Three Nephites et al.

[MichaelW]

Gordon B. Hinkley's famous answer to Larry King's King Follett question got me thinking--when I left the Church in the early 90's, I had been taught (and I once believed) that the Three Nephites were wandering the earth doing good deeds (and reported to be present at the Constitutional Convention). Has certainty about their existence been downplayed by the Church in recent years? And are there any other "unconventional" beliefs that have been ignored or downplayed in recent years?

[talisyn]

It says flat out in the Book of Mormon the three Nephites will wander about preaching to their brothers and sisters until Christ returns. What could the Church possibly add to that? I think what got downplayed was the number of people claiming they got help changing a flat tire

[Cold Steel]

LeGrand Richards told this story in General Conference. I have never been able to track down the source personally, but it also was told by W. Cleon Skousen in some of his books:

In the

Jewish Hope

, of September 1950, was an article by Arthur U. Michelson. I will not take time to read it, but he tells of a visit he made to Jerusalem, when he heard the experience of the Jewish army. They had only-one cannon, and were facing the Arabs with their well-trained and equipped army, and so when they used this cannon, they moved it from place to place so the enemy would think they had many, and every time the cannon was fired, they would beat tin cans in order to make a lot of noise so that the enemy would think they had many cannons.

I want to read what he said about what happened when the armies of Israel were about to give up:

"One of the officials has told me how much the Jews had to suffer. They had hardly anything with which to resist the heavy attacks of the Arabs who were well organized and equipped with the latest weapons. Besides, they had neither food nor water, because all their supplies were cut off....

"At this critical moment, God showed them that he was on their side, for he performed one of the greatest miracles that ever happened. The Arabs suddenly threw down their arms and surrendered. When their delegation appeared with the white flag, they asked, "Where are the three men that and where are all the troops we saw?" The Jews told them that they did not know anything of the three men, for this group was their entire force. The Arabs said that they saw three persons, with long beards and flowing white robes who warned them not to fight any longer, otherwise they would all be killed. They became so frightened that they decided to give up. What an encouragement this was for the Jews to realize that God was fighting for them."

And then he told about another case when one man with a white robe and a long beard appeared, and they all saw him, and they gave up their arms. Now I do not know, but the Lord said that he would do something for the Jews in the latter days, and when he permitted the Three Nephites to tarry upon this land, he said:

And behold they will be among 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 scattered 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.

(3 Ne. 28:27-29.)

Whoever these persons were, they seemed to have "convincing power sufficient to cause a whole army to surrender.

In permitting these Three Nephites to tarry upon the earth until he, Jesus, should come in his glory, he must have had in mind some great things for them to accomplish In bringing about a fulfillment of his promises. Whether it was convinced the army of the Arabs to surrender, I do not know, but this I do know: That what is going on in the Holy Land should convince one that the Lord is moving rapidly toward restoring the Jews to the land of their fathers and is giving them that land and redeeming it from its waste condition, as the prophets have foretold. (Conference Report, April 1954, Afternoon Meeting, p.55)

I'm normally suspicious of stories like this, but if anyone knows anything about it, I'd like to know!

[Sevenbak]

LeGrand Richards told this story in General Conference. I have never been able to track down the source personally, but it also was told by W. Cleon Skousen in some of his books:

In the

Jewish Hope

, of September 1950, was an article by Arthur U. Michelson. I will not take time to read it, but he tells of a visit he made to Jerusalem, when he heard the experience of the Jewish army. They had only-one cannon, and were facing the Arabs with their well-trained and equipped army, and so when they used this cannon, they moved it from place to place so the enemy would think they had many, and every time the cannon was fired, they would beat tin cans in order to make a lot of noise so that the enemy would think they had many cannons.

I want to read what he said about what happened when the armies of Israel were about to give up:

"One of the officials has told me how much the Jews had to suffer. They had hardly anything with which to resist the heavy attacks of the Arabs who were well organized and equipped with the latest weapons. Besides, they had neither food nor water, because all their supplies were cut off....

"At this critical moment, God showed them that he was on their side, for he performed one of the greatest miracles that ever happened. The Arabs suddenly threw down their arms and surrendered. When their delegation appeared with the white flag, they asked, "Where are the three men that and where are all the troops we saw?" The Jews told them that they did not know anything of the three men, for this group was their entire force. The Arabs said that they saw three persons, with long beards and flowing white robes who warned them not to fight any longer, otherwise they would all be killed. They became so frightened that they decided to give up. What an encouragement this was for the Jews to realize that God was fighting for them."

And then he told about another case when one man with a white robe and a long beard appeared, and they all saw him, and they gave up their arms. Now I do not know, but the Lord said that he would do something for the Jews in the latter days, and when he permitted the Three Nephites to tarry upon this land, he said:

And behold they will be among 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 scattered 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.

(3 Ne. 28:27-29.)

Whoever these persons were, they seemed to have "convincing power sufficient to cause a whole army to surrender.

In permitting these Three Nephites to tarry upon the earth until he, Jesus, should come in his glory, he must have had in mind some great things for them to accomplish In bringing about a fulfillment of his promises. Whether it was convinced the army of the Arabs to surrender, I do not know, but this I do know: That what is going on in the Holy Land should convince one that the Lord is moving rapidly toward restoring the Jews to the land of their fathers and is giving them that land and redeeming it from its waste condition, as the prophets have foretold. (Conference Report, April 1954, Afternoon Meeting, p.55)

I'm normally suspicious of stories like this, but if anyone knows anything about it, I'd like to know!

Interesting story, and given in a conference address no less.

Here's the best list of 3 Nephite stories I've come across.

http://www.chapmanresearch.org/PDF/The%20T...%20Nephites.pdf

[volgadon]

I have a lot of Hebrew books on 1948, so I'll take a look. I think I know which incident this is supposed to have been.

[Sevenbak]

I have a lot of Hebrew books on 1948, so I'll take a look. I think I know which incident this is supposed to have been.

Thanks, I'd love to read more about this.

[tsubotsubo]

Well, I'm not entirely sure how much the 3 Nephites used to be talked about among mormons, but we do end up in discussions about them in church lessons quite often.

But, I mean, how often do we expect to hear about them? I understand that it's unlikely that they'll have any difference on our current lives, hence, I'm not so concerned about them. If they were shown to exist, and were found, I would find it truly fascinating though.

But yes, I hear about the 3 Nephites quite regularly at church. Maybe it has been downplayed in recent years, I'm not entirely sure to be honest, but nearly all the active mormons will be well aware of them. I have no evidence of people trying to hide it at any rate.

[a_little_taller]

Interesting story, and given in a conference address no less.

Here's the best list of 3 Nephite stories I've come across.

http://www.chapmanresearch.org/PDF/The%20T...%20Nephites.pdf

Another good book on this topic is "They Who Tarry" by Clayton Brough. It includes the story about the Arabs surrendering to the Jews and several others. My mission president had a copy of this book on his bookshelf in the mission office. I read it and found it very interesting.

[Sevenbak]

Another good book on this topic is "They Who Tarry" by Clayton Brough. It includes the story about the Arabs surrendering to the Jews and several others. My mission president had a copy of this book on his bookshelf in the mission office. I read it and found it very interesting.

Thanks! That's the reference I was looking for.

[volgadon]

So what is the reference? I don't need you to quote it in full, just give me time, place, etc.