Day 7

1 Nephi 17-18

It's summer and I'm working all day inside. Bleh. But I did get to spend the day with some of my favorite teachers. It is always wonderful to spend time with people that make you smile and who make you want to be a better person.

I really don't feel like cooking the chicken meal that is ready to go. Chicken still gives me the shivers some days. Peru...I blame you. The worst food poisoning I've ever had. Ever. So horrible. 

So updating the blog wins out. 

Scripture of the Day: 

 15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to ^asee that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

 16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did ^apraise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

 Thoughts:

The Lord told Nephi to build a ship. A ship, not whittle an arrow out of wood, or even build a shelter for his family. He built a ship. The chapters begin by telling that the women of the group are still able to nurse their babies because of the raw meat they've been able to consume. Delicious. They are in the middle of nowhere, no malls near, no internet, no golf courses. They are stuck out there waiting for direction when they are instructed to build a ship. I just don't know how excited I would be about this idea.

Nephi doesn't blink an eye, he asks where he should get ore to make tools to start building, and he never stops. His brothers mock him the whole time, he then confounds and shocks them through the power of God. The ship is built.


So there they are staring at the ship he's built and his hard headed brothers do not see the miracle they are standing in. They riot, tie him up and nearly kill their brother. Through the pleas of his wife, children and loved ones they are finally convinced that they should untie him. How is it that Nephi doesn't complain? How does he continue to praise God? He's done everything correct and is still burdened with such pain because of his brothers, yet he doesn't ever blame God. He never shows bitterness, he is always faithful. He always has every reason to freak out, but he can see far past it, his vision is greater than his present moment. I would have had a few words for my brothers that were not uttered "when moved upon by the spirit," man, would I be ticked. More it probably would be a pity party, a me moment to just complain about all the things that had gone wrong.

Nephi does not stop but picks up the Liahona and sees that it is now starting to work. He starts to direct his family toward the promised land. There is no rest for this man. He's been asked to rise to the occasion and he's risen. Why did God put him through it? Why were Lamen and Lemuel even sent to Lehi's family, they are horrible.

"Why's" can be asked until we're blue in the face, and are usually completely out of our control. What I've come to realize is that there are so many other things in life that are within our control we can focus on instead, and that is where we can start to feel God's love for us even more profoundly.