1 Nephi 15

Sunday, July 28, 2013

This chapter reminds me so much of exactly what I feel I am going through. There are so many people who do not understand many things because they refuse to ask the Lord for confirmation or help. My parents are definitely two people like that. Because of the hardness in their hearts, I cannot continue learning from missionaries or do anything like that at all. Nephi says in verse 5, "And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall." For the afflictions, it reminds me of the 5 or 6 days I spent terribly ill. It was to the point where I could do nothing but sleep. It is amazing to think something as simple as having the privilege of learning from missionaries taken away could make someone so sick, but it did. I feel like the more my parents fight me, the more and more harm they do to themselves when it comes to learning and becoming closer to Christ. As Nephi tells us, if we truly want to gain an understanding of something, all we need to do is ask the Lord. He will guide us and allow us to know which course we should take.

The day I was the most sick, my father suggested I take a walk, as he thought it was just nerves and exercise would help with that. I agreed and after a little under a mile, I had to go lay down as I felt so tired, like I had just run a marathon. A little later, I got back up off the ground under a tree and went to get a smoothie to eat. I figured it was something easy and surely I'd be able to eat that. I hadn't eaten in about 5 days by this point because my body would not allow me to consume any food. On my way home, I thought I was about to collapse from exhaustion. So I began to walk slower and finally asked the Lord for help. He gave me the strength I needed, just as He gave Nephi the strength he needed in verse 6. I did make it home, and with the Lord's help, I gained a stronger testimony from this. I found, yet again, that I am on the correct path doing what I need to do. And I found this out simply because I inquired the Lord. We are not all-knowing beings. We need help. And what an easy way to get it. All we have to do is ask. "Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you" (verse 11).

Many people will not believe in the Lord for a long, long time. It says in here that the full belief by all men will occur after Christ has come and gone. It is now that we are working toward this. We are told that when all of Israel is gathered again, the second coming of the Messiah will occur. Christ makes all things so much easier and it truly is so easy to believe in Him. All we really have to do is open our eyes and ears to see the wonders around us that have been created by a divine hand especially as no other could have constructed such things in such an amazing fashion.

Nephi also speaks to his brothers concerning the dream he and their father had about the Tree of Life. The tree is God's love for us and the iron rod is the word of God (which are our scriptures). When we read our scriptures daily, or the word of God, it keeps us from being easily tempted to do things we know we should not. We can receive guidance and strength when we read, which is what keeps us from doing the things which we know we shouldn't. The river of filth which Nephi and his father saw keeps the wicked away from the tree of life. It is the temptations which we want to go near, but as long as we continue to cling to the word of God, we will not perish. The river itself represents sin. "And if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also" (verse 33). And the kingdom of God is not filthy, therefore those with sins cannot enter the kingdom of God. This is why it is absolutely imperative that we truly repent for all the sins we have committed. To live again with our Heavenly Father, we need to strive to live righteous lives and follow His commandments and deny Him not.