Book of Mormon study journal # 7- 1 nephi 2 part two

This chapter is one of the most revealing as to why some people soften their hearts and are able to understand the things of the lord while others harden themselves and are closed of from the things of God

Laman and Lemuel are often sterotyped or dismissed, by the truth is that they are incredibly real people and their struggles are very much like many of those is our day

Elder Neal A. Maxwell gave a masterful talk on this subject many years ago.

Laman and Lemuel became rebels instead of leaders, resentful instead of righteous—all because of their failure to understand either the character or the purposes of God.

Elder Maxwell asserts and I fully agree that the key is found in verse 12

Failing to understand the “dealings” of the Lord with His children—meaning His relations with and treatment of His children—is very fundamental. Murmuring is but one of the symptoms, and not the only consequence either; in fact, brothers and sisters, this failure affects everything else!

To misread something so crucial constitutes a failure to know God, who then ends up being wrongly seen as unreachable, uninvolved, uncaring, and unable—a disabled and diminished Deity, really—about whose seeming limitations, ironically, some then quickly complain.

The truth is that from a wordless perspective father Lehi’s actions were completely unacceptable. He left behind everything that had ever mattered to his sons in response to a dream. He likely left behind many friends and relatives with whom he had previously enjoyed a wonderful relationship. Furthermore, to leave behind the temple and Jerusalem seemed to go against the ritualistic religion of Laman and Lemuel. Without a proper understanding of God it is no wonder that they murmured and fault every step of the way. Indeed, it may be more surprising that despite their lack of understanding they dutifully obeyed for so long!

The problem with Laman and Lemuel was that they were unwilling to consider that their conventional way of thinking was wrong. They were unwilling to know the will of the lord and not prepared to take the necessary steps.

Nephi on the other hand likely heard his fathers words with the same bit of skepticism at first. What set him apart from his brethren was that he was willing to go against the conventional wisdom and turn to the lord. He was willing to suspend his disbelief long enough to receive a confirmation from God and come to know that his father’s words were true

Michael T. Ringwood spoke about nephi’s easiness and willingness to believe:

We are blessed with others in the scriptures who teach us how we can obtain an easiness and willingness to believe. Nephi, son of Lehi, is one example. His first act when he heard his father teach about the destruction of Jerusalem was to cry unto the Lord till his heart was soft and he believed all the words spoken by his father

I love the words of Nephi

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also 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; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers. (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi, Chapter 2)

This is a pattern of revelation for all of us:

First, Nephi had a desire to know the truth and to understand God

Second he cried into the lord to help soften his heart and help him understand

Third, he shared his spiritual promptings and feelings with his brother Sam

Finally, Nephi is commended for his diligence and loveliness of heart in seeking the Lord

Nephi here gains a preliminary testimony…He has a witnesses of the truth of the revelation of his father. His knowledge is far from perfect, yet Nephi has learned enough to cast away his doubts and act in faith!

Yet, what is admirable is that Nephi continues to grow his testimony and seek greater light and knowledge… ( we will get to that in chapters 10 an 11)

May we always follow the example of Nephi and not his brothers so that we grow each day in our knowledge of the mysterious of that being who created us!

Book of Mormon Study journal #6- 1 nephi 2 part one

This chapter begins with the lords word of comfort and warning to lehi.

1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life. (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi, Chapter 2)

One thing that I have noticed in reading the Book of Mormon is how often the first thing the lord or one of his messages speaks are words of comfort or blessing

Here are some other great examples:

15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you. (Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 8)

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. (Book of Mormon, Helaman, Chapter 10)

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success. (Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 26)

So often, when the lord speaks it is to heal our wounds and bring us peace. Satan is the one that speaks through criticism, denigration and guilt.

Another great example is the account in the Book of Moses of Cain being led to evil by Satan. I love the lords tender response to Cain. He is not chastising him for past mistakes but revealing to him that repentance and forgiveness is still within his grasp.

22 And the Lord said unto Cain: Why art thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen?
23 If thou doest well, thou shalt be accepted. And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and Satan desireth to have thee; (Pearl of Great Price, Moses, Chapter 5)

Lehi’s faith in responding to the call of the lord is inspiring. He leaves behind his land of inheritance and all of his precious things. Like Abraham before him, he has been called to leave the land of his forefathers and to be a stranger and a wanderer searching for a promised land.

Indeed, lehi is promised the same great blessings of Abraham, that he will be a father of a might people, that they will inherit a promised land and that in so much as they are faithful they will be a blessed and chosen people:

Compare

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, 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 inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.
7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi, Chapter 1)

1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Old Testament, Genesis, Chapter 12)