38:1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said
unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye
shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the
commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence.
38:2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you,
because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you
have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I
hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is
he that endureth to the end.
38:3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already,
because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy
long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites.
38:4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou
wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things
with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that
the Lord did deliver thee.
38:5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as
much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be
delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions,
and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
38:6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these
things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which
maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been born of God I
should not have known these things.
38:7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare
unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among his people; yea,
and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his
voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.
38:8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the
most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out
unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my
sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.
38:9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom,
that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man
can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and
the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and
righteousness.
38:10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that
ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and
temperate in all things.
38:11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not
boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
38:12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle
all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain
from idleness.
38:13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray
to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
38:14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our
brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember
my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at
all times.
38:15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last day
into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and teach the
word unto this people. Be sober. My son, farewell.