Nephi

1

• Nephis Garden Discourse
• Helaman 6-12

2
Death toll rises to 430, of whom 155 children,
from school siege of estimated 1,200 hostages
that ended in bloodshed Friday. More than 550,
half children, in hospital were visited by
Russian leader early Saturday.
Two days earlier, the deputy commander of Irans
elite Revolutionary Guards corps, Brig. Gen.
Zolqadr warned that if Israel fired a missile at
the (Iran) nuclear power plant, it can say
goodbye to (Israels) nuclear facility where it
produces and stockpiles nuclear weapons.
Financial Sites in New York, Washington D.C and
Newark, New Jersey on High (orange) alert
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for Hurricane
Francis
Nov. 13, 2001 Air Crash over New York Was Work of
Al Qaeda Suicide, Says Canadian Intelligence
Twenty-seven hostage-takers killed 10 Arab al
Qaeda members three captured alive.
Mosul, US and Iraqi forces are fighting to
dislodge barricaded terrorist group after 10
Iraqis killed, 40 injured in clash.
He pointed out that terrorists have a particular
interest in destabilizing Russia in order to lay
hands on its nuclear assets.
Putins Sochi Residence Targeted by Hijacked
Russian Plane
two French journalists being held hostage in Iraq
3
School of the Prophets

• Section 88133
• Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in
  the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or
  remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which
  covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a
  determination that is fixed, immovable, and
  unchangeable,
• to be 1) your friend and brother through the
  grace of God in the bonds of love, 2) to walk in
  all the commandments of God blameless, 3) in
  thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen

4
Compare with Gadianton

1. your friend and brother through the grace of God
   in the bonds of love,
2. to walk in all the commandments of God blameless,
   
3. in thanksgiving, forever and ever.

• They did enter into their covenants andoaths,
  that they would protect and preserve one another
• That whatsoever wickednesshe should do he should
  not be injured and thus they might murder, and
  plunder and steal
• And whosoever of those whoshould reveal their
  wickednessshould be triedaccording to the laws
  of their wickedness

5
Mormons Opinion

• Whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret
  combinations, to get power and gain, until they
  shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall
  be destroyed
• for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of
  his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall
  always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance
  upon them and yet he avenge them not. (Ether
  822.)

6
As the Lamanites became righteous, what did they
do with Gadiantons Band?

• Helaman 637
• And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt
  the band of robbers of Gadianton
• And they did preach the word of God among the
  more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band
  of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the
  Lamanites

7
And the Nephites?

• Helaman 6 38,39
• The Nephites did build them up and support them,
  until they had overspread all the land of the
  Nephitesand did obtain the sole management of
  the government,
• Insomuch that they did trample under their feet
  and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the
  poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God

8
Hugh Nibley

• The Gadiantons, terrible as they were, are
  treated more as a symptom than as a disease the
  society that has them is sick, they are like
  maggots that prey only on dead tissue they
  simply exploit the evil situation that gives them
  their opportunity.

9

• Nephi bows himself upon the tower which was in
  his garden

10

• Which tower was by the highway that led to the
  marketplace

11
Nephis Garden Sermon

• Helaman 7
• 13 Why have ye gathered yourselves together? That
  I may tell you of your iniquities?
• 20 O, how could you have forgotten your God?
• 21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised
  of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and
  silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the
  riches and the vain things of this world, for the
  which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and
  bear false witness against your neighbor, and do
  all manner of iniquity

12
Question What is there about prosperity,
getting gain that leads to wickedness?
13
Brigham Young

• The two groups who have the
  greatest difficulty in following the
  prophet are the proud who are learned
  and the proud who are rich. The learned
  may feel the prophet is only inspired when
  he agrees with them otherwise, the prophet is
  just giving his opinion- speaking as a man. The
  rich may feel they have no need to take counsel
  of a lowly prophet.

14
Riches

• 2 Ne. 930
• Wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things
  of the world. For because they are rich they
  despise the poor, and they persecute the meek,
  and their hearts are upon their treasures
  wherefore, their treasure is their God. And
  behold, their treasure shall perish with them
  also.

15
Nephi blessed with more power

• Helaman 10
• 4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things
  which thou hast done for I have beheld how thou
  hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which
  I have given unto thee, unto this people. And
  thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought
  thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to
  keep my commandments.

16

• Helaman 10
• 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such
  unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee
  forever and I will make thee mighty in word and
  in deed, in faith and in works for thou shalt
  not ask that which is contrary to my will.

17
Neal A. Maxwell

• The task is to draw close enough to the Lord
  that we progress to the point where we petition
  Him according to His will, not ours.
• In modern revelations the
  Lord has declared His
  willingness to grant us
  the requests
  contained
  in our petitions if what
  we ask for is expedient
  for us.

18
Nephi Given Sealing Power

• Helaman 106
• Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I
  declare it unto thee in the presence of mine
  angels, that ye shall have power over this
  people, and shall smite the earth with famine,
  and with pestilence, and destruction, according
  to the wickedness of this people.