General Conference Spring 2012, Sunday Afternoon

Sunday PM

Elder L. Tom Perry

· The Book of Mormon delivers us by teaching a pure and most correct way of the doctrine of Christ

· 2 similar stories

o King Limhi -the Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities

o Alma and his people in the land of Helam – the Lord answered their cries quickly because they were peaceful and more righteous

· Why does the world need both the Bible and the Book of Mormon? The BOM establishes the truth of the Bible

· When used together, they confound false doctrine

· Turn our tents so the door faces the temple, the Book of Mormon, and the gospel

Elder M. Russell Ballard

· Liahona compared to GPS

· Tool even more remarkable than the GPS – promptings of the Holy Ghost, atoning sacrifice of the Savior

· It is our homes and families in this time

· More than half of the children born in the US to women under 30 are born to single mothers

· Education is very important

· The most important cause of our lifetime is our families

· As members of this church, we can bridge the gap

· The Lord uses this church as a tool to pull his children together

· No other success can compensate for failure in the home

· We need to things in the right order – marriage first, then family

· No career can bring you as much fulfillment as raising a family

· Husbands and wives should be equal partners in the marriage

· Use the family resources of the church

Elder O. Vincent Haleck

· Left his home in Samoa and came to US to go to school

· His parents fasted and prayed on a certain day every week to help their children

· Where there is no vision, people perish

· When you serve a mission, you bless the lives of many, and change your own life

· We act when we fast and pray

· The Savior said: What manner of men ought ye to be? Even as I am.

Elder Larry Y. Wilson

· The right to use the priesthood is directly related to righteousness

· Anyone time we try to compel someone to righteousness is not God’s way

· We cannot wait until our children are leaving the home to allow them to make their own decisions

· We must teach them to pray and how to receive answers to their prayers

· Do my children feel welcome and loved when they come home? Am I giving them compliments?

Elder David F. Evans

· We must talk and testify of Christ to our children

· Letters from home are not just quick emails

· Our missionary experiences have to be current. You have to continue to naturally share the gospel

· Is all the work worth it if only one person is brought into the church? Yes!

· Never delay a prompting

· As we act on the promptings, miracles will occur and lives will be changed

Elder Paul B. Piepir

· Through a still small voice, he will testify of Christ

· That which comes from above is sacred. Light and knowledge from heaven is sacred

· Sacred things are to be treated with more care.

· The opposite of sacred is profane, temporal, worldly

· Secular is important for daily living, but you must place the sacred above the secular

· What greater witness can you have, than from God?

· Those who choose to abandon even one sacred thing, will have their mind darkened

Elder Neil L. Andersen

· What thinks Christ of me?

· Being a disciple in these days will be a badge of honor in the eternities

· Discipleship is not a competition, but an invitation

· It is a lifelong migration toward a celestial world

· What would Jesus do?

· We must believe in Him in times of peace, and in times of difficulty

President Thomas S. Monson

· We live in troubled times

· HF is mindful of our trials, and desires to help us

· Pray always

· Settle disagreements among family members now

General Conference Spring 2012, Sunday Morning

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

· Spirit of envy, contention, revenge and hatred has led to the most sad stories in the scriptures

· It is easy to judge others when we have these feelings

· Forgiveness is vital – Blessed are the merciful

· Those who pass judgment on others are inexcusable

· Refusing to forgive is a sin

· It is required of us to forgive all men, including ourselves

· Stop it! It’s that simple

· Replace judgmental feelings with compassion

· Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you

· We all depend on the mercy of God

· The more we allow the love of god to govern our hearts, the more we love others

· Love your enemies, bless them that curse you

· The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment from our eyes

· He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone

· We are not perfect, we must let go of our grievances

Elder Russell M. Nelson

· Our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for God

· Our bodies are gifts from Heavenly Father, they did not happen by chance

· The attributes by which we will be judged someday are all spiritual

· Just as the body requires daily nourishment, the spirit does as well

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

· This life is training for eternal exaltation

· Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God

· If you come upon a person who is drowning, would you ask if he needs help or would you just jump in and help him?

Sister Julie B. Beck

· Relief Society is the greatest women’s organization in the world

· It is an important part of the restoration of the gospel

· Much of the growth in the church will come from women

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

· This doctrine is easy to understand, even for a child

· How does the Savior reveal his doctrine? In person, through messenger, spirit to spirit, in a council

· Not just a consensus among members but a revelation from God

· Throughout your life, follow the laws and commandments of the gospel

President Thomas S. Monson

· In our fast pace lives, do we ever pause for moments of reflection

· Where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also

· The spirit and the body are the soul of man

· There are consequences attached to our actions

· The race is not to the swiftest, but the prize goes to him who endures

· We were not sent to earth to float along with the current

General Conference Spring 2012, Saturday Afternoon

136 operating temples at the end of 2011

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

· Parable of the Laborer – workers hired at different times during the day, but paid the exact same amount

· Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?

· Don’t be hurt or envious when good fortune comes to another person

· The race we are really in is the race against sin

· Envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving

· Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing

· The formula of faith is to hold on

· Don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at 9:00 in the morning when the Lord is trying to bless you at 6:00 in the evening

· Surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is being merciful

· There is nothing you have done that cannot be undone.

· Even if you are the last laborer at the 11^th hour, the Lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning

· To the husbands and fathers: Awake and arise from the dust, and be men. Brethren, step up.

· It is never too late, so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time.

Elder Robert D. Hales

· Parable of the Prodigal Son

· We should strive to come back to ourselves and to the ones we love

· How do we strengthen our desires to repent, become worthy? How do we help our youth?

· We become converted and spiritually self reliant as we serve others, worthily take of the sacrament, become worthy to obtain a temple recommend

· Ponder on the atonement during the sacrament, not just think about the ordinance

· We can help youth experience the sacrament by studying the atonement

· Worthiness to hold a temple recommend gives us the strength to obey our temple covenants

· All of us have the duty to assist the youth by helping them become self-reliant

· The saddest words are “What might have been”

Elder David S. Baxter

· Message to single mothers in the church

· Whatever your circumstances, how blessed are you

· You cannot change the past, but you can shape the future

· Your children will grow up and call you blessed

· In the kingdom of God, there are no second class citizens

· To the weary mother who thought she could not do it and wanted to come home to HF just for one night, she heard Him say, “You cannot come to me now, but I can come to you.”

· Single parents, I testify that Heaven will smile upon you

Elder Ulisses Soares

· Whatsoever a man soweth, that will he reap

· Let us not be weary in well doing

· In order to avoid bad influences, we must be continually sowing in the Spirit

· Let all bitterness and wrath be put away from us

· The promises from the Lord are conditional upon our obedience

· If we will stay on the Lord’s side of the line, we will be protected

· Do my actions place me in the Lord’s or the enemy’s territory?

· Banish any influence that would take our focus away

· You can’t be right by doing wrong, you can’t be wrong by doing right

Elder Quentin L. Cook

· The world has become more secular

· We recognize how busy you are, we know it is common to render long hours of devoted service

· This service extends through the entire membership

· God loves all of his children, He desires all of them to return to Him

· It is not up to us to judge

· Rescue those who have become inactive

· The family is the most important unit in all of eternity

· What we are speaks so loudly that our children may not hear what we say

· Praying with our children may be more important than any other example

· 2 Nephi 25:26

· “And it came to pass”

· Reading the Book of Mormon every day with our families: Persistance is the answer, and a sense of humor helps

· Reading the Book of Mormon: Regardless of the challenges you face, do not become discouraged

Elder Richard G. Scott

· The Holy Ghost communicates important information

· Those who have gone on are aware of us and our struggles

· The separation is temporary

· Why does the Lord want us to pray and to ask? Because that is how revelation is received.

· Be cautious with humor. A good sense of humor helps revelation, loud laughter does not.

· Careful quiet speech, good health practices can all help revelation

· Revelation can also be given in a dream.

· Recording can help enhance remembering revelations

· When we serve others, the Lord can piggy back directions to our lives

· If you feel God is not answering your prayers, ponder the scriptures, then look at your lives and see if He has not already answered you

· Should choices be wrong, they can be rectified through repentance

· As you continue to live righteously, you will always be prompted to know what to do

· Communication with our HF is not a trivial matter, it is sacred

General Conference Spring 2012, Saturday Morning

President Thomas S. Monson

· Your questions will be answered

· Change your lives

President Boyd K. Packer

· You are holding a nation in your arms

· Children should have 2 parents – a father and a mother

· Life was not mreant to be easy or fair

· Husband and wife first calling is to each other, then to children

I made the comment a few weeks ago that I would gladly kill all my children so they could go to the celestial kingdom. I would take the punishment and spend my life in jail and eternal damnation if it meant they would be okay. President Packer’s talk helped me to realize that I don’t have to do that. Christ already gave up his life so my children could return to the celestial kingdom. They just have to accept his atonement and sacrifice for them.

Sister Cheryl A Esplin

· Teach our children to understand the doctrines

· It’s more than just importing the doctrine, it’s helping them pull it into their very being

· As children learn, their understanding is expanded, which leads to more learning and more understanding

· They will become more self reliant and more responsible

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom

· It is possible to be active in the church and less active in the gospel

· Activity in the church is the outward appearance

· Activity in the gospel are less visible and less difficult to measure, but they are of greater eternal importance

· 1 – deepen our understanding of Deity

· 2 – focus on the ordinances and covenants

· 3 – unite the gospel with the church

· If we comet o our meetings to be taught, we will never be disappointed. If we come to be entertained, we will be disappointed

Elder Paul E. Koelliker

· How do we help our children feel the spirit? How can we help them have the desire to follow the gospel?

· Feel the desire in our hearts

· As we understand our HF plan for us, we desire to help others understand

· When we live the gospel, our ability to help others increases

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

· Christ offered the ultimate sacrifice, His precious blood he freely spilt

· The atonement is at the center of the plan of salvation

· We must make sacrifices of our time and resources

· Our sacrifices as Latter-day Saints are among the most of Christians

· How do we persuade others to serve? We just ask them.

· Those who understand the gospel know that no sacrifice is too great

· As you sacrifice for each other and your children, the Lord will bless you

President Henry B. Eyring

· Prayed for a trial, received a confirmation that Heavenly Father heard his prayer

· All these things shall be for thy good and give thee experience

· Why do trials come?

· The Lord has promised he will not desert us

· Our foundation of faith must be carefully prepared to withstand the storms of trials we will endure

· Personal integrity and correct choices prepare the solid ground

· The metal framework is the gospel of Jesus Christ, serving God and others persistently

· Acting on even a twig of faith allows God to help it grow

· You receive no witness until after the trial of your faith

· Trials make clocks seem to slow down or even stop. God just wants us to be polished and be ready for Him.

· In all conditions, we can choose the right.

· We can live with perfect hope.

· We are never alone. The Savior has promised angels on our left and on our right.

A Mission is a Strange Experience

A mission is a strange experience
It is a trial and a test
A mission throws you at the worst
Yet teaches you the best

I’ve never been so happy
I’ve never been so depressed
I’ve never felt so forsaken
I’ve never felt so blessed

I’ve never been so confused
Things have never been so clear
I’ve never felt my Heavenly Father so distant
He’s never been so near.

I’ve never been so discouraged
I’ve never been so full of hope
I feel I could go forever
I think I’ve come to the end of my rope

I’ve never had it quite so easy
I’ve never had it quite so tough
Things have never been so smooth
Things have never been so rough

I’ve never traveled through more valleys
I’ve never ascended so many peaks
I’ve never met so many nice people
I’ve never met so many freaks

I’ve never had so many ups
I’ve never had so many downs
I’ve never worn so many smiles
I’ve never worn so many frown

I’ve never been so lonely
I’ve never had so many friends
Boy, I hope this is over soon
Gosh, I hope it never ends

Who are the Mormons?

Thankful #7

I am thankful for the Gospel.  I cannot even imagine where my life would be without it. 

I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to be patient with me.  He guides me and helps me through trials.  He gave me His Son to atone for my sins.

I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.  He gave His life so I can return to my Heavenly Father. 

I am thankful for the knowledge of the plan of salvation, and the comfort it gives me. 

I am…

Prince Charming

General Conference notes–Sunday afternoon

Elder Russel M. Nelson

A covenant is a sacred promise with God.

This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel.

When we are committed, we remain steadfast, even in the midst of affliction.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Focus on Christ, not the things of the world.

What think ye of Christ? Where is our ultimate loyalty?

There is no middle ground!

Elder Matthew O. Richardson

Your mission is the best two years for your life.

The Holy Ghost is the real teacher of the truth.

We have the responsibility to teach by the Spirit.

We need to align our manner of teaching after the way the Spirit teaches.

The Holy Ghost teaches in a very personal way.  He does not teach all the truth right away.  Line upon line, precept on precept.

The Holy Ghost teaches by inviting, prompting, leading, guiding.  He Will not do for us what we can do for ourselves.

How can I help my children learn for themselves?

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita

Missionaries, your attitudes and actions invite the Spirit.

Bring 3 things with you on your missions: 1. A desire to preach the gospel. 2. Develop your testimony. 3. Love others.

Elder Randall K. Bennett

Lifeguard story – the lifeguard was waiting for him to call for help, then he was right there.

Choice is a gift, decisions are a destiny.

You can’t make eternal choices without eternal consequences.

Choose to follow the Savior and choose to be with our Heavenly Father, or choose to follow the world and be separated from Him eternally.

The Savior’s arms of mercy are always open to us.

Your eternal destiny is not the result of chance, but of choice.

J. Devn Cornish

Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things which are important to us become important to Him.

“I the Lord will forgive whom I choose to forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook

This life can be confusing if you don’t know the Father’s plan.

Adversity in this life does not reflect our faith.

There is no chance, no fate, no destiny, can circumvent, or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.

Regardless of the trials we face in this life, the Savior’s atonement provides lifeboats for all.

President Thomas S. Monson

Our Heavenly Father is mindful of the challenges we face.

General Conference notes–Sunday morning

Elder Henry B. Eyring

We need to be charitable witnesses of God.

As you serve others, He lets you feel of His love.

Be a constant and fearless witness of God.

Read the Book of Mormon, learn to love it, drink deeply and often from it’s pages.

*I need to forgive those who have hurt me.  I need to let it go and move on.

Elder Robert D. Hales

Tests and trials are given to us to see if we will use our agency to follow him.

Waiting on the Lord means to hope, to trust in the Lord, planting the seed of faith, nourishing it with prayer, stand fast, relying upon the merits of Christ, immovable upon keeping the commandments.

When He answers, it’s often answered here a little and there a little because we aren’t ready for it all at once.

When we pray for patience, we want it right now.

Don’t give up on the Lord – His blessing are eternal.

He knows your sacrifices and your sorrows.  He hears your prayers.

Sister Elaine Dalton

How can a father raise a daughter?  Love her mother.

Your example as her father is more important than leader’s words.

Be a guardian of virtue.

Be present in your daughter’s life.  Be an active part.

If she doesn’t come home on time, go get her.

Elder M. Russell Ballard

What is the importance of a name?

The members of the church are encouraged to use the full name of the church.  The name of the church tells others who we are.

I can be a Mormon, but I don’t belong to the Mormon church.  I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The use of the full name is increasingly important throughout the world.

President Thomas S. Monson

There was a moral disintegration in the 60’s.

Although the world has changed, the laws of God are constant.

Our code of conduct is not negotiable.

There is nothing that can bring more joy or peace into our lives than the Spirit which comes when we obey the commandments.

The storms wills till be at our doors, but we will be better equipped to handle them.

Communication with Heavenly Father is necessary to weather the storms of life.

General Conference notes–Saturday Afternoon

Elder David A. Bednar

It is our responsibility to seek out our ancestors and do their work.

Youth can help too.  http://www.lds.org/familyhistoryyouth

Elder Neil L. Anderson

We have been commanded to multiply and replenish the earth.

Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling.  It is what God gave you time for. (Christian blog)

Elder Ian S. Ardern

Giving time to others brings us closer to God.

Time is never for sale, but wisely used, it’s value is immeasurable.

In family, love is spelled T-I-M-E.

The poor use of time is idleness.

Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text.

Our greatest happiness comes as we tune into the Lord.

To have the peace the Savior speaks of, we must devote our time to things that matter most – things of God.

Satan will tempt us to miuse our time.

Elder Carl B. Cook

Heavenly Father is where we receive faith and strength to do all things.

Give your burdens to Heavenly Father and look to Him for strength.

“The Lord is my light, then why should I fear?”

Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr.

None can get to the Father’s presence without Christ’s help.

Fully repent and come back to God.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Repentance is a divine gift, it points to peace.

Invitation to repent is an expression of love.

Repentance means striving to change.  Real repentance may require repeated attempts.

Repentance means abandoning sin and committing to change.

Repentance requires willingness to change, even through pain.

Whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy.

Elder L. Tom Perry

Open houses of temples, members impress people.

What can we do to advance the church? 

Be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ.

Be righteous examples to others.

Speak up about the church.  Mormon.org – create profile.  Use the internet and social media.

General Conference notes - Saturday Morning

Elder Richard G. Scott

A memorized scripture can be an enduring friend.

Created an audio recording of himself reading the Book of Mormon for his children.  What an amazing gift that would be!

Sister Barbara Thompson

Personal Revelation – D&C 6

If your answer comes when Primary children sing, that’s revelation!

Because we have a strong testimony doesn’t mean it will always stay that way.  We need to nourish it and keep it strong.

President Thomas S. Monson

New Temples – Provo, Star Valley, WY

General patron assistance fund

Elder Jose L. Alonso

Do the right thing at the right time without delay.

Find those who are lost and rescue them.

Elder Boyd K. Packer

Crow poem

Youth are being raised in enemy territory (evil world)

Many of the temptations you face relate to your body.

Everyone who has a body has power over Satan.

Listen for the voice that is felt rather than heard.

It is not expected that you will go through life without making mistakes, but you will be warned before making them.

Listen to the voice of the Spirit and you will not be led astray.

Dress modestly, talk reverently

Lucifer will lose!

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

To lead us astray, Satan appeals to our weaknesses.

All the money in the world cannot buy a loaf of bread in the economy of heaven.

Discouragement – Satan gets us to believe we have no worth.

It doesn’t matter where we are in life, it matters that we are doing the best we can.

Incline your heart to him, help others.

Always remember you matter to HIm.

God loves the humble and meek.

You are not invisible to Heavenly Father.

What you feel now is not forever.

Who Helps Best?

As you and I dig into our pockets to help people in disasters and crises, please keep these facts in mind:

The American Red Cross

• President and CEO - Marsha J. Evans received a salary for the year 2010 of $651,957, plus all personal, medical and pension expenses.
• Less than 10 cents of your donated dollar actually goes to the cause.

The United Way

• President Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary, along with numerous personal and family expense benefits.
• Less than 12 cents of your donated dollar actually goes to the cause.

UNICEF

• CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1.2 Million per year (100k per month) plus all living and housing expenses, including a ROLLS ROYCE.
• Less than 15 cents of your donated dollar actually goes to the cause.

The Salvation Army

• Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.
• 96 cents of all donated dollars go to the cause.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

• No salary paid to administrators or volunteers.
• 100% of every dollar goes to the cause! See LDSphilanthropies.org

General Conference

Wasn’t General Conference good?  I love being taught by our prophets.  They are so inspired as to what they talk about, and I am sure they all are thinking of me when they choose their topics!  Some of my favorites:

*The cafeteria approach to obedience.  We can’t pick and choose the commandments we want to obey.  We have to obey all of them.  For me, that means Visiting Teaching. 

*When we are struggling with trials, sometimes the Lord answers our prayers, not by taking away our trials, but by changing our perspective.  I know that I have experienced that.  Struggling with a heavy burden, and then seeing what someone else is struggling with, and suddenly mine doesn’t seem that heavy.

*The sheep and the lambs.  They lambs will follow the sheep wherever they go.  So it’s up to the sheep (adults) to lead the lambs (children) in the right direction.  That means it’s even more important for us to follow the commandments, attend our meetings, and basically set that example for our children.  And not just our children, but all the children in the ward.  Because sometimes a Young Men’s and Young Women’s leader can have more influence on our children than we can. The children are always watching.

*Visiting and Home Teaching will strengthen our testimonies.  Ahem, yes, I am listening.

*Desires lead to priorities, and priorities lead to actions.

*Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.  That goes back to the sheep and lambs thing, too.

*Tithing.  This has always been a touchy subject for me and I’ll tell you why.  Growing up, my parents struggled financially.  They always paid their tithing, and I always did as well.  But they just had financial problems.  So I would hear talks about tithing and how someone paid their tithing and they got a check in the mail and everything was okay and I would get mad.  Because that didn’t happen for my parents. 

But as I’ve gotten older, I have learned more about the promise of tithing.  The scripture says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Mal. 3:10).

It does not say that you will have all the money you need.  It says you will not have enough room for all the blessings you will receive.  It doesn’t mean that you will be wealthy, but you will not go without the necessities of life.  Even if that means that you have to get help from the Bishop and the welfare program.  But the spiritual blessings will be multiplied over and over and over.  I have a firm testimony of that.

*Neither professions nor possessions should determine our self worth. 

*The gospel is to comfort that afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  I love this one!

Anyway, I am really looking forward to reading and studying these talks when they come out in the Ensign.  And I will get my visiting teaching done!  I promise!

General Conference

The church I belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons…yes, we believe in Jesus Christ!) will be holding it’s General Conference on Saturday, April 2nd, and Sunday April 3rd.  The sessions are from 10-12 am and 2-4 pm, Mountain Standard Time.  This is a time when our prophets speak to us and give us counsel and advice.  I am looking forward to watching.  You can watch it live below. 

Mutual Theme for 2011

The 2011 Mutual theme is the 13th Article of Faith.

“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men.  Indeed we may say we follow the admonition of Paul - We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.  If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

Are we seeking after these things?  Or are we lowering our standards? Are we setting a good example for our children?

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Land of Zarahemla

Adapted by sk2

‘Twas the Night before Christmas
And all through the land
All the people were stirring,
The sight was so grand!

The prophet had said
That the night would be bright.*1
And folks all together looked
Up at the sight.

The children, excited–
No sleeping tonight.
The sun had gone down, but the
Skies were still bright.*2

And Ma in her study
And I at my books,
Had gone to the window
To take a good look.

While out on the lawn
In the mild, balmy weather,
Some Nephites had come
There to bring us together.

Away to the entry
We flew like a flash,
Pushed open the door,
Rushed out in a dash.

The light in the night
With the star all aglow
Gave a luster of mid-day*3
To objects below.

And there to our wondering* eyes
Did appear,
‘twas the new star that shined*4
And the time was now here.

Thus the prophet named Samuel
Had been so precise.
The five years were up*5—what
A glorious sight!

The prophets of old they
Predicted the same.
We remembered those prophets.
We called them by name.

There’s Samuel, and Nephi,
And Jacob, and Enos,
King Benjamin, Alma,
Isaiah, and Zenos.

They said Christ, He would come
And bless crippled and blind.*6
His birth would bring blessings to
All of mankind.

King Benjamin said
That an angel appeared*7
And he told him of Christ and His
Mother so dear.*8

And by revelation*9
Old Jacob did see*10
Our dear Savior, our Lord,
“Unto God ye must cleave.”11

“Your sins are forgiven,”
Said Jesus to Enos.*12
And Christ will show mercy
As He did for Zenos.*13

From the brass plates they read*14
Of Isaiah of old.
As a prophet from God, of Christ’s
Birth he foretold.*15

It was Nephi, the first,
Said His life He would give.*16
He would come to the Nephites
To prove that He lived.*17

“Redemption comes only
Through Christ’s sacrifice,”
Thus said Alma, the prophet,
“Christ would pay the price.”*18

I, Nephi, was praying
The sign would appear
When the voice of the Lord
Said to be of good cheer.*19

“Tonight is the night
That the sign will be given.
And prayers will be answered
As I come from heaven.”*20

Some Nephites believed it,
But those who did not,
Said, “Destroy the believers.
Destroy the whole lot.”*21

“Your faith has been vain,
‘cuz the time is now past and
We never will see
A new star in this vast land.”22

But their plan was now thwarted
The star had appeared.*23
Many came to me, Nephi,*24
But some fell in fear.*25

And those who did come,
Came believing within,*26
Came searching for God,
Came repenting of sin.*27

Came asking forgiveness,
Their sorrow sincere.
Came seeking baptism,*28
Their vision now clear.

Yes, prophets had spoken
Their words had come true.
If any had doubted,
The people now knew.

Again in the land
Were the people united.
With glad exclamation
The Nephites all shouted,

“’Tis the Savior now born
In a land far away.
To our land He will come,
And will visit one day.”

*References
1. Hel.14:3
2. 3 Nephi 1:15
3. 3 Nephi 1:19
4. Hel.14:5
5. Hel.14:2
6. Mosiah 3:5
7. Mosiah 3:2,3
8. Mosiah 3:8
9. Jacob 1:6
10. 2 Nephi 11:2,3
11. Jacob 6:5
12. Enos 1:5,6
13. Alma 33:3-13
14. Alma 33:2 and 63:12
15. 2 Nephi 17:3,14
16. 1 Nephi 19:10
17. 2 Nephi 26:1
18. Alma 7:10-13
19. 3 Nephi 1:10-13
20. 3 Nephi 1:12-14
21. 3 Nephi 1:9
22. 3 Nephi 1:6
23. 3 Nephi 1:16
24. 3 Nephi 1:22
25. 3 Nephi 1:16,18
26. 3 Nephi 1:22,23
27. 3 Nephi 1:23
28. 3 Nephi 1:23

*The word wondering used here is intended to describe the wonderment and beauty of the light coming from the new star; the star which made the skies bright, even though the sun had gone down. There was no wondering (questioning) in Nephi’s mind that the star would appear.

1

Another number I am proud of.  This is the number of men that I have “had relations” with.  And not until after we were married. And that’s a good thing.

0

This is a number I am quite proud of.  I have never smoked or done drugs or even drunk alcohol.