What comes to your mind when you hear the word “cry”? Is it a crying baby, a good cry with a friend? Maybe you recently cried or are even crying right now. This word can have several meanings, and everyone reacts differently to those who cry. Today’s discussion of Ether 1–5 contains many cries, and we are going to discuss them and how the Lord responded.
Segment 1
Scriptures:
Ether 2:18-19 (Crying to the Lord)
Segment 2
Scriptures:
Ether 1:2 (Where the plates of Ether come from)
Mosiah 8:7-9 (Book of Ether)
Mosiah 28:11-12 (Mosiah translated the plates)
Ether 1:6-32 (Genealogy of Jared)
Ether 11:23 (Introduction of Ether)
Ether 1:33 (Where the people of Jared come from)
Genesis 11 (Tower of Babel)
Translations:
Jared = to go down (Hebrew)
Segment 3
Scriptures:
Ether 1:35-39 (Jared and the Brother of Jared cry to the Lord)
Romans 8:26 (The spirit knows when we don’t)
Study Helps:
While residing in Kirtland Elder Reynolds Cahoon had a son born to him. One day when President Joseph Smith was passing his door he called the Prophet in and asked him to bless and name the baby. Joseph did so and gave the boy the name of Mahonri Moriancumer. When he had finished the blessing he laid the child on the bed, and turning to Elder Cahoon he said, the name I have given your son is the name of the brother of Jared; the Lord has just shown [or revealed] it to me. Elder William F. Cahoon, who was standing near heard the Prophet make this statement to his father; and this was the first time the name of the brother of Jared was known in the Church in this dispensation” (“The Jaredites,” Juvenile Instructor, May 1, 1892 as recorded in Book of Mormon Student Institute Manual)
Segment 4
Scriptures:
Ether 2:13-14 (The Brother of Jared is chastised for not praying)
Ether 3:2 (We are commanded to call on the Lord)
Ether 3:9 (The finger of the Lord)
Genesis 6:16 (Windows or a precious stone)
Words of the General Authorities:
I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation…Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly. (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives”, April 2018 General Conference)
No matter how long we have been off the path or how far away we have wandered, the moment we decide to change, God helps us return. From God’s perspective, through sincere repentance and pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ, once back on the path, it will be as if we were never off. (Dale G. Renlund, “Choose You This Day”, October 2018 General Conference)
Segment 5
Scriptures:
Ether 5 (Moroni’s interlude)
Words of the General Authorities:
Many more scriptural writings will yet come to us, including those of Enoch (see D&C 107:57), all of the writings of the Apostle John (see Ether 4:16), the records of the lost tribes of Israel (see 2 Nephi 29:13), and the approximately two-thirds of the Book of Mormon plates that were sealed: ‘And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the housetops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth’ (2 Nephi 27:11) (Neal A. Maxwell, A Wonderful Flood of Light, 18)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
Ether 5:3-4 (Three witnesses)
D&C 17:2-3 (The three witnesses are promised)
CR: Joseph Smith Papers, Revelation, June 1829–E
D&C 5 (Revelation on the three witnesses)
Words of the General Authorities:
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives”, April 2018 General Conference)
View transcript here.