January 20th Reading Assignment
Daily Reading Question
What counsel did Nephi give his brothers to help them understand their father’s words and receive answers from God? How can we apply Nephi and his brother's experience to our lives?
Good Talk
Bonus Talk
What counsel did Nephi give his brothers to help them understand their father’s words and receive answers from God? How can we apply Nephi and his brother's experience to our lives?
Good Talk
Bonus Talk
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ReplyDeleteI love V8 where Nephi demonstrates he understands the simple concept that life is easier when you involve the Lord. When Laman and Lemuel complain that they don't understand Lehi's words, he simply asks them, "Have ye
Deleteinquired of the Lord?"
It reminds me of the the formula to receive revelation given in DC 9:8-9. I attribute every major blessing I have in my life (my amazing wife, my kids, my job that I love, etc.) to the fact that we are entitled to divine revelation in our lives when making important decisions.
In the talk today it said, "The advice of family and friends is helpful, but we can turn to an even better source. I think sometimes we forget to go to the Lord first. Verse 8 is a good reminder of what we should do when we have questions. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteI like how in verse 6 it says, "after I had gained strength I talked to my brethren" the verses before Nephi mentions how is weighed down by all the destruction and so I like to think that he prayed to Heavenly Father to give him strength and insight as to what to say to his brothers. I think this is a good lesson for me. Too often I am weighed down and I try to solve problems without going to the Lord first and receiving much needed strength. I'm sure I would parent better in those difficult moments if I turned to the Lord before talking to my kids.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you insight. That is something that I need to work on too, this is a great reminder.
DeleteI really liked that too...he said "after I gained strength"-he didn't just develop the strength himself or muster the strength from within. It was through the strengthening and enabling power of the Atonement that he gained strength from a higher power.
DeleteIn vs. 11 Nephi says "ask and he shall receive". This vs. Stood out to me because it's so simple yet so difficult if our hearts have pride or fear. Nephi helped his brothers to understand this by explaining their tribe as a branch of the olive tree and the destruction will be in the latter days. It is now that we must hearken our hearts unto the Lord and ask. I am like Lamen and Lamuel at times, full of pride and suspicion, I need to hearken unto the Lord more often to be like Nephi.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I think it is so helpful to look at examples in the scriptures and see how we are doing. I need to work on being more like Nephi as well.
DeleteI like that these scriptures remind us that we are active participants in the knowledge and testimony we gain. We talk in terms of "getting a testimony" but it's not something we just "get" like a present on your birthday. It's something you are constantly working for and striving to maintain. L&L wanted the knowledge without much desire and without the work. They just wanted to know and understand and were frustrated by how difficult it was too understand. Nephi desired and asked and put in the faith and work and THEN he received. If I want a testimony of something that the prophet says, I need to be sincere in my desire to know and then actively find out for myself if that is a principle that is from God. Live the principle, pray about it, trytoibderstand it through study and faith. Then I can know. I have to take responsibility for what I get out of anything, which is hard but also very empowering.
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DeleteLoved your analogy of a testimony and getting a present on your birthday. I liked what was written in the seminary manual, "Nephi’s brothers complain that they cannot understand Lehi’s vision
DeleteThink of several activities that require effort on our part before we can enjoy the results. (Answers might include schoolwork, gardening, playing a musical instrument, playing a sport, and physical exercise. For the activities you are thinking of, what relationship have you seen between the effort you make and the results that follow?" If I were to plant a flower and leave it in a dark room and never water it of course it would not grow. The same is true with our testimony. We need to put in daily effort to grow our testimony and keep it strong.
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I feel like I'm repeating myself in my comments, but I think the concept of not hardening your heart is such an important one. V11 outlines the whole sequence of receiving answers. The first step is not hardening your heart meaning that you have an open heart with a sincere question. We need to want to know before we have an increase of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteV 11 jumped out for me - "and ask me in faith believing ye shall receive with diligence in keeping my commandments" I'm really good at believing and having the faith that things will always work out. I need to be better at being Diligent in keeping ALL His commandments. Sometimes I think as long as I have faith that's all I need. 'With diligence' is soo important!! We have to do ALL we can, we have to DO the work and then comes the blessing!
ReplyDeleteVerse 1 stood out to me with the phrase, "carried away in the spirit". Not only do we need to inquire of the Lord but we need to stop and listen to the Spirit, the still small voice, as to the things we are inquiring about. As a young child my mom always taught us to begin each prayer with "we ask Thy Spirit to be with us" and then to stop and listen and most importantly, be ready to be taught by the Spirit. This is something I'm still working on in learning to ponder and listen to the promptings of the Spirit as to the things the lord would have me do. So very thankful for prayer and that we can feel of His Spirit and receive answers!
ReplyDeleteVerse 11 really spoke to me. "Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?--If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you." Elder Scott's talk really brought this scripture to life. We need to be living in a way to receive answers when we ask. We need the spirit with us. We need to be obedient and diligent in keeping the commandments so that we might have the spirit with us. We need to have faith that Heavenly Father will hear us and answer our prayers. And we need to do our part. I like how Elder Scott talked about what he does to receive revelation. He doesn't just ask, he fasts, he prays, he goes to the scriptures, and he ponders. Too often we look to other sources for our answers because we don't always want to put in the work required to receive revelation from our Heavenly Father. But if we do our part, Heavenly Father will bless us with the answers we seek.
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