Note: Missionary growth occurs in a process, just like all other spiritual growth. "First, they were comforted" Knowledge of, experience with, & a witness of the Holy Ghost should come first. That will be the foundation for ALL that a missionary will experience as well as be required to do.

Alma 17:10
And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.

Acts 15:27
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

Note: Do you believe everything I will ever say? It's one thing to believe words already said, it's another thing to trust what hasn't been yet said.

Ether 3:11
And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

Note: Faith

Ether 12:6
And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Note: Remember the worth of souls...

D&C 18:10
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

Note: Alma 26:37, a good scripture to read on Thanksgiving day.

Alma 26:37
Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.

Note: Christ's Invitation to the Nephites is still an open invitation to us -- Elder Paul Kearon (General Conf Priesthood, Oct 2010)

3 Nephi 17:7
Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Note: Is it "not easy" because of God's requirements? Or is it "not easy" because of our own heart, habits, and the trust we've damaged with others? I believe that it is harder because of the latter.

Alma 39:6
For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.

Note: Debbie interrupted her reading by asking me to run an errand. It sounded like this, "And now I Chemish...go to the bathroom and get some lotion... Laughter erupted amongst the family!

Omni 1:9
Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same book with my brother; for behold, I saw the last which he wrote, that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep the records, for it is according to the commandments of our fathers. And I make an end.

Note: The limits of "our own strength" may not always be apparent. However, it times of difficulty, not only do we notice the strength we lack, but also how that "strength" actually failed us in the past when we thought we were doing so well on our own.

Helaman 4:13
And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.

Note: For the Bread

D&C 20:77
O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Note: Additional scripture found in the brass plates not found in our Old Testament

2 Nephi 4:2
For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass.

Note: Lehi is not speaking of Jacob's good works towards redemption...it is thru Christ that he is saved.

2 Nephi 2:3
Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

Note: Reference to premortal existence

1 Corinthians 15:44
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Chapter 10
This revelation had long been hoped for by faithful people throughout the world. One of the first black persons to accept the gospel in Africa was William Paul Daniels, who learned of the Church as early as 1913. He traveled to Utah, where he received a special blessing from President Joseph F. Smith. President Smith promised him that if he remained faithful, he would hold the priesthood in this life or the next. Brother Daniels died in 1936, still a faithful member of the Church, and his daughter had the temple ordinances performed for her father soon after the 1978 revelation on the priesthood. 6

Ether 2:17
And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.

Alma 56:46
For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.

Note: Moroni 1-6 In the past, I read the book of Moroni with enthusiasm for being in the “home stretch.” Also, with its familiar words, it made it even easier to read. I now take a different perspective on those writings. I try to picture a man who was very alone. A man who had very little distraction (other than survival!) and much time to ponder. I believe the book of Moroni is more heartfelt than I ever realized in the past. I believe Moroni shares the priesthood ordinances not solely for the instruction of Joseph Smith, but to exhort US and any reader of the Book of Mormon to take part in those ordinances and understand that those who are happiest (ie. the people of 4th Nephi) live as well as they did through such practices. I also believe these passages are shared to fulfill the law of witnesses [ 2 Cor. 13:1 “...In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” ] As I mentioned before, these passages did serve the prophet Joseph Smith in organizing the Church. However, as the prophet, he could have received this through modern revelation. The fact that he DID receive guidance for these ordinances through revelation as well as from Moroni’s writings suggests to me that the book of Moroni stands as an additional witness to the necessity of the fundamental priesthood ordinances.

Moroni 6:1
And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.

Note: "Mourned" & "rejoiced" are the words used to describe the Nephites' reaction to the book of Ether. We have a similar experience when reading it ourselves.

Mosiah 28:18
Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.

Note: Most revelation is given after inquiries made usually as a result of scripture study and/ or pondering.

D&C 6:11
And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways.

Note: Role of the Holy Ghost.

D&C 121:46
The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

Note: The light of Christ

Moroni 7:16
For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

Note: Scriptures should not be the only source of uplifting material.

D&C 88:118
And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.