Video: On The Lord's Errand -- The Life of Thomas S. Monson

"No one can understand President Thomas S. Monson," said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "who does not understand the frequency, the repetition of those kinds of spiritual promptings in his life, and his absolute loyalty in responding to them."

I can think of no better modern day example of how to serve the Lord by serving his fellow men and women than that of President Monson.

Balancing Truth and Tolerance -- A Talk by Elder Dalin H. Oaks

"The existence and nature of truth is one of the fundamental questions of mortal life. Jesus told the Roman governor Pilate that He came into the world to 'bear witness unto the truth.' That unbeliever responded, 'What is truth?' (John 18:37–38). Earlier the Savior had declared, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6). In modern revelation, He declared, 'Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come' (D&C 93:24).

"We believe in absolute truth, including the existence of God and the right and wrong established by His commandments. We know that the existence of God and the existence of absolute truth are fundamental to life on this earth, whether they are believed in or not. We also know that evil exists and that some things are simply, seriously, and everlastingly wrong."


Read the rest at:

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/02/balancing-truth-and-tolerance?lang=eng

Video: Together Forever

I first watched this video at a baptismal ceremony in June 1988.  My reaction was "Wow, what a great video."  Together Forever was the third of three great videos released by the church around the time of my mission.  It wasn't long before I wrote home recommending that my family find and watch this excellent video.

Video: How Rare a Posession

"I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not.  But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing."

This video was released by the church in November 1987, just two months before I left on my mission.  It is, quite simply, fantastic.  I loved showing this video to investigators, as well as to members.  Watching this video always invited the Spirit, and it was often strong and sweet.  This video, which we called H-RAP for short, was one of our best tools.

Video: Our Heavenly Father's Plan

This video was released by the church in 1986, a couple of years before I left on my mission.  The video basically corresponded to the 1st discussion that missionaries of my era taught.  Learn it, live it, love it.

The Book of Mormon: Fruit of Joseph Smith and the Keystone of Our Religion

In the Sermon on the Mount, the Savior warned us against false prophets and then said that we would know them by their fruits.  "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs or thistles," he asked.  "Even so every good tree bringeth for good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."

The Savior continued, "A good tree cannot bring for evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."  (Matthew 7: 16-20)

We believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.  How shall we know that he is a prophet?  By his fruits.  The most important fruit of Joseph Smith is the Book of Mormon.  In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon expounded on the principle that "by their works ye shall know them" using the contrast of good and bitter fountains.  "For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil."

Mormon continued, "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.  But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."  (Moroni 7: 11-13)

The first thing to consider, either as prospective missionaries first read the Book of Mormon, or as their future investigators read it, is does the Book of Mormon invite and entice its readers to do good, to love God, and to serve him?

Early in the book, we read that the "right way" is to believe in Christ.  Nephi, the first man to keep the record that would become the Book of Mormon, wrote, "I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel' wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out." (2 Nephi 25:29)

Nephi would later write, "And now, my beloved brethren . . . hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ.  And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good." (2 Nephi 33:10)

The second thing to consider is the promise given by Moroni, the last record keeper of the Book of Mormon.  Moroni promised that if we ask God in the name of Jesus Christ, with a sincere heart, real intent, having faith in Christ, if "these things", the Book of Mormon, are not true, that God will manifest the truth of it unto us by the power of the Holy Ghost.  "And by the power of the Holy Ghost," he said, "ye may know the truth of all things."

The prophet Joseph Smith was called by God to translate the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God.  God commanded Nephi and Mormon and Moroni to keep a record and to write the words of God.  It is God, then, who gave us the Book of Mormon; Joseph Smith was his instrument in bringing forth the book in our day.  Because Joseph was God's instrument, the Book of Mormon is considered to be a fruit of his labor.  If the Book of Mormon persuades men to do good and to believe in Christ, and if it is the word of God, then Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "If the Book of Mormon is true, the Church is true, for the same authority under which this sacred record came to light is present and manifest among us today.  It is a restoration of the Church set up by the Savior in Palestine.  It is a restoration of the Church set up by the Savior when he visited this continent as set forth in this sacred record."

President Hinckley went on to say that, "If the Book of Mormon is true, the Bible is true.  The Bible is the Testament of the Old World.  The Book of Mormon is the Testament of the New.  The one is the record of Judah, the other is the record of Joseph, and they have come together in hand of of the Lord in fulfillment of the prophecy of Ezekiel.  Together they declare the Kingship of the Redeemer of the word, and the reality of his kingdom."

President Ezra Taft Benson called the Book of Mormon the "keystone of our religion," the "keystone of testimony," and said "Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon."  President Benson also counseled us to use the Book of Mormon in handling objections to the church:

"All objections, whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh-day worship, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation.  Here, then, is a procedure to handle most objection through the use of the Book of Mormon.

"First, understand the objection.

"Second, give the answer from revelation.

"Third, show how the correctness of the answer really depends on whether or not we have modern revelation through modern prophets.

"Fourth, explain that whether or not we have modern prophets and revelation really depends on whether the Book of Mormon is true.

"Therefore, the only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true.  For if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led to day by a prophet receiving revelation.  Our main task is to declare the gospel and do it effectively.  We are not obliged to answer every objection.  Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand."

Finally, Elder Richard G. Scott gave counsel that prospective missionaries can follow and then share with their investigators in the mission field:  "Try reading the Book of Mormon because you want to, not because you have to.  Discover for yourself that it is true.  As you read each page, ask 'Could any man have written this book, or did it come as Joseph Smith testified?'  Apply the teachings you learn.  They will fortify you against the evil of Satan.

"Follow Moroni's counsel.  Sincerely ask God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, with real intent, if the teachings of the Book of Mormon are true.  Ask with a desire to receive a confirmation that the book is true.  You will then know that Jesus Christ lives, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church.  You will confirm that the Savior guides His Church through a living prophet.  These truths will become a foundation for your productive life."


Benson, E. T. (1988). A Witness and a Warning: A Modern-Day Prophet Testifies of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book.

Hinckley, G. B. (1959). Conference Report, October 1959.

Scott, R. G. (2003). Conference Report, October 2003.

Recognizing the Promptings of the Spirit

Before one can receive a witness of the Spirit, teach by the Spirit, or help others recognize spiritual feelings, they must first learn to recognize the promptings of the Spirit.  President Boyd K. Packer has said, "The voice of the Spirit is described in the scripture as being neither 'loud' nor 'harsh.'  It is 'not a voice of thunder, neither . . . voice of a great tumultuous noise.'  But rather, 'a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,' and it can 'pierce even to the very soul' and 'cause [the heart] to burn.'  Remember, Elijah found the voice of the Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was a still small voice.

"The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand.  Rather it whispers.  It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all.  Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed.  But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, 'Speak [Lord], for they servant heareth.'"

Promptings of the Spirit have often been described as a "burning in the bosom," yet Elder Dalin H. Oaks had this to say: "What does a 'burning in the bosom' mean?  Does it need to be a feeling of caloric heat, like the burning produced by combustion?  If that is the meaning, I have never had a burning in the bosom.  Surely, the word 'burning' in this scripture signifies a feeling of comfort and serenity.  That is the witness many receive.  That is the way revelation works."

How do we recognize the promptings of the spirit?  To answer the question, President Gordon B. Hinckley once read Moroni 7:13, 16-17 and then said, "That's the test, when all is said and done.  Does it persuade one to do good, to rise, to stand tall, to do the right thing, to be kind, to be generous?  Then it is of the Spirit of God. . . .  If it invites to do good, it is of God.  If it inviteth to do evil, it is of the devil. . . .  And if you are doing the right thing and if you are living the right way, you will know in your heart what the Spirit is saying to you."

President Hinckley added that, "You recognize the promptings of the Spirit by the fruits of the Spirit -- that which enlighteneth, that which buildeth up, that which is positive and affirmative and uplifting and leads us to better thoughts and better words and better deeds is of the Spirit of God."

In chapter 4 of Preach My Gospel, we find a table with a list of scriptures which gives ideas on how one might recognize the Spirit and its promptings (pages 96-97).  For example scriptures such as Galatians 5:22-23 suggest that the Spirit gives "feelings of love, joy, peace, patience, meekness, gentleness, faith and hope."  Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3 says that the Spirit can give us ideas in the mind and feelings in the heart.  The spirit can enlighten the mind, according to Alma 32:28 and other scriptures.  The table is worth studying so that prospective missionaries can learn to recognize the Spirit.

President Howard W. Hunter explained how we can discern different manifestations of the Spirit: "I get concerned when it appears that strong emotion or free-flowing tears are equated with the presence of the Spirit.  Certainly the Spirit of the Lord can bring strong emotional feelings, including tears, but that outward manifestation ought not to be confused with the presence of the Spirit itself.

"I have watched a great many of my brethren over the years and we have shared some rare and unspeakable spiritual experiences together.  Those experiences have all been different, each special in its own way, and such sacred moments may or may not be accompanied by tears.  Very often they are, but sometimes they are accompanied by total silence.  Other times they are accompanied by joy.  Always they are accompanied by a great manifestation of the truth, of revelation to the heart. . . .

"Listen for the truth, hearken to the doctrine, and let the manifestation of the Spirit come as it may in all of its many and varied forms.  Stay with solid principles; teach from a pure heart.  The the Spirit will penetrate your mind and heart and every mind and heart of your students."

Not only can there be difference manifestations of the Spirit for different situations, but also for different people.  The way the Spirit manifests itself to one person is often different from how the Spirit manifests itself to another.  We are all individuals and the way the Spirit manifests itself to us may be unique.  We should learn not just to recognize the Spirit, but also how it manifests itself to us individually and uniquely.


Sources:

Missionary Preparation: Student Manual. (2005). Salt Lake City:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Preach My Gospel. (2004). Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching.  (1999).  Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Thy Timing Be Done"

We read in Preach My Gospel that, "A testimony is a spiritual witness and assurance given by the Holy Ghost.  To bear testimony is to give a simple, direct declaration of belief -- a feeling, an assurance, a conviction of gospel truth.  Sharing your testimony often is one of the most powerful ways of inviting the Spirit and helping others feel the Spirit.  It adds a current personal witness to the truths you have taught from the scriptures.  An effective missionary teaches, testifies, and invites others to do things that build faith in Jesus Christ.  This includes making promises that come from living true principles."

Of course, before you can share your testimony, you have to have a testimony to share.  When I left on my mission I thought I had a testimony; I had read the Book of Mormon twice and had seen my faith increase, and I had felt the Spirit testifying that what I was reading was true.  But a few months into my mission I started to feel that my testimony was at best inadequate.  So one night I prayed to know if the church was true, and I have to confess that I did not have much patience.  When I did not receive an immediate answer I worried that, in fact, the church might not be true.

Elder Dalin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve has taught about the timing of inspiration from God: "We should recognize that the Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in his own time and in his own way.  Many people do not understand this principle.  They believe that when they are ready and when it suits their convenience, they can call upon the Lord and he will immediately respond, even in the precise way they have prescribed.  Revelation does not come that way."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who was a member of the Twelve, echoed this principle: "Since the Lord wants a people 'tried in all things' (D&C 136:31), how, specifically, will we be tried?  He tells us, I will try the faith and the patience of my people (see Mosiah 23:21).  Since faith in the timing of the Lord may be tried, let us learn to say not only, 'Thy will be done,' but patiently also, 'Thy timing be done.'"

When I worried that the church might not be true, because I had not received an immediate witness from the Spirit, I started arguing with myself.  I had wanted the church to be true, "Oh, why couldn't it be true?"  But then, "No, you know it is true?"  When the Lord, I think, was satisfied with my sincerity, I was prompted to ask again, an when I did I finally received the witness from the spirit that I had been seeking.  While it worked out for me in the end, prospective missionaries probably shouldn't follow my example.

Rather, prospective missionaries who don't have a testimony, should follow the same formula or pattern that they will ask their investigators to follow.  Prospective missionaries and investigators should follow the guidelines given by Moroni in the last chapter of the Book of Mormon:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."  (Moroni 10:3-5)

Missionaries ask their investigators to read and pray about the Book of Mormon; prospective missionaries should do the same.  With investigators, missionaries hope this process will unfold in a matter of weeks -- the time it takes to teach five discussions and for the investigator to attend church the required number of times.  For prospective missionaries it may take longer, perhaps even several months; they can expect their patience to be tried.

For prospective missionaries who may feel that they do have a testimony, they should work on strengthening that testimony.  How might they do that, by repeating the same process described above.  They should continue studying the scriptures, the discussions they will teach, resources like Preach My Gospel, True to the Faith, etc, and seek the guidance of the Spirit through prayer.  As they do this, seeking to know the will of the Lord and then doing it, their faith will increase and their testimony will be strengthened.

"I Know"

President Boyd K. Packer was called to be president of the New England States Mission while he was serving as an Assistant to the Twelve.  In a book published in 1975, President Packer reflected on an experience he had as a mission president.  He found that his mission was not progressing as it should have been, but he could not immediately discover the solution.  The answer came during the testimony session of a zone conference when a particular elder stood to bear his testimony.

"The testimonies we'd heard from all the other missionaries," wrote then-Elder Packer, "went something like this: 'I'm grateful to be in the mission field.  I've learned a lot from it.  I have a fine companion.  I've learned a lot from him.  I'm grateful for my parents.  We had an interesting experience last week.  We were out knocking on doors and. . . .'  Then the missionary would relate an experience.  His conclusion would be something  like this: 'I'm grateful to be in the mission field.  I have a testimony of the gospel.'  And he would conclude 'in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.'

"This young elder was different somehow.  Anxious not to spend an extra second on his feet, he said simply, in hurried, frightened words, 'I know that God lives.  I know that Jesus is the Christ.  I know that we have a prophet of God leading the Church.  In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.'

"This was a testimony.  It was not just an experience nor an expression of gratitude.  It was a declaration, a witness!

"Most of the elders had said 'I have a testimony,' but they had not declared it.  This young elder had, in a very few words, delivered his testimony -- direct, basic, and, as it turned out, powerful.

"I knew then what was wrong in the mission.  We were telling stories, expressing gratitude, admitting that we had testimonies, but we were not bearing them."

Note the clear difference between saying that you have a testimony and actually bearing your testimony.  Note, also, the difference between a "thankimony" and a testimony.

During one Fast and Testimony meeting some years ago, I heard several "thankimonies" which seemed to say "I have a testimony because of this blessing or that blessing."  I stood up to bear my testimony and said that I did not have a testimony because I had a great job, or a nice house, or a wonderful wife -- though I do have a wonderful wife.  Rather, I had a testimony because I had received a witness from God, a witness of the Spirit.  What greater witness can we have than a witness from God?

It is acceptable, when bearing testimony, to express gratitude or to tell a faith promoting story, but we should remember that doing these things is secondary to bearing testimony.  The primary purpose of bearing testimony is to declare what we know.  As we read in True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, "Your testimony will be most powerful when it is expressed as a brief, heartfelt conviction about the Savior, His teachings, and the Restoration.  Pray for guidance, and the Spirit will help you know how to express the feelings in your heart."

The importance of bearing testimony in missionary work cannot be overstated.  "Personal testimony," said President Gordon B. Hinckley, "is the factor which turns people around in their living as they come into this Church."

President Hinckley also said that "[Testimony] is something that cannot be refuted.  Opponents may quote scripture and argue doctrine endlessly.  They can be clever and persuasive.  But when one says, 'I know,' there can be no further argument.  There may not be acceptance, but who can refute or deny the quiet voice of the inner soul speaking with personal conviction?"

While a testimony cannot be refuted, and cannot be taken away from the person who bore it, that doesn't stop people from trying.  If people do not want to believe, then they will find a reason not to; if they do not want to accept a testimony, then they won't.  But their actions cannot refute a witness from God and a testimony is always worth repeating.

I know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy Messiah.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet.  In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.




Sources:


Packer, B. K. (1975). Teach Ye Diligently. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book.

(2004). True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Hinckley, G. B. (1998). "Testimony". Ensign, May 1998.

The Nicodemus Factor

On my second day in my fourth area, we had a dinner appointment with the former mayor of the town.  He was not a member of the church, but was considered to be a friend of the church.  After dinner at a nice restaurant we went back to his home for a discussion.  We talked about the gospel, the apostasy and restoration, baptism and the reason for commandments, etc.

I did not know what to make of the former mayor, he had had a long association with the church and had been taught the discussions several times.  He had also read The Book of Mormon a few times. I think he believed the church to be true, and might even have known it, but he worried too much about what people would think if he got baptized. He did say that he would have had to give up all of his many ties in the community if he were baptized.  He was always willing to take us out to dinner and have a discussion about the gospel, but I wasn't sure if it would really be worth our time.

I thought of the former mayor recently when I read about the nighttime visit of Nicodemus with the Savior.  Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, and a prominent Pharisee.  It seems that he timed his visit with Jesus in order to minimize the risk of being seen with him.  He did not want to attract attention lest anyone think he was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth.

"Rabbi," said Nicodemus, "we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."  It appears that the Pharisee was trying to justify this visit to himself.

The Savior surely knew that Nicodemus, while he might be an admirer, was not really a convert, and that his interest in seeing Jesus was intellectual curiosity rather that spiritual searching.  As a learned man, Nicodemus's mind was in a well built box.  He had been taught to be infatuated with mysteries in the scriptures, turning the simplest truth into obuscure perplexity.  Having sized up his interlocutor, Jesus sought to open his mind, to get Nicodemus to think outside the box.

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

"How can a man be born when he is old," asked Nicodemus, "can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

In addition to opening his mind, Jesus was also trying to get Nicodemus to humble himself, to admit that he didn't know what the Savior was saying.  Next Jesus hinted that he was speaking symbolically.

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

There were definite clues here, references to teachings of the ancient prophets which used the "new birth" of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost as symbolism of natural birth.  In the Book of Moses, in the Pearl of Great Price, we read this is the way it was originally taught to Adam.  But as a trained Pharisee, Nicodemus could not recognize the reference.  Jesus then tried to get the Nicodemus to fish or cut bait.

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

One wonders if there might have been an evening breeze as Jesus tried to find evidence of spiritual curiosity in Nicodemus.  One might also wonder why the Savior didn't just tell the Pharisee straight up that he needed to repent and be baptized.  But Nicodemus had likely already heard that message from John the Baptist and had not accepted it.  Even now, despite the efforts of Jesus to get Nicodemus to humble himself and open his mind to simple spiritual truths, the Pharisee was still locked in his box of intellectual mystery making.

"How can these things be?" he asked.  While this might sound like an admission of ignorance, it was instead an intellectual thrust designed to put Jesus on the defensive.  The Savior fired right back with a challenge of his own.

"Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and Ye receive not our witness."

The "we" referred to both Jesus and John the Baptist.  Nicodemus had confessed that Jesus must be a man of God to perform the miracles that he did, but he did not come to the Savior in the nighttime seeking instruction, much less repentance and baptism.  Rather, he was intellectually fascinated by the Nazerene.

"If I have told you earthly things," Jesus continued, "and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

At this point, there was only one thing left to do, bear testimony.  This is a common experience for missionaries in these latter days, as well.  When a missionary has tried to open the mind of a contact or investigator, and it has not worked, it is time to start bearing their testimony.  This is what the Savior now did with Nicodemus.

"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: The whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, the he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not comdemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

The Joseph Smith Translation adds "which before was preached by the mouth of all the holy prophets: for they testified of me."

Finally to the man who came to see him at night, Jesus continued, "And this is the condemnation, the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

While Nicodemus was not converted, he did remain a friend.  He would defend Jesus when the Pharisees were going to condemn the Savior without a trial.  Then, after Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloes for the Savior's burial.  Nicodemus may have been one of those honorable men referred to in Doctrine and Covenants 76:73-76: "These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.  These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fullness."  One might hope, however, that Nicodemus may have later, after the Savior's resurrection, accepted the gospel.


Sources:

John Chapter Three

Skousen, W. C. (1992). Days of the Living Christ, Vol. 1.  Salt Lake City, UT: Ensign Publishing Co.