April 2010, at the BYU Women’s Conference, Julie B. Beck challenged us to read the Book of Mormon with a special intent.
“I have a little exercise for those of you who want something specific to do in your scripture study. Get a new little copy of the Book of Mormon. In the front of it, open to a blank page and write three questions: Who am I? What are my responsibilities in the house of Israel? How do I fulfill my responsibilities? As you read and study, you will find some blank pages in the back. You can add Post-it notes if you like. Start writing your answers in the back as you read, and you will have a journey of discovery about who you are. It doesn’t matter how long this study takes. Take one month, take ten years, and discover who you are. When you finish studying those questions in the Book of Mormon, study them in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Old Testament. The Lord knows who you are. He knows what your responsibilities are and how you can fulfill them. Power and strength will come to you as you understand who you are in the Lord’s kingdom.” (Julie B. Beck, BYU Women’s Conference, Opening Session, April 29, 2010)
I took this challenge and just finished reading the Book of Mormon. I labeled the blank pages with each question and filled them with my discoveries. I don’t think I learned anything earth shattering, but I’ll tell you what I came to know. I came to know, once again, that God knows who I am, and has a plan set in motion that I am participating in. It’s very humbling to me to know this. The gospel becomes personal to me and I cannot let the Lord down.
Here are a few thoughts I wrote down:
WHO AM I—“I am a child of God. This earth has been prepared to sustain me while I make a very important choice/commitment/covenant. I cannot afford to let Satan pull me off my course. As a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ, I am part of the House of Israel, and I am chosen of my Father. Alma says in Chp. 13 that being of the House of Israel is a holy calling. The power is within all of us according to our faith which is in Christ. When we know who we are, we will recognize the devil and his wickedness. This is kind of like the Second Rescue of the Martin and Willie Handcart story. The Latter-day House of Israel will save the Original House of Israel. God is depending on us to succeed. Earthlife is my opportunity to choose God, for He has already chosen me.”
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL—“I need to be willing to see, hear, and know, to recognize my Savior and my Heavenly Father, so I can return to them. We should all be willing to say Here Am I; Send Me. To preach that he lives and has already saved us if we but come unto Him (2 Ne 29). Use Priesthood power to gather the House of Israel (Mosiah 18). Teach nothing but repentance and faith. No contention-1 eye, 1 baptism, unity. Once we learn who we are, we must dedicate ourselves to serve, testify, bear witness, follow Christ’s example, and love one another (Mosiah 20). To keep my house full and my children’s houses full, and their children’s houses full. To not fail like the original House of Israel did.”
HOW DO I FULFILL MY RESPONSIBILITY—“God wants me back. He has provided the means for me to do so. Yet, He allows me to choose for myself. Does He love me that much? Does He trust me that much? Can I fulfill this great expectation? The Holy Ghost has been given to me, so I may know the truths necessary to choose Jesus Christ and return to Him. The Book of Mormon will unlock the sacred messages and promises of Jesus Christ. We can record sacred experiences and testimony in the hopes it will touch someone’s heart to repentance. When the House of Israel forgets who they are, the Lord loves them enough to remind them. Serve mission after mission as Alma did. Teach by the power of the Holy Spirit. Answer the call to serve. Bear witness. Pray for those we teach. Use the Spirit to draw people to you. Awake and Arise! Put on the holy garments and constantly seek to be strengthened by the Spirit.
I can’t help but feel that the early sisters understood their mission as the Latter-day House of Israel. We need to refocus and unite as we set out to accomplish all of the work we have before us. There is no time to waste. If we procrastinate, we don’t delay the Lord’s Coming, we take the chance of greeting Him with an ungathered, incomplete house.
Have you ever considered that the Book of Mormon refers to us, not as members of the house of Israel, but as gentiles? If you read the Title page of the book, you will find that it was written to three specific groups:
“Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile”
So… if you assume that the Book of Mormon was written to us, as members of the church in this day, which group do you belong to?
My answer is that, if you are a member of European descent, you are classified as a gentile. You are likely not a Jew and, unless you are native american, your chances of being a lamanite/remnant of the house of Israel is pretty low.
What would you discover about the message of the Book of Mormon if you read it as a gentile member of his church? Given the cultural definition of ‘gentile’ used in the church, this is likely a foreign idea. But keep in mind that the Book of Mormon was to be brought to the world through the gentiles:
“then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed— 1 Nephi 15:13”
I would also suggest you carefully read 3 Nephi 16 and ponder the references to the three groups to which the book was written.
Finally, I would suggest that the warning in 3 Nephi, chapter 30 is to us, as gentiles. The opportunity to repent will allow us to be ‘numbered’ with those who God considers as the house of Israel. This only happens when we have received a remission of our sins and have been filled with the Holy Ghost. That concept, I believe, is the core of the gospel message of the Book of Mormon.
What you say is absolutely correct, but somehow it comes off condescending, so I’d watch that if I were you.
First of all, it’s true, the Book of Mormon speaks to “us” as Gentiles. But have you looked at your Patriarchal Blessing lately? It tells me plainly that I am of the House of Israel, adopted, or otherwise. The Jews are only a small part of the House of Israel.
Second, your “suggestions” suggest I am teaching incorrectly, when in reality I am merely testifying of what I have learned.
Since we are all on the same side, I wonder why oneupmanship exists. I believe Jesus Christ taught us what His gospel ISN’T–3 Ne 11:28-30 “He that hath the Spirit of Contention is not of me, but is of the devil.”
I want you to know that I have enjoyed reading this blog and have included it inMy personal list of Faithful blogs. Thank you.
Jan, this is quite remarkable. I had not heard this speech or even heard of it before, but I am going to take this process to heart. Thanks for sharing.