Pathway Lesson 7: 2 Nephi 28-33

After two weeks reading Isaiah going back to Nephi's words was a relief.  Our reading this week was relatively short, but there was so much packed in these few chapters.  (2 Nephi 28-33)  Nephi says he writes in plainness and I appreciate it!  Here is my overview of the past few chapters.  Such good stuff in here!

Chapter 28 starts out talking about all the ways the devil can deceive us.  So much of this is happening right now. 

• ·                 Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die
• ·                  Lie a little
• ·                  Little sin will be justified
• ·                  Deny the power of God
• ·                  Deny the Holy Ghost
• ·                  No miracles now, he’s already done his work
• 
  

I know in my life, I’ve heard all of these.  Maybe not in these exact words, but these are ways temptation can creep in.  And that’s how it happens, with a little lie, a little sin. 

Neal A Maxwell said “The philosophy of ritual prodigalism is ‘eat, drink, and be merry, … [and] God will beat us with a few stripes’ (2 Nephi 28:8). This is a cynical and shallow view of God, of self, and of life. God never can justify us ‘in committing a little sin’ (verse 8). He is the God of the universe, not some night-court judge with whom we can haggle and plea bargain!  

“Of course God is forgiving! But He knows the intents of our hearts. He also knows what good we might have done while AWOL [absent without leave]. In any case, what others do is no excuse for the disciple from whom much is required (see Alma 39:4). Besides, on the straight and narrow path, there are simply no corners to be cut.”

I loved that.  I can’t imagine bartering with God about a little sin I’ve done.  Which reminds me that I need to repent and repent often, because we know he’s a forgiving Heavenly Father. 

The end of the chapter verse 24 “Therefore, wo, unto him that is at ease in Zion.”  We can’t ever be at ease.  We must always be growing. 

Chapter 29 talks about the Book of Mormon and missionary work.  Also about additional records to be brought forth.  This is something I’ve always been confused about.  So I enjoyed reading about this and hearing what the modern day prophets had to say about it.  Neal A Maxwell said, “Lost books are among the treasures yet to come forth. Over twenty of these are mentioned in the existing scriptures. Perhaps most startling and voluminous will be the records of the lost tribes of Israel (see 2 Nephi 29:13). We would not even know of the impending third witness for Christ except through the precious Book of Mormon, the second witness for Christ! This third set of sacred records will thus complete a triad of truth. Then, just as the Perfect Shepherd has said, ‘My word also shall be gathered in one’ (verse 14). There will be ‘one fold and one shepherd’ (1 Nephi 22:25) in a welding together of all the Christian dispensations of human history (see D&C 128:18)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 70; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 52).  This simplified it for me and helped me realize the third set will complete the truths we already have.

Chapter 30 talks about the conversion  of the Jews.

Chapter 31: 6-10 talks about how we need to fulfill the Saviors commandment to follow Him by being baptized, keep commandments and be humble. 

Chapter 32 says we need to have the Holy Ghost with us and feast on the words.  In 2 Nephi 32:9 Nephi counseled that we must “pray always”.  My son Johnny was having a hard time with something and we talked about praying to Heavenly Father for help.  We talked about how He is always there to help us.  A couple weeks later he came home from school and told me he prayed in school to ask Heavenly Father for help.  He literally folded his arms and said a prayer.  He was such an example to me of praying always.  He had faith and no shame that Heavenly Father would help him.  I need to have a prayer in my heart always.  I know I’m always thinking of my children, especially when they aren’t with me.  I am sure this it’s the same thing our Heavenly Father feels for us just magnified. 

Chapter 33 is Nephi’s last testimony.  It was so strong.  He talks about his pillows being wet with the tears he had cried for his people.  He basically put it all out there and pleaded for everyone to believe in Christ.  Its powerful.

To end, I want to share 2 Nephi 33:1 it says "And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." The information can only go "unto" the hearts of the children of men.  If we want the information to go INTO our hearts we have to be prepared to learn.  I loved this, its something I always knew, but maybe don't always practice.  I know this class has helped the Book of Mormon go INTO my heart, but its because I’m really studying it, I’m feasting on the words and am completely being blessed by it!

Pathway Lesson 5: 2 Nephi 9-16

I just completed lesson 5 of Pathway.  I’m halfway done with my first semester.  Its pretty exciting.  I think my favorite thing about Pathway has been my studies of the Book of Mormon.  Our weekly study was 2 Nephi 9-16. I had a bit harder time this week because we got into Isaiah, but I pushed through and tried to understand as much as I could!  I kind of was getting a bad attitude about Isaiah, but then I read this by Boyd K Packer from the Book of Mormon Student Manual:

“Most [readers] readily understand the narrative of the Book of Mormon.

“Then, just as you settle in to move comfortably along, you will meet a barrier. … Interspersed in the narrative, are chapters reciting the prophecies of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. They loom as a barrier, like a roadblock or a checkpoint beyond which the casual reader, one with idle curiosity, generally will not go.

“You, too, may be tempted to stop there, but do not do it! Do not stop reading! Move forward through those difficult-to-understand chapters of Old Testament prophecy, even if you understand very little of it. Move on, if all you do is skim and merely glean an impression here and there. Move on, if all you do is look at the words” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 76; or Ensign, May 1986, 61).

I felt like it was written for me!  Even while I read through Isaiah, I had a tough time understanding what I was reading, but I moved forward, I did read it and tried my best to understand.  Something I did that helped me get through Isaiah, was I listened to those chapters (Did you know you could do that with the Gospel Library app?) and read along with scriptures.  I felt like it helped my mind not to wander. 

I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite verses.  In the first couple chapters Jacob is talking and I really enjoyed his testimony.

2 Nephi 9:14 “Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.”  What struck me about this verse was we will have a perfect knowledge of our uncleanliness AND our righteousness.  I’ve never thought about it that way before, I always thought about judgment being told everything I did wrong or right, but this says we will KNOW.   Definitely made me want to make sure I have a perfect knowledge of the good I did, not the bad!

2 Nephi 9: 20 “O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.”  This gave me a lot to think about.  It took me a day or two to wrap my head around it.  Here’s my thought process: We have agency and we can make our own decisions…but God knows all.  How does he know what we will choose?  I’ve come to the realization that Heavenly Father knows us well enough to know how we would choose.  

2 Nephi 9:49 “Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.”  This has turned into a new goal for me.  I love this verse and want to feel this way about all things in my life.

2 Nephi 10:7 “For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.”  I love how simple this makes it.  Sometimes we make things complicated and it doesn’t have to be.  We believe in Christ, so we know there is a God because we are all here. 

2 Nephi 11:5 “And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.”  If I were to use “substitution” on this verse, what does my heart delighteth in?  There are lots of things I delight in, my children, my family, spending time with my family, my testimony, cooking/baking, watching movies etc.  Am I on the same level as Jacob?   No, I’m not there yet, but working on it.

Again, I’m grateful for this class, to be able to really study the words in the Book of Mormon.  I really enjoyed reading Jacobs testimony.  I'm noticing a change in myself while I'm reading the Book of Mormon, its no longer a chore.  I'm enjoying it and maybe even understanding it more.  Made me think of an athlete.  As they work out, they build up endurance and muscles.  Over time they become better at their sport.  I'm hoping the same is happening to me.  I'm working on my scriptural skills and over time I will have more knowledge and understanding.  

Pathway Lesson 3: Nephi 15-22

Can I just stay how much I'm enjoying the Pathway program??  Its been 4 weeks and I've already seen so many blessings come because of this program.  I am completely enjoying studying the Book of Mormon.  This week’s reading assignment was 1 Nephi 15-22.  So much happened in these verses, they wandered in the wilderness, they had the liahona, Nephi built a ship, they sailed to the Promised Land, they had children, etc. 

I think what struck me the most in these chapters was the stark difference between Nephi and his brother’s Laman and Lemuel.  And truthfully, I’m getting sick of hearing the same things from Laman and Lemuel.  I want to shout: QUIT COMPLAINING!   But I guess there are lessons to be learned here.  They both traveled the same steps, the same distance, yet their attitudes and faith were completely different.  

Let’s talk about Nephi first, he continued to count his blessings and was faithful through all of their struggles.  Elder Richard G Scott said: “When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more.  He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit.  To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching and that generally entails discomfort and pain.”  When Nephi’s bow broke, everyone started to murmur, even Lehi got discouraged, and they were all very hangry! (angry because your so hungry!) Nephi tried to talk to everyone about their hard hearts (Nephi 16:22) and then he got to work.  He didn’t sit around complaining or waiting for the Lord to provide.  He built another bow and then talked to his father about where to go.  The Lord then blessed them.   Nephi says “and thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.”  (Nephi 16:29)  This experience teaches a great lesson on relying on the Lord, he will provide even when the outcome looks bleak.  BUT we can’t sit around waiting for the blessings, we need to continue to work for it. 

Nephi also was commanded to build a ship.  He didn’t know how to build a ship, but he trusted in the Lord and the Lord told him how to do it.  His brothers of course, murmured against him, calling him a fool.   He tries to teach them faith, but they won’t listen.   Nephi continues on and after he finishes the ship, they sail away on it.  After they had been sailing for a few days, Laman and Lemuel start to party and are getting a bit out of hand (Nephi 18:9).  Nephi is afraid the Lord won’t be happy with them because of their behavior and tells them they need to stop.  Laman and Lemuel get upset with him again tie him up.  The storms come in and they are afraid they might be swallowed up in the sea.  Nephi was bound for 4 days, the sea wasn’t calm, I’m sure he didn’t sleep during that time, his wife and children were crying and I’m sure sick for his safety.  They finally untie Nephi and this is what Nephi says “I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.” (Nephi 18:16)  Such an example of not just enduring, but enduring well! 

Now, lets talk about Laman and Lemuel.  In Nephi 17:45 it says, “Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.”  Laman and Lemuel were “past feeling” which means they were so far gone they couldn’t feel the words of the Holy Ghost.  They hardened their hearts and would rather complain than turn to the Lord.  How many of us chose to do this?  I know I’ve done this in some parts of my life.  Its hard to be Nephi all the time; being acting like Laman and Lemuel is much easier!  But if we stay close to the spirit, we will be doing what we should. 

I want to share another difference from Nephi and his brothers, In Nephi 17:20 Laman and Lemuel said “we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better they died before they came out of Jerusalem to have suffered these afflictions.”  Yikes, that is harsh.  I wonder how their wives would have felt hearing those words.   But Nephi responds with these words: “If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.” (Nephi 17:50) 

I find it interesting that these brothers were all given the same chances, the same experiences, the same upbringing, yet because Nephi had faith and trusted in the Lord he chose not to complain every second and I’m sure he was happier because of his decisions.  He knew everything would work out and he never lost trust that the Lord would provide for him.  I hope I can always have the outlook Nephi does.  He is an amazing example for how to act in our trials.  If we trust in the Lord we’ll be ok, no matter the outcome. 

Pathway Lesson 1: Nephi 1-5

I am so excited to be going back to school!  I started the Pathway program through BYU-I last week and so far it has changed my thoughts about “church” schools 100 percent!  I am so excited to really read the Book Of Mormon this year.  To actually study it and learn from it. 

This week our reading topic was Nephi 1-5.  Its amazing…I’ve read this these chapters the most out of any scriptures and I got so much insight from them!  Things I hadn’t noticed before.  Amazing how that works, right?

A few things I wanted to share from my readings:

What do I do? 

Do I murmur because its hard or do it because it’s a commandment?  (Nephi 3:5-7)

When Laman and Lemuel were asked to do things they murmured.  They murmured all the time.  Jeffery R Holland said in a talk, that Laman and Lemuel murmured so much that when they were smiting Nephi with a rod he might say, hit me again, I can still hear you murmuring.  While that is funny, its true.  People don’t want to hear you complaining all the time.  Sometimes I think its so easy complain things aren’t going our way.  But the true test of the trial is how we react to the trial. 

On the other hand, Nephi did not complain, even though he wasn’t 100% on board.  He went to pray to find out for himself.  What a great example.  He went to know for himself and got his own testimony.   I think I went a large portion of my life relying on my parent’s testimony.   It wasn’t until I was older than I had to do what Nephi did and find out on my own.  It’s a game changer. 

Give up or continue to try? (Nephi 3:14-15)

The sons of Lehi tried 3 times to get the Brass Plates.  Laman and Lemuel wanted to give up.   They wanted to go back to the wilderness.  But Nephi, who I’m sure, was discouraged continued to try.  He says “But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth and as we live, we will not go down unto the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.” (Nephi 3:14)  It's so easy to give up.  It's easy to throw in the towel and ignore problems.  But to actually stick with something until you succeed, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem is quite an accomplishment.  Because of his faith, the Lord delivered Laban to Nephi. 

In these few chapters, The Lord shows Lehi’s family many Tender Mercies.  (Nephi 1:20)  These do not appear because of coincidence.  David A Bednar said “One of the ways whereby the Savior comes to each of us is through His abundant and tender mercies.  …the gift of faith and an appropriate sense of personal confidence that reaches beyond our own capacity are two examples of tender mercies of the Lord.  And the persistence and the fortified that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord.”  Our foster baby Leah, who we have had since birth is going back to her mom.  This is heartbreaking for me.  We have raised her, we are her home, we are her family, yet she’s going to go back to another home.  But I know that we are being given tender mercies from the Lord through this trial.  We are able to “press forward with cheerfulness” and we have faith that she will be taken care of.  We are very grateful for these tender mercies in our life. 

Basically, my reading reminded me that I want to grow up and be just like Nephi.  He’s a great example of continued faith in the Lord.  The Lord is always there to help us; sometimes we just have to ask.