Plant Christ in Your Heart

 I've read Alma 32 and 33 many times before, but this time was different.

Alma elegantly teaches about faith with the familiar metaphor of planting and nourishing a seed. The first step isn't belief but a desire to believe. As chapter 33 begins, the people respond with, "that's a cool analogy, and the fruit sounds awesome, but what word are you talking about that we should be planting?" (paraphrasing a bit)

Alma then teaches them all about "the word" (another name for Christ) with a beautiful sermon about about Jesus Christ, pulling from the words of Zenos & Zenock and referencing Moses' example of the serpent on the staff. Then what hit me today was that after these powerful teachings about the Savior, Alma mic drops and says, "this is the word you should plant."

If you're ever struggling with your faith and wondering how to "get started" with just a "desire to believe", the word you need to plant in your heart is Jesus Christ. Focus on Him, learn of Him, and "look and live."

Alma 58:37 God Will Deliver Us

Likening Alma 58:37 is empowering:

My Translation: But, behold, my most difficult trials mattereth not—I trust God will deliver me, notwithstanding the weakness of my mortal condition, yea, He will deliver me out of the hands of my enemy, the adversary.

Original: But, behold, it mattereth not—we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

Helaman wrote this at a time when he and his armies were weak, tired, injured, hungry, and grossly outnumbered by the Lamanites. And God delivered them. Our Heavenly Father is a God of deliverance. 

Book of Mormon Teaches How to Survive Quarantine

 

What!? The Book of Mormon teaches how to survive a quarantine!?

A couple years after the Nephites defeated the Gadianton robbers in what Mormon describes as the greatest slaughter ever among the descendants of Lehi, a new tactic is used. This time the robbers decide to "lay siege", "hem them in on every side", and "cut them off from all their outward privilege." In essence, they imposed an quarantine on the Nephite city.

How did the Nephites survive quarantine and isolation from the outside world? They didn't even have the Internet or Netflix!

First, they had prepared flocks, food, and provisions to "subsist for the space of seven years."

Second, we know they were prayerful and trusting in God because of Mormon's earlier description that they "did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies."

And third, they didn't sit around passively and wait as helpless victims for the siege to end. They "were continually marching out by day and by night" to mount small offenses against their enemy.

We've been under siege for months now, so what's the application for us today?

We must make efforts to be self-reliant, not just physically but spiritually as well. In fact, this pandemic might be a greater spiritual assault than physical (think about it in your own life).

We must trust God and seek His grace and deliverance in our lives.

And lastly, we must be anxiously engaged in a good cause. Fight back by serving and lifting others, armed with the sword of the Spirit.

Ultimately, after years in quarantine, the Nephites win, and they're able to destroy the Gadianton robbers. We will win too! And when we win, I hope we can rejoice as did the Nephites:

"And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

"Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

"And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction."

3 Nephi 4

What Can We Learn from the Nephites (3 Ne 11) about Hearing Him?

 In 3 Nephi 11:3-5, it took the Nephites three attempts before they understood God's voice. What can we learn?

What was different about the third time?

They "did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were toward the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven." They focused their full attention and were able to hear God speak to them.

We've talked a lot about Hearing Him this year because of its critical importance in our lives. It may be different for each of us, but I think we can all learn from the Nephite example of setting aside distractions (no multitasking!) and making intentional efforts to focus complete attention on God.

God introduced the Nephites to Christ who then came to them to heal and bless them. What does God want you to hear?

Learn from Moronihah: Protect the Center of the Land

We can learn much from Moronihah's costly blunder, described in Helaman 1:26:

 26 For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.

A few lessons:

1. Satan knows where our weaknesses are and is unafraid to hit us there. And by unafraid I mean he is eager to and inevitably will hit us there. If we are super fortified in the area of the Word of Wisdom but weaker in the Law of Chastity, for example, then Satan's efforts will focus more around inappropriate thoughts than around trying an illegal drug. 
2. We must remain vigilant to avoid being taken by surprise temptations. The Savior taught, "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." 3 Nephi 18:18
3. Every effort should be made to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost and be able to receive inspiration. It's hard to imagine this sort of breach happening to Moronihah's father, Moroni, because he was an inspired leader and always one step ahead of the Lamanites.
4. At the time that the Lamanites successfully took Zarahemla in the heart of the land, the Nephites were experiencing internal struggles, largely due to the secret acts of wickedness committed by Kiskumen and his cohorts. They had just murdered the chief judge and were mingling with the population. This wickedness in the heart of the land was a big factor in the Nephite's unpreparedness for the Lamanite attack.
5. No matter how well we appear prepared on the outside because we attend church, fulfill callings, serve others, etc, if our hearts are not sincere, our faith is not strong, and our conversion is not deep, then we are vulnerable to similar attacks. One interesting lesson from the Armor of God analogy found in the scriptures is that the Shield of Faith can be used as a mobile defense to protect any weak or vulnerable area of the body from oncoming attack. 

Be a Latter-day Stripling Warrior

As we discussed the Book of Mormon story of Helaman's stripling warriors, it hit me that this was included in the scriptures because it relates to us today in a powerful way. Like these young boys, each of us will face difficult battles. None of us will escape injury, but all of us can be saved through faith in Christ that leads us to spiritual preparation. This account also exemplifies the importance of teaching our children the gospel to prepare them for the battles they'll inevitably face.

We must face our trials - the battles of life - with faith and confidence. The stripling warriors had grown up in a pacifist community with parents that had covenanted to never fight again. They had never lifted swords previously, but this was their response in Alma 56:46: "behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth".

We must be selfless and willing to give our lives in service to others. I think those who join the military to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this country exemplify this same spirit, but we can also have this attitude in other areas of our lives. Look for ways to serve others. In Alma 56:47 we read, "and they did think more upon the liberty of theirfathers than they did upon their lives."

Teaching our children is so important! This is what these young warriors said about their mothers: "they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." Alma 56:47-48

Here is the result of their great faith: "behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them." Alma 56:56. These young men had never fought before, but they were filled with the strength of God to overcome overwhelming odds. Whenever we are on the Lord's side, there be more with us than against us regardless of what it may look like with our physical eyes.

In a later battle, they were again very outnumbered. While many of the Nephites were "about to give way" these stripling warriors "did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them." This faith and obedience miraculously saves their lives in this battle. Helaman describes the result:

25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.
27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually. Alma 57:25-27

Similarly, we will not escape life's battles without injury; however, we can fight these battles in full confidence that through faith and obedience everything will work out alright. Helaman arrives at the same conclusion as he wraps up his epistle to Moroni by describing the miracle of the stripling warriors: "And those sons of the people of Ammon ... are with me in the city of Manti; and the Lord has supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain. But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come." Alma 58:39-40

Let us be like the stripling warriors!

Moroni's Response to the Cunning Flattery of Amalickiah

In Alma 46, we read of Amalickiah "a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words" who "led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly" and "[sought] to destroy the church of God, and  to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted [the Nephites]." Amalickiah caused dissensions in the church as well as a rift in the government.

How did Moroni, the military leader of the Nephites, respond to this?

 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his headplate, and his breastplate, and his  shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of  liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily  unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so  long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—

Moroni chose to combat the wicked tactics of the persuasive Amalickiah by helping the people remember what really matters: God, religion, freedom, peace, and family. He knew that the people would rally around this truth and be willing to do whatever it took to defend what truly matters.

When people get prideful, caught up in the newest trends or movements, and begin to fight against that which is good, it is because they have forgotten what really matters. The best weapon to combat this is to help them remember what truly matters.

So what was the result? After Moroni "went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying: Behold whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord...and it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together" to make a covenant with God.

People will rally around the truth, and the truth is the only way to cut through the deceitful evil of people like Amalickiah who quickly blind the eyes with cunning flattery.

Corrupted by Promises of Power: The Craft of Amalickiah

We observe an interesting process in Alma 46 that is certainly not unique to the Nephites nor to that time period. A power hungry man named Amalickiah desires to be king, so he goes around to those who have some small degree of political power (the lower judges) and flatters them, promising them high leadership positions if they will support him in his campaign. Amalickiah knows and exploits their natural weakness for craving power and influence.

These lower judges were chosen by the voice of the people, who likely selected them because of their values and good standing in the community. It's quite possible that these lower judges agreed to public service to do just that - serve - rather than seek for power. However, they became corrupted when they hearkened to Amalickiah's untruthful promises of power. Mormon narrates that these lower judges were "led by the flatteries of Amalickiah...they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions..." Before long, these judges who were appointed to support the democratic liberty of the people, support Amalickiah and the foundational change in government from democracy to monarchy.

Not only is this a historical account, but it can also serve as allegory for us in our lives. Amalickiah typifies the adversary. He seeks to reign at the expense of our freedom. He whispers flattering lies in our ears hoping to persuade us to follow him. If we choose to listen, we are "led away" by our choices into the destruction of our liberty. It's important to note that Amalickiah fails to deliver just as Satan always fails to deliver on his evil promises.

Another application or warning from this account would be current American politics. It's hard to read this and not think of the corruption caused by the flattering promises of political candidates, the influence of lobbyists, and rampant cronyism.

Choose Eternal Life

Lehi teaches his family the Plan of Salvation, and gives a powerful testimony of agency and the importance of choosing to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think 2 Nephi 2:27 is powerful as it clearly illustrates the destination we will attain depending on our use of agency. Lehi says:

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

After describing this choice to his sons, he exhorts them to "look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words." Then with the pleadings of a loving parent who knows he will soon pass away, Lehi says, "choose eternal life." 

It's true that this may seem overly simplistic. We don't just decide, "I'm going to choose eternal life," and then we're set. But along with this simple plea, he does provide instruction for accomplishing this important goal. He points his sons to the Savior, Jesus Christ, and he exhorts them to obey the commandments. This reminds me of the third article of faith: We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

Turn to Christ and obey His commandments. Choose Eternal Life!

Warning: Avoid Lazy Faith

We are familiar with the story of the Lord commanding Nephi to build a ship for his family to cross the ocean found in 1 Nephi 17. One thing I hadn't previously caught when reading this story was some of the reasoning behind Laman and Lemuel's murmuring and unbelief that Nephi was instructed of the Lord to build a ship.

Check out verse 18: "And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord."

Laman and Lemuel were being lazy (desirous that they might not labor)! They realized that if they believed the Lord had commanded Nephi to build the ship, then they would have to offer their help and have to labor with him in this effort. So, this led them to doubt, question, complain, and mock.

I worry that far too many people fall into this same trap today. If you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, then you become obligated to live according to that gospel. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that means living the word of wisdom, law of chastity, keeping the Sabbath day holy, and many other commandments. The easier and lazier approach is to not fully believe the truth so that you're off the hook in having to fully live it.

The catch is that it's either true or it is not true, and the easy/lazy approach is only valid if it's not true. For most who face this "dilemma," they've already received a witness that it was true, a witness from God - just like Laman and Lemuel had many times previously. Laman and Lemuel were fortunate though because Nephi really did need their help. God gave Nephi power to shake/shock them, which made them believe so that they would help him out.

Most of us today are not so fortunate. There may not be a shake or shock to jolt us back to reality and get us on the right path, and do we really want one? How often have you heard the story of a man who chooses not to believe, stops going to church, hits a low point in his life, and then has a sudden tragedy occur (death of a wife, parent, child, etc) that brings him back to God?

I think the subtle lesson here is to beware of this temptation of the adversary. He wants us to look for the path of least resistance. Taking the easy way out in life means denying Christ and His truth. Instead, step up and love God. Keep His commandments, and do everything you can to serve Him and those around you. This is the difference between a Nephi attitude and a Laman attitude.

Powerful Parental Pleadings

2 Nephi 1 is largely about Lehi pleading with his eldest sons to change their hearts. Lehi expresses his fear for them if they continue to harden their hearts against the Lord. In this post, I just want to capture some of the powerful language that Lehi uses in pleading with his sons:

• I would that ye would remember (verse 12)
• I would that ye would hearken unto my words (verse 12)
• awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell (verse 13)
• shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound (verse 13)
• Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent (14)
• I have feared, lest...ye be cut off and destroyed forever (17)
• O my sons, that these things might not come upon you (19)
• that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with a grief and sorrow to the grave (21)
• arise from the dust, my sons, and be men (21)
• be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things (22)
• Awake, my sons (23)
• put on the armor of righteousness (23)
• Shake off the chains by which ye are bound (23)
• come forth out of obscurity (23)
• arise from the dust (23)
• Rebel no more (24)

He concludes by offer his sons and the sons of Ishmael his first blessing "if [they] will hearken unto the voice of Nephi" and promises they "shall not perish." And he warns that if they will not hearken, his first blessing will be taken away from them and rest upon Nephi. 

I think it's impossible to study this chapter without feeling the emotion of Lehi's words, his love and concern for his sons. He likely knows that his words will fall on hardened hearts, yet he refuses to give up on his boys. In a way, this is a microcosm of God and his children on this earth. He knows who will and will not listen, yet he does not give up on us. He pleads for us to repent and return to Him, and his arm is stretched out still.

A Land of Liberty

In 2 Nephi 1:7, Lehi prophesies about their new land of inheritance that the Lord had given him and his posterity. Lehi says, "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."

This scripture is not referring to the idea of American Exceptionalism; rather, there is also a spiritual aspect to this promise that applies to people throughout the world. Whenever we serve God and keep his commandments, we obtain liberty, even if it's spiritual liberty. Paradoxically, the more we submit to God, the more free we become. Contrast this with those who serve him not and keep not the commandments. They become bound by sin, brought down into captivity - the exact opposite of those who obey God.

By this interpretation, any land can be a land of liberty for a people who are followers of Christ, even if the laws of the land are restrictive or less conducive to Christian living.

A Nephi Attitude

One thing about Nephi that we can all try to emulate is his attitude. He accepts some pretty difficult assignments from the Lord and is successful because of his attitude, faith, and obedience. In this post, I just want to recap some of the challenges Nephi faces with an incredibly positive attitude. I hope we can all develop a Nephi attitude!

Challenge #1 - Leaving Jerusalem (1 Nephi 2:12,16-17)
Lehi followed the Lord's instruction to pack up and leave Jerusalem with his family. His older son's Laman and Lemuel murmured because this was a very hard thing for them to leave their friends, inheritance, etc. Instead of murmuring, Nephi desired to understand God's intentions, so he prayed! He "did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit [him], and did soften [his] heart that [he] did believe" Lehi's words.

Challenge #2 - Retrieving the Plates (1 Nephi 3-4)
When Lehi is commanded by God to send his sons back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates from Laban, the task seems impossible and dangerous (see more analysis here). Laman and Lemuel "murmur, saying it is a hard thing which [Lehi] required of them." Nephi gave his famous response, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded." After they get to Jerusalem and Laman fails in his first attempt, Nephi pleads with his brothers, "let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord," and helps them devise a second plan. When this plan fails, Nephi is beaten by his brothers and saved by an angel. His attitude continues unwavering, "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem; and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord...Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us..."  His faith-filled attitude leads to success.

Challenge #3 - Bound to Be Left for Wild Beasts (1 Nephi 7:16-21)
On their way back from Jerusalem with Ishmael and his family, Laman and Lemuel begin to murmur (again) and want to return to Jerusalem. Nephi puts them in his place and is rewarded with even angrier older brothers. This time, instead of just beating him with a rod, they decide to "bind [him] with cords" and "leave [him] in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts." Nephi prays for help, and the Lord loosens his bands for him to escape. This really makes his brothers mad, and the cries of Ishmael's wife and two of his children were finally able to soften their hearts. We get another glimpse into Nephi's personality and attitude during this trial when his brothers ask him for forgiveness (remember, it's not even the first time they've tried kill or seriously injure him). Nephi writes, "And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that they had done."

Challenge #4 - Making Plates without Understanding Why (1 Nephi 9)
Nephi is commanded to make an extra set of plates "for a wise purpose, which purpose I know not." Engraving writings into metal plates is not easy, and to make a second set of plates without understanding why must exponentially add to the difficulty (mentally). But Nephi willingly obeys without complaint - more here.

Challenge #5 - Bow Breaks, Hungry Family (1 Nephi 16:18-32)
Nephi breaks his steel bow while hunting. His brothers are angry, and everyone is hungry. Nephi's entire family was "exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord." Instead of getting depressed and murmuring, Nephi takes a positive approach. He makes a new bow and some arrows, and then he asks Lehi to pray and instruct him where to go to hunt and bring home some food. Not only does this humble Lehi, but it also allows Nephi to follow the Lord's guidance and slay wild beasts for them to eat.

Challenge #6 - Building a Ship (1 Nephi 17:7-16)
One morning the Lord speaks to Nephi saying, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters." A couple problems become apparent to Nephi: (1) he has no ship building experience, (2) he has no tools, and (3) he doesn't even know where to find ore to molten into tools. Instead of complaining about the enormity and seeming impossibility of the task, he has faith and simply asks, "whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship?" Nephi then "strives to keep the commandments", exhorts his brethren to be faithful, and begins making tools to construct the ship.

Challenge #7 - Bound on the Ship (1 Nephi 18:10-21)
Nephi reprimands his brothers for dancing, making merry, and being rude, and this again incites his brothers to anger. With their short memories, they decide it's a good idea to harshly bind Nephi with cords (again). Nephi understands that God wants to use this experience to teach another lesson when he says, "nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power." That takes a lot of faith. While he is bound, a storm arises and threatens their very existence. It took four days of life-threatening storms before they decided it was time to release Nephi. Upon his release, this is what Nephi does: "Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions." After he prays, the storms cease.

Strengthened in Trials

Sometimes in the midst of trials, we pray for God to remove the trial from us - and sometimes He does. Other times, it may not be in our best interest for the trial to be removed because we learn and grow so much from our trials. In this case, God can bless us with strength to overcome and endure. This was the case with Lehi's family in the wilderness as described by Nephi in 1 Nephi 17:1-3.

Nephi admits that they did "wade through much affliction in the wilderness" and mentions that the "women did bear children in the wilderness" I can't even imagine how challenging that must have been. Giving birth and also taking care of a newborn child while living in tents and traveling through the wilderness must have been an intense trial. Nephi's very next sentence surprises, "And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us" and then he talks about how the women were able to "give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong" despite living on raw meat. Instead of taking away this trial, the Lord strengthened them "and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings."

Nephi then summarizes the lesson to be learned:

"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness."

 Bottom line is obey God, and He will strengthen you in your trials and help you be obedient.

Pondering to Receive Revelation

In 1 Nephi 10:17, Nephi expresses a desire to "see, and hear, and know of [the things that his father saw in vision], by the power of the Holy Ghost." Then in 11:1 he says, "after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart." First he believed his father's words, then he desired to know for himself, and third he pondered them. The rest of chapter 11 describes his vision of the life and death of the Savior, a vision that was opened to him as he sat pondering.

This is not a singular event. I have noticed in my own life that revelation flows when I quiet my mind and ponder - something that I wish I did a lot more often. The 138th section of the Doctrine & Covenants was received by Joseph F Smith in 1918 in a similar way. President Smith described his experience: "I sat in my room pondering over the scriptures; and reflecting upon the great atoning sacrifice that was made by the Son of God, for the redemption of the world...As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me..." He then experienced a sacred vision that became Section 138.

As part of our daily scripture study, we should ponder on the things that we read and learn. This can open the doors of revelation to us.

Jewish Captivity in Babylon

Nephi writes the words of his father in 1 Nephi 10:3:

"3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance."

This statement by Lehi is both a prophecy and a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Prophecy
Lehi foresees that although many will be destroyed in Jerusalem, there will also be many who are captured and taken to Babylon.  Eventually, they will be restored to Israel to the original land of their inheritance.

Historically, Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar besieged and then destroyed much of Jerusalem, and took many prisoners back to Babylon. Later when the Persian Empire conquered Babylon, Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem.

Atonement
All of us during our lives sin and fall captive to the influence of the adversary just like the Jews fell captive to the Babylonians. Babylon often represents worldliness, and as the lure of the world and its enticements are often the cause for our sins, this is quite fitting. However, we have been blessed with a supernal gift to deliver us from captivity and sin - the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of our Savior, we are able to repent, change, figuratively flee Babylonian captivity, and be restored to our land of inheritance. I find it interesting that the term "land of their inheritance" is used rather than just saying Jerusalem. Our loving Father in Heaven intends for us to inherit all that He has, but no unclean thing can dwell in his presence. Therefore, we must rely on the Atonement to leave Babylon behind and receive our eternal inheritance.

Obeying on Faith - Nephi's Example

There are many examples in the scriptures of the righteous obeying on faith, meaning they obey God without understanding the reason for the commandment. They understand that God's omniscience trumps their own understanding and that He will only ask us to do what is in our best interest, even when we can't see it.

A well known example is that God commanded our first father, Adam, to build an altar and make sacrifices. When asked by an angel why he made sacrifices (in Moses 5:6), he replied in honesty, "I know not, save the Lord commanded me."

A perhaps lesser known example of obeying on faith was Nephi creating the two sets of plates. The Lord commanded him to make two histories of his people, one focusing on the reign of the kings, wars, and other temporal affairs, and the other focusing on the gospel and the ministry. Making a set of metal plates and engraving upon them is no small task, requiring many hours of careful and tedious work. Nephi admits that he does not know why he has been asked to do this (in 1 Nephi 9:5): "Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not."

It would be more than 2,400 years before Martin Harris would lose the 116 pages of Book of Mormon manuscript containing the Book of Lehi. The Lord knew those pages would be lost, so Nephi's second record, which contains much of the ministry and teachings of Lehi, preserved these teachings. If Nephi had not obeyed, it would have been a tragedy to lose the precious teachings found in the first and second books of Nephi.

When we receive commandments that we don't understand, we must remember that all things are present to God who sees the end from the beginning. Have faith and obey.

In Which Tree of Life Group Do You Want to Be?

In Lehi's vision in 1 Nephi 8, he sees and describes four different multitudes of people striving to reach the tree of life and partake of its fruit. Each multitude can represent a different group of people in our day, and the distinctions between the groups is instructive.

Group 1: Lost Their Way in the Mists of Darkness
In 1 Nephi 8:21-23, the first group was "pressing forward that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree." Like all of us, they were seeking for the truth, trying to find the right path for their lives to obtain happiness and salvation. But unfortunately, as they did "commence in the path that led to the tree,...there arose a mist of darkness" that caused them to "lose their way." Because of this mist, they "wandered off and were lost."

From the interpretation given by the angel in 1 Nephi 12:17, we learn that "the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost." This interpretation helps us understand that the first group of people are those who seek the truth, but fall into temptation and lose their way before they are able to achieve their goal. This group never tastes of fruit and does not achieve baptism to make covenants with God.

Group 2: Partook of the Fruit and Were Ashamed
In 1 Nephi 8:24-28,34, the second group was able to overcome the temptations or mists of darkness by "clinging to the rod of iron." This group, like the first, had an interest in following the path that leads to the tree of life; however, by clinging to the word of God (the iron rod) or scriptures and teachings of modern prophets, they are able to navigate the world of temptation successfully without losing their way. Because of their diligence, they are able to partake of the fruit. These are baptized members of the church.

Unfortunately, there was a great and spacious building full of mocking, ridiculing people within earshot of the tree of life. After partaking of the fruit, the second group "cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed...because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost." This is a lesson in enduring to the end. For members of the church, baptism and temple covenants are no guarantee of salvation. If we allow ourselves to give into peer pressure and focus on the things of this world, we are in danger of falling away. We need to learn how to resist the world and its enticements. This group has fallen into inactivity and no longer keeps the covenants they made at baptism.

Group 3: Partook of the Fruit and Heeded Not the Scorners
In 1 Nephi 8:30,33, the third group is the one of which we want to be part. Similar to the second group, the third group overcomes the temptations or mists of darkness by "continually holding fast to the rod of iron" until they are able to partake of the fruit. This group also notices the great and spacious building full of scorning, mocking people, but the key difference is that this group "heeded them not."

I find it interesting that the group that succeeded actually faces the same challenges as the first two groups. No shortcut or easy path was taken to bypass the challenges and safely arrive at the tree. They experienced the same mists of darkness (temptation), had to persevere along the same straight and narrow path, and then had the same building of mocking people pointing and scorning them after they partook of the fruit. The difference is that this group clung to the word of God during their journey, and then chose to pay no attention to the scorners upon their arrival. They cared more about God's work than the world, more about what God thought of them than what the world thought of them. This group is able to experience the true joy that comes from the fruit of the gospel.

Group 4: Were Feeling their Way to the Great and Spacious Building
In 1 Nephi 8:31-33, the final group was less a group and actually described as "other multitudes." These were lost in the darkness "feeling their way towards the great and spacious building." Lehi says that "great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building" but also "many were drowned in the depths of the fountain" or "lost from his view, wandering in strange roads" while making their attempt towards the building. Those that arrived at the building successfully, immediately pointed "their finger of scorn" at those who were partaking of the fruit.

This group never even faced the challenge of holding to the rod or withstanding the world while partaking of the fruit. They never even desired the fruit. Their focus from the start was on getting to the great and spacious building. This group had the same opportunities, for surely they could have chosen the straight and narrow path, but they used their agency to choose misery and death. These are they who never look for happiness by giving God's gospel a chance. They look for joy in the pleasures of the world that are impossible to satisfy and then exacerbate their situation by mocking those who are on the right path, trying to make them miserable like unto themselves.

Go and Get the Plates!

I really like the Book of Mormon story of Nephi retrieving the brass plates from Laban because it teaches so many valuable lessons. Here are a few lessons I learned while studying this story.

Lesson 1: Commandments Come from God, not Men
In the first 5 verses of 1 Nephi 3, Lehi says to Nephi that it was the Lord commanding Lehi's sons to go and get the plates. Nephi understood and believed this, which is why he was willing to "go and do." Laman and Lemuel did not understand or believe; they thought Lehi was telling them what to do, which is why they murmured.

We are not so different. When we understand and believe that the word of wisdom is a commandment from God, we willingly obey without murmuring. When youth understand and believe that the standards and guidelines in For the Strength of Youth are actually from God (not from church leaders), their attitude becomes like that of Nephi. All of us want to do God's will and most of us are willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures to do His will; however, few of us are willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures to blindly do the will of ecclesiastical leaders.

Does it make sense then why gaining a testimony of the commandments (that they are from God and not man) is soooooo critically important? This testimony is what separates the Nephi's from the Laman's.

How does one gain a testimony of the commandments? Jesus taught: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17). Jesus says to do His will in order to know it is His will - this is a pretty good test. I have done this and that is how I know that these commandments are from God. I would also suggest praying to our Heavenly Father and asking for Him to reveal the truth of these things to you. This should be combined with your efforts to do His will. Remember that by the power of the Holy Ghost you "may know the truth of all things."

Lesson 2: The Lord Is Pleased with Those Who Obey with a Willing Heart
In 1 Nephi 3:6, we read, "Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured." Why was Nephi going to be favored of the Lord? Because he was going to do the will of the Lord without murmuring. We have covenanted to be obedient, and we know we need to keep the commandments, but how is our attitude? Jesus taught, "If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15)." If we show our love through our obedience, then it should be obvious that willful, even cheerful, obedience more profoundly shows our love and appreciation to God. No wonder He is pleased with those who obey without murmuring!

Lesson 3: The Lord Only Gives Us Commandments We Can Keep
In 1 Nephi 3:7 we find a classic scripture where Nephi declares:

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things 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 that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

Nephi testifies that we can trust God, that He will help us accomplish the things that He commands us. If you have ever struggled because of how difficult a commandment seems to be, you can be assured that God will give you the strength to keep His commandments. He will never set up one of His children for failure; rather, He makes sure we all have what we need to be successful.

Lesson 4: Sometimes We Can't Do It on Our Own
In the previous lesson, I mentioned that all of the commandments are possible to keep, which is true. However, sometimes we can't keep the commandment on our own no matter how hard we try (we need God's help). Lehi's sons learned this lesson when they followed God's commandment to go back to Jerusalem for the plates. First, Laman went and tried to convince Laban to give him the plates - Laban chased him off and tried to kill him. Next, all four brothers took gold, silver, and precious things to Laban to barter with him. Again, Laban chased them off and tried to kill them. It probably seemed to them that the task was impossible, and without God's help it probably was.

Nephi succeeded by trusting in God and faithfully following the Spirit. With God's divine help, he succeeded. He knew God would help him because, as we discussed in Lesson 3, God always prepares a way to accomplish His commandments.

Lesson 5: Trials Come Even When We Strive to Do God's Will
Put yourself in Laman's shoes. Although reluctantly, he decided to obey his father and go back to Jerusalem with his brothers. He likely doubted that the commandment came from God, but certainly if it did, then God would help them. I'm sure Nephi was repeatedly promising that God would help them succeed throughout the journey. So, with that he goes to talk to Laban who gets angry with him, calls him a thief, and tries to kill him. What did he do to deserve that treatment!? He was being obedient. This was probably one of the biggest trials he had faced in his life (and perhaps the most life-threatening and terrifying).

Next, his little brother who is so full of faith comes up with a marvelous plan that just has to work - they'll buy the plates from Laban by overpaying with all of their gold, silver, and precious things that were left at their house. There's no way Laban could turn down such wealth. Same result- they're chased off by the guards who want to kill them. I imagine Laman must have felt great despair at this point. Even if he had ever believed God had commanded this task, he now must have been certain they could not succeed. But he was trying to do as he was commanded!

I submit that sometimes when we are trying our hardest to do what's right, the most challenging of trials will come. This makes it even more important to trust in God and rely on his strength and divine help to get through the challenges, just as Nephi did.

Lesson 6: The Best Persuasion Is a Shared Vision
After Laman's near-death experience attempting to retrieve the plates, Nephi's brothers were ready to call it quits and head back. They were frightened, disappointed, angry, and I assume persuading them to give it another shot seemed unlikely. However, Nephi miraculously persuades them to stay and try a new tactic - exchanging their gold, silver, and precious things for the plates. How does he do it!?

The answer can be helpful for each of us when we have the difficult challenge of persuading someone to do something they do not wish to do. Nephi shared with them the greater vision that he had obtained for their assignment, and that vision was enough. He reminded them of Lehi's vision of the future destruction of Jerusalem for the wickedness of the people. He opened their eyes to the future of their own posterity without the plates: the loss of their language and the words of the prophets. As they began to understand the significance of their task, they were encouraged to give plan B a try.

Lesson 7: Miracles Don't Result in Lasting Conversion
"An angel of the Lord came and stood before [Nephi and his brothers], and he spake unto them." Then just two verses later: "And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur." What!?!? How do you see and hear and angel and then begin murmuring right afterwards!? Nephi asked his brothers this same question in 4:3, "an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt?" Certainly, the visitation of the angel was shocking, humbling, and impactful, but for some reason, these effects wore off very quickly.

Sometimes we may find ourselves thinking (or even praying) that that if we just had a sign from God then we would believe and never doubt again. It's human nature. Here we can learn a lesson from Laman and Lemuel - miracles don't lead to lasting conversion. They can lead to course corrections, repentance, and a plethora of other good things. For example, Paul or Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah. The miracles they experienced led to their repentance, eventual conversion, and powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. True conversion is a gift from God that comes through sincere study, prayer, and righteous living.

Lesson 8: The Lord Is More Powerful than Any of Your Adversaries
Remember Paul's question, "If God be for us, then who can be against us?" Or when Elisha faced an overwhelming number of Syrians, he said, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Nephi says in 4:1 that God "is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?" To illustrate his point, he reminds them of how God spoke through Moses to part the Red Sea.

Often our challenges and opposition seem daunting to us, and if we are relying on our own strength, they may be impossible to overcome. However, the Lord has promised to help the righteous overcome these challenges. It seemed impossible for Nephi and his brethren to retrieve the brass plates after what happened their first two attempts, yet with God's help, Nephi was able to succeed on the third attempt.

Lesson 9: Sometimes We Must Take a Step of Faith
On the third attempt to get the plates, Nephi writes in 4:6, "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things that I should do. Nevertheless I went forth..." Wow! Not only would that be terrifying, considering Laban tried to kill them on the first two attempts, but how much faith does it take to do something so dangerous, relying on the Spirit to guide you? This is an excellent example of trusting in the Lord enough to go and obey without even knowing how you're going to achieve success. When we are on the Lord's errand and take a step of faith into the darkness, He never lets us fail.

Lesson 10: Nephi Is Still a Guy
Have you ever considered how much effort it must have taken to engrave the scriptures on metal plates? Yet despite the effort (which I'm sure was not small), Nephi devotes an entire verse to describing Laban's awesome sword. He talks about how he drew it from the sheath and then describes how sweet the hilt is and how cool the blade is. This description almost seems out of place until you realize that Nephi is a guy, and he probably couldn't help but share these details about the most awesome sword he's ever seen in his life! I don't blame him.

Lesson 11: Sometimes We Have to Do Hard Tasks, Even Those We Really Don't Want to Do
When Nephi found Laban, he was commanded by the Lord to slay him. He had never killed someone, had a solid understanding of the commandments and that it was wrong to kill, and as such, he did not want to kill Laban. This was probably an even bigger test of faith for Nephi than his previously being led by the Spirit not knowing beforehand what he should do. The Lord eased his doubt by helping him understand the purpose behind it, and ultimately Nephi passed the test and obeyed the Lord.

Lesson 12: Whatever the Lord Commands Is Right
It is easy to question, "how can the Lord command Nephi to murder when that's against the commandments and wrong?"We must keep a proper perspective to understand the lesson here. God is the one who gave the commandments initially; they are His. The most important commandments we have been given deal with life, the taking and creation of life. These are of utmost concern to God because of their importance and impact on the Plan of Salvation that He has for His children. However, sometimes God allows for the wicked to die in order to progress His work or for the sake of the righteous. It may also be for the sake of the wicked - God sees much more than we can. When Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, God allowed the waters to rush down and kill an entire army. Why? Because that army needed to be destroyed in order for His people to escape and survive. Similarly, Laban had to die in order for Lehi's posterity to survive.

God chooses who lives and dies, not us. God could have smitten Laban himself, but he was also testing Nephi. Similarly, Abraham was also tested with a command to shed innocent blood even though an angel stopped him at the last moment. He also knew that whatever God commands is right.

Lesson 13: There's No Limit to the Miracles the Lord Can Perform for You
Not only is Nephi guided to Laban, but the Lord continues to perform miracles. Nephi comes across Laban's servant, Zoram, and fools him with his appearance (wearing Laban's clothing). Sure, it was dark, but even in faint light, it should be possible to recognize he wasn't Laban. Then Nephi speaks to Zoram with his best Laban impersonation, and that fools him too! Lastly, he convinces Zoram to come with him and leave the city of Jerusalem. It's obvious that the Lord had Nephi's back and was willing to perform whatever miracles it took to help Nephi accomplish the task that He had commanded.

Lesson 14: The Power of an Oath
I have always found it interesting how powerful an oath used to be. It used to be true that your word was your bond, but now it just seems old fashioned, almost silly. Nephi writes, "And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him." Today, if we live in such a way that our word is truly our bond, people will notice. A reputation for trustworthiness will take us a long way and contribute greatly to success in many aspects of our lives, especially since it is so rare today.

Lesson 15: Avoid Contention in Your Marriage
While Lehi's sons were gone seeking the plates in Jerusalem, their worried mother began to fear that they had been killed. Considering how Laban had twice tried to kill her sons, her fears are not surprising. Notwithstanding, she was wrong to question the Lord who had commanded Lehi to send their sons off to obtain the plates. She began to murmur and accuse Lehi for sending them off to their (in her mind) doom.

I'm impressed with how Lehi handles the attacks from his wife, especially since he knew that it was the Lord who had commanded it. He agrees with Sariah that he is a visionary man, and comforts her by expanding her vision and perspective regarding the visions that he had experienced from the Lord. He testifies to her that he knows that the Lord will protect their sons and see them safely home. He speaks to her with patience, love, and with the Spirit; this consoles Sariah and restores peace to their marriage. We could all learn from Lehi's example by being slower to anger, quicker to empathize and comfort, and more reliant on the Spirit.

Lesson 16: Express Gratitude
We've discussed the numerous miracles that the Lord performed to protect Lehi's sons and help them obtain the plates, which would benefit their posterity for the rest of time. Of course, Lehi and Sariah rejoiced when their sons returned, but more importantly they recognized the Lord's hand in their safe return and "did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel." They also showed their gratitude by how they treasured the word of God that was contained upon the plates.