Book of Mormon 2024 – Terrence C. Smith

2 Nephi 2.0 – 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:16:45 +0000

This is an updated commentary on 2 Nephi studied from February 5 to March 24, 2024. This is a commentary on the text assigned for reading in the Come, Follow Me manual. This book has perhaps the most complete treatment of the gospel and the role of Jesus Christ in any scripture.

2 Nephi also has the bulk of the “Isaiah chapters” in the Book of Mormon. For that reason (and my usual stream of consciousness writing), this is longer than some previous commentaries. It can be sampled in small bits without hurting anything. However, that said, we are commanded, urged, exhorted, and expected to study Isaiah. There’s seldom much time given to it in classes other than nervous laughter and few well-known proof texts read out on the subject of the week, so it’s not going to happen there. If you have a “snow-day”, malignant insomnia, or the flu, there’s a chance in here to dig in a little deeper. pp.512

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1 Nephi 2.0 – 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:27:35 +0000

This is an updated version of the commentary on 1 Nephi for 2024. It has the same material as the previous version but there are more pictures, updated references, clearer (hopefully) explanations in some parts, and additional ideas from classes, feedback, and my proof-reader’s admonitions. pp. 287

Number of visitors to this page: 51

Moroni — 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 21:08:14 +0000

This is a commentary on the book of Moroni for 2024. This book was written about twenty years after Moroni thought he would be killed. He had two decades to reflect on what else should be included in the Book of Mormon to fulfil its purpose as the keystone of the restored Church some fifteen centuries later. In the first six chapters he provided a condensed handbook of instructions for operating the Church. He first described how to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost using the power of the priesthood given to the twelve disciples. He next described ordination to the priesthood itself in chapter three. He also gave the manner of administering the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper with the exact prayers to be said in chapters four and five.
In chapter six he moved from the ordinances to the administration of and ministry in the Church. He started this portion of his instruction in chapter six with the prerequisites for the ordinance of baptism—the baptismal interview. He then gave very condensed but wide-reaching instructions on how to operate the Church, making it an instrument for the spiritual progression of the Saints. He next in chapter seven added a sermon from his father, Mormon detailing the primary Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity. He then added two letters from his father, first in chapter eight on a church controversy over infant baptism and then a final letter in chapter nine on the fall and depravity of the Nephite nation (which I commented on in my writings on Mormon). He concluded the book with chapter ten, one of the most remarkable chapters of scripture in the book describing the path to personal revelation, the gifts of the Spirit, the covenant path, an exhortation to prepare for a final judgment and the process of sanctification for the Saints.
I have appended two short writings on the Holy Ghost and on the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues as supplements to the commentary on Moroni’s writings on those subjects. pp.110

Number of visitors to this page: 63

Ether — 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 23:55:58 +0000

This is a commentary on the book of Ether for 2024. We are set to study it from November 11 to December 1 in Come, Follow Me.

The Book of Ether is remarkable. In many ways it is my favourite part of the Book of Mormon. It has important doctrine and practical lessons for our times. It has a lot of possibilities for ponderings. We will also have some fun in it. Mark Twain’s comment that the Book of Mormon was chloroform in print was likely a little punny joke based on the name of this book. It’s evident from his comments that he never read the Book of Mormon. This common omission in information gathering has never handicapped nor given pause to most adversarial commentators on the Book of Mormon. If the Book of Mormon in general would have been a challenge to write in 1829, the book of Ether presents an even more complex problem for those whose theory is that Joseph Smith wrote it from his fertile imagination.

The text consists of two broad sorts of material—sometimes more than two thousand years removed from each other. It is culturally very different from the rest of the Book of Mormon, and even more different from our world. The book of Ether is an account doubled in on itself. It reveals the rise of an ancient nation and its fall through the eyes of its last prophet, and then the last prophet of a later fallen nation summarised the travails of the first prophet and his nation’s fall. It brings a lost nation to our eyes while simultaneously illuminating Moroni’s thoughts and personality for us as it simultaneously gives us a troubling but clear view of our current times. It undoubtedly revealed much about Moroni to Moroni as he wrote it. Hopefully we’ll see ourselves and our societies in it as we read it. It is a very dense and intricate work that richly repays a close and careful reading. pp.213

Number of visitors to this page: 71

Mormon — 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Thu, 02 May 2024 13:59:15 +0000

This is a commentary on the book of Mormon in the Book of Mormon. It is to be studied from October 28 to November 10, 2024 as part of the Come, Follow Me program. The book of Mormon summarizes the final destruction of the Nephite nation after their apostasy from Christianity. It contains Mormon’s final summary of his abridgement and the last two chapters are his son’s Moroni’s writings at the end of the final battles between Nephites and Lamanites. It’s a book about endings. We would do well to study it as we approach any endings.At general conference in October 2024 Elder David Bednar commented on a previous prophet’s words to us about the Book of Mormon. He said: “A particular teaching by President [Ezra Taft] Benson greatly impacted me and continues to influence my study of the Book of Mormon. He said:

‘The Book of Mormon … was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization. Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, [Mormon] abridged centuries of records, choosing the stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us.’

President Benson continued: “Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations. … If they saw our day, and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, ‘Why did the Lord inspire Mormon … to include [this account] in his record? What lesson can I learn from [this admonition] to help me live in this day and age?’”

President Benson’s statements help us to understand that the Book of Mormon is not primarily a historical record that looks to the past. Rather, this volume of scripture looks to the future and contains important principles, warnings, and lessons intended for the circumstances and challenges of our day. Hence, the Book of Mormon is a book about our future and the times in which we do now and will yet live.”

If this is true anywhere in the Book of Mormon it is especially true in Mormon’s own book. It is a mirror if we take the time to look in it. pp.102.

Number of visitors to this page: 78

3 Nephi – 4 Nephi — 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:57:24 +0000

This is a commentary on the books of 3 and 4 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. It is to be studied from September 16 to October 27, 2024 as part of the Come, Follow Me program. The book of 3 Nephi follows the disintegration of the Nephite nation prior to Christ’s coming. It describes the destruction of the social structure as well as the physical environment preparatory to the new creation of the people when Christ visited them. All became united after his extensive visit with them. The clearest descriptions of the doctrine of Christ were given. Additional scripture, ordinances, and priesthood authority to organise and minister to the Church were given. Twelve presiding disciples were called and a Zion society was established. 4 Nephi briefly follows the flowering of that society over about two centuries. It also gives us the pattern and history of their apostasy and downfall. These two books are the central focus of the Book of Mormon. There are two major themes to note other than the obvious ones.

1. There is a reversal of the creation story which brings the world of the Nephites back to matter unorganized, and then a new creation story culminating in a Zion society. It’s interesting to read these texts with the creation stories from Genesis, Moses, and Abraham in mind.

2. This account is probably a good dress rehearsal for the second coming so we can read it as future happenings as well as an historical past.

My mother, Norma Grace (Litchfield) Smith passed away two weeks ago (20 August 2024). She loved scripture study and if I have done much of it, it is due to her and her mother’s (Fanny Woolley Coombs Litchfield) habits—nature or nurture—I got both barrels. In a very real sense, these scratchings are for them. pp.364

Number of visitors to this page: 84

Helaman – 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 17:53:09 +0000

This is a commentary on the book of Helaman in the Book of Mormon. It is to be studied from August 26 through September 15, 2024 as part of the Come, Follow Me program. The book of Helaman follows the ministry and teachings of Helaman, the son of Helaman. It gives his teachings to his two sons Nephi and Lehi and follows their ministry to the people. We see the degeneration of Nephite government and the near complete apostasy of the Nephites. We meet the great Lamanite prophet Samuel as well. We read of their wars, conflicts, and also of repentance and preparation for the Saviour’s first coming. Helaman takes us up to almost the time of His birth on earth. pp.181

Number of visitors to this page: 61

Alma – 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:39:46 +0000

This is the longest book in the Book of Mormon. Alma covers the ministry of Alma the Younger and his son Helaman. It also describes many wars between the Nephites and Lamanites as well as the remarkable missionary experiences of King Mosiah’s sons amongst the Lamanites with the conversion of many. The book is rich in doctrinal matters with some of the best descriptions in scripture of the effects of the atonement, the process of justification and sanctification, the resurrection, the balance between justice and mercy, the growth of faith, the patterns of apostasy, and how one can personally assess their level of conversion. It’s well worth the many chapters. pp.575

Number of visitors to this page: 186

Mosiah – 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:26:30 +0000

This is a commentary on the book of Mosiah to be studied from April 22 to June 2 in the Come, Follow Me program in 2024. In Mosiah we meet King Benjamin and follow his masterful discourse to his people as he turns the government of the Nephites and Mulekites over to Mosiah II. The history of the little colony of Nephites under Zeniff, Noah, and Limhi is introduced and we meet Alma and his founding of a church at the waters of Mormon. The book of Mosiah is the first book in the Book of Mormon that was edited and abridged from the Nephite records by Mormon, so we hear his “voice” for the first time. pp.230

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Easter — 2024

Terrence C. Smith — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 04:25:02 +0000

This is a commentary on the doctrine of the resurrection as taught in the Book of Mormon and in the Restoration. It is a companion to the study of these matters in the lesson in Come, Follow Me for March 25-31, 2024. pp.34

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