FAMILY EVENING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

There could not be a happier people: 3 NEPHI 27to30 , 4 NEPHI To start, this is the final day of Jesus’s formal ministry among «his other sheep» and we now hear his final teachings, and watch the impact of his visit on the people after He departs. He gathered his people and none of them are lost and in them he has a fullness of joy (3Nephi 27:31) 1)A: His Name :The name of the church is not negotiable Robert Millet says «it’s the ultimate expression of what the gospel is about: 3 Nephi 27:13 .To remove the name of Jesus Christ from the Lord’s church is a major victory for Satan, if we omit His name from His church, we omit to make Him the central focus of our lives. President Nelson insists to have the real name of the church used everywhere and anywhere. 1)B: 3 Nephi27:9 Jesus is the rock on which the gospel is built and again He gives a recapitulation of what we learnt before. This is the gospel: Good News, a new kingdom, He has done His father ‘s will, He was lifted up to lift up all the others. The monument of Jesus is to lift up people, to draw them to his father, to be filled and endure to the end by staying steadfast. 2 invitations are given chapter 27: from 21 to 27. Those invitations are for us. How am I doing at living the gospel? Let’s keep our relationship with Him: narrow is the path, as it is a one to one relationship with him. Chapter 30 is another recapitulation of what we should know: Hearken, turn away from this to see that, repent: that is make room to receive His word, come and you will be filled and you will be numbered, that is He would like to gather each person, every single one of us, and He counts us to check who is missing, just as we count people we are in charge of, you and me won’t be forgotten He knows who is missing we are all included. (It’s interesting to see that there is a book in the bible called numbers!) 2)What do you want most in your life? Chapter 28:1 What would we answer to this question right now? The goal isn’t just to choose the right but to want to choose the right. 9 disciples’ choices: chapter 28:2 What about the 3 other ones? Clyde Williams identifies 10 characteristics recorded by Mormon concerning the 3 individuals: 1) They will never taste death 28:7 2)They will be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality 28:8 3)They were told they would experience no pain while they dwelt in the world 28:9 4) For the 12, the glorious final day the Saviour spent with them was in fact a judgment day, they could become gods 28:10 5)Translated beings have knowledge and wisdom given to them that exceed human perspective 28:13,14,16 6)Mormon was uncertain as to the actual conditions or states of the 3 Nephites 28:15,17 then he had more knowledge 28:38,39 (they were first transfigured to behold spiritual things not possible in the mortal condition and then translated, to experience a long term change) 7)Wicked or evil people have no effect or power over them 28:21to24 and 4 Nephi 1: 32,33. 8)They have the power to show themselves to whomsoever they desire , they are the angels of God 28:30,31. 9)Satan can have no power over them 28:30 10)They were to remain in this translated state until the «judgment day of Christ» 28:7,40. For their ministry, see 3 Nephi 28:26 and 28:27to29 . 3) The pursuit of happiness, Peace and Rest for 200years. This society had all the characteristics of a ZION society but Mormon warns us 3 Nephi30:1 and 2 there was no contention (repeated 4 times: 4 Nephi 1:2,13,15,18) The most important reason is “God’s Love in their heart» In verse 15 of 4 Nephi, we are told why: People cared more about the group as a whole , than they did about their own individual needs. Elder Quentin Cook in the last general conference said «»their heart knit in righteousness and unity”. There were 4 different talks in the last general conference about the city of Enoch and Zion. Elder Christofferson also gave a very powerful talk about «Sustainable societies» in the last general conference and we can and should ponder about it too. But after 200 years this ideal society fell quite quickly (within30 years) because of revolt and pride. Here revolt means unbelief and the ones who revolted took the names of Lamanites on themselves (4 Nephi 1:20) They decided by themselves and from then the fall came ...and they split into factions: 4 nephi1:46 to 48. The book of Mormon starts and ends with the destruction of a people The first destroyed are those in Jerusalem and at the end of the book of Mormon, the entire Nephite nation is destroyed. One of the messages of the book of Mormon is a warning! Ezra Taft Benson said that «pride is the big stumbling block to Zion» (See his talk: Beware of pride) So let’s choose to be humble. The last talk of the general conference on sunday morning was by our dear prophet, president Nelson,he said: «one of the meaning of Israel is Let god prevail.» May let God prevail in our hearts. Let Him lift us up whereas Satan is trying to get hold of our hearts. President Nelson asks: “Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life?” Let’s God prevail in our life.