Lesson 143 Ether 1

After Moroni finished the record of his father, he wrote an abridgment, or an abbreviated version, of the record found on the 24 gold plates. This record contained the history of the Jaredites, who lived on the American continent before the Nephites and Lamanites.

Ether 1:1–5.

1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country.

4 Therefore I do not write those things which transpired from the days of Adam until that time; but they are had upon the plates; and whoso findeth them, the same will have power that he may get the full account.

2 And I take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of Ether.

5 But behold, I give not the full account, but a part of the account I give, from the tower down until they were destroyed.

3 And as I suppose that the first part of this record, which speaks concerning the creation of the world, and also of Adam, and an account from that time even to the great tower, and whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that time, is had among the Jews—

According to verse 5, what did Moroni choose to include in his abridgment of the Jaredite record?

Moroni began his account of the Jaredite history by recording the ancestry of the prophet Ether, who wrote the history on the 24 gold plates. Moroni recorded Ether’s ancestry back to a man named Jared, who lived during the time of the Tower of Babel.

If you were in that situation, whose communication would you miss the most? Why?

Ether 1:33–34.

33 Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.

34 And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.

Who did Jared want to be able to communicate with?

What did Jared propose so that his family and friends could continue to communicate with one another?

From Ether 1:33–34, what do you learn about how Jared felt about his brother and about his brother’s prayers?

Divide into pairs. In each partnership, have the companion take turns reading aloud from Ether 1:35–42. Them to look for the prayers of the brother of Jared and for the Lord’s answers to those prayers.

What stands out to you about the prayers of the brother of Jared?

In what ways is crying unto Heavenly Father different from just “saying a prayer”?

How did the Lord answer the prayers of the brother of Jared?

What principle can we learn from the way the brother of Jared prayed and the way the Lord answered his prayers?

President Spencer W. Kimball.

“Do you get answers to your prayers? … Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly?” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Prayer,” New Era, Mar. 1978, 17).

Elder Richard G. Scott.

“Let your Father in Heaven know of your feelings, your needs, your concerns, your hopes and aspirations. Speak to Him with total confidence, knowing that He will hear and respond” (Richard G. Scott, “The Power of a Strong Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 88).

What stands out to you in these statements about how we can more consistently cry unto God?

The account in Ether 1 can give us additional insights into God’s love for us and the blessings that come through prayer.

What additional blessings did the Lord promise the people?

According to Ether 1:43, what reason did the Lord give for promising blessings beyond those the brother of Jared had requested?

What principle can we learn from Ether 1:43?

What does this principle teach us about the character of our Heavenly Father?

When have you seen this principle in your life or in the life of someone you know?