Greater Things

President Nelson spoke about the importance of the Book of Mormon many years ago in general conference. In that talk, he mentioned that “when Mormon abridged these records, he noted that he could not write a ‘hundredth part’ of their proceedings.” He commented, “Thus, historical aspects of the book assume secondary significance.” In the footnote to that comment he referenced six verses in which the Book of Mormon authors suggested that they could not write one hundredth of the things of the people. Looking at these, they are indeed mostly referring to the history of the Nephites that could not be written. Jacob had explained that the Nephite authors were to “write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi…. And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates” (Jacob 1:2, 4). Thus, their focus was to be on spiritual things, which is why they only wrote “a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people” in most instances (Helaman 3:14). The one anomaly, though, among the “hundredth” references is this statement from Mormon when recording the words of the Savior when He personally visited the Nephites: “And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people.” Here Mormon was recording what Jesus said to the people, and he wanted to write more: “Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people” (3 Nephi 26:6, 11). His reason for not including the full account was not in this case because it was relatively unimportant compared to more spiritual matters, for nothing could be more important the words of the Savior Himself to the people. No, in this case the text was not recorded for us because the Lord wanted to try our faith before giving it to us.     

               Concerning these words of the Savior of which we only have a small part, Mormon made this interesting statement: “And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken. And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them” (3 Nephi 26:8-9). These verses beg the question for all of us who have and believe in the Book of Mormon: how well do we “receive” them? Mormon’s words here suggest that there is some level of receiving the record as we have it now that will qualify us for more. In that same message from President Nelson he began with these words, “Not long after my call to serve as one of the Twelve Apostles, I was summoned to the office of the President of our Quorum, President Ezra Taft Benson. He expressed deep concern that members of the Church did not fully appreciate the value of the Book of Mormon. With emotion in his voice, he read to me from the 84th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: ‘Your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.’ By that time, President Benson had completely captured my attention. He then concluded his admonition: ‘And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon.’” President Benson felt that we were still under that condemnation when he was the prophet, saying for example in 1987: “This condemnation has not been lifted, nor will it be until we repent.” And it may still be the same today; we must fully receive through earnest study and faithful living the words we have already been given in the Book of Mormon so that the Savior can give us more. We know that there is much that was not included in the book as we have it today—including the Savior’s great revelation to the brother of Jared—and He awaits our exercise of faith to prove we are ready for the “greater things” He wants to reveal to us.