Without Disclosing My True Identity
The Book of Mormon presents an account of how Christ visited the adult Nephites.
After he had delivered to them all “the things which he taught before he ascended to his
Father [when he was among the Jews at Jerusalem],”^6 even having “glorified God on the
earth by finishing the work which God gave him to do,”^7 Christ could “perceive that
there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning
the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away,
and that all things had become new.”^8 The adults of that time couldn’t get it any more
than mortals did in Joseph’s day. Their prejudices were so strong that not anyone, not
even the Christ himself, could penetrate the “collection of prejudices acquired by them.”
Their “common sense” was so deranged by their religion (the Law of Moses), that it
caused Christ to “groan within himself...because of [their] wickedness.”^9
Reading the story correctly and with honest reflection, one should realize that IF
the people had understood and accepted without reservation what Christ had told them,
he would have left them after delivering his initial message. But they did not understand
that he had just taught them all that was required to find true happiness. While his
departure was mandated, for he had “received a commandment of the Father that [he
should] go unto [other peoples in the world]”^10 and teach them the same things,
nevertheless, Christ “perceived that they were weak, that they could not understand all
of his words which he was commanded of the Father to speak unto them at that time.”^11
So it was that Christ was forced to deal further with the “wickedness of the people of the
house of Israel.” To deal with them, Christ “brought their little children and set them
down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the
multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.”^12 While Mormon was not
allowed to write what happened next, Moroni was; and he gave a full account of the
sealed portion of the gold plates regarding that which his father, Mormon, was
forbidden to write on the unsealed portion of that record.^13
You Want Religion, Do You?
The Book of Mormon goes on to explain how the people (who couldn’t understand the
simplicity of the “things which he taught before he ascended to his Father”^14 ) desired a
church, leadership, and ordinances. They wanted religion—which caused Christ to “groan
within.”^15 Christ then acquiesced to their desires and suffered them to have their church,
their apostles, their sacraments, and their ordinances.
When the adult Joseph later prepared his symbolic presentation of the real truth
hidden in the Temple Endowment ordinance, he reiterated what the Book of Mormon taught
about people who were seeking for God’s direction and guidance through prayers made to
unknown and unseen Gods. The character playing Adam kneels down at an altar, lifts his
hands towards the heavens and says, “Oh God, hear the words of my mouth. Oh God, hear
the words of my mouth. Oh God, hear the worlds of my mouth.”^16
The character playing Lucifer then approaches Adam and says, “I hear you.
What is it you want?”
“Who are you?” Adam asks.
“I am the god of this world,” Lucifer responds.
“You, the god of this world?” Adam questions.
“Yes. What do you want?” Lucifer replies.^17