Transcript for Mosiah 29 - Alma 4 Part 2 • Dr. Nate Williams • June 3 - June 9 • Come Follow Me

The next question I have, how is the order of Nehord different from the Holy Order of God? It really looks like in chapter 1 Mormon wants to make sure you parallel or juxtapose the profession of Nehore as opposed to what's going on in the Church of the Holy Order of God. One of the first things I observe is that the profession of Nehore is prideful. It's motivated by riches. Mormon wants the reader to understand that those in the Holy Order of God are humble. and they impart the word of God well with another, and even says it without money, and without price. A second comparison may be to see between those two, a stark difference. Those following kneehors, plan, is beliefs. They persecute believers. But we read in verse 21 that those in the order of God have a very strict law in the church for bidding that anyone should arise and persecute those that do not belong to the church. or even among themselves. Sadly, though, the ideal doesn't always hold up in the church. We see in those chapters, there is still some time some intentions and persecutions even among the people of God's church, which is a reality we all deal with where there are firm, clear laws, but the challenge to the people of God always measure up to the ideal. A third parallel I saws that the people of Nihor are committed to satisfying the desires of the natural man or in the words of Mormon indulging themselves in all manner of wickedness. While those who stand fast in the faith of God were told in verse 25, are immovable in keeping the commandments of God and bear with patience the persecutions heaped upon them. A couple more parallels, the order of Nehore creates a culture, interested in clothing themselves in costly apparel. which is contrary to that of those in the Church of God, who are characterized by not wearing costly apparel, in verse 27, he clearly was let you know that, and that they are neat and calmly. A final parallel. The order of knee-horde does not believe in the repentance of sins. That's not something we're going to read directly in here, but I love how Hank read between the lines of those verses, but later on in Alma 15, 15, will read about Aminaiha and others who say they're after this order, and they clearly do not believe in the repentance of sins. Contrasted by those who abide in the Holy Order, they believe that salvation comes to those who exercise faith in Christ unto repentance. Ironically, the Holy Order of God and the steadiness in that order, verse 29, creates an abundant world filled with riches. maybe a temptation for the saints of God to remove their focus from Him and from others to the abundant blessings and making that their God. It seems to be kind of a critical challenge for those in the Holy Order of God to stay there by keeping their focus still on Christ and in imparting of their substance. So very interesting conclusion to chapter one is the Mormon draws parallels to clearly that you know We have really a rival church and order that is very unhealthy and destructive to this people.

Amazing, a lot sad that in a few years things could change so differently from this group that seems like they're really succeeding. They're really doing well. They're really staying on their humble cycle, the top of it, and truly being liberal to all no respect to your persons. It falls apart on them. I'm really curious on this question. How do I read the Amlicei narrative? Chapter 2 through 3 differently, if I connect it with Nihor. It appears they were originally part of one chapter. The author Mormon wanted us to lump them all together, even though we might look at a mystery different chapters. And I wondered if I gave a paragraph summary of the Amlasai narrative. And then I'd love to hear any thoughts you might have about how's that different viewing this work of Amlasai as an extension of Nehore versus its own separate little isolated incident. It begins, I'm chapter two, with contention in the land, because of a very cunning man named Amlasai. And we're told, he's part of the order of Nihor. Clearly, he wants to make sure the thoughts and ideas that are driving him come from Nihor. This man's very popular, he had much people following him, and it obtained great power by these numbers, among the Sarah Hamlet community. The community of followers wanted him to become a king. which is not only a rejection of Alma, rejection of Alma's a high priest in his teachings, but a rejection of Alma and Mosiah and the transition to the reign of the judges. And it looks like for some reason in their political policy, they have to have a vote. Even though it was quite alarming to many people in the church that Amalasai could arise to have such great power because the people in the church were a little bit extra worry because he had an intention to destroy the church of God. The vault was taken. I'm sure all the people in the church of God were really happy that Amalasai's people did not obtain the victory. But Amalasai's people, driven by anger, a degree of rebellion still go ahead and consecrate him as a king. A rival political power now, not the rival religion, we've got a rival political power with Amalasai, and this rebellious political revival now known as Amalasites prepares and leads them into a civil war, so they start to then grow an army. and both groups prepare for conflict and eventually engage in war. Both sides are noted for their great strength. Hamless sites flee after they start becoming beaten, destroyed, losing in this battle, and then we get numbers. The 12,500 and something Hamless sites were slain, and 6,500 Nephites were slain. They're hunting and chasing him into the wilderness, but eventually they get away. and they sent some spies after them. Some spies to see what's really going on with this group that's wrecking such havoc among our people. And the spies come back with an alarming report. These people have united with the Lamanites, and they're attacking our brethren and lands north above the land of Xerahemla. And we have got to come to their rescue. Alma and the Nephite armies go to the area engage in another battle of this numerous army of Amalasites and Lamanites, eventually, a one-on-one combat ensues between Alman Amalasai, and which Amalasai is slain, eventually the Lamanite king briefly engages but then retreat from Alma. into the wilderness with his people and lots and lots of people die.

Oh, interesting. Yeah, the individual moved into a group of people.

Right, go on.

Yeah. If I was to now interject the description of a person, I'd be curious who you would think about from our reading today and study who might this be describing. A wicked man and I dolletrous man. A man of many words, who did speak much flattery to the people. Therefore he led many people to do after the manner of his iniquities. He became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church, stealing away the hearts of people, causing much dissension among the people, and giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them, going about to destroy the church of God. I think we got a couple of really strong possibilities from today's reading.

Crazy to think about that it looks like his experience was only a few years ago. If I'm doing the math right, the book of Alma might be this incredible On record of Alma dealing with, even some of the past challenges that he may have been a part of himself at one time, but no longer is. Maybe reminding us that you can change through Christ, and you don't have to be a knee-horre forever. You don't have to be a coriander. You don't have to be a zormite, or an amalacaya. Another person who was called a wicked man in the scriptures, Alma and Amalikaya, we sometimes going to a new chapter quickly forget that this was Alma's world a few years earlier. And I think not only does Amalasai linked with Nihor, change it, but maybe also Alma linked with Nihor, and Amalasai but no longer linked. Now he's in a completely different setting in his mind and heart, because he cried out for the atoning blood of Christ to be applied to his soul and got deliverance. So it's maybe showing quite a contrasting Alma, that no longer is condemned at all, but is still dealing maybe with consequences that it seemed like it's at least for me easy to oversimplify that everybody in Xara Hamla is all on board with the new government, with the new leadership, but it looks like it's not quite as simple as that.

Yeah, maybe seeking to make things right. Or like we read in the book of Mazaya, how they went about zealously striving to repair. All they had done wrong was the book of Alma is a lot about zealously striving to repair. Anything that might still be lingering on, from things I taught, things I did, things I was a part of, and I don't know, I don't know to what degree Alma and Nihor. But by that description in the book of Alma, it looks like they could have been at least cousins spiritually until there was a great change.

Yeah, the intentionality, so amazing. And I'd like to maybe in a little later point out a couple of other of those parallels, one of them being with the prayer of Alma in deliverance before he engages with Amless Eye and the prayer of Alma before he engages in deliverance among the Zoramites. That Mormon seems to want to give you prayers, one only being a verse long And one being a little longer, but maybe in a minute, we can bring that additional parallel up. I love that. Just to invites me to take every word and phrase more seriously when you see some of these parallel accounts and intentional repetitious things taking place in the book. Question number seven. We learned that in Alma chapter 3 is this first chapter comes to a close, that Mormon wants to give a little excerpt about the curses of God, that come upon people. This is a very difficult and challenging part for people even today, the modern reader. to try to understand in an edifying way things about God's curses. So the question I was drawn to think about in a broad, simple way, what do I learn about the curses of God from the amulocyte experience? There's a few things that maybe we can take away that might still be difficult, but still possibly edifying, and then realize there might be many things that we still don't know. about Book of Mormon history and curses that we're going to have to be patient with. God gives us more understanding about them and them and about himself and his own dealings. It's a difficult topic, it's challenging at once, but it seems like towards the end of Alma chapter 3 We have about a dozen verses where Mormon wants to talk about God's curses. He begins the thoughts with this with Amalasites who choose to mark themselves in verse 4 with red in their foreheads after the manner of the layman knights. That they really want to look differently outwardly because inwardly they know they're on different pages than the Nephites. So they choose to mark themselves with red and therefore heads and they say that it's after the manner of how the Lamanites choose to mark themselves.

Recently, John, I'd be curious to hear what you think about this. I was reading Elder Christopherson's conference message on the ceiling power. He talked about briefly the wrath of God. I don't know if you could ever substitute wrath for curse of God, but he gave a quick definition and he said, wrath in this context may be understood as the natural consequence of widespread disobedience to the laws and commandments of God. And it made me think a little bit about a curse, could it be the natural consequence of disobedience to a law or a commandment of God? Versus what Hank was saying about some arbitrary pattern that God chooses to like or dislike certain people?

Well, it's interesting in that verse. They do it after the man or the laminites. There's so much recent scholarship on this that swings the pendulum. The last 100 page of her call. I read out of the interpreter somewhere was strongly suggesting their argument that the laminite mark was an intentional physical dark mark put upon individuals who chose to distinguish themselves. I'm one of their examples that I remember stuff from the articles when the Nephites have to look for a laymanite to take the alcohol over to them during the time of war and they have to look around to find them. It's not that clear, easy, physical, oh, you're completely of a darker skin nature, you must be a layman. That was one of many episodes where they were trying to make an argument of a localized intentional individual outward mark. That was viewed as a curse of God, even though it wasn't individually or personally placed upon them. To me one of the things too that really stands out here that goes along with what John said on the personal choice nature of curses in God's plan is verse 14 when Mormon, quote, something given to Nephi that we don't have, cited anywhere else in the Book of Mormon. Verse 14, thus the word of God is fulfilled. For these are the words which he said to Nephi, Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and I will set a mark on them, and they and their seed may be separated from the and die seed, from this time henceforth and forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me that I may have mercy upon them. I love that whatever these curses are, they're conditional. This is not something that's, for ordained or predestined or punishing long-term children of God. These are things that can all be overcome with any kind of generational attitude where someone chooses to repent.

I like how Mormon concludes this whole chapter one, which is in our rating chapter three. When he says in verse 26 and 27, and in one year, worth thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad. to repeat eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the Spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one, or everyone receiveeth wages of him whom he listed to obey. And this is according to the words of the Spirit of Prophecy, therefore let it be according to the truth. Your choices do matter, and your choices do bring consequences. And hopefully we can all be wise, because we all, I think, all of God's children we want to have a happy life filled with blessings. and that there is truly a right way to live and be happy.

I'd like to share a quote from Elder Ahmed Corbett of the corps of the 70s from a series of these essays that he wrote about race in the priesthood a few years ago that seemed very relevant and inspiring to me as I try to wrestle and ponder upon this thought about curses and marks. In other Corbett wrote, we see that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely able and divinely destined to become the most unifying global organization in the history of the world. Clearly the Savior's Church in the Gospel it administers, transcends race, ethnicity, culture. The Church exists largely together and unify the Father's children from every nation on the earth as brothers and sisters. Our church is uniquely empowered and destined to achieve worldwide peace, harmony and unity among all the peoples of the earth through his atonement. Jesus Christ transforms the way we view ourselves and the entire human family. He transforms the way we see the church, its leaders, its gathering and saving mission, its members and the restored gospel in general. And then this thought really grabbed me The Book of Mormon is the most racially unifying book on Earth. Another way of saying that the Book of Mormon Gather scattered Israel is to say that it invites and unites people of all races and ethnicities as brothers and sisters. It unites all people who accept the gospel in a common covenant with God, our eternal Father, and Jesus Christ our eternal Savior. The gathering also unites all the children of Adam and Eve into the common covenant family of Abraham. Another microcosm of God's universal family. All these forms of unity are fully accomplished as individuals and families receive and keep. All the ordinances and cabinets of the gospel of Jesus Christ offered by the Lord's authorized servants. He invites anyone to read the Book of Mormon with an eye toward understanding its role in power as an instruction manual for unifying God's earthly children of all races and ethnicities. God himself is bringing to pass for the salvation of his children in the last days through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Close quote.

I love that, and I believe that.

And most importantly, he's an alumni of the Great Rick's College in Rick's Brigadier Hall.

I did. Yes. I spent way too much time in my life throwing a ball in a double. All right. This next question maybe takes us a little bit back into our previous chapters, but it's one that intrigues me before we move on to our last couple of questions in the last chapters. Back to chapters one through three, I was intrigued by how Mormon chooses to use first person quotes, even if they're brief. The question that I'm asking here is what do we learn about Alma? or about the Mormon in the use of Alma's words, from the two times he has Alma directly speak in this one chapter. We get two quotes from Alma. They seem to have significance. And I think part of what got me thinking about this question was a book I've been reading recently called The Art of Biblical Narrative by a man named Alter, and in his book one of the chapters is about biblical dialogue. And he writes this, the biblical scene suggests that what is significant about a character can be manifest almost entirely in the character speech. Now I don't No of any way that Mormon would have been directly impacted to right-light biblical authors. But let's assume and pretend that when he has a character speak, he really wants it to reveal a lot about an idea and maybe even about the person. That's what they're suggesting about biblical narrative. He goes on to write in any given narrative event, and especially at the beginning of a new story, which we're at, we're the new book, we're the new story, we're the new chapter, the point at which dialogue first emerges is worthy of special attention. And in most instances, the initial words spoken by a personage will be revelatory concerning that person's character. If we get to go back quickly and look at two times, Alma is allowed to speak in the storytelling of Mormon and say, what does he want me to think about Alma? What does he want me to think about this idea? We're going through the war with the Amlassites. We get to the point of a critical moment when Alma and Amlassites are going face-to-face in chapter 2 verse 30. And it came to pass that Alma being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried saying, I guess we could put quotation marks here in our scriptures, all Lord have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in die hands to save and preserve this people. Now, when Alma had said these words, he contended, again, with Amalasai, and he was strengthened in so much that he slew Amalasai with the sword. He could have summarized that, said he prayed, prayed really beautifully, powerfully. But somehow he wanted those words to teach us something about Alma. It may be in a spirit of elder Razband, words matter a lot. They're the bedrock of how we connect.

Yeah, that's wonderful. It's beautiful. Is it a foreshadowing of the rest of the book? Let's talk about a man who got his prayer answered not once, but for the rest of his life, he gets to be this ministering instrument of God to bless and preserve people.

I love how the Book of Mormon chooses a different time to actually give us the prayers. Like, Mural and I are bridging the Book of Ether, will give us the prayer of the brother of Jared. Not to tell us he prayed. He'll actually let us read his words. What do you think if we wrap things up with two last questions? Yeah, let's do it. This is great. Question number nine, let's jump to chapter four for these questions he's last to. Two things seem to be happening in chapter four. On one hand, we see the church in verse four getting established more fully. Thousands of people uniting the church through baptism. And then on the other hand, we see the church failing in its progress. It's hard to believe in imagined in one simple chapter. You've got such extreme things happening. A church that is getting established, a church that is failing. I guess the first question because we want to end on the positive. Today is, in these chapters, what does it look like for the church to fail? What are some of those distinguishing characteristics of a failing church?

I was thinking on your observation, John, with inequality, we have the idea of inequality coming up again. in other places in the Book of Mormon, one of them being third Nephi before the Savior comes and the church seems to be struggling and the phrase is something like there was great inequality in the land in so much that the church is broken up, associating a struggling church with prevailing inequality or attitudes or behaviors that promote inequality and focusing on this note for the second I am so grateful to belong to the Savior's Church that is committed to overcoming any unrighteous inequality wherever it exists in the world. A little plug for BYU Idaho. This is a school that admits almost every single applicant. I'm grateful to be a part of it. The list could be innumerable if a person was willing to ponder about the ways Jesus Christ is directing His servants to overcome all inequality. And the list will be staggering if you start to ponder that about what is happening. And that is a reminder of by their fruits you shall know them. personally institutionally about a fatally struggling church. A couple of months ago, we were fortunate to have come to BYUIDO campus sister Sharon Ubank. In her role as a humanitarian leader and director organizer in the church, she gave a stirring talk to the student body at a forum. And I was so grateful it was transcribed so I could see if I remembered what she said correctly. And in regard to maybe again, the spirit of talking about inequality for just a second and a struggling church, she said this, I'm occasionally asked, why doesn't the church spend more money on humanitarian work? Why doesn't it stop building expensive temples and focus its resources on relieving the poor? I think sometimes chapters like this stretch us and stir us about that. She says, this is a legitimate question for the Church of Jesus Christ. But is it money that solves society's ills? The world has poured two trillion dollars into addressing chronic issues in Africa. Why isn't the situation better? Because money isn't really the issue. Lasting progress comes through trusted relationships, infrastructure, reducing corruption, and the ability of people to work together. Money doesn't necessarily create those things. They must be developed alongside resources and frankly, it's much harder work. This is certainly coming from somebody who's been in the trenches and knows about the challenges and messiness of it. She goes on to say, I will never discount the one thing this church does that lifts entire communities in rapid development. And be everybody could think, well, what is that? It invites men and women of all social classes and backgrounds to enter sacred buildings and make the most binding and important promises of their mortal lives. In those buildings, they promise not to steal, not to lie, they promise to be faithful to their spouse and children, they vow that will seek the interest of their neighbors and be peacemakers and become devoted to the idea that we're all one family, all valued and all alike and to God. If those promises made in holy temples are kept, it transforms society faster than any aid or development project ever could. The greatest charitable development on the planet is for people to bind themselves to God and mean it. Thank goodness the church builds 335 temples and counting is the greatest poverty alleviation system in the world. That's the phrase I was like drawn to like did I hear that right? Did I hear somebody who's really in the trenches? in the temporal as well as the spiritual, the greatest poverty alleviation system, make a covenant and really mean it. And like John said earlier, they're committed to this Zion-like truth that we're going to be one hard, one mind. We're going to dwell in righteousness and there's not going to be poor among us. And they find people right around them. Even though they're worried about the whole world, at least find people right around them that they can start administering to. They can start imparting of their substance to.

So yeah, that's why I had to go online and find her forum. And I was so glad they had a transcript of it, so that I could make sure I was hearing it right. And I could quote it right. It's very stirring, very thought provoking.

It was a BYU Idaho. Let's make sure we know that.

I think so too and I think it's an interesting mystery to ponder on. How iniquity creates selfish unequal societies. There's a little surprising to me a few years ago and somebody pointed out what they called the sins of Sodom in Gomorrah. Many of us have maybe stereotypical thoughts of that and this person went to the book of Ezekiel and read from chapter 16 and said, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom. And then the list goes on, pride. We see that a lot here, fullness of bread, abundance of idolness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. And none of my list of these like sexual transgressions or other things seemed to surface in Ezekiel's recounting, but there were elements of pride and abundance that has turned away from the least of these. There's a fascinating parable in the doctrine and covenants about inequality. I'm intrigued by it. It stirs me. I'm not sure if I completely understand it. It's the story in section 38 in this revelation where saints are wrestling with in parting of their substance going to New York to Ohio. Literally or also from those who maybe have in Ohio and need to give. But God gives this parable, and before He gives the parable in section 38 He says, let every man a steam his brother as himself, and then like this one verse parallel. For what man among you, having 12 sons and his no-respector of them, and they serve him obediently, and He sayeth unto the one, be thou clothe and robes, and sit thou here. And to the other, be thou clothed in rags, and sit thou here. This seems like a strange Lord. And look at the upon his sons and sayeth, I am just. Think everybody would look at that parable, say, that is not a just father. That is not a just king. The commentary Jesus gives to this parable, behold, this I have given unto you as a parable. And it is even as I am. And then he goes on to say, the phrase, most of us know, I say unto you be one. And if you're not one, you're not mine. This is how I see this. And I certainly stand to be corrected by anybody. Jesus is not into creating unequal situations. But he has given us a really unequal situation in mortality. There are a lot of situations where every single person could say, that's unfair. and probably be accurate. So how could that be like Jesus? Well, this is where I read a little bit between the lines knowing other scriptures. What about that is like Jesus? Jesus is fully committed to helping us overcome any inequality that stands between us and Heavenly Father. He is the great act of one who overcomes inequality so that we can become like him. There's a big, big gap between us. And he's willing to do everything he can to help us become one with the Father. And if you're not one, you're not my any invites us in a number of ways to engage in this opportunity to overcome temporal spiritual inequality to become one like him to practice what he does. through his power, through his infinite condescension and atonement, to help people reach a higher level of living than they could on their own.

So the last question really is something we've already talked about, but it's more on the positive, a church that's getting successful and getting established. How do we best measure success progress or spirituality in the church of Jesus Christ? Are there outward indications that are better than others? Or are there any outward indications of progress that we're really making a difference in people's lives? So it would help somehow be a tangible outward measurement of how we're doing with inward spirituality, inward commitment, inward growth, inward coming under Christ. Because here in these chapters it looks like the one indication they mentioned when the church is getting more fully established is baptism. There were people getting baptized And baptism, hopefully outwardly, symbols a lot of stuff that's happening inside with the doctrine of Christ. And maybe light baptism, something that we've mentioned is the sacrament. Is the sacrament? Is an interest to participate in ordinances and covenants? At least somewhat of an outward symbol that we hope something's going on inside with the spiritual lives of people connecting to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Are there other thoughts you see in this chapter that you would think about with, how do we measure progress in the church in effective ways?

One of the experiences I had that I think reinforces what we've been talking about for me is a discussion I had with a leader of the church once when I asked him the question, how do we measure success effectively? And I think there are a lot of possibilities and I've enjoyed exploring possibilities with you today on how do we measure if faiths working? How do we measure if repentance is working? You have any hope that we got a finger on the pulse. It was such an intriguing instructive answer this leader gave me that I've been pondering upon, and I find it very scriptural, so I feel comfortable sharing it. He alluded to the time period that he was a stake president, and he would visit various words, and had that kind of question in mind, like, how's this word doing? Do we have any indication besides positive reports about how they're doing? do any of our many, many numbers really reflect anything about the spiritual pulse of a people or a ward. And I was struck by his quick clear answer. He said, when I want to find out the spiritual well-being of a ward, I look at their fast-offering contributions. And that's all they're like, oh, wow, that's it. You look at their fast dog ring contribution. So I can go to the temple without paying any fast offerings. They don't ask me about my fast offerings. They ask about, do I pay timing? But again, I wonder maybe tying back to sister U-Banks thoughts. If I really understand and take those covenant seriously, do I find myself generously giving in a lot of different areas of my life because of the abundance of mercy I find flowing from the Lord into my life. as a result of that. And it seems like here, those who are getting it and those who aren't getting it in the church are those who seem to be yoked with Christ, serious about that covenant in that relationship and let that spill over into so many generous areas of their life in other ways and their relationships with all kinds of people that they might have the blessing to experience or encounter life with.

Not spelling it out. not micromanaged a free will offering of what you feel there is appropriate for your situation. And maybe that goes with what thoughts president Nelson was thinking about when he said one of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people. And is that some degree that Christ is working in us when we are compassionate, when we're generous, when we are committed ourselves to being overcomers of inequality, wherever they might manifest themselves, unrighteously in our lives?

I love that to me one of the things that I see in the ministry of Joseph Smith is the power of Jesus Christ and the mercy that he wanted to extend to others. I know there were times Joseph was frustrated and upset and maybe harsh in his language towards some, but think about the return of WWFelps after times of apostasy. I think about other moments where Joseph himself is being stretched to forgive, not only apostates, but maybe others who persecute and to transcend this world through love, the power of the Savior that invites even his prophets into that painful path of discipleship that helps you overcome. Through Christ and become a being of love.

As we introduce things today, we talked a little bit about where these chapters ended with Alma committing himself to the holy order of God and preaching the Word of God and leaving the judgment seat, turning it over to a really good man, Nephahah, by committing himself to the preaching of the Word. In a way, every one of us gets the Word through a messenger. Whether that be Mormon, Whether that be Alma, whether that be Joseph Smith. We've talked about today or most importantly today whether that be President Russell M. Nelson. And I would hope that there would be a spirit to deepen and seek and treasure the relationship you have to God through His servants that have written scripturally and that live today and mediate Jesus to us until He mediates that relationship through His spirit and personally. I love the thought from Joseph Smith when he says, Whenever men can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from God, there is the kingdom of God. It's pretty simple. I am grateful for God's spirit that has helped me find those true messengers in the Book of Mormon that were really preparatory to anchoring me in the living legal administrator of God, a living prophet. that the book is good to the degree it helps you find, the living, or a call the living vessel that can administer Christ to me. Knowing that in the old thing coming into the priesthood, if you don't receive the servant and all honesty in truth, you can't receive Christ. and I hope that's something to think about and continue to ponder on and let this book be a great catalyst in your connection to Jesus and to his living authorized servants on the earth today. Thank you.

Thank you so much, YouTube made me feel so comfortable. But an amazing experience it is to go back to this text, read it a hundred times in this last month, and to see how shallow you still are. And that there are still a lot of pathways and corridors you haven't really explored yet in the Book of Mormon. Been quite a blessing. So thank you, both of you. I look up to you. I admire what you do. and the influence you have, I was doing the math in my head and getting a little petrified thinking of the number of people that actually listen to this, thinking, I'm quadrupling 30 years of teaching experience in three hours. It's always a privilege to talk about the book more. It's not a burden just get over yourself. That's what I got to remember. So thank you.

Hey, there was no LOUP. It was a one-handed wide open zone that barely made it in. I'm still calling it a dog. But it may have rattled a little bit in the cylinder. There, but there was definitely no alley here.

My hand was barely above the rim.

I hope you pulled the back bone off. I'm not on it for a little while.