1 Nephi Chapter 8

Lehi's Dream

Lehi started out his dream in a "dark and dreary wasteland". To get out of it he began to pray unto the Lord and he asked for mercy. I think that our dark and dreary wasteland is any time that we are in spiritual darkness. The only way out of it is through prayer, scripture study and trying to get closer to our Heavenly Father.

Reading this very familiar story...I liken myself to the different paths of the dream. I've held on to the iron rod and tasted of the fruit. I've been lost in the midst of darkenss. I've eaten the fruit and been ashamed (not truly ashamed but not willing to share it with other because of what they might think of me). The only one I haven't been is the person in the great and spacious building mocking everyone (I'm not the mocking type). As I think about my journey in life I'm grateful for my struggle. I feel like it is making me a stronger, more understanding person. But it also makes me want to be the one on the straight and narrow path, clinging tightly to the iron rod.

v. 30 "...he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree."

What I don't want is to ever get so lost that I am lost forever.

1 Nephi Chapter 7

Well tonight was going to be another night where I could spend an hour on the computer but say to myself that I had to much to do and needed to get to bed because it is late. Well, no excuses!

So my first thought in reading this chapter is...I wonder how the daughters of Ishmael felt. Were they happy to get husbands? I can't imagine they being very excited to journey in the desert!

Then two of the daughters, Nephi's brothers and two of the brothers of Ishmael rebelled and wanted to go back to Jerusalem. My first thought is...LET THEM GO! It will serve them right because they will get brought into captivity when Jerusalem is taken over. It would have save Lehi & his family so much grief if they would have just let them go.

As I read on...Nephi does give them the choice. He reminds them the Jerusalem will be destoyed "And you shall also perish with them. And now if ye have choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit of the Lord contraineth me that I should speak."

Then the brothers get mad and tie Nephi up and Nephi prays and the Lord loosens the rope and he is freed. They get mad and try again but the daughters of Ishmael plead with them and they feel bad and apologize. If they didn't believe Nephi so much, why did they try to hurt him. Why didn't they just go back?

In verses 10-12 Nephi mentioned that they forgot about the angel, forgot about how they were delivered out of Labans hands, and forgot about all the things God can do. So what experiences in my life have I forgotten at times?
1. I forget all the times I've felt the spirit testify of the truthfulness of the gospel: testimony meetings, in the temple, EFY, Youthconferece & girls camp. All the times I've prayed and recieved answer.
2. The peacful feeling of truth I've felt in the temple. (I haven't been for over a year...one of my goals for April is to go to the Temple)
3. I've forgotten the guidence I used to get in reading my patriarchal blessing. It used to help me guide my life...but hasn't really for some time. I'm going to read that tomorrow.