Mosiah 18

This is a favorite scripture. I may or may not have posted about it before, but I have thought about it a lot over the years.

Mosiah 18: 21

And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
As we grow to embody the principles of unity in this scripture, we must start where we are. It is not possible for us to sincerely love and serve every person on the earth in a meaningful way. There are too many. But we may begin to love and serve specific individuals. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a program in place to facilitate the development of this type of uniting love. It is called home and visiting teaching. Home teachers are responsible for a number of families or individuals (typically one to four). It is in this program that they we have the opportunity to knit our hearts together in love and unity, with each relationship a home or visiting teacher developes with each other member of the congregation being another stitch. Eventually as members fulfill these assignments faithfully the individual stitches begin to form a web of interconnected relationships that bind each congregation together as well as binding the congregations to other congregations. The goal is that each member of the church feel that they are valued, and that they have a meaningful place in the greater whole. Additionally because every home and visiting teacher is called to represent the Savior Jesus Christ, the relationships they form with the members they visit not only bind them to one another, but bind both the teacher and the taught to the Savior. As home and visiting teachers faithfully shoulder the responsibility to do and say as the savior would do and say, as directed by the spirit, the interconnected web of relationships is connected directly with Jesus Christ and with the powers of heaven. In this way we begin to knit our hearts together in unity and in love.
Because we represent the savior we bear the burdens of pain, sickness, and sin that those we visit suffer. The blessings of faithfully fulfilling these callings include that we will heal one another's bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. This is perhaps the most effective way that we have to combat problems of pornography, homosexuality, and other problems that have recently tended to divide us against one another. We must take those that struggle with these and other difficult issues and put them on our shoulders, we must carry them in an attitude of love and acceptance, not of the behaviors, but of the individuals, despite their behaviors.
Through faithful home and visiting teaching we will build Zion. Not only in the sense that we will strengthen the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but also in the sense that we will cultivate within that community a culture that will purify our hearts and lay the foundations for lasting world peace and equality.

2 Nephi 7

Sometimes when I read Isaiah I get confused. I get confused for lots of reasons but in particular today I was confused as to whether Isaiah was talking about himself or about Jesus. The chapter heading answered that question for me. It says that in this chapter Isaiah is speaking Messianically, or in other words, that he is speaking about the Messiah. Then I had this question: Why did Jacob (this chapter is part of a longer discourse given by Jacob to the people of nephi) and Nephi (who decided to include Jacob's discourse in his records) feel that this was important for their people? And why is it important for us to have now?

I thought perhaps maybe the reason that Isaiah gave the prophecies originally was so that when the Messiah came his people would be able to recognize him. But the people of Nephi would not need to recognize the messiah, because when he visited them he didn't come as a man, and there was no mistaking. And for us in our day the messiah has already come we can compare the things we read in Isaiah to what we know of Jesus and in that way it can help us recognize the messiah, but I think that there is a more important reason that these prophecies are so important.

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom though hast sent.

Salvation, or eternal life, comes through coming to know Christ and God. In this way all people in all periods of time need to be able to "recognize" the messiah. Not to identify him with an actual living person as the better part of the Jews failed to do when Jesus was on the earth. But to come to know who he is, to understand his character and his qualities, and then also to emulate them. One reason it's important to know God and to know Christ is so that we know who we are supposed to be. And so we have these scriptures from Isaiah that tell us about the Messiah.

2 Nephi 7:6-7

I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

So we learn about the type of man God is. His willingness to submit to the shame of man and his faith in God. Perhaps this is an example of what it means to "endure it well" (D&C 121:8). And this is just a couple versus. Isaiah, and the rest of the scriptures, filled with insights into the characteristics of Christ. Which is of course, one reason we read them.

2 Nephi 3

The Lord has shown time and again that he is able to do miraculous things with ordinary people. This chapter talks about prophesies that Joseph of Egypt gave concerning the future of his people. One speaks of Moses:

2 Nephi 3:17

And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for him.

It occurred to me here that Moses' job could have been done by just about anybody. The Lord gave him a rod and a spokesman and wrote unto him his law. Moses was a great prophet, I think anyone would have a hard time arguing otherwise, but after reading this scripture I think his major qualification was that he was willing to go where the Lord asked him to go, and do what the Lord asked him to do. And because of his faith, the Lord was able to make something great out of his service.

The Book of Mormon is an interesting example of this principle. Those of us who have read it and believe it will testify as I do that it has had a powerful effect on our lives. Personally the book of Mormon has changed my life in several ways and it was through reading the Book of Mormon and then applying the principles therein that I gained a true testimony of Jesus Christ and the power of the atonement. The book is powerful, but many of it's authors complained that they were not able to write much because of the awkwardness of engraving on plates. (Jacob 4:1 ,Ether 12:24) And Moroni went on to say that he was afraid that people would make fun of his words.

Ether 12:25

Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.

Yet the Book of Mormon has had a powerful effect on millions of people. Well this chapter in 2 Nephi explains why.

2 Nephi 3:21

Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

Because they had the faith to make the record, and faith that it would reach their descendants God has made something mighty out of their weakness. I thought as I reached the end of this chapter that if I wanted to, I could be like that. If I just went to work. I just started doing something... anything good. We don't need a special calling for God to take our ordinary efforts and make them extraordinary... we just need to make some effort.

1 Nephi 22

1 Nephi 22: 8, 9

And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders. And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

OK so when I read this I pretty much felt like it is referring to temple work. First because in our time God has made known unto us the covenants that he made with Abraham and we make the same covenants in the temple. When we are sealed to our spouse or family in the temple we make the same covenant that if we are faithful we will have an endless increase.

But specifically this scripture refers to the part of the Abrahamic covenant where God promised Abraham that through his seed all of the nations of the earth would be blessed. I think most of the time that is seen as referring to Jesus, which fits because he came through Abraham's seed and he blessed all the families and people of the earth through his atonement. However this scripture is referring to a great and marvelous work that will be done after the time of Christ. I think that this is again referring to temples. In the temple we work vicariously for all of the people that have ever lived on this earth. All families of the earth will be sealed together for eternity creating an unbroken chain from Adam to our day. Essentially, individual families will be sealed together but also the entire human family will be connected, in a literal and spiritual way, through the power of the priesthood. We will all be gathered into one family, with one Father in heaven. And it will be brought to pass through the seed of Abraham, this is part of the covenant. Hence the churches mission to preach the gospel and to redeem the dead.

1 Nephi 18

In life, for some reason we have this idea that justice prevails. At least I do. I'm used to seeing the good guys win in comic books, in cartoons, in movies. And though I might claim that in real life the good guys don't always win, I don't really believe it. This is partly augmented by the gospel. I am taught that the Lord's work will prevail, and though I truly believe that it will, I think that a problem arises when people like me begin to associate righteousness with power, specifically temporal power, or man's idea of power. I think it's safe to say that western culture in general makes this association to some extent. As I mentioned, our good guys are always more powerful than our bad guys. This is what I was thinking about when I read this chapter in Nephi.

1 Nephi 18:11, 17
And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

The story in this chapter is a story of the mutiny at sea and it's an example when the wicked have power over the righteous. Or do they? Maybe one problem is the way that we view power. I think most of us, myself included would look at Nephi bound hand and foot and call him powerless. We would see Laman and Lemeul breathing out threatenings to all those who come to Nephi's aid (1 Nephi 17:17) and we think that they are in power, that they are controlling the situation. But maybe this isn't the way that God sees power. Maybe to God, who sees the end from the beginning, who has all knowledge and all power, there is no difference between the mortals who think they are in control and the mortals who think they are not. The scripture said that the lord suffered it "that he might show forth his power..." To me, that is the point: the Lord that has power, and we don't.

This isn't the first time in the book of Nephi that Laman and Lemuel have bound Nephi.

1 Nephi 7:17-18
But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound. And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

At first glance this may seem like it has a different outcome and I think we tend to focus on the difference in the amount of time it takes for Nephi to be released from his bonds. In this story it's immediate where in the other it takes 4 days, but I think that the message of both of the stories is similar.

Nephi prays for the strength to burst his bands. He asks for the power to free himself. This in itself follows the temporal idea of power, "If I was stronger, I could break these bands." But instead, God looses his bands so that they just fall off of him. There can be no mistake as to who freed Nephi, no way for him to claim that he broke the bands himself. In this way both stories are examples of God showing men that he is the one with the power. In this instance the Lord was showing his power to Nephi, in the other when the ship was almost destroyed (1 Nephi 18:20) He was showing his power to Laman and Lemuel.

So while God is powerful and man is not, this doesn't mean man is not completely powerless. We have access to the Lord's power in as much as we align ourselves with the Lord. Most people probably agree with this statement on paper but the real life application can be more difficult, because all of us humans tend to seek for control over our environments according to our will and pleasure.

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 39

We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

But this is not the way the Lord deals with us. Though he has all power he allows us to chose and seldom intervenes. He does not compel us to righteousness because compelling others is contrary to God's law.

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 37

...When we undertake to cover our sins, to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion, or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.

God exercises his own power according to the principles he gives in Doctrine and Covenants 121.

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 41

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

Power or influence should only be maintained through persuasion, through long-suffering, through gentleness and meekness, and through love unfeigned. I believe this is most applicable with our family relationships. This is where the greatest temptations are to exercise dominion or compulsion over other children of our Father in heaven.

Going back to the story of Nephi on the boat, God allowed Nephi to be bound. The words used are "the Lord did suffer it". This is something that we must all learn to do, to allow bad things to happen. Now, I am not suggesting that we just sit back and let the unrighteous dominate the righteous and I don't mean that we should ignore injustices, but I do mean that sometimes patiently suffering through injustices is the right thing to do. Indeed, patiently enduring our trials and even praying for our enemies is the Lord's path to power. Nephi practiced long suffering when he was bound hand and foot on the boat.

1 Nephi 18:16

Nevertheless, I did look unto my God and I did praise him all the day long and I did not murmur against the Lord because of my afflictions.

Other examples of long suffering can be found all throughout the scriptures but in the end the ultimate example is Jesus, who although he is God, he not only suffered all of the sins and weaknesses and pains of all mortals, but also allowed himself to be taken and crucified. Likewise, sometimes even when we are right, we may need to allow others to exercise their will upon us. We are not in control of the world.

In conclusion, often we take up the fight for righteousness and truth in an all too temporal way. We battle with men on man's terms, and we struggle for power with other men. But true power is not the ability to make someone else do something, or even to convince someone else to do something, true power is when you live in such a way, and when you love in such a way, that people will choose to follow you by themselves, even if it means they must follow you through all types of suffering.

And then...

Doctrine and Covenants 121:46
...thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

1 Nephi 12

I'm going to get a little theoretical here, potentially stepping beyond the bounds of established church doctrine. So feel free to ignore/disagree with me. I was asking myself one time how the Lord would judge all people in a single day. Now of course I understand that "day" could merely be referring to a period of time, but I was still very much impressed with the idea that every soul that has ever lived on this earth will have a period of judgment where he will be held accountable for his actions during his mortal life. That's still amazing to think about in terms of it's scope. There are a lot of people that have lived on this earth. I imagined a long line of people all waiting to see the Lord. But then I came across this scripture.

1 Nephi 12: 9-10

And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be judged of them; for ye are the house of Israel.

And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood.

This scripture states that the Twelve tribes of Israel will be judged by the twelve apostles of Jesus. And also that the 12 ministers chosen by Jesus from the people of Nephi will judge the people of Nephi, but that they will be judged by the twelve apostles because they are of the house of Israel. This creates a whole new picture of the judgment. I imagined that possibly we will be judged by our current twelve apostles. This led me to develop the theory that we in fact will be judged by our bishops or stake presidents, the same way that we are judged by them to see if we are worthy to enter the temple. Bishops are called to be judges in Israel after all (Doctrine and Covenants 107:72.) The Doctrine and Covenants also teaches us:

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38

What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

So, yes, I'm making the argument here that whether we are actually judged by the Lord, or we are judged by his servants it is the same. So my picture of the judgment here looks something like this. We are judged by our bishops and stake presidents who have been judged by the twelve apostles that gave them their calling who have been judged by Jesus. OK but what about the scripture that says "he employeth no servant there" I thought about that and I wasn't sure how to reconcile it with the scripture from 1 Nephi 12 (quoted above) so I actually took the time to find the scripture.

2 Nephi 9:41

O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

To me (and hopefully I'm not just saying this to back up my "point" because that's really not what this blog is about) the gate referred to in this scripture seems to not be an actual gate that we will stand before to be judged, but a metaphorical gate that we must pass through to get onto the path of righteousness (Similar metaphors have been made for baptism). So I would interpret this scripture as saying that Christ is the only person we can come to for salvation, that we cannot go to any of his servants or to any other person because it is only through Christ that we can be saved.

I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts.

1 Nephi 11

1 Nephi 11:5

And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.

This is a very simple scripture but it had great meaning for me today. As I read it I asked myself why Nephi didn't just say yes. Obviously he must have had a testimony that the Lord knew the thoughts and intents of his heart, that the Lord already knew that he believed in the words of his father. But what was significant to me was that because he understood that the Lord knew his heart, he could not lie. If he had doubts he would have had to answer "You knowest that I have doubts."

Imagine being Nephi. Can you answer the same, Lord you know that I believe? When I imagine myself in this situation I realize that I need to do some heart searching just to discover for myself what the Lord already knows. Perhaps this is why God asks questions he already knows the answer to, because he wants us to discover the answer for ourselves.

When we communicate with the Lord in prayer do we share our whole hearts with him? Or do we keep back a part of it? Do we admit to him and to ourselves that he already knows our innermost secrets, desires, and beliefs? All of us should take the time to quietly examine the contents of our hearts so that when we approach the Lord we can be on the same page. We will know what he knows, we will admit to him our doubts, our weaknesses, our strengths, and our desires both the righteous and unrighteous. Then we will be in a position to ask him to help us truly overcome those doubts and weaknesses instead of ignoring them, and to truly change those unrighteous desires. But it starts when we stop trying to hide things from Lord or from ourselves.