For My Profit and Learning

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2017

1 Nephi 7 - Wherefore, Let Us Be Faithful to Him

After Nephi and his brothers obtained the plates, they were commanded to return again to persuade Ishmael and his family to intermarry and join them on their journey to the promised land. "...T he Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife , that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise" (1 Nephi 7:1). In the same way He had commanded them to return for the brass plates (which contained the scriptures and their genealogy), the Lord commanded them to return at great personal risk to find spouses. Nephi states that this was not just to "raise up seed," but to "raise up seed unto the Lord. " Aside from the obvious procreative necessity of marriage, Nephi implies that marriage was key to raising righteous families. Just as they needed the words of the prophets to raise their children in righteousne

1 Nephi 6 - I Desire the Room That I May Write of the Things of God

Nephi highlights the purpose his record by explaining what it will NOT include. He states that it will not include his genealogy or the things of his father, " for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God" (1 Nephi 6:3). He does not discount that his family history and his father's experiences are worthwhile, but he is satisfied that they have been recorded elsewhere by others. Instead of repeating things that have already been recorded, he chose to focus on the teachings, revelations and experiences that would help others come unto God, "f or the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved" (1 Nephi 6:4). As I read this verse, I thought about extrapolating this idea as a criteria to measure what I do on a daily basis. What is the "fulness of mine intent," and how is that reflected in the things I do and say and how I spend my t

1 Nephi 5 - Now I Know of a Surety

When Nephi and his brothers returned after obtaining the plates, their mother, Sariah, " was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of [them] . For she had supposed that [they] had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against [their] father" (1 Nephi 5:1-2). Her sons' return to obtain the plates appears to have been particularly trying for Sariah, who has lost her worldly property and home in Jerusalem, and feared that her " sons [were] no more", and that they would "perish in the wilderness" (1 Nephi 5:2). It seems strange that the Lord waited until Lehi and his family had left Jerusalem before mentioning the importance of the brass plates. He could have easily included a commandment to get the plates with his initial instruction to flee Jerusalem thereby saving them a trip. (The same is true of the Lord's later commandment to return to Jerusalem again to invite Ishmael and his daughters to intermarry and jo

1 Nephi 4 - I Was Led by the Spirit

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do" (1 Nephi 4:6). After Nephi and his brothers return to Jerusalem to seek the plates from Laban, Nephi demonstrates a powerful example of following the promptings of the Spirit. It's important to note that when Nephi expressed his trust in the Spirit, he and his brothers had already failed twice to obtain the plates. They had been threatened with death (1 Nephi 3:13), lost all of their wealth and property (1 Nephi 3:25), and been chased by Laban's guards. They had also experienced intense conflict among each other (1 Nephi 3:28). In recounting he and his brothers' first two attempts to obtain the plates, Nephi does not mention the role of the Spirit. Instead, he says " when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another. And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Laban (1 Nephi 3:10-11). That is not to imply

1 Nephi 3 - Preserve Unto our Children

We've all answered the cliche get-to-know-you question "If your house was on fire and you could only save one thing, what would it be." After Lehi and his family had departed into the wilderness--w ith the destruction of Jerusalem at hand-- the Lord command that they return to get the record of their genealogy and the scriptures, which was called the brass plates. Nephi explains why and articulates the importance of the scriptures: "And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time" (1 Nephi 3:19-20). God's wisdom would have them retain their language (which could be interpreted broadly to include history and culture), and have ac

1 Nephi 2 - A Land of Promise

After seeing a vision of the destruction of Jerusalem, Lehi warned the people to repent. When they refused and sought to take his life, the Lord commanded him to flee with his family: "And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness" (1 Nephi 2:4). Lehi's example helps me set priorities for my life and make sacrifices in order to do what God would have me do. I find it instructive to note what he left behind, and what he deemed essential to take with him on his journey into the wilderness. He left his home, his inheritance, and his wealth and took only is family and the basic necessities of survival. When I am making choices about how to spend my time, it is easy for me to over-invest in professional advancement and material attainment.

1 Nephi 1 - With All His Heart, in Behalf of His People

In the opening chapter of the Book of Mormon, we also learn about Lehi's experience as a prophet. He prayed on behalf of the people of Jerusalem and saw " many great and marvelous things" in a vision, and learned of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem due to wickedness. "Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart , in behalf of his people (1 Nephi 1:5) ... he was carried away in a vision , even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God (1 Nephi 1:8). Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof (1 Nephi 1:13)." What stands out to me about this vision is that it was preceded by a sincere and urgent prayer "with his whole heart, in behalf of his people" . Go

1 Nephi 1 - Having Been Born of Goodly Parents

The Book of Mormon begins with the prophet Nephi asserting that he had "been born of goodly parents": "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents , therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days. Tellingly, his brothers Laman and Lemuel did not share his assessment. They experienced feelings of frustration and resentment toward their father Lehi because they did not understand the things the Lord commanded their family to do. The scriptures imply they would have derogatorily referred to Lehi as a "visionary man." "[ Laman and Lemuel] did murmur in many things against their father , because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem

Introduction

My friend Megan Murff recently completed a 4-year project to record her thoughts and impressions about each chapter of the Book of Mormon and I feel inspired to do the same. While I am glad that posting my thoughts and feelings about the scriptures on this blog will make them available to others, I know that I will benefit more than anyone reading this. " Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old. And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." - 1 Nephi 19:23-24