Saturday, February 18, 2012

2 Nephi 3 - guidance about the latter-day work

Several instructive points are made in 2 Nephi 3:

1) once again, this son was born in days of sorrow and affliction; a great message that this life can be difficult, even for the righteous, but that it will be worth it

1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my alast-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.

2) The work of the Latter days would be as great or greater than the works of Moses:

See verses 7-10, also, verse 5

5 Wherefore, Joseph truly asaw our day. And he obtained abpromise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a crighteous dbranch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made emanifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out offdarkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

3) Joseph Sith's efforts will bring for the word of God in the book of Mormon and also convince of the Bible's truthfulness. One of the critical ways that this occurs is the book is proof that there is a prophet again in our day. The Bible and its stories and miracles and revelations seem much more plausible when it is happening in our day as well

11 But a aseer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give bpower to cbring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.

4) Righteousness and faith of people affect the power of their words more than anything. God mentions that the Book of Mormon has simple words, but because of the faith of the prophets, their words will be brought to people and will influence them (through the Spirit)

19 And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the afruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto thembfrom the dust; for I know their faith.

20 And they shall acry from the bdust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words.

5) Purpose of the book is to help people Repent. The Book of Mormon is the great book teaching us how to repent.

20 And they shall acry from the bdust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words.

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