Lehi's dream

I know I'm reading in 2 Nephi these days, but as I was reading in the scripture stories with the kids tonight, I was struck with something from Lehi's dream I had never thought about before, so I went back and read it:

5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

It really touched me that Lehi travelled in darknes for many hours before the Lord helped him. To me this represents that we all go through trials and actually struggle with them before Heavenly Father gives us an answer. Its a search, a labor for the truth. Sure Heavenly Father could just hand us the answer right away, but we all know what happens with children who get everything handed to them. Do they really appreciate it? Do they really learn? And the purpose for our being here on earth is precisely for learning and growth. Sometimes I just wishing the lessons weren't so hard. :/

But I am sure glad to have company in trial, struggle and learning. :)

Beauty in Isaiah and Elder Holland's Testimony

2 Nephi 17:2

"And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind."

I love this analogy of the hearts of the people being moved like the trees by the wind. If you think about the gentle swaying of giant redwoods in the forest, how they move so subtley and smoothly... just like the Holy Ghost touching our hearts in such a subtle yet powerful way. The force of those trees could probably do some damage, and yet its still gentle and soft.

One thing about Isaiah is each verse is like poetry; a little story contained inside each one.. so easy to get caught up in the meaning of the individual verse and not what they all mean together. Or at least trying to figure out what each verse means alone, or the chapter as a whole for that matter!

2 Nephi 18:13-14:

"Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

Elder Holland referred to this scripture in his talk during conference this weekend so it caught my eye when I read it today. I remember thinking it was interesting when he said the Book of Mormon was a stumbling block like they talked about in the scriptures, because men would have to go over it in order to leave the church. So true. And what a profound testiomony he bore yesterday about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith's mission!! I loved when he quoted his grandfather I think it was, "no wicked man could write such a book as this, and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so." Also when he mentioned how Joseph Smith bore strong testimony, even til death of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Would a lying man be so concerned to seal his death with his lies? No, but a prophet of God would be so concerned to seal his death with his testimony. And Elder Holland certainly proclaimed his testimony to the world yesterday. I just listened to it once again on lds.org. Its lengthy, but so profound.

"When Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum started for Carthage, to face what they knew would be an imminent martyrdom, Hyrum read these words of comfort to the heart of his brother: "Thou hast been faithful, wherefore thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place with which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I Moroni bid farewell, until we shall meet before the judgement seat of Christ.

...Later, when actually incarcerated in the jail, Joseph the prophet turned to the guards who held him captive and bore a powerful testimony of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Shortly thereafter, pistol and ball would take the lives of these two testators. As one of a thousand elements of my own testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon, I submit this as yet one more evidence of its truthfulness, in this their greatest and last hour of need, I ask you, would these men blaspheme before God by continuing to fix their lives, their honor, and their own search for eternal salvation on a book, and by implication a church and a ministry they had fictitiously created out of whole cloth? Never mind that their wives are about to be widows and their children fatherless, never mind that their little band of followers will yet be houseless, homeless and and friendless, and that their children will leave footprints of blood across frozen rivers and an untamed prairie floor. Never mind that legions will die and other legions live declaring in the four quarters of this earth that they know the Book of Mormon and the church which espouses it to be true. Disregard all of that, and tell me, whether in this hour of death, these two men would enter the presence of their eternal judge, quoting from and finding solace in, a book, which if not the very word of God would brand them as imposters and charlatans until the end of time. THEY WOULD NOT DO THAT. They were willing to die, rather than deny the divine origin and the eternal truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. For 179 years, this book has been examined and attacked. Denied and deconstructed. Targeted and torn apart, like perhaps no other book in religious history. Perhaps like no other book in any religious history, and still it stands. Failed theories about its origins have been born, parroted and died. From Ethan Smith to Solomon Spalding to deranged paranoid to cunning genius. None of these frankly pathetic answers for this book has ever withstood examination. Because there is no other answer, than the one Joseph gave as its young, unlearned translator. In this I stand with my own great grandfather who said simply enough, 'no wicked man could write such a book as this, and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.' I testify, that one cannot come to full faith in this latter day work, and thereby find the fullest measure of peace and comfort in these our times, until he or she embraces the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the Lord Jesus Christ of whom it testifies. If anyone is foolish enough, or misled enough, to reject 531 pages of a heretofore unknown text, teeming with literary and semitic complexity, without honestly attempting to account for the origin of those pages somehow, especially without accounting for their powerful witness of Jesus Christ, and the profound spiritual impact that witness has had on what is now tens of millions of readers-- if thats the case then such persons, elect or otherwise have been deceived. And if they leave this church, they must do so by crawling over, or under, or around, the Book of Mormon, to make their exit. In that sense, the Book is what Christ Himself was said to be, 'a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.' A barrier in the path to one who wishes not to believe in this work."

Wow. Can a testimony get any more powerful than that?

Lost in Isaiah... and Questions!

I'm still reading in Isaiah, and despite some of my new insights I am still so lost! Probably doesn't help that I have gotten out of the habit of reading my scriptures every day. So I have a question for any one who is actually reading this blog.... What do you do to keep up your scripture reading habit? What time of the day works for you? Any other thoughts?

2 Nephi stuff

Well today I reread a few chapters that I had read last week because I couldn't really remember what they were about. Good thing I did because I learned some cool stuff. Remember when I posed this question...

Why are the quoted chapters of Isaiah exactly the same in the Book of Mormon as the Old Testament? If they were once plain and precious, wouldn't Nephi's also be plain and precious? Are they exactly the same because the LDS version of the Bible used the quoted versions from the Book of Mormon? Maybe this is the more plain and precious version! I have always wondered about that. Does anybody know??

Well I was fascinated to find a partial answer in the footnotes for 2 Nephi 12:2 today:

"Comparison with the King James Bible in English shows that there are differences in more than half of the 433 verses of Isaiah quoted in the Book of Mormon, while about 200 verses have the same wording as KJV."

WhAt?!? There actually are differences in how Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon from the actual Book of Isaiah? I was sure glad I was reading my actual Book of Mormon today instead of the online version, otherwise I would have never caught that. My eye was drawn down to the bottom of my scriptures because it was such a long footnote. And with a little more searching I found a few more verses that were worded differently. The thing is though, they were only worded slightly differently like one or two words in the whole verse. For example, 2 Nephi 12:2--

"2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, ^awhen the ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be established in the top of the ^dmountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it."

Now Isaiah 2:2--

"2 And it shall come to pass in the ^alast days, that the ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be ^destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all ^enations shall flow unto it."

Very subtle difference in the words "when" and "that." So I feel my question isn't fully answered because they are still so similar! How can that be if the Bible was changed so much? I am starting to wonder if the KJV version of Isaiah really does have the plain and precious things taken out of it, like I had previously assumed... Maybe this is just how Isaiah wrote, so that only those truly in tune to the Spirit and desirous to understand would get what he was trying to say. And like beautiful poetry, would find his words so symoblic and varied in meaning that it would capture the essence of the gospel with so much more depth than just coming out saying, ok this is how it is... Follow steps A through Z and you will make it to heaven. I wonder??

Another great thing I found out with a little more searching is that the actual cross references to 2 Nephi 12-24 are quite different than those of Isaiah 2-14. It was so cool to see different insights in each version. Now I can get twice the help and understanding for Isaiah that I so desperately need!

Something New- 2 Nephi 5

So I learned in this chapter that Nephi really did have sisters. I remember in the Living Scriptures cartoon there is a little girl, but I didn't know if she was just historical fiction... I guess not (v 6).

My favorite verse in this chapter is v 27... "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."

That verse says so much and makes me wonder so much at the same time. It comments on how important happiness is to Nephi. It illustrates the fact that Nephi chooses to be happy even through all that he has experienced. He never appears to wallow in self pity even with how his brothers treated him, how hard things were in the wilderness, and despite the fact that the Lamanites are already bringing war on his people.

But it also raises the question, what does happiness mean to Nephi and his people? What brings their happiness? It is interesting that right after he talks about the Lamanites being a scourge to his people to stir them up unto remembrance, he says they lived after the manner of happiness. Rather humorous. Nephi really is a funny guy if you think about it.

His innermost desires- 2 Nephi 4

This is absolutely one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. As soon as Nephi says "...upon these [plates] I write the things of my soul," I become so curious to what those things are. What are Nephi's most innermost thoughts and feelings? This righteous unwavering man that has been through so much tribulation in his life? He shares his innermost spiritual feelings in this chapter, and I love it.

"For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.

24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

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.

31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, therock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen."

I know that was a lot to quote, but I just couldn't leave any of it out. I love it all. It is all so poignant, so tender. I love how He describes the feeling of the love of the Lord. How it has consumed his flesh and carried him upon high mountains, and made him strong before his enemies. I love how he much he loves the scriptures and the gospel. How he ponders them "continually," and how he is constantly trying to relate them to his life and understand every aspect of what the Lord could be trying to teach. Nephi seems like such a humble, faithful man. And yet he is discouraged by his sinfulness...?? I can't imagine. But I guess this is what makes him real. He does make mistakes. I'm sure they are not as bad as mine, but at least he knows he's not perfect. In fact, he is painfully aware of his imperfections... even to the point of being in the "valley of sorrow."

I guess if we could find one sin of Nephi's in this chapter we could look at how he talks about his so called enemies. He talks in v. 22 about how the Lord has confounded his enemies. It seems rather humorous to me that he refers to Laman and Lemuel as his enemies. I mean who else would he be talking about? Its all his family from here on out. Then in revealing some of his greatest wishes, he says in v. 33, "Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy." How funny is that? Please Lord, make life harder for Laman and Lemuel, and easier for me. But who knows, maybe he just wants the Lord to make his brothers "stumble" so that it will take them longer to catch up to him once he gets away from them.

2 Nephi 1- Wake up already!!

I've been a little lazy with my scripture reading and recording lately. You would think I would read and write more on Sundays..? But not this Sunday. Oh well.

I'm excited to be moving on to 2 Nephi, and I love this first chapter. Lehi's family has arrived in the promised land, and Nephi has been trying to teach his brothers and their families... maybe one last effort to change their hearts before he takes off on his own? Well, Lehi sure puts in his last effort before he passes away. He basically says, wake up already!! Stop being weighed down and blinded by the heavy chains of sin! Get up and dust off your clothes and get your butts in gear already!! Very bold... and yet I can almost see the tenderness in the eyes of Lehi as he is begging his sons, whom he still loves so much, his body weary with worry and age. I love when Nephi says "he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent," (1 Ne 8:37), and in this chapter when Lehi says "hear the words of a trembling parent," it helps me picture the love and concern Lehi had for his undeserving sons. And how much more does Heavenly Father love us, even when we make mistakes... and desire for us to come back to Him! Here are my fav verses of the chapter...

13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

14 Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the eway of all the earth.

23 Awake, my sons; put on the armor of arighteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

24 Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea, and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you.

25 And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

26 And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.

I think we can all relate, pleading with our children. The deep desire we have for them to really understand the gospel, to love it the way we do, to make right decisions, without us making them for them! Its sometimes hard to let our kids make their own choices, especially when they fail. I know it is for me! Some kids more than others, I just want to take them by the hand and show (or tell!) them exactly what to do!! Ugh. I tried it, they don't listen. I have to let go more. Even though I don't wanna.