What Is It That Ye
Desire of Me?
3 Nephi 27-30, 4 Nephi
13 Articles of County Wisdom
1. Don't name a pig you plan to eat.
2. Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but
how well you bounce.
3. Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps.
4. A bumble bee is faster than a John Deere tractor.
5. Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.
6. Meanness don't happen overnight.
7. To know how country folks are doing, look at their barns, not their
houses.
8. Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads..
9. Don't corner something meaner than you.
10. It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
11. You can't unsay a cruel thing.
12. Every path has some puddles.
13. Don't wrestle with pigs: You'll get all muddy and the pigs will
love it.
The Savior Ascends
and Zion Breaks out
4 Nephi 2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the
people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the
land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no
contentions and disputations among them, and every man did
deal justly one with another.
3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there
were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made
free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.
Moses 5:33
And Cain gloried in that which he had done, saying: I am free;
surely the flocks of my brother falleth into my hands
4 Nephi Continued
11 And they were married, and given in marriage, and were blessed according to
the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.
12 … they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their
Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together
oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.
13 And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people, in all
the land; but there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of
Jesus.
15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the
love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor
lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness;
and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had
been created by the hand of God
Zion Unraveled
24 And now, in this two hundred and first
year there began to be among them those
who were 1) lifted up in pride, such as the
wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine
pearls, and of the fine things of the world.
25 And from that time forth they did 2) have their goods
and their substance no more common among them.
26 And 3)they began to be divided into classes; and 4)
they began to build up churches unto themselves to
get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ.
What does it mean to “get gain?”
How do you build up a church to “get gain?”
Helaman 6:17
therefore they began to set their hearts upon
their riches; yea, they began to seek to get
gain that they might be lifted up one above
another;
“Prosperity” Gospels
“Well the good news is that God
wants us to be prosperous, but we
have got to get right with him first.
For those who are fully paid up members (tithes and
offerings) of this Kingdom, any outward show of
affluence or prosperity is taken to be a sign that God
approves of them and is often held up as proof of
God's generous provision for those who love Him!
The contrary is unfortunately taken to be true. i.e. any
form of poverty or ill health is a sign that you are not
quite right with God.”
PROSPERITY GOSPEL Churches are always
preoccupied with being seen to be winners in every
aspect of life, particularly in the area of finances.”
Zion Unraveled
24 And now, in this two hundred and first year there began
to be among them those who were 1) lifted up in pride,
such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of
fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.
25 And from that time forth they did 2) have their goods and
their substance no more common among them.
26 And 3)they began to be divided into classes; and 4) they began to build
up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true
church of Christ.
27 … yea, there were many churches which professed to
know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of
his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of
wickedness, 5) and did administer that which was sacred
unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of
unworthiness.
29 And again, 6) there was another church which denied the
Christ; and they did persecute the true church of Christ,
because of their humility and their belief in Christ; and
they did despise them because of the many miracles
which were wrought among them.
3 Nephi 27
1 And it came to pass when Jesus …
spake unto his disciples, one by one,
saying unto them:
What is it that ye desire of me…?
Nephite Apostles
2 And [the Apostles] all spake, save it were
three, saying: We desire that after we have
lived unto the age of man, that our
ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may
have an end, that we may speedily come
unto thee in thy kingdom.
The Three Nephites
And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three,
and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto you, when I
am gone unto the Father?
5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him
the thing which they desired.
6 And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have
desired the thing which John, my beloved, … desired of me.
7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but
ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children
of men, ….
8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; …
9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh,
neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I
do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have
desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the
world shall stand.
Nephi, Son of Alma
 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.
 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; yea, even that all things shall be done
unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not
ask that which is contrary to my will.
 6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God.
Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner
"Joseph looked around very solemnly. It was the first time
some of them had ever seen him. Said he, 'There are
enough here to hold a little meeting.' They got a board and
put it across two chairs to make seats. Martin Harris sat on a little
box at Joseph's feet. They sang and prayed. Joseph got up and
began to speak to us.
As he began to speak very solemnly and very earnestly, all at once
his countenance changed and he stood mute. Those who looked
at him that day said there was a search light within him, over
every part of his body. I never saw anything like it on the earth.
I could not take my eyes off him; he got so white that anyone who
saw him would have thought he was transparent. I remember I
thought I could almost see the cheek bones through the flesh. I
have been through many changes since but that is photographed
on my brain. I shall remember it and see in my mind's eye as long
as I remain upon the earth.
"He stood some moments. He looked over the
congregation as if to pierce every heart. He said,
'Do you know who has been in your midst?' One of
the Smiths said an angel of the Lord. Martin Harris
said, 'It was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.'
Joseph put his hand down on Martin and said: 'God revealed that to
you. Brethren and sisters, the Spirit of God has been here. The Savior
has been in your midst this night and I want you to remember it.
There is a veil over your eyes for you could not endure to look upon Him.
You must be fed with milk, not with strong meat. I want you to
remember this as if it were the last thing that escaped my lips. He has
given all of you to me and has sealed you up to everlasting life that
where he is, you may be also. …
"These words are figured upon my brain and I never took my eye off his
countenance. Then he knelt down and prayed. I have never heard
anything like it before or since. I felt that he was talking to the Lord and
that power rested down upon the congregation. Every soul felt it. The
spirit rested upon us in every fiber of our bodies"
Question for Next Week
What is the “sorrowing of the Damned”
that Mormon talks about (Mormon 2:13)