116 pages Archives — Denver Snuffer

2 Nephi 31: 1:

“And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.”

Don’t make any mistakes, Nephi was a prophet. He knew he was a prophet. He also knew his testimony and explanations were indeed prophesy. So, in case you were wondering, here he removes any doubt. He is “making an end of my prophesying unto you.” And he identifies “you” to mean his “beloved brethren.” Who would that be? Could gentiles be included as his “beloved brethren?” What would a gentile have to do or be in order to qualify for that description? They why aren’t you doing that?

Why “cannot” he “write but a few things” further? Is there a limit put upon his prophecy for us? (1 Nephi 14: 28.) Would he have liked to have said more? Does he assure us what he did write is true and complete as far as permitted to be written? (1 Nephi 14: 30.)

What does it mean that he knows it “must surely come to pass?” How can he know that? What does it mean about the information we have in his record? How closely was the information given in conformity with what the Lord wanted him to reveal? How seriously should we take the record or prophecy of Nephi?

Why does Nephi refer again to his brother Jacob? What did Nephi and Jacob have in common in their faith and knowledge? (2 Nephi 11: 2-3.) What does this imply about the validity of their testimony, their prophecy, their commission to deliver words of warning? What level of attention should their words attract from us? If we give them strict heed, will they lead us in the way of life and salvation?

As he ends his record, an aging and dying prophet, whose journey began on another continent is pleading to us to save ourselves. He has been such a significant source of faith in moments of despair, that when the Lord was reminding Joseph Smith of faith in troubled times, He drew directly from Nephi’s life. Joseph was in Liberty Jail, abandoned by force of arms by his people, who had been evicted from Missouri. The governor had ordered the extermination of Mormons if they remained. Joseph’s people had been killed, mobbed, evicted, driven in the snow from Missouri, their property pillaged, their women abused, and their houses burned. In a dungeon cell, Joseph was lamenting his plight. He felt abandoned by the Saints, and by God. As he pled for relief, the Lord told him to face adversity without complaint, because it would ultimately be for his good. When the Lord spoke and reminded Joseph of moments of despair over which faith and hope triumphed, one of the moments used was taken from Nephi’s life:

“if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” (See, 1 Nephi 18: 13-16.)

It was no accident that the 116 pages were lost, compelling the use of Nephi’s full record to begin the Book of Mormon. It was a “wise purpose” indeed. (Wds. of Mormon 1: 6-7.) These words were always destined to come to us unabridged, from the hand of Nephi unaltered, translated by the gift and power of God into our language by Joseph Smith. Now they confront us, inform us, elevate us, warn us and deliver to us the means of obtaining the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’ve been reflecting upon a conversation I had with a self-described “tax protester” who has not paid income taxes and is now facing legal issues as a result. After a couple of days of reflection I had this considered response to this dilemma:

I use a particular method in determining what issues I need Divine direction to resolve and what issues I need no direction from the Lord to resolve. If there is an answer in the scriptures, contained in the teachings of Christ, then I simply do not ask the question. Instead I assume Christ’s teachings are intended to govern my conduct and I comply. On the tax issue, for example, Christ did not resist paying taxes. (Matt. 17: 24-27.) Nor did Christ teach anything other than to pay taxes. (Matt. 22: 15-22.) Therefore, it would not occur to me to even ask the Lord about whether or not to pay taxes.

When it comes to asking the Lord about something on which His teachings are already clear, a person risks receiving permission to do what will ultimately instruct them by sad example that they ought to have followed His earlier teachings. The best example of this is when Joseph requested he be allowed to let Martin Harris take the 116 pages and was told “no.” He persisted, and despite having been told “no,” he asked again and was then told “yes.” The “yes” was not because God had changed His mind, but because Joseph simply refused to learn by anything other than sad experience to respect God’s counsel. (D&C 3; D&C 10: 1-30.)

Therefore, when there is already an instruction on point from the Lord, and we ignore it, the answer we receive may be for our benefit. We may need to learn by sad experience what we might have learned instead by precept and wisdom from the Lord.

It is this kind of experience men repeat by failing to follow God’s counsel. Then, when they might have avoided the sting which follows, they choose instead to suffer. Oftentimes they will blame the Lord for the hardships they brought upon themselves, when, if they had hearkened to the Lord’s counsel in the first place, they would never have had to suffer.

This is why it is so important to study the scriptures. If the answer is in there (and almost everything IS in there) and we do not choose to find it, but to inquire for a new revelation instead, we oftentimes doom ourselves to a sad experience. His counsel should be heeded. When we don’t heed, and ask instead for new or different guidance, we may be given permission to do what He has already told us to avoid. This is one of the great lessons from the lost 116 pages.