I've thought about this before, but as I was reading this passage, it got me thinking about how it must have felt for Nephi to see the destruction of his people in vision. How heartbreaking to think that your descendents will fall away from the gospel (even if it was 1000 years in the future that he could see this happening). This makes me think about the frustration that I'm sure a prophet must have when he is preaching to the people, telling them of what they need to do, because he has seen in vision what would happen if they continue in their ways. And yet, too often, many people ignore the prophecy, go their own way, and they suffer the consequences because of it.
I see a little bit of that as a parent. I try to teach my kids certain things, and they are good kids. But sometimes, they either ignore what I am saying (to the point where it's in one ear and out the other), or they decide their way is better, so they do it a different way. And they have consequences, quite frequently the natural consequences that I was helping them to try to avoid by sharing my advice in the first place. It's difficult to watch them go through those consequences because you could have prevented (or at least minimized them) if they would only listen.
Hmm, that kind of makes me wonder if that's how Heavenly Father feels. He gives us these commandments, and promises so much good in return for keeping them. Yet we all end up choosing the other way instead sometimes, and end up having to go through the consequence of such an action.
Something to think about anyway.
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