The Blessings of Trials
Filed under: Frequently Asked Questions, Inspirations, Teachings
As the prophet Lehi, sent from Jerusalem with his family to a land of promise in the Americas, lay dying, he spoke to each of his sons, giving them his final words of advice. Jacob, the second youngest, had never known the life of privilege the older boys had enjoyed before their father led them away, leaving all their wealth behind. He was the first of two sons born in the wilderness. For Jacob, a life in the wilderness was a natural thing, not an unusual trial. The division that was occuring in the family, because his two oldest brothers tried to punish the family for giving up a life of privilege, was forcing people to choose sides. Jacob, young and faithful, sided with his parents and his older brothers, Nephi and Sam. Nephi would become the prophet after his father’s death, and Sam, his next oldest brother, humbly accepted Nephi’s divinely chosen place.
Lehi was pleased with how Sam was turning out. It hadn’t been an easy life for the boy, having lived his childhood with two older brothers bent on murdering the brother they loved, and even trying to kill or harm their parents. It was, in modern terms, a dysfunctional family, but only due to the selfish choices of the two oldest sons. In spite of all this, Jacob was growing up well.
“And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.
Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. –2 Nephi 2:2.
Most of us go out of our way to avoid trials. The moment they begin, we plead for them to end. Some people complain and blame God, feeling He owes them a trial-free life. Lehi’s prophecy, however, shows us a different attitude toward trials. He promised Jacob that his trials would be consecrated. Consecration is yielding oneself up to God. In this case, Jacob’s trials would consecrated to help him—not in any worldly way, but in a spiritual way.
Although we can seldom see it during the trial, when we’re wrapped up in survival, later, the blessings of trials often become clearer to us. I remember once, years ago, when I was told through inspiration that although I’d have many trials, there was going to come a time in my new calling (unpaid church jobs) when I would use every one of those trials to help another. My calling was Compassionate Service Leader, which means I organized all the service that needed doing. In the course of my work, I really was called on to use all my past trials, including some I’d forgotten. Often the job consisted of sitting with and listening to or comforting someone facing a trial or a sadness. I was often able to say, “I’ve been there,” and to have some sense of what they were facing and what options were available to them.
Many of my trials have brought me closer to my Heavenly Father or strengthened me. They’ve made me more compassionate. When I take time, both during and after the trial, to analyze what I’ve learned and how God was there to help me through them, I grow in my ability to live a Christ-like life and to accomplish the goals my Heavenly Father has for me.
Jacob would go on to play an important role in the new homeland. The trials he faced as a child gave him courage, perseverance, and leadership skills. He had a terribly challenging childhood, one that some might have used as an excuse for going bad or giving up. Instead, Jacob accepted the promise made to him by his father and consecrated his trials for his own gain.
Taking Control of Our Lives
“It’s not my fault I’m like this. I had a bad childhood.”
Today, a bad childhood seems to be the excuse for nearly everything. Certainly, it’s important for parents to give their children good childhoods if at all possible, and having had a great childhood can make life easier. However, if we weren’t fortunate enough to have had a great childhood, we still have the ability to take charge of our adulthood.
Lehi, the first prophet of the Book of Mormon, and his wife Sariah, eventually had six children. Their four oldest initially lived lives of privilege, with loving and kind parents. Despite this, the two oldest rebelled and chose to spend their lives whining and being cruel to those around them. The younger two, living the same life of privilege with the same loving parents, chose to obey their parents and follow the teachings of their religion.
These choices were brought into sharper focus when the family was tested. They were advised by God to flee Jerusalem, because Lehi’s life was in danger from those who resented his commandments to repent. The family traveled in the wilderness for many years, no longer living in a fine home, but in a tent, often without sufficient food and always without the comforts of traditional life. Two more children were born into these difficult situations, who, despite a life of poverty and suffering, also chose to honor God.
The two oldest brothers, all their lives, blamed their parents and Nephi, the youngest of the first four brothers, for all the bad things that ever happened to them. They wasted their lives complaining and feeling angry. The anger built until they began to attempt murder, eventually reaching a point of wickedness from which they never returned.
Nephi, on the other hand, even though he’d had these same challenges and was the victim of their murderous plans (although each time angels protected him), chose to take charge, and to let God be in control.
Allowing God to be in control isn’t giving up control of your life. When you choose God, you’re making the critical decision. This choice will affect all others, and can allow you to face even the worst of trials with confidence and comfort. This isn’t to say that a Christian won’t feel sorrow or grief. Nephi often grieved, over his own inability to be perfect, over the wickedness of his brothers, and over the normal trials of mortality. But he chose not to let those things ruin his life. In the Psalm of Nephi, he instructed himself to stop complaining:
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. (2 Nephi 4)
In these verses, he is choosing to take control of his life, once again, by choosing not to be angry at his brothers. He continued to sorrow for them, but not to be angry at their vicious treatment of himself and those he loved. He chose to rejoice. He took control of his attitude toward life and trials, and then chose to let God be in charge, not his brothers.
We can’t always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how to feel about it. The Book of Mormon teaches us to take control over our lives, thereby taking away control by those who might have caused our sorrows—and more importantly, to remove control from Satan, who wants everyone to be as miserable as he is.
What Sam Teaches About Humility
Filed under: Inspirations, People in the Book of Mormon
The first few books of the Book of Mormon focus on Lehi, a prophet, and his family. Lehi’s life was endangered due to his service as a prophet, and so he was commanded by God to leave their very comfortable home and travel to a land God would provide. Many hardships came upon the family as a result—living in a tent instead of a fine home, having no real material possessions, periodic challenges finding food, and so forth.
The greatest challenges, however, came from within their own family. Lehi and his wife Sariah had six children, four born prior to their exodus. The two oldest were Laman and Lemuel. They were every parent’s nightmare. They complained constantly about the changes in their lives. They found it difficult—by choice—to understand or respect the gospel. And worst of all, they eventually began trying to kill their younger brother, Nephi, and even abused their own parents.
Nephi was the fourth son, the last born in their old life in Jerusalem. In a culture that made birth order the source of power, this put him low on the list of powerful people. However, God chose him to become the leader of the family and church once their father died. Laman and Lemuel completely resented this, even when angels came in person to explain it to them—they lost their place due to wickedness and lack of faith.
There was one other son between the wicked older brothers and Nephi. This was Sam, the third son. He also chose to follow his father’s teachings. He was, from all we can see, obedient and with faith. There were times when he struggled more than Nephi, but overall, he was a faithful servant.
Why did God skip Sam and choose Nephi? The Book of Mormon doesn’t say. It’s likely Sam himself didn’t know why, but he was present when the angels lectured his older brothers, so he knew it was true.
Laman, Lemuel, and Sam all heard what the angels said:
28 And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod.
29 And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands. (1 Nephi 3)
Laman and Lemuel reacted to this startling news by becoming even more angry, and attempting again and again to kill Nephi, and sometimes Sam as well, so they could be the rulers.
Sam seems to have chosen a different path. He quietly accepted Nephi’s leadership and in times when their father was unable to lead for any reason, he did as Nephi asked. We have no record of him complaining, or saying that it wasn’t fair. After all, it was easy to see why Laman and Lemuel weren’t chosen, but Sam was valiant. It might have been easy for him to become angry and leave “the church” and turn against God and his family. He didn’t, however.
When Lehi died, the abuse became so powerful that it was no longer safe for Nephi and those who accepted his leadership to stay in the family group. Lehi, his wife and children, and others in the group who loved the Lord gathered what they could and once again, headed into the wilderness. A safe distance away, they set up a new home. Sam was among those who followed Nephi and allowed him to take over leadership of the group.
Sam is a model of humility. He didn’t seek the role of leader, and when it wasn’t offered, he didn’t rebel. He quietly accepted it and went about his life, following his younger brother’s lead and continuing to do those things he should. He was a friend and a support to his brother all his life. Leadership never did pass over to him. When Nephi died, one of the sons born in the wilderness, Jacob, was chosen as the new leader.
Sam often gets overlooked when we name the heroes of the scriptures, but his quiet example of humility, obedience, faith, and service is one worthy of honor.
Encircled in God’s Love
Filed under: God in the Book of Mormon, Inspirations, Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
When the first Book of Mormon prophet, Lehi, was on his deathbed, he spent some time talking seriously to Laman and Lemuel, his two oldest sons. They had never gained a testimony of the gospel and their behavior had become progressively more wicked. He was very worried about their futures, and the futures of their posterity. He wanted, with the longing of a father who would no longer be on earth to guide his sons, for them to understand how much the Lord loved them.
He told them:
“But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” (2 Nephi 1:15)
I’ve always loved the phrase, “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” It brings to mind receiving a hug from the Savior, or having His arm around me in a moment of trial. It’s a comforting reminder of how great Jesus’ love is for us.
Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reminds us of the greatest proof of the Savior’s love for us:
“Indeed the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh is the crucial foundation upon which all Christian doctrine rests and the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given. Its importance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be overstated. Every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored gospel draws its significance from this pivotal event.
The Atonement was the foreordained but voluntary act of the Only Begotten Son of God in which He offered His life and spiritual anguish as a redeeming ransom for the effect of the Fall of Adam upon all mankind and for the personal sins of all who repent.” Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Mar 2008, 32–38
Most people have a longing to be completely loved, and the gospel gives that gift to every person. No one has ever loved us more than God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. No one has given more or spent more time seeing to our eternal well being than these two. We can feel assured that we are entitled to His love and, as we strive to live the gospel, to His blessings.
We can sit quietly when times are the hardest, and feel His arms around us. We know we’re not alone, no matter how lonely we might feel. We can have them with us any time of the day or night, being comforted and consoled. When we don’t know what to do, we have someone we can turn to who knows every answer, and whose answers will be unselfish, and perfectly tailored to our needs and personalities.
No one who is willing to work hard at their relationship with their Heavenly Father and their Savior is denied this gift. You too can feel “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.”
The Lord Provides a Way to Obey
Filed under: Book of Mormon Stories, God in the Book of Mormon, Inspirations
Lehi was a prophet in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. When the Lord commanded him to take his family and only those things necessary for survival, and to flee, he did so. His life was in danger from those who did not want to be told to repent. He and his family fled into the wilderness, toward a home God had promised to provide.
After they had been traveling for some time, God instructed Lehi to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the scriptures and family genealogy from a distant kinsman, a man who was not virtuous. The two oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel complained, as they always did, but Lehi pointed out that he had not asked it of them; the Lord had. The two younger sons, Sam and Nephi were valiant and did not complain. The sons made the long journey back and drew lots to see who would attempt to convince Laban, the kinsman, to give them the records. Laman was chosen, but Laban not only refused the records, but threatened to kill him.
The older brothers felt that was that and wanted to return home. Nephi, the youngest, was determined to continue on. “As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.” –1 Nephi 3: 15. He reminded the brothers they had left all their wealth behind, and suggested they offer to buy the records in exchange for their gold and silver, which was still there in Jerusalem, and certainly wouldn’t be needed in the wilderness.
They did this, but again Laban refused. Instead, he tried to steal the gold and silver without giving the records. He sent his servants to kill the brothers so he could take the wealth. The boys escaped but were forced to abandon the material items, which Laban then took.
Angry, Laman and Lemuel began to beat Nephi. An angel appeared and stopped them from killing their brother. Even this did not discourage Nephi. He went alone, and following the promptings of the spirit, was able to obtain the records.
How was a teenager able to accomplish a seemingly impossible mission? Prior to leaving, he had told his 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.” –1 Nephi 3:7
At a very young age, Nephi, who would one day become a prophet himself, understood that God didn’t ask the impossible of people. The tasks might seem impossible, but He knows everything. If He says you can do something, you can. And he won’t send you off to do it alone. He will send you all the help and inspiration you need, as long as you ask for it, are worthy, and listen to the advice. Remember that when God sent an angel to tell Mary of her impending pregnancy with Jesus, the angel reassured her, “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)
God has a plan for each of us. He often gives us clues as to what He wants for us, and we can learn any part of it we need to know by turning to Him for advice and counsel. Then we can plan our path, and again turn to him for confirmation that we’ve chosen well.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve, offered three steps to achieving the seemingly impossible commandment:
The first step is, of course, faith. The more we know of God and the closer our relationship with Him, the greater our faith will be. When we trust Him, nothing will seem impossible—challenging, perhaps, but not impossible.
The second step is focus. You must focus on the end result and on the purpose of the task. Elder Nelson explained,
“Imagine, if you will, a pair of powerful binoculars. Two separate optical systems are joined together with a gear to focus two independent images into one three-dimensional view. To apply this analogy, let the scene on the left side of your binoculars represent your perception of your task. Let the picture on the right side represent the Lord’s perspective of your task—the portion of His plan He has entrusted to you. Now, connect your system to His. By mental adjustment, fuse your focus. Something wonderful happens. Your vision and His are now the same. You have developed an “eye single to the glory of God” (D&C 4:5; see also Morm. 8:15). With that perspective, look upward—above and beyond mundane things about you. The Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought” (D&C 6:36). That special vision will also help clarify your wishes when they may be a bit fuzzy and out of focus with God’s hopes for your divine destiny. Indeed, the precise challenge you regard now as “impossible” may be the very refinement you need, in His eye.” (Russell M. Nelson, “‘With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible’,” Ensign, May 1988, 33)
The final step is to be strong and courageous. God has never promised the process of keeping His commandments would be easy. If God asks something of you, find deep in yourself the strength to face the challenges and the courage to keep going. Mary did this when she faced the embarrassment of a holy pregnancy few would believe in. Nephi did this when he insisted on going back for the records after Laban, and even two of his brothers had tried to kill him.
With God, nothing is impossible, because He prepares the way for you to do all He asks you to do.
Lehi and Humility
Filed under: Book of Mormon Stories, Inspirations, People in the Book of Mormon
People familiar with the Book of Mormon usually refer to the story of the broken bow as Nephi’s story, because he was the hero of it all. You can read the entire story summarized in Nephi and the Broken Bow.
As you read the story, note that although it’s told by Nephi from his own point of view, there are many other people in the story, and each of them have their own story-within-the-story. For Nephi, it is a story of solving problems. For Laman and Lemuel, it is a story of murmuring—again. For Lehi, however, it was a story of learning humility.
Lehi was a great prophet. He was called from a life of privilege to warn the people of Jerusalem to repent. He accepted this call from God and risked, and eventually sacrificed, everything to carry it out. When the preaching was done, his life was in danger, and God was instructing him to leave behind his home and possessions and head for a yet unknown destination.
Through all of this, Lehi never complained or lost faith. He didn’t complain when asked to give up a comfortable life to try to reform people who didn’t want reforming. He didn’t complain when they didn’t listen. He didn’t complain or lose faith when they tried to kill him. Even having to leave his entire lifestyle behind didn’t cause him to complain or to lose faith. He kept right on doing whatever God asked of him, however hard it might be.
But now, for the first time, Lehi struggled. His family was facing starvation. Nephi, the skilled hunter, broke his bow. They were unable to obtain food and there was certainly nowhere to go buy food or a new bow. For the first time ever, Lehi found himself complaining at and about God.
Only his teenaged son Nephi refused to lose faith. Nephi trusted God and set out to do what needed to be done. But first, he went to work trying to restore the faith of his family.
We learn a great deal about Lehi from his reaction to this event. Although Nephi spoke only to his brothers about what the proper attitude should be, clearly Lehi heard or was aware of what was happening. He didn’t get angry at Nephi for refusing to despair with the others. This is probably remarkable. We’ve all seen that people have a tendency to resent positive people when they are feeling discouraged. Lehi, however, didn’t get upset. It’s likely he paid attention and allowed Nephi’s words to soften his own heart,which prepared him for what came next.
Nephi, who had gone on to make a new, simpler bow and arrows, came to his father. Ignoring Lehi’s temporary lapse of faith, Nephi sought his father’s advice in deciding where to hunt with the new equipment. Lehi, probably feeling a bit embarrassed, went to God to ask what to do.
25 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow.–1 Nephi 16
Nephi is telling the story and so, doesn’t discuss, if he even knew, what process his father had to go through to repent and to put his faith back in order. What is clear, however, is that Lehi was willing to learn from any worthy source, even a young adult son. We also see that he was not willing to allow a brief moment of weakness destroy a lifetime of faith. When given the opportunity to return to leadership by Nephi, he accepted and humbly asked the Lord for help in solving the family emergency.
Lehi serves as a model for humility in life, parenting, and leadership.
Solving Problems God’s Way
Filed under: Book of Mormon Stories, Inspirations, People in the Book of Mormon, Teachings
In the previous post, I outlined the story of the teenaged Nephi, a future prophet, who went into the wilderness with his family at God’s command. In the course of the journey to a new home, Nephi, the family hunter, broke his bow and the family faced potential starvation. You can read the entire summary in Nephi and the Broken Bow.
One of the lessons we learn from this story is how God expects us to handle challenges. While the rest of the family whined and complained, Nephi went to work. First he tried to soothe his family’s nerves by reminding them of essential gospel principles. Then he set out to solve the problem as far as he was able to do so without help. He didn’t rush to God and say, “Make my broken bow whole again,” or “Leave a brand new bow lying over there in the bushes, please.” No, Nephi was self-reliant. He quietly went to work making a new bow. It wasn’t as elegant as the steel bow he’d broken. It was only made of wood, with a few sticks to use as arrows, but it would work and was a solution. For good measure, he also made a slingshot that could use rocks as weapons. Nephi took responsibility for his own well-being to the extent of his ability.
Next, Nephi went to his father for advice. This demonstrated his understanding of leadership chain of command and also showed respect for the man who was both his father and his church leader. He asked his father where he should go to do his hunting with his new, less powerful bow. Lehi then showed his own understanding of proper problem solving technique. Because he was probably unfamiliar with this new wilderness area, he went to the Lord. This was not something he could do on his own, but he knew God knew where prey was to be found.
Finally, Nephi accepted the spiritual guidance given to him by God and through his father and did exactly as God told him to do. This was Nephi’s normal pattern—he was an obedient and respectful young man.
It can seem easy to simply turn to God for everything we need, trusting in the adage, “God will provide.” However, if God were to simply hand us everything without any effort on our own part, He would be a poor parent, and God is perfect. Therefore, He parents perfectly. He expects us to do our part in order to help us to grow, develop our skills, and become self-reliant.
This is clearly a concept Nephi understood. He knew how to make a bow, so he made one without going to God for advice. Later in the narrative, he would be commanded by God to make a boat. As a desert child, he certainly had no experience with boats, so this time he would turn to God for advice on how to proceed. But when it came to bows, something Nephi, a skilled hunter understood, he took care of himself and sought advice only when he could no longer resolve the problems on his own.
Mary Ellen W. Smoot, a former General Relief Society President, taught,
From His prophets on down, the Lord has empowered His servants to come unto Him, to repent, and to seek for solutions. Not alone, but with God’s inspiration and support, prophets have had to solve enormous problems. Think of Nephi with his broken bow. Think of the brother of Jared with his dark boats. Think of Captain Moroni in the heat of battle. Any and every Church leader has had to “study it out” (D&C 9:8), humbly present a solution to the Lord, and then faithfully act upon it as guided by the Spirit. The Lord perfectly sustains, but He usually does not solve problems for us. Surely He could have given Nephi a new bow. He could have just commanded the brother of Jared to bring Him some rocks. He could have won all of Moroni’s battles for him. But higher laws were at stake. Learning and growing had to take place.
This process is vital to our spiritual growth and cannot take place as long as we look to other people, circumstances, programs, or institutions to solve problems for us. President Brigham Young (1801–77) taught, “Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 293). Then we can take it to the Lord for confirmation.– Mary Ellen W. Smoot, “Seeking Solutions,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 42
Nephi exactly demonstrated the proper procedures for coping with challenges—soothe others if needed, solve as much of the problem as you can alone, seek counsel when you are no longer able to continue alone (through a leader, advisor, or prayer) and then follow the counsel.
Staying True to Your Faith
Filed under: Book of Mormon Stories, Inspirations, People in the Book of Mormon, Written for Our Day
Lehi was the first prophet of the Book of Mormon. Early in the timeline of the story of his life as a prophet, about 600 B.C., we learn of an extraordinary vision he received, known today as the Vision of the Tree of Life. In this vision, Lehi saw the Savior’s birth, ministry, and crucifixion, and also saw Satan’s efforts to undermine the Savior’s critical work on earth.
In this vision, he saw a tree, also called the Tree of Life, representing the love of God. A river of water ran near the tree, referred to as filthy water and representing Satan and all he stands for. Along the bank of the river, leading to the tree, was an iron rod, representing God’s word. A straight and narrow path led alongside the rod and to the tree. The tree held a fruit that was highly desirable, but you had to follow that very narrow, straight path to reach the tree. It might seem an easy thing to do, but as Lehi watched, many people intentionally left the path or wandered off of it, sidetracked by various distractions.
Lehi watched four groups of people start off on the path. The first started off well, but then encountered an intense mist of darkness. This mist represents temptation. The mist caused the people to fall off the path and wander away, because it was no longer easy to see the path and remain on it. Once off, they likely became distracted by all the temptations and neglected to return, and so they never obtained the desirable fruit.
The second group pushed on through the mist until they found the iron rod. They took hold of it and kept going, not allowing the mist to distract them from their goal. Regardless of the challenges, the iron rod—the word of God—kept them focused on the rewards at the end of the path. All was not well with this group, however. Even though they made it to the tree and tasted of the magnificent fruit, they quickly began looking around, checking out the reactions of others. There was a “great and spacious building” nearby, representing pride. The people in this building, dressed in elegant clothing, taunted the people who were eating the fruit. The people who had been enjoying the rewards of their journey suddenly found themselves embarrassed by the taunts, and quickly rushed off the path and joined those who felt that following the path was foolish or silly.
A third group found the path, stayed on it through the challenges, ate of the fruit and didn’t look around to collect opinions on their decision. Those people stayed to collect the rewards of their journey without any distractions at all. They received the fullness of the promised blessings.
The final group frequently fell into the river and drowned, or tried to find their way to the building with the rich and mocking people, but instead got lost and wandered aimlessly on strange paths.
This vision clearly outlines all the things that can happen to us as we seek out the path the Savior wants us to follow. Finding it isn’t enough. We have to have the focus and concentration to stay on it to the end, regardless of the temptations and distractions offered along the way. Certainly the world, led by Satan, offers many of those. He has gone out of his way to disguise sin as pleasure. Those sins can keep us from reaching a joy far greater than any temporary, worldly pleasure Satan might have to offer.
There are many people who do not have our best interests at heart. Unfortunately, it is easy to listen to them and to back down when it gets challenging. Teenagers, for instance, often care deeply about the opinions of their peers, and the teasing they receive for dressing modesty, practicing chastity, or spending the Sabbath doing the Lord’s will can push them off the path and onto one that seems easier, but robs them of true joy.
Many people wander aimlessly through life, playing games, watching television, and functioning without any purpose at all. They can spend their entire lives wandering around, never remembering the goal they once set for themselves, perhaps at baptism or other critical moments in their lives. When their lives end, they have nothing to show for the time they put into their lives.
The only way to return to our Father in Heaven is to get on the straight and narrow path, hold on to the iron rod (God’s word) and ignore the efforts of Satan and the world to distract you. Heaven matters. God matters. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you from enjoying the fruits of the Gospel and God’s love for you.
Lehi and Lessons in Faith
Filed under: Inspirations, People in the Book of Mormon
Lehi is the first Book of Mormon hero. Although we don’t currently have his writings, we learn of him through his son Nephi, who wrote the first record of his family and people. From Nephi, we learn that Lehi was a good father, a prophet, and a man of great faith and courage.
Lehi was a wealthy man, living at the time of Zedekiah’s reign over Judah (about 600 B.C). He and his family lived quite comfortably and their life could easily have continued along a smooth and undemanding path had not Lehi received, and more importantly, accepted a call from God. When he was called to be a prophet, he promptly went to work doing the challenging assignment God gave him. He was to call the people to repentance. As can be expected, the people didn’t want to be called to repentance. This was at a time when there were numerous prophets, including Jeremiah, and none of them were successful at bringing the people back to the path God required of them.
All of the prophets were in great danger. Jeremiah was imprisoned after he warned that the temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed if the people didn’t change their ways. For his own safety, Lehi was instructed by God to pack up whatever belongings were needed to live in the wilderness and leave. His wealth must be left behind. The man who once lived in a large, impressive home was now to live in a tent.
“And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him. And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness. (1 Nephi 2:3-4″
How would you react if asked to leave behind everything you own except for the absolute essentials? Do you remember the rich man who approached Jesus?
“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
“And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
“And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:17-22)
When Heaven seems far away and a long time in coming, sometimes we can begin to focus so much on our material possessions we lose sight of eternity. When weighing the eternal results of our choice, it would seem easy to give up our possessions, but very few actually do it.
Lehi did, however. God said to leave it all behind, go live in a tent and go someplace, but you won’t know where until you get there. He had no idea where he was headed or what the journey or the rest of his life would look like…and yet he went without question.
The years ahead were difficult, filled with hardships and sorrow, as well as joy and faith. While Lehi was not perfect—no one is—he was remarkable for the way he worked hard to follow God’s plan for him and for his family no matter how long and hard the journey was. He continued in faith through years of hiking the wilderness, a long ocean journey, and the building of a new home in the land God had provided for them. During this time he struggled with the wickedness of two of his children. His wife delivered two more children in the wilderness. He watched with pride as his younger son Nephi grew into a valiant prophet and was followed by all but the two rebellious brothers.
It was many years before Lehi again lived in a real home instead of a tent or a boat, but throughout it all, he held onto his faith. When God asks us to leave behind something we thought was important, and go to uncharted territory, whether it’s a physical move, a spiritual journey or a simple walk into a new way of life, we can look to Lehi for inspiration and comfort.
Born of Goodly Parents
Filed under: Book of Mormon Stories, Inspirations, Written for Our Day
The Book of Mormon begins with a celebration of good parents. Nephi, who was a teenager when the Book of Mormon begins, but a grown man by the time he began to record his record, wrote, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…”
Nephi’s parents were Lehi and Sariah. Parenting wasn’t easy for them. Lehi was a wealthy planter, but rather than enjoy his comfortable life and the privileges of wealth, he accepted God’s call to be a prophet. He, along with others in his time, were sent to try to convince the people to repent or face destruction. The people, naturally, weren’t too thrilled to have their sins pointed out to them and Lehi’s life was in danger. He and Sariah packed up a few essentials and took their family into the wilderness to a place God promised to provide for them.
Their two oldest children, Laman and Lemuel, were determined not to be good sports about this. They lacked faith, and didn’t believe God expected them to leave their comfortable home to go on an extended camping trip, into a world none of them knew about. Their younger sons, Sam and Nephi, followed the teachings of the gospel and their parents, however. Nephi, although the youngest child at the time, was to be his father’s successor and lead the church. Sam accepted this, because he had faith, but Laman and Lemuel consistently resented their younger brother’s right to rule over them, even when instructed to follow him by an angel. Repeatedly, they tormented their younger brother, even trying to kill him at various times. After the death of their parents, Nephi led the righteous portion of the family away from the rest for their own safety, and two groups, Nephites and Lamanites, were formed.
All of this must have challenged Laman and Sariah throughout their years. Clearly they were righteous people, and Nephi honored them, calling them goodly. They must have been good parents, doing all they could to raise their children in righteousness, and yet they lost two of their children to wickedness. However, Sam, Nephi, and the two younger brothers born in the wilderness stayed steadfast in the gospel.
James E. Faust, a member of the First Presidency until his recent death, asked, “Who are good parents? They are those who have lovingly, prayerfully, and earnestly tried to teach their children by example and precept ‘to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.’” Lehi and Sariah most certainly did those things. The scriptures record numerous times when Lehi gathered his family and instructed them in the ways of God. The younger brothers also worked to help their older brothers gain a testimony. The entire family worked together to try to keep from losing their two oldest boys and to reclaim them after they were lost. In fact, even after the two groups separated, the Nephites continued to send missionaries to them in hopes of reclaiming the brothers, and later their descendants.
President Faust reassured parents that the way their children turned out is not necessarily a reflection on their parenting skills. If they did the right things, they are good parents, regardless of the choices their parents made. If they neglect to care for their children and to teach them correct principles, they are held accountable even if the children turn out well.
We lived before we were born, and so we brought with us the spirits and personalities we had there. We have agency, so each of us must choose for ourselves, even children. President Faust offered this comfort to parents whose children have chosen a wrong path:
“I believe and accept the comforting statement of Elder Orson F. Whitney:
‘The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.”
A principle in this statement that is often overlooked is that they must fully repent and ‘suffer for their sins’ and ‘pay their debt to justice.’ I recognize that now is the time “to prepare to meet God.” If the repentance of the wayward children does not happen in this life, is it still possible for the cords of the sealing to be strong enough for them yet to work out their repentance? In the Doctrine and Covenants we are told, ‘The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,
‘And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.’”James E. Faust, “Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered,” Ensign, May 2003, 61
It is heartbreaking to watch a child follow a path you know will ultimately lead to suffering and sorrow. However, even when it seems there is nothing we can do, we can pray, live righteously, and trust God to take care of the rest.