DAY 2: Value the Scriptures

Tyler and I went camping last night and had a lovely time. I sure love our mountains so close. There is something so magical about getting used to new scratches, dirty and camp fire smelling clothes, and that feeling of just a wee bit sun burned. After we packed up camp we found a beautiful place next to the river to read. As we were passing the river in the car I hear Tyler say, "Oh Lamen that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness" (1 Nephi 2:9) Okay, it wasn't spelled out quite so articulate as that (not even with my help), between the both of us is came out something like, "Laman...river...righteousness...notwithstanding...murmur...tree...hula hoop...shape up you ding nut...flowing...forever in righteousness." Okay, focusing on the bigger picture here...these people didn't have TV, organized sports, video games, etc. their analogies were based on what they could relate to. Nature in its purity is an often overlooked powerful example of our Heavenly Father's wisdom and grace. I was grateful to witness that for myself, we feel asleep to the sound of a rushing river and woke up to the same "continu[ous] running fountain."

Reading:
1Nephi 4-6

Scripture of the Day:

 21 And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great ^aworth unto us, insomuch that we could ^bpreserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.

 22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.

Thoughts: 
 1. Lehi's family sure went through a lot to get the plates, it wasn't until after all of those trials were they able to open them up and read what they contained. It was then they were able to say something like, "Huh, look at that, God was right again. It was worth the chaos. Sure glad we listened."

2. Do you notice that when Lehi's family is saved from harm immediately after it talks about them going to offer up sacrifices? Which to me says they went to the temple purely to praise and thank God for his goodness and blessing of safety, awesome perspective. (1 Ne. 5:9, 1 Ne. 7:22, evidently I read ahead, whoops.)

3. After Nephi dresses up like Laban after he kills him (woah), he disguises his voice to fool Zoram into thinking he is Laban...the real deal. I always thought this was a little comical. Really, how many people do you know that can convincingly fake a voice and fool you? I know that we're all a little jaded these days because of the ridiculous abilities of technology and special effects, but Zoram seemed convinced, he went back and got the plates and was happy to hand them over. Remember this story from early church history? 

At a meeting of the Church on 8 August 1844, Sidney Rigdon gave an hour-and-a-half-long speech on why he should be the leader of the Church. Brigham Young then gave a short talk, and while he spoke a miracle occurred. To the people in the audience, Brigham Young suddenly looked and sounded like Joseph Smith. Zina Huntington said of this experience: “President Young was speaking. It was the voice of Joseph Smith—not that of Brigham Young. His very person was changed. … I closed my eyes. I could have exclaimed, I know that is Joseph Smith’s voice! Yet I knew he had gone.” George Q. Cannon said, “It was the voice of Joseph himself; … it seemed in the eyes of the people as though it was the very person of Joseph which stood before them.” Wilford Woodruff declared, “If I had not seen him with my own eyes, there is no one that could have convinced me that it was not Joseph Smith speaking” (quoted in Church History in the Fulness of Times, p. 292). 

 

I don't know what caused Zoram to respond without doubt to the costumed Nephi, but I do know that Laban was delivered into his hands, and that God's plan was to get the plates back into the hands of His prophet. Our Heavenly Father magnifies our abilities, I can imagine Nephi thinking, "Okay I've got to do something with my voice to be more convincing, here goes nothing."  He opens his mouth and then God steps in. He recognizes Nephi's faith and helps him move the mountain before him. Nothing will stop God from fulfilling his purposes. 

Job 42: 1-2

 1 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

 2 I know that thou canst ^ado ^bevery thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.