Stay upon the Lord

2 Nephi 19-20

Things don't look too good for the tribe of Judah at the start of this read. I don't know enough about ancient middle eastern history to understand all the name-dropping that Isaiah does, but it's plain that it won't be pretty.

The situation looks up in chapter 20. The conquerors are conquered and the remnant of the tribe of Judah is restored. I find this chapter so interesting for a couple reasons:

1. The Lord explains the punishments that the Jews will experience at the hand of the Assyrians. Yet he frankly refers to the Assyrians as nothing more than a tool of His anger--a tool that can be thrown away and destroyed just as easily as it was used to destroy.

20:15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lifteth it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if there were no wood:,

Why does he point this out? Why does Isaiah write this down? It's an interesting thought. As I ponder it, it kind of reminds me of Laman and Lemuel back in 1 Nephi when they went to get the brass plates. L&L say "But Laban has 50 men!!" and Nephi, perplexed, says "But the Lord is God. He's more powerful than 50 men."

20 And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel...shall no more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel in truth.
21 The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

Isaiah (and Nephi by quotation) is making the point that nothing is more powerful than God, not even the tools He uses to chastise us.. Powerful people, nations, armies, and words may block out all our vision of the bigger picture. I think this happened to the Israelites. It must have seemed, to the Jews, that the Assyrians were the end all be all of power at that time. Nothing could topple them. They ransacked Jerusalem and scattered a great nation of people. As a result, the Israelites stayed 'upon him that smote them' and believed that nothing could deliver them, instead of staying upon the Lord who is more powerful than all.

Isaiah prophesies of this Godly power and writes that the mighty Assyrians will fall after the remnant of Israel returns.

24 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Hosts: O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against the, after the manner of Egypt.
25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

This brings me to thought #2.

2. The chapter heading points out that this is a type and a shadow of the 2nd coming. The destruction of the Assyrians represents what will be the destruction of the wicked when Christ comes.

So I wonder: What is it that represents my version of "50 men" or the Assyrians? What is it that makes me forget that Heavenly Father has all power to deliver me, protect me, and bless me?

Honestly, I think that my version of the Assyrians is myself. In this case, I could very well be the evil conqueror. It is my doubts in my own abilities that keep me from trusting fully in Heavenly Father. I worry that I can't hear the Spirit and that I'll miss chances to act upon his promptings. I worry that I am not doing quite enough to qualify for blessings that I need. I worry that people will miss out on blessings because I am insufficient to whatever task is in front of me. It goes on and on and on.

These worries are just as ridiculous as Laman and Lemuel's worries. Like the Israelites, I 'stay upon them that smote me' instead of staying upon the Lord. Satan loves it. If he could keep blinders on us always, he would. Tunnel vision makes every small problem seem humongous and insurmountable. That problem fills the small circle of sight and we choose not to see the bigger picture. The bigger picture includes God in control with the power to deliver us, fix it, vanquish evil, comfort me, and bless the world. This power is what allowed Christ to take up his life again after 3 days in the tomb. It's what made it possible for Him to pay the full, undiscounted price for all our sins in the garden of Gethsemane.  And it's that power that makes me enough.

Huh. I didn't plan to end up here when I started writing this post. So glad I did, though. These are important thoughts for me.

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Refusing the waters of Shiloah

2 Nephi 16-18

I've only one thought from these chapters tonight and it has to do with 18:6. After Isaiah is chosen, called and sent forth to preach, he understands that Judah will be scattered and taken away. He completely understands the impending judgments of the Lord for his people.

5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:
6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly , and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.
8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

The waters of Shiloah are referenced a few times here and there, usually with  calming words next to them like "pool" or "go softly." The Bible dictionary makes it pretty clear that "Shiloh" refers to the Messiah.

I must have read that a long time ago because whenever I read about it, I picture a soothing, cool river that runs calmly and cleanly over your feet. Isaiah seems to picture it that way, too. The scripture above seems to say 'Since you won't accept the true Messiah of peace and brotherly love, I'll give you the war you want in the form of Assyria. And man, they are going to really ruin everything.' I know, my paraphrasing leaves much to be desired.

The point is, why do we always choose the HARD way? The main message of the scriptures, the Gospel, all the words of the modern and ancient prophets everywhere, and yes, even the message taught by Jesus Christ himself was "This is the only way to be happy. It is the easy way. Lay your burden down. Drink and not thirst. Run and not faint. Eat and not hunger. etc., etc.!!" The teachings of Jesus Christ and the way He has shown us is the most painless, most joyful one that we could possibly find in this life. And yet, we continue to refuse to look at Moses' staff, which would be SO EASY, and instead 'kick against the pricks' and angst, and worry, and fret, and question and rebel. I suppose it is in our nature to be so, but it sure makes things more difficult than they need to be.

I know that the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all wrapped up in how much easier it makes our lives. Obedience shelters and protects us from many evils of the world. Sure, we still have trial and tragedy, but only the necessary troubles to mold and teach us so that we can become better people. There's even a way through THAT which is easier than what the world has prescribed for us.

Jesus Christ was not at all what the tribe of Judah was expecting as their Messiah. He came to preach redemption, not revenge. Forgiveness, and not rancor. Service, and not keeping score. It really is the most wonderful and painless way to live, if we can only stop doing things the HARD way. If we will, we can dabble our feet in the waters of Shiloah "that go softly" and trust in our Heavenly Father to take care of the difficult stuff for us.

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Ye may liken them unto you

2 Nephi 11-12

I want to believe that I will blog faithfully and thoughtfully through the Isaiah chapters, but it's kind of intimidating. When I finish reading one, I'm kind of stumped and think 'Yeah. What he said.'

However, I am keeping my original question in mind: Why did Nephi include these particular chapters on his small "these are only for the most important sacred things" plates? It's a valuable question to answer and I will think about it and try.

I think what he says in chapter 11 helps us to put the Isaiah quotation in perspective. He gives us several very clear reasons why he quotes these scriptures (and Jacob's long sermon in the previous chapters). He points out that Isaiah saw Jesus Christ and that both he, Nephi, and his brother, Jacob, have also seen Christ and can teach and witness of his existence and the truth of his coming.

3 ...wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.
4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.
5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.
6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish.

So. Isaiah is part of the three (and more) witnesses Nephi is using to:

1. Testify of the true blue existence of our Savior Jesus Christ.
2. Interpret the Law of Moses as preparation for the coming of Christ. Proving that He, in fact, WILL come.
3. Outline the covenants the Lord has made to his people, the House of Israel. Point out that God has prepared a way for us to not only be gathered physically, but spiritually.
4. Prove that Christ is the only way to eternal life. Otherwise, all men must perish.

I love those verses, especially verse 5. Nephi wants to show how much SENSE the Gospel makes. The Lord has a plan and it is just and will deliver us back to Him in the end. Christ will come. Imagine how difficult that must have been for some people to believe. I know they may have believed the Messiah would come to Jerusalem, but how many of them could believe that He would come visit them in their 'far away' state? This is why Jacob stresses in chapter 10 "Ye are not cast off." I love it.

So. When I look at the Isaiah chapters (for the next 13 chapters. Gulp.) I should try to view them through this framework that Nephi set up for me.

Let's look at chapter 12 then. Why does Nephi quote it?  I'll have to go with point 3 above. Covenants. Isaiah talks about the latter-day temple and Zion as a gathering place. He discusses how Israel will be gathered and those who have persecuted the Lord's people will be brought low. God's power will show forth and he will abolish idols and the wicked. And his people will be brought together to meet him.

I can't help but feel like Nephi (and Jacob) were feeling a vibe of isolation and despair among their people sometimes. They keep reminding them, over and over and over again, that the Lord hasn't forgotten them. That they will be blessed. Gathered. Remembered. Saved. And it's a reminder that applies to all of us, no matter where we are temporally or spiritually.

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Thanksgiving Interlude

Reflections on a Consecrated Life - Elder D. Todd Christofferson

I know this isn't a Book of Mormon post directly, but it greatly applies to the most recent lessons learned from 2 Nephi. I know, I know. 2 Nephi can probably be applied to ANY Gospel teaching. Bear with me.

The story of this interlude goes like this:
I'm sick with a rotten chest cold. Today is my day off and all I could do was sit, knit, and feel pathetic.
I vowed to go to bed early, but instead I just sat up and browsed knitting patterns and yarn types. I coveted knitted sweaters and tried to figure out how I could afford some yarn.
I went to turn out the light when I saw one of my favorite science fiction novels on the bed. I'd specifically grabbed it to read a section of it tonight, just for fun.
However, as I was going to ditch my Gospel study after wasting so much time tonight, I felt funny about reading something else instead. I decided to just go to sleep.
But I picked up the novel and leafed the pages...and a printout of this talk literally FELL OUT of the book.
And these were the first words I read (having underlined them when I read the talk originally):

Life offers you two precious gifts--one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will...

Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction.

Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for. And it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement. And your eternal reward will be according to your choosing.

Elder Richard L. Evans, as quoted by Elder Christofferson

Do you see my problem? I didn't feel bad or guilty, but it was an immediate wake up for me. This life is all the time I have to prove to Heavenly Father that I can be trusted with the blessings he has for me. As Jacob so eloquently points out in his sermon that I'm still reading, the choice is mine. Satan would have me choose him...and it occurs to me that simply not choosing anything at all is about the same as not choosing Heavenly Father. There's no way to end up on neutral ground.

Time is something that I will struggle with for the rest of my mortal years. I'm so jealous of it. Possessive. I stress about it, I try not to waste it. I want more of it all to myself. It tires me to share it with others. I divide it like a miser. It's ridiculous. CS Lewis said that mortal man is simply silly to treat time like it belongs to him. It, like everything else, is a great and glorious gift given to us by a loving God. It's a measurement of our span of mortal existence. Nothing more.We have stewardship over the time that has been given to us. But it is not ours.

So when Elder C. explains 'consecration' in this talk, he is kindly reminding us what it means. "To set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes." Time, talents, money, and everything you possess, or everything you may yet possess...to the building up of the Kingdom of God.

Part of that building up is taking care of myself. Time to sleep. Get better. Cook and eat healthy. Time to exercise. Learn. Another part is serving others in the Kingdom. Visiting Teaching. Service projects. Temple work. Another part is building eternal relationships with family and loved ones. Why do I seem to really suck at all of those?

I guess I don't. I just feel like I do right now, after a day of being lame. I need to sleep, drink fluids, get better, and get back to work. I need to take time to pray. More often and more sincerely. I think that's my lesson for now...

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Let your hearts rejoice

2 Nephi 9:30-54

This is what I consider to be part 2 of this chapter of Jacob's sermon. The first part explains the atonement and the promises for the righteous and this part...well, this part explains the consequences for the sinner.

It's strange to me to think about this. I try to imagine what it would feel like to really and truly not believe or understand that there are eternal consequences for bad choices. There are plenty of people like that in the world today and obviously Jacob thought that there were plenty of people like that in his congregation. He was very specific. He mapped out specific sins -- murder, adultery, idol worship -- the basic big 10. But he mentioned them all the same.This part of the chapter feels to me as if he almost can't believe he has to even go there.

47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?
48 Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.

But, being the positive and hopeful man and wonderful teacher that he is, Jacob can't avoid the other side of the coin -- the consequences of righteousness.

This is another concept that is more foreign to me than it should be. When I hear the word 'justice' I think of it as it applies to those being judged in a way that will have a negative outcome. Justice was served. So and so was punished. It's the same when I think of justice as it applies to the Gospel. But tonight, I thought of the other side of it. When justice is served to the righteous, as it will be, the righteous will receive their own set of consequences. Wonderful, glorious, unimaginable consequences.

46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment...

We dwell so often on the consequences of sin. How often to we stop to talk about what the consequences are if we're as good as we can be? Wow. Not often. We lump 'the righteous' into a blob when we talk about the millennium or the second coming and I suspect, in our own heads, a lot of us may not count ourselves as a part of that blob. This is a tactic of the adversary. He would have us believe that "righteousness" is a vague, abstract state of being that we hope to attain, and that none of us could POSSIBLY be there now. Right?

Wrong. I love this verse:

41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; ...

The path is narrow and has a specific entrance (being baptized by one who has proper authority), but the path is there. It's as if he is telling us "Look! You're STANDING on it! Just walk!" I think I need to be slower to judge myself so harshly, or to think of myself as outside the blob. You're in the blob. I'm in the blob!! And Jacob, of course, tells us how to stay there.

52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day; and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men...

Or, in other words "Pray always. Talk to Heavenly Father. Be happy. He will keep his promises."

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Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them

I had to post this today because it seems to go so well with my current studies in 2 Nephi.



Why are people afraid? Elder Nelson says "because they forget their identity and their purpose."

2 Nephi 2 and 9 teach us the answers to both of those questions.

Identity: We are of the house of Israel (and if you're not, you CAN be. I have this swimming pool, right over here...) We are children of God, created in his image and heirs to His kingdom. As such, we are the beneficiaries of all of the covenants the Lord has made.

Purpose: We're here to do our best. Elder Nelson lets us know that our purpose is not to reach perfection, but to try for it. We're here to learn as much as we can. Learn how to serve, learn how to love, and learn how to forgive. We're here to have joy. Sometimes we dwell in tents, sometimes we're in the wilderness, and sometimes we're IN the promised land. But we can have joy and the companionship of the Holy Ghost on the way.

What a wonderful thought. It's a very comforting message.

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And his law must be fulfilled

1 Nephi 9:1-29

Seems like this chapter is divided into two parts. This is part one. This is the part where Jacob explains why he quoted Isaiah. The revelation given to the Jews down the years applies to Lehi's people as well. All are of the house of Israel.He expounds on that revelation to give an extremely clear and concise lesson on the purpose of the Atonement. It's so excellent.

What struck me this time through was his use of the word 'law.' Jacob speaks of God's laws like we speak of the laws of physics, which is as it should be. They are not relative. Things fall in a vacuum at the same rate. An object in motion will stay in motion, etc. Jacob explains the law to us and then says "So, of course this is the result!"

And those results are fantastic.

12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incoruptible and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.

(emphasis mine)
Jacob tells us what MUST happen as a result of the law that Heavenly Father has laid down. The law is necessary because if there isn't a law with consequences, there would be no way that the Atonement could satisfy the demands of justice and save us.

The real kicker, though, is this:

21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.
22 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day.

(emphasis mine)

Jesus Christ paid the price for every living creature and will therefore be the final judge of every living creature. That's...that's amazing. It's such a logical thought. It's so...fair. He paid the price, He sets the conditions for obedience and salvation, and He judges whether or not we have met those conditions. Those who didn't know any better are covered. Those who did know better...well, they're not covered. But they will be resurrected all the same. To be judged by the Savior of all mankind. *shiver* Yikes.

One of my favorite institute teachers defines the word "damned" as "stuck." Which makes sense. If you replace the word in verse 24 it works really well.

And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be stuck; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.

That's basically where Satan and his followers are. Stuck. Stuck, miserable, and not in the presence of God. My fear of being stagnant and stuck is justified in this case. I never ever want to be stuck.

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Behold, thou art my people.

2 Nephi 5-8

I just got going in the reading and couldn't stop because Jacob's sermon started and then kept going and then he quoted Isaiah and it was awesome. His sermon continues in the amazing chapter 9 which I will read tomorrow.

So, the Isaiah question: Why these chapters? This one is very easy. Jacob tells us exactly why in chapter 9:

9:1 And now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that ye might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel-

This is a popular theme. In chapter 6, Jacob quotes two verses of Isaiah that Nephi quoted earlier. The repetition is telling. I'm not sure if the leaders of the church needed to keep reminding the people who they WERE (house of Israel), or if they needed to comfort them when they all heard about the sacking of Jerusalem and everyone being scattered to and fro.

Either way, it's an important lesson for us. How often do I consciously remember that I'm part of the house of Israel? How often do I remember the promises made to me and to all of us as members of His church? Not often enough. The frequent reminders are comforting. I love when Jacob explains (still in chapter 6):

13 Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.

This was, obviously, a direct interpretation of verse 7. I love it when Book of Mormon prophets break down the Old Testament prophets for me. I love to hear what their inspired thoughts are on the subject.

Anyway, to further bring home this point, Jacob quotes 2 chapters of Isaiah. The promises are beautiful and especially meaningful when you take into account how rough life became for the Jews. And though these promises are directed toward the Jews who will be scattered and hated and despised, they are also for all the house of Israel. Jacob says we should liken Isaiah's words to us, as we are members of the covenant people of the Lord.

So here's a random thought that's a bit off topic. 8:18-20 mentions "two sons".

18 And none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought forth; neither that taketh her by the hand, of all the sons she hath brought up.
19 These two sons are come unto thee, who shall be sorry for thee-- thy desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword-- and by whom shall I comfort thee?
20 Thy sons have fainted, save these two; they lie at the head of all the streets; as a wild bull in the net, they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.

The cross reference of the 'sons' leads to a scripture about 2 witnesses...but I wondered. Could the two sons be Ephraim and Manasseh? It fits. They are two sons that Israel 'brought forth' and 'brought up'. They are two sons who have 'not fainted' and will be a major part of the spreading of the Gospel in the latter-days. They, in fact, have a LOT to do with North and South America. Lehi was from the tribe of Manasseh and all of his direct descendants. A lot of us in North America are from the tribe of Ephraim. These two groups of people are huge pieces of church membership right now. That won't always be the case as more and more folks are gathered and baptized, but it seems to fit the scripture. And it would make sense that Jacob would share this with his fellow Manasseh descendents. I'll have to ask a scholar one day. :)

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I will make him great in mine eyes

(Can I just say, I am loving the books of Nephi so much. I once heard someone surmise that it's not an accident that most of us end up reading 1st and 2nd Nephi a zillion times by the time we shuffle off this mortal coil. How many times have we read those books and not finished the Book of Mormon? And then started over later when we felt guilty and read them again? Lots. But I agree. It isn't an accident. These two books are crammed with the gist of everything we need to know to accept the truth of the book, the divinity of Joseph Smith's calling, the reality of the Atonement, the purpose of our mortal lives, and the plan of salvation. Lehi sums it up when he talks to Joseph in the last verse of this chapter:

25 And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken.

Seriously, those words apply to all of us. We're little. If we hearken to the words of Nephi, we can count on a peaceful, spiritual, life of service and brotherly love. ANYWAY, back to the regularly scheduled post.)


2 Nephi 3


Just to clarify: This is Lehi speaking to his little son Joseph, quoting Joseph of Egypt who is talking about Joseph Smith. Whew. This is one of the largest chunks of 'we never saw this' scripture that is in the Book of Mormon. It looks like there is a book of Joseph somewhere. How amazing must it be. This snippet alone is a wonderful testimony of the restoration and the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

These first two books in the Book of Mormon often touch on the purpose of the book itself. Lehi and Nephi stress the point that the Book of Mormon is for their seed. It is for the convincing of their seed that Jesus is the Christ. It's also the way the Gentiles will be taught and the way that plain and precious truths are restored to us.

But this chapter has one of my favorite explanations of the purpose of the Book of Mormon.

12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

So the Book of Mormon is a peacemaker in the latter days. I love that. It should 'grow together' with the Bible to clear up the false teachings and 'lay down the contentions'. It has everything in it that is needed for that. There isn't any saving doctrine that cannot be explained clearly and logically with the Book of Mormon and the Bible together.

But I also love the other purpose. It will bring them to the knowledge of their fathers and also teach them of the covenants the Lord has made with them. That is what brings me so much peace a lot of the time. I know what promises have been made to me and to us as a people. I know the Lord cannot break those promises. I'm grateful that the scriptures remind me and teach me about that.

The coolest thing about all of this though is in verse 18 (emphasis mine).

18 ... And I, behold, I will give unto him [Joseph Smith] that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins.

The Book of Mormon is written by the seed of Joseph for the seed of Joseph. And when I think that, I think specifically Manasseh (and some Ephraim), or the Native North and South Americans. Sure, it's for everyone else, to teach us of all the things mentioned above, but the Book of Mormon specifically keeps a promise that the Lord made to Joseph, Lehi, and Nephi. What an amazing gift.

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Free forever

2 Nephi 2

There is so much crammed into this chapter. I can't even--I really don't think there is a more concise, accurate, and easy to understand explanation of the purpose of our mortal life anywhere else in the scriptures. He covers sin, death, the afterlife, and life as a probationary period, as it was for Adam and Eve. So cool.

I was struck by the word 'free' this time through. It's used multiple times.

4 And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free."
26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall, they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon...
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expeident unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil...

This plan was built completely around our freedom. It is in place, Christ died for us, so that we could stay free. We can choose to be captive, but it's completely up to us.

Lehi goes on to clarify our choices even more in v 28-29.
1. We can choose eternal life "according to the will of his Holy Spirit."
2. We can choose eternal death (spiritual death) "according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate to bring you down to hell...."

It's interesting for me to note the 'according to' statements in those verses. We can choose the Holy Ghost or our own carnal hungers and desires. When we choose to follow the Spirit, we are 'putting off the natural man':  We know that the will of the Holy Spirit is the same as that of the Father and Jesus Christ. That's a great reminder.

Everything the Spirit might prompt me to do or say or NOT do is what Jesus or Heavenly Father would prompt me to do or say or not do could they be here with me all the time. They can't be here, but the Spirit can be. I'm baptized. I can be obedient and always have him there. He will help me to keep my will aligned with that of the Godhead. But I have to choose that. Am I choosing that? This is where I've always lacked confidence...am I choosing to follow the Spirit? Am I even able to hear him? I think so, but at times like this when I'm feeling the Sunday evening "I don't want to go to work" blues in the dim light of my bedroom, I doubt myself. That's when I need to stop doubting, go to bed, and vow to listen hard tomorrow. I'll do that.

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We have obtained a land of promise

2 Nephi 1

I'm kind of weary and heavy of heart this evening. I'm not thinking deep thoughts, but I did read this chapter. My one and only thought has to do with the first few verses:

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictoins, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the intheritance of my seed....

It inspires me to know that these words were spoken in the Land of Promise. They were already there. They made it. 8, 10, 12 years went by, but they got there and they were blessed.

Stuff to learn:

- Were their trials over once they got there? Nope.
- Were they happy? The righteous were.
- Did the Lord get them there in an obvious and undeniably divine manner? Sure did.
- Did the Lord deliver on his end of the covenants? Indeed.

I'm grateful for these thoughts at times I'm feeling a bit low. My own personal promised land is waiting for me. Heavenly Father is guiding me there. There are trials and rough patches, but I won't be able to deny His hand in my life once I get there. I need to make sure that I acknowledge it along the way, too. But I will get there. What a great thought.

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In him they shall find pasture

1 Nephi 19-22

It was lame of me to only leave one post to talk about these four amazing chapters. Alas, 'tis the way it goes. I read 19 and 20 yesterday and then my computer went insane, but my main thought was about Nephi including chapters from the book of Isaiah in his precious little writing space. It made me want to think hard about exactly WHY Nephi took the time to copy out these specific chapters. It's an interesting thought because we know that later on he brings in a huge chunk for us. It's amazing to be able to read Isaiah in its true, un-messed-with form (or as true as it was by the time Nephi got it on the brass plates). The Savior points out in 3 Nephi that Isaiah is where it's at. And in 1 Nephi 21, Isaiah basically tells us that the Lord told HIM that Isaiah's words would be all over the Earth.

21:8 Thus saith the Lord: in an acceptable time have I heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth...

It makes me think that no matter how spread out we are, the covenant people of the Lord have the words of Isaiah wherever we are. It is these words that are meant to give us hope and teach us what is to come. I think it might just be the only scripture that we all have in common. That's a pretty amazing thought...

I love Nephi, though. Have I mentioned that? If I go back to my question,"Why did Nephi put this chapter right here?", I want to think about what the answer might be. In chapter 19, Nephi talks about this second set of records that he's been commanded to make. This set has the spiritual history and revelations instead of the more secular goings on of his people. "Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred." And then, he teaches us of Christ and His mission here on the Earth. He expounds on how Christ will be smitten and eventually killed by a remnant of the house of Israel, which remnant will eventually be gathered and brought back to Him in the Lord's due time.

19:16 Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in, saith the Lord, according ot the words of the prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth.
17 Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tounge and people shall be blessed.
18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.
19 Wherefore, i speak unto all the housee of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain these things.

Ha! This is it. This is why Nephi throws chapters 20-21 in there (Isaiah 48-49).These chapters could almost be considered words of comfort for his people who are distinctly 'scattered' and far away from where they originated. Maybe Nephi put them in there to comfort himself. I imagine him reading those words of Isaiah whenever he fretted and worried about the fate of his people. How glad I am that he had the plan in front of him as a comfort and source of faith. And what was to stop him from putting it in front of us? Only a couple thousand years. Pfft. Hardly a hurdle at all!

The whole point of these soothing words can be found in chapter 21:

14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.
15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Nephi is certainly not going to let us forget this. He'll do everything he can to convince us that the Lord will keep His covenants with us. I love chapter 22 because Nephi explains the Isaiah chapters to his brothers. He makes them quite clear and lays out the plan which is:

- The house of Israel will be scattered.
- We (Lehi and family) are part of that now.
- The Jews will be scattered as well as the rest of the tribes.
- The Gentiles will scatter OUR seed (Native Americans on both continents) but they will also be the means of teaching us the Gospel.
- The Lord will 'bare his arm' and gather everyone back together again.

12 Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer,  the Mighty One of Israel.

-  Christ will judge His people. The wicked and the GAAC will be destroyed. The righteous will be preserved.
- Satan will be bound for a while because of the righteousness of the people.

Sure, Isaiah said all of that in those two chapters, but Nephi's summary is also wonderful. I believe that Nephi's purpose in sharing pieces of Isaiah's writings with us was to give some hope to those who may read his words later on. Nephi loved his people dearly. and I know it must have caused him some grief to think of their eventual fate. All he does is bear amazing testimony of Christ, the eventual victory of good over evil, and the fact that the Lord will indeed remember His covenants with the house of Israel. And, most importantly, Nephi never fails to remind us that we are that covenant people.

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Driven forth before the wind

(I keep thinking that I may just read and not post here because some nights I won't have anything to say. Pfft. I should know better than that, I guess.)

1 Nephi 18

After Nephi is loosed from the bonds he'd been in for four days at the hands of his angry brothers, he prayed. After a terrible storm had driven them back and made them lose ground for four days, Nephi's brothers FINALLY loosed him. Only in fear of their lives would they have done so. But Nephi has a few words for me at this point:

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

I just heard about a relative of mine who stopped going to church because she's got the 'single lady' blues. Heck, don't we all? But she blames Heavenly Father for her unhappiness, in a way. Do I do that? I'm not sure. I seem to exist in a state of discontent more often than I should, but I don't get mad at Heavenly Father for my problems. I mostly get mad at myself for my inability to be patient. It's definitely a problem.

Nephi didn't murmur at his trials because he has complete trust in the Lord. To the point of "Whatever happens, happens. I know that you have it taken care of when all is said and done." And, really, even Heavenly Father won't control someone's choices, even when they're awful and hurt someone as good as Nephi was. Nephi knew he'd have to ride it out, and like Joseph Smith, he knew he wouldn't be taken from the Earth before Heavenly Father wanted him to be. His will and the Lord's will were almost perfectly aligned.

21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, ad there was a great calm.

The compass worked the way Nephi wanted it because Nephi was in an almost perfect state of wanting exactly what the Lord wanted. Nephi's will was 'swallowed up' in His and his desires and wishes weren't different from Heavenly Father's.

I think that I want what the Lord wants....my happiness, my developed talents, my service to others, etc. But, honestly, I usually don't have the energy to find out what He wants because I'm so busy telling him what I want. And, sure. I add 'if it be according to thy will' in my requests, but do I really mean it? Have I bothered to try to find out what He wants? In general? For me specifically?

Well, yes. I have. But I don't trust my ability to understand what I'm being taught and I doubt. I'm impatient and don't want to wait. I'm a complete weakling. And so yeah, Heavenly Father has that to deal with when He's working with me. I know he's infinitely patient though. Thank goodness. But I need to remember that the 'great calm' that Nephi gets doesn't come until he lets it all go.

8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind toward the promised land.

No amount of talent, brilliance, preparation, or teamwork could have gotten them to the promised land. In the end, it was the wind that had to take them the rest of the way. This is precisely the way the Atonement works for us. I love the scriptures. :)

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Led Towards the Promised Land

1 Nephi 17

I'm tired and kind of dreary this evening. Life has me feeling sorry that it's only Tuesday and not closer to the weekend. I'm going to stick with this same chapter tonight and dwell on some beautiful thoughts to make myself feel better.

3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

Heavenly Father will get stuff done. If He commands you or me to do it, it doesn't matter. It has to get done. He'll make it work out and things will fall into place for it to work. How blessed we are if he asks us to help. Then we get the nourishment, strength, and the means directly from the Lord to accomplish His work. What a promise. I love how Nephi's testimony of this principal is simple and direct. "See? He did it for us!"

This leads me to the next awesome scripture from this chapter:

13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did eliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

It comforts me that Heavenly Father promises to make it obvious to us that it is by His power that we get where we're going. Our own versions of the promised land. This means that He'll do what needs to be done to get us there if we do our best to keep the commandments and stay pure before Him. This means that He'll stop at nothing to bless us. Miracles aren't out of bounds. The blessing will come and they will be so plentiful and so obviously given by the power of the Lord that we will not be able to deny it.  I will know, even after I arrive in my promised land, just how I got there.

That thought is calming to me. I'm stressing about life angst at the moment (career stuff) and I always worry that I'll miss the boat or misinterpret instructions from the Lord. That is such a silly worry. Heavenly Father will not hide, or speak to me in a language I don't understand. He wants me to know that it is HIM who prepared the way and helped me get there. He wants me to acknowledge that the blessings are given by HIS hand.

I still worry about just whether or not I'm keeping the commandments enough to deserve these miracles and blessings, but I'm dealing with that worry by just doing my best. I have to remember that Heavenly Father KNOWS me. I'm not trying to convince some hiring manager to grant me an interview based on a lamish resume and an online application. (See my career angst? It's leaking into everything.) I'm seeking instructions and strength from a loving Father who created me with all my weaknesses fully intact. He's totally got this.

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Ye know...

1 Nephi 17

This chapter is too amazing and perfect. I am tired and I would be here writing for days if I tried to put down all my thoughts about it. Maybe I'll post a few times. Honestly. It's that awesome.

The crux is this: Laman and Lemuel criticize Nephi for trying to build a ship at the Lord's command. They whine about how hard being in the wilderness has been. They say that Lehi is lame and that the folks in Jerusalem couldn't POSSIBLY have been wicked OR destroyed.

Man. I love what Nephi says in return. He lays down an incredible sermon, citing several examples of proofs of God's power in the scripture. He begins so many sentences with the words "Ye know" or "Ye also know", to hold L&L accountable for the knowledge they possess. They have spoken with angels. They have heard the voice of the Lord. They know the scriptures are true. They know. And Nephi knows that they know. And they hate it. Because they know that he knows that they know. And that just rankles.  (16:2)

Because, really, when you know that God had the power to have Moses part the Red Sea and drown a zillion Egyptians, or that it was by His power that a bunch of cranky Israelites traveled across the desert and were fed and healed and cared for, to the point of being able to clear out the Jericho squatters, you just have to understand that He has the power to help your brother build a ship. I mean, a ship. Compared to all that other stuff, a ship really isn't that big of a deal for the Lord. Nephi knows it. He asks "Ok, where do I go to get what I need?" And the Lord tells him. I love it.

Here's an interesting thought. A new one for me...L&L may really have believed in the scripture stories they'd been taught about how their people came to be in Jerusalem -- the original promised land. They may really have a testimony of those things and even of God's power to do the seemingly impossible. Did their main problem then lie in the fact that it was their completely uncool father and irritating little brother who received these great gifts from the Lord? Was their pride enough to quash any testimony they may have had? Ouch. That is extraordinarily terrifying. And I think it may just well be the case. Laman and Lemuel did know certain things to be true. But Satan took advantage of their weakness and pride, turning them into sulky doubters, and their pride eventually obliterated their testimonies of God's power.

Ouch. To think that it could very well happen to any of us. When you see members of your family blessed with good things or when a dear friend lovingly invites you to do better in your life...and instead of humbly accepting these things and asking the Lord for help to understand them (as Nephi did multiple times), you clench your fist, grind your teeth, and harden your heart. Yikes. It happens to all of us. To think that it could be the cause of a weakened (or even lost) testimony...it's scary.

You have to admire Nephi though. He tried. He never gave up on them. This sermon he gives is one of the original textbook examples of an excellent Gospel lesson. He used multiple scripture examples. He called attention to real life situations. He expressed love and then invited and called to repentance. Love love love it. And the whole point was this:

51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?

How, indeed?
 
And honestly, the coolest part is when L&L (after Nephi zaps them with his awesomeness) are humbled for one of the final times and say "We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us." They knew all along, really. And Nephi knew that they knew. :)

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Fertile Parts of the Wilderness

1 Nephi 15-16

I love chapter 16 so much. There are a few little gems in there that bring me great comfort if I apply them to myself. What's exciting about this chapter in the story sense is that Lehi finally gets the word to get up and move out. They've 'dwelt in a tent' and received scriptures, wives, dreams, revelations and so much instruction from the Lord (and I'm sure there was plenty of meaningful family bonding all the while) and now it was time for them to take their journey into the wilderness.

It's interesting. I was just praying about this. I've mentioned before that I feel like my life during the past few years has been all tent and no moving through the wilderness. I'm sure that's not really the case, but that's what it feels like. I feel held. Not trapped (on my good days) or even stuck. Just...held. Still. I'm sure that Lehi and his family may have felt that way at times, too. Why aren't we moving? Where are we even going? Why are we waiting around HERE?

Well, Lehi did what was required of him and in 5:20 and in 16:8 Nephi makes it clear: "And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him." What a wonderful thing to have said about you. I would love it if I could be described that way. Sure, that's what we're all shooting for, and Nephi says it twice about his father Lehi. I feel like I'm doing all that I can. I try to keep the commandments and learn what I need to learn. I just can't help saying "Ok. Now what?"

Lehi's family got their 'now what' and they were commanded to leave in v. 10. This is another thing I worry about. If Heavenly Father wanted me to get up and 'take my journey' after some serious tent-dwelling, would I recognize it? Would I know that's what He wanted of me? I think I have this fear of sitting in my tent forever, too afraid to do what He may want if it requires any risk. That's a silly fear since I do believe that He knows me and how my brain works. He will make sure that I know what to do next and WHEN. He won't condemn me to the tent forever just because I might be a little "Spirit Deaf", or even if I'm too afraid to hear Him the first time. That's a relieving thought that I need to remember.

But Lehi isn't Spirit Deaf. He hears and he gets up and they find the Liahona. What a wonderful tool. I love learning about the Liahona. It can be likened to the scriptures, the Book of Mormon specifically, the Spirit, the words of modern prophets...which is pretty awesome, actually. It basically represents all of the (very many) ways Heavenly Father has provided to instruct and lead us in the right direction. Again. Why am I afraid of not understanding? He doesn't work that way. He's not coded, or mysterious. He is plain and precious and if it might be difficult because there are so many choices, He leaves an awesome compass outside your tent door. (Side note: This is why compasses are so dear and special to me. I've started collecting them just for their awesome symbolism.)

And yeah. You're traveling in the "wilderness." Is the wilderness simply our life here on Earth? Or is it trials and tribulations? Either way, the Liahona will guide us through. I love LOVE what Nephi tells us about how it works:

14...And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea.
16 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

So yeah, it's wilderness. But it's good wilderness. In the same way that Heavenly Father lightened the burdens of Alma's people while they were in captivity to the point where they couldn't even feel them, He will lead us through the good parts of the wilderness, if we will only but listen and follow the directions. I love that thought. The point is not for life and trials to be as hard as they possibly can be. The point is for us to come unto Christ and have rest in this life.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The Liahona was one example of something to lighten their burden. However, they had to stay humble and soft-hearted for it to work.

29 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things. (emphasis mine)

(It kind of kills me that Nephi refers to the Liahona as 'small means'. To me it is huge and miraculous. Very Deus ex Machina. But I guess Nephi didn't see it that way.) :)

This whole 'faith and diligence' rule goes for all the tools that we've been given to help us on our modern journey through the wilderness.
- The gift of the Holy Ghost
- The Book of Mormon/Modern scripture
- Counsel of local church leaders
- Counsel of parents, family patriarch
- Counsel of patriarchal blessing
- Words of modern prophets
- Prayer
- Repentance

All of that stuff works according to the "faith and diligence and heed" we give them.

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It shall be well with them...

1 Nephi 14

We're at the last chapter of Nephi's writings about his vision. I have to admit that any time the 'great and abominable church' (GAAC) is mentioned, I kind of scratch my head. Sure, there are tons of theories out there about the GAAC being an actual church, but most of us know that's not the case. It's made clear in v 10:

And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

I don't know. People say "Catholicism!" "Communism!" "Capitalism!" "Episcopalian...ism!" But I really don't think it's that specific. The angel speaking to Nephi clearly draws the line. You are either part of the church of the Lamb of God, or you are not. My Book of Mormon teacher way back in college put it this way: "The GAAC is anyone or anything that is against the church of Christ on the Earth today." That's pretty clear. What's sobering though is that there is no neutral ground. The fence is electrified.

It just makes me wonder what evidences of the GAAC I'm seeing all around. I'm not sure. Commercialism? Our tendency to be obsessed with stuff with a touch screen? Sure, there are actually people who fight against religion, but there are also plenty of people living good lives and doing the best they can. I'm not sure where that last group falls. I guess I need to concern myself with where I land.

I think the main point of this chapter is that, when all is said and done, there will be no excuse. The Book of Mormon is the 'great and marvelous work' that is for 'the taking away of their stumbling blocks.' I love that about the Book of Mormon. It is the Stumbling Block Obliterator. Heavenly Father gives everyone the benefit of the doubt though. He says "I know the Bible has lost some of what I wanted to teach you. That's why you might be confused. Here. Here's another true book of scripture that works with the Bible to complete the whole picture of my plan for you." 

7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other -- either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them of the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both  temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.

Same story:
1. The Book of Mormon will draw the line and divide folks into the two groups mentioned in the scripture above. There won't be middle ground.
2. That division is "everlasting" (yowza!) and how we decide to act on the knowledge of the Book of Mormon will affect us temporally and spiritually. (It's nice to think that it can help me temporally as well as spiritually. I'd never thought of temporal blessings coming specifically from my study of the Book of Mormon, but I guess they do. Revelation about my life and what to do. Knowledge. Comfort. Really awesome bedtime stories.)

These two points are why we as a church are trying to get the Book of Mormon out there to as many people as possible. (It's now translated into over 100 languages!) Thinking of it in the way I just described is rather sobering to me. I've always loved it and revered it as a true book of scripture (along with the Bible), but I don't know that I ever thought of it as the...sifter. The divider of the wheat and the tares, so to speak.

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Plain and Precious, Part 2

This video compliments 1 Nephi 13 and my thoughts from last night so well that I just had to post it.



"It makes sense that God would continue to speak to us."

I loved to hear this man outline some of the plain and precious truths that he learned from the Book of Mormon. He hit two from my list yesterday. I wonder if Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni get to watch YouTube and fist pump when they see things like this. So perfect. :)

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Plain and Precious

1 Nephi 13

I didn't count how many times that phrase is in this chapter. It's got to be at least 10. But it's a lot.

This makes me think about what is 'plain and precious' in the Book of Mormon that maybe isn't as clear (or even present) in the Bible. I mean, what does the Book of Mormon teach really clearly and thoroughly?

- Mission of Jesus Christ
- Meaning of the Atonement
- True nature of God
- What happens to us after we die
- The purpose of our life here on Earth
- How and when to pray
- How to do missionary work
- Abrahamic covenant
- Order of the priesthood

I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting about, but those are the ones that came to mind. I know the Bible teaches these things, too...but I'm flummoxed to think of what it must have taught BEFORE. Verse 29 says that it's missing a lot of stuff that was 'plain to the understanding of the children of men' and because of that, 'an exceedingly great many do stumble, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.'

I mean...wow. What must have been there? What are we missing now? In v 26 it says that plain and precious parts as well as 'many covenants of the Lord' were taken out. I'm crazy curious. I think we can guess what must have been there when we read the Book of Mormon. The Lord makes it clear in this chapter that the Book of Mormon is actually a form of MERCY to the Gentiles who only have the Bible in its chopped to pieces format. He knows that they couldn't possibly understand the Gospel fully when so much of it had gone missing.

34...I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.

So I guess I can assume that lots of what is missing from the Bible is covered. It says clearly in v 24 that the Bible did once contain the fulness of the Gospel. And we know now that the Gospel has been restored that we have the fulness at this time with both books together. And that's an important thing to remember. Elder Scott mentioned specifically in this last conference that we need to be studying the Bible (including the Old Testament) and learning what it has to teach us. It's good for me to hear that. I think I cling to the Book of Mormon because it is so easy for me to get and reread...and you have to admit that the over-arching story is rather epic and awesome to read. However, the Bible is a necessary part of our 'fulness of the Gospel.' The Book of Mormon says so:

41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.

Hm. I guess this means I need to wedge in some Biblical scripture study somehow. My Old Testament study has always been rather like...swiss cheese.

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Knowing how the story ends

1 Nephi 11-12

I love these chapters because they expand upon Lehi's dream. You know Lehi must have seen all of these things and maybe he even told them to his family. But maybe he didn't and Nephi is seeing them because he sought to know and the mysteries of God are being unfolded to him and him alone.

All I know is that, after this vision, there is no way that he can misunderstand the purpose of their journey. He sees that his family is the beginning of several great nations. He sees the Savior come to them. He sees his own people eventually destroyed.

That last one is an interesting thought, too. Knowing that 1000 years would bring an end to his people...wouldn't that make you want to say "Why bother?" Well, maybe it would make ME want to say that. I'm sure Nephi had a better understanding of how things work and why this was necessary. Just because that final generation dwindles in unbelief doesn't mean that there won't be others during that 1000 years who will make good choices. I wonder if Nephi was able to see some of those standouts. Alma choosing Abinadi's words. The people at the waters of Mormon. The Lamanites who chose to believe the teachings of Ammon and Aaron. Were it not for Lehi, Nephi and this arduous journey to the promised land, those dear people wouldn't have had the same choices available to them. Maybe they wouldn't have had the chance to learn of Christ. It's for this group that it's all worth it for Nephi.

Still, it must have been hard for him to know that his brothers would turn so completely against him. And you know what? That makes me love Nephi even more. The Lord made it pretty clear that there would be a divide. Lamanites. Nephites. Nephi knows that his brothers are 'past feeling' and will not choose the Lord over the temptations of the devil. And yet, Nephi keeps trying. He keeps teaching them and he's still patient with them. I know he must have understood a bit about how much they were loved by his own parents and also by the Lord Himself. He didn't give up hope. I love that.

In other thoughts about these chapters, I love 11:17.

17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

"Blindeth the eyes and heardeneth the hearts..." Those are really great descriptors. I'm trying to think of my own personal temptations and how they blind me and harden my heart. I think, for me, what Satan tries to do most consistently is blind me to the true nature of Heavenly Father. He tries to coax me into believing, little by little, that I'm forgotten or small. That I'm unimportant in the grand scheme. That Heavenly Father may think to help me out once I'm less of a pathetic loser. Heh. Those thoughts are all dangerous because I come so close sometimes to giving them credence.

This is where the hard heart comes in. If I don't believe that there's anyone in my corner, I brace myself to deal with problems on my own. I rely on my own strength and pridefully decide that FINE! I can take care of myself, small and insignificant as I am. Whereas a soft heart acknowledges the hand of the Lord in all things. Having a soft heart means that I also have to acknowledge his loving-kindness and care for me. I can't admit that everything is in His hands without also admitting that He knows who I am and remembers me always. Satan hates it when I remember these two things.

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By the Power of the Holy Ghost

1 Nephi 10

I am so exhausted tonight the I'm going to read another short chapter and save juicy chapter 11 for tomorrow. This chapter is fantastic though. It puts Nephi in the role of observer (again) and he speaks about the teachings of his father. And guess what they're doing? Yep. Dwelling in a tent. (v 16)

Some thoughts:

in v2-13, Lehi outlines the basic history of the Jews and the other tribes of Israel. Blessed, scattered, Christ comes, scattered, blessed. It seems to me as if the Jews as a people have gone through and will go through a larger version of what we all go through in this life. They have been given choices (including that to accept Jesus Christ) and trials and gone through periods of great strife and darkness. But they will all be redeemed by the Savior in the end 'in the Lord's own due time'.

What I love though is that Lehi knows exactly where he and his family fall in this plan.

...It must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

He's perfectly aware that this journey of his is the beginning of a new nation of people. I can't imagine what that must have felt like. I wonder how many of his family members caught the vision with him and understood how important their trek was.

I know Nephi eventually got it. But I think the most comforting thing about this chapter is that he didn't ALWAYS have it. He says in v. 17, "I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him." I have to admit that I am so comforted when I realize that Nephi didn't always know the right answer. I imagine him scratching his head as he listened to his father's visions and dreams. I think of him longing for home a little bit and wondering why they're traveling so far, why they're waiting so long...and I love that Nephi knew the Lord well enough to understand that he could ask and find out for himself. What a wonderful blessing that verse is.

Nephi uses the phrase 'by the power of the Holy Ghost' or 'by the Holy ghost' 4 times in this chapter. He winds it up with "And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not." V 17-20 are excellent reminders to me that what worked for Adam worked for Moses and worked for Nephi and will work for ME. It's almost as if Nephi is prodding me with his reminder stick, all the way down through the ages.

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

Questions for later: What mysteries of God would I like to know more about anyway? What of those have already been unfolded to me when I've diligently sought answers?

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Dwelling in a Tent

1 Nephi 9: (I didn't get the idea for this blog until a few days into my new reading of the Book of Mormon. So we skip ahead a little. To sum up: Lehi and family ditch Jerusalem, the boys head back twice, once for the scriptures and once for wives, and Lehi dreams of the Tree of Life. There you have it.)

This is one of those short interlude chapters where Nephi talks to us 'sidebar'-like. Mormon does these really well, too, but I love it when Nephi does. He tells us about his own revelations and talks to us about writing what he's writing. It's really illuminating. I bet he had no idea how important his small observations and little turns of phrase would be to me almost 3,000 years later.

1 And all these things did my father see, hear, and speak, as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.

First of all, "a great many more things"? Wow. I wonder what those were.

Second of all, about the dwelling in a tent. Nephi mentions the tent dwelling twice within a few chapters. I assume he does it to let us know that the family was staying put - that they weren't traveling and were instead simply camped out for a while. This is a really important observation:

- Lehi was told to get OUT of Jerusalem ASAP. He did so. You would think that he probably got instructions about where to GO. Right? Yeah, I don't think he did. He just left with a rather vague-ish assurance from the Lord of a promised land at the end of the journey.

- Heavenly Father is loading them up for serious travel and re-civilization. Scriptures. Wives. Revelation. They're not only stopped to gather provisions and means of procreation, they're stopped for Lehi to be taught and instructed. Nephi speaks earlier about Lehi combing through the brass plates and learning about their geneology. I really believe Lehi must have been learning at the feet of the Lord during that time. Perhaps the tent/camp was Lehi's version of Mount Sinai-- a place for worship, waiting, and learning. We know from chapter 8 (Tree of Life) and the scripture quoted above that Lehi received some amazing instruction while they waited around.

- If you look at the time stamp in the scriptures, it seems that they 'dwelt' for 8 years. Holy moly. That's a long time to wait after leaving the comforts of home in such a hurry. They all must have wondered what they were doing there. Nephi simply tells us they were 'dwelling'. In tents. But the few precious chapters we have that take place during this time give us so many gifts of instruction.

So what does that mean for me? It's kind of...sobering. And exciting. And it's definitely something I've learned a few times already. Never hurts to go over it again though.

See I've gone through a really bizarre past 6 years. I started a promising career that I had to ditch after three years for several reasons. It broke my heart and crushed my confidence. I've been blessed to have a job since then, but it's been really hard and I'm barely scraping by. I feel like I use all of my energy to keep track of my finances and not let my job drive me nuts. I look at my degrees and my seemingly purposeless life and I have to fight really hard not to be dreary about it all. Sometimes I lose that fight.

But if I think of Lehi and his family, I feel better. I just saw in my scriptures I wrote "2008-2011: Me, dwelling in a tent. Receiving instruction. Staying put." When I think about it, that is true. Not that I haven't fought against it. Sheesh. I have tried so hard to get a better job, to move away, to start fresh or just go somewhere new...and it's been like pushing on a brick wall. When I'm in my right mind I stop and trust the Lord. I think it's just hard for me to trust that when the Lord wants me to move along that I will recognize that. You know? But he's not an idiot. He knows me. He knows what it will take to make it happen. In the mean time, I just need to sit.

What's interesting about this sitting is that I have no plan. I didn't realize what a 'stupor of thought' really meant until I reached this period in my life. I had no idea what I would do next and every time I tried to think of it or come up with a plan (more school? What profession? When? How to finance? Move away? Where? Find another job somewhere? How?) my mind would just go blank. It's still that way almost 4 years later.

And wow. 4 years is a long time for me. I'm impatient to the point of yelling out loud at stop lights. But Lehi's family dwelt in a tent. For 8 years or more. They learned and did amazing things. When I think about whether or not I want to be like Lehi or Nephi, the answer is obvious. So, I guess I need to be willing to 'dwell in a tent' for as long as it takes. The thought of being instructed and given gifts I'll need for what's to come is an exciting one. And most comforting is this verse from the same chapter:

6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

I love it when Nephi says "And thus it is." It's so...solid.

Questions for later: What instruction and gifts have I already received during this 'dwelling in a tent' time? What promises has the Lord made to me that "he hath all power unto the fulfilling" of them?

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Starting it off...

I don't know why I'm so self-conscious. I already have an online journal full of over-sharing and so much crazy. And I'm reasonably confident that no one will ever read this blog but me.

But, I guess I need an explanatory post.

I was so determined to receive some revelatory inspiration during this past General Conference. (October 2011) I sat on my couch and watched every session with a pen in my hand. This was an amazing exercise for me and my analytical brain. Hearing all the talks within one week, including the wonderful RS session, helped me find some patterns and themes. What's so awesome is that everyone else watching probably came up with their own patterns and themes. That's what's so great about the Spirit.

Anyway, my three big themes were Time Management, Prayer, and The Book of Mormon. I figure this blog covers a couple of these themes.

I've been trying to spend my time on the internet in a more productive manner. I'm on Facebook way less (and it was HARD), and I spend less time reading my entertainment news. *sigh* I miss them both, but they were time sinks for me. This blog will give me a chance to be on the internet, sharing, typing, and thinking, while at the same time working toward my goals.

As for reading the Book of Mormon, I just wrapped up another read through just after Conference ended. It was so clear to me that I needed to read it again, or study it consistently...but I was having a really hard time coming up with a way to do it that wasn't just reading a chapter before bed. I have a scripture book in which I write my thoughts and scriptural ramblings, but I am also excessively lazy. Typing here feels so much like wasting time on the internet that I may just be more likely to get my 'searching and pondering' done in a way that will be meaningful for me.

The praying part is the only one of my themes that this blog doesn't cover, but I'm working on that. I know that just thinking 'out loud' about the scriptures I'm studying every day will be a good exercise for me. I hope to have enough when I'm done to be able to publish this blog as a personal keepsake for myself. The thought of writing my own little rambly, bloggy, silly, personal book about the Book of Mormon is so fun that I just might stick with this. That's the dream anyway.

The fact is, I already know the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture. It truly testifies and teaches of Jesus Christ's mission and the Plan of Salvation. I have read it many times and I have a strong testimony of how consistent study of it can affect my life for the better. I am in NEED of this 'better' right now.

So this is me. Making an effort.

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