Knowledge in the Book of Mormon

• Things of value must be translated and/or made simpler for the understanding of man, regardless of one's origins
• Multiple sources are important to validate the truth of anything, God and the Holy Ghost being the most important sources
• Literacy and diligence in correct record-keeping
• God speaks through prophetic writings
• Clear and distinct
• Repetition when listening; recitation to others to solidify remembrance
• Spiritual matters should first be understood/sought out before secular history. All solid foundations are first spiritual
• We can also teach by pictures and illustrations

1 Nephi

• Parents teachings are the child's first exposure to language
• More knowledge is not always comforting
• The Spirit increases our ability to see and learn
• Visions and dreams can teach
• Search the scriptures
• There are unimportant things to write about (so do not do it)
• Learning by topic -- differentiating between secular and spiritual
• Teaching in symbols for enhanced memory and understanding
• We teach that which is most important to us the very best
• We should express our desires about what we want to learn
• Visions: taught by the Spirit and by angels, through questions
• Direct link between education and prosperity (and lack thereof and destitution)
• Books hold the power to convince
• The Lord proves the truth of all things in due time
• Understanding the Lord's writings varies depending on the strength of our faith
• Learning more from time to time, not all at once
• The Spirit makes all things known to prophets
• Learning is a way to be brought out of darkness

2 Nephi

• Adam and Eve learned because they had to work the earth
• For Adam and Eve, not partaking of the fruit meant staying ignorant. It was done in God's wisdom
• Does knowing good from evil make us free?
• Ancient prophets may have needed to learn from the future in a similar way that we learn from the past (and they also had history to study from)
• Goal: bring us to a knowledge of covenants. Convincing.
• Men are instructed enough/sufficiently to know good from evil
• Knowing of redemption through the great Messiah is of great importance
• How is it possible for knowledge to be too great for men?
• Priests and teachers are consecrated for people to learn
• We learn in order to glorify His name
• That which is and is to come can both be taught
• We need to liken what we learn unto ourselves
• All shall know that He is the Lord
• All come to a knowledge of our Redeemer; some require more gruesome and shocking methods to come to the truth while others can learn just fine in peace. The latter way is meekness
• It is a gift of God to have a tongue of the learned as well as to hear as the learned
• The learned can smite their adversary with their mouth
• Our knowledge shall be made perfect when we are in our incorruptible state of immortality and physical perfection
• We will have a perfect (or rather "complete" [=Ger. voll|kommen]) knowledge of our uncleanness/guilt/nakedness. The righteous will have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment and their righteousness
• God knows all things -- there is nothing, save God knows it
• It is foolishness to only listen to ourselves and not God
• Knowledge of the iniquities (for the uncircumcised of heart) shall smite them
• Holy ones can learn of holiness, but unholy ones must be taught consequences of sin
• Very important that knowledge is accompanied by truth
• God gives light unto those who will hear his words
• In the millennium, war shall no longer be taught
• People are gone into captivity because they no longer have knowledge of certain things
• The Spirit of the Lord has wisdom, understanding, and knowledge
• We speak plainly so that there can be no error
• All things shall be revealed that ever have been revealed (unto the children of men)
• Even those who murmured against truth and God shall learn the doctrine
• Men shall (...do...) contend with their own learning and deny the Holy Ghost
• There shall be false, foolish, and vain doctrines taught in the dark
• There are false teachers and false doctrine; Beware
• The Lord gives line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little
• Those who lend an ear to the Lord'd counsel learn wisdom. As a reward for receiving, more is given to them
• It is selfish ignorance to turn away further revelation from God
• God has spoken and speaks the same words unto all nations
• The word of God shall go to all ends of the earth
• Christ gave all doctrine unto Nephi before coming to the earth himself to expand on it
• Stiffnecked men will not search knowledge

Jacob

• The temple is a place of teaching
• Some may know, but not understand the scriptures
• We should rejoice that we have our records in the Book of Mormon!
• It is impossible for man to know God's ways save it is revealed unto him
• Blindness comes by looking beyond the mark
• Rhetoric and language mastery are powerful tools in the art of persuasion, used for either good or for evil
• The scriptures and prophetic teachings are necessarily plain in meaning

Enos

• The law of Moses was taught with the intent to persuade men to look to the Messiah

Mosiah

• Taught in the language of the fathers (it seems that the righteous grew up bilingual so as to read the scriptures -- as the Jews do even today)
• " " that language was the language of the Egyptians
• We are told these things to learn wisdom
• We must open our own ears, hearts, and minds to hear, understand, and to have the mysteries of God unfolded to our view
• Someday, knowledge of a Savior shall spread to ALL people
• To grow in knowledge of God and in that which is just and true: be filled with a love of God and retain a remission of your sins
• We can only know the voice of a master we have been serving
• Teachers don't just give new information, but they also have the responsibility to remind us of what has already been taught
• One can only translate in one of two ways: learning and knowledge, or the power of God
• We should always seek after wisdom alongside knowledge: not just knowledge on its own
• The Lord speaks through those who listen first
• We must be careful to learn from the right sources
• Wisdom= hearts applied to understanding
• People teach and practice iniquity ALL the time
• Some do not understand laws because of the hardness of their hearts
• It is noble and sometimes necessary to teach in private when truth is forbidden by worldly law
• Teachers need not teach speculation or philosophies of men mingled with scripture
• Those who wax strong in knowledge of God can teach with power and authority of God
• God's knowledge allows bad to be made into something wonderful
• Lnaguage is extremely important for family (esp. parents) to teach the children
• Learning of a peoples' background helps us feel love for them
• Youth desire, need, and deserve an understanding of the truth
• Lack of understanding --> unbelief --> hardened heart --> unable to understand
• " " circular effect of knowledge (or lack thereof)

Alma

• Teach  by the Spirit through questions
• In teaching, invite with extended arms; do not challenge (extend invitations rather than challenges)
• The language of the priesthood: spoken plainly so that one cannot err. Preach repentance
• None should be deprived of the privilege to serve God
• God has power to do all things according to his word. Knowing this will help keep false teachings away
• Knowledge and understanding should be taught to all who will hear
• A hardened heard limits knowledge and understanding
• One can become more meek out of fear (although I think there are better ways)
• More heed and diligence will mean more knowledge of mysteries of the kingdom
• God appoints a time for certain things to be known unto us
• Some have the holy calling to teach
• We have the scriptures; if we wrest them, it is to our own destruction
• We impart the word of God without any respect of persons
• Sometimes it is better to teach the answer to the questions they should be asking
• Teach: 1. Truth 2. False traditions and the wrongness thereof
• Teach to the needs and understanding of the student
• The Spirit gives us knowledge
• There are opportunities to teach a LOT at once when one is willing to learn
• Ask questions to gauge understanding
• Teaching those in authority may have a huge ripple effect
• Sometimes it is necessary to wait until it is safe to assign/set apart teachers
• Things are told to us so that future generations may know them
• Maybe it is merciful that some people do not know more, for they may fall greater if they sinned against a greater light (cross ref. D&C 82:3)
• The Lord can verify the truth of ALL things to us
• To know the mysteries of God: repent, exercise faith, bring good works, and pray continuously
• Men, women, and children can all hear the words of angels
• Faith is not a perfect knowledge
• Seed...faith... can become a perfect knowledge
• Whatever is light is good because it is discernible
• Burdens may be made light --> "light," as in discernible knowledge
• Some of the smallest things confound even the wise
• Scriptures can enlarge the memory of people
• Some knowledge, such as evil oaths and covenants, is best kept hidden
• Teach an everlasting hatred against SIN and INIQUITY
• Teach faith, humility, meekness, and how to withstand temptation
• Learn wisdom in thy youth; learn then to keep the commandments of God
• Teachers should be diligent and temperate and use boldness but not be overbearing and they should be sober
• We can know of mysteries by diligently inquiring of God
• Some may not understand because of a previous supposition they hold on to
• God knows good and evil; man did not know it until the fall
• Teach to defend onesself
• Know how the enemy fights in order to have the right kind of shield
• Knowing history should help with battle strategies
• A complete knowledge of another's knowledge can be justification for retalitaion
• It is good to spread knowledge throughout the land, except for keeping that which is sacred out of vile hands

Helaman

• Prophets are entitled to extra revelations that entitle them to more knowledge about things common folk may/do no know
• We learn of things through signs that we may know the truth
• Knowledge of the truth leads people toward the Lord (...and consequently, repentance)
• We can be given knowledge unto the salvation of our souls
• They knew the record was true based on their evaluation  of the man who kept it: that he was just
• When one does not understand, it is natural to look around and see if others do
• It may take 3 times before we understand, but we must keenly search: look & listen
• 3 Nep 11's account of Christ coming was a highly sensory (and thus memorable) experience -- hear the voice, feel the Spirit, look and listen, and touch his body
• We NEED reminders!
• Knowledge is one of the good gifts Heavenly Father bestows to some of us
• Some knowledge is withheld -- Christ does the Father's bidding
• To be brought in or to a knowledge of the Redeemer is the purpose of these writings
• Because we are weak, we cannot understand all things
• It is necessary to prepare our minds in order to be ready for more knowledge to come
• " " part of this preparation would be best to include prayer for understanding
• Teach the words of Christ with exactness
• God's wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil
• By not believing simple/smaller truths, greater things will be withheld from us
• We must learn by following His example

4 Nephi

• There are those who are taught not to believe and to hate others

Mormon

• Moroni's great treasure was his knowledge rather than his physical power
• Whoever denies these does not know the gospel of Christ. If one knows and denies, then he does not understand
• Miracles cease because people know not the God in whom to trust

Ether

• Our understanding sometimes perceives great manifestations of power as small
• Knowledge helps to redeem us from the fall
• To have a perfect knowledge of God means we cannot be kept in the veil
• The Lord showed all things unto the brother of Jared because he knew He could
• We can be taught from on high when we walk humbly before the Lord
• Even evil plans can be preserved and brought back over time
• We receive a witness after the trial of our faith
• There are a significant number of instances where they are forbidden to write something!

Moroni

• A few important pieces that Moroni felt he had to include before hiding the plates: Priesthood power to confer the Holy Ghost, the manner of ordination, the manner of the sacrament, and the manner of baptism
• We should learn correct judgment
• God knows things from everlasting to everlasting (-∞ to ∞)
• Learning precedes faith. Faith precedes knowledge of a thing's actuality
• A trend of how people treat truth: no sharpness=hardened hearts, sharpness=tremble and anger against God. By being this way, one keeps themselves from knowledge of the truth
• We can know the truth of ALL things by the Holy Ghost
• For the Holy Ghost to manifest truth, we must ask in sincerity and with faith in Christ
• Some have a gift to teach words of wisdom
• Some have a gift to teach words of knowledge
• Some have the gift to behold angels and ministering spirits
• God will show us that these things are true