We all have trials and afflictions in our lives. These are the times when we need Him most.
When things get difficult in life, we may choose to react in one of the following ways:
When things get difficult in life, we may choose to react in one of the following ways:
- we can start to give up our faith in our Heavenly Father and turn our hearts from him; or
- we can "endure [our afflictions] well", and "God shall exalt [us] on high. [We shall] triumph over all [our] foes." (Doctrine and Covenants 121:8)
How do we endure our afflictions well? What will we do when times get tough, when we need him the most?
I would like to share an insight that I gained this week as I studied the 1 Nephi 1-5.
Nephi, one of he first prophets in the Book of Mormon, was an incredible example of faith and trust in God. Nephi had "seen many afflictions in the course of [his] days", yet he knew he had been "highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God." (1 Nephi 1:1).
This "knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God" is what set him apart from his elder brothers, Laman and Lemuel. From an early age each of them had heard the words of their father as he taught them the truths of the gospel, but Nephi pondered upon them and they sank deep into his heart and he became "highly favored of the Lord".
Nephi was told by his father that he had dreamed a dream in which he was commanded to tell his sons to return to Jerusalem and retrieve the brass plates from Laban. Laban was a notable citizen of Jerusalem who commanded great wealth and many servants (wikipedia: Laban - Book of Mormon). The brass plates contained "the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of [his] fathers. (See 1 Nephi 3:3) It was critical to Lehi and his family that they have the teachings contained on the brass plates in order to preserve the language of their fathers and the word of God.
Speaking of the brass plates, Elder Bruce R McConkie said "The value of the Brass Plates to the Nephites cannot be overestimated. By means of them they were able to preserve the language (1 Ne. 3:19), most of the civilization, and the religious knowledge of the people from whence they came.
"From prophet to prophet and generation to generation the Brass Plates were handed down and preserved by the Nephites. (Mosiah 1:16; 28:20; 3 Ne. 1:2.) At some future date the Lord has promised to bring them forth, undimmed by time and retaining their original brightness, and the scriptural accounts recorded on them are to ‘go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
So we see that the brass plates were not only important to Lehi and his family but to every nation, kindred, tongue and people!
Lehi told his son, Nephi, that his brothers had murmured, "saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them". However, it was not something that Lehi was commanding them to do, "but it is a commandment of the Lord." (1 Nephi 3:5)
Nephi responded with the words found in a well known scripture, "I, Nephi, said unto my 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).
Nephi and his brothers took up their journey into the wilderness back up to the land of Jerusalem. It was a dangerous and difficult journey of over 180 miles (See Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 2).
Upon arriving outside the walls of the City of Jerusalem Nephi and his brethren did consult with one another and cast lots to determine who would go into the city to ask Laban for the brass plates.
The lot fell up on Laman who went into the city and asked Laban for the plates. This didn't work out so well for Laman. Laban was angry and did not give him the plates. He called Laman a robber and threatened his life. Laman ran out of the city and joined his brothers outside of the city walls. (See 1 Nephi 3:10-13)
In the next verse we see that all of the sons of Lehi, even Nephi himself started to get discouraged. 1 Nephi 3:14 says "And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in the wilderness." Even Nephi began to be exceedingly sorrowful.
This is where we should ask ourselves the following question: How would I react in the situation that the sons of Lehi faced after one of their brothers has been thrust out of the presence of Laban with a threat to his life?
We know that the Lord had commanded them to go and get the plates, and they knew it. We know that they had attempted and had failed and their very lives were in danger.
This was one of the points when they needed the Lord the most.
Even though Nephi was feeling exceedingly sorrowful, when he saw that his brothers were about to return to their father in the wilderness, he said the following, "But behold I said unto them that: 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."
This is where Nephi really proved his faith in the Lord. He was absolutely determined to accomplish the thing which he Lord had commanded him. He would not return to his father until he had done so.
The story continues and they make another attempt, this time coming up with a bit more of a strategy of their own, to "go down to the land of our father’s inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches." (1 Nephi 3:16) They would seek to exchange their father's riches for the brass plates. This attempt proved to be a failure as well. Laban took possession of their riches and threatened all of their lives.
When Nephi finally decides that if he wants it done right, he will have to do it himself (my words, not his). He goes alone and was "led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do." (1 Nephi 4:6)
By relying on the Lord he was able to accomplish the thing that the Lord had commanded him, for the Lord "delivered [Laban] into his hands." (1 Nephi 4:11) Nephi had to exercise great faith to accomplish the thing that he had been commanded.
When we are discouraged, when things are at their worst, will we continue to put our trust in the Lord and find the way that he has prepared? Will be seek the guidance of the Spirit to help us find the way?
I share with you my testimony that when are in the midst of our greatest trials, when we need Him most, if we rely on the Lord and follow the promptings of the Spirit we can accomplish much more than we otherwise could! Many times we will not be able to see the end result from the beginning, but the Lord in his perfect knowledge will prepare the way as we press forward with faith.
This "knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God" is what set him apart from his elder brothers, Laman and Lemuel. From an early age each of them had heard the words of their father as he taught them the truths of the gospel, but Nephi pondered upon them and they sank deep into his heart and he became "highly favored of the Lord".
Nephi was told by his father that he had dreamed a dream in which he was commanded to tell his sons to return to Jerusalem and retrieve the brass plates from Laban. Laban was a notable citizen of Jerusalem who commanded great wealth and many servants (wikipedia: Laban - Book of Mormon). The brass plates contained "the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of [his] fathers. (See 1 Nephi 3:3) It was critical to Lehi and his family that they have the teachings contained on the brass plates in order to preserve the language of their fathers and the word of God.
Speaking of the brass plates, Elder Bruce R McConkie said "The value of the Brass Plates to the Nephites cannot be overestimated. By means of them they were able to preserve the language (1 Ne. 3:19), most of the civilization, and the religious knowledge of the people from whence they came.
"From prophet to prophet and generation to generation the Brass Plates were handed down and preserved by the Nephites. (Mosiah 1:16; 28:20; 3 Ne. 1:2.) At some future date the Lord has promised to bring them forth, undimmed by time and retaining their original brightness, and the scriptural accounts recorded on them are to ‘go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
So we see that the brass plates were not only important to Lehi and his family but to every nation, kindred, tongue and people!
Lehi told his son, Nephi, that his brothers had murmured, "saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them". However, it was not something that Lehi was commanding them to do, "but it is a commandment of the Lord." (1 Nephi 3:5)
Nephi responded with the words found in a well known scripture, "I, Nephi, said unto my 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).
Nephi and his brothers took up their journey into the wilderness back up to the land of Jerusalem. It was a dangerous and difficult journey of over 180 miles (See Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 2).
Upon arriving outside the walls of the City of Jerusalem Nephi and his brethren did consult with one another and cast lots to determine who would go into the city to ask Laban for the brass plates.
The lot fell up on Laman who went into the city and asked Laban for the plates. This didn't work out so well for Laman. Laban was angry and did not give him the plates. He called Laman a robber and threatened his life. Laman ran out of the city and joined his brothers outside of the city walls. (See 1 Nephi 3:10-13)
In the next verse we see that all of the sons of Lehi, even Nephi himself started to get discouraged. 1 Nephi 3:14 says "And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in the wilderness." Even Nephi began to be exceedingly sorrowful.
This is where we should ask ourselves the following question: How would I react in the situation that the sons of Lehi faced after one of their brothers has been thrust out of the presence of Laban with a threat to his life?
We know that the Lord had commanded them to go and get the plates, and they knew it. We know that they had attempted and had failed and their very lives were in danger.
This was one of the points when they needed the Lord the most.
Even though Nephi was feeling exceedingly sorrowful, when he saw that his brothers were about to return to their father in the wilderness, he said the following, "But behold I said unto them that: 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."
This is where Nephi really proved his faith in the Lord. He was absolutely determined to accomplish the thing which he Lord had commanded him. He would not return to his father until he had done so.
The story continues and they make another attempt, this time coming up with a bit more of a strategy of their own, to "go down to the land of our father’s inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches." (1 Nephi 3:16) They would seek to exchange their father's riches for the brass plates. This attempt proved to be a failure as well. Laban took possession of their riches and threatened all of their lives.
When Nephi finally decides that if he wants it done right, he will have to do it himself (my words, not his). He goes alone and was "led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do." (1 Nephi 4:6)
By relying on the Lord he was able to accomplish the thing that the Lord had commanded him, for the Lord "delivered [Laban] into his hands." (1 Nephi 4:11) Nephi had to exercise great faith to accomplish the thing that he had been commanded.
When we are discouraged, when things are at their worst, will we continue to put our trust in the Lord and find the way that he has prepared? Will be seek the guidance of the Spirit to help us find the way?
I share with you my testimony that when are in the midst of our greatest trials, when we need Him most, if we rely on the Lord and follow the promptings of the Spirit we can accomplish much more than we otherwise could! Many times we will not be able to see the end result from the beginning, but the Lord in his perfect knowledge will prepare the way as we press forward with faith.
