Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “The Nephites adjusted their calendar so as to begin a new dating era with the birth of Jesus; and according to their chronology, the storms and the darkness and the crucifixion came to pass on the fourth day of the first month of the thirty fourth year. (3 Ne. 8:5) Then “in the ending’ of that year (3 Ne. 10:18 19), several months after the Ascension on Olivet, Jesus ministered personally among the Nephites for many hours on many days.” (Mortal Messiah, Book 4, p. 307)
President Ezra Taft Benson: “True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior (see Alma 5:13). Part of this mighty change of heart is to feel godly sorrow for our sins. This is what is meant by a broken heart and a contrite spirit. God’s gifts are sufficient to help us overcome every sin and weakness if we will but turn to Him for help. Most repentance does not involve sensational or dramatic changes, but rather is a step by step, steady and consistent movement toward godliness.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 71.)
Elder Bruce D. Porter: “The Savior’s perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ’s example teaches us that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness. When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master. …
“… Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead.” (Bruce D. Porter, “A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 32)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. All members of the Church have access to the doctrine, ordinances, priesthood keys, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location.” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior’s Second Coming,” Ensign, Apr. 2020, 15)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path. Staying on that narrow but well-defined path will ultimately qualify us to receive all that God has. Nothing could be worth more than all our Father has!” (Russell M. Nelson, “Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 6)
President Russell M. Nelson: “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks. We hear of those who belittle their spouses and children, of those who use angry outbursts to control others, and of those who punish family members with the “silent treatment.” We hear of youth and children who bully and of employees who defame their colleagues.
“My dear brothers and sisters, this should not be. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others—especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The Savior’s Atonement made it possible for us to overcome all evil—including contention. Make no mistake about it: contention is evil! Jesus Christ declared that those who have “the spirit of contention” are not of Him but are “of the devil, who is the father of contention, and [the devil] stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.”8 Those who foster contention are taking a page out of Satan’s playbook, whether they realize it or not. “No man can serve two masters.”9 We cannot support Satan with our verbal assaults and then think that we can still serve God..” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
President Spencer W. Kimball: “These tremendous convulsions of nature not only impressed the Nephites greatly so that they recorded them in their history, but the memory of them also stayed in the minds of the Lamanites, or the American Indians, for fifteen hundred years. Shortly after the discovery of America, the Catholic missionaries and explorers learned that the American Indians had a tradition of the great convulsions of nature that took place at the time of Christ’s death. For example, I would like to quote from a Lamanite, an Indian prince named Ixtlilxochitl, who lived near the city of Mexico and wrote his book in 1600 A.D.:
“…the sun and the moon eclipsed, and the earth trembled, and the rocks broke, and many other things and signs took place, . . . This happened . . . at the same time when Christ our Lord suffered, and they say it happened during the first days of the year.” (Works of Ixtlilxochitl, cited in Milton R. Hunter and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Ancient America and the Book of Mormon. p. 190.)” (Conference Report, Apr. 1961, p. 50-51).
President Ezra Taft Benson: “The record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.” (April 1987 General Conference).
President Harold B. Lee: “The greatest miracles I see today are not necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such, because they are precious in the sight of the Lord, and we want no one to feel that they are forgotten.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 178; or Ensign, July 1973, 123).
President Ezra Taft Benson: “…we must be cautious as we discuss…remarkable examples of conversion. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said “were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.’ (3 Ne. 9:20)” (Ensign, Oct. 1989, p. 2, 6).
Why did they not hear the voice the first time (3 Ne. 11:3)?
Why did they ‘understand it not’ (3 Ne. 11:4)?
President Henry B. Eyring: “He speaks: “I am the light and the life of the world; . . . I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world; . . . I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.’ That is it. Eight lines. Fifty two words. “And . . . when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth.’
“I have thought often about this moment in Nephite history, and I cannot think it either accident or mere whimsy that the Good Shepherd in his newly exalted state, appearing to a most significant segment of his flock, chooses to speak first of his obedience, his deference, his loyalty, and loving submission to his Father. In an initial and profound moment of spellbinding wonder, when surely he has the attention of every man, woman, and child as far as the eye can see, his submission to his Father is the first and most important thing he wishes us to know about himself.”
“Frankly, I am a bit haunted by the thought that this is the first and most important thing he may want to know about us when we meet him one day in similar fashion. Did we obey, even if it was painful? Did we submit, even if the cup was bitter indeed? Did we yield to a vision higher and holier than our own, even when we may have seen no vision in it at all?
“… no amount of education, or any other kind of desirable and civilizing experience in this world, will help us at the moment of our confrontation with Christ if we have not been able – and are not then able – to yield all that we are, all that we have, and all that we ever hope to have to the Father and the Son.” (On Earth As It Is In Heaven, p. 126-7.)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: The appearance of the resurrected Lord to the Nephites and His declaration of His messiahship “constituted the focal point, the supreme moment, in the entire history of the Book of Mormon. It was the manifestation and the decree that had informed and inspired every Nephite prophet for the previous six hundred years…
“Everyone had talked of him, sung of him, dreamed of him, and prayed for his appearance—but here he actually was. The day of days! The God who turns every dark night into morning light had arrived.” (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 250–51).
“There were about 2500 persons who saw and felt his physical body on that occasion (see 3 Nephi 17:25). Even at three or four seconds each, “one by one,’ that would take several hours. The passage we have just read is one of the greatest scriptural records in our possession. It is clear that “showing’ himself involved more than having them merely look. It was sight, sound, touch, and a witness of the Spirit.” (Book of Mormon Symposium Series, “The Keystone Scripture”, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD Tate, Jr., 1988, p. 31)
President Russell M. Nelson: “As we dread any disease that undermines the health of the body, so should we deplore contention, which is a corroding canker of the spirit…My concern in that contention is becoming accepted as a way of life. From what we see and hear in the media, the classroom, and the workplace, all are now infected to some degree with contention…Well do I remember a friend who would routinely sow seeds of contention in church classes. His assaults would invariably be preceded by this predictable comment: “Let me play the role of devil’s advocate.’ Recently he passed away. One day he will stand before the Lord in judgment, Then, I wonder, will my friend’s predictable comment again be repeated?” (Conference Report, Apr. 1989, p. 85).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “The commandment to avoid contention applies to those who are right as well as to those who are wrong. It is not enough for the Savior’s followers to have a correct understanding of doctrine and procedure. They must also be harmonious in their personal relationships and in the way they seek to serve him.
“In the years following the Savior’s personal ministry to his followers on the American continent, all were converted and enjoyed a golden age of righteousness, peace, and prosperity. I find it significant that the scriptural description of this period stresses that “there were no contentions and disputations among them’ (4 Ne. 1:2; also see verse 15), suggesting that the absence of contention is a most significant bellwether of righteousness.” (The Lord’s Way, p. 142).
Ideas for teaching:
President Ezra Taft Benson: “True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior (see Alma 5:13). Part of this mighty change of heart is to feel godly sorrow for our sins. This is what is meant by a broken heart and a contrite spirit. God’s gifts are sufficient to help us overcome every sin and weakness if we will but turn to Him for help. Most repentance does not involve sensational or dramatic changes, but rather is a step by step, steady and consistent movement toward godliness.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 71.)
Elder Bruce D. Porter: “The Savior’s perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ’s example teaches us that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness. When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master. …
“… Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead.” (Bruce D. Porter, “A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 32)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. All members of the Church have access to the doctrine, ordinances, priesthood keys, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location.” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior’s Second Coming,” Ensign, Apr. 2020, 15)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path. Staying on that narrow but well-defined path will ultimately qualify us to receive all that God has. Nothing could be worth more than all our Father has!” (Russell M. Nelson, “Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 6)
President Russell M. Nelson: “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks. We hear of those who belittle their spouses and children, of those who use angry outbursts to control others, and of those who punish family members with the “silent treatment.” We hear of youth and children who bully and of employees who defame their colleagues.
“My dear brothers and sisters, this should not be. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others—especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
President Russell M. Nelson: “The Savior’s Atonement made it possible for us to overcome all evil—including contention. Make no mistake about it: contention is evil! Jesus Christ declared that those who have “the spirit of contention” are not of Him but are “of the devil, who is the father of contention, and [the devil] stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.”8 Those who foster contention are taking a page out of Satan’s playbook, whether they realize it or not. “No man can serve two masters.”9 We cannot support Satan with our verbal assaults and then think that we can still serve God..” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
President Spencer W. Kimball: “These tremendous convulsions of nature not only impressed the Nephites greatly so that they recorded them in their history, but the memory of them also stayed in the minds of the Lamanites, or the American Indians, for fifteen hundred years. Shortly after the discovery of America, the Catholic missionaries and explorers learned that the American Indians had a tradition of the great convulsions of nature that took place at the time of Christ’s death. For example, I would like to quote from a Lamanite, an Indian prince named Ixtlilxochitl, who lived near the city of Mexico and wrote his book in 1600 A.D.:
“…the sun and the moon eclipsed, and the earth trembled, and the rocks broke, and many other things and signs took place, . . . This happened . . . at the same time when Christ our Lord suffered, and they say it happened during the first days of the year.” (Works of Ixtlilxochitl, cited in Milton R. Hunter and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Ancient America and the Book of Mormon. p. 190.)” (Conference Report, Apr. 1961, p. 50-51).
President Ezra Taft Benson: “The record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.” (April 1987 General Conference).
President Harold B. Lee: “The greatest miracles I see today are not necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such, because they are precious in the sight of the Lord, and we want no one to feel that they are forgotten.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 178; or Ensign, July 1973, 123).
President Ezra Taft Benson: “…we must be cautious as we discuss…remarkable examples of conversion. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said “were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.’ (3 Ne. 9:20)” (Ensign, Oct. 1989, p. 2, 6).
Why did they not hear the voice the first time (3 Ne. 11:3)?
- One reason was that they were conversing one with another. To hear the Spirit most of the times we need to focus on the Spirit to hear it.
- “The still small voice is so quiet you won’t hear it when you’re noisy inside.” (Henry B. Eyring, Latter day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 409)
Why did they ‘understand it not’ (3 Ne. 11:4)?
- They were paying attention and heard the voice. Listening to and acting on the Spirit enables us to better understand the Spirit.
President Henry B. Eyring: “He speaks: “I am the light and the life of the world; . . . I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world; . . . I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.’ That is it. Eight lines. Fifty two words. “And . . . when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth.’
“I have thought often about this moment in Nephite history, and I cannot think it either accident or mere whimsy that the Good Shepherd in his newly exalted state, appearing to a most significant segment of his flock, chooses to speak first of his obedience, his deference, his loyalty, and loving submission to his Father. In an initial and profound moment of spellbinding wonder, when surely he has the attention of every man, woman, and child as far as the eye can see, his submission to his Father is the first and most important thing he wishes us to know about himself.”
“Frankly, I am a bit haunted by the thought that this is the first and most important thing he may want to know about us when we meet him one day in similar fashion. Did we obey, even if it was painful? Did we submit, even if the cup was bitter indeed? Did we yield to a vision higher and holier than our own, even when we may have seen no vision in it at all?
“… no amount of education, or any other kind of desirable and civilizing experience in this world, will help us at the moment of our confrontation with Christ if we have not been able – and are not then able – to yield all that we are, all that we have, and all that we ever hope to have to the Father and the Son.” (On Earth As It Is In Heaven, p. 126-7.)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: The appearance of the resurrected Lord to the Nephites and His declaration of His messiahship “constituted the focal point, the supreme moment, in the entire history of the Book of Mormon. It was the manifestation and the decree that had informed and inspired every Nephite prophet for the previous six hundred years…
“Everyone had talked of him, sung of him, dreamed of him, and prayed for his appearance—but here he actually was. The day of days! The God who turns every dark night into morning light had arrived.” (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 250–51).
“There were about 2500 persons who saw and felt his physical body on that occasion (see 3 Nephi 17:25). Even at three or four seconds each, “one by one,’ that would take several hours. The passage we have just read is one of the greatest scriptural records in our possession. It is clear that “showing’ himself involved more than having them merely look. It was sight, sound, touch, and a witness of the Spirit.” (Book of Mormon Symposium Series, “The Keystone Scripture”, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD Tate, Jr., 1988, p. 31)
President Russell M. Nelson: “As we dread any disease that undermines the health of the body, so should we deplore contention, which is a corroding canker of the spirit…My concern in that contention is becoming accepted as a way of life. From what we see and hear in the media, the classroom, and the workplace, all are now infected to some degree with contention…Well do I remember a friend who would routinely sow seeds of contention in church classes. His assaults would invariably be preceded by this predictable comment: “Let me play the role of devil’s advocate.’ Recently he passed away. One day he will stand before the Lord in judgment, Then, I wonder, will my friend’s predictable comment again be repeated?” (Conference Report, Apr. 1989, p. 85).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “The commandment to avoid contention applies to those who are right as well as to those who are wrong. It is not enough for the Savior’s followers to have a correct understanding of doctrine and procedure. They must also be harmonious in their personal relationships and in the way they seek to serve him.
“In the years following the Savior’s personal ministry to his followers on the American continent, all were converted and enjoyed a golden age of righteousness, peace, and prosperity. I find it significant that the scriptural description of this period stresses that “there were no contentions and disputations among them’ (4 Ne. 1:2; also see verse 15), suggesting that the absence of contention is a most significant bellwether of righteousness.” (The Lord’s Way, p. 142).
Ideas for teaching:
- What will you do to “receive prophets?”
- Focus on 3 Nephi 11
- Thought Questions.
- What effect did the Temple have on their conversation?
- What do you learn about the voice of the Lord?
- How do you hear Him?
- What do we need to do to hear the voice more clearly?
- What does the Lord do to ensure we hear His voice?
- When have I been blessed because I listened to the voice of the Lord?
- How have you felt the personal touch of the Savior?
- What do you imagine it would be like to be in the presence of the Savior?
- When Jesus calls me by my name I will…
- How do covenants help us to develop a relationship with Jesus?
- What do I do to show that I am living my covenants?