So I took of Thursday with the intention of getting ahead on my homework for the math I’m taking online. I looked at the weather report and realized Saturday was going to be full of rain. So I switched to doing yard work I had planned for Saturday. I took Sarah and Joseph along and we got some supplies and plants for my projects from the Home Depot. I normally prefer Lowes but their saw was not working this past Saturday. The prediction for rain was correct and I will get to that homework in a few minutes here today. First I’d like to do a quick blog post about some of the yard work I did. I  mowed and fertilized the backyard but I also did a couple more interesting projects.

In my first project I built two raised planters and placed the start of some blackberry bushes in them. I figure the raised beds will help me keep them from growing into my lawn. I also made a simple trellis from spare fencing and wood that I had. I also think the position of the bushes will provide an additional natural thermal protection layer to my house. The wall the bushes are against get a good 6-10 hours of direct sunlight so I hope they will thrive in their current spot. The wood for the boxes were from some simple 2″x12″x8′ that I had cut down. Each box is 2’x2′ and hold roughly 4 cubic feet of soil. The bottom of the boxes are open but I placed cardboard down to assist in killing the grass below the boxes. Prior to placing the boxes I cut the grass down to as close to bare earth as I could get.

I also looked it up and realized I should have already removed the stakes from my trees. So I cut out the wire and started trying to wiggle them out. This was of course some tough work. I thought there had to be an easier way so I looked on Google and found a handy guide on YouTube with easy to follow directions on a method that worked for me. In my case I had 1’x6’x4″ boards but they substituted in okay for the place of the 2’x4′ boards. They just got chewed up good by the stakes biting into them. It’s projects like this that make me glad I purchased my large wood vice last year. I first used it for building our table but it has come in handy for several other projects. Below is the video guide I followed for removing the stakes.

16 MAR 15

In 4 Nephi the people were united and there was no contention in the land (4 Nephi 1:15). This was the second time a Zion society had been established on the Earth and the student manual refers to it as the Nephite Zion (golden Nephite era).This lasted for two hundred years before pride and distinctions arose again in the 201st year (4 Nephi 1:24). In short span of time there came to be many churches “which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of the gospel” (4 Nephi 1:27).

While we are not in a Zion society, I would say for the most part the church is currently righteous. What are some things we can do to avoid falling into the pits of pride and distinctions?

To answer my own question I would say we need to constantly taking a hard look at ourselves and honestly evaluate if our spirit and actions are in keeping with the Lord. If we see others fall, we shouldn’t judge but be supportive in helping them back up. If we fall, we should repent quickly and seek help if we need it.

17 MAR 15

Mormon called by prophet at a young age. (Mormon 1:2)

I’ve worked with eleven year old scouts. Mormon must have been quite an unusual boy to be considered sober by a prophet. Most boys that age are pretty silly to me.

Three Nephites taken from earth. Miracles cease for a time. (Mormon 1:13)

This makes me sad to think of the great miracles these people denied themselves by having the Three Nephites go. Even with being pretty much invincible there is a time to go when no one is listening anymore and just try to toss you in lion’s dens and light you on fire. I guess that get’s old after a while.

Sorceries, witchcrafts and magics. (Mormon 1:19)

I’ve always wondered if this part referred to Aztec blood sacrifice like rituals or if people were running around yelling magic missile at each other and it actually worked. Somehow I don’t think they were as nice as today’s fictional Gandalf or Harry Potter.

18 MAR 15

Leader of the Army at sixteen. (Mormon 2:2)

It later says he was leading roughly 42,000 soldiers into battle. I’m assuming that’s not including camp followers and others that would have been considered part of the support staff. Today that would make him roughly equivalent to a Lieutenant General in charge of an Army Corps.

Here are some numbers for perspective:

A company typically has 62 to 190 soldiers, and a battalion is a combat unit of 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Three to five battalions, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers, comprise a brigade. The size of a division varies from about 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers, and most divisions have three or more brigades of roughly equal size. A corps, which consists of two or more divisions and support troops, normally has from 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. (Number from usmilitary.about.com)

Mormon stops being commander. (Mormon 3:11-12)

So Mormon is helped by the Lord and miraculously defeats the Lamanites in three major battles. Then the Nephites still don’t repent! They are just blind in missing these miracles. It gets to the point that Mormon has to refuse leading them. This of course can’t be good for them at all.

Wicked punished by wicked. (Mormon 4:5)

This is an interesting concept that only gets brought up on a few occasions in the scriptures. I always hear that in many ways the Lamanites were less wicked as they hadn’t had all the blessing the Nephites did before their fall.

Lamanites sacrifice women and children to idol gods. (Mormon 4:14)

Now here is the actual human sacrifice I was wondering about earlier. I remember a lot of it occurred at this point in the scriptures. How twisted is Satan, that he would pervert the true and everlasting sacrifice of Christ into a spectacle of pain and torture.

19 MAR 15

In Mormon 5:12-14 we are told how the records Mormon is writing will be “hid up unto the Lord” and later revealed. We are also told that the records will be revealed and that they will go forth to convince the unbelieving that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God”. I like that simply said primary concept from the Book of Mormon. It frustrates me when people claim we are not Christians yet Christ is the center of our religion and it is said so often through the scriptures. If only they would take the time to really listen, then maybe they would come to see how Christ is at the center of all that we do. Christ’s name is on the cover of our scriptures, in the Church’s name and in our prayers. He is truly in the center of our lives. It’s almost as if some people are being intentionally obtuse.

20 MAR 15

The hill and land Cumorah (Mormon 6:2-6)

Where was the hill Cumorah? The church doesn’t have an official stance on that one. According to some scholars it could have been in Mexico and not New York and that the New York Hill Cumorah is another location by the same name. It’s not essential to my salvation but it is an interesting topic. Here are a few pages with discussions on this topic:

Fair Mormon

Wikipedia

Mormon laments the fall of the Nephites. (Mormon 6:17-19)

I can really feel his pain expressed in this passage. I feel sad for his having to watch the fall of his people.

Mormon calls the Lamanites to repent and be baptized. (Mormon 7)

This is the true love of Christ. He see’s his people utterly destroyed by the Lamanites but he still has the love to call them to repent and be baptized. This tells us some about his character.

Coming forth of Book of Mormon (Mormon 8:26-32)

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Mormon 9:8-9)

God doesn’t change. Sure people change and how he deals with them is a little different but the principles behind it all are the same.

 

09 MAR 15

Commandment to search these things diligently. (3 Nephi 23:1)

I am grateful for the time I have to search these scriptures as part of this class. It has given me a reason and format to dig deeper into things than I have had a chance to do in a while.

Christ reminds them to record the words of Samuel the Lamanite. (3 Nephi 23:6-13)

In 3 Nephi 23:6-13 Jesus says, “how be it that ye have not written this thing…?” This is when he brought to their remembrance how Samuel the Lamanite had prophesied concerning the resurrection and how “many saints did arise and appear unto many”. To me this was a powerful rebuke straight from the Savior for remembering some of what might be called the little things of keeping accurate records of events. To me this also falls in with the principle of gratitude, to remember to be thankful for all the knowledge and gifts the Lord has given us. I am grateful for the many records we have today. In my pocket I’m able to have the standard works, years of church publications and other records of the prophets. It’s amazing how many wonderful uses technology can have for expanding our access to records of the Gospel.

10 MAR 15

Tithing (3 Nephi 23:8-10)

One of the things I love about tithing is that it’s one of the commandments that we can say we are perfect in performing it. You either do it or you don’t. With some of the other commandments it’s much more of a qualitative analysis in how we are doing with the principle that we have been commanded. With a commandment like tithing we can easily add up all that we give and know for a surety that we are living the Lords law.

Wicked burn. (3 Nephi 25:1)

In this verse it tells us the wicked will burn but I found it interesting that it includes saying “neither root nor branch” will be left. I think this is connected to families and the sealing power that is often connected to these scriptures concerning Elijah. Those that are wicked will not have the benefit of this.

Elijah the prophet. (3 Nephi 25:5-6)

I am grateful for the sealing power that connects families for eternity. I was not born in the covenant and I grateful that my son will have that opportunity.

11 MAR 15

Resurrection. (3 Nephi 26:5)

The contrast of the two parts of this scripture sticks out to me. Either we receive the resurrection of everlasting life or of damnation. It’s up to us to decide every day which we choose.

Sacrament (3 Nephi 26:13)

This scripture talks about the example the Savior shows by meeting and taking the sacrament often. I’m an introvert. It’s good that this is a commandment and that he has shown his example in doing this. If it weren’t for that I would probably more naturally not attend as often as I should.

Literary devices in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 27:33)

I like catching some of the examples of literary devices used in the Book of Mormon such as chiasmus or parallelism. In 3 Nephi 27:33 we see the use of contrasting ideas parallelism in one verse that also contains a central point like chiasmus.

1. straight is the gate.
2. narrow is the way.
3. few there be that find it.
4. wide is the gate.
5. broad the way

After doing some research I found this article which explains the different literary devices better than I do. I noticed this particular verse myself and I probably ended up doing a little more research than I needed on the subject. Finding little pieces in the Book of Mormon adds further to my testimony as I see an accumulation of things no single young man or even committee could have written.

12 MAR 15

3 Nephites (3 Nephi 28:7)

I wonder why they didn’t spend more time with Mormon and Moroni while they were in their self exile watching their nation crumble and fall? If I remember correctly the Moroni and Mormon where ministered to, maybe by them. I just think they both seemed much too lonely and that the company might have been appreciated.

3 Nephites – trials (3 Nephi 28:20-22)

This almost seems like showing off. Delivered from being buried, cast into a furnace three times, twice in den of wild beasts. They sound like super heroes with their abilities.

3 Nephites – Jews and Gentiles know them not (3 Nephi 28:27-28)

This scripture interests me because I wonder what they are up to now? Do they live among us in regular lives and help perform miracles as needed? Do they live apart and only come as the angels on special missions for the Lord? They are a big mystery and I wish there was more out there about their modern day actions that was not from apocryphal sources.

13 MAR 15

In 3 Nephi 29:5–7 Mormon gave us some specific warnings and consequences that applied to our day:

Specific warnings:

spurneth at the doings of the Lord

him that shall deny the Christ and his works

deny the revelations of the Lord

say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost

say at that day, to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ

Consequence:

he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy