Week 11 - Looking Back

Last week we finished the small plates of Nephi! The first writer, Nephi, issued the Savior’s invitation to “come unto him” (2 Nephi 26:33). Amaleki, the last writer, ended with this charge to his people and to us: “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, . . . (Omni 1:26) With that last thought in mind, we discussed these words of Elder Maxwell:

“Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, May 1995, 68).

“As you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, May 2004, 46).

As we studied about Enos, we spent some time on our knees, 15 to 20 minutes, or so. We could have stayed on our knees longer because it was and is always fun to visit with each other. We then asked ourselves these questions, “Would I be willing to stay on my knees all day and all night in communication with my Father in Heaven? Does it matter enough to me to pay the price that is required to know of the truthfulness of the restored gospel? Is it important enough to me to know my standing before the Lord that I’d do whatever it takes to have the assurance that He is pleased with my progress? Can we say with a certainty that there has ever been a time in our lives that we uttered these words, ‘And my soul hungered?’” (Enos 1:4)

So, we started the year off with 1 Nephi and we steadily marched along reading the story of the expanding family of Lehi by several keepers of the small plates. Then, Amaleki did something dramatically different right before he died. He gave the plates to King Benjamin. Only the large plates had been kept by the kings prior to this time. Now, with King Benjamin, he had both the large and the small plates. The large plates would continue to be added to, but the small plates were finished.

And then, out of nowhere, comes the Words of Mormon. Eighteen verses that were written almost 500 years after the record of Amaleki. Immediately following that book, we pick back up with King Benjamin. The Words of Mormon are so placed so as to show the transition that is taking place. Another significant change is that no longer is the text written in first person. It was that way from 1 Nephi thru Omni because the record was unabridged by Mormon. Beginning in Mosiah, though, we transition to third person because Mormon’s abridgement began at that point.

With that said, we began our study of King Benjamin’s final sermon to the very faithful people of Zarahemla. His words are so doctrinally rich and instructive that it isn’t surprising that three of our scripture mastery verses are from his teachings.

So, all in all, interesting and uplifting, amazing, and potentially life-changing. That is what the Book of Mormon is!