1st Nephi, Chapter 4

If I could title this post, it would be:

Nephi's The Man.

Okay, so he leads his brothers back to get the Brass Plates from King Laban, fearless. The king lusts after their "property" they'd brought in exchange for the plates. They are chased out of King Laban's presence, ditching the property.

The elder boys complain toward Nephi. They are humiliated by the King of their former land. How dare they ask for the sacred record, especially of a King! About Laban, Laman says in the last verse of chapter 3:
" ....Behold he is a mighty man, and he can command 50, yea, even he can slay 50; then why not us?"

Chapter 4 starts with Nephi replying:
"...Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than ALL THE EARTH, then why not mightier than Laban and his 50, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?"

His brothers still don't have faith. What happens next? They send Nephi out to do the job himself.

Verse 6:
Nephi says: "I was lead by the spirit, not knowing before hand the things which I should do." I think that's the way the Lord likes us best, when we say things like that.

But imagine his brothers when he returned to the camp looking something like this:

Undocumented scripture "Shoot! It's Laban! Run Lemuel, Run!"

The Lord truly is the source of the greatest of strengths. He will never give us any task that we cannot do, he will always prepare a way.

And, I can't end this Nephi post without this picture (you wouldn't forgive me):

Yes, I do believe he was large in stature. Whatta a hunk. I can say that, right?

1st Nephi, Chapter 3

My brother Barry's most favorite Book of Mormon scripture lies here in Chapter 3.

Background: Lehi sends his sons back to get the plates, after having already been in the wilderness. Can you imagine the feeling of being a leader and all the pressure on your shoulders, only to tell your followers (his sons) to turn back because they needed something they left back home?! Wow, you know Lehi was in it for the right reasons.

Why didn't he receive this information while they were in Jerusalem? Why? Because then, Nephi wouldn't have said Barry's favorite scripture. That's just what I think, doctrine from the book of Suzanne.

Verse 7 w/o further adieu:
"And it came to pass that I Nephi said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

Why was this scripture so fitting for Barry? Because Nephi's siblings were complaining and he wasn't... but wait, there's more! Let's peel the onion.

Why was Lehi so "exceedingly glad" to hear this? I think it's because it proved Nephi's true conversion. Because it's one thing to believe. It's another thing to act on testimony. There's a sincere difference between having a testimony and having been converted. "Conversion happens long after the emotion of the moment has left" (--Robert D. Murdock, my Taiwan mission president). And it's a whole other level of conversion when those actions are based on faith.

So here's the layout:
Step one: Feel the spirit
Step two: Gain a testimony/belief based on those feelings
Step three: Become converted-- willing to alter your life according to your beliefs
Step four: Balance those "works" equally with "faith", way hard

So thanks, Lehi for not getting the plates before hand, and letting us in on Nephi's level of conversion. Thanks Barry for making this verse forever have meaning to me just because it's your favorite.

1st Nephi, Chapter 2

We know Lehi was the cousin of Laban, so his wealth was very desirable.

He gave it all up upon his true conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Verse 4: And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

Then Lehi and his family travel for three days.

Here's a part you will be inspired by, there in verse 7 (keep in mind, he's given up it ALL, and is having to lead his family into the wilderness).

Verse 7: And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

Lehi's riches had been replaced with riches on high.

1st Nephi, Chapter 1

Lehi's Conversion Story, 1st Nephi, Chapter One:

My teacher at the Mission Training Center, Brother Nathan Nakken wisely said:

"The Lord knew Chapter one of 1st Nephi would be the most read chapter in the Book of Mormon, and filled it with the most important messages."

Chapter one is Lehi's conversion story from his son's point of view. Lehi prays for the people, then sees a vision where he sees the greatness of God. Pretty huge, the Lord knew he'd need this for what was to come in Lehi's future.

The part I love most is verse 14 of this "most read chapter":

"...he (Lehi) did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as:

Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish."

In this first chapter, the essentials of the gospel lie therein. And, after Lehi sees so much, and is so overcome, the one thing he emphasises is the Lord's mercy.

That's a sweet and simple message. It tells even the most vile of sinners that there's hope. It tells even the most good-intentioned mom that there's hope. It pulls us all in, from whatever walk of life we come from; that Heavenly Father's plan is one of mercy. So for the first chapter, for me, that's all that matters. We learn all the details to that great plan later.