January 25th Reading Assignment
Daily Reading Question
Nephi and his family were in the same circumstance, why do you think Nephi consistently remained faithful when his family wavered?
Good Talk
Nephi and his family were in the same circumstance, why do you think Nephi consistently remained faithful when his family wavered?
Good Talk
I think nephi practices faithful thinking, when things get hard he focuses on what he knows about God. He refers back to God helping moses lead the people out of bondage... this way he also knows God will lead him. Laman and Lemuel focus on doubt and their own wisdom and long for their past lives. With that mind set their hearts are hardened to what God has planned for them. They can't move forward and progress when they are longing for the past or even just longing for things to be the way they want them to be.
ReplyDeleteI really like this comment! I think that it is easy to live in the past and wish for things to be the way we want. I need to be better at faithful thinking and trusting in his plan for me.
DeleteI love what Elder Uchtdorf said, "Our motives and thoughts ultimately influence our actions." Laman and Lemuel had obviously been focusing on their hardships (which, really would be the easiest thing to do) and what they had left behind. While Nephi seems to studying the scriptures and stilljjust wanting to do what the Lord wanted him to do. Makes me wonder what thoughts am I dwelling on and what is motivating me in my daily life?
ReplyDeleteI am glad you liked the talk, I love that quote too!
DeleteA teacher once pointed out to me that these verses reflect "the pronoun principle". Laman and Lemuel keep telling Nephi that "he" cannot build a ship and that Lehi has led them about in the wilderness through suffering. They say of Nephi, "he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters."
ReplyDeleteNephi knows and testifies that it isn't about what Lehi and Nephi are doing - they are just instruments in God's hands. All of Nephi's language points to God being at the helm. His responses are testimony-filled declarations of God's hand in former times and in his life and that it is God's work they are all engaged in. Nephi must have been reading these accounts of former prophets in the brass plates and their experiences of deliverance. Reading the scriptures expanded his vision away from his family's current hardships, to the broader perspective that God is in control. Just past today's reading, in vs. 40 Nephi says of God, "And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt." Nephi knows it is God's work, not his own.
Love this. It isn't about us.
DeleteI think the most important thing we do or don't do everyday is remember or forget. There is a reason why Nephi talks about the children of Israel so much, and it is exactly what was said earlier, he was reading them. Also it is a benefit for our day to see the similarities.
ReplyDeleteLaman, lemuel and children of Isreal forget their deliverance and forget the commandments and want to return to the "flesh plots" of egypt/ Jerusalem. They receive miracles and countless blessings but forget them when it is hard and they complain.
Nephi follows the examples of the scriptures, think of all the versus that start of remember, remember. (Hel. 5:12 is my favorite) We are programmed to forget easily if we don't make a daily habit of remembering. If we are not actively "remembering" everyday, eventually we will forget, this is part of our fallen "natural man".
Our body has natural reminders for some things in life, if we forget to eat, we get told, if we are thirsty we feel it. It is a lot harder to recognize when we need spiritual nurishment through the holy ghost than it is for these other things. That is why we must remember everyday. Funny how we are told to read scriptures and pray everyday, if we do these then we have a lot better chance of remembering than if we do not. I don't think Nephi knew anything differently than we do, he just did it more consistently. The most important remember "that they may always remember Him, and have His Spirit to be with them" D&C 20:79. I guess the final key is make turning to Him who we are and not just what we do, and then it will become natural for us like it was for Nephi.
Nephi progressed from grace to grace by trusting in God. The Lord was his strength and when he did struggle he could reflect that he knew in whom he had trusted.
ReplyDeleteI learned an important lesson tonight in being supportive. In verse 19 Laman and Lemuel say "we knew that ye were lacking in judgement, thou canst not accomplish so great a work." They are destructive in their language toward Nephi. How often are we like these brothers...destructive, discouraging, and rude? I take from this reading a greater desire to encourage and build confidence.
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DeleteI love what you learned! I did not notice that when I read. That is something I need to work on in my own life. I am going to do what you suggest and have a greater desire to encourage and build confidence. Thank you!
DeleteYou all had great comments and gave me a lot to think about. I think it's about testimony as well. Nephi had a true testimony, his brothers did not and therefore lost or "forgot"there spiritual food and water in order to strengthen that void.
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