Mosiah 8

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 6/20 Green 3/21 orange 6/22 Brown 2023.)

Chapter 8

Ammon teaches the people of Limhi—He learns of the twenty-four Jaredite plates—Ancient records can be translated by seers—No gift is greater than seership. About 121 B.C.

  1 And it came to pass that after king Limhi had made an end of ^aspeaking to his people, for he spake many things unto them and only a few of them have I written in this book, he told his people all the things concerning their brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla. Did he know this history of their fathers from Zarahemla because it was passed down or because Ammon had told him?
  2 And he caused that Ammon should stand up before the multitude, and rehearse unto them all that had happened unto their brethren from the time that ^aZeniff went up out of the land even until the time that he ^bhimself came up out of the land. So Limhi had told their history in Zarahemla up until the time Zeniff left and now Ammon was going to bring them current.
  3 And he also rehearsed unto them the last words which king Benjamin had ^ataught them, and explained love this. saying words and understanding them can be separate things them to the people of king Limhi, so that they might understand all the words which he spake. I want God to speak to us in plainness.  
  4 And it came to pass that after he had done all this, that king Limhi dismissed the multitude, and caused that they should return every one unto his own house. was this so they could discuss and ponder as families and not just go on about their day? Was this a Sabbath day? Reminds me of when the Savior taught the Nephites and told them to go home after he was done. This time they don't return... Also, the words of King Benjamin did not bring a Born Again experience for these people. There's a lesson in there...
  5 And it came to pass that he caused that the ^aplates which contained the ^brecord of his people from the time that they left the ^cland of Zarahemla, should be brought before Ammon, that he might read them. So the tradition of keeping a record of your history continued with this group that had left Zarahemla 80-90 years ago. Awesome. Now we have Limhi catching Ammon up on what had been going on with them since they left Zarahemla.
  6 Now, as soon as Ammon had read the record, the king inquired of him to know if he could ^ainterpret languages, and Ammon told him that he could not. 
  7 And the king said unto him: Being grieved for the afflictions of my people, I caused that ^aforty and three of my people should take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they might find the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our brethren to deliver us out of bondage. Now I can see why Limhi so easily assumed those in Zarahemla would be willing to free them from bondage...he’d been working on this for years.
  8 And they were lost in the wilderness for the space of ^amany days, Apparently no one tracks their journeying. When Zeniff left Zarahemla, he may not have known how to get to where he was going, but could have mapped where they went so they could get back. But when they sent people back, they didn’t have any such map. yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with ^bbones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel. Wouldn’t that have been trippy to find that!
  9 And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought ^atwenty-four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold. 24 plates of writing and Mormon summarized with the small book of Ether. I wonder what he left out. When I read it last, it felt like there was little said about their religion. Just mention of prophets...
 10 And behold, also, they have brought ^abreastplates, which are large, and they are of ^bbrass and of copper, and are perfectly sound.
 11 And again, they have brought swords, the hilts thereof have perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust; Did he mention these items of brass and copper "were perfectly sound" and contrasted with swords that were cankered with rust to prove that the brass plates written centuries ago could indeed still be read and were not destroyed over time? and there is no one in the land that is able to interpret the language or the engravings that are on the plates. Therefore I said unto thee: Canst thou translate?
 12 And I say unto thee again: Knowest thou of any one that can translate? For I am desirous that these records should be translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed, from whence these records came; or, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of this very people who have been destroyed; and I am desirous to know the cause of their destruction. We should want to know the cause of their destruction as well. The Book of Mormon is a warning to our nation of how to prevent our own destruction. President Nelson said it was our “survival guide”. With records of two American civilizations that have been destroyed, we have two witnesses of our own fate. We should take this soooo seriously!
 13 Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can ^atranslate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called ^binterpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called ^cseer. This language kind of sounds like the same as the ark of the covenant. 
 14 And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of Zarahemla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and who has this high gift from God.
 15 And the king said that a ^aseer is greater than a prophet.
 16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God. Satan seeks to possess the power of God or to be more powerful than God, but he has none. Well, none except that which God allows him to exercise. We say we have "prophets, seers and revelators". Here he says a seer is a revelator...so what is the difference? 
 17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. We have 15 "seers" on the earth today...actually, 19, if you count John and the 3 Nephites. When will they use this "gift" to make secret things known? It is so needed today! I'm not sure how this explanation of "seer" is different than making a prophesy...isn't a prophesy to say what will come? Can they not know of things past?  I'm thinking that when a person "reveals" what they "see" then they are a "revelator". If they don't share what they have "seen", then they are just a "seer". And maybe a "prophet" can reveal what is in the future, but a "seer" can reveal what has been in the past as well which would make a seer greater than a prophet.
 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings. Is he still talking about these seers? Is it the faith of the people that will allow these seers to work mighty miracles for the benefit of the rest of the world? I feel impressed to now ask with great desire the same question that the Brethren asked that was answered with increased Sabbath Day worship - HOW DO WE INCREASE FAITH? Was that because our lack of true faith is causing their silence? If we want them to speak more freely and openly, do we have to have more faith? How is this shown? How do we know if we have enough? How is that  manifest? Ultimately it is faith in Christ that draws us to Him. It is from Him that we are Baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost and given power to work mighty miracles. So we know if we have "enough" faith, if we have received this Heavenly Gift.
 19 And now, when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying: Doubtless a ^agreat mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.
 20 O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with his people; yea, and how ^ablind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that ^bshe should rule over them! Interesting that wisdom is a feminine noun in Hebrew. Is this a virtue of women? Is this why Pres. Nelson has so strongly urged men to listen to the counsel of women? Are the blind, impenetrable understandings literally of the male gender? However you look at it - we need to seek wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge of what is true, along with the judgment of how to act.
 21 Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd, and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of the forest. This is so true TODAY!. God surely is suffering long with what He sees. Man is truly blind to the point that it seems almost impossible to penetrate that blindness with light. They have no desire for wisdom. They are being scattered and driven by evil wolves in their midst and yes, even being devoured.