Thursday, April 18, 2024

April 2024 Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) General Conference



Saturday Morning Session:

Jeffrey R. Holland:

Motions of a Hidden Fire: President Holland taught about the power of prayer and testified that God answers every prayer.

J. Anette Dennis:

Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ: Sister Dennis taught about the importance, power, and blessings of making and keeping covenants with God and wearing temple garments is a privilege. 

Alexander Dushku:

Pillars and Rays: Elder Dushku taught that spectacular spiritual experiences are rare and that the Lord typically gives us one ray of light at a time.

Ulisses Soares:

Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ: Elder Soares taught about the importance of living by the covenants we’ve made, which will give us strength and confidence.

Jack N. Gerard:

Integrity: A Christlike Attribute: Elder Gerard taught that living a life of integrity means being true to God, to each other, and to our divine identity.

Henry B. Eyring:

All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants: President Eyring taught that as we make and keep covenants in the temple, we will receive many spiritual blessings, both now and in eternity. Teton Dam break story. 

Saturday Afternoon Session:

David A. Bednar:

“Be Still, and Know That I Am God”: Elder Bednar taught that when we are “still,” we can know that God is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Massimo De Feo:

Rise! He Calleth Thee: Elder De Feo taught that blessings come when we stay focused on Jesus Christ, continually repent, and allow ourselves to be guided by the voice of the Lord.

Brent H. Nielson:

A Record of What I Have Both Seen and Heard: Elder Nielson described the growth of the Church that he has seen throughout the world. Witnesses. 

Jose L. Alonso:

Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives: Elder Alonso testified that as we place Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, we will find hope, strength, and healing.

Gerrit W. Gong:

All Things for Our Good: Elder Gong offered reassurance that in our Heavenly Father’s plan, even tragedies and other difficult trials can be for our good.

Michael T. Nelson:

In Support of the Rising Generation: Brother Nelson taught that the relationships we have with the youth can influence them to make better choices.

Quentin L. Cook:

Be One with Christ: Elder Cook taught that we should strive to include others in our circle of oneness, that we are united by our faith in Jesus Christ, and that the essence of belonging is to be one with Christ.

Saturday Evening Session:

Shayne M. Bowen:

Miracles, Angels, and Priesthood Power: Elder Bowen spoke about the miracles and divine assistance available through the power of the priesthood.

Steven R. Bangerter:

Foreordained to Serve: Elder Bangerter discussed the concept of being foreordained to serve in the Lord’s kingdom.

Andrea Muñoz Spannaus:

Faithful to the End: Sister Spannaus encouraged faithfulness and perseverance in the gospel until the end.

Matthew L. Carpenter:

Fruit That Remains: Elder Carpenter taught about the lasting impact of living the gospel and bearing good fruit.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

A Higher Joy: Elder Uchtdorf spoke about finding a higher joy in Jesus Christ1.

Sunday Morning Session:

Ronald A. Rasband:

Words Matter: Elder Rasband emphasized the importance of our words and how they reflect our inner self and beliefs.

Susan H. Porter:

Pray, He Is There: Sister Porter reminded us that God is always there and that we can communicate with Him through prayer.

Dale G. Renlund:

The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ: Elder Renlund discussed the transformative power of the doctrine of Christ in our lives.

Paul B. Pieper:

Trust in the Lord: Elder Pieper encouraged trust in the Lord, even when the path is not clear.

Patrick Kearon:

God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home: Elder Kearon spoke about God’s plan and desire to bring all His children back to Him.

Brian K. Taylor:

Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ: Elder Taylor taught about the joy that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dallin H. Oaks:

Covenants and Responsibilities: President Oaks discussed the responsibilities that come with making covenants with God2.

Sunday Afternoon Session:

D. Todd Christofferson:

The Testimony of Jesus: Elder Christofferson spoke about the central role of Jesus Christ in our lives and the importance of bearing testimony of Him.

Taylor G. Godoy:

Call, Don’t Fall: Elder Godoy encouraged listeners to heed the call of the Savior and not fall away from the gospel.

Gary E. Stevenson:

Bridging the Two Great Commandments: Elder Stevenson taught about the connection between loving God and loving our neighbors.

Mathias Held:

Opposition in All Things: Elder Held discussed the purpose of opposition in life and how it can strengthen us.

Neil L. Andersen:

Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth: Elder Andersen spoke about the growth of temples around the world and their significance.

Mark L. Pace:

It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon: Elder Pace discussed the wisdom and importance of the Book of Mormon.

Russell M. Nelson:

Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys: President Nelson spoke about the blessings of the priesthood and the keys that govern its use

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Names in the Book of Mormon

Thanks to Jerry Grover.  Names in book of mormon had to to with what happened to them or something about them.  May not have been their actual given name. 

Zeniff = [Egy] znb = to be overthrown. [Hb] snb = tail


Mulek = [Egy] walking fish, chief [Hb] king


Mosiah = [Egy];moshe = son of God or king, [Hb] mshh = anointed, savior. 


King Benjamin = [Hb] son of the right hand 


Samuel the Lamanite = [Hb] name of God


Nephi 2/3 =  beautiful, fair, departed, tarry, protector


Laman = no faith, unbeliever, filthy


Mormon = jubilee, bind, wisdom, wild beast. rain. 

Zarahemla = offspring of God


Jaredites = tribe of the West


Jerusalem = city of peace


Nephites = tribe of Nephi


Gadianton Robbers = tribe of lucre

Limhi = 30, people of 30





Thursday, March 21, 2024

April 8 2024, US Eclipse



This is the second in a pair of total solar eclipses.  The first occured seven years ago (6 years, 6 months, 6 weeks, 6 days) on Aug 21, 2017. There was also 2 annular eclipse in 2021 and 2023 in between. The October 14, 2023 annular eclipse passed through Oregon, Utah and Texas. The eclipses also pass over several LDS Church history sites. 

Some point yo this eclipse as a "sign of the times".  Some claim the second eclipse coincidentally will pass over over near several cities naked Ninevah in several US states, Canadian provinces as well as Jonah, Texas.  I think it interesting that the X point near Marion, Illinois at the head of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers may represent the center of Nephites lands in the Book of Mormon according to Heartland geography.  This would be the place in the "center" of Nephite lands where King Lachoneus gathered the people to defend themselves against the wicked Gadianton Robbers and King Men before the Coming of Jesus Christ. 

List of Salem Cities (Aug 21, 2017):
1. Salem, Oregon. (total)
2. Salem, Idaho. (total)
3. Salem, Nebraska (total)
4. Salem, Missouri  (partial)
5. Salem, Illinois. (partial)
6. Salem, Kentucky. (total)
7. Salem, South Carolina. (total)

List of Ninevah Cities (April 8, 2024):
1. Jonah, Texas.  (total)
2. Ninevah, Texas  (partial)
3. Ninevah, Missouri  (partial)
3. Ninevah, Indiana (total)
4. Ninevah, Ohio  (total)
5. Ninevah, Virginia  (partial)
6. Ninevah, Pennsylvania (partial)
7. Ninevah, New York  (partial)
8. Ninevah, Victoria, Nova Scotia, Canada (partial)

Matt 12:38-40
38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.


Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Hinge Point



Rome Temple dedicated March 10-12, 2019.

162 hinge point
162 x 2 = 324

3/2024
188 dedicated temples
183 operating temples
5 renovation
53 construction
94 announced
335 total dedicated and announced

188 + 53 = 241 dedicated and construction



Monday, March 18, 2024

Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon



Hebraisms:
1. And it came to pass = vayahi, literary marker used because Hebrew didnt have punctuation. KJV has "and it was so" "and it happened" "thus" "and" similar to bofm. 
2. Plural Amplification: plural nouns like bloodsheds, condescentions mights, etc (see Abel "bloods").
3. Seidel's Law = inversion of quotations Ez 34:27/Lev 26:4.  Alma 5:19/Psalm 34:3.
4. Cognate Accusative: dreamed a dream, worked a work, built a building
5. Prophecy in Past Tense = as if it already happened (see Jarom 1:11)
6. Chiasmus, = DCBABCD construction. 
7. Anapodoton = Alma 36:9 "If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God." interrupted fragment sentences.
8. If-And conditionals.
9. Dramatic prophecy: acting out prophecy.
10. creating names by suffixing -on to the tri-consonantal root. Jershon = y-r-sh = "to inherit". (Yerusha).
11. Merismus: list, ABCDEF. summerized AEF (2 Ne 33:4).
12. Numbers:1 Nephi 3:31, command fifty. 
13. Colophones: I, Nephi 
14. Antenantiosis: "despise not the revelations of God" (Jacob 4:8) emphasize by opposite. "if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out" (Mormon 9:29),
15. Preposition instead of Adverb: "with patience" instead of patiently (Mosiah 24:15)
"with much harshness" instead of very harshly (1 Nephi 18:11).
16. Because-That Clause: Because/that,  after/that. before/that. "And because that they are redeemed from the fall" (2 Nephi 2:26)

Donald Perry from BYU has a book listing 30 destinct categories.  This list comes from a combination of sources like FAIR, Maxwell Institute and Book of Mormon Central.