I was asked to speak in church today about the Book of Mormon. This was my message:

What happens when a microscope and a telescope run into each other? They kaleidoscope!

A kaleidoscope has three main components:

1. Mirrors: Usually three long mirrors arranged in a triangular tube. Their reflections create repeating, symmetrical patterns.

2. An Object chamber: which is a small compartment at one end containing loose, colored pieces of glass, beads, or crystals.

3. A Viewing tube or eyepiece: This is the tube you look through, which aligns your eye with the mirrors.

When you rotate the kaleidoscope, the objects in the chamber shift and move around. Light enters, reflects multiple times between the mirrors, and produces constantly changing, symmetrical geometric patterns.

The scriptures are like a priceless gold kaleidoscope, but one with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires instead of pieces of cheap glass or beads in the chamber. As we focus on these precious stones and study them from all the angles provided by the mirrors, we find that the scriptures contain their own symmetrical patterns. These common recurring themes, symbols, and motifs create a unified narrative. But this also relies on the principles of light reflection without which we could not see all the details and colors and shapes through the eye piece. It is the light and also the love of Christ within us that enable us to appreciate the intricate patterns and themes of the scriptures so that we are empowered to draw ever closer to Him. This brings me to the Book of Mormon and what I consider two paramount themes:

1. Developing a very personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

2. Understanding Jesus Christ’s relationship with us as a whole.

Joseph Smith declared that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.

He also said that God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he (or she) is able to bear them.

This brings me now to what I want to focus on, which is one particular passage in the Book of Mormon in an attempt to reveal some facets in one of the precious stones in our gold kaleidoscope, and hopefully in a new and unique light.

These are Nephi’s final words to the world:

2 Nephi 33:13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.

14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.

Here, Nephi is addressing everyone who prefers not to partake of the goodness of God. They have “better things to do” with their busy lives. So, what does it mean to partake of God’s goodness? Well, throughout the scriptures, there are some key words that are synonymous with one another. They are partake, taste, fruit, goodness, rest, and salvation, to name a few. These are all code words which describe experiencing God’s presence and immense love. In this context, the words partake and taste are used about fifty times in the Book of Mormon. Some examples are:

1 Nephi 8:11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy…

Book of Mormon prophets hereafter drew upon the imagery of Lehi’s dream because they experienced the same.

Jacob 1:7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest

(We’ll need to come back and address the meaning of the word rest).

Alma 36:26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.

The words know and knowledge are covenant terms. Adam knew Eve just as the brother of Jared knew Jesus Christ. He had faith no longer for it was replaced with knowledge.

4 Nephi 1:3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

Mormon 1:15 And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.

As I have read in just these few verses, when you taste of the goodness of Jesus Christ, then you will see eye to eye. Why? Because like Lehi, Nephi, the brother of Jared and others, you will have faith no longer because the finisher of your faith who is Jesus Christ will have opened unto you, giving you knowledge. Speaking of rest, let’s read a couple more important passages.

Moroni 7:3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

D&C 84:21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;

24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.

There are so many more passages throughout the scriptures and key words illustrating what Nephi was talking about when referring to “partaking of the goodness of God.” Or as Jesus declared in the Doctrine and Covenants:

D&C 88:68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

The apostle Peter used the same key words in the New Testament when exhorting us to make our calling and election sure. Then as Joseph Smith once taught, we may receive the Other Comforter who is Jesus Christ Himself.

In the Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith wrote: How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes? Answer: By devoting themselves to his service, through prayer and supplication incessantly, strengthening their faith in him, until like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a manifestation of God to themselves.

Nephi explicitly told us that if we prefer not to undertake these things, he bade us an everlasting farewell. But not only this, Nephi also explicitly warned us to respect the words of the Jews, his words, and also the words of Jesus Christ. To respect in this context means to honor and to value the authority of, and in this case, Nephi’s authority, for as he wrote in his final verse:

2 Nephi 33:15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen.

I only have a few minutes left to expound on what Nephi wanted us to honor and to value. He knew that we would have the words of the Jews and also Jesus. He meticulously wove specific chunks of Isaiah’s writings into his message because there were great things that he was forbidden to reveal to us. But by including certain Isaiah concepts, he could lawfully convey to us the things we would face in the end times. There are many sequential events that will happen just before the great day of the Lord’s second coming and Nephi codified them in his inclusion of Isaiah’s words.

Most of Jesus Christ’s teachings at Bountiful revolved around Isaiah’s end-time prophecies, but the people were too weak in understanding what He was saying so He commanded them to go home and ponder His words. Now, if you want a cheat sheet of many of these sequential end-time events, they can be found in 3 Nephi chapters twenty through twenty-two, but I recommend beginning with around chapter fifteen or sixteen after he teaches His sermon on the mount. In these chapters, Jesus tells the people at Bountiful and us in the end times what to expect. He then gave us an explicit commandment:

3 Nephi 23:1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.
2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.
3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.

To reiterate, there are many great and marvelous things that will yet happen, including gentile kings and queens participating in the physical gathering of the exiled tribes of Israel to their lands of inheritances. Another great and marvelous event will be when all things are revealed to us. And they are written down in plates that are still sealed and waiting for us to become clean and worthy. Jesus Christ also talked about this at Bountiful after expounding Isaiah’s words:

3 Nephi 26:6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people…

9 And when they (meaning us) 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.

10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.

11 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.

To believe in the words of Nephi and the words of Jesus and the words of Isaiah is to understand them. If we do not yet understand them as the people at Bountiful didn’t understand them, are we really respecting their words as Nephi exhorts? Do we honor and value them? I will conclude by reading one of Moroni’s editorials and Jesus Christ’s declaration in Ether chapter four:

Ether 4:4 Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared…

6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are…

13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

Brothers and sisters, Nephi was speaking to us. Isaiah the end-time prophet was speaking to us. Jesus was speaking to us. Their words are like the beautiful colors and patterns of the diamonds and rubies and emeralds and sapphires in our gold kaleidoscope. We have been offered a heavenly gift. I pray that many of us if not all, will kindle or rekindle the desire to partake of the goodness of Jesus Christ and respect the words of the prophets in the Book of Mormon unto the rending of the veil of unbelief in our lives.