But what does it really mean?

I've been meaning to post a couple of scriptures that I've found better worded in Spanish. I do believe it helps me to understand the scripures better when studying them in 2 languages.

The firt is from Mormon 7:8. It says:
Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the ^agospel of Christ,

The casual reader might thing to "lay hold of the gospel" means to pick up the scriptures or join the Church. To lay hold kind of means when someone hands you something, you take it in your hand.  but to me, it kind of connotes taking the gospel into your life, being baptize, making it part of you. 

In Spanish, it uses the word "asir" instead of lay hold. Asir means to GRASP. So in Spanish it says to GRASP  the gospel:
"Por tanto, arrepentíos y sed bautizados en el nombre de Jesús, y asíos al ^aevangelio de Cristo"

Grasp onto the gospel of Jesus Christ. So instead of just taking it into your life, it feels more like grab on for dear life, like a drowning man would grasp the rope that can pull him out of the turbulent water. You don't just take hold, you GRASP it. It shows there should be more urgency and a stronger desire to get the gospel in our lives. I think that is much more meaningful.


The second one is from 3 Nephi 11:5. It is when God is speaking to the Nephites before Christ appeared. They hear His voice 3 times and the 3rd time is the one that makes the difference.

 In English it says, "And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it."

I love that it says that they 'opened their ears to hear'. I believe it is important for us to 'open our ears' to hear God's word.

In Spanish instead of 'open' their ears, it says, "aguzaron el oído para escucharla" . Aguzaron means their 'sharpened' their hearing. It is good to open our ears to hear, which I would think means to pay attention. But I think it goes a little farther in Spanish because of just paying attention, it says they sharpened their hearing. It sounds like they really strained to hear the voice and understand it.

Being of the House of Israel

These are notes from a class by Laurel Lawrence, wife of Seventy, Larry Lawrence:

In the Book of Mormon there are many names for Jesus.  Nephi mostly calls Jesus the Holy One of Israel, as did Isaiah.

This is appropriate for 2 reasons:

1.     Christ I a descendant of Judah, and by extension, Israel

2.     When He served His ministry, He served ONLY to the house of Israel. As exemplified by the story of the Canaanite woman who sought a blessing from Jesus:

Matthew 15: 21 ¶Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the ^acoasts of Tyre and Sidon.

 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

 24 But he answered and said, I am not ^asent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ^bIsrael.

 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to ^adogs.

 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy^afaith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

3.     When He sent missionaries out, He sent them to teach to Israel.

4.     On His ministry, He taught Israel, and then He went to the American continent where He also taught the House of Israel. From there he went to the lost tribes of Israel.

Later Peter was told in a dream to take the gospel to the gentiles

Acts 10: 11 And saw ^aheaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet ^bknit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or ^aunclean.

 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath ^acleansed, that call not thou ^bcommon.

 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

He didn’t know what it meant, but in the meantime, a Roman (are Italians of the 12 tribes?)  (named Cornelius had a visit by an angel who told him to send people to go find Peter and bring him:

 1 There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much ^aalms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

 3 He saw in a ^avision ^bevidently about the ninth hour of the day an^cangel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

So Cornelius did as instructed and sent people to Peter. Peter received an angel who told him to receive them and listen to them, and then went to Cornelius and then understood the dream. This is when the gospel began to be preached to the gentiles.

Acts 10: 34 ¶Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no ^arespecter of persons:

 35 But in every ^anation he that ^bfeareth him, and ^cworketh^drighteousness, is ^eaccepted with him.

The Elders of Israel – the men who hold the Priesthood are literal descendants of Israel.

The “3 fold mission of the Church” has been changed to the purpose of the Church:

In fulfilling its purpose to help individuals and families qualify for exaltation, the Church focuses on divinely appointed responsibilities. These include helping members live the gospel of Jesus Christ, gathering Israel through missionary work, caring for the poor and needy, and enabling the salvation of the dead by building temples and performing vicarious ordinances. (From the Handbook of Instructions)

We are children of the covenant and promised before birth to help gather Israel.

Those who kept their first estate are blessed in the 2^nd estate, just as those who do well in high school get into the best colleges and get scholarships.

Alma 13 talks about our premortal life:

 3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being^acalled and ^bprepared from the ^cfoundation of the world according to the ^dforeknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to ^echoose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great ^ffaith, are ^gcalled with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

 4 And thus they have been ^acalled to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and ^bblindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great ^cprivilege as their brethren.

 5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the ^asame standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—

 6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and (the men were) ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his ^arest—

8 Now they (the men) were ^aordained after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—

 10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this ^ahighpriesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding ^bfaith and^crepentance, (In the pre-existance) and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;

 11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were^asanctified, and their ^bgarments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

 12 Now they, after being ^asanctified by the ^bHoly Ghost, having their garments made white, being ^cpure and spotless before God, could not look upon ^dsin save it were with ^eabhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

In other words, because of our “exceeding faith and good works” (v3) in the pre-mortal life, and we chose good. So we were called “to this holy calling” and “ordained with a holy ordinance, and high priesthood” and “become high priests forever”. They are great blessings that we have because of how we were in the premortal life.

We developed talents in the premortal life that we were allowed to have here, and one of those is the talent for spirituality. All of the House of Israel have the talent to realize truth and act on it.

Nature of the War in Heaven:

In the war in heaven, it was like an election year here. It wasn’t a war of guns or swords. It was a war of words, ideas, theologies, and emotions.

Revelations 12:

 1 ^aAnd there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a ^bwoman (The Church) clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

 2 And she being with ^achild cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon (The devil), having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

 4 And his tail drew the ^athird part of the stars of heaven (sons of perdition), and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

 5 And she brought forth a man child (Christ), who was to rule all nations with a ^arod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

 6 And the ^awoman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (1260)

 7 And there was ^awar in heaven: ^bMichael and his ^cangels fought against the dragon; and the ^ddragon fought and his angels,

 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in^aheaven.

 9 And the great dragon was ^acast out, that old serpent, called the^bDevil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Earth became Satan’s headquarters)

 10 And I heard a loud ^avoice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and ^bstrength, and the kingdom of our God, and the^cpower of his Christ: for the ^daccuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

 11 And they ^aovercame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their ^btestimony; and they loved not their lives unto the^cdeath. (Martyrs)

 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (He only has until the millennium)

 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he^apersecuted the woman (the Church)  which brought forth the man child.

 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. (The flood of evil)

 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

 17 And the ^adragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make^bwar with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Satan is making war against the seed of Israel – all those who which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 43:10 ^aYe are my ^bwitnesses, saith the Lord, 

We are Christ’s witnesses; we campaigned for Him in the war in heaven. Those with the most potential to become like Him made efforts there gave us more privileges & challenges in this life.

In the scriptures, when it says “elected”, like we were chosen and “elected” it means that for the men, they were ordained – literally, with hands on the head to become like God. 1 Peter –

2 ^aElect according to the ^bforeknowledge of God the Father, through ^csanctification of the Spirit, unto ^dobedience and^esprinkling of the ^fblood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Women were pre-designed to become like God. Men were given power; women were given influence.

This earth is the most wicked of God’s creations because it is Satan’s headquarters.

Revelations 9:

 1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth (Satan): and to him was given the key of the ^abottomless ^bpit.

 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, but only those ^amen which have not the ^bseal of God in their foreheads. (The temple covenants)

 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months (?): and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

That’s why Christ came here; because Satan came here and good vs evil has to be on equal grounds.

One might ask why we were sent to the most wicked place in all of God’s creations. It is because Christ needed His friends here. We are here to help build up His kingdom here. He needs us to bring people to Him from the wickedness. He needs us to find the house of Israel and gather them together.

Another reason is that we were sent here is for our good. With additional challenges come additional blessings. We are strengthened because of the struggles. It is like putting a gifted child in harder classes. They grow more than in an easier class.

Also, God promised us special privileges for coming here, like we get to have the Church/Gospel; we have temples; our ancestors are from the House of Israel – we are literal descendants of the House of Israel.

We get priority treatment and Christ comes first to the House of Israel.

Look up Bible Dictionary: Election:  Election. A theological term primarily denoting God’s choice of the house of Israel to be the covenant people with privileges and responsibilities, that they might become a means of blessing to the whole world (Rom. 9:11; 11:5, 7, 28). Election is an opportunity for service and is both on a national and an individual basis. On a national basis the seed of Abraham carry the gospel to the world. But it is by individual faithfulness that it is done.

The elect are chosen even “before the foundation of the world,” yet no one is unconditionally elected to eternal life. Each must, for himself, hearken to the gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands of the servants of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but does not serve, his election could be said to have been in vain, as Paul expressed in 2 Cor. 6:1.

We see that elections are not all of the same kind. Since election has to do with God’s choice of persons or groups to accomplish his purposes, some may be elected by him to one thing and some to another. Although the Lord uses certain individuals to accomplish his purposes, it does not necessarily follow that these persons will automatically receive a fulness of salvation thereby. For instance, Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus fulfilled certain purposes in the economy of God, but they apparently did it for their own reasons and not as conscious acts of faith and righteousness. On the other hand, salvation of one’s soul comes only by personal integrity and willing obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus there are some elections to be desired over others. An “election of grace” spoken of in D&C 84:98–102 and Rom. 11:1–5 has reference to one’s situation in mortality; that is, being born at a time, at a place, and in circumstances where one will come in favorable contact with the gospel. This election took place in the premortal existence. Those who are faithful and diligent in the gospel in mortality receive an even more desirable election in this life, and become the elect of God. These receive the promise of a fulness of God’s glory in eternity (D&C 84:33–41).

The concept held by many that God unconditionally elected some to be saved and some to be damned without any effort, action, or choice on their part is not correct, for the scriptures teach that it is only by faith and obedience that one’s calling and election is made sure (2 Pet. 1; D&C 131:5).

Baptism is the covenant of Salvation

Celestial marriage is the covenant of Exaltation (Bible Dictionary)

How did God begin sending His chosen lineage to the earth? Through Abraham; God made a special covenant with Abraham:

1.      Priesthood    Alma 13:8      Ab 2:9-11                   1. Obedience

2.     Property (celestial property) Gen 17:8                 2. Loyalty

3.     Posterity as the sands of the sea-Gen 17:4          3. Do missionary work- Alma 13:6

4.     Kings come from seed Gen 17:6

See adoption: Gentiles

Gen 17, 22, 15-18 gal 3, ab 2

Gen 26:1-4, 24

Gen 28, 35:9-13, 48:3-4

Renewed  to us through celestial marriage: D&C 132:29-33

D&C 132:37 Abraham, Isaac & Jacob are now Gods. V-29; They were resurrected with Christ.

Abraham means Exalted Father; Father of a multitude

Abrahamic Covenant: 

Abraham first received the gospel by baptism (which is the covenant of salvation). Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation), gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase. Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity (D&C 132:29–50; Abr. 2:6–11). Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance (Gen. 17; 22:15–18; Gal. 3; Abr. 2). These promises taken together are called the Abrahamic covenant. It was renewed with Isaac (Gen. 26:1–4, 24) and again with Jacob (Gen. 28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4).

The portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage (see D&C 132:29–33). Those of non-Israelite lineage, commonly known as gentiles, are adopted into the house of Israel, and become heirs of the covenant and the seed of Abraham, through the ordinances of the gospel (Gal. 3:26–29).

Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a “chosen person” per se, but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3:9; Abr. 2:9–11).

To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham—having particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr. 2:10–11)—a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment.

Ismael, son of Abraham did not receive the blessings because he did not renew the covenant, but Isaac did. Also, Esau married outside the covenant.

Israel means Soldier of God Prince or princess, one who is victorious or wins.

When we marry in the temple, we make the same covenant.

The most righteous of the sons of Jacob (Israel) was Joseph. His 2 sons are the tribes that make it 13 tribes.

 One way to remember all the tribes is: L B Js DENIM RAGZ.

1.     L            Levi

2.     B           Benjamin

3.     J            Judah

4.     S            Simeon

5.     D           Daniel

6.     E           Ephriam

7.     N           Nephtali

8.     I            Issachar

9.     M          Manasseh

10.  R           Ruben

11.  A           Asher

12.  G           Gad

13.  Z            Zebulon

Most of the people of the earth are not of the 13 tribes.

When all people were killed by the flood, the blood of Abraham came through Shem. Ham and Japeth were not of the house of Israel.

The Israelites have a special talent. It is called “believing blood”. It is a special talent to know the truth and accept it.

All of the nations except Israel are made up mostly of Gentiles. Many Israelites are living among the gentiles and are to be found through missionaries.

The Israelites are scattered among the gentiles so that we can lift the community; be a light to them.

Deut 8:32  ?? It was determined where we would live before we were born.

Will many Gentiles join the Church? No, rarely will gentiles join the Church.

The Holy Ghost’s influence on a Gentile purges out the old blood and makes him into a new person.

The Church no longer says “adopted” into the House of Israel. They say, “You will receive your blessing through Abraham”.

God is the landlord of Israel and America.

Young Men who serve missions are fulfilling their covenant they made before they were born. The young women promised to support the missionary work.

A little history: Moses was delivered to the Promised Land. Solomon was very wicked and had 1000 wives. His son, Reoboam was more wicked than him, so the Kingdom was divided between the north and south. The tribe of Judah with Benjamin and Levi stayed in the south. All others went to the north to the kingdom of Israel to get away from Reoboam.  They became wicked; they didn’t have a temple. They were taken captive by the Assirians. Some escaped and they became the lost 10 tribes.

1916 prophesy that the record of the lost tribes will come forth in their day.

The lost tribes are scattered in the lands of the north (north of Israel): the Baltics to Japan, Ukraine, Moscow, Norway, Sweden, the British Isles, etc.

Ephriam was mostly in the British Isles and Scandenavia. They have been brought to Zion to build up an army to send to the world; we are the gatherers with the help of the tribe of Mannaseh.

The tribal symbol of Ephriam is the wild ox. (Oxen brought in the Pioneers). We are strong, work hard carry a heavy load. We build temples, are stubborn, are prideful, strong willed. The name Ephraim means fruitful.

In 2004 the 1^st patriarchs were sent to Russia. They would go on traveling trips and each gave 100 blessings. Every one of the 12 tribes is Israel were represented in the blessings that were given.

The south land of Judah the people were righteous a few more years and because of having the temple and good kings they were under Babylonian rule for 70 years, then King Syrus freed the Jews.

The Jews are not lost. They all know who they are – that they are Jews and they know their lineage and promises.

The land of Israel will be the last to get missionaries. In the millennium all tribes will return to their lands.

D&C 133: 7 Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; ^agather ye out from among the nations, from the ^bfour winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 8 Send forth the elders of my church unto the ^anations which are afar off; unto the ^bislands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the ^cGentiles, and then upon the Jews.

 9 And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her ^astakes may be strengthened, and that ^bZion may go forth unto the regions round about.

 10 Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the ^aBridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the ^bgreatday of the Lord.

12 Let them, therefore, who are ^aamong the Gentiles flee unto^bZion.

 13 And let them who be of ^aJudah flee unto ^bJerusalem, unto the^cmountains of the Lord’s ^dhouse.

Now is the SPIRITUAL gathering.

How does this help a missionary be stronger and more faithful? How does it help us fulfill our purpose in life? We are looking for those who have believing blood. Obedience is the key to have missionary success.

Seek family of members – they are of the house of Israel.