Loftiest Ambition and Mormon's Moderation

Book of Mormon Notes - Friday, March 15, 2024, 3 Nephi 28, Continued

The Lord contrasted John the Beloved’s bold desire and request with Peter’s good desire and request, but both the desires and requests of John and Peter stand in sharp contrast to those of most of Jewish society during the time of Christ’s ministry in Palestine. Similarly, the Lord contrasted the bold desire and tacit request of the three beloved Nephites with the good desire and request of the other nine Nephite disciples, but both the desires and requests of the three and the nine stand in sharp contrast to those of most of Nephite society during the time of Christ’s ministry in Bountiful.

Not all desires are created equal. The Lord declares that desires to live and bring souls unto Him are greater and more blessed than desires to finish the ministry and return quickly unto Him. In the hierarchy of desires, both desires - to bring souls unto Christ and to come unto Him quickly - are greater than the desires of the masses, such as knowing which name to give the Lord’s Church. There are good, better, and best desires. The Apostle Paul wrestled within himself because of this hierarchy of desires within his own soul:

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. (Philippians 1:23-24)

Tocqueville deplored democracy’s tendency to produce mediocre desires and to cultivate many ambitious men without encouraging lofty ambition. But even Tocqueville, in all his greatness, could not have conceived of the lofty ambition of the three beloved Nephite disciples.

Mormon praised and promoted the lofty ambition of the great Nephite hero captain Moroni, but he marveled at the miraculous ministry of the three beloved Nephites. After recounting the miraculous rapture and transfiguration of the three Nephites, Mormon recorded other miraculous events from the ministry of the three Nephites:

But it came to pass that they did again minister upon the face of the earth; nevertheless they did not minister of the things which they had heard and seen, because of the commandment which was given them in heaven.

And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day of their transfiguration, I know not;

But this much I know, according to the record which hath been given—they did go forth upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching; baptizing them, and as many as were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost.

And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to the church. And the ^aprisons could not hold them, for they were rent in twain.

And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his ^apower they were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.

And thrice they were cast into a ^afurnace and received no harm.

And twice were they cast into a ^aden of wild beasts; and behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling lamb, and received no harm.

And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the people of Nephi, and did preach the ^agospel of Christ unto all people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of ^bthat generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus. (3 Nephi 28:16-23)

Mormon’s record of the ministry of the three beloved Nephites gives me even more reason to suppose that it was Mormon, and not Alma, who desired to be an angel. Like the Apostle Paul, Mormon wrestled within himself because of the hierarchy of desires within his own soul: he desired to be an angel like the three beloved Nephite disciples, but he considered that he sinned in his wish and ought to remain contain with his own great work and ministry.

Mormon’s knowledge of the three beloved Nephite disciples was not limited to his study of the records in his custody. Mormon knew of their ministry from the records, but he also knew them personally. Furthermore, Mormon obtained knowledge from the Lord concerning them:

Behold, I was about to write the ^anames of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.

But behold, ^aI have seen them, and they have ministered unto me.

And behold they will be ^aamong the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall know them not.

They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them not.

And it shall come to pass, when the Lord seeth fit in his wisdom that they shall minister unto all the ^ascattered tribes of Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God which is in them.

And they are as the ^aangels of God, and if they shall pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.

Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by them, before the ^agreat and coming day when all people must surely stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;

Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a ^agreat and marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day.

And if ye had ^aall the scriptures which give an account of all the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words of Christ, know that these things must surely come. (3 Nephi 28:25-31)

Oh that I were an angel! Mormon must have had great desires similar to those of the three beloved Nephite disciples who ministered unto him. Read Alma 29 again. Is this not Mormon’s soliloquy?

After Mormon saw the three beloved Nephite disciples and they ministered unto him, he had questions about their condition. He inquired of the Lord concerning the matter:

And now behold, as I spake concerning those whom the Lord hath chosen, yea, even three who were caught up into the heavens, that I knew not whether they were ^acleansed from ^bmortality to immortality—

But behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and he hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they must taste of death;

Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a ^achange wrought upon their bodies, that they might not ^bsuffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.

Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not ^atempt them; and they were ^bsanctified in the flesh, that they were ^choly, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them.

And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change, and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell with God eternally in the heavens. (3 Nephi 28:36-40)

Thus, in addition to John the Beloved who continues his ministry upon the earth, there are three beloved Nephite disciples, transfigured and sanctified in the flesh, hidden from the world, who continue their ministry among both Jews and Gentiles. They will also minister to the lost tribes of Israel. Prisons cannot hold them. The earth cannot hold them. Furnaces cannot burn them. Ferocious animals cannot harm them. They are filled with the convincing power of God. If they pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, they can show themselves to whomever they like. They are engaged in a great and marvelous work. All of this gives new meaning to President Nelson’s recent declaration:

In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,”¹ He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.

We too may wish to be angels, to have convincing power like the three beloved Nephite disciples, and to declare repentance unto every people, that there might not be more sorrow upon the earth. This is a great desire, one of the noblest in the hierarchy of desires. But like Mormon, I am a man, and do sin in my wish, for I ought to be content with the things that the Lord has allotted unto me. Why should I desire more than to do the work to which I have been called? As great as it would be to roam the earth with John the Beloved and the three beloved Nephite disciples, bringing souls unto Christ, the wisdom of Mormon’s modesty and moderation resonates in my heart:

I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do ^anot ^bglory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. (Alma 29:9)