Alma
63:1 Shiblon took possession of those sacred things
Shiblon was the son of Alma the younger and
brother to Helaman. He received counsel from his father, as recorded in Alma
38. His record, Alma chapter 63, could be accurately named the Book of Shiblon,
but then Alma 45-62 could just as accurately be named the Book of Helaman (see
heading for Alma 45). Certainly, Shiblon’s father Alma had been translated long
ago and had left the ‘sacred things’ to his
sons Helaman and Shiblon. The phrase ‘sacred things’
is used because Shiblon received more than just records. Traditionally, the
custodian of the plates would also receive the Liahona, the sword of Laban, and
the Urim and Thummim (see Mosiah 1:16, Alma 37:21).
“The book of Alma in the Book of Mormon is made up of
the records of three different writers: Alma and his sons, Helaman, and
Shiblon. The record of Alma in the book of Alma is unique in that it comprises
22.6 percent of the entire Nephite record and yet covers only 18 years, or
merely 1.76 percent of the entire 1021 years of Nephite history from 600 BC to
AD 421. The record of Alma covers the first 44 chapters of the book of Alma,
the 18 years from 91 to 73 BC. The record of Helaman makes up chapters 45-62,
covering the 16 years from 73 to 57 BC. Mormon's abridgement of Shiblon's
record constitutes the last chapter ("Alma 63:1Alma 63).” (Fred E. Woods, Alma, the
Testimony of the Word, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, p.
305.)
Alma
63:3 And it came to pass that Moroni died
Within
a year or so of his retirement, Moroni died. His death within such a short time
reminds us of other great figures in history—those whose deaths came very
shortly after their missions were accomplished, e.g. Joseph Smith and Abraham
Lincoln. With Moroni too, it seems that his life was ordained for one purpose,
to preserve the Nephite nation. Once that mission was accomplished, the Lord
took him.
Alma
63:5-8 they were never heard of more. And we suppose
that they were drowned
Robert
L. Simpson
Now, young people, as I bear my testimony to you this
morning, I want to relate some very intimate happenings. I want to tell you
some things that have been important in my life, things that have been main
structural supports in my testimony, and I want to tell them to you in all
humility. I hope you will not misconstrue these remarks. I want you to be sure
and realize that I tell them to you not in a boasting way. I tell them to you
just because they are a part of my life and so much a part of my life that I do
not know how to separate myself from them. I give them to you in hopes that you
might be able to at least remember the spirit of what I say and perhaps make it
a small part of your testimony, too.
“I would like, in making reference to these wonderful
people from New Zealand-especially the Maori folks here today-to turn to Alma 53:5Alma 53:6Alma 53:7Alma 53:8Alma 63:5-8, and
read a very significant quotation. It talks about a man called Hagoth, a man
who set sail from these Americas many centuries ago. (quotes
Alma 63:5-8).
“I
would like to tell you young people that in a great gathering of Polynesians
held right in Salt Lake City just prior to 1915, a prophet of the Lord,
President Joseph F. Smith, addressing a group of Polynesians who had come to
Salt Lake City to participate in their temple endowment work, made the
statement that without a doubt this man Hagoth and his company were the
progenitors of the Polynesian races, and that this migration was the beginning
of the Polynesian population in the South Pacific.
“Now up
until very recently men of science have said, no, the Polynesians have come
from the Malay States, they have come from the African, from the Asian side,
and they have migrated from a westerly direction to the Polynesian islands-not
from the Americas. This has been popular thinking until about 1940, when a very
bold scholar by the name of Thor Heyerdahl made the observation that indeed
these people must be from the Americas. He set out to prove this by building
some balsa rafts on which he set himself adrift off the shores of South and
Central America. He and his companions drifted for about one hundred days, and
depending only on the prevailing tides and winds of that area, they found
themselves cast upon the shores of these South Pacific islands, not far from
Tahiti. It seems rather significant that all of a sudden scientific opinion
began to change and Thor Heyerdahl, since that day, has presented additional
evidences that have further made it a very important consideration-that the
Polynesians did originate from the Americas.
“Now
the Maoris themselves have something to say about this theory. They all have
the same answer to the questions, ‘Where did your people come from? Where did
you originate?' The answer is always the same:
‘I haere mai matou i tawhiti nui, i tawhiti roe, i
tawhiti pamamau i te hono i te wai e rua.’ (‘We came from a great distance,
from a still greater distance, from a very, very great distance, from the
joining place of two great waters. ‘)
“Perhaps
by the narrow neck of land that separated the two great seas, the narrow neck
of land which led into the land northward. This is Maori tradition and I want
to tell you that those who have joined the Church believe without reservation,
that these things I have told you are part and parcel of Mormon doctrine. (BYU
Speeches of the Year, April 4, 1962, p. 6.)
Mark E. Petersen
“…the Polynesian Saints are characterized by a
tremendous faith. 10217Why do they have this great
faith? It is because these people are of the blood of Israel. They are heirs to
the promises of the Book of Mormon. God is now awakening them to their great
destiny.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1962, p. 112)
Alma
63:9 there were many people who went forth into the
land northward
Up
to this point, Nephite and Mulekite civilizations had remained in the land
south of the narrow neck. Bountiful was the northernmost Nephite territory.
However, the colonizing expeditions from 55-53 BC were the beginning of a
general migration of Nephite society northward. ‘And
it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there was much contention and many
dissensions; in the which there were an exceedingly great many who departed out
of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the
land. And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance…’ (Hel
3:3-11). By 350 AD, the land of Zarahemla had been completely abandoned and the
Nephites were all in the land northward (Mormon 2:29).
Alma
63:12 all those engravings which were in the
possession of Helaman were written and sent forth
Orson
Pratt
“From the time that Lehi left Jerusalem to the days
of Jesus, there were a great many records kept by the remnant of Joseph, upon
this land. The Book of Mormon does not contain one hundredth part of the
records of these prophets. Now did they keep all of them on plates, or did they
multiply them by thousands of copies on this land? Let me refer you to page
388, of the Book of Mormon. ‘And now behold all
those engravings which were in the possession of Helaman, were written and sent
forth among the children of men throughout all the land…’ Now to confine
the sacred records in one place, and to keep the people in ignorance in regard
to their contents, would not be reasonable. Hence we are informed that they
were written and sent forth throughout all the land, and this will account for
the extracts from the Scriptures written in ancient Hebrew, discovered in the
mounds that have been opened in Ohio, among which were the ten commandments.
The people of this land were well acquainted with the Scriptures.” (Journal
of Discourses, 16: 56 - 57.)
Alma
63:10 those parts which had been commanded by Alma
should not go forth
Alma
had commanded that certain parts of the scriptural record be kept secret. These
included the oaths, covenants, and plans of the secret combinations (Alma
37:27-29), the revelation of Alma which foretells the destruction of the entire
Nephite nation (Alma 45:9-14), and the revelation given to the brother of Jared
(Ether 3:25-4:7).
Joseph
Fielding Smith
“The people of Limhi brought to Mosiah a record, ‘... engraven on plates of ore,’ ("Mosiah 21:27Mosiah 21:27)
which record Mosiah translated by the aid of ‘two
stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow,’ and which gave
an account of the Jaredites. (See Ibid., "Mosiah
28:11"Mosiah 28:12"Mosiah 28:13"Mosiah 28:14"Mosiah
28:15"Mosiah 28:16"Mosiah 28:17"Mosiah 28:18"Mosiah 28:1928:11-19.) In translating this record Mosiah
kept from going forth to the people that particular part forbidden of the Lord
to be revealed until after he was lifted up upon the cross. (See "Ether 4:1Ether 4:1.)
These sacred revelations given to the brother of Jared were kept from the
Nephite people, as well as many other things, until after the resurrection of
Christ. (See "Alma 63:12Alma 63:12.)
After the appearing of the Savior to the Nephites, the vision of the brother of
Jared was revealed to the Nephites.” (“Your Question by Joseph Fielding Smith,”
Improvement Era, June, 1954)