He commented on the statement in the Book of Revelation that states not to add to "this book". He stated that much of the Bible was written after that. He also stated that the Bible was not bound together as a complete collection until much after the Book of Revelation.
Moses 1:4
4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore alook, and I will show thee the bworkmanship of mine chands; but not all, for my dworks are without eend, and also my fwords, for they never cease.
The Old Testament does not lose value in our eyes when we are presented with the New Testament.
Joseph Smith—History 1:12
12 Never did any passage of ascripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed bwisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects cunderstood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.Joseph Smith—History 1:12
Thus one of the great purposes of continuing revelation through living prophets is to declare to the world through additional witnesses that the Bible is true. “This is written,” an ancient prophet said, speaking of the Book of Mormon, “for the intent that ye may believe that,” speaking of the Bible. (See Mormon 7:9)
D&C 10:52
52 And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to adestroy that which they have received, but to build it up.
The scriptures are not our final authority. God is our final authority.
"In a sense Joseph Smith and his prophetic successors in this Church answer the challenge Ralph Waldo Emerson put to the students of the Harvard Divinity School 170 years ago this coming summer. To that group of the Protestant best and brightest, the great sage of Concord pled that they teach “that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake.”"
(“An Address,” The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1929), 45.)
(“An Address,” The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1929), 45.)
The principle of asking in faith.
We can all improve our consistency and efficacy of our person and family prayers.
Joseph did not go to the grove to ask which church was right, but which to join.
Faith is a principle of action and power.
Prayer requires holy communication and consecrated work.
Prayer requires honesty, effort, and commitment
It is our responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. The missionaries are full time teachers. It is our job to find.
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that afaith is things which are bhoped for and cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no dwitness until after the etrial of your faith.
The scoffing of the world is loneliness trying to make itself feel better.
33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of ascorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
The Power of Light and Truth
He talked about the things he noticed about light as a child using a flashlight. He compared that to the light of the Gospel.
He noted things about Gospel light that Alma found. "...the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had . . . more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.” (Alma 31:5)
Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander - Seventy (Audio, Video)
One among the Crowd
He talked about various crowds. He talked of the crowds around the woman who had an issue of blood that pressed throught he crowds to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. He talked about the crowd of priests and the King Noah that Alma went contrary to in order to accept the truth that Abinidi taught from Christ. He talked of the crowd of people in the spacious building in Lehi's dream.
One among the Crowd
He talked about various crowds. He talked of the crowds around the woman who had an issue of blood that pressed throught he crowds to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. He talked about the crowd of priests and the King Noah that Alma went contrary to in order to accept the truth that Abinidi taught from Christ. He talked of the crowd of people in the spacious building in Lehi's dream.
He noted that struggling against the crowd can be tough, but Jesus can reach us even in among the crowds.
Alma 34:32–34
32 For behold, this alife is the time for men to bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of cthis life is the day for men to perform their dlabors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not bprocrastinate the day of your crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the dnight of edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful acrisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth bpossess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Jesus' decent below all things allows up to rise above all things.
We have the benefit of living scriptures as well as canonized scriptures.
He presented a set of scriptures to a friend with that friend's name embosses on each volume. The friend asked, “Why do we need additional witnesses of Jesus Christ other than the Bible?” They asked him why he thought it might be important. "He suggested that since there appeared to be so many variations of the Bible and its teachings, we needed some kind of clarifying voice, something that would help us understand the Bible better."
Mothers
"There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood."
Cut out extra commitments. Cut out time wasting activities like soap operas and surfing the internet.
“Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).
President Monson stated, "We've had rapid-fire messages from a lot of speakers, but every one touched on a very important subject."
He also said a few words about his father.
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