Don't refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly

Last night, our Relief Society had a great discussion about simplifying our lives. We were talking about technology and the great power it has to help us be organized, record our lives, find ideas, and reach out to others. As we spoke of positive and negative parts of technology, I was reminded of a warning our stake primary presidency had given us. They told us not to go to the internet for ideas for our sharing times before we went to the Lord. There are so many resources online with great ideas. It is easy to fall into the trap of not asking the Lord what the kids in our own ward need and instead finding a fun and exciting idea that may not meet the needs of those we teach.

This morning as I read in 2 Nephi 18 (which is also Isaiah 8,) I found that the Lord warned of the very same kind of thing for them, but on a physical level. I don't understand the history as well as I'd like, but I've been trying to learn about it. In chaper 17, we find that Israel (not Judah) whose king is Pekah and united with Rezin, king of Syria to come up against Judah, whose king is Ahaz (father of Hezakiah). Ahaz, threatened by this, turns to Tiglath-Pilezer, king of Assyria, and forms a treaty. Much of this is very confusing to me because of a few erroneous thoughts:

1. Assyria and Syria are not the same country

2. Israel is not the same as Judah. Israel is comprised of the 10 tribes, all but Judah and Benjamin. Israel is often referred to as Ephraim (see Bible Dictionary Israel, kingdom of) and for the past 200 years (since 925 BC) had been divided from Judah.

Remember that the head of Syria is Damascus (2 Nephi 17:8) that is destroyed just a few years later by Assyria (see http://moellerhaus.com/7-8.htm for interesting history and commentary.) Israel is also destroyed by Assyria shortly after this prophecy, thus scattering the 10 tribes.

Here is a list of all of the nations involved and their kings:

Judah: Ahaz

Syria: Rezin

Israel (the 10 tribes): Pekah (often referred to as Remaliah's son out of contempt- Isaiah couldn't even say his name he did such terrible things to Judah. See 2 Chronicles 28:5,6)

Assyria: Tiglath-Pilezer

It says in verses 6 and 7:

6Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of ^aShiloah that go softly, and rejoice in ^bRezin and Remaliah’s son;

7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of ^aAssyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.

The waters of Shiloah were from a spring outside of Jerusalem whose waters were later diverted into Hezakiah's tunnel and saved Jerusalem during a siege by providing water for Jerusalem.

Rather than trusting in the Lord to solve their problems, Ahaz made a treaty with Assyria. This brought them into subjugation to Assyria and soon caused the destruction of Damascus and Israel. But Judah was eventually saved by the waters of Shiloah.

I love the analogy of the waters of Shiloah that go softly as compared to the roaring, overflowing flood of the Assyrians who overflow all their banks. It reminds me of the warning from our primary stake presidency to seek the guidance of the spirit before we go to the internet for information. Today, we have the threat of spiritual destruction by an overflowing river of information that can drown out the promptings of the spirit. What happens to a small, softly flowing river when mixed with an overflowing river? It disappears. We need to remember to not refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly and drown ourselves instead in the overflowing river of information from the world.

The language and attitude of Praising the Lord

I'm beginning to notice something marvelous about Nephi. I have already mentioned that he seems to play a game of praising the Lord to get him through hard times. But it goes much deeper than that. He never mentions the Lord without an adjective. "the great creator," (2 Nephi 9:3) "The Lord God," (2 Nephi 9:5,6) "the eternal God," (2 Nephi 9:8), "the Holy One of Israel," (2 Nephi 9:12). It's not just in 2 Nephi 9. It's all the time for Nephi, like a natural offshoot of the love and reverence he feels for his God. And if he doesn't use an adjective, he makes God personal by saying "our God." Seldom does he simply mention his name in passing without a special classifier.

Nephi can't write more than a few verses without breaking out in praise, often beginning with "O". Looking at 2 Nephi 9, we see it over and over. Here is a list:

O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! (vs. 8)

O how great the goodness of our God who prepareth a way for our escape . . . (vs. 10)

O how great the plan of our God! (vs. 13)

O the greatness and the justice of our God! (vs. 17)

O the greatness and the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! (vs. 19)

O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it. (vs. 20)

Chapter 9 is likely a beautiful poem in the language in which it was written and follows a pattern of praising God and his plan, expressing sorrow for those who sin, and inviting us to repent. Maybe the way in which he refers to God is done so out of tradition. But I think it is also a mark that his constant praising of the Lord has become a part of his language.

My family went on a trip this past week and went church with my aunt. The sister who was teaching Relief Society was moving after being in the area for a long time. Her testimony of the Savior was palpable as she shared the many ways in which he had helped her through her trials. At the very end of the lesson, she gave us a pencil and asked us to write down what we would say to Christ if He were to be there in front of us. That exercise in faith was quite difficult. What would I say to Him if He were here? What would my attitude be toward him? Would I be so overcome with embarrassment that I hadn't gotten closer to him or that I had acted so often according to my own will and wisdom? After I had finished apologizing to Him, I think it would be natural to praise Him and his role in the plan that makes it okay that I am not perfect today.

This teacher then shared a story about a dream her sister had in which a large room was full of people where Christ sat at the head. In the room there were no words, only the air was thick with a feeling of compassion, sorrow, and love for Christ and his sacrifice. Then, she was led to another room where there were only two people. Christ sat on the same throne and there was a child in front of him. Yet the room was filled with the same palpable feeling of compassion, sorrow, and love. This time, the emotion was from Christ toward the child.

Nephi very likely knew that in a conversation with his Lord and Savior, the Holy one of Israel, mercy and compassion can change our apologetic repentance into praise. Personal experience probably led Nephi to write his psalm in 2 Nephi 4 that turns "O wretched man that I am" into "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."

Don't hang down your head

In 2nd Nephi 10, Jacob is talking to his people who seem discouraged to have been led out of the land of their inheritance, away from the rest of Israel and Jerusalem. It seems they felt the promises of the Lord didn't pertain to them on the far away isle of the sea to which they had been exiled. Jacob reminds them of the promises made to the covenant people, and reminds them in verse 20,

20And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our ^cpath, and we are upon an ^disle of the sea.

Rather than seeing the promised land as a blessing, they saw themselves as being cast off. God is so merciful and remembers us always. All too often, we see our blessings as being cast off because they are not the blessings we want or the blessings others have. We resist the changes in our lives and cling to old blessings we don't need for our growth anymore. Like the child with a pacifier or a favorite blankie, we can't give up something that has worn out its benefit to us. The Lord gradually weans us of useful but inaccurate attitudes and coping skills and swaps them for truth. The truth is sometimes hard and not nearly as comforting as our inaccurate pacifiers. But holding on to them keeps us from growing. Do not hang down your head for you are not cast off! You were LED to a better land- the Lord takes care of our paths and leads us to the blessings He wants us to have. Don't look back, but rather forward and consider your trials. How many of them are new territory the Lord is leading you to as a blessing he intends you to enjoy?

Personal Example in callings- 1 Corinthians 9

In a few weeks, I am in charge of talking to our primary teachers for five minutes about what import our example has on our teaching. We all know that "do as I say, not as I do," works miserably. I hear my own kids disciplining each other or dealing with frustration in the same way I do, and often, it makes me hang my head and wish I were better. Other times, I see them deal well with their problems and I feel proud of them and think, "Aren't they clever?"

This week, I was re-reading 1Nephi 20, and found the word declare used many times. I thought I'd follow the scriptures references for declare and came to some great verses in 1 Corinthians 9. Now, one worry our bishop has is that many people are coming to fulfill their callings, but skip sacrament all together (we have 9:00 church. After a full Saturday night, 9:00 is pretty difficult. I don't have full Saturday nights anymore. And I still have a hard time with 9:00, so I'm not trying to get on my high horse.) Here is the scripture I was led to in 1 Corinthians where Paul is speaking:

13Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

What a great image- those beautiful old people (no offense intended to anyone who is "old"- if you were offended, you're probably old), shining with the joy of living the fullness of gospel, working at the altars of the temple. They have learned to sacrifice and faithfulness to God and family. I was thinking that to"live of the things of the temple" meant to do the things we covenant to in the temple. The next day, I went back to read it again, and found it had dual meaning. Paul meant that the priests of his day literally lived of the sacrifices of the temple, or ate the meat from the sacrifices. (I would like to go back in time and do a study of the cardiovascular systems of Levites versus other Israelite tribes.) It means a full internalization or consumption of the things of the temple. They which preach the gospel should live of the gospel- on a superficial and a profound level.

Then, I was led to this scripture in 2 Corinthians 3:2:

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

Since we see ourselves so seldom, I think we trick ourselves into thinking that everyone sees us as we see ourselves. But we are so merciful to ourselves, and think we see others clearly. We are epistles of our lives, known and read of all men whether we like it or not. And when we teach, there is nothing more telling than this epistle. Especially children. Bishop Burton has said in General Conference (Oct. 2001, but I think more recently as well because I remember it very clearly,)

. . . remember, young people can detect hypocrisy as easily as they can smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread.

It leaves us empty and hungry to say one thing and do another, (cognitive dissonance, for all of those psychologists out there.) And it leaves our children empty and confused when they hear one thing and see another.

Continuing on the theme of food as a deep, fulfilling sustenance coming from doing what is right, Paul continues to quote part of the law of Moses to help us understand:

9. For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

The Lord's character is revealed through the Law of Moses- if an animal is serving us, we are to allow it to eat freely as it does the work. Doth God take care for the oxen? No, Paul says, he just cares about teaching us. Though I'm sure the Lord does care for the oxen, an ox can't read; he wants to teach us that when we do his work, he will feed us. As we tread out the corn, we are to eat freely! We are taught the same thing by the way the Lord provided for the Levite priests of old. He taught the law of sacrifice while feeding his servants as well. The next verse, 1 Corinthians 9:10 says,

Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

We can go about "smelling" the blessings of the gospel without eating them, or we can fully partake of the feast the Lord has prepared for us through our callings and full church activity. As teachers , we plow in hope, and those who thresh, or listen, should be partakers of our hope. As we feed them, we feed ourselves.

We lived after the manner of happiness- from a parenting perspective

(I chose this picture because it reminds me of when J. and I were married- after the wedding breakfast, we hiked up to this viewpoint of the temple and talked about goals. Today is our 9th anniversary, and I am so grateful for those covenants and the blessings that have come in my life because of them.)

I was talking to a friend last night about making decisions about what is best for our kids. She has in-laws who are mission presidents and said they had stated that from their perspective, the two most important things to teach your kids are

1. to be responsible
2. to work hard

That sounds pretty good to me, but I would also add the first and greatest commandment, to love God, and secondly, to love others.

Today, I was reading 2 Nephi 5, and Nephi explaining their lives, building in a new land, he says, "we lived after the manner of happiness."

If you assume our main goal is happiness for our children in this life and the next, you can study Nephi's method of living to arrive at "the manner of happiness." Following is a list from the chapter of the things they did:

1. Build a temple. (vs. 16) We should have as our ultimate goal to help our kids arrive at the temple ready to make and keep covenants.
2. Sow seed and reap again in abundance. (vs. 11) Nephi means gardening, but I think it could apply to all types of projects these days- keeping in mind that the seeds we sow must be worthwhile, meaning, we reap the rewards in abundance.
3. They listened to a prophet who kept them safe (vs. 6) and they believed in the warnings and revelations of God.
4. They separated themselves from wickedness (vs. 7).
5. They kept the commandments (vs. 10)
6. They had kids (vs. 13)
7. They prepared for the future and to protect their families from the dangers facing them (vs. 14)
8. They built buildings and learned trades- working with wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, and silver. They were industrious and learned to "labor with their hands" and have jobs. (vs. 15, vs. 17) Nephi always amazes me- he was an incredible craftsman on top of all other things.
9. Soften their hearts toward the Lord (like the Lamanites didn't in verse 21).
10. Marry well (vs. 23, looking at the cursing as a spiritual cursing)
11. Keep records from which to learn (vs. 31-33)

So, working hard and being responsible work pretty well with Nephi's version of "the manner of happiness." This chapter reminds me of something Joseph and I were inspired to teach our family. We were in the temple for a special ward temple session and a member of the temple presidency was speaking to us. He said this phrase in his talk, and that's about all I remember: Come to become.
We talked about it and decided to make that the theme of everything we invite our children to participate in with our family. Come to prayer and scripture study to become an eternal family. If we are teaching something, we invite them, reminding them to come to become. Nephi didn't force anyone to join him as he left Laman and Lemuel, but he invited them.
My vision (which isn't yet complete) is to have in our living room a beautiful picture of the temple and underneath it the phrase, Come to become, inviting my children to look to the temple covenants as their goal that they may become the Children of Christ, and not just mine. And I hope to teach a little hard work and responsibility along the way.

2 Nephi 2:24

I am amazed at the clarity of this chapter on opposition, freedom to choose, the redemption from the fall, and happiness. A short verse I haven't noticed before popped out at me, verse 24. It says,

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Try to imagine knowing all things. Take some time to remember that you don't know everything, and then think of God as one who knows all things- past, present, and future, through the vast expanse of space. And remember that he has done all things HIS wisdom, not ours. Then, remember the next verse,

. . . Men are, that they might have joy.

Now remember how much God loves you and desires only your eternal joy. It's was nice to put my life in perspective remembering that short, basic verse.

The cure for all social ills

On March 15, we had ward conference. I know from ward council that our bishop was planning on addressing Strengthening the Family. The ward counsel has been discussing ways to fight the many evils confronting the youth in the ward and has decided to focus on starting with their families through three monthly meetings. During these meetings, it has been suggested that the bishopric address video gaming, pornography, obscene texting, chat rooms, and simply wasting time in idle pursuits. I went to our Ward Conference expecting to hear a talk about strengthened parenting and stronger rules, etc. Instead, the bishop said that he had been inspired to change his talk. He proceeded to address the age-old issue of gratitude. He admonished us to be happy with what we have and to find joy in our ordinary blessings- which are really extraordinary gifts from God. We went home and spoke about it with our kids and I was reminded all week to count my blessings.

Now, as it has been 3 weeks since that talk, I have had more time to think about the meaning of that message. Why would the Lord tell our bishop to teach about gratitude instead of the issues that we confront directly?

Because the root of all of these evils, these addictions, is an aching and yearning for more- an emptiness. Why do people play video games excessively? Why do people get addicted to pornography? Why do any of us get addicted to shopping or complaining or anything that wastes our time? Because we have a void. We are bored or lonely or aching somewhere inside. We are unfullfilled. And the Lord counseled our bishop to address being happy with what we have. Gratitude fulfills us and brings us to praise God! It makes us feel that our lives are worthwhile so that we wish to fill them with noble pursuits, goals and dreams. Even when things don't turn out as we would wish, we can sit down and see the things that have turned out.

My patriachal blessing ends with an admonition I have memorized and think about often. It says,

Take time to examine your life and recognize the positive benefits you have had. If you will do this, you will divert the negative feelings and experiences and develop a cheerful and positive personality that can appreciate the blessings of life and the association of the spirit.

Through gratitude we can divert the negative feelings. Think of all of these idle pursuits as diversions- they divert our minds. From what? From the voids and emptiness we feel. And that is why they are so addictive. When you spend your time on empty pursuits, it makes you feel more empty. Then, when you feel empty, you need even more to become fulfilled again. But when we take time to recognize the blessing we have received and to bring the Lord's love into our lives, it really does fulfill us and encourages us to do things that are meaningful. Diversions are wonderful and necessary, but take care that your diversions bring you back around to God- so that you can avoid negative feelings and experiences.

As I was sharing my thoughts with a friend, she opened my eyes to a quote President Monson quoted in October 2010's conference talk on Gratitude (http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-divine-gift-of-gratitude?lang=eng&query=gratitude). He says,

We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

President Joseph F. Smith, quoted in the same talk said,

The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!

So now, we come full circle- gratitude drives darkness out of our lives! I have no doubt at all that our bishop was inspired as he changed his talk from one that reaches only some in his audience to the root of the whole problem and one that reaches every member of the human race. How small is our vision, yet how much broader it can be if we will listen to the Lord, and prayerfully see our blessings.

Praise the Lord

I remember once in college when I was going to a difficult test and felt very overwhelmed. Before I left my kitchen, I decided to open my scriptures and read whatever came up. I opened to 2 Nephi 22. It is a very short chapter, but still one of my favorites. It says,

And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unot the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

I sat in the chair, feeling peace wash over me as if I had been drawing water out of the well of salvation- literally. Yet, rather than being the cry for help I thought I needed, I found I was led to praise the Lord instead. The ensuing peace was a result of God's mercy.

Nephi reminded me of this power and has led me on a search to understand what it means to praise the Lord. When Nephi and his family enter the boat bound for the promised land, his brothers begin to be very rude. Then, they tie him up, and no amount of coaxing will get them to let him go. Their parents are about to die, their baby brothers cry, Nephi's wife and children plead. Nephi's arms and ankles swell and are very sore. The waves toss the boat around and almost swallow it up before Laman and Lemuel decide to set Nephi free- to save their own lives. I'm sure it was dramatic. All I need is crying kids around me to make me lose my cool. But not Nephi, of course. In 1 Nephi 19: 16, he says,

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

It seems almost as if Nephi has learned a great game to deal with the heaps of trials he confronts. It's like Pollyanna and her great game of finding the good in situations, but infinitely more powerful. Nephi's game finds its strength in looking to God and praising him no matter what comes. Not just looking for the good, but recognizing the unchangeable nature of that being who created us. Knowing Him well enough to have a deep and abiding reverence for his actions and purposes. Feeling awe at his greatness and glory and gratitude at being a part of his plan regardless of our current circumstances. Praising the Lord even when the actions of others bring us pain and sorrow and injure those we love.

How simple it is to praise the Lord while sitting in a pew at church, far away from daily cares. But how often do I strive to praise the Lord throughout a regular day? Nephi continues to give us very good reason to do so. After he is released in verse 21, he says,

Behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm. And it came to pass that I Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.

If we cease to praise the Lord in the midst of our trials, we will not be worthy to wield the Liahona. We will receive no revelation, regardless of whose fault it is that we encounter difficulty.

The day I read that passage, I told myself I would try to praise the Lord all day. As I grumbled through my different tasks, I realized that I had no idea of how to praise the Lord: the practical side of the issue was lost on me. So, the next day, I studied what it meant to praise the Lord, and I came up with a short list of things I can do when I feel like grumbling. Instant praising.

1. Sing hymns that speak of the greatness of God and praise him
2. Count your blessings
3. Think of scripture stories or stories in our history where the Lord has delivered his people
4. Remember times in your life when the Lord has been there for you
5. Search for the hand of God in your life that day or the day before
6. Go to a place where you can be alone and pray
7. Listen for the birds; look at the clouds or the mountains and the trees. Sometimes it helps to just step outside. Get out of your current situation if you feel like grumbling and look for God in a new place.
8. Recognize how much you need him and depend on him
9. Think of the temple and how you have felt there. Take yourself through one of the ordinances in your mind. Remember especially the promises

I'll be working on this for a long time to come. It is not something to do once, or just on Sundays. It is a habit that will allow me to avoid many of the difficulties of this life and keep a positive outlook regardless of what happens around me. I think it will have to start as a game before it becomes my automatic reaction to any difficulty I encounter. If Nephi can do it while tied up on a tossing ship, I can do it in front of my kitchen sink, right?

Creating tools to solve our problems

We were having a hard time, recently, getting our kids to clean their rooms and do their homework without complaining for hours and hours, so we began to search for something to help us. We've had a chart and a home store and all sorts of exciting little bobbles to motivate and enlighten them. No go. I don't even remember how it happened, though I'm sure it was some sort of revelation, but we came across the newest and greatest tool: the power of perception. We changed their bedtime to 7:30 instead of 8:00, and we told them that if they got everything done before Daddy came home, they could "stay up late." Then, when we stay up late, we do something really fun like play games together or watch part of a show. The key is getting the "offenders" to bed early, which they really need anyway, and being involved in play for 30 minutes. And it is magic.

Reading 1 Nephi 16 and 17, I was struck by Nephi's resourcefulness while the rest of his family murmers. When Nephi's bow breaks, they all complain and sit down to die. Are they so hungry that they can't get up and figure something out? Are they sick or simply tired of it all? Why don't they:
1. Pick up the Liahona and ask the Lord what they should do or
2. Figure out some other tool to kill animals

They had just come back from a long journey, and the rest of the family had waited to them to come back with food. I can't even imagine how hungry they must have been. Exhausted and tired. But since Nephi broke his bow, they had a scapegoat, someone to blame for their troubles. Then, they seem to be blinded to their options by their anger and having someone to blame. Isn't it interesting that having someone to blame seems like a solution sometimes?
My husband and I could have said this:
"Our kids are just tired after school and we probably shouldn't expect them to get their rooms clean. We give up."
Believe me, in other areas, blaming and excuses do count as a solution of sorts.
But, going back to Nephi, when you're starving to death, you can't just ignore your problem.
Maybe the group did think to turn to the Liahona, and since they were not humble, but complaining instead, it gave them no answers.
But once Nephi was led to create a tool, and humbly ask his penitent father to turn to the Liahona, it showed them the answer. Nephi is my hero. He doesn't give up or get bitter that everyone is blaming him. Instead, he finds a tool and he takes it to the Lord. That is a powerful cure for murmuring.

The next chapter teaches us almost the same thing! When the Lord asks Nephi to build a ship, his first response is, "Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?" (1 Nephi 17:9).

The first thing he asks is not, "Where do I get the wood? How do I draw the plans? " Instead, it is, "How do I make the tools?"

When we have problems, it is easy to respond as the rest of Nephi's family by asking, "Who is to blame for this? Who's going to solve it for me?" or even, "How am I supposed to get through this trial?" Sometimes, that leads us to tools. But maybe we'd get there in a more straight-forward way if we would assume we can make a difference, turn to face the trial, and find a tool. Remembering always that we must take that tool to the Lord and ask him how to use it. Because He is the master Craftsman. But remember that Nephi didn't just get to make tools. He first had to learn to build a bellows. Then, he had to find the right rock with ore in it. Then, he had to extract the ore from the rock, and FINALLY make the tools. Then, he could ask where to find the wood. Sometimes, it takes multiple tools and a long, long time to solve a problem. And some problems remain a life-long "thorn in the flesh."

That reminds me of something I learned from General Conference. In Elder Christofferson's talk, he made the point that if we are choosing as our template a perfect being, as is Christ, we should expect correction at every point of the journey. How can you aspire to build a perfect ship when you have never built ships, made tools, or even sailed before? You apprentice yourself to a great ship builder and then you expect correction and even chastisement. The word chastise sounds harsher than correct, but are the meanings very different? We should be watching for chastisement from our master shipbuilder. What else should we expect when aspiring to perfection? How often do I pray for him to correct me rather than help me? I always want him to bless me with this or that. But he can only help me as he corrects who I am and leads me to a more perfect way.

Preparation of James 1:5

My husband and I got to go on a date to a symposium on the King James version of the Bible. The first presenter, John S. Tanner, who is the academic vice president of BYU and husband of Susan Tanner (previous general YW president of the church.) He has a great sense of humor making it a delight to listen to him. His paper was titled: The King James version of the Bible: Appointed to be read in Churches. The King James version of the Bible was translated by a group of scholars who focused particularly on how the words would sound coming from a pulpit. They read each proposed verse aloud to try to make each word "heart deep." It was intriguing to hear how James 1:5 was molded by the Lord as the group chose which previous translations to follow. As this was the version Joseph Smith would be reading, this verse was of great import to the Lord. Most of the King James verses follow the Tyndale version of the Bible, yet, was not followed for James 1:5. The Tyndale Bible reads as follows for James 1:5:
"Let him ask of God, who giveth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth . . . "
(italics added.) Just the image of the Lord kicking someone in the teeth is enough to send away the spirit. And is an indifferent God one who will answer our prayers as He did Joseph Smith's?

In the second presentation of the night, Dan L. Belnap made another interesting point about James 1:5 and the translations that were consulted. There are other translations of the Bible, like the Geneva Bible that had commentary in the margins of the pages, directing the thoughts of those reading. The KJV had no marginalia. Imagine if Joseph Smith had read this definition from the Geneva Bible next to James 1:5: To endure patiently what favor God layeth on a man. So, if we lack wisdom, we should just wait patiently for God to send his knowledge to us- all without serious effort on our part.

Now consider the beautiful wording that was chosen for the King James version:

5^aIf any of you lack ^bwisdom, let him ask of God, that ^cgiveth to all men liberally, and ^dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6But let him ^aask in ^bfaith, nothing ^cwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Does that show you a God who would cast a man in the teeth? Instead, we see that He giveth to all men liberally. We just need to ask.

I noticed another plain and simple version of James 1:5 in 1 Nephi 15:11 as I was reading:

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Obviously, this isn't just a doctrine that was revealed to James. It's an age-old truth, no matter how you say it.

First to the Jews and then to the Gentiles . . .

Joseph and I went to a symposium on the King James Bible for its 400th birthday. It was fascinating and gave me many insights on the Bible and its role in the restoration. Interestingly enough, I had just read 1 Nephi 13 about the Bible coming with the pilgrims across the great waters. When a man asked the speakers what other editions of the Bible they would suggest, Brother Millet made a comment that reading with verses and chapters is like reading a whole book on a bunch of small notecards. As I re-read chapter 13, I found that the chapter break between chapters 13 and 14 had kept me from understanding something very important.
Earlier in chapter 13, verses 29 and 34 mention that plain and precious truths were taken from the Bible, and because of this, "an exceedingly great many do stumble." (vs. 29). Verse 34 says that

after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and preciuos parts of the gospel of the Lamb . . . I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious.

Well, in verse 42, at the very end of this chapter, it says that the Lord "will manifest himself to the Jews and also to the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last."

I've always considered this verse and felt smugly that Christ will come to us first this time. But reading as if there were no chapter break in 1 Nephi 14:1, I was shown something different. It says,

And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentils shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of thier stumbling blocks (italics added.)

The stumbling block we mentioned earlier was the lack of completion of the gospel and covenants in the Bible that caused the Gentiles to stumble. God would manifest himself in word and in power. THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED! We have the Book of Mormon, and we have further revelation that restores to the Gentiles first the covenants God intends for us to take full advantage of the sacrifice of the Lamb. In 1 Nephi 13: 40, it speaks of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. The last records "shall establish the truth of the first . . . and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them and shall make known to all knidreds, tongues, and people that the Lamb of Go is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world." The Savior has made himself manifest to the Gentiles already that [we] may know him as [our] Savior. And if we "harden not [our] hearts, , . . we will be numbered among the seed of [Lehi]" (1 Nephi 14:2).
So, maybe I shouldn't feel so smug that the Lord is going to come to us first (like I may be there.. Also, we may be surprised at the way he manifests himself to the Jews.

The whore of all the earth

I was just trying to understand what is meant by the phrase "whore of all the earth" in 1 Nephi 14:11. She "sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people."
I've always considered this as a stinging insult to some church (we've all heard the different conjectures about which church it could be.) A whore is one who participates- often for money- in a sacred ritual without being married. So, if we know the true Priesthood of God has been restored to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that no other church holds the authority, it is as if others are performing all the ritual's of Christ's church without the authority or covenants God intends. It is not an insult, just a very apt comparison.

Worldwide Training- The new manual focuses on family and covenants

I just watched the Worldwide Training broadcast by the First Presidency and 12 apostles this week. As I watched, I was filled to overflowing with a reminder of my testimony of the restoration. This is the Lord's church and it is being led by Him. The new handbook #2 is for the whole church and provides direction on running our families and using the church to strengthen our families. I am so impressed by the focus on what is really important: following the spirit and fulfilling our covenants. And for anyone not in a leadership position right now, this is still for you! We are encouraged to read the first three chapters of the manual as families. You can find it on LDS.org under Menu: Service: Serving in the Church. Also, the worldwide training broadcast is available on the main page in both audio and video forms. If you don't have time for much, watch the discussion on how the manual pertains to families with Elders Holland, Bednar, and Christofferson. It was great!

More on the river

Dad commented that he had always thought it would be easy to leave the path. I think that is true- that it is easy to leave the iron rod and get lost or go get drowned in the river. In 1 Nephi 12:17, it says,

And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

This seems like it would be simple to be blinded, and I think that is our biggest worry when we are trying to do right. Then, it goes on to describe the gulf though which this river runs. It says in verse 18,

And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God

Do you see how the gulf is both great and terrible? It's greatness is that if you are trying to do what is right, it's not so easy to get over. The terrible part, is that once you do, you have to cross it to get back to the tree. That justice works both ways.

I also think it is interesting to note that the building is the vain imaginations of the world. It is composed of pride, which is very fleeting, as we all know. It is the wisdom of the world- also easily debunked with any new evidence. It is also those who fight against the apostles of the lamb. I think there is a big difference between being in the broad paths and being in the large and spacious building. It's the difference between purposefully going against the spirit and getting lost. I think there are actually a lot of people, like Laman and Lemuel in the dream, who are just sitting in the lone and dreary wilderness and don't even start the journey out of laziness.

I'm also amazed as I read this time to see how what Nephi sees parallels the future of his people. I don't think Nephi was married at this point or had kids, but can you imagine parenting after seeing what would eventually happen to your posterity? That would be a real downer. The Lord must have known a lot about his faith to trust him with this information so early in his life.

The River in Lehi's dream- even in filthiness, a mercy from God

I'm reading Lehi's dream, and every time I read this passage, the river of water grabs my attention. This time, I realized a few new things. One, imagine the power of this symbol to a nomadic group of people, or a family traveling in the wilderness. A fountain of pure water springing forth. This is something you would search for, build your life around. It would provide your livelihood in watering your crops, your cattle, and keeping your family clean, fed, and healthy. A fountain of water is absolutely necessary to life and livelihood. Nephi tells us that this water- the fountain of living waters- are a representation of the love of God as well as the tree of life. (1 Nephi 11: 25.) The love of God that is whiter than the driven snow and most desireable above all things. One thing we learn is that the filthy river is the depths of Hell. The scriptures make no correlation between the fountain of living waters and the filthy river, but I like to take this knowledge from it: Satan takes the truth of God and his love and turns everything good to his purposes. Perhaps this filthy river is a small offshoot of the fountain of living waters. After all, it is still water. This stream separates the rod of iron from the large and spacious building. And mercifully, we begin our journey on the same side of the river as the rod of iron and the tree of life. If you notice, those who take of the fruit and then look around, ashamed, are looking across the river at the great and spacious building. I think there are many, and I have felt it myself, who look across at that building, and see those people in fine clothes who look so happy, and wish they could be there. But notice that it is not easy to reach the great and spacious building. In fact, it could be simply an illusion that Satan fills with images of happy people, and so many spend their lives trying to reach it, but drown in the depths of the river instead. That said, the scriptures do state that many entered the building.
There is a direct polarization of two destinations: the tree of life, and the large and spacious building. See 1 Nephi 15:30 that says, "And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous." This time, as I read, I realized that the river, which may even have as its fountain the love of God, must be crossed in order to reach that foundationless building into which many enter. And it is not easy to arrive. Think of how it feels to first walk into a cold stream. You are dry and each step takes effort until you immerse yourself to a certain point at which you forget the cold river and become accustomed to it. I know that it is like this when we are going away from the Love of God striving for that building made of pride. Mercifully, actions that lead us away from the correct path bring us pain. There are feelings that make us aware of what we are doing, and only if we ignore them, can we get deep enough into the river to get across or drown. That is the remnant of the Love of God that remains of this filthy river- that we know when we are entering it. We have been given a spirit that is sensitive to light and dark, clean and dirty. For someone who is trying to do his/her best, that's a real relief.
As I was looking for a picture for this post, I found an article that I really enjoyed about Lehi's and Nephi's dreams: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=2&num=2&id=30. It makes some interesting observations at the end about the Garden of Eden and the temple.

Another thing I've been thinking about from the Book of Mormon is Sariah's trial. When Nephi and his brothers were asked to go get the plates, Sariah, Lehi, and the rest of the family had to sit in the valley where they were camped and wait. How long did it take for them to get the plates? Long enough for Sariah to think they were dead. Nephi says in 1 Nephi 5:1 that "she had truly mourned because of us." True mourning of the loss of 4 of your children. Waiting in the wilderness for your life to gain a purpose. I know one of my biggest challenges has been waiting. And I'm not sure which I think is harder- being asked to "go and do" or to wait.

I just started reading the Book of Mormon again, and decided to read a book by Hugh Nibley along with it. I don't want to get caught up in "deep doctrine," but my patriarchal blessing says that I should enjoy learning about the civilizations described in the Book of Mormon. He wrote some short articles for the Improvement Era in 1952-1957. I've only read one chapter, and it's helped me understand the culture in Jerusalem when Lehi left. I never understood the power Egypt had over Jerusalem at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. In "Lehi in the Desert," Hugh Nibley says that the Egyptian influence in Jerusalem was deeply set in the culture. The leaders of Jerusalem didn't choose to be confederate with Egypt because they thought they were more powerful than Babylon; they united with Egypt because they were infatuated with the culture. The calendars found in Hebrew cities are Egyptian calendars. The handles on the pots reflect Egyptian influence. All of the things he said reminded me of the influence the United States has on parts of the world. And while Egypt exported its culture, the areas around it imported their goods and got rich from the trade with Egypt. The Jewish elders were angry with Jeremiah because he warned them to stop their infatuation with all things Egyptian- their Gods and their images. He begged them instead to make a treaty with Babylon, but they were too influenced by the culture of Egypt. Likely, Laman and Lemuel had grown up with great Egyptian influence. The money Lehi had came from trading, most likely with the Egyptians. So, for their father to side with Jeremiah against Egypt was not a smart business choice and it would hurt their inheritances. They likely saw nothing wrong with the Egyptian influence that threatened the moral decay of the society. They, along with the other people, mocked their father for his attack of their culture. We see this today, I think, as the culture of consumerism and acceptance rises in America. Anyone who warns against such decadence and "open-mindedness" is mocked. I had never realized that Lehi's danger stemmed from insulting a beloved way of life.
As I've been reading, I've been watching for mention of Egypt, which happens frequently. Of course, we know that Lehi's family spoke and wrote in Egyptian and were most likely schooled in the "language of the Egyptians," (1 Nephi 1:2). But they also knew the history of the Jews, and how interesting it is that Nephi, in convincing his brothers to have faith in the power of God, reminds them of the story of the children of Isreal coming up out of Egypt and the armies of Pharoah being drowned in the Red Sea. (1Nephi 4:3). How interesting that after escaping the physical captivity of Egypt, the Jews succumbed to a spiritual captivity to things Egyptian. And it is much harder to recognize and come up out of spiritual captivity. How much more meaningful it is that Nephi used this example to his brothers, who loved the fruits of contact with Egypt. Though Nephi says in Chapter 4 that he went forth "not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do," I think he was prepared by the spirit to know what might be required. In chapter 4, verse 3, he tells his brothers, "the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians."
In chapter 5, once Lehi receives the golden plates, Nephi points out a very interesting irony. In verse 14, it says that Joseph was taken into Egypt to preserve his people, and in verse 15, "and they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them." Going into Egypt at one point saved them; but they also needed to be saved from the very country that preserved them.
In making reference to the United States and its culture, I do not mean in any way to suggest its destruction or even directly compare it to Egypt in that day. The comparisons likely don't go too far. But I do mean to comment on the prevalent culture of loose morality and "other Gods." Just as Lehi and his family were saved from the destruction of Jerusalem, I pray that I can be guided to know how to keep my family safe from the "weapons of mass destruction" that are easily visible in our culture.

Book of Mormon Ideas

I've found that while I read, I'd really like to write down my ideas, and I'm much faster at typing than writing. This is my goal while I read the Book of Mormon this time: to be pushed to gain new insights and take things to a deeper level of understanding by gaining knowledge about the people in the Book of Mormon and their culture.