Jacob 5 is infamously known as the longest chapter in not only the Book of Mormon, but also in all of scripture. It contains Zenos’ Allegory of the Olive Trees, which was presumably included in the brass plates, and subsequently quoted by Jacob. The story can generally be outlined as follows.

• Treating the Decaying Olive Tree by Pruning and Digging
• Treating the Decaying Olive Tree by Grafting and Transplanting
• Revival of the Olive Tree
• Additional Decay
• Treating the Further Decay by Grafting and Burning
• A Final Effort
• Recovery and Success
• Additional Decay Foretold
• Jacob’s Comments

The symbolism is rich and complex, and as is the case with most figurative expositions, can be understood on several levels. Generally, it is understood as a historical recounting of certain aspects of the house of Israel, as well as a foretelling its future and destiny.

Continuing along with the dissection of the gems found in Jacob 4, I find it worthwhile to analyze Jacob’s words when he said:

“Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old. (Jacob 4:13)

Jacob here is speaking about truth; specifically, truth revealed by the Spirit, which “speaketh the truth and lieth not.” The acquisition of truth has been humanity’s quest through the ages, and great mysteries have remained unsolved because what is often true in one situation can be false in another. Even so, Jacob seems to indicate that there are truths of an absolute nature amid those truths that are relative, when he mentions as “things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.”

One of the most poignant messages of Jacob has to do with “looking beyond the mark.” He explained that:

“…the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand.

“Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.” (Jacob 4:14)

While Jacob here refers to the historical Jews specifically, this scripture has an incredible amount of relevance and applicability to us today.

In Jacob’s address to the reader of his record, he makes a statement with profound implications:

“Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.”

His emphasis seems to imply that despite whatever light and knowledge we may have received, we are light years away from fully grasping the most profound depths of the concepts relating to the nature and works of God.

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. The resurrection was the crowning element of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and is an essential and centric feature of the Gospel.

The people of the Book of Mormon, although far removed from the Holy land, were well aware of the promise of the Resurrection. Alma taught the Zoramites:

“…Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead…” (Alma 33:22)

In addition to demonstrating understanding of the physical and eternal nature of the resurrection, the Book of Mormon also uses the resurrection in symbolic terms to illustrate the more abstract concepts of redemption and rebirth that are otherwise more difficult to grasp.

In preparation to serve a mission myself I have come across a book called “Preparation Precedes Power” from a family member. It has been helpful in strengthening me and preparing me to serve the Lord on a full-time mission. As I have been reading I have realized that we can all be missionaries at any point in our lives. So how do we do that?

Most likely we would all like to be better missionaries by setting good examples and hoping that someone just might show some interest. However, chances are that whenever such circumstances arise and there is even a glimmer of interest, we don’t know exactly how to articulate the Gospel or our beliefs, even if we know them well.

So what are our beliefs? How do we explain who we are and what we know? The following contains several excerpts from the 11th chapter of “Preparation Precedes Power”, where Randy L. Bott gives us a pretty good idea of how to explain what we believe using the Book of Mormon.