How Beautiful Upon the Mountains

Abinadi and King Noah

The King Noah Plan for Financial Prosperity

Born into advantage, assume you deserve it

Keep the outward appearance of religion

Noah kept the Law of Moses

They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me

Do everything “after the desires of (your) own heart”

What you want is the more important thing

The King Noah Plan for Financial Prosperity

Build your fortune by impoverishing othersRaise taxes- to support what you deserveBuild monuments to your wealth (Idolatry)

Surround yourself with teachers who teach “flattering words”Anyone who opposes you is crazy (mad)

Spend most your time on the good things of life:“Righteous living”, wine bibberation

Take complete credit for all your successes (celebrate!)

Endless Pattern

Lord Covenants withHis people

They sin

He sends Prophets

They prosper

Why?

Abinadi SentPreaches repentance

Has to hide

People’s eyes were “blinded”

Comes two years later

Preaches that destruction and bondage are coming

Immediately arrested and taken to King Noah

“we are guiltless!”

“thou hast prospered in the land!”

Questioning by Noah’s Priests

They attack Abinadi

- with Isaiah!

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;

Isaiah available to Abinadi, compared with the Savior’s

version to the NephitesIsaiah 52:

6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7 How beautiful (navu) upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings…

3 Nephi/JST Version

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that therefore my people shall know my name: Yea, in that day they shall know…that I am he that doth speak

And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them

Abinadi’s glowing response to captureOther accounts of Prophets who have “shown” or “glowed”?

Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner (Kirtland, 1832)

The Prophet was speaking when "all at once his countenance changed and he stood mute. He turned so white he seemed perfectly transparent. Those who looked at him that night said he looked like he had a searchlight within him, in every part of his body. I never saw anything like it on earth. I could not take my eyes away from him. He got so white that anyone who saw him would have thought he was transparent. I remember I thought we could almost see the bones through the flesh of his face. I shall remember it and see it in my mind's eye as long as I remain upon the earth."

Abinadi’s “Shining” DiscourseQuotes the Ten Commandments

Quotes Isaiah 53 (suffering servant)

Mosiah 15:10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?

His Seed?Verse 13

Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy… I say unto you they are his seed

Verse 14And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation…

Verse 15and O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet

18 And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people;

19 For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished.

Heather was born into an LDS family …. she was physically handicapped and her spirit … housed in a body with great restrictions. … she was

confined to a wheelchair, …unable to speak, and could send messages only with her eyes. A direct gaze with a widening of her eyes and a smile meant

yes. A blink meant no. In spite of her handicaps, however, one could feel her vibrant spirit inside.

When old enough, Heather began to attend school…. One morning as Heather and (her LDS) teacher visited. … the teacher learned that Heather

had attended Primary on Sunday. The teacher …sang for Heather the Primary song "I Wonder When He Comes Again." The expression on

Heather’s face revealed the delight within her. When the song was finished, the teacher could tell that Heather wanted her to continue. … the teacher

asked Heather if she had a favorite song. Heather’s direct gaze provided the answer and offered a challenge.

… the teacher learned that Heather’s song was one she had heard in Primary. She wasn’t sure which songbook it was in, but it was about Jesus. The teacher then sang every possible song she could think of. Unfortunately

Heather’s favorite did not appear, and Heather was not about to quit. For some reason, she needed to share her favorite song.

… On the following day, the teacher and student went through all of the songs in the (primary) book, but to no avail. … Heather came to school the next day with the new Church hymnbook tucked in her wheelchair. The teacher positioned herself next to Heather and, page by page, began making their way through the book singing the first phrase of each song. Page after page Heather’s eyes would close in a definite no.

Finally, halfway through the book, the teacher began to sing: "There is sunshine in my soul today..." Immediately, the little girl brightened and smiled. She looked directly at the teacher, and both began to laugh and rejoice. Success! …

As the teacher sang the first verse and began the chorus, Heather mustered all her effort and joined in with occasional sigh-like sounds. After finishing the first verse and chorus, the teacher asked if she wanted to hear the rest of the verses. Heather’s eyes opened wide with a firm yes.

Again the teacher began:

There is music in my soul today,A carol to my King,And Jesus listening can hearThe songs I cannot sing...

The little girl’s reaction to the third and fourth lines was so strong that the teacher stopped. As the reality and significance of the words pressed on the teacher’s mind, she asked Heather if those lines were what she liked about the song. Could Jesus, listening, hear the songs she could not sing? Heather looked the teacher directly in the eyes, and testimony was borne.

Feeling guided by the Spirit, the teacher asked, "Heather, does Jesus talk to you in your mind and in your heart?" The child’s look was penetrating. The teacher then asked, "Heather, what does he say?" The teacher’s heart pounded as she saw the clear look in Heather’s eyes as the little girl awaited the questions which would allow her to share her insights.

The teacher then asked, "Does he say ‘Heather, I love you’?" Her radiant eyes widened. The teacher paused and then said, "Does he say ‘Heather, you’re special’?" Again, yes. Finally, after a pause, the teacher asked, "Does he say, ‘Heather, be patient; I have great things in store for you’?"

Heather’s head became erect, every fiber of her being seemed electrified as her eyes penetrated the teacher’s soul. She knew she was loved; she knew she was special; she knew she only needed to be patient because great things were in store for her.

Heather knew-

Abinadi, burning at the stake knew-

Do we know?