Doom-and-Gloom or Divine Boon?

I have a pretty dismal view of scriptural literalism when it comes to doom-and-gloom prophecies of the end times. I choose to interpret such things in the Spirit of the Good News that Christ wants us to proclaim. Here is an example of what that particular practice looks like, as applied to a revelation given to Joseph Smith in September 1830. 

"But behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened..."

The sun can represent enlightenment and knowledge. This could be a prophecy about the failure of our modern knowledge systems. Don't we see that failure right now in the universities, news organizations, and political systems? It's not a stretch to see a similar eclipsing of real divine knowledge occurring in religious institutions, including Mormon traditions (yes, even your Mormon tradition). This darkening, however, is not without hope. Christ prophesied a similar event to his apostles when he was going to his death:

"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you, for he that walks in darkness knows not where he goes. While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light."

The apostles seemingly failed the test after Christ's death (since they just went back to their day jobs), but He got them back on track soon enough. We can learn from their initial failure. If we can make the Light part of ourselves before the external light is darkened, it'll be as if we're still walking in the light of the sun, despite the uncertainty and confusion around us. Perhaps if that is the case, we will be able to entice others to learn about the Light as well.

"...and the moon shall be turned to blood..."

The Moon is often a symbol of the feminine and Wisdom. Is this a prophecy of the feminine becoming warlike and turning away from its inherent wisdom? It would be hard to deny that given the current political climate. But there is another layer to this. The natural relationship between the feminine and blood should be obvious. A woman's body is constantly preparing for pregnancy. When the environment is ready but it's obvious it's not going to happen this round, menstruation occurs. This cleans everything out and allows for preparation for the next time to begin. In prophecy, this is an excellent sign as it means things are going to start being ordered to prepare for the actual birth of the Kingdom of God. Should people be afraid of getting menstruated right out of the world in this process? When I imagine the necessity of cleaning house to make room for God's kingdom, I think less in terms of the human population and more in terms of corrupt institutions and systems. If God needs to remove a particular system, it's going to be removed. I suspect you only need to worry if you are clinging to that system as if it's your entire world. Just make sure you're flexible and let go of things when their time is over!

"...and some stars shall fall from heaven..."

If the stars symbolize the Powers of Heaven, then you might suspect that some angels might fall from grace, à la Lucifer. But perhaps it's not that dire. Maybe some chosen vessels are going to be here among us - specially prepared servants of God born in our time to help teach us things we're supposed to learn. We should expect that such servants could come from any background, inside or outside our favored faith traditions.

"...and there shall be greater signs in the heavens above and in the earth beneath. And there shall be weeping and wailing among the inhabitants of earth."

A lot is going to change and people don't like change. Shocking, right? It may feel like the end of the world and people may feel that level of fear. If you ever read The Last Battle - the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia series - you may remember the dwarves that were in the new, incredibly wonderful world after the old world ended. Despite the amazing light and wonder around them, they were in complete darkness. They could not see that they were in a far better land and they remained suspicious of anyone and anything. The same signs that will make the masses weep and wail can make the Lord's people shout for joy.

"And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth."

Our civilization has had quite the run thanks to agriculture and especially its modernization. The destruction of the crops of the earth would be truly devastating and would indeed threaten civilization itself. But "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." A severe reduction in our current fare doesn't have to be a tragedy. We often fast from food and part of that process is the rediscovery of all the other things that sustain us and the realization of the immense power of God and how much He is involved in our lives. This prophecy may be anticipating a new and glorious revolution in the kinds of things that sustain us from day to day - spiritually and physically. What an amazing opportunity this may foretell! If we seek to be the Lord's people, we should assume that the restoration includes a great many things about how our bodies and spirits are sustained. You should fear this prophecy about as much as your next fast.

"And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent, for the cup of mine indignation is full. For behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they repent not."

The Lord's "vengeance" must be put into context. A passage from Romans can help us do that:

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing, you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

If we want to assist in bringing about what has been prophesied, it falls on us to do our part Paul reminds us of. We are reminded that we can, in fact, "overcome evil with good". This is Christlike behavior. That is how the Lord repays. With good, often through us. He overcomes every possible conception of wickedness with His all-encompassing Love. 

His ultimate expression of love was His atonement and crucifixion. He prophesied that by being lifted up on the cross, He "will draw all unto [Him]". He is irresistible! He did that, not us. But we do our part when we prepare others for that eventual and inevitable repentance and reconciliation when we choose to serve our enemies and return good for evil. Remember that Jesus is going to perfect His work and "he shall deliver up the kingdom and present it unto [his] Father, spotless". His blood will cleanse everyone eventually. Perhaps the pace at which that happens depends upon our willingness and determination to help and bring others (especially our enemies) to Him for that cleansing to take place. That happens through our good works to those who desire to do evil to us.

"Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them; and their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me, and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets, and it shall come to pass that the beasts of the forest and the fowls of the air shall devour them up."

That is pretty intense language and it is clearly meant to shock us. But just because it may appeal to our dark fantasies of retribution against our enemies, that doesn't mean we should be satisfied with a literal interpretation. 

Flies fill in a useful niche in the ecosystem. They take care of the rot and put it to good use. We should hope that the rot (i.e. misconceptions and mistakes) that covers us gets taken from us and is put to good use. And we should hope that the things we utter against God (i.e. our false ideas) cease and that our eyes (i.e. that are not single to His glory and see incorrectly) fall out. Only when those things happen will we have room to fill in the gaps with His pure flesh, His tongue of angels, and His vision that perceives clearly and is single to His glory. 

Even our wrongheadedness can end up serving a purpose. In the symbolic language of the prophecy, all the extra stuff that falls from our flesh and tongues and eyes feed the birds and beasts. Creation itself is glorified through our experiences. False traditions end and lessons are learned. Figuring out what doesn't work helps us zero in on what does. Nothing is wasted!

Much more could be said about this passage, especially in a personal, psychological sense. But the main idea I'm trying to get across is to avoid interpretations that make you feel superior, especially interpretations that make you think all your enemies will literally die through divine genocide. There is always a better way to think about the end times. Look through the lens Christ gave us through His example and teachings. 

Turning Water into Wine

First of all, I recommend everyone read this proposal concerning the Guide and Standard. Come back to this post after you’ve read it.

Jesus’ First Public Miracle

The Testimony of St. John, chapter 1, says,

On the third day of the week, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his followers were invited guests at the marriage. And when the wedding party wanted more wine, his mother said to him, They have run out of wine. Jesus replied, Mother, why are you talking to me about it? The time for me to provide sacramental wine has not yet arrived. But his mother instructed the servants, Whatever he tells you to do, follow through with it.

There were six waterpots made of stone that were used for ceremonial purification in religious observances, each containing twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus instructed the servants, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he said, Now remove some and take it to the host. And they took it to him. When the host of the wedding tasted the ceremonial water, it had been converted to wine. But he did not know the source that converted the water, unlike the servants who recognized the Source. The host of the feast called for the bridegroom, and praised him using a proverb, saying, Careful men introduce their plans using the best wine, and later, when their followers are drunk, then their worst — but you have brought us better wine than at the start.

This was a sign confirming his role as the Messiah that was performed

by Jesus in Cana of Galilee. It was a demonstration of authority over both the

elements and ordinances of salvation. Those who recognized this as a sign of

his authority were awed as they considered it was him present among them.

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, his mother, his brothers, and

his disciples, and they were there a few days...

...

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover many believed on his name

when they saw the healing miracles he did...

This miraculous event might have something to do with what’s going on right now. Let’s take a look and you can decide for yourself.

The Before-Party

The tenth talk given in Phoenix says,

Every time you partake of the Sacrament it is a reminder of the promise there will at last be some great wedding feast. It is not just in remembrance of the blood and of the body, but it is also a preliminary to the final feast the Lord intends to offer in which His blood and His body achieve success in redeeming some few! His atonement was to redeem. The wedding feast is a celebration of the Lord’s triumph. But His triumph produces saved souls. The redeemed are His great trophy!

Keeping this idea in mind, we can see that Jesus’ statement from the Testimony of St. John is true, when applied to today. “The time for me to provide sacramental wine has not yet arrived.” It is not time for the great wedding feast yet. That feast comes later, at the very end. At the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ Mother told the servants to follow the Lord because She knew He would provide wine preliminary to what it’s supposed to point to. So what can the Lord provide to us today, before the time of the great wedding feast?

Six Waterpots

According to my understanding, the number six is the number of men and weakness. It falls short of perfection. It’s imperfect and flawed. I am one of those “six waterpots”. I have been thirsty and I have partaken of the waters freely, as I have been asked to do. I would like even more nourishment, but I cannot turn water into wine. That requires a higher Power and it requires me to “follow through with” “whatever he tells [me] to do.” And so I will try to fill my waterpot “up to the brim” no matter how weak I am.

It’s noteworthy that the waterpots contained “twenty to thirty gallons”. Why are we told this? Remember that these waterpots might represent our imperfection. Perhaps the fact that they hold different amounts tells us that we need not have uniform views on everything before the Lord can work with us. I think it’s okay to disagree on at least some things, as long as we are each following the Lord as best as we know how. Perhaps the different volumes in the waterpots indicate that we can each add the guide and standard of our choosing to our own scriptures.

Three more questions related to the waterpots: Does the fact that there were six of them relate to the six men who were in the Lots group? And is it significant that the one woman in the Lots group received the words of the Lord? And is it relevant that the Lord told her, “You have filled the measure in which I have called you.”?

A Sign

The host of the feast at the wedding in Cana did not know how the wine was produced or who produced it. But he did recognize its fine quality and he realized how remarkable such a thing was that late into the feast. If the Lord provides the best wine at the end, shouldn't we expect the most powerful miracles in these end times?

Those at the feast who knew what to look for were able to perceive the Lord’s authority and were appropriately awed. Those at Jerusalem who witnessed His miracles believed on His name. We know that miracles alone cannot produce faith. But miracles were a necessary part of the Lord’s ministry. Should we expect anything less in these last days? Maybe such things can all begin when we, as an imperfect and weak group, follow through with whatever the Lord tells us and recognize the freedom everyone has to disagree with others, thereby eliminating contention.

Comfort

I try not to take anything in the scriptures for granted. John tells us that Jesus, his Mother, his brethren, and his disciples all went to Capernaum right after the wedding in Cana. Nothing else is said about it. What could it mean? I looked up what Capernaum means and apparently it translates into “Nahum’s Village”. I looked up what the name Nahum means and it translates into “Comfort”.

How marvelous that the Lord brought his family and followers to a village of “comfort” directly after involving “servants” in His first public miracle! Can that happen in our day? If so, how?

Mother Knows Best

The entire event at Cana began with the Lord’s Mother asking Her Son to provide wine that was necessary for the feast. She told the servants to listen to Him. When they did, the Lord’s ministry could begin. How will the Lord’s ministry begin through us? How will we take the gospel to the remnant and other gentiles in a convincing manner?

Were we not just taught about the Mother? Were we not recently informed of how She instructs Her children to follow Her Son, the Lord? The talk, “Our Divine Parents”, contains a lot of information that can’t be repeated here. But the things that were taught may be important for how the work of the guide and standard gets completed. This blog post may also be of value.

The Freedom to Disagree

I invite everyone to seriously consider the proposal I linked to at the top of this post. I see wisdom in it. I see a potential way to fulfill all the Lord’s commandments regarding the statement of principles we are to adopt by mutual agreement. Personally, I am drawn towards the Lots document, but I won’t begrudge anyone who prefers another document. And perhaps we can each add an appropriate guide and standard to our own scriptures. That way, everyone’s freedom to choose is respected, nobody has to feel like they’re being forced into something, and we can continue to be one with each other. I’ll be praying and fasting on April 14th to be able to understand what the Lord would have me do regarding all of this.

The Book of Esther, or the Story of the King's Bride

I believe that the Book of Esther is a book of prophecy for the last days. Here are a few things to think about when studying this book.

Who is the king?

What is the feast?

Who did the king specifically invite to his feast?

Who is the queen?

What does it mean if the king’s bride lost her standing?

What does it mean if the king was searching for a new queen/bride?

Is it significant that Esther was an orphan?

Mordecai took Esther under his wing when she had no one to take care of her. Does he represent anyone?

What are the things Esther was given for purification? Do those things mean anything today?

Is it significant that Esther was given seven maidens and given the best place in the house of women?

Why did it take twelve months for Esther to get ready before seeing the king?

Is it significant that Esther took nothing with her except for what was given her?

Esther “obtained grace and favor in [the king’s] sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen”. Is that supposed to relate to something today?

Is it significant that Haman was promoted “above all the princes that were with him” right after Esther is made queen?

Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, thus putting his life, along with the lives of all the Jews, in jeopardy. Will that have a real-world application?

Mordecai implored Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jews, raising the possibility that she might have “come to the kingdom for such a time as this”. What does this tell us about the purpose of being the bride of the King?

What is Esther’s “royal apparel” that she put on?

Has anyone else ever found themself in the presence of the King without being invited? If so, were there any common threads that allowed them to be in that situation?

Is it significant that it took five years before Mordecai was finally honored for what he did for the king?

Is there anything to learn from the way Mordecai was honored?

Haman faced the wrath of the king and lost his life. Is it significant that neither Esther nor Mordecai demanded any kind of punishment for Haman, even though they were directly threatened by him?

Is it significant that the plot against Mordecai and the Jews was turned against the enemies of the Jews?

What power protected the Jews on the day they were supposed to be killed?

“Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple, and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.” The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor.” What does that mean for us in the last days?

The Jews, under the direction of Mordecai, held annual feasts to remember and celebrate their deliverance. Has that happened before? Will it happen again?

Gathered Together In My Name

Where two or three are gathered together in my name as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them. (D&C 100 [RE])

I believe that those words, spoken by Jesus in both ancient and modern times, are quite relevant to the current effort to come to a mutual agreement on the Guide and Standard to be put in the scriptures. If the idea in those words applies to two or three people, I believe it can apply to many more than that (as long as the other conditions are met). Similarly, it can also apply if it touches more than one thing. Even an entire list of things. The tricky part is being gathered together in the Lord’s name. Since we want the Lord to be in our midst, how do we gather in His name?

I believe gathering in His name is to take on all of His attributes as we deal with one another. It is to be kind. It is to condescend. It is to have charity. It makes me think of the prayer circles done in LDS temples and the instructions that go with them. There can be no hard feelings. There can only be love and acceptance. And unity instead of opposition. The Father and the Son are one. That’s what the Son does and wants to do with us. He unites broken things and makes them one. He “at-ones” all those who want to be one. There are no sides. No majorities or minorities. Everything is done in common and all partake of the heavenly gift. There is no contention due to the love of God which dwells in each person’s heart. Because of that, there can be mighty miracles.

The Government of God’s People

Beginning at the Lord’s attempt to establish Zion through Moses until the quasi-Zion society of the Nephites after the Lord’s appearance to them, one can see a chiasmus in the types of government the Lord’s people accepted. The chiasmus looks like this:

  A   Oneness and equality

      B   Judges

          C   Kings

          C’  Kings

      B’  Judges

  A   Oneness and equality

Through Moses, the Lord was offering everyone the chance to be a prophet and know the Lord. Everyone would be equal and, due to the Lord’s direct involvement and the love of God that would have dwelled in everyone, there would be no need for an earthly system of government. There would only be unity. But that offer was rejected.

The centuries-long system of government the Israelites settled on involved the need for “judges”. The people were free from kings, but it was a time marked by lots and lots of warfare. Their enemies constantly came upon them. They were often faithless and suffered for it. They would repent and plead for God’s help and God would often deliver them through the intervention of certain individuals. It was very cyclical and predictable.

Eventually the people were sufficiently hardened that they demanded a king. And that’s what the Lord gave them. Israel suffered greatly because of it. We all know the dangers posed by kings. They can lead the people into much wickedness. After Lehi’s family left Jerusalem and arrived at the promised land, a system of kings was established and that defined Nephite government for centuries.

Eventually it was recognized that kings posed a great threat to the people and Mosiah II instituted a system of “judges” that would be established by the voice of the people. They were supposed to decide things through voting. It wasn’t quite like the period of judges found in the Bible, but it’s notable that both systems are known specifically by the term “judges”. Just like the experience of the Israelites long before, it was a time marked by lots and lots of warfare. In fact, warm contentions, destructive dissensions, and war and death on a massive scale all came about almost immediately after the reign of the judges began. Deciding things by the voice of the people with winners and losers introduced new ways in which the people could dispute one with another. The Nephites were constantly harassed by their enemies. The Nephites were often faithless and suffered for it. They would repent and plead for God’s help and God would often deliver them through the intervention of certain individuals. Now we read those accounts and we speak of the “pride cycle” and we can see how predictable the outcomes were.

Eventually, after the system of judges and voting ended in absolute failure and deep divisions, and after the people were greatly humbled by extreme destruction, Jesus came and taught His law. His commandments established something new. Or rather, they established something previously offered but rejected by the Israelites who came out of Egypt. This time, all would be equal. There would be no more factions. No more voting. Just love and everything in common. At least for a time, all knew the Lord and were blessed by Him. That is absolutely necessary for Zion.

Reach for Something Higher

How do we obtain the Lord’s highest system of “government” that He offers? How do we receive the oneness and equality of Zion? Will it simply come if we preach at each other enough? Will it come if losers humbly accept the will of the winners? Will truth finally prove victorious because of the ballot box? Did those things work for the Nephites?

Maybe we can obtain what the Lord offers by petitioning Him. And maybe we petition Him by doing what He says. Maybe it involves laying down our disputations and contentions. Maybe it requires being merciful and making peace. Maybe it involves condescending and agreeing with our adversaries quickly while we are in the way with them, even to the point of letting them persecute us, not even resisting the evil that is done to us. Maybe we need to go the extra mile with those who compel us and not turn away anyone who asks anything of us. Maybe we need to serve the least among us. Maybe we need to be one.

I invite everyone who entered into the covenant to participate in the effort to produce a mutually agreeable Guide and Standard. It should almost certainly end up being a document that literally everyone involved can agree on. For everyone who entered into the covenant, there are at least four things we can all agree on, and probably many more besides that. The effort will certainly require us all to lay down our ideas of what ought to be in the document. But it won’t require anyone to do or say anything against their beliefs. Nobody will be subject to any “king” because everything included will have the support of everyone. Instead of mourning tyranny, all will be able to rejoice at the opportunity to suffer and sacrifice for Christ’s sake. Even if the document is very short, it will represent our unity and it will show the Lord that we want to be His and that we truly want to be one. It will be our petition to God to obtain His system of “government”. Additionally, if it is indeed a sacrifice, it may be one way to covenant by sacrifice.

The Lord said, “Even a single soul who stirs up the hearts of others to anger can destroy the peace of all my people.” The solution given is for each of us to “equally walk truly in [the Lord’s] path”, doing what we profess we do. So let us be equal. It seems to me that that can be accomplished by condescending to the level of the least among us. How powerful an act would that be that would surely witness that we do what the Lord asks us to do!

We have a unique opportunity right now to gather together in the Lord’s name (by taking upon ourselves His attributes) as touching one or more things. The Lord has promised that, if we do that, He will be in our midst. And when He is in our midst, despite all our shortcomings, He will provide every needful thing by endowing us with the knowledge and wisdom we lack and yet require in order to do His work.

And do you covenant to seek to become of one heart with those who seek the Lord to establish His righteousness? (Answer and Covenant)

Why I Desire the Covenant

[Note: What is written and quoted here is only applied internally to myself. These are my reasons and I have no expectations whatsoever for anyone else.]

Short Answer

I want to repent, get out from under condemnation, escape captivity, obtain an inheritance, and receive faith, hope, and charity in order to serve God, consecrate what I have been given, and participate in His great and marvelous work of bringing scattered Israel to Jesus Christ, the fountain of all righteousness.

Long Answer

Prophecy

Title Page of the Book of Mormon

Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God. An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.

Jacob 5

And because that I have preserved the natural branches and the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural branches again into their mother tree, and have preserved the roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps, the trees of my vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the branches of the first fruit— Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit…And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few. And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

D&C 4

If ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

1 Nephi 21

Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places…Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

1 Nephi 22

Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders, behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel…And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders. And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

1 Nephi 13

And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters…And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance…And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them…And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations…Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren. Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren. Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen…I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb. For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb. And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation. And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be. And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren. And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.

1 Nephi 14

And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks— And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.

2 Nephi 28-29

Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts. But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel; And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel.

3 Nephi 21

And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion; And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them; Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you; For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel; Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity; For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel; And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel…But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant…But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance; And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst.

3 Nephi 30

Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying: Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

D&C 84

And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received— Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written— That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay.

Ether 12

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness…And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father. Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.

Moroni 7

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart that ye may be filled with this love which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son Jesus Christ, that ye may become the sons of God, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, that we may have this hope, that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

D&C 42

For it shall come to pass, that which I spake by the mouth of my prophets shall be fulfilled: for I will consecrate the riches of the Gentiles unto my people which are of the House of Israel…Thou shalt stand in the place of thy stewardship. Thou shalt not take thy brother's garment, thou shalt pay for that which thou shall receive of thy brother. And if thou obtain more than that which would be for thy support, thou shalt give it into my storehouse that it may be done according to that which I have spoken.

D&C 39

But, behold, the days of thy deliverance are come, if thou wilt hearken to my voice, which saith unto thee: Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on my name, and you shall receive my Spirit, and a blessing so great as you never have known. And if thou do this, I have prepared thee for a greater work. Thou shalt preach the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth in these last days, the covenant which I have sent forth to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass that power shall rest upon thee; thou shalt have great faith, and I will be with thee and go before thy face. Thou art called to labor in my vineyard, and to build up my church, and to bring forth Zion, that it may rejoice upon the hills and flourish. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou art not called to go into the eastern countries, but thou art called to go to the Ohio. And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves at the Ohio, I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known among the children of men, and it shall be poured forth upon their heads. And from thence men shall go forth into all nations. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the people in Ohio call upon me in much faith, thinking I will stay my hand in judgment upon the nations, but I cannot deny my word. Wherefore lay to with your might and call faithful laborers into my vineyard, that it may be pruned for the last time. And inasmuch as they do repent and receive the fulness of my gospel, and become sanctified, I will stay mine hand in judgment.Wherefore, go forth, crying with a loud voice, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand; crying: Hosanna! blessed be the name of the Most High God. Go forth baptizing with water, preparing the way before my face for the time of my coming; For the time is at hand; the day or the hour no man knoweth; but it surely shall come. And he that receiveth these things receiveth me; and they shall be gathered unto me in time and in eternity. And again, it shall come to pass that on as many as ye shall baptize with water, ye shall lay your hands, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and shall be looking forth for the signs of my coming, and shall know me. Behold, I come quickly. Even so. Amen.

Types

Mosiah 4

And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them…And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due. And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness. But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

Mosiah 5

And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them. And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things. And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God. And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant. And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

Mosiah 17

But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them; therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace. But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him. But he fled from before them and hid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken.

Mosiah 18

And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi— Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven. And as many as would hear his word he did teach…And many did believe his words…And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart. And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world. And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit…And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God…And thus they became the children of God…And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.

Mosiah 27

And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them. But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the commandments of God. And four of them were the sons of Mosiah; and their names were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni; these were the names of the sons of Mosiah. And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them. And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer. And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.

Mosiah 28

Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites— That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them. Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever. And it came to pass that they did plead with their father many days that they might go up to the land of Nephi. And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word. And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that Mosiah granted that they might go and do according to their request. And they took their journey into the wilderness to go up to preach the word among the Lamanites; and I shall give an account of their proceedings hereafter.

Alma 17

And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness and they fasted much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go with them and abide with them that they might be an instrument in the hands of God…And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his spirit and said unto them, Be comforted, and they were comforted. And the Lord said unto them also, Go forth among the Lamanites thy brethren and establish my word, yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may shew forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah and also those who were with them took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.

Alma 26

And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings? And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell? Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work. Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God. Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted. Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day…Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice? Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell. Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work…And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God. And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.