In Mormon 9:32-33, Moroni indicates that the plates were written in reformed Egyptian. Some scholars believe that reformed Egyptian was a type of shorthand. Moroni explains that if the plates had been larger they would have been written in Hebrew and then the record would have been without imperfections. This suggests that reformed Egyptian must not have been as precise and accurate as Hebrew but required less space to write. The Hebrew language is very compact when compared to English. A typical English sentence of fifteen words will often translate into seven to ten Hebrew words. We have no indication of the size of the characters Mormon and Moroni used, but if they rejected Hebrew because the plates were not "sufficiently large", then reformed Egyptian must have been a language remarkable for its ability to convey a lot of information with few words.
Political Conditions
For several years prior to the Book of Mormon record Babylon was the dominate country in the world having crushed Egypt and her allies at the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. When the account
Sacrifice
A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. . . . The faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. Joseph Smith
The Law of Sacrifice is that we are willing to sacrifice all that we have for the truth's sake--our character, reputation, our honor and applause, our good name among men, our houses, lands, and families--all things, our very lives if need be. We are not always called upon to live the whole law of consecration and give all of our time, talents and means to the building up of the Lord's earthly kingdom--few of us are called upon to sacrifice much of what we possess, and at the moment there is only an occasional martyr in the cause of revealed religion. But we must be able to live these laws to the fullest if we are called upon to do so. Bruce R. McConkie
Obedience
"I will go and do . . ." (1 Nephi 3:7) , one of the most cited and quoted verses in all of holy writ, sets forth clearly the attitude of those who trust implicitly in the purposes of God: though the means for accomplishing specific objectives are not always readily apparent, the obedient--acting upon the peaceful assurance borne of the Spirit--move forward in quiet but deliberate ways, knowing full well that further light and knowledge will be forthcoming. Joseph Fielding McConkie
We made vows, solemn vows, in the heavens before we came to this mortal life. Here you and I made a solemn commitment; we would do "all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us." We committed ourselves to our Heavenly Father, that if he would send us to the earth and give us bodies and give us the priceless opportunities that earth life afforded, we would keep our lives clean and marry in the holy temple and would rear a family and teach them righteousness. This was a solemn oath, a solemn promise. He promised us an eventful mortal life with untold privileges and providing we qualified in the way of righteousness, we would receive eternal life and happiness and progress. There is no other way to receive the rewards. Spencer W. Kimball
Angels
I believe we need to speak of and believe in and bear testimony of the ministry of angels more than we sometimes do. They constitute one of God's great methods of witnessing through the veil, and no document in all this world teaches that principle so clearly and so powerfully as does the Book of Mormon. Jeffrey R. Holland
We are told by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that "there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it." Hence, when messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth. . . . In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh. Joseph F. Smith
Led by the Spirit
Be willing to take reasonable risks. We live in an age of reason, logic, facts, and figures. These can be useful if kept in subjection to faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. But if they ever take precedence over faith in Him, then they are not useful and can be very harmful. I have found in my life that most of the good decisions I have made may not have been made if they were based solely on logic or reason. John H. Groberg
Laban
A few deft and telling touches resurrect the pompous Laban with photographic perfection. We learn in passing that commanded a garrison of fifty, that he met in full ceremonial armor with "the elders of the
A pair of missionaries in Santiago, Chile, wrote to their president about a woman they were teaching: "She started reading the Book of Mormon, and she got to the part where Nephi killed Laban. She didn't understand how God could command someone to kill another. It bothered her, and she went to bed with that doubt. During the night a bolt of lightning woke her up, and she immediately thought of David and Goliath. She thought that if God could command David to kill Goliath, then why not Nephi? Then, she said, a feeling of peace and tranquility came over her. Andrew Skinner
Oaths
When he [Zoram] saw the brethren and heard Nephi's real voice he got the shock of his life and in a panic made a break for the city. In such a situation there was only one thing Nephi could possibly have done, both to spare Zoram and to avoid giving alarm--and no westerner could have guessed what it was. Nephi, a powerful fellow, held the terrified Zoram in a vice-like grip long enough to swear a solemn oath in his ear, "as the Lord liveth, and as I live", that he would not harm him if he would listen. The oath is the one thing that is most sacred and inviolable among the desert people and their descendants. But
Murmuring
One reason Satan encourages murmuring is to prevent us from following living prophets, inspired leaders, and parents. Elder H. Ross Workman of the Seventy explained that "murmuring consists of three steps, each leading to the next in a descending path to disobedience." First, when people murmur they begin to question. They question "first in their own minds and then [plant] questions in the minds of others." Second, those who murmur begin to "rationalize and excuse themselves from doing what they [have] been instructed to do. . . . Thus, they [make] an excuse for disobedience." Their excuses lead to the third step: "Slothfulness in following the commandment." "The Lord has spoken against this attitude in our day: 'But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned' (D&C 58:29) I invite you to focus on the commandment from living prophets that bothers you the most. Do you question whether the commandment is applicable to you? Do you find ready excuses why you cannot now comply with the commandment? Do you feel frustrated or irritated with those who remind you of the commandment? Are you slothful in keeping it? Beware of the deception of the adversary. Beware of murmuring."
The Brass Plates
When the Lord led Lehi and his colony out from Jerusalem, they were required to take with them the Brass Plates. They contained a record of God's dealings with men from the beginning down to that day. There was more on them than there is in the Old Testament as we now have it. The prophecies of Zenock, Neum, Zenos, Joseph the son of Jacob, and probably many other prophets were preserved by them. Tha value of the Brass Plates to the Nephites cannot be overestimated. By means of them they were able to preserve the language, most of the civilization, and the religious knowledge of the people from whence they came. By way of contrast, the Mulekites, who were led out of Jerusalem some 11 years after Lehi's departure, and who had no record equivalent to the Brass Plates, soon dwindled in apostasy and unbelief and lost their language, civilization, and religion. From prophet to prophet and
Forgiveness
The most difficult of all the virtues to cultivate is the forgiving spirit. Revenge seems to be natural with man; it is human to want to get even with an enemy. It has even been popular to boast of vindictiveness; it was once inscribed on a man's monument that he had repaid both friends and enemies more than he had received. This was not the spirit of Christ. William Jennings Bryan
I remember so clearly that night as I walked home alone. Out of the darkness came a gun-wielding attacker. I struggled fiercely but hopelessly as he pressed the gun against my throat. Suddenly there seemed a momentary silence--like eternity to me--and then a very sharp shrill whistle pierced the darkness. My assailant fled and the stillness of the darkness returned. I was shaken but unhurt. I had read sometime earlier the sermon on the mount. Now at this moment of anger and possible hysteria, a scriptural admonition seemed to press upon my mind; "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." Whatever hysteria or emotion might have resulted from this unexpected and tearful event melted away. There was not then, nor has there been since, any hate in my heart. I have always tried to love all people, especially those who curse and despitefully use me. The Lord has protected me for it. Tamano K. Umagai
