No More Stumbling Blocks?

"And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks" (1 Nephi 14:1)

I first read this and thought to myself "that statement isn't always true". In other words, I was thinking what it was saying is that if we (the Gentiles) will hearken unto Christ, our pain and suffering would be eased, or that our trials would be fewer, or easier to get through.

The more I thought about it though, I realized that it says that the Lord will only take away our stumbling blocks. In other words, we will have help in not stumbling.  That is not to say that we won't run into things, or kick some rocks on the way up the hill but they won't make us stumble.  In real world application, I think this means that the act of choosing the right increases our power to choose the right in the future because 1) we know we can do it, and 2) we have increased ability and fewer stumbling blocks in making those right choices,

I appreciate this distinction, because life isn't easy, but we need to make correct choices anyway. This life is our test to see if we will do all the things we are commanded. And the more we do, the more we will be able to.

Thanksgiving

"And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land." (1 Nephi 13:12)

I think it's interesting that out of all the things that I could have read today, on Thanksgiving, I read about Nephi foreseeing the pilgrims coming to the Americas. It goes on to talk about how they battled and won with the help of God.  The reason we celebrate Thanksgiving is truly based in the fact that this is really the promised land, as the Lord has said many times in the Book of Mormon.  We celebrate abundance and how much we have been blessed with.

On this Thanksgiving day, I just thought I'd mention how grateful I am for everything. I recognize that everything that I have in my life comes from God, and without Him, I would have and be nothing.

Let's try to remember how grateful we are, and not just remember, but show our gratitude. Show it to God, our families, our neighbors, and really everyone around us.  I remember one sweet old lady who I loved talking to.  She would always point out how wonderful things were. Things that I have certainly taken for granted in my life, but I loved talking to her because it would remind me that I need to be grateful all the time, for even the simplest blessings.

Christ's Visit Was Known

"And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them." (1 Nephi 12:6)

So this is around 600 years before Christ was born. While Nephi was learning more about his father's dream from the angel, he had the opportunity to see many generations passing away.  I'm saddened by the fact that he saw his own descendants fighting and going back and forth between evil and good. I think that would be a difficult thing to see. However, there is certainly a highlight, which I have quoted.

The Savior visiting the Nephites is the crowning event of the Book of Mormon, and the initial author of that book saw it take place in a vision.  For someone with as much faith as Nephi, that must have brought great joy and excitement, along with a sense of urgency to teach his children and their children (and so on) the truths of the gospel so that they could be numbered among those that were present for the Savior's visit.  So learning the gospel from the things that Nephi wrote about after this vision helps us to know the things that will lead us to that kind of life.  The life that allows us to see such miracles.

This is something I can directly apply to my life, because I know Christ will come again, and I want to be in that same boat when he does--living the kind of life that allows me to be on His side (and maybe even near His side), fighting for His cause. I know He lives and loves me, and I love Him too.

Condescension of God

"Knowest thou the condescension of God?" (1 Nephi 11:16)

This is a question that an angel asked Nephi as he was having his questions answered about his father's dream.  After Lehi told his family about his dream of the tree of life, Nephi wanted to know more about it and to understand it better, so he asked questions, and was visited by an angel to answer them and help him understand.

My understanding of this phrase, the "Condescension of God", is simply that Jesus Christ, as an eternal, all-powerful being, came down to earth, clothed in a mortal body, and subjected Himself to the human condition. Sickness, sorrow, and temptation were all part of this existence.  This served two purposes. First, to provide an atonement for the rest of us, who could not make it back to heaven without it. This is something I am extremely grateful for, because it certainly isn't something I could do for myself. Second, to provide Him with experience such that He could truly give us the help we needed whenever we face trials and tribulations. The One who has power to create worlds, and so certainly has the ability to help me in my trials, can actually understand where I'm coming from.  We're not talking about some remote, uncaring, unfeeling being who condemns us for every mistake, but someone who understands the difficulty that we are faced with and wants to be there for us to help us.  Someone who also has a title of Advocate. Someone who is there to plead our case because 1) He understands us and our motivations, and 2) He atoned for us so He has every right to do so,

"I marvel that He would descend from His throne divine, to rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine."  

This line from the hymn "I Stand All Amazed" is really the essence of this post. Not only do I know He did it, but I'm blown away by that fact. That little old me has the attention of the Creator of the universe is almost unbelievable, but the fact is, I know He is there and cares about me and helps me along the way. 

I stand all amazed indeed.

You Can Know for Yourself

"after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--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" (1 Nephi 10:17)

I just like that Nephi listened to his dad, and wanted to know for himself. He could have been just as faithful and obedient if he just believed everything that his dad told him, but it is through this desire that Nephi really becomes the great man that he was. His leadership, diligence, and faith all really stem from this one attribute: a desire to know for himself.

So often, you hear religious people (of any denomination, really) being accused of being brainwashed or blindly following their religious leaders.  I personally don't want to be this way. I want to act because I know, not because someone else says they know. There is definitely a place for leaning on other peoples convictions sometimes, but all in all, there is so much more power in knowing the truth for yourself.  Nephi had been through a lot, and he was a great man, but not because he just did what dad said to do. It was because when his father said something, Nephi would ask and find out for himself what was right and true.

So it is with us. We can listen to general conference. We can hear the words of the prophets.  We can sit across the desk from the bishop as he extends a calling.  We can listen to a teacher giving a good lesson at church. That's all great, but we need to go a step further than that. Arguably, the greatest thing about his life is that we have personal access to the Supreme Creator, God listens to us. He is there for us. He answers us. He loves us. He will tell us things (through the Holy Ghost, as Nephi points out). We can know for ourselves.

I know for myself, because I have followed this pattern.  I have heard and read things from inspired people, and I have asked my Father in Heaven, and He took the time out of His busy schedule to answer me. By the power of the Holy Ghost, I know that the gospel is true. By the power of the Holy Ghost, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and has a plan for me. I know for myself because I asked and found out.

Trust me, God will tell you. You just have to ask, wanting sincerely to know the answer.

A Wise Purpose

"Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him" (1 Nephi 9:5)

The first few books of the Book of Mormon come straight from the small plates of Nephi. The Lord actually commands him to make two sets of plates, one that is more of a history, and one that is for a record of the ministry.  The small plates are the ones that Nephi makes to keep a record of the ministry. In other places in his record, he talks about these plates being reserved for the most precious things and things like that.

Nephi didn't know why the Lord told him to make another set of plates, but he trusted the Lord's commandments and knew that for some reason, which presumably is a "wise purpose" (because come on, everything the Lord does is for a wise purpose, right?), and he made them and kept them diligently.

All I know is that the Book of Mormon and its teachings have changed countless lives. People and generations are different because of the contents of these plates that Nephi made. In fact, I am different because of them.

I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I am very glad that Nephi was as faithful as he was, both as an example, and also to provide some very wonderful, inspiring content to shaper our lives.

Heed Them Not

"...but we heeded them not." (1 Nephi 8:33)

Lehi has a dream. The dream is pretty well known. In this dream, he sees the iron rod leading up to the tree whose fruit is desirable above all other fruit. Through the course of his dream, he sees several different groups of people.  Some are making their way to the tree, and others are making their way towards (or are already in) a great and spacious building, which we find out later represents the pride of the world. [Side Note: It is notable that this building stood as if it was in the air, or in other words, had no foundation. In other words, that is not a stable, long-lasting place to be.] At some point, the people in the building would notice those people making their way toward the tree of life, or those who were eating the fruit, and started mocking and making fun of them. Some of the people who were eating (in other words, these were people who had "made it") and saw them mocking, and they started to feel self conscious and ashamed, and would fall away.

Lehi describes that he and Sariah, Nephi and Sam, who had all made it to the tree, saw the mocking people in the big building, and heeded them not.  They didn't even give them the time of day. 

It is a representation of life.  We work hard to get to that precious fruit, which represents the love of God. At times, even though we "make it", meaning that we've tasted the love of God, we meet cross roads, where we have to decide whether we are committed or not. Whether we want to stay there, continuing to partake of that fruit, or if we are going to choose other paths.  The problem is, Satan is sneaky.  He knows that if we are presented with these two options: partake of the love of God, or turning away from that love, nobody would choose the latter. However, from a distance, sometimes other fruit might look more delicious.  People might convince us that it is the best fruit they've ever tasted, and we go give it a try. The temptations to stray come mostly in the form of "this way is better" or "it's not too far from the straight and narrow, you can get back easily enough" or even "you've made it to the tree, and eaten the fruit, it's time to sit and the base of the tree and relax".

I think overall, the message is clear.  No matter where the temptations come from or whether the world thinks less of our decisions to partake of the fruit, we need to "heed them not", as Lehi and the righteous of his family do, and also as it says in one of my favorite hymns:

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

(Let Us All Press On, Hymn 243)

All Things Through Faith

"Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him." (1 Nephi 7:12)

Nephi and his brothers again are sent back to Jerusalem, this time to convince Ishmael and his family to come with them. I'm thinking Ishmael's daughters were probably pretty hot or something, because Nephi doesn't say anything about his older brothers complaining about having to go back for this task, but I digress.

They do, however, rebel on their way back and get mad at Nephi.  They probably all got to talking about how crazy the situation was, and how "because of Nephi", they were going to have a much harder life than if they lived in Jerusalem, and so on and so on, to the point whee it escalated so much in their minds, that they were going to kill Nephi and leave him in the wilderness to be food for the wild animals. They tied him up, and with the Lord's help, he was able to escape his bonds and talk to them.

Luckily,  a couple of people stood up for Nephi, and he ended up talking to the whole group.  He reminds them about how they had already seen amazing things (they saw an angel the last time they went to Jerusalem) and events (they were provided a way to get the brass plates and stay safe from Laban). 

I love what Nephi reminds them of at this point (the quote from verse 12).  The Lord can do anything for us (if it is His will), if we will only exercise faith in Him.

Faith.  That's the key.  Faith is action-based.  We act when we have faith. But the truth is, we are weak and compared to God, we are pretty much powerless.  We can only do so much within our human abilities. However, when we have God on our side, we can do anything.  I mean, there are many accounts of mountains moving, seas parting, tempests calming, sicknesses being healed, and dead being raised. More subtle, but I think more common, and arguably more impactful, there are amazing miracles that happen all the time, such as hearts being softened, grief being comforted, truths being understood and answers being given. So I repeat, when we have God on our side, we can do ANYTHING.

We just need faith.

Intentions

"For 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)

The fullness of Nephi's intent. He doesn't qualify that at all. I think this statement could be made my any true disciple. Everything you do is to persuade men to be saved (and there's only one way to be saved: Christ). This doesn't mean you abandon all things temporal and become a lifelong, full time missionary, but that you choose to do things every day with that purpose. So you ask yourself, with every decision you make, which choice would bring people to Christ.

Some decisions wouldn't seem to tie into this at all. For example, what I am going to wear. However, this decision can sometimes be critical when put in the light of that one question. If I dress a certain way (sloppily, immodestly, or with clothes that make me look like I can't be trusted), how can I possibly help bring people to Christ? Another example, what I am going to eat? If I don't eat healthily, and don't take care of my body, how can I have the energy or be healthy enough to share the gospel the way I need to?

I hope to make that question be more prevalent in my decision-making process in more of what I do each day. Do I have bringing people to Christ as my top priority?

Make Room

"I desire the room that I may write of the things of God." (1 Nephi 6:3)

Nephi is talking about making his record, and he doesn't want to use up the space on his plates with things that are written elsewhere. [Side note: This is an interesting observation when you take into consideration the number of things he quotes from Isaiah later on, but that's conversation for another day.]

Normally, when I read this kind of thing, I think about how this points to the fact that we need to realize that everything Nephi wrote would qualify as "the things of God", and how every little thing that Nephi (and subsequently those others who wrote in and/or abridged the records that re now known as the Book of Mormon) was included for a purpose.  While I still think that is a valid point, this is not the point that I felt as I read this passage.

What stood out to me was the following question, adapted for my life:

"Do I desire the room [in my life] that I may [ponder, study, act on, and even write about] the things of God?"

Like that night in Bethlehem thousands of years ago, will I make room in the inn (my heart, mind, life) for the miracle that is Jesus Christ?

I have good days with this and not so good days with this. I make room in parts of my life, but not others. I can do so much better, but the point is clear: I DESIRE to make room for Him, and that is a great start.

One Way to Have the Spirit

"And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit" (1 Nephi 5:17)

When Nephi and his brothers returned from Jerusalem with the brass plates, they all rejoiced because of their safe return, offering sacrifice and praising God for this.  The very next thing that Lehi did was he went and studied them.

He discovered that they contained some of his family history, as well as many sacred writings, including the 5 Books of Moses, and some other prophets. So essentially, this was the scriptures.  Lehi studied them carefully.  The scripture I quoted is the result of that study. When Lehi studied the scriptures, he was filled with the Spirit.

I know that the scriptures are true, because the Spirit has told me so. Since one of the primary jobs of the Spirit is to testify of truth, when you read the truth from the scriptures, the Spirit will be right there testifying.  A couple of posts ago, I wrote about acting on the Spirit, and how in order to do so, you need to become familiar with the way that the Holy Ghost communicates with you.  One way to keep the Spirit in your life is to do things on a regular basis that help you have the Spirit.  One of those things you can do is take the time to read study, and ponder the scriptures very day.  I have not always been the best at this.  Right up until after my mission, I had a very good habit of making sure I did this.  Life happens, though, and I let things get in the way sometimes, and that habit kind of faded.  I am trying to build that habit back up again, because I notice a difference in me when I am not studying the scriptures regularly.  One of the purposes of this blog, in fact, is to try to improve my habit of reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures every day. Yes, I expect that I won't be perfect at this.  I have already missed quite a few days since I started it, but in reality, I'm still doing better than I have for quite some time.

Here's to moving in the right direction.

Act On It

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Nevertheless I went forth" (1 Nephi 4:6-7)

So a lot of people quote verse 6, and talk about being led by the Spirit.  At some point, it was pointed out to me that the beginning of the next verse is pretty powerful as well.  Sometimes, we fear doing things by the Spirit because we don't have a plan or maybe we're not sure if it was the Spirit speaking or if it was just our own thoughts.  But what Heavenly Father really wants out of us is just action. He wants us to go forth, even though we may not have the most detailed plan.

So a couple of things I think are critical in this.  First, we need to be able to recognize the Spirit. We need to know how he speaks to us.  Just like people, the more you are around them and get to know them, the easier it is to recognize them. In the same way, if you live in such a way that the Spirit can be with you always, then he becomes more like an old friend. Recognizing the Spirit for what it is will help alleviate the fear of not knowing where those promptings are coming from

The next important thing after being able to recognize the Spirit is really faith. Faith in the Savior. Faith in His plan. Faith that He knows more than you, and watches out for you and desires your well-being. Faith is a principle of action.  Having faith in something always leads to action. When we have faith in Christ, we understand that He will always lead us towards happiness and joy, even if the path to get there has hard times and some sadness and difficulty along the way.  Faith has also been called the opposite or antidote of fear. Nephi's life was at stake, and he had run out of ideas on how to get the brass plates. But he followed the Spirit.  He didn't know what he was going to do, and he was probably at least a little afraid. "Nevertheless [he] went forth."

What a great example Nephi is, in so many ways.  How many times have I not followed a prompting because I didn't have the courage or faith to do so.

Oaths

"And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him." (1 Nephi 4:37)

So this stood out to me as I was reading.  It's a simple phrase almost at the end of the chapter, after Nephi and his brothers had retrieved the brass plates, and they were convincing Zoram to go with them. They mostly wanted him to go with them because they didn't want him to go back into Jerusalem because then he would know what happened to Laban and people would be able to follow Nephi and destroy his family. After speaking with Zoram for a little while, they convinced him to go with them by promising he would be able to be free among them.

The thing that stood out to me was that they were worried he would end up causing them trouble (especially if he went back into the city), but as soon as Zoram made an oath tho them, they weren't worried anymore.  The power of a simple oath. That's one thing that I think has gone away in the current world is the strength and power of someone's word.  When a person gives his word, it should be as good as signing a contract. Unfortunately, that is not really the case in today's world.  One really good example of this is when you purchase a home (or even refinance), you have to sign so many different agreements and disclaimers. Wouldn't it be nice to know that both people entering into that agreement could do so with only a handshake and their word?

I want to be known as someone who keeps his word.  I want to be someone who can be trusted. When I promise something, I try to make sure that I follow through EVERY TIME. I'm not perfect at this. I'm not even really good at it. I mess up a lot. But reading this verse is a good reminder that I want to be known as the kind of person who keeps his word.

Laman and Lemuel

"And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem." (1 Nephi 3:9)

As I was reading this chapter, I was thinking a little about Nephi's older, rebellious brothers, Laman and Lemuel. I am using the verse quoted to illustrate what I find to be an interesting point. Laman and Lemuel murmured a lot.  They rebelled a lot. But the interesting thing to me is that they went. They could have just stayed in Jerusalem, not leaving with their father. They could have even been wealthy there. But no, they left with the rest of the family. Yes, when Lehi's tells them that The Lord wanted them to go back and get the brass plates from Laban, they complained and murmured again, and yet, they went back. Laman even took the first attempt at going to Laban with their request.

I don't mean to make them out to be great valiant souls or anything. After their second attempt at getting the plates, they beat Nephi and Sam with a rod until an angel came and told them to stop. An ANGEL! I think that would be a remarkable, humbling experience.  However, what happens immediately after?

"And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur" (1 Nephi 3:31)

That's right. As soon as the angel left, they started complaining and questioning even the very thing the angel had told them: that Laban would be delivered into their hands.

Anyway, I was thinking about this and it occurred to me that the Lord ensured that there would be some opposition.  Not just for Lehi and Nephi, but for all sorts of future generations. Descendants of the Nephites needed the Lamanites to be there to provide opposition and balance. Sometimes the balance even shifted and it was the Lamanites who were the righteous ones, but the balance between the Nephites and Lamanites plays a pretty significant role in the entire historical account of the Book of Mormon.  Who knows what would have happened if Laman and Lemuel had just stayed behind in Jerusalem?

How We Can Know

"I, Nephi ... having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father;" (1 Nephi 2:16)

Nephi is such a great example of how to be.  His father told his family that he had a vision that they were to leave Jerusalem. So he packed up the things he needed to survive in the wilderness and started to take off.  Think about how his children felt.  They we're giving up everything, not because they had a vision, but because their father said he had a vision.  Some of his children reacted how a lot of kids would: they rebelled and called him a visionary man, and complained because they were being forced to give up all their worldly possessions and head off into the wilderness.  They didn't even know what their destination would be.  Nephi, however, had paid attention to what his father had taught him: that if he asked God, he could know the answer.

So not going on blind faith, Nephi, trusting that he could get an answer to his prayer, asked God for the truth, and he was rewarded with a fantastic experience of being visited by the Lord, an experience which helped him be faithful and obedient.

The best part about this example is that we are all in the same boat in life.  We are presented with this challenge called mortal existence, and it is difficult.  To make matters more challenging, we had a veil placed over our minds so we don't remember where we came from or even our purpose for being here.  We have the same choices that Lehi's children had.  We can complain and murmur because we don't understand, or we can choose to seek understanding and reassurance. If we choose the latter, we may not be visited by the Lord Himself, but I guarantee we will feel of The Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to help us to know the truth. Our experience can be just as sweet as Nephi's. Our hearts can be softened, and we can believe all the truths we have been taught. I know this to be true because I've experienced that in my own life.  And just like Nephi, those experiences have changed the course of my life.

Why we murmur

"And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them." (1 Nephi 2:12)

This really stood out to me today because we just had family home evening where we re-watched President Monson's talk from the most recent conference. One of the things he talked about was enduring to the end, especially through life's challenges.  I think that people who "murmur" do so because they don't understand or recognize God's hand in their lives. They don't trust that He is taking care of them, even though their circumstances may be difficult at that moment.

We may not understand God's reasons for doing something, but if we have faith and trust that he is watching out for us, we won't murmur, but we will see how blessed we are, and we will be grateful for it.

It reminds me of the "Footprints" poem: it's in our most difficult times that He carries us, even though we don't recognize it.  See what a powerful thing it is to recognize that though? Rather than looking back at life and suddenly realizing how much He was there for you, try to see it now, in both good times and difficult times. I think you will be amazed.  I know I am.

Recognition of Blessings in Hard Times

"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" (1 Nephi 1:1)

When I read 1 Nephi, 1:1, I am frequently drawn to the "having been born of goodly parents" part, because I really appreciate my upbringing and my parents. This time, however, I was thinking about the bigger picture that Nephi was referring to.  He mentions that he was born of goodly parents as only a piece of the puzzle.  Yes, he had hard times, especially as time goes on through the early part of the Book of Mormon with their travels from Jerusalem to the promised land.  I'm sure even before they left Jerusalem, he had some hard times.  They were trying to kill his father because of his prophesying, and if bet that didn't make it any easier for Lehi's family either.  It seems to me that if Jerusalem was that wicked, and Nephi was that faithful, he would have had lots of struggles just living the commandments surrounded by wickedness.

Nephi takes a few seconds to acknowledge these afflictions and struggles, but then he turns it around, and shows two things.  He recognizes that even with these struggles, he considers himself blessed.  Very blessed. He prizes his knowledge of The Lord and His gospel.

So I wonder how often we think about our afflictions, and then get so caught up in them that we stop there.  We get so wrapped up in how many afflictions we suffer, that we don't take the time to think about the flip side of the coin -- how blessed we truly are.  

I've been given so much that I can be grateful for. Even if I take time to think of all the things I'm really grateful for I still take so much for granted.  I hear about people who have health struggles.  I hear about people who have sick kids, or who experience all sorts of life's challenges.

I have so much to be grateful for, and I hope that, especially when I find myself thinking of my afflictions and struggles in life, that I can turn that around like Nephi did and focus on the blessings in my life.  There's nothing like recognition of and gratitude for blessings as an antidote to selfishness and pessimism.