King Benjamin

I really am interested in all of your observations. Here are a few questions to prompt a discussion.

What did King Benjamin do to cause his people to love him so much and be so obedient?

What is your favorite teaching from his talk?

Why is he so important to us?

Please leave comments for everyone to read! Thanks!

Smaller plates of Nephi

Before we jump into Mosiah and the rest of the Book of Mormon, I want just to wrap things up with what we have done so far. Remember that what we have been studying are not the words of Mormon. Those were on the 116 pages that were lost and so we have been studying the writings of various prophets including Nephi. These words come from a different set of plates that both Nephi and Mormon were told to include. I have been wondering if we had the lost pages would they be the same. I can't help but think that we are fortunate to have the words as written by Nephi. There is an incredible amount of information in those pages. More then I think are in any other Old Testament book. We know more about what is going to happen. We have very precise detail of many important historical events. We need to not take this for granted. The world does not have this information. It is unique to us. I think it is interesting that Mormon adds an additional witness of these writing. He tells us in the Words of Mormon that he himself has witness the destruction of his people and then he says that his son will probably see the complete destruction. This was prophesied by Nephi. I think there is another interesting pattern in these writing. Nephi was told that the Brass Plates were very important. They would help them maintain their faith and their religion. I think these stories point out another component that is equally important and that is living prophets. Men that are schooled in the ways of the Lord and are spiritually sensitive to God. They are the very glue that keeps everything working. A big thank you to Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni, Mormon and of course Moroni!

Chaparral Ward Gospel Doctrine Class

Hello everyone! I hope all is well! I have missed our classes and I am hoping that we will be back together soon. I am looking forward to what can happen with this blog. I am looking forward to hear from you all and sharing ideas and impressions.

I want this to be a community effort. I will post my thoughts and impressions and I would love to hear back from all of you. This will help us stay current with our assignments.

Thanks !

Bro. B

ARCHIBALD WALLER OVERTON BUCHANAN 1830-1915 WHISTLING AND WHITTLING BRIGADE - NAUVOO Archibald was baptized on his ninth birthday, 9 February 1839, some of his family having been converted by missionaries as early as 1834. His father died in Lima, Illinois, the same year he was baptized, leaving his mother with 10 children. The family suffered the persecutions of the Saints in Caldwell Co. Missouri and the violence of being expelled with the rest of the Saints in 1838. In late 1838 and 1839, they were in Quincy and Lima, Illinois where John died, and they were in the midst of the persecutions of the Church there. After her husband’s death, Nancy Ann moved her family to Nauvoo for safety. They were there when the Prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum were martyred. Archie was 14 years old. He relates: “About this time, [after the martyrdom] when there were many strangers among us, we boys were organized into little groups to follow these people to find out about them and what their intentions were. We were called a ‘Whistling and Whittling Brigade.’ It was organized among the younger boys and I was one of them. We watched around town for people who were strangers. If we saw a man looking around, whom we did not know, we would go up reasonably close to him and start to whistle and whittle. We followed him at a fairly close distance, just enough to be an aggravation to him and yet not to be too close. If he came to us and asked questions we did not look up nor did we answer but only continued to whistle and whittle. I suppose we were too young to hit individually but if he had attacked us, the group could easily have overcome him so there was really no danger. With this method we were able in many cases to force the stranger out of town.” He also remembered: “Because I was there I must tell you that I saw with my own eyes the mantle of the prophet fall upon Brigham Young. I heard the voice of Brigham Young become the voice of the Prophet Joseph. I heard this with my own ears, and I again bear witness that the Council of the Twelve was to be the leaders of the Church. Mother and her family were willing to follow them.” (By Claudine Cable, Great-great-great granddaughter.)

Teenage Witness to the Martyrdom

BY GOLDEN R. BUCHANAN

Just a lad of eight or nine was I, but I have not forgotten what he said, or how the old man trembled as he talked.

Grandpa Archie sat in Mother’s rocker, waiting for his lunch. Suddenly he called me to him, took me on his lap, and said, “Golden, I am old. I won’t be around much longer, but I have something to say to you that must not be lost. I want my grandchildren and their children to know that I was in Nauvoo when they murdered our Prophet.”

His old body trembled, and he squeezed me until I was almost frightened as I felt the deep anger in his soul. His feeble eyes blazed, and his soft, faltering voice became as hard as ice, and as cold:

“How I hated those who dared lay their hands upon the prophet I loved.”

He sighed, and his old body relaxed a little. “I was there when they brought their bodies back from Carthage. I saw their bloody, lifeless forms; I heard the anguished cries of their wives and neighbors; I saw their sobbing children and tried to comfort them.

“I knew the Prophet’s boys, played with them. They were often in our home, and I in theirs. Now they were fatherless, even as I. Their father was a martyr by bullets; my father was dead because of drivings, persecutions, and hate—but no less a martyr for the truth.

“I was there when they buried the sandbags to deceive the mob and laid the bodies in secret graves.”

Grandfather paused. He needed strength. And then he went on: “Listen again, my son. I tell you this because I want you to know. After the Prophet’s body fell from the window at Carthage, the mob rushed upon him to desecrate his body. But God would not permit this act of violence. He sent a sheet of lightning between the Prophet and those sons of the infernal pit, and they dared not touch him. Golden, my son, remember this—they could not touch him. They ran and are running still and will run till judgment day.”

He was tired now and his voice trailed off, “I hope I am present at that day.”

He dozed. Slowly the color crept back into his face, and when he opened his eyes, they shone with a light I had not seen before. Holding me at arm’s length, he commanded with a voice that no longer shook:

“My boy, look at me and listen. I want you to hear it from one who was there. I want you to hear it from one who loved him. I want you to hear it from one who knows.

“Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Through him God restored his church, and it will never be destroyed or taken from the earth. Now, my boy, remember what I say. I, your grandfather, was 14 then, and I wasthere.”

Editor’s note: The family of Archibald Buchanan (1830–1915) joined the Church in 1835 at Lima, Illinois. He came to Utah in 1852, filled a mission in the Elk Mountain Indian Mission, and afterward served for many years as Brigham Young’s interpreter to the Ute Indians. Brother Buchanan was a member of the first Sevier Stake high council.

[illustrations] Illustrated by Larry Norton

Brother Golden Buchanan is an assistant sealing supervisor in the Salt Lake Temple. He lives in Big Cottonwood 12th Ward, Salt Lake Big Cottonwood Stake.

Published in the June 1974 Ensign

His Grace is Sufficient

This Sunday in Sunday School our new instructor referenced this talk. I just had the opportunity to review it and I highly recommend that your listen to it. It will be the best 32 minutes you spend this week. I have had a real strong impression that the way we Mormons talk about grace is a little off. I think Brother Wilcox nails it. I love the analogy that he uses about the parent paying for piano lessons. It works for me. Enjoy!

Brad Wilcox - His Grace is Sufficient

It’s been a long time since I posted. Life gets kind of crazy and you lose track of the days. I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season. It is a wonderful time to think about the Savior and his miraculous birth.

Two weeks ago I was asked to give the lesson in the High Priest Group. The topic was “How the Savior birth affects us all”. While I was studying this topic I came across an Ensign article publish in 1997 titled Birth of the Messiah. It was very interesting and taught me many things.

I went back in the Old Testament to look for images that would help explain the Story of the Nativity.  I came across Ezekiel 34 and it was like I had never read it before. It is a beautiful chapter where the Lord identifies the leaders of the Jews as the Shepherds. And then reprimands them for not feeding the sheep. He then goes on to say that he will seek after the lost sheep of Israel and they will be brought to his pastures and find peace. It is extremely beautiful and poignant. It is worth the read.

So I’m thinking that the first century Jews and Christians are familiar with this image and so when they read the story of the Nativity, they might be confused. The angels did not appear to the ruler of the Jews but to humble Shepherds in the field. Men who didn’t have authority, but were just doing their jobs. This is an immense privilege. What could be the meaning of this? Some will say that it is just a story. It doesn’t have to have any meaning. I believe it does. It describes those who are diligently working to prepare those who will serve in the church.

In the above mention article the writer explains that according to Jewish law, sheep and other herds where keep a distance away from the cities. Living next to a dairy I can understand the need for space. But according to the story, the shepherds where close by, as after the angels appeared they went and visited the child.

So it turns out that the Jews would keep flocks of sheep near the town that were to give birth to Passover lambs.  And more than likely they were birthing them during the time the star appeared. These were no ordinary flocks. They were separated from the rest and were preparing for the Passover. A very important celebration in the Jewish calendar.

So important was the work these men were performing that the heavens saw fit to announce and celebrate the birth of the Savior.  Christ the Savior of the entire world, born in this country and lambs born to take on themselves individual sins of those willing to offer them as sacrifice. I think this is a type of the work of the church. We are all involved in the process of preparing Passover lambs. Those that will sacrifice their time, talents and everything they are blessed with in building the church and kingdom of God on this earth.

Whatever calling we have is important. It helps us and others to do his work. Be diligent and patient in do the work and great blessing will be yours. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!