1 Nephi 7:16-EoC

Well, as we can see here, Laman and Lemuel did not take to that discussion lightly. They tie up their brother and leave him for dead in the wilderness. Nephi is amazing. (Have I said that already? : ) He prays to the Lord for help out of his binds. It is interesting that he prayed that he would have strength to burst the chords which bound him. Then it seems that his prayer is answered when the chords were loosed from around him. He did not say that anyone did it in particular, so I think that it was a miracle.

He stands before his family again, and they are probably even more angry that he somehow got out of the fix. However, Ishmael's wife, one of the daughters, and one of the sons convinced them that they shouldn't harm Nephi further. I wonder how they did this? Amazingly enough, their words got to them. I'm thinking that in their anger, their adrenaline was rushing and they were in a fight or flight mode. (Probably thinking about just the fight part.) Once they were calmed by the words spoken by someone other than Nephi, they could think rationally again. They had felt remorse for their actions and apologized to Nephi. Nephi said that he "frankly" forgave them and exhorted them to pray to God for forgiveness from Him. They did so, returned to the tent of Lehi, and offered sacrifices and burnt offerings as thank to Heavenly Father.

Nephi is great at forgive and forget. He must have endured a lot from his brothers. I think that he tells only a fraction of the mean things they did to him. But, I know that if one is a victim of other's wrath, jokes, or persecution, there is solace in the atonement of Jesus Christ. If we pray for help and/or comfort sincerely enough, I know it will come.

1 Nephi 7:8-15

In this section of Chapter 7, Nephi is talking with his brothers and trying to help them know what is right and do it. They want to go back to Jerusalem. Nephi knows that the city will soon be destroyed and doesn't want them to be destroyed along with it. It is interesting here because Laman and Lemuel have not been very nice and supportive to Nephi. They've even beaten him with a rod. They always murmur against him. It is amazing to me, that Nephi has so much love for them to say at this time, don't go back and be destroyed. I think that it would be hard not to say to them, "Okay, fine, go back and live at Jerusalem and be destroyed. See you in the next life."

He reminds them that they need to have faith that the Lord is leading them to a better land. They need to be appreciative of the things the Lord has done for them. For example, in addition to being led to a great new land, being able to get the brass plates, and seeing an angel. I think that Nephi then thinks of the words the angel, that if Laman and Lemuel weren't obedient, Nephi would be the teacher and ruler over them. I think that this prompts him to say, "Why do I have to be this example for you?" I think that Nephi really wanted them to step up to the challenge and "be men," as he puts in a later, but similar speech. He then says that they should be faithful to the Lord and obey His commandments.

He reiterates that the people at Jerusalem are not righteous and will be destroyed. He also says that the Spirit does not dwell there and you do not want to go where the Spirit isn't. This is good advise for our day. We don't want to go to places where we know the Spirit never goes.

Nephi finished his words at this time by saying again if you go to Jerusalem you will be killed. (It seems like he said that a lot in this section. I hope that I've counted right about when he says not to go back and how often.) Then he ends with a statement that the Spirit was constraining him to speak these things to them. Just like Laman and Lemuel, we need to listen when our spiritual leaders speak to us under the guidance of the Spirit.

1 Nephi 7:1-7

Soon after their return from Jerusalem, their initial impressions of the plates of brass, and Lehi's bit of prophesying, the Lord speaks to them again and command them to return again to Jerusalem. This time they go back to get wives for the sons of Lehi. They went to the house of a man named Ishmael. He had five daughters and two sons. Just imagine what that would have been like. I wonder if they said something like, "Okay, ladies, let's go out to the wilderness and you have to be our wives and you had to have kids out there..." Well, Nephi does say that they convinced them to come using the words of the Lord. I don't think that anything else would have gotten them to do this.

On their way back, out favorite Laman and Lemuel rebel, with their girlfriends (I think that this characterization may be debatable. Somewhere I heard that they were, previous to leaving the first time, already something more. What do you think?) and two of the sons of Ishmael and "their families." Did that phrase refer to the two sons of Ishmael? Who were their wives? Or does it refer to Ishmael? Not sure. There are a lot of parts where the Book of Mormon is vague, and I believe it was deliberate. It shows that some things just aren't the point.

As you may have guessed, they wanted to go back and live out the rest of their life in Jerusalem. We will see tomorrow what Nephi says about that.

1 Nephi 6:1-EoC

I've always thought that it would be neat for Nephi to give a genealogy from himself back to Joseph. It seems to me, and this is a theme that will come again, that he is saving the most precious spiritual items for these plates (Verse 3). He says that it sufficeth him to have us know that he is a descendant of Joseph (Verse 2). Why would that be? I think that he discusses this at a later time, too.

I think that Verse 4 is powerful. Nephi's intent of all his writings is to persuade men to believe in God, follow Him, and be saved. This is in line with the work and the glory of God (see Moses 1:39).

Verse 5 is also a singular verse. Nephi is not writing things that are pleasing unto the world. Neither the world of his time or ours. Even though parts of the Book of Mormon may seem like it, it is not supposed to be an action, thriller, spy, mystery, or science fiction novel, or whatever pleases the world today. For example, the "war chapters" in Alma have a spiritual purpose.

I've always used this as a gauge for whether or not I'm doing good spiritually. Do I find the Book of Mormon, especially Nephi's words, to be pleasing unto me? Or do I find it a chore to read them?

Nephi finishes with a request for his posterity to not write the things of the world on the plates.

Studying the Scriptures and Callings

1 Nephi 6 is our first short chapter of the book. A time ago, I was reading the Book of Mormon chapter by chapter. This is a great thing to do. However, I submit to you that it takes a few minutes to immerse yourself into the text and the spirit of study. There may be circumstances that prevent one from reading longer, but I want you to know that I support my stake's goal to study for at least 10 minutes a day, and better yet if you linger there. With this blog, I'm trying to read the scriptures, ponder the passage, and write about my feelings and applications to our day of the scriptures. This is a good way to study. In addition to a chronological reading, one can study the scriptures topic by topic. Perhaps I will do this after I finish the chronological study and journaling.

Sunday I was sustained as the 2nd Counselor to the bishop in my ward at church. This is a big responsibility. First of all, I am grateful to my wife for all the hours that she has put in with caring for our two daughters before this call. Now she will do this with even more hours without me. I pray that she will be blessed with strength and endurance and to know of my love for her. And like Nephi and the recent entry in this blog, I will go and do the thing which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing he hath commanded (with a lot of effort on our part : )

1 Nephi 5:10-EoC

This selection of text for today contains more specific information about the brass plates. It seems that Lehi and his family knew about some of the things that were on them. When Nephi and his brothers returned from Jerusalem, they gave the plates to Lehi and he began to read them.

Nephi tells that his father found out that the plates contained the five books of Moses. They are probably the same books of Moses that we have in our Bible, but I'm curious to know how different they might have been, not having gone through an age of apostasy. Then it says that there came next a record of the Jews until the current king of the land of Judah, King Zedekiah. Additionally, there were the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning to the present, which included some of the words of Jeremiah. We also have a lot of those words in the current Bible, too.

We also find that Lehi is a descendant of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, and that Laban was, too. This is why he kept the records, because they have been passed from father to son. So, in a sense, Lehi also had a right to them, too. Lehi then prophecies that the words of the brass plates would go unto all the nations that would come out of his seed. This is true because, for example, because in Alma 22:12, a missionary named Aaron opened the scriptures unto a king to teach him all about the creation of the world and the gospel.

Nephi finished by saying that up to that point, they had obeyed every commandment of the Lord. He also talks about how precious the scriptures are and how good it is to read from them. Here is the quote from Verse 21, "And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children." Do we have this attitude about reading the scriptures of our day? Do we teach from the scriptures the commandments to our children?

1 Nephi 5:1-9

In this selection, we get a little insight into what happened while Nephi and his brothers were going to Jerusalem and back for the brass plates. The principal people involved are Lehi and his wife Sariah. It seems that during the time they were away, Sariah morns for them. She feels that they have been lost in the wilderness and have perished. She blames Lehi for being a visionary man and now that her sons have perished, that they will, too.

Here's a thought that I'm not too sure about. I heard once that the Laman and Lemuel got their complaining attributes from their mother. What do you think?

Lehi admits that he is a visionary man and is grateful for it. Otherwise he says that he would not have been able to see that the promised land would be so great. Then he testifies to Sariah that the Lord is conscious of their mission and circumstances and will protect them the entire time. He will also deliver them back to the camp safely. Sariah apparently feels that this is true and is comforted. The great thing that happens now is that she gains a testimony of their journey and the commandment of the Lord to leave Jerusalem. It's and incredible thing they are doing. In an application to our day, we can gain a testimony of any commandment that comes from God, through our prophet just as Sariah did. In this case her husband was the prophet.

In the end, they showed their thanks unto God for His protection and goodness in allowing them to have the brass plates in order to preserve their language and their religion.

1 Nephi 4:20-EoC

In this selection of the chapter we meet Zoram, one of the servants of Laban. I imagine that Zoram had a pleasant disposition and a talker. I think that he has a pleasant disposition becuase he follows Nephi so well later in life. First, he goes with Nephi out of Jerusalem. Later, Lehi blesses Zoram and his posterity. He says that Zoram is and will be a true friend to Nephi forever (see 2 Nephi 1:30-32). When the Nephites separate themselves in the promised land, he follows them, too. There are the two verses that give me the indication that he likes to talk:

22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls.

All Nephi did was go up to Laban's treasury, had Zoram get the plates and walk to the outer walls of Jerusalem and he made two entries in his book about this seemingly little thing.

What did Zoram say? I'd like to think that he was trying to get him to be a better person. He notices that Laban asks for the plates, which contain the word of God, and hopes that he might study them, perhaps with the elders of the Jews. However, Nephi shared with us that Jerusalem was a wicked place at the time, and maybe the elders of the Jews weren't so righteous either.

When they get outside the city, Nephi's brothers run away because they thought that Nephi was Laban, just as Zoram did. Nephi calls after them, in his own voice, and they stop but Zoram is frightened now. (Up to this point Nephi was doing he best Laban impression.) Nephi, with the help of the Lord, gets Zoram and holds him so he doesn't get away, and says that if you listen to us, you will be spared. Zoram makes an oath with them to come with them to the promised land as a free man. Nephi says that this was crucial, so he didn't go and tell everyone in the city about Lehi's journey into the wilderness. So, in the end, they head back to the tent of their father with the brass plates and with a friend to journey with. They had fulfilled the Lord's commandment and were (and will be) blessed for it.

1 Nephi 4:5-19

This is the selection of text when Nephi slays Laban with his own sword. If we just leave it at that, then it doesn't sound too good.

It is nighttime when Nephi enters Jerusalem by himself, his brothers hiding by the walls of the city, and he is being led by the Holy Ghost, not knowing what he would be doing to get the plates. Here we can see that Nephi is following the Lord's instructions precisely, using the Spirit as a conduit. Eventually he sees a man in the street passed out from drinking too much. When he walks closer, he finds that it is Laban. He notices the Laban's sword worn at his waist. I'm thinking that Nephi is like the typical youth at the time in that he likes weapons. Later we learn about his really cool bow. He takes out the sword and admires it. Then the Spirit constrains him to kill Laban. Nephi does not want to do it. He is not one who delights in shedding blood. Then the Spirit explains to him why it must be done. Here is the thought process that Nephi and the Spirit had together:

Spirit: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands.

Nephi: Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

Spirit: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands; Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

Nephi: And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.

The Lord had already decided that it was time to call Laban home. We have commandments like thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not commit adultery because it is up to the Lord to decide when to bring people into this mortal existence and when to bring them out. (The scriptures are replete with these types of examples. Here is an interesting one about a man who was going to kill one one of the sons of Mosiah on their mission to the Lamanites (see Alma 19:22-23)). This could have easily been done with Laban, but the Lord did not do it exactly like that. I'm not going to judge Him for the way He decides to do things.

Suffice it to say, Nephi then cuts Laban's head off with his own sword. In Verse 19, it says that Nephi then puts on Labans clothes and armor, every whit. Tomorrow, we'll have to see what the Lord guides him to do next.

As a final thought (one that I'm not sure I like to discuss, but we're almost done with this part) was Nephi the only prominent righteous Book of Mormon figure that has killed someone? Well, later on, Nephi even makes many swords patterned after the sword of Laban and uses them, but this time in defense of his family, land, and liberty (2 Nephi 5:14). It is important to note that he was not the aggressor and he still had the Lord's blessing. He was like Captain Moroni (see Alma 48:16). Ammon also had to defend himself from the Lamanites at the waters of Sebus (see Alma 17:36). The servant of Helaman also defended his master (see Helaman 2:8-9). The list could go on and on. I know that Nephi was a righteous man and a great example for us.

1 Nephi 4:1-4

In the beginning of this chapter, Nephi is amazing. In the midst of a second failure to obtain the plates, he is still optimistic about getting them. He has great faith in the Lord. He knows that with the Lord's help, anything is possible. He knows that the Lord would be able to defeat Laban, even if he had fifty men to guard him, even if he had tens of thousands of men to guard him.

Nephi then remembers when the Lord helped out the people who do their best to carry out a commandment from Him. He remembers Moses leading the Egyptians out of Pharaoh's grasp. He recounts that the Lord helped them do it, even through a miracle. He then says that an angel came down and told them that the way will be prepared. After a pep talk like that, I would be like, "Okay! Let's do it!" However, it is interesting that Laman and Lemuel are still wroth with Nephi and continue to murmur all the way from the cave back to the outer walls of Jerusalem. I am still in awe of these guys.

In an application to our day, I have thought of Nephi and his faith in this occasion when I'm faced with a decision to follow the Lord's commandments. New callings are especially applicable. The Lord has called us to do a work here among our people. We must have faith that we are called of Him and that He will provide a way for us to accomplish what we need to. It will take work. There might be some setbacks along the way, because the Lord tries the faith and the patience of his people every once in a while (see Mosiah 23:21). If we hold true, we will be even more blessed. So, onward and upward! Let's follow what the Lord had commanded us today.

1 Nephi 3:27-EoC

The servants of Laban do not catch Nephi and his brothers after they try and trade their precious belongings for the brass plates. So, we now find our family in a cave. Laman and Lemuel are so angry with Nephi and all this that they beat him and Sam with a rod.

The angel of the Lord comes and delivers a quick message. Essentially, he tells Laman and Lemuel that Nephi is their ruler and teacher because they have not followed the commandments of the Lord and that if they go up to the city again, Laban would be delivered into their hands. Of course, as if on cue, Laman and Lemuel murmur again saying that Laban is so powerful that how would it be possible that he be delivered into our hands.

Every time I read this, I'm astounded at how faithless these two brothers are. They had just seen an angel! Well, so it is with those who are determined not to believe. There were several times on my mission where the Spirit testifies so strongly that the gospel is true, but the people we were teaching did not want to believe or accept. Nephi is a good example of what to do with those type of people. He loved them and always admonished them, hoping they would convert.

1 Nephi 3:15-26

In this section of Chapter 3, Nephi has to encourage his brothers that they still need to follow the commandment of the Lord to get the brass plates. So, instead of asking for the plates to be given to them, Nephi suggests that they try and trade for the plates. Lehi left all his gold, silver, and precious things in the land of his inheritance. I'm sure it must have been hard for Laman and Lemuel to think about parting with it, but Nephi says that it doesn't matter because Jerusalem was going to be destroyed pretty soon.

He stated that they needed the plates to preserve unto their children the language of their fathers. They also needed to preserve the prophesies of the holy prophets from the beginning of the world down to the present time. Earlier we discussed the content of the plates of brass. The Lord knew what was on them and He knew that Lehi's posterity would need the word of God in order to stay righteous. Therefore, this is highly important. (This argument will come into play in a crucial moment later on in the story.)

However, this attempt did not go so well. When Laban saw their property, he did lust after it and sent his servants after them to slay them. They fled out of the city and into the wilderness and hid in a cave so that they could not be found. We can probably guess by now how Laman and Lemuel will react versus the reactions of Nephi and Sam. But, that will have to wait until tomorrow. : )

1 Nephi 3:9-14

So, Nephi and his brothers journey back to the land of Jerusalem to get the brass plates from Laban. I've read some things about Laban, but that was a while ago. So, I wanted a refresher on him. Here is what the Book of Mormon student manual from Institute says about Laban:

"A few deft and telling touches resurrect the pompous Laban with photographic perfection. We learn in passing that he commanded a garrison of fifty, that he met in full ceremonial armor with ‘the elders of the Jews’ for secret consultations by night, that he had control of a treasury, that he was of the old aristocracy, being a distant relative to Lehi himself, that he probably held his job because of his ancestors, . . . that his house was the storing place of very old records, that he was a large man, short-tempered, crafty, and dangerous, and to the bargain cruel, greedy, unscrupulous, weak, and given to drink" (Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert and the World of the Jaredites, p. 111).

It is interesting that once they got to Jerusalem, they casted lots (or chose randomly) to see who would go in and ask Laban for the plates. I wonder how that plan was decided on (from Verse 10)? Was this the only fair solution to decide because they couldn't agree on anything else? I think that the approach from the animated version of this account from the Living Scriptures is interesting. They showed that Nephi gathered three white stones and one black stone and placed them in a bag. Each brother chose a stone and Laman got the black one. I wonder if they invented that interpretation or if they read somewhere to see if that was a popular way to cast lots.

Laman does go up and try to convince Laban to get the plates. Verse 11 says that Laman talked with Laban as he sat in his house. I wonder if they did talk about how crazy Lehi was, as depicted in the animated version. Well, Verse 13 says that Laman was threatened with his live and called a robber, which I do think is considered serious in that time.

Finally, Laman relates the tale to his brothers outside of the city and they are disappointed. They probably realize that this is going to be near impossible. Nothing short of a miracle could get the plates out of Jerusalem. Perhaps this is by design from the Lord. There are times when things that seem easy to happen or accomplish become uncharacteristically difficult. I think that Heavenly Father will grant us our desires (if they are righteous) not immediately at times just so we know that it is He who allowed this blessing to come to us. I think that Lehi's family, except for perhaps Laman and Lemuel, valued the plates more because of the work (and help from the Lord) it took to get them. May we appreciated and acknowledge all our blessings from Heavenly Father, even the ones that didn't cost much to receive.

1 Nephi 3:1-8

Nephi begins this chapter by shedding some more light on his relationship with the Lord. Chapter 2, Verse 16 is related to this first verse of Chapter 3. It seems that from an early age, Nephi stating in 2:16 that his was "exceedingly young," Nephi has had a close relationship with the Lord. It makes me ponder on my relationship with Him. Do I try to draw closer to Him each day?

After Nephi prays in 2:16, 3:1 states that he went to the tent of his father. Lehi then relays a commandment of the Lord to get the brass plates. Their importance is paramount for Lehi's posterity. (More of that next chapter.) Again, Laman and Lemuel are not eager for this assignment. (Have to love their attitude.) I love Nephi's response. It is one of the most quoted scriptures. He states that the Lord will provide means for us to complete all His commandments. I believe that is true today. It is not easy, but we can do it. "Just keep swimming." : )

Finally, Lehi was glad of Nephi's attitude and faith. What a wonderful thing for a parent to know that their child is in the right way. I rejoice as Lehi did when my daughters do what is right. Andie loves prayer time and is getting better at being reverent during the prayer, folding her arms, and saying amen. Molly says that she has done her own prayers, too, speaking in her own way. How wonderful.

Thanks for stopping by! See you real soon.

1 Nephi 2:16-EoC

In this section, Nephi records some promises of the Lord concerning his seed and the seed of his brothers in the land of promise. As we will see in the Book of Mormon, the Lord reveals to the prophets revelations about the future. Most in this book seem to be prophesies of destruction unless they repent. Specific accounts of when they will be destroyed are given, again, unless they repent. But the people become wicked and end up being destroyed anyway, exactly and when the Lord said they would. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by this, but I guess I'm saying that even though they could have repented, the Lord knew that they wouldn't. Isn't that amazing? Heavenly Father and Jesus really do know a lot. (I really don't know if all that was comprehensible, but those were my thoughts on Verses 20-24.)

Now I wanted to discuss more about the mysteries of God. Like Nephi, I have a great desire to know of His mysteries. I believe that we know a lot about His mysteries already through current revelation. Here are a some thoughts from Footnote a in Verse 16. From the Topical Guide, 1 Nephi 10:19 stuck out to me. It says that to him that seeketh, the mysteries of God will be revealed by the power of the Holy Ghost. In Mosiah 1:5, King Benjamin talks to his sons about the mysteries of God recorded on the brass plates. I looked up "brass plates" on the Church's website and was reading some very interesting articles about them. They have many parts of the Bible, but much more was written in them in addition to what the Bible contains. The article is called: The Plates of Brass: A Witness of Christ. There are many other interesting scriptures under the Topical Guide entry that I've been referring to (Mysteries of Godliness). I have time for one more. One of the most exciting and promising scriptures that the Book of Mormon has on this subject is Alma 12:9-10. He says that the mysteries of God can be given to anyone, if they are righteous. He also says that they are not to share them, except for special times, under His direction, when He allows a portion of them to be shared. Then, in Verse 10, Alma says that if one does not harden their heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word until he know the mysteries of God in full. This is huge because some of the scriptures in the Topical Guide talk about how infinite and unsearchable God's mysteries are.

Well, good luck Friend in your search. Do not harden your heart, and you can know of the great things of God. Have a great day!

1 Nephi 2:1-15

I wanted to start out this blog entry by saying that with the recent entries, I don't want to come off sounding Pharisaical. I've done so in the past and have caused offense. So, the things that I type as applications of the scriptures that I read are essentially goals for myself and thoughts to consider. I know that we could all be better, but it is really a matter between one's self and Heavenly Father. The Spirit prompts us to know what we need to do better. I just think about how I can do better.

With that said, on to 1 Nephi 2. Here, Nephi shares with us that Lehi is blessed by the Lord for his diligence in keeping the commandments. The Lord warns him in a dream that he needs to leave Jerusalem or be killed by the citizens. Nephi introduces to us his family. His mother Sariah and his three older brothers, Laman, Lemuel, and Sam. (I have always thought that the names of Laman and Lemuel are funny. At the risk of being a little irreverent, and I apologize, because of their actions which are discussed later, I thought of them as "Lame-man" and "Le-mule.")

I find that it is interesting that he does not mention any sisters. Either he didn't have any at the time, or he just doesn't mention them for some reason. I know that he later refers to them when he separates his people from the Lamanites in the promised land (2 Nephi 5:6). Did he not mention them for a reason? Is it because they were women? I heard once, I think it was in the MTC, that there are only five women's names mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Sariah being one of those. I'm not sure why more aren't mentioned. Sometimes I think that he was referring to the wives of Sam, Jacob, and Joseph, i.e. his sisters-in-law or daughters of Ismael. But I'm not sure. What do you think?

We know that Laman and Lemuel are opposed to leaving, but in Verse 14, Lehi preaches to them the will of the Lord with such power that their frames did shake before him in so much that they did follow him. I think that this is learning the hard way. It reminded me of the time when the Brother of Jared did not call upon the Lord for four years (Ether 2:14). The Lord chastened him for three hours. It might not have been like Laman and Lemuel's experience, but I don't think that it was pleasant for him at all.

I think that this story is a good reminder of how we can follow the commandments. There is a continuum, I believe, of obedience. Where are we on it? Do we follow all the commandments with vigor? Let's start our description on the end where the people of Jerusalem are at the time of Lehi. They are on the end where the commandments are not obeyed at all. They killed the prophets and were wicked. An interesting description of their wickedness is given by Nephi (2 Nephi 25:2). Then there is how Laman and Lemuel obey the commandments: sometimes and when they do it's grudgingly. This might be a little better than not obeying them at all, but sometimes I don't think the Lord accepts their obedience (see Moroni 7:8). Then there is Sam. He is faithful in following the commandments, perhaps because Nephi testifies to him that they should follow the Lord's will. (I'm sure he gained a personal testimony at some point. See tomorrow's entry.) Then there is Nephi. He is specific about his testimony and desire to know the mysteries of God, which in part are the whys and wherefores of the commandments. I feel that this is the model we should follow, submitting to Him the desires of our heart. (Again, more on this tomorrow.)

1 Nephi 1:16-EoC (End of Chapter)

Upon reading and pondering these verses there were a couple of things that came to mind. When Lehi prophesied to the people in Jerusalem about thing he had seen in vision and in the book, they mocked him. I'm sure that the people in Jerusalem at that time were doing some pretty wicked things, but in applying this scripture to us, I wondered if there are some spiritual things that we mock when they are preached to us from a bishop, a stake president, or any general authority.

I don't think that we are doing the things that those in Jerusalem at that time were doing, at least I hope not. But, what about the little things that we endure which drive the Spirit away? If it was suggested to us to avoid those things, would we mock and say that it's no big deal? Elder Bednar came to a stake conference one time when I lived in Arizona. One thing he said really had an impact on me. He said that in the Church we focus a lot on how to identify the times when the Spirit comes and testifies of truth. It is that warm sensation within. However, we don't stress enough about identifying the times when the Spirit leaves.

For example, in the Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood manual it states, "Because He is so sensitive, the Holy Ghost can be offended by what we may consider unimportant things. To keep the Holy Ghost with us, we must live in harmony with those around us. Speaking to the Nephites, Christ said that the spirit of contention comes from the devil (see 3 Nephi 11:29). The Holy Ghost cannot dwell where disunity and disharmony exist. For this reason, arguing with our wife or quarreling with a brother or sister will drive the Holy Ghost away from us and from our homes." This is something that I want to work on.

A final example in which I know that the Spirit leaves is when we endure some TV shows, music, and movies that feature immorality and profanity. If we are watching such things, are we condoning such actions? Is is worth it to endure the bad for a few minutes of jokes, which are probably off color anyway? These questions I leave for you, Friend. Feel free to post comments. I know that the Spirit will not endure such situations.

On a much lighter note, Nephi testifies that the tender mercies of the Lord are over those whom He has chosen, even to the power of deliverance. I believe that the deliverance he refers to is of a temporal nature and a spiritual nature. Lehi and his family were delivered from the people in Jerusalem who sought their lives. In my life, we've benefited from His tender mercies by moving to Georgia. But, also the tender mercies of the Lord have delivered everyone from death. Additionally, if we are righteous, repent, and endure to the end His tender mercies will deliver us from spiritual death. What a glorious thought!

Thanks again, Friend for stopping by. Have a great day!

1 Nephi 1:2-15

The next major part of this chapter involves Lehi's "First Vision." I have always been interested in the similar themes of the first visions that are recorded for some of the major prophets in the scriptures. These happen so often that I might venture to say that all prophets have this vision at the time they are called. What do you think? I believe that there is a distinct change that is wrought upon a man when he receives the mantle and calling of prophet. I noticed it when President Hinckley was called. Is this type of event part of that? Well, here are some examples of this event that are recorded in the scriptures. Some accounts are more or less detailed.

Let's start with Nephi, the son of Lehi. The account of his vision starts in 1 Nephi 11. He sees the same vision of the Tree of Life as his father did (in a later vision), Christ's birth, life, and death, and the commission and ministry of the 12 apostles. It continues in Chapter 12. Nephi sees his posterity in the land of promise (the Americas) and their eventual fate: total destruction. He also sees that the Lamanites will be the ones to inhabit the land. In Chapter 13 he sees the colonizing of America and the restoration of the gospel. He sees that the Bible and the Book of Mormon will go forth among the people. Finally, he sees the last days and the end of the world.

Nephi's description of the typical themes of this vision are pretty good. In essence, he sees Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation in full. There is a lot that this covers. It is also likely that he sees many more of the mysteries of God, but does not write them because God wants us to be righteous enough and have faith enough for them to be revealed to us.

Here are the other accounts that I've found in the scriptures of prophets having visions similar to Lehi's and Nephi's: Brother of Jared (Ether 3:6-28), Abraham (Genesis 12:1-5, 15:1, 17:8, Chapter 22), Moses (selections of text found from Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible), Isaiah (Isaiah 6), and John the Beloved (Book of Revelations).

Friend, do you know of any others? You may post them as comments along with other ideas about this subject. Thanks for stopping by!

1 Nephi 1:1

The Book of Mormon begins with the writings of a prophet named Nephi. He lived in Jerusalem about 600 years before Christ was born. The first part of the Book of Mormon was written by Nephi 30 years after it happened (see 2 Nephi 5:30-31). Thus, in the first verse, Nephi is able to speak from a lot of experience and says a few things about the time in general.

He starts by saying that he was born of goodly parents. I've heard many talks about that verse with the speaker saying the same thing. I can say no different. I feel that my parents learned a lot about parenting while they were raising us. They were not perfect, but I feel that they are goodly parents. They loved us and provided all they could for us. They made sure that we were spiritually nourished, too. For the major part of our lives, we read the scriptures as a family every day and prayed every day, too. This is a huge example to follow. I'm doing my best to follow it.

Nephi follows this by saying that he was taught in all the learning of his father. I think that he learned what his father did for a living and followed in those footsteps. I've heard from somewhere that Lehi, Nephi's father, was a trader. This could be one of the ways he has obtained so much "gold, silver, and precious things." (This is, of course, speculation from an old memory. I welcome comments, which fortunately can be done on a blog, from those who know more so we all can be edified.) Well, whatever Lehi did, this passage could mean that Nephi did it, too. Nephi could also mean that he learned about the world and spiritual matters, just as Lehi did.

He next mentions that he has seen many afflictions in the course of his days. This is true for all of us, I believe. I have seen my share, much of which I have kept inside, knowing that they are trials from Heavenly Father that have tested me and will test me (some like Abraham) to see if I will continue to be on His side and follow the commandments. My family and extended family have helped me through those times. I know that I am stronger for it.

Nevertheless, like Nephi, I have been highly favored of the Lord. One big blessing that I'm thinking about right now: schooling. This has some to do with the learning like Nephi mentioned earlier. I have had the opportunity to get an elementary, middle, and high school diploma. I have been able to get a Bachelor's in Mathematics from Arizona State University and a Secondary Mathematics Teaching Certificate not have to pay much out of pocket, perhaps only a few classes. I am about to get a Master's in Math Education from Brigham Young University. I just have to finish the thesis, which I need to get back to. It was paid for by an assistantship from BYU. Finally, I'm here in Georgia on another assistantship. It will pay for tuition and give a stipend, too, like BYU. I'm in the doctorate program at the University of Georgia in Math Education. So, this blessing shows that Heavenly Father is generous and loves us. I know that if you think hard, you will find that you can count your blessings from God and realize that He knows you and loves you, too. This is a good thing to do when you are sad because of life's trials. I find it interesting that Nephi mentions this after he mentioned his afflictions (see also 2 Nephi 4).

He mentions that he has a great knowledge of the mysteries of God. From this account of the small plates, we know some of the mysteries he had learned from God. I think that the majority of his writings in 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi are about those mysteries specifically. Because of time, won't mention them all, but I look forward to going through them here with you. : )

In the last part of this verse, Nephi mentions that he is making a record of the proceedings of his days. This is also what I'm doing here and in my own journal. I enjoy rereading them and others' blogs, too. So, thanks for sharing the proceedings of your days, may they be blessed.

Moving to Georgia

Hello, everyone! The trip to Georgia went well. It was interesting to see many parts of the United States that I haven't seen before. First, we went from Utah to Colorado and spent the night in Dillon, CO. It was just an hour west of Denver. There were many pine trees and mountains there. After Denver, the terrain changed to flat. Previously, I though that flat meant really flat, but Kansas did have some hills. We spent the next night just outside of Independence, MO. Missouri is when the country gets green and has lots of trees and rivers. This is how Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia are.

My father-in-law listened and conversed. We listened to Truman G. Madsen's insights to the latter-day prophets from Joseph Smith through Heber J. Grant. I have listened to these presentations before, but there were still many things that I learned this time around. They are interesting people. One thing that they all said in common was that Jesus Christ heads this church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). At times they thought of ideas of who should serve as an apostle or what direction the church should go, but the Lord inspires them to do different things and call people they've never met. Then we can see great things come to pass because of it.

We also listened to a couple of novels by Brad Thor. He writes about an agent guy that is fighting Islamic extremists to protect the world. His latest is called The Last Patriot. Here is what Amazon says about it (mostly from the back cover):

"June 632 A.D.: Deep within the Uranah Valley of Mount Arafat in Mecca, the Prophet Mohammed shares with his closest companions a final and startling revelation. Within days, he is assassinated.

September 1789: U.S. Minister to France Thomas Jefferson, who is charged with forging a truce with the violent Muslim pirates of the Barbary Coast, makes a shocking discovery - one that could forever impact the world's relationship with Islam.

Present day: When a car bomb explodes outside a Parisian café, Scot Harvath is thrust back into the life he has tried so desperately to leave behind.

Saving the intended victim of the attack, Harvath becomes party to an amazing and perilous race to uncover a secret so powerful that militant Islam could be defeated once and for all without firing another shot, dropping another bomb, or launching another covert action.

But as desperate as the American government is to have the information brought to light, there are powerful forces aligned against it - men who are just as determined that Mohammed's mysterious final revelation continue to remain hidden forever.

What Jason Bourne was to the Cold War, Scot Harvath is to the War on Terror. Brad Thor has created "the perfect all-American hero for the post September 11 world" (Nelson DeMille) and will keep readers glued to the pages as he once again takes them across the globe on a heart-pounding chase where the stakes are higher than they have ever been before. "

When we stopped for gas and food, my father-in-law and I were always excited to get back in the moving van and head on the road to hear more of the story.

Also on the way over here, I finished my current reading of the Book of Mormon. I am starting over and will use the blog to discuss my thoughts about every chapter of this book. I'm not sure how long it will take, nor do I think I will be able to post every day, but I will try. I do make sure that I read something from its pages everyday though.

Georgia is hot and humid, but not as much as I thought it would be. Perhaps the summer is mild this year. Our ward at church is very nice and I am looking forward to making new friends. I miss Utah a lot, but life must go on and changes are inevitable. It feels a lot like the time I moved from Arizona to Utah. I love and miss those I know in both states. Here's to the next adventure!