"Spoke words to great to be written"
 

As I'm plowing my way through the BOM before New Years, I ran across several of these references which have always puzzled me.

What could the Savior have said that was too great to be written? Same question for the children in 3 Ne 17, as well as others I can;t think of right now.

Could it somehow be a reference to sacred covenants? Is it a "pearls before swine" issue? Are there things that my weak, unspiritual mind just could not comprehend in my current state?

I'm confused. Any enlightment available.

Possibly, or it could be that Christ was speaking in another tongue, for which there was no translation into the Nephites' mother tongue.

I've always taken that to mean things too great for general consumption. Things that might be heard in a temple etc...

I like the comments already made, but it could also mean ...
 

... concepts that are drilled into your heart and mind that you can see and comprehend spiritually because of heavenly facilitation of the concept to you, that even if you were to attempt with all your energy to put into mortal words to convey to someone else, it is just impossible to do so. The short version of what I just said would be the old addage of trying to explain to someone what salt tastes like when they have not tasted it.

Salt tastes like salt...
 

those that haven't tasted it will just have to accept that on faith. ;)

I believe ther are just some things that we, as mortals, just can't comprehend or it isn't necessary for us to understand yet.

Rather simplistic on my part, but it works for me.

Re: Salt tastes like salt...
 

So, we've come full circle. Back to the Mormon Rap.

I still have no idea
 

what the Mormon Rap is.

Do I really want to know?

Were you able to read that lyrics that someone posted under the original mormon rap thread?

I would love to hear the actual song sometime if anyone is able to come by a copy. For old times sake. Maybe iTunes would have it....

Thanks for the input on the original question. definitely helps.

Ask President Packer
 

In the september issue he was speaking about the 12 apostles and towards the end he said this.

These men are true servants of the Lord; give heed to their counsel. So, too, with the Seventy, who as especial witnesses carry an apostolic responsibility, and the Bishopric, worthy men of God. So, too, with the brethren and sisters across the world who are called to lead, who have earned that knowledge precious above all else.

There are limits to what the Spirit permits us to say. (Alma 12 : 9) And so I close with my witness, my special witness, that Jesus is the Christ, that through a prophet-president He presides over this, “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.” 35 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Forgive me if this idea has already been expressed another way, but it strikes me off the bat that it might be along the line of when Joseph tried to describe the glory of God. He simply said that it "defied all description".

If it is the case that there are things one can behold that the human mind and tongue are unequal to decribing (though the mind clearly knows what it saw) then perhaps there are also words and concepts that though understood literally cannot be repeated. This may be another one of those situations where we are too limited to understand how this might occur but my guess is that it is akind to when you are searching for a word that captures an idea and just can't find it. In this case there just are no words you can regurgitate.

Either that, or it is just code for that fact that trying to take notes on brass plates gives you one hell of a cramp and you tire out. "Nephi, did you hear that? Aren't you going to write that down?"