FAMILY EVENING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

«Ye are the children of the covenant»  3 Nephi:20 to 26

Throughout these chapters we learn how Jesus Christ «fills»: 3 Nephi20 :1 to 21

We also learn how He gathers:3 Nephi 20:13 to 25 and 22:7 to 17

1 How He fills

In 3 Nephi we have both parts of the ministry of Jesus Christ, what He calls «the fulness of the gospel» (3 Nephi20:30)

In the 4 gospels of the new testament we have the pre- resurrection teachings of the Christ «the law of the gospel». And in Acts1:3, He taught the disciples «the things of the kingdom of God» for 40 days after His resurrection, but we don’t know many things about it.

In 3 Nephi, we have the pre-resurrection teachings of the Lord such as the sermon on the mount and then in 3 Nephi 26 He teaches that there are «greater things to be learned».

To prepare the faithful Nephites for these greater things, he first administers the Sacrament to them in a miraculous way and they are filled both physically and spiritually (3 Nephi 20:8 and 9). Every week we too, can be refilled by his sacrificial love, ingest his Love into us. To experience it  REALLY, it requires:

Studying diligently, searching 3 Nephi23:1, Give heed, write, expect chapter23:4, Repent chapter23:5, Listen for the expounding: chapter 24:1 and 4.

The Lord permitted Mormon to record only the lesser things (chapter26:8) as it’s necessary to be ready chapter 26:9, and to have faith chapter 26:11.

2 Jesus Gathers

Everybody is invited into the covenant: let’s look at the title page of the book of Mormon:  and that they shall know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever

President Nelson repeats over and over that the greatest work in the world is the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil. The purpose of the covenant is to bring us back to into the Lord’s presence (2Nephi 1:15; 2Nephi 4:33).

A gospel covenant is based on love, that’s why the Lord speaks of His relationship to Israel as like a marriage covenant between loving spouses (Isaiah 62:5; John 3:29; Revelation21:2,9,)

We can all be gathered: 3 Nephi 20:13 to 25 and 3 Nephi 22:7 to17.

The book of Mormon is not just a guide book to the gospel. In itself it is the sign of the fulfillment of the Lord’s covenant in His glorious coming.

We are invited to hearken to the Saviour’s words that is, give heed, pay attention with our ears, eyes, heart: see chapter23:1,2,3,4,5.  See the talk by President Nelson in April 2018 general conference: Revelation for the church, revelation for our lives.

We covenant to offer an offering in righteousness: 3 Nephi 24:10,with a broken heart and a contrite spirit (doctrine and covenants 59:8 to 10).

We covenant to leave « spiritual Babylon » chapter20:41.

We covenant to consecrate our home, talents to the great work of gathering Israel in the restoration process.  In the old testament the end of Malachi chapter 3 is like a cliffhanger. All the old promises of the old testament by Isaiah, Ezechiel, Malachi have real new meanings and are part of expounding all things, both great and small (chapter26 verses 3 to 6). What are the greater things in 2020?  And greater things are going to happen.

The covenant is a covenant of peace if we are faithful. Let’s reread chapter 22:12. Nowadays President Nelson asks us “to expound our circle of love to embrace the whole human family”

The Lord requires a willing mind. We can’t give perfection but we can give our will and the way we act showing our good will, and even if they are far from being perfect, and only HIM can «perfect» us that is to make us complete through His grace.

So, let’s stay and move forward on the path of the Covenant. (E.C)