Answers

Book of Mormon Answers

Taken from 400 Questions & Answers About the Book of Mormon by Dr. Susan Easton Black, beginning on page 78.

1 Nephi 16:7  “Why is there such sparse accounting of at least five weddings between the sons and daughters of Lehi and Ishmael?”

“The five known marriages were those of Nephi, Sam, Laman, Lemuel and Zoram to the daughters of Ishmael.  In antiquity, there was no such thing as courting or even dating.  Marriages were negotiated by the fathers of the brides and grooms.  Most marriages were agreed on when the children were young, which leads to the supposition that Lehi and Ishmael had agreed on the marriages of their children prior to their journey in the wilderness.  The marriage custom of the time were seven days of ‘feasting and merrymaking’ over the marriages.  It is not known why Nephi chose to withhold details…”

1 Nephi 16:12 (pg. 80) “What difficulty was experienced when Lehi’s family folded up their tents, gathered their possessions and traveled deeper into the wilderness?”

According to S. Kent Brown, ‘There can be no doubt that pack animals carried the family’s belongings.  Each of the tents and there were several, typically one for each married couple, would have weighed several hundred pounds, far too much for one person to cart.  Moreover, the ‘seed of every kind,’ which was destined to be planted in the Promised Land (1 Nephi 18:24) would have required a person to shoulder seed bags commonly weighing in excess of 150 pounds.’

Brown concludes that as the family traveled, ‘Time needed both to set up camp properly in the evening and then to strike camp in the morning would dictate that, as long as the party was on the march, they would not pitch tents and unpack all of their gear (just) for a night.  Instead, family members would have wrapped themselves in blankets or rugs and slept on the ground….Only when party members ‘did pitch our tents’ in order to ‘rest ourselves and to obtain food’ for several days or longer did they unpack tents and other materials’ (1 Nephi 16:17).

1 Nephi 17:5 (pg. 81) “After eight years of sojourning in the wilderness, Lehi and his family settled in the land of Bountiful.  Is the location of Bountiful known?

Again, Dr. S. Kent Brown, (BYU Professor of Ancient Scripture) suggests that ‘the land of Bountiful was in the Dhofar region in the south of modern Oman.’ (See his DVD production of ‘Journey of Faith,’ parts one and two, produced by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute of Religious Education, 2007)

According to Brown, the Dhofar region is a ‘botanical anomaly in Arabia, a virtual Garden of Eden during the rainy season.’  Brown claims, ‘No other region, north or south, matches even remotely the Bountiful described by Nephi’ (Voices From the Dust, pg. 47, Covenant Communication, 2004)

2 Nephi 5:26 (pg. 100) “Were Levites or descendants of Aaron officiating in the priesthood among the Nephites?”

President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, ‘There were no Levites who accompanied Lehi to the Western Hemisphere…The Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them.’

All through the Book of Mormon we find references to the Nephites officiating by virtue of the high priesthood after the holy order (See Alma 13:1-12 & D&C 107:1-4).

Pres. Smith continues, ‘By the power of this priesthood they baptized, confirmed, and ordained.  During these years they also observed the Law of Moses.  They offered sacrifice and performed the duties which in Israel had been assigned to the priests and Levites.  They observed in every detail the requirements of the law.’  (Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 1:124-126).

2 Nephi 6:5 (pg. 101) “Why would Nephi and Jacob quote extensively from the words of Isaiah?”

“Out of the sixty-six books in the Bible, Isaiah is the only book with the command to search his words (3 Nephi 23:1-2).

In searching the words of Isaiah, readers will find that the name Isaiah means ‘Jehovah is salvation’ and that he lived near Jerusalem from 760 to 700 BC.  They will also discover that Isaiah taught of Christ and of covenants made between God and Israel.  Both Jacob and Nephi quote entire chapters of Isaiah and then give editorial commentary to illustrate the efficacy of Isaiah’s prophecies.

Jesus also quoted Isaiah about events that had or would be fulfilled (3 Nephi 16:17 & 3 Nephi 20:11).  Of the writings of Isaiah, President Wilford Woodruff said, ‘Three fourths of Isaiah’s predictions relate to the establishment of the kingdom of God in the latter days.’

Mosiah 18:1-14 (pg. 142)  “Why did Alma immerse himself while baptizing Helam?”

“The issue is whether Alma had been previously baptized.  The Book of Mosiah does not state whether Alma had been baptized before hearing the words of Abinadi.  However, President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, ‘Alma was baptized and held the priesthood before the coming of Abinadi, but he became involved with other priests under the reign of the wicked King Noah and when he baptized Helam, he felt he needed a cleansing himself so he buried himself in the water as a token of full repentance.’ (Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 3, page 203).

“By being immersed in the water with Helam, Alma showed his willingness to be a witness of God.”

Alma 7:10 (pg. 151) “Alma taught that Jesus ‘shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem.’  How is the issue of Jesus being born at Jerusalem explained when it is common knowledge that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea?”

“It is well known that on the hillside of Bethlehem, the days were accomplished that (Mary) should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son (Luke 2:6-7).   It is important to note that Alma prophesied that Jesus would be born ‘at Jerusalem, the land of our forefathers.’  He did not prophesy that Jesus would be born in the city of Jerusalem.  By saying the ‘land of Jerusalem,’ he correctly encompassed the entire region, which includes the town of Bethlehem, about five miles from the Holy City.”

Alma 36:6-10 (pg. 163)  “Is there a discrepancy in the time element of the repeated accounts of Alma’s conversion?”

“The issue of time-three days and three nights or two days and two nights is not an issue at all in the conversion of Alma.  In the book of Mosiah, two days and two nights refer to the fasting of the priests-not the time Alma was in an unconscious state (see Mosiah 27:22-23).

In the book of Alma, three days and three nights refer to the total time Alma was unable to open his mouth or use his limbs (see Alma 36:10).”

Alma 40:12-15 (pg. 164) “Alma told Corianton that the spirits of the righteous are received in paradise, a state of happiness.  Are there limitations to happiness in paradise?

Alma was told by an angel that there are two divisions in the spirit world-paradise and outer darkness.  Those who enter paradise know happiness but not a fullness of joy (D&C 93:33-34).”

Orson Pratt taught, ‘When our spirits leave these bodies, will they be happy?  Not perfectly so.  Why?  Because the spirit is absent from the body; it cannot be perfectly happy while a part of the man is lying on the earth….Consequently, all the holy men that have lived in days of old, have looked forward to the resurrection of their bodies; for then their glory will be complete.”