The most profound knowledge is gained through personal experience. Have you ever known a mom or dad or grandparent who seems to know everything? I would wager that if you got to know them very well you would discover that much of what they know they learned at a high price. Years of personal and probably painful experience has been their tutor. I sometimes think that I want to save my kids from my mistakes but know that working through their own mistakes will give them wisdom and if they have to face some of the same hard lessons I did then at least I will know how to support them through the bounce back.
Because I am in 1 Nephi many of my thoughts will be about Nephi and his brothers for a while. I think of Nephi and all that he experienced, the wonderful and the horrible. Here are a few things I have learned from him this time through 1 Nephi.
1. Make the time and put in the effort to know. When Lehi told his sons about his visions Laman and Lemuel just assumed he was a crazy old man. Nephi on the other hand considered his words, compared them to the scripture he knew to be true and then went to the Lord to know for himself. As a result Nephi ended up with remarkable wisdom. He was able to see what Lehi saw and perhaps even more as suggested by his interpretation of the vision of the Tree of Life.
2. Don't take things personally and forgive quickly and completely. When his brothers beat him with a rod, plotted and attempted to kill him (more than once!), bound him to the mast of a ship, and constantly doubted and mocked him he was always was quick to forgive and made sure he use every teaching moment possible to remind them that he was not anything special, they could have the experiences he had if they would turn to God and obey His commandments. He knew that their anger was a result of their own disobedience and guilt and not anything he was responsible for.
3. Follow your living prophet and trust in the prophecies of old. Nephi shares Isaiah's writings from the Brass Plates with us and with his brothers. In chapter 19 he says, "And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer. For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished also. And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass. Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old. And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written." In 1 Nephi 22 is gives his summation of what he hopes we will learn from the teachings of Isaiah he shares. "Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God. Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen." And thus it is,,,if we obey the counsel of the living prophets and trust in their promises as if they cam from the Lord Himself, because they do, then we can enjoy the same blessings Nephi enjoyed: Strength to do hard things, comfort during trial, wisdom, understanding of the scriptures, gifts of the Spirit and so much more.
Because I am in 1 Nephi many of my thoughts will be about Nephi and his brothers for a while. I think of Nephi and all that he experienced, the wonderful and the horrible. Here are a few things I have learned from him this time through 1 Nephi.
1. Make the time and put in the effort to know. When Lehi told his sons about his visions Laman and Lemuel just assumed he was a crazy old man. Nephi on the other hand considered his words, compared them to the scripture he knew to be true and then went to the Lord to know for himself. As a result Nephi ended up with remarkable wisdom. He was able to see what Lehi saw and perhaps even more as suggested by his interpretation of the vision of the Tree of Life.
2. Don't take things personally and forgive quickly and completely. When his brothers beat him with a rod, plotted and attempted to kill him (more than once!), bound him to the mast of a ship, and constantly doubted and mocked him he was always was quick to forgive and made sure he use every teaching moment possible to remind them that he was not anything special, they could have the experiences he had if they would turn to God and obey His commandments. He knew that their anger was a result of their own disobedience and guilt and not anything he was responsible for.
3. Follow your living prophet and trust in the prophecies of old. Nephi shares Isaiah's writings from the Brass Plates with us and with his brothers. In chapter 19 he says, "And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer. For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished also. And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass. Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old. And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written." In 1 Nephi 22 is gives his summation of what he hopes we will learn from the teachings of Isaiah he shares. "Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God. Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen." And thus it is,,,if we obey the counsel of the living prophets and trust in their promises as if they cam from the Lord Himself, because they do, then we can enjoy the same blessings Nephi enjoyed: Strength to do hard things, comfort during trial, wisdom, understanding of the scriptures, gifts of the Spirit and so much more.
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