)