Teens: 116 Pages of the Book of Mormon Lost
Back when Joseph Smith, the man who restored Christ’s Church, first started translating the Book of Mormon, his good friend, Martin Harris, began bugging him to take the first 116 pages to show his wife and a few close friends.
Joseph went to the Lord in prayer and asked this favor. The Lord told him no. Martin wasn’t satisfied, and begged Joseph to ask once again.
The answer came back the same.
Martin still wasn’t satisfied. Joseph wanted to make his friend happy, after all, Martin had freely given much money and time to Joseph because of his faith in the work. And so Joseph went back to the Lord. Finally the answer was yes, but it came at a price.
For three weeks Joseph waited for his friend to bring back the manuscript. As time stretched on and on his worry increased. At last his fears were confirmed when Martin came and told him the pages had been lost, stolen from his home. As described by Joseph’s Mother:
“He [Harris] took up his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them. Hyrum, observing this, said ‘Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick?’ Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, ‘Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul.’
“Joseph, who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, ‘Martin, have you lost that manuscript? Have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?’
“‘Yes; it is gone,’ replied Martin, ‘and I know not where.’ …
“‘Then must I,’ said Joseph, ‘return with such a tale as this? I dare not do it. And how shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?’
“I besought him not to mourn so,…” continues his mother. “But what could I do to comfort him, when he saw all the family in the same situation of mind as himself; for sobs and groans, and the most bitter lamentations filled the house. However, Joseph was more distressed than the rest, as he better understood the consequences of disobedience. And he continued pacing back and forth, meantime weeping and grieving, until about sunset, when, by persuasion, he took a little nourishment.
“The next morning, he set out for home. We parted with heavy hearts, for it now appeared that all which we had so fondly anticipated, and which had been the source of so much secret gratification, had in a moment fled, and fled forever.” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith, ed. Preston Nibley, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954, pp. 128–29.)
Joseph lost the power to translate after that. He went for quite some time humbling himself and repenting. It was not an easy time for him, or for Martin.
Because of the choices these two men had made, the first book in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, the Book of Lehi, was lost. But this was not as dire a situation as we might think.
The Lord in His infinite knowledge knew this might happen, and so He directed Lehi’s son, Nephi, to keep another sort of record of the same years. While we have lost a great account with the missing pages, we still have everything the Lord’s deems necessary in the words of Nephi.
Teens: Be a Missionary Now
Filed under: Book of Mormon, Discovering Yourself, Living the Gospel
It is a well-known story among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed the Mormons.
Ammon and his brothers were the sons of a Nephite King. The Nephites were God’s people who lived in the Americas starting 600 years before Christ was born. The king, Mosiah, knew his time on earth was coming to an end, and asked his sons who should be king. All of these young men declined the offer, wishing instead to go and serve as missionaries to the Lamanites. The Lamanites were those who were either led to hate the Nephites because of the traditions of their fathers, or who had openly rebelled against God’s Church.
Mosiah feared for his sons’ lives, and took his concerns to the Lord in prayer. There he was reassured they would be kept safe as they performed His work.
Ammon separated from his other brothers and came to the land called Ishmael that was ruled by a man called Lamoni. Ammon was bound and brought before the king, who asked why he had come to this land where he was hated. Ammon surprised Lamoni by saying his only wish was to serve. Lamoni, pleased by this, set him up with other servants to guard the flocks.
A local band of Lamanites took immense pleasure in scattering the flocks of the king. The servants were far outnumbered and had no way of keeping this from happening. On the third day of Ammon’s service the flocks were once again scattered. The other servants began to murmur. They knew King Lamoni would have their lives, as it had happened to other servants before them.
Ammon immediately saw where he could use this experience to help open a door to missionary work. He calmed the servants down saying together they would re-gather the flocks. The servants obeyed, and soon enough they’d accomplished this task. Once again the band of Lamanites came to scatter the flocks. Ammon charged the servants to surround the flocks, and stepped up to deal with these awful men.
Try to imagine the sight of one, lone, unknown individual going up against a throng of evildoers. They had no idea the Lord had promised Ammon’s father no harm would come to this son, nor did they realize what power had been granted to Ammon because of his righteous desires.
Ammon began to fling stones with his sling. The Lamanites were astounded as man after man fell, six in all. They rushed at him with their own slings and clubs, but none could touch him. Any one who raised a hand against him had his arm cut off. The only man to die by the sword, however, was the leader of the pack. As he went down the others began to flee from this frightening sight.
Once the Lamanites left, Ammon placed his sword and sling away, continued to water the flocks, and returned to the king’s household. His fellow servants, no doubt shocked and amazed by all they had seen, followed his lead. But upon returning to the household they gathered up many of the arms that had been cut off to use as a witness of the remarkable events.
Needless to say King Lamoni was astonished. He asked where Ammon was, to which the servants told him he was preparing the horses for the king’s journey into his father’s land, which had been commanded of them even before they left to water the flocks.
Lamoni’s words beautifully show his surprise. “Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them” (Alma 18:10). Lamoni sent for Ammon, and then the missionary work began.
What can we learn from Ammon about being a successful missionary? Whether you’re a member of a church, specifically called to be a missionary, or simply feel the importance of sharing the Lord’s gospel, here are a few keys to follow:
First is to study, pray and fast (Alma 17:2-3). You can’t teach what you don’t know. You need to pray about the things you read to know if they are truth, and you should fast to keep yourselves in better tune with the Spirit of the Lord.
Second, you need to love God and others. I think loving God comes first. It was because of their love for God that the sons of Mosiah wanted to go out and preach His word, to turn the hearts of those who didn’t know better towards the light. As you explore and enlarge that love for God, you might be surprised to find your capacity to love those who may hate you growing by leaps and bounds.
Third, we need to give service and develop trust. Why is giving service so important? It is a remarkable teaching tool. Think of the Savior, who led a life of service. Only the most humble willingly set aside their own pride and serve others. Those who voluntarily give of their time, efforts, talents, and means instill in others the desire to trust. Ammon’s first act as a captive of Lamoni was to offer his service. He saved the king’s flocks. He could have gone strutting back in to the king, all full of himself, and demanded that Lamoni now listen to him. He could have caused much fear in the hearts of those who didn’t understand. Instead, he quietly went on with the work he’d been commanded to do.
Fourth, we need to teach from the scriptures. Once King Lamoni trusted Ammon, he allowed this great man to teach the word of God. Doors were opened. Lessons were taught. An entire city was converted to the Lord’s Church. It was truly a miracle.
One last thing. We can be the greatest orator in the world, teaching and preaching whatever may come into our hearts, but it won’t mean a thing unless we have the Holy Spirit with us. If we are not worthy to have his presence with us, if we are teaching things that go against the Lord’s ways, the Holy Spirit cannot reside. It is the Holy Spirit that testifies to our hearts, and then the teaching truly begins.
To be the most effective teachers, or missionaries, we have to have that Spirit with us.
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To read the full story of Ammon, start with Alma 17.
Teens: A Father Who Doesn’t Give Up
Filed under: Book of Mormon, For Parents & Leaders, Life Lessons, Scripture Time
June is perhaps one of my favorite months. No, not because school is almost out (hooray!). I love the fact that we get to celebrate fathers.
Unlike many in this crazy world, I have been surrounded by good, righteous fathers. My own has always ever been a gentle man, slow to anger and quick to love. He has taught me much and even now we relish in learning something new together.
When I married I was blessed with another father, that belonging to my husband. He is also a good and gentle man, ever dedicated to serving others, a trait he passed along to his children. I never see him without receiving a hug and kiss, and hearing “I love you” pass over his lips.
And then there is my husband. He shares with me five beautiful children, and I marvel at the extraordinary man he is, and the care he takes of me and the little ones. He works two grueling jobs so I can be at home with them, as well as serving as a Mormon bishop (leader over our local church). Even with all these time consuming things, I have seen him push past his exhaustion to read one child a book, listen to the problems of another, or help one say his prayers.
With all these amazing examples in my life, it is not hard for me to empathize with a certain father we read of in the Book of Mormon – another testament of Jesus Christ. I am speaking in particular of Alma.
Alma spent a good part of his life living in wickedness. The king over his land reveled in sin, encouraging everyone under his rule to do the same. Alma was a priest of the king’s court, a high and respected position.
Something happened to turn Alma away from his life of sin: a man by the name of Abinadi. He was a prophet of God who came to their land with a message. These people needed to repent, or they would perish. Abinadi died bringing this message to the people, but it was not in vain. Alma believed his words, and he began to preach as well, turning many of the king’s people back to the ways of God.
Alma’s life was forever changed. He became a spiritual leader of the Lord’s church, but there was one major concern on his mind. His son, also named Alma (referred to as Alma the Younger), was a wicked young man. Alma the Younger rejected his father’s beliefs and worked hard to turn everyone he could away from the Lord’s church.
Perhaps Alma saw so much of his former self in his son. Perhaps he knew, more than Alma the Younger could ever realize, what the cost of each sin would be. One thing we do know. Alma never gave up on his son. Because of this, a miracle happened.
As Alma the Younger travelled with some of his friends an angel appeared.
“And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth” (Mosiah 27:14, emphasis added).
Alma loved his son, regardless of the wicked things he had done. Never had he stopped praying for this wayward youth.
Some of you reading this may have a son, a daughter, a good friend or a precious youth you teach who has lost their way. If there is anything we can learn from the example of Alma, it’s that there is always hope. Those lost souls may not be visited by angels. They will, however, be given the opportunity to repent and turn back to the Lord.
I’m certain Alma the Younger was raised with good and righteous fathers surrounding him. He had his own agency, however, and was given the chance to choose his own path. Just as I was. Just as we all are. If you, like this young man, have chosen a difficult path and now find yourself wishing to turn around remember this: in your life there are probably many fathers – as well as mothers, teachers, friends, siblings, etc. – who are praying for you every day.
What a miracle, the faith of a father.
Teens: The Value of a Written Record
I am an avid reader. When left uninterrupted I can consume a 500+ page book in less than a day. Of course that’s when I’m reading for entertainment. When it comes to reading for knowledge, the process is considerably slower. This doesn’t stop me from reading for knowledge, however, as I’m passionate when it comes to learning new things. Whether it has to do with recent discoveries about allergy elimination, the latest research in where the Book of Mormon (another Testament of Jesus Christ) may have taken place, or what colors help me look my best, I try to find as many books or articles as I can lay my hands on.
Needless to say, the written word is invaluable to me, as well as millions of others out there in the world. We are not the only ones who treasure a written record.
From the time of Adam and Eve a record has been kept, according to the laws and dictates of the Lord. Many men over the years have been commanded to keep a record. Why?
There are two distinct stories in the Book of Mormon that work to explain just one of the reasons.
At the time of the prophet Jeremiah, a righteous man by the name of Lehi was prompted to take his family out of the land of Jerusalem and journey to a place where the Lord would lead them. After traveling for a few days Lehi was instructed to have his four grown sons return to Jerusalem to retrieve something they would need: the Brass Plates. These plates were the most current record available of the Lord’s Church (think Genesis and go on from there).
This commandment was not to be taken lightly. Going back to Jerusalem was perilous enough, as Lehi had made a lot of enemies by preaching to them of their wickedness and the need to repent. Add to that the man who held the plates and you had a dangerous mixture. This man was called Laban. He was greedy and unscrupulous, and cared more for the wealth and prestige the plates accorded him than the words written upon them. It was only with his death that the plates were retrieved.
Why did the Lord ask Lehi to risk his four sons for what may seem like a trivial thing? We are given the answer by Nephi, one of those sons.
“And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time” (1 Nephi 3:19-20).
Neither Lehi nor his family knew the Lord had a great journey for them, one that would require a large boat to take them across the ocean to a “promised land” (1 Nephi 2:20). Because they were being taken away from their native land, they needed the pure and undefiled language of the Lord and His prophets.
In stark contrast we have an accounting of a group of people called the Mulekites. At the time Zedekiah, king of Judah, was taken captive into Babylon, a group was guided to the promised land as well, only they had no written record of the Lord’s Church and laws. What sort of a difference could this have made?
“They had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator” (Omni 1:17).
Eventually the paths of these two people crossed. Do you know what the Mulekites did when they discovered the Nephites (righteous descendants of Lehi) had the brass plates? They rejoiced! They were open to being taught the language of the Nephites in an effort to begin living righteously. As this happened the Mulekites found themselves being blessed abundantly, and living in peace.
The written word is precious beyond measure, but the record we have beginning in Genesis on down through the present day is the greatest treasure in this world. The New Testament of the Bible fulfills the laws set up in the Old Testament. The Book of Mormon, a record of those brought by the Lord here to the Americas, complements what is written in the Holy Bible.
We must count ourselves blessed to have a record of the Lord’s ways: of why they work and what happens when we turn away from them. It is vitally important to study the scriptures so that we might learn from the experiences of those who have come before us in the hopes that we can avoid the same danger.
Teens: Rejoice in Your Mothers
“They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them” (Alma 57:21).
There are few sights in this world that can compare to a righteous mother humbly teaching her children in the ways of the Lord. There are few better testimonies to the love a child has for his mother than to continue in those ways even as he grows older.
My absolute favorite story involving mothers occurs in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. The remarkable women are not mentioned by name, but rather through the truths spoken and actions displayed by their sons.
Long ago a man named Helaman lived on the American continent. He was a good, noble, and righteous man who stood for much of what our forefathers fought to maintain: the desire to live free, to worship as they felt right, and to protect their families and homes. During Helaman’s time there were many wars between his people, the Nephites, and those who violently opposed the Lord’s Church, the Lamanites.
Helaman led a group of 2,000 young men, who were in their teens, to battle against the Lamanites. Why did he lead such young people into war? The parents of these young men had made a covenant with the Lord never to pick up their weapons of war again, even if it meant they would die. When their lives were placed in danger, many of them thought to break the covenant, especially as so many of their fellow Nephites – who fought to protect them – were being killed (Alma 53:11).
That’s when these 2,000 young men, or Stripling Warriors as we in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) call them, stepped up and said they would fight in place of their fathers and brothers who had previously entered the covenant.
They fought many times, these young men, for what they believed what was right. Helaman became like a father to them, and they referred to him as such. He wrote to a fellow captain about these boys of his, in which the reason behind their incredible faith is given.
“And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites. For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.
“Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:45-48, emphasis added).
I do not doubt these mothers feared as they watched their sons go to war, not knowing what might happen to them, yet having such great faith that whatever the outcome it would be as the Lord desired. How great must have been their joy to see every single one of their young men return home.
For those who have a mother such as this, one who has taught you over the years in the ways of the Lord, rejoice. Live your lives as a testament to the good woman she is. If you do not have such a mother, I still say rejoice. You cannot know what has happened in her own growing up years to have shaped the person she is now. Instead of mourning for what might have been, take a moment to think of even one good thing she has done in your behalf. Even if there is only one little memory, take hold and never let it go. I then invite you to think of all the other mothers in your life: grandmothers, aunts, teachers, church leaders, and any other woman who has been a good influence.
I can only hope, as so many other mothers out there will echo, that my children will remember my own faith as I strive to teach them what is right. I pray they will be faithful and strong as I send them out to battle the evils in the world today. One of the greatest things I can ever hope to hear my children say of me is that they knew of my faith, and that I never doubted.
Teens: To Be Learned is Good
When reading through the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, two particular things seem to happen again and again. As the righteous people in the land, known as the Nephites, follow the Lord’s commandments they are blessed. Their lands produce bountiful harvests, they become rich in gold and silver and many precious things, all as a blessing for doing what is right. At times they are living so righteously there are no poor among them.
Usually when things are going this well two things invariably happen. First, there are those who begin to value the gold and silver, the fine silks and linens, far above helping those who may be in need. They would willingly rebuff those who might come to them for help. Second, there are those who begin to think too much of themselves, not due to their riches, but because of their wisdom. They are learned men who think they know better than everyone, even God.
It is this second group our next scripture mastery verses focus on in the Book of Mormon.
“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:28-29).
To have a love of learning is a wonderful thing. Whether you find yourself focusing on one particular subject, like art or physics, or would rather learn about a variety of things, learning is a good thing. We must never forget, however, that this love to learn, and the ability to do so are granted to us by our Heavenly Father. The danger lies in when we begin to trust more in ourselves more than in God.
In these cycles I mentioned before individuals inevitably became certain that their own ideas trumped the silly ramblings of supposed prophets of God. Some claimed they knew better than the prophets and led many people away from the Lord’s Church. Others claimed there was no God at all, and eventually left the Nephites altogether to join those who opposed (the Lamanites).
When this pride, both of learning and of riches, turned good people toward wickedness, the Lord would begin a path of humbling the Nephites. It would happen through wars with the Lamanites, or famine, or in being brought into captivity. Regardless of the method it was meant to remind the people to whom they owed their vast knowledge and riches. Only after great suffering, repentance, and a sincere change of heart would the people find themselves being blessed once again.
You and I find ourselves in a time when the rich are getting richer while the poor become poorer. People value gold and silver more than their fellow men. Learned men and women expound about how there is no God, or are more concerned with expounding their own words and ideas rather than God’s. We can see the cycle happening even in our world today.
So what can we learn from those who have gone through this before? Keep the Lord’s commandments. Follow the words of His prophets, both those from the Bible and Book of Mormon, and those who reside with us in these latter-days. If you are fortunate enough to come from a family with money, don’t value it over those who are in need. If you have access to books and teachers, be watchful. Consult your Heavenly Father in what He would have you do with this knowledge.
Those who have learned to submit to the Father in all things are perhaps the wisest of us all.
Teens: Choosing the Lord’s Way
It is, for me, one of the most remarkable examples of what can happen when we are faced with the choice of following the Lord, or turning away from His ways. Though the story of Lehi’s family, which can be found in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, lasts far longer than one post can hold, the pattern is set in just the first few chapters of 1 Nephi.
600 years before Christ was born, a humble man in Jerusalem took to heart the teachings of the Lord’s prophets concerning the wickedness of the people in his city. This man believed their words so much he began to preach them as well. He even received a vision that served to strengthen his commitment. This conversion didn’t exactly make him a favorite among his friends. Even his two eldest sons began to mock him, calling him a visionary man, and other titles meant to poke fun.
As hostility against his teachings grew, the man began to fear for his family. Knowing what would happen to the city due to the unrepentant hearts of its’ inhabitants, the man took his family away from what was probably the only home they had ever know. They left behind a comfortable life, many gold, jewels and other riches, as well as good friends.
At the time they left the city of Jerusalem, Lehi had four sons and two daughters that we know of. The two oldest, Laman and Lemuel, were selfish creatures, slow to remember their God, and often described as stiffnecked and continually murmuring and inciting others to stir up their up their hearts to anger (1 Nephi 16:38) against those in authority. Laman in particular resented his father, who took him from his comfortable life because he claimed to have heard a voice, and Nephi, a younger brother who, in his eyes, was constantly trying to usurp Laman’s birthright as the eldest. Lemuel, who was just as selfish as Laman, gladly followed Laman’s every move.
And then there was Nephi. Nephi was an obedient son, respectful of his parents and the good upbringing they had provided for the family. It is Nephi’s example, and that of his younger brother, Sam, that I would like to look at with you today.
Shortly after Lehi brings his family into the wilderness we begin to see the difference between Laman and Nephi. Laman took to murmuring, not understanding why all of this was happening. He had no reason to believe his precious Jerusalem would be destroyed. If he had only followed the example of his younger brother, perhaps many of his questions would have been answered.
If we look in the 1 Nephi chapter 2, verse 16, we can see what it is Nephi did that convinced him his father had done the right thing:
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.”
With a humble heart and a contrite spirit Nephi took the matter to the Lord in prayer, and he was answered. The spirit witnessed the truth of it to him. He knew that his father had made the right choice. He knew that the Lord was speaking to his father in visions. And he knew that it was important to listen to the requests of his father, for he was speaking on behalf of the Lord.
One of the first things Nephi did after receiving this witness was to bear his testimony to that of his younger brother, Sam. In verse 17 we read:
“And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.”
How wonderful is it that Sam was able to believe merely by hearing the testimony of his brother. What faith this young man must have had. It puts me in mind of the scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants section 46:13-14.
“To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.”
Nephi knew through the witness of the Holy Ghost. Sam knew because of the words Nephi spoke. Nephi didn’t stop with bearing his testimony to Sam. He took it to the rest of the family as well. Laman and Lemuel wouldn’t listen, choosing instead to murmur against their father because life had suddenly turned very hard and inconvenient. This bothered Nephi, who once again turned to the Lord to voice his frustrations. The Lord told Nephi his brothers had to choose their own way, but if they chose to go against the Lord, he would have to be a leader in their place.
We all have the option to listen to the words of our parents and leaders and choose what to do with their guidance. Will we stop to talk with the Lord, trusting that He will give us the confirmation that their words are from Him? Or will we murmur, choosing to rebel and fall away? The choice is ours, of course. Just remember it is in choosing the Lord’s path that we will find true happiness.