WHAT WAS LOST IS FOUND

 

The imagery Isaiah used to describe the splendor of the gathering of the House of Israel in latter days is stunning. Picture if you will lambs whose “pastures shall be in all high places, who shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them” (1 Nephi 21:9,10). Isaiah says we shall be led from the four corners of the earth for the God of Israel who had once been rejected shall have mercy on the offspring of them who rejected Him. He expresses the proof of that mercy by saying it is more likely that a nursing woman would forget her child before He forgets His covenant children (v 15).

So great will this gathering be that the House of Israel will far exceed the children it once had. They will be brought to Zion by the Gentiles who will establish a standard for God’s people, meaning the restored Church (v 22). Yet again the imagery of children being carried in their arms and daughters carried upon their shoulders is overwhelmingly endearing and suggestive of Jehovah’s spiritually begotten children whose importance shall far exceed that of the kings and queens of the earth who will ‘bow down to Israel’s covenant children and lick up the dust of their feet’ (v 23). Such a global event this will be that ‘all flesh shall know that He is our Saviour and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob’ (v 26).

The gathering of Israel is yet in its infancy. That which is yet to come will be a global event to behold. When the main body of the Ten Lost Tribes return, who are now hidden from us, they alone will affect a migration of gigantic proportions (D&C 133:26-34). It will be of greater magnitude than the diving of the Red Sea in the days of Israel’s Exodus. The massive miracle of the Exodus will be forgotten compared to the Ten Lost Tribes’ return. In awe, we will no longer say, “The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the North” (Jeremiah 16:14-15). So great will this migration be that the ‘boundaries of the everlasting hills (North America) shall tremble at their presence. The Lost Tribes will come to be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim’ (D&C 133:31,32). We will then come to Zion singing songs of everlasting joy (D&C 101:18). We will kiss them and rejoice that what was lost is found.

But even this is not all. Ín Jeremiah’s words: “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." (Jeremiah 16:14-16). Right now we are just ‘fishing’ through the missionary work, but after the return of the Ten Lost Tribes and before the Lord comes, there will be 144,000 high priests appointed, 12,000 from each tribe who will be ordained and receive power to ‘hunt’ out the House of Israel, wherever they are scattered, to be brought to Zion (D&C 77:11,18; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, 16:325; 18:25). Not one, with the ‘believing blood of Israel’ coursing through their veins will be overlooked.

The Holy One of Israel will gather His own… He is our Shepherd who will feed us in green pastures and assuage our thirst with living waters, who will lead us to rest in the shadow of His mighty wings…..our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jehovah the king of heaven and earth……‘for the mighty God shall deliver His covenant people’ (v 24a JST). 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by Yongsung Kim)

ISAIAH AND THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

 

Nephi loved Isaiah and referred to him as ‘the prophet’. He quoted him extensively to his people, for one reason, that they may have hope (1 Nephi 19:24). Since Isaiah’s main theme is his testimony of Jesus Christ, who is our hope in this life and in the realms of eternity, it was Nephi’s aim to point his people, and us, in that direction.  

Even though Isaiah wrote in a poetic form using extensive symbolism and spoke of prophecies that were dualistic in nature making it a challenge to understand, it is impossible not to feel the strength of his testimony of the God he called the Holy One of Israel, which permeates his entire book. Consider verses such as these: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation (Isaiah 12:2); O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou has done wonderful things…….. thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat……(Isaiah 25:1,4); As for our redeemer, the Lord of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 47:4).

Nephi mentioned three reasons why Isaiah’s writings are hard to understand but he also gave us the pathway to understanding when he said that the words of Isaiah are plain ‘unto those who are filled with the spirit of prophecy (2 Nephi 25:1-5). It is true that knowing the historical background and the manner of prophesying amongst the Jews is most helpful in this endeavour but the depth of our understanding of Isaiah comes from the depth of our testimony ’for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’ (Revelation 19:10).

I wept and understood the Saviour’s mercy to the House of Israel when I read His quote of Isaiah’s poetic prose during His visit to the Americas: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee….with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee….for the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (3 Nephi 22:7-10). Is this not the hope that Nephi intended for us of latter days to have? I wonder if he wept too in the realms of heaven when the Saviour quoted ‘the prophet’  to his people, the broken branch….the remnant of the House of Israel.

 

We are Israel, Thy chosen seed

Who in times past disregarded Thee

But now Thine angels rejoice over us

And Thou art as promised dew unto us.

In Thine mercy Thou has sought to gather us

In Thine heart Thou hast chosen to cherish us;

In Thee is deliverance from our barren years

In Thee is mercy for our penitent tears.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

A PRIVILEGED PEOPLE

 

 

I noticed this year as I have begun to study the Book of Mormon, how important it was to Nephi to teach his people that they are still a part of the House of Israel, even though they had been removed geographically from the main body of it at Jerusalem. He points out how his father compared the House of Israel to an olive tree, ‘whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth’ (1 Nephi 10:12). And so Nephi referred often to his group of people as a ‘broken branch’ in an effort that they would never forget who they are (1 Nephi 15:12; 19:24).

This reminds me of a similar instance that goes way back to the children of Israel who arrived from Egypt to inhabit the land of Canaan. Because the inhabitants of Canaan were ripe in iniquity and idol worship (1 Nephi 17:32-35) they presented a very real threat to the covenant people. As the Israelites conquered cities before them, lands were appropriated to them for their settlement. Among the first to receive land were the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Mannesah. They settled in the land of Gilead which divided them from the rest of Israel by the river Jordan (Numbers 34:14,15; Deuteronomy 3:12,13; Joshua 22:9). After they had assisted in further conquest of the land, Joshua sent them back to Gilead to live peacefully in their newly appointed inheritance. Upon their return home, these tribes built an altar by river Jordan. When the rest of Israel heard of it they were outraged presuming the altar was built for idol worship. They sent Phineas, the son of Eleazor the priest, with the heads of the remaining tribes, to call these two and a half tribes to repentance. In their defense, these tribes explained that the altar was not made for any worship but was meant to stand as a witness to the rest of Israel, for generations to come, that the tribe of Reuben, Gad and Mannesah were united with the rest of Israel in the worship of one true and living God. These three tribes recognised that even though they were geographically divided from the rest, they were still and always will be of the House of Israel.

Why was it important for the people of Nephi to remember that they were ‘the broken off branch’? The answer lies in Lehi’s explanation that the branches ‘should’ be broken off, rather than ‘would’ be. It was imperative for Lehi’s family to know and pass onto their children that they were led away from the iniquity of Jerusalem, to the promised land, to become a ‘righteous branch’ upon whose shoulders rested the latter-day destiny of the House of Israel (2 Nephi 3:5).

Another reason for the branches to be broken off and the House of Israel to be scattered is to bring the truth to the nations of the earth and to spread righteousness among the unbelieving. Today the Church of Jesus Christ spreads across the globe adopting the Gentiles into the fold. We are God’s covenant people called the House of Israel. We are not only privileged but also important. The Plan of Salvation does not rest on one set of shoulders only. The Saviour has begun His work. He has atoned and established His Church. Until He returns to govern through the Millenium, we, as the House of Israel, have the responsibility of bringing the truth to the world to prepare for such a time. Ephraim in particular has been assigned this work. We are not just member of His Church, we are the House of Israel, God’s chosen people. Let’s never forget who we are…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: All The World Is Mine by Greg Collins)

THE DUST OF THE EARTH

 

“Now Mormon did not mean to say that the Lord has greater concern for and loves the dust of the earth more than He does His children (Helaman 12:7-8; Mosiah 2:25). He did not mean to say that we, the children of the Lord, in His sight are considered less than the dust of the earth. The point he is making is that the dust of the earth is obedient. It moveth hither and thither at the command of the Lord. All things are in harmony with His laws. Everything in the universe obeys the law given unto it, so far as I know, except man. Everywhere you look you find law and order, the elements obeying the law given to them, true to their calling. But man rebels, and in this thing man is less than the dust of the earth because he rejects the counsels of the Lord….” (Joseph Fielding Smith, in CR April 1929, p 55)

How true this statement is! We seek our own wisdom at every turn and stumble in darkness half the time failing to seek counsel from God to fulfil our mortal callings. There would be less chaos in the world if we, like the dust of the earth obeyed the God given laws and ceased our ego driven pursuit to live ‘our own truth’. This has become the mantra of the free world. Everyone has their own truth they want to live by so they can deny God’s truth.

I reflected upon Nephi this week and how compliant he was, like the dust of the earth. The only reason Nephi became a great man is because He allowed God to turn him into one. Have you noticed how he went to God for instruction and guidance and knowledge, at every turn? He did not say to himself, ‘let me just sit here and figure out what my father’s dream meant. I know I can do it, I’m a smart man’, he turned to God instead (1 Nephi 11:1-3). When obtaining the plates, he didn’t rely on his own bravado, he trusted God to have a plan (1 Nephi 4:1,6). When commanded to build a ship, his first response was, ‘where will I find ore to make the tools to construct the ship?’ (1 Nephi 17:9). He asked God who was issuing the commands.

Nephi’s greatest asset was his faith, not ‘his truth’. That’s where his greatness lay. He knew God had a purpose for him and he knew he needed God to fulfil it (1 Nephi 17:3). His obedience to every command he was given set him in harmony with God and in alignment with His plan. We cannot become great without the greatness of God. Better be the dust of the earth in His hand than wallow in the mire of this world.

I would rather be a vessel in Your hand

Than a crowned king on gilded throne;

I would rather be a bird in flight

Without a shelter to keep me warm;

I would rather cross the oceans

And go where you would want me to go

Than sit contented never knowing

the trail that leads me home.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Footprints of Faith by Ivan Guaderrama)

A STEP UP

 

“On my way to visit the Jameses the other evening, I saw a wheat field that appeared to be greener and taller than the others. Thinking about it for a while, I concluded that occasionally some loving farmer drives over the field with his tractor and dumps manure all over it. I thought, ‘My it’s just like life. Here we are minding our own business, growing our little hearts out. We’re really quite green, somewhat productive and very sincere. When out of the blue, life deals us a dirty one, and we’re up to our eyebrows in manure. We, of course, conclude that life as we have known it has been ended and will never be the same again. But one day, when the smell and the shock are gone, we find ourselves greener and more productive than we have been! Unfortunately, no matter how often we go through these growing experiences, we are never able to appreciate the sound of the tractor or the smell of the manure.”  (Harold W. Wood)

“May I share some suggestions with you who face the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments. Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11-12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching and that generally entails discomfort and pain”.  (Elder Richard G. Scott, in CR Oct 1995 or Ensign Nov 1995, 16-17).

You warned me there would be mountains to climb

But promised there would be resting spots along the way;

You warned me of the subtle pitfalls

And how deep and wide the waters I would wade.

But you promised me Your hand in mine

Every minute of the day

And that You would meet me at the finish line

When I had conquered all there was to pay.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Carrying Us Home by Dan Wilson)

FATHERS' SONS

 

There is a strong depiction of father-son relationships in the Book of Mormon. This is obvious because the records were kept by men and handed down to their sons. What else can be seen, however, is the spiritual legacy passed on from father to son.

Consider for a moment just these few sons who had been righteously influenced by their fathers: Nephi, who believed all the words of his father Lehi (1 Nephi 2:16) and became crucial to preserving the tribe of Joseph in Americas; Enos who allowed the words of his father Jacob to sink deep into his heart (Enos 1:3) and because of which he was led to such mighty prayer that God could not be restrained from covenanting with him regarding the preservation of the records and the imminent salvation of the Lamanites (Enos 1:16);  Alma the Younger remembering his father’s prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ when he was racked with torment for his sins (Alma 36:17); and his concern for his son Corinaton which prompted an entire discourse on God's justice, mercy and resurrection spanning three chapters of his book (Alma 40,1,2); Moroni who accepted the incredible responsibility to safeguard the records and who gave us the discourse on faith, hope and charity as taught by his father Mormon (Moroni 7:1).

What is also felt throughout the Book of Mormon is the inter-generational influence evidenced by many repeated references to the 'fathers', rather than 'ancestors'. Helaman the second gave his two sons the names of Nephi and Lehi so that they would always remember them and carry on their good works (Helaman 5:6,7). And indeed they did, keeping the commandments and teaching the word of God among all the people of Nephi (Helaman 5:14). What do we learn from these family associations? That the testimony of righteous fathers can be a guiding beacon for generations to come.

There is one relationship that stands out the most in the Book of Mormon but this time it is the son-father relationship. Nobody has been a greater son to his father than Jesus, who fulfilled the will of the Father in all things (3 Nephi 1:14); the son who 'does always those things that please him" (John 8:29) and was consequently called by the Father "Well Beloved" (Helaman 5:47). During His visit to the Americas, according to my calculations, Jesus made 148 references to the Father. He came not only to affirm his divine Sonship but to teach the people to worship the Father. It is the Saviour's love for the Father, more than His love for us, that motivated Him to become the author of our salvation, defending and preserving the Father’s glory forever (Moses 4:2). During His ministry Jesus stated often that He and the Father are one (3 Nephi 11:27, John 14:10-11). He is the perfect son because of a perfect father.

I hope you fathers recognise the crucial role you play. Without your protection, guidance and principled teaching, the future generations cannot make things better. Without you fulfilling your God given role, societies can crumble and families can be lost forever. May you be the fathers that your sons and daughters are proud to recognise as their own for is there a more touching declaration in the Book of Mormon than this: "I am Helaman, the son of Alma" (Alma 58:41)......except, there is this one: "I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (3 Nephi 9:15).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN  

(Art: Father Thy Will Be Done by B Laura Wilson) 

GODLY POWER

 

I am always enthralled by Nephi’s vision of us, the saints of the last days (1 Nephi 14:12-17). Compared with the rest of the world, Nephi says our numbers were few and we were scattered upon the face of the earth. Worse than being few in number is this: ‘the great and abominable church’ of the devil consisted of multitudes, and they gathered together to fight against the saints of the Lamb of God. Here is why this is scary: ‘the great and abominable church of the devil’ encompasses all organisations of whatever name or nature – whether political, philosophical, educational, economic, social, fraternal, civic, or religious, which are designed to lead people away from God’ – Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 137-138))? Can you see ‘the multitudes’??? But there is good news.

Nephi tells us that the power of the Lamb of God descended upon us and we were armed with ‘righteousness and with the power of God in great glory’ (v 14). We all know that righteousness begins and ends with our obedience, but the spiritual and godly power comes from only one source, the Lamb of God, the God of glory, the God of our salvation. This power is bestowed on the righteous in abundance in one special place. In Kirtland in June 1833, Joseph Smith was given a revelation and divine direction to build the very first temple of the latter-days in which house the Lord indicated He intended to ‘endow those whom He had chosen with power from on high’ (D&C 95:8). When Joseph dedicated the Kirtland Temple in March of 1836, the dedicatory prayer given by revelation, included very clearly a petition for the saints ‘to go forth from this house armed with Thy power’ (D&C 109:22). Temple patrons of today receive this power at the veil of every endowment session. Cast your minds on the words and you will agree.

When all hell combines against us, we will see the reason behind the push for us to be a temple loving people. When the adversary sends out his ‘mighty winds, and his shafts in the whirlwind’ (Helaman 5:12) to derail us from the truth we have known, in every way he possibly can, we will want that godly power, more impenetrable than the coat of armour, to shield our faith, to preserve our families, to secure our salvation. We will want to run to the hills upon which the houses of God stand firm and unshakeable. We will want to be as strong as an oak tree to survive the strongest winds of hate, corruption, and evil. We will want to be a powerful army, the invincible souls, the spiritual giants, the covenant people of God….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Brigham City Temple by Brent Borup)

WITH LEHI IN THE DESERT

 

 

I was reading the prophecies of Joseph of Egypt regarding the Lord's promise to him that He would raise up a righteous branch of the House of Israel through his children and I came across these words which impressed me the most: "...and I go down to my grave with joy" (JST Genesis 50:24). As we know Joseph had a terribly hard life. In his own words:  "My brethren hated me...they wanted to kill me.....into a cistern they lowered me....they sold me into slavery.....I was taken into captivity....I was overtaken by hunger....I was alone....I was in weakness...I was in prison.....I was in bonds....assaulted by bitter words of the Egyptians...a slave" (The Old Testament Pseudepigraha, p 819) This is not to mention being cut off from his family whilst in his youth and suffering isolation and spiritual peril in a heathen land. Upon reflection I thought that Joseph was most likely happy to go to his grave to rest from all the challenges and labour he performed in his life time but then a thought struck me that only a man who had lived a good and righteous life and was at peace with God could afford to say such a thing. And this is definitely true of Joseph for he also wrote: "....the Lord loved me....the God of my fathers preserved me...the Most High raised me up....the Lord of all set me free....the strength of His hand came to my aid....the Lord himself fed me generously....God came to help me.....the Lord showed His concern for me...the Saviour acted graciously in my behalf......He rescued me and He exalted me." (The OT Pseudepigraha, p 819)

The scriptures highlight one very important thing through people that have gone on before us....we do not come here to a bed of roses, but more often than not, to a bed of thorns. Even the most noble do not escape. Consider the story of Lehi. He did everything he was commanded of the Lord to do. For that he was forced to flee into a desert "so compelling that even the hardened Bedouins avoid like the plague...detestable certainly describes the place in the eyes of Lehi's people, who 'murmured' bitterly at being led into such a hell." (Hugh Nibley, Lehi In the Desert, p 51). It is in this 'wilderness' of his life that Lehi watched his family suffer constant hunger, being the rule of the desert; danger from encounter with ever warring Arab tribes; loneliness from isolation; taxing marches down the Arabian Peninsula;  fear from possible camp raiders; and constant recurring rebellion of his children. And this was Lehi's life and the life of his family for 8 years. Add on top of this, crossing the Indian Ocean and starting from ground zero in a foreign land.  And what did Lehi say about it all when his time came to cross the bar? No complaints. He recounted how great things the Lord had done for his family in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem and how merciful He had been (2 Nephi 1:1,4). And then this glorious summation of his life: "...the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 N 1:15). I think like his forefather Joseph, Lehi was 'happy to go down to his grave', not to rest from his labours but to meet his God.

When our time comes will we be just happy to be rid of this life or will we eagerly rush to meet the God who has loved us, preserved us, led us, blessed us, sustained us and redeemed us? When our time comes, may we be able to say:

"Twilight and evening bell and after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place 

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face 

When I have crossed the bar."

(Lord Alfred Tennyson)

 

- Cathryne Allen

(Art: Come Unto Me by Yongsung Kim)

THE IMPERATIVE BOOK OF MORMON

 

 

A friend who was distancing herself from the Church  asked me: "why would Moroni lug around heavy gold plates for 20 years, hide them in the earth and have them discovered when they were hardly necessary?" I was shocked by this question because I presumed that everyone in the Church understood just how necessary the gold plates were that Joseph translated into the Book of Mormon.                                                                  

One has only to read the book of Enos to understand the 'why'. Enos prayed earnestly for preservation of the records that were handed down to him by his father Jacob (Jacob 7:27). So much did he cry to God about it that God COVENANTED with him that He would bring them forth in His own due time (Enos 1:16). Not only did Enos ask this of the Lord but his fathers also (Enos 1:18). So it goes without saying that everyone who wrote on the plates was desperate to have them preserved. Now this is the interesting bit. The Lamanites knew of these records and swore that they would destroy them and "all the traditions of the fathers" (Enos 1:14). And what were these traditions? In Nephi's words: "...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ.."(2 Nephi 25:26). So what then was the purpose of the preservation? Jacob says so that their posterity would know that they believed in Christ (Jacob 4:1-5). Enos went one step further and pleaded with the Lord to preserve the records so that the Lamanites would one day, because of them, be brought unto salvation (Enos 1:13). Why? Because they testify of Christ.

Mormon was 10 years old when he was told of the plates by Ammaron (Mormon 1:1-3). Imagine being 10 years old and given such a charge to preserve the second testament of Christ that would prepare the world for the Second Coming. I am thinking that both Mormon and Moroni understood Jacob's admonition that all who reject Christ and the power of His redemption would one day 'stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God' (Jacob 6:8-10). I am convinced both of these men read this and took it to heart.  Being men of God who themselves testified of Christ and having seen our day in visions, it was imperative to them that the Book of Mormon saw the light of day, at all cost. And I'm thinking this is why Moroni lugged the gold plates around for 20 years. Did he care how heavy they were? Did he care how long he had to do it? I am convinced his testimony of Christ far outweighed the gold that was in his hands:

"Behold.....I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have no friends nor whither to go...therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not." (Mormon 8:4,5)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Moroni Travels by Katie Payne)

IN PRAISE OF GOD

 

Here is what I admire the most about Nephi. Cast your mind on the journey to America when his brothers bound him with bands that caused terrible swelling of joints and caused Nephi unbearable pain (1 Nephi 18:12-15) . I am sure most of us would at this point wonder why God was not protecting us from our adversaries if we were obeying all of His commands. But not Nephi. He knew God had a purpose (1 Nephi 18:11) so there was only one solution to this in his mind and that was to praise God. And not just once. He records that he praised God all day long, despite the pain which would have had the power to discourage the strongest among us (1 Nephi 18:16).

Praising God in the midst of one’s pain and suffering would have to be the next level of gratitude, and the next level of acceptance, and the next level of endurance. Nephi rose to the challenge well and showed just how strong was his commitment to God and his conviction that the life he was pursuing was aligned with His will. According to Joseph Smith, this is called true faith in God (Lecture 3, Lectures on Faith). And who can better testify to this fact than Joseph Smith??? Well, there is one person….and we all know who that is. Had the Saviour not been willing to live His life in alignment with the Father’s will, all would now be lost. I do not see anywhere in the scriptures that there were more than two volunteers to bring us back….the other one does not bear thinking.

One interesting point about this alignment….it comes with an attachment called ‘opposition’. Nephi’s brothers opposed him at every turn to the point where they sought his life. Joseph endured persecution from the time Moroni visited him at age 14 until he was killed. And what of Christ? For the three years of His ministry, the Jewish Council was calling for His blood until in the end they succeeded.

The sincere followers of truth who are seeking to align themselves with God’s will in every possible way will have the jaws of hell at their heels. Like Nephi, we have bands that bind us today. They are threatening our way of life and our happiness. Not until the Millennial peace, will this life ever be without its' opposing threats to our spiritual and physical well-being. What would happen if instead of whining and constant demands we are making to God, we just praised Him during prayer? Would we come to the point where like Nephi, we could praise Him all day long? Would hopelessness not lose its' grip on us as our thoughts are continually focused on the Prince of Peace rather than the turmoil that surrounds us?

When you have nothing to say to God, praise instead. When your heart is heavy, praise. When you are doubting, praise. When you cannot see clearly, praise. When you don’t understand, praise. When you are hurting, praise. When you are waiting, praise. When your cup is full, praise. When gratitude overwhelms you, praise. When in mercy you see His hand, praise. Practice, for one day you surely will kneel at His feet and the words of praise will spill from your tongue like a holy flame. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Peace Is Coming by Jon McNaughton)

ZORAM THE INSIGNIFICANT

 

(Art: I Know You By Name by Laura Wilson)

 

Have you ever felt insignificant? Or on the outside? Or like an appendage to someone? Well, there is one person who in the Book of Mormon might appear to have felt like that. His name was Zoram, Laban’s servant who assisted Nephi in obtaining the brass plates. We don’t know much about this man but I am always amazed that he could be persuaded on the spur of the moment to abandon his life in Jerusalem and step on a ship to cross oceans to a whole new continent. Had he known Lehi and his family previously? Was he afraid Laban’s murder would be pinned on him so he seized the opportunity to escape judgment? Did he appreciate the twist of fate that took him out of Jerusalem and the life of servitude? Did he leave family behind? Did anyone wonder where he went and what became of him? One might think that Zoram became an appendage out of necessity and therefore was not all that significant to Lehi’s adventurous journey. He was after all just a servant. One thing we do know though: he was not insignificant to God.

This is the point in Zoram’s story that proves this truth. When Ishmael and his family joined the party, he provided wives for Nephi and his brothers but the interesting thing is that Ishmael had enough daughters for Lehi’s sons, plus one. The plus one was the oldest daughter who married Zoram (1 Nephi 16:7).  It is obvious the Lord knew way ahead that Zoram would join the party and that He did not expect him to travel to another continent with no provision for his future. In other words, the Lord knew Zoram, he loved Zoram, and He was invested in Zoram's well-being.  When he sent daughters to be born into Ishmael's family, he assigned one of them for Zoram.  Before Lehi died he gave a blessing to all his posterity, including Zoram (2 Nephi 1:30-32) because he was ‘a true friend to Nephi forever’. Zoram’s posterity became one of the seven tribes of ancient America, called Zoramites.

You might feel that you are like Zoram, not that important. You might feel like you are on the outside, that you are surplus, overlooked or not needed. You, however, are none of these things to God. You are Christ's work and His glory. Not a hair of your head falls to the ground that He does not notice. No matter how insignificant you might feel, you are not, because God has a plan for each of us in the great tapestry of life.  Each one of us is destined for greatness in the eternal scheme of things. Christ will ensure this is so and He will lift us to eternal realms of godhood to live with Him forever.

 

Do you see me Father, despite heaven’s vast expanse?

Do you hear the burning beat of my heart

Amidst the numberless host of heaven?

Do you cherish me

More than the stars that encircle thy throne?

Thy greatness is endless;

Thy power sublime.

In my appointed hour

Carry me home

In the strength of Thy loving arms.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

BLIND TRUST

 

Lehi’s sons’ return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban reads like ‘Arabian Nights’ does it not??? Perhaps no other story about Nephi brings to light his obedient character and blind trust he had in God. Much has been expounded upon regarding his immortalized words: “I will go and I will do as the Lord commands….”(1 Nephi 3:7). I would like to add to all the worthy comments about it, what I see in Nephi’s readiness to accept the assignment given:

1. Nephi had just come from ‘speaking with the Lord’ when his father approached him regarding the task of obtaining the brass plates (v 1,2). Would someone fresh from communion of prayer really turn around and say, no, I’m not doing that, even if God commands it!? The fact that Nephi communed with God, I would imagine, constantly, means that he had a relationship with God and was set up for obedience.

2. The next thing to consider is his reply to his father where he said, “I KNOW” that God wouldn’t command us to do anything without providing the way for us to do it (v 7). Knowing is more than believing. Knowing suggests experience. This tells me Nephi was proficient in his faith and trust in God before they even left Jerusalem.

This is, however, what impresses me most about Nephi’s success in obtaining the brass plates.  After a failed attempt and losing all their precious things to treacherous Laban, Nephi's brothers were more than ready to abandon the mission. But not Nephi. In his final attempt to rustle up some enthusiasm, Nephi used a surprisingly high standard of achievement to motivate his brothers to press on. He reminded them of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea, and asked them to 'be strong like unto Moses'. He then assured them that the Lord is able to deliver them as He did the Israelites of old and to destroy Laban like He destroyed the Egyptians (1 Nephi 4:1-3). But his brothers were not convinced, in fact, they were even more discouraged (1 Nephi 4:4). You can just hear them saying: "This is ridiculous! How can you compare Moses leading 2 million Israelites out of Egypt to this dinky, arduous task we have received from our father?" But it wasn't ridiculous to Nephi. For Nephi getting the plates from Laban was akin to Moses crossing the Red Sea with 2 million people. Why? Because it was beyond his capacity but not beyond God's. And he knew if he couldn't achieve it, that meant that God would. Unlike his brothers who believed that parting the Red Sea was possible for God to do but not possible to deliver into their hands Laban and his fifty (1 Nephi 3:31). Quite a paradox.  Nephi didn't know how he was going to get those plates but he went anyway. The rest of the story we know.

When you are standing on some precipice of life facing something you have to do that is beyond your capacity to achieve, do not back down, only believe. Do not look to your left or to your right but forge straight ahead expecting the God of all might to intervene on your behalf. Nephi moved forward wading waist deep into his Red Sea until it parted. I am certain he never expected Laban to be dished up to him on a silver platter (1 Nephi 4:7,8). All he did was trust the spirit by which he was led (1 Nephi 4:6). The God of miracles did the rest. The God who cares, the God who wants to help us, at every turn, at every corner, on every bank of the Red Sea. To him no challenge is too big or too small. All that matters to you, matters to Him. He is at our front and at our back. When we call, shall He not answer and say, "Here I am" (Isaiah 58:9)? He is our forerunner who prepares the way and our rearward in case we should fall (D&C 49:27; Isaiah 52:12; 3 Nephi 21:29). Can you not rejoice and have hope when you hear:

"Fear thou not, I will help thee, for I am with thee…..I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight....for the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee…."   (Isaiah 41:10,13; 45:2; 54:10).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Trust In Jesus by Yongsung Kim)

LEAVING THE WORLD BEHIND

 

Besides being a God-fearing man, Lehi was a very successful merchant. In other words, Lehi was rich (1 Nephi 2:4). And with riches comes worldly security. There was one problem though. Lehi and his family lived on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a city whose wickedness was so great that God did not send only one prophet to call its' inhabitants to repentance but as many as nine. Lehi was one of those prophets. None of it helped though and Jerusalem was destined for destruction and captivity hence God’s command to Lehi to flee with his family (1 Nephi 2:2). So Lehi obeyed and found himself in the desert, living in a tent.

 

In the first book of his record, Nephi mentions four different times that his father lived in a tent (1 Nephi 2:15, 1 Nephi 9:1, 1 Nephi 10:16, 1 Nephi 16:6). Living and trading so close to the desert means the family would have been accustomed to bedouin's way of life which was tent dwelling. One cannot read this story, however, without reflecting on Lehi's desertion of all his acquired worldly possessions and security of a permanent home to live in a tent. What's impressive is that he only once during his 8 years of travelling in the wilderness murmured against God because of Nephi's broken bow and lack of food for two families he was responsible for (1 Nephi 16:20). This is very impressive considering that he swapped the easy life for hardships that awaited him colonising a new land he knew nothing of. But Lehi had one advantage….he knew God.

Lehi’s detachment from worldly goods stands in stark contrast to his eldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, who murmured exactly for this reason. Their objection to leaving Jerusalem meant leaving their ‘gold, and their silver, and their precious things’ (1 Nephi 2:11). What made the difference in their willingness to follow where the Lord led? Nephi states clearly that it was because his brothers didn’t know God and His dealings with His children (v12). In other words, because they didn’t know Him, their faith was missing. It brings to mind Joseph Smith stating in Lecture 2 of Lectures on Faith, that three things are necessary in order for a person to exercise faith in God unto life and salvation: 1. The idea that God exists; 2. That He is perfect in His character and attributes; 3. An actual knowledge that the course of life which is he is pursuing is according to His will. Note the third….how much easier would it have been for Laman and Lemuel if they had the first two under their belt?

Coming to know God takes work. This is why we are told that faith without works is dead. The scriptures are the greatest source of God’s dealings with His children. Another source is recognizing and acknowledging His hand in your life. Whenever I am faced with a need to exercise faith in Him, I look back over my life and see the great acts of mercy and goodness toward me and I know all will be well. My frame of reference bolsters my faith. The most interesting thing is this…..I have had a really hard life. It wasn’t until just recently that I came to appreciate this hardship realising that it has given me exactly what I wanted – my closeness to the God of my heart. Had my life been easy sailing, I am not sure that it would have brought me to this place. This is the greatest lesson Laman and Lemuel missed.

It matters not what kind of life we have as long as it brings us to the foot of His throne. Lehi understood this. His faith in the God of Israel was undaunting. This is why he was able to leave everything behind and stand on the banks of the Red Sea, with no ship in sight, stating with conviction and confidence: "I have obtained a land of promise" (1 Nephi 5:5).

 

I lift, I lift,

Above the world below.

I reach and find Your hand

To guide me where I am meant to go.

You are my guiding light,

You are my all,

You are my inner compass

That will bring me home.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Lehi Studying Plates by Joseph Franklin Brickey)

GOODLY PARENTS

 

The most famous scripture in the Book of Mormon would have to be the very first verse and the most famous words would have to be this: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents….” (1 Nephi 1:1). This phrase has become the standard of parental excellence in the Church because it suggests to us that the greatness of Nephi was due to his parents’ parenting skills. This is, however, not entirely true.

As we read further, we come to read the entire truth….”therefore, I was taught SOMEWHAT in all the learning of my father……” (1 Nephi 1:1).  It is clear by this word that Nephi did not give his parents all the credit for who he became. The dictionary defines ‘somewhat’ as: to some extent or in some measure or degree. What Nephi is clearly saying here is that his ‘great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God’ (v 1) was as much, if not more, a product of his own effort than that of his parents. This is evident early on in his record through the cited personal and extensive tutoring he received from an angel when he inquired about the meaning of his father’s dream of the tree of life (1 Nephi 11-14). In fact, it can be seen throughout Nephi’s entire life as he demonstrated how willingly and conscientiously he took responsibility for his own salvation.

It is human nature that we as parents beat ourselves up when we have wayward children feeling that we have somehow failed. I have been there myself. When my daughter chose a different path in life to the one that she was reared to follow, a friend said to me: “You are being trained for godhood.” And I think he was right. I am certain of it when I reflect on Heavenly Father’s respect for our free agency, and His mercy and His grace. These traits can most certainly be acquired during our role as parents and they are essential for those who would be gods. There are no more perfect parents than our heavenly parents and yet they have lost a third of their children due to the principle of free agency. Consider a lesson closer to home. Try as they may, Lehi and Sariah did not succeed in keeping all of their children on the straight and narrow. This means that, if you are a parent, no matter how many parenting courses you take, how much patience you exercise, how many tears you shed, how much love you give, you are at a risk of losing a child.

I will not elaborate on parents’ responsibility in parenting here. My intent is to make parents of wayward children know that there is hope through the mercies of the God that we love and worship; a God who honours righteous parents and holds their fragile hearts in the palm of His hands;  a God who sorrows over our wayward children as much as we do; a God who has suffered for their disobedience and destructive choices; a God who desires to save each and every one of us; a God who will not forsake those whom we love and yearn to have back in the fold; a God of mercy; a God of forgiveness; a God of love. This is the assurance: “Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold….Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold onto them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” (Joseph Smith, as quoted by Orson F. Whitney, “Hope for Parents of Wayward Children”, in Conference Report, April 1929, p 110.

One day when Your tears cease to fall

For the ones that go astray

And You reach for them from Your throne

Your power to display;

I will praise

I will rejoice

I will join the heavenly throng in song

For the return of the lost

For whom You suffered for so long. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Nephi And the Tree of Life by Katie Payne)

THE KEY

 

Joseph Smith called the Book of Mormon the keystone of our religion (Introduction, The Book of Mormon). Ezra Taft Benson, one of its' strongest advocates, explained that this keystone is threefold: 1. it is the keystone in our witness of Christ; 2. it is the keystone of our doctrine; and 3. it is the keystone of testimony. Bruce R. McConkie taught that Joseph's description of the Book of Mormon is precisely what it says. The keystone is the central stone in the top of the arch. If that stone is removed, then the arch crumbles, which, in effect, means that the gospel of Jesus Christ, restored anew in this day -- stands or falls with the truth or the falsity of the Book of Mormon" (Bruce R. McConkie, Conference Report, April 1961, pp.38-39). If we take away the Book of Mormon from our religion, we lose the foundation for the restoration, for the gathering of Israel, for the fulness of the gospel, and the administrative directives for ecclesiastical structure of our Church.

There is something personal within the framework of the ‘keystone’. If we take the 'stone' out of it, we are left with the 'key'. The Book of Mormon then becomes the key to our salvation which is in Christ, His gospel, and our testimony of the same. If we read the second testament  of Jesus Christ and we miss Jesus Christ, we have missed the point. We then walk away from this brilliant book having only catalogued some interesting and inspiring stories which can one day be forgotten. The foundation that the ‘keystone’ represents is twofold. The stone to me represents the Church and the key represents the gospel which leads to salvation. If you walk away from the Church, the stone will crumble for you and if you neglect your testimony, you will lose the key. The stone and the key offer safety both ways.

The greatest thing you can take away from the Book of Mormon is evidence of how the Saviour can change us and enlarge us. Think of some of the characters within it and you will see that this is His greatest work and accomplishment and rightly so for no one else has the power to bring about change within the hearts of the children of men so they can be like Him. And being like Him guarantees salvation and eternal life. When this power is witnessed, it motivates us to seek Him. He can do this for you and me. This is His greatest work and His greatest desire.

May all who come to know Thee

 Seek Thy mercy and Thy grace;

And may those found worthy

Be endowed with Thy image

In the countenance of their face.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(ART; Saviour of the World by Laura Wilson)

AN INSTRUMENT OF GOD

 

For some time now I have been recording impressive proofs of Joseph Smith’s prophetic validity. Not to increase my already existing testimony of his calling but simply because I find them so fascinating.   So impressive have these been that I have wanted to shout from the roof tops to prove the unbelievers wrong. What is amazing is that the source of these proofs is the Book of Mormon, the very tool used by the critics to discredit the prophet of this dispensation. I will cite here just a few of my favourites to perhaps motivate some of you to look for some yourselves as you study the Book of Mormon this year:

·        Book of Mormon warfare uniquely reflects its dual heritage of the ancient Near East and Mesoamerica. It speaks volumes about the authenticity of the text and the military expertise of its author. Joseph Smith was not a man of war, he would have known none of this;

·        Joseph Smith could not have known what it was like to be a missionary to the Lamanites because he knew no one who had done such a thing. The detailed experiences of missionary labours and successes of Ammon and his brothers in Alma 26 is a solid proof of this.

·        The allegory of the olive tree in Jacob chapter 5 depicting the scattering and gathering of Israel is mind blowing. Not even an educated man could have come up with something so spiritually significant in such a difficult literary simile. The more I study this allegory, the more amazed I am of its beauty and more convinced I am of its spiritual source;

·         Joseph Smith could not have known Nephites’ coinage or the institutions of their lawyers and judges or how to make up the intricacies of such. Alma 11:3-19 is proof of this.

I want to add to these the strong testimony and witness of Joseph’s validity as the translator of the Book of Mormon by his wife Emma: “When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it….and one time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and said, “Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?” When I answered, “Yes”, he replied, “Oh! I didn’t know. I was afraid I had been deceived.” He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time that he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls. He could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon.” (Edmund C. Briggs, ‘A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856’, Journal of History, Jan 1916, p 454).

I am convinced that Joseph Smith was sent to a poor family so that he could not receive an education because it was imperative that an uneducated man translate the ancient record that became the Book of Mormon. How else could the Lord prove His partnership with him in bringing this book to light? In chapter 27 of 2 Nephi, we find an amazing detailed outline of the Saviour’s involvement in this endeavour, given to Nephi 2,427 years before the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith. After failure to have the translation certified by a professional, educated man, Professor Charles Anthon, the Lord basically said to Joseph: Don’t worry. I am able to do my own work, I WILL GIVE YOU the words which you shall read (2 Nephi 27:20). This is how important the Book of Mormon is to the Saviour in proclaiming the everlasting gospel, in gathering Israel, in building New Jerusalem, in preparing people for the Second Coming, and in ushering in the Millenium (see Bruce R. McConkie, The Millenial Messiah, p 171) This is His work, a marvelous work and a wonder, but is there anything more marvelous than Him??? I think not. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith by Brent Borup)