“Book of Mormon: ‘Gazelem, a Stone'” by grego

Book of Mormon: “Gazelem, a Stone”

grego
(c)2011

Alma says:
Alma 37:23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.

24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.

26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness and made known unto us.

Where is “Gazelem” in the scriptures? To what is Alma referencing this? This is the only time it is mentioned in our current scriptures.
The Urim and Thummim from the brother of Jared—that Joseph Smith had—did shine forth in darkness unto light; but this purpose of shining is different.
And it seems the Urim and Thummim didn’t shine when Joseph Smith used them to translate.
If “a stone” was to have been prepared, then that seems it’s not a Urim and Thummim, which is a set of two stones.
Could this stone be the seerstone that Joseph used by putting in a hat and then looking at it—which surely indicates some type of “[shining] forth in darkness unto light”?
Would this prove that the Book of Mormon took place in New York? No, as there is no indication of that in the verses.

LDS Book of Mormon | Alma 37:16–the Key to Raising Children?

LDS Book of Mormon | Alma 37:16—the Key to Raising Children?

grego
(c)2011

Years ago I was at wits’ end with a nephew who had ADD and learning disorders who was in my class. As I pulled him out to have yet another serious talk (no, really, this one was going to be more serious) I pulled up a second, prayed for help, and pulled out the Book of Mormon, and read this:

Alma 37:16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.

As I read that, I was taught “these things that are sacred” applies to children! And I realized that it did.

I was reminded once more of it the other day as it became my Liahona scripture for the day and decided to write this up.

“Book of Mormon: A Short Comparison of Moroni vs. Amalickiah” by grego

Book of Mormon: A Short Comparison of Moroni vs. Amalickiah

grego
(c)2010

Here is a short comparison between Amalickiah and Moroni concerning a few personality points and their methods:

Amalickiah: Alma 46:4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power.

Moroni: Alma 48:11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
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Amalickiah: Alma 46:2-3 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that they were determined to slay them.
Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.

Moroni: Alma 48:16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.
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Amalickiah: Alma 49:10 Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah; for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.

Moroni: Alma 48:13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
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Amalickiah: Alma 48:1, 3, 7 And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.
Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.
Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.

Moroni: Alma 48:7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.
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Amalickiah: Alma 49:27
27Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people.

Moroni: Alma 49:28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
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Amalickiah: Alma 51:11 Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been, because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.

Moroni: Alma 48:12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.