1 Nephi 16

Monday, July 29, 2013

In the very first verse of this chapter, Laman and Lemuel complain to Nephi that what he has said to them is too much to bear. Nephi told them that they need to make sure they need to not harden their hearts and listen to Heavenly Father. I think what Laman and Lemuel were inferring when they said this is that those things which Nephi asked of them were too much for them to do, meaning they need the Lord's help. Nephi earlier had talked about how the wicked and unclean are not allowed into the kingdom of God. Laman and Lemuel pretty much fit into that category especially after all of their plots with trying to kill Nephi. I think in a way this is a reminder to us that when we have trials or other things that are too much for us to bear, we need to ask the Lord. After all, there is nothing too big or small for Him.

When I read the fifth verse, which says "And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness." The first thing that went through my head is, I wonder if this is how the Lord feels when we humble ourselves before Him? We do constantly need His help and it takes setting aside our pride to ask Him for the help we need.

Throughout the rest of this story, the faith of all of them is truly tested. They are given a ball which will lead them according to their faith and diligence. So, as long as they are faithful and do not murmur against the Lord or each other, everything will turn out alright for them. Nephi at one point breaks his bow and is unable to hunt for food for his family. The family after a few days gets very upset and begins to say bad things against the Lord, Lehi even does this. I think this was a test for them to see what would happen when they lost something they dearly needed. Instead of praying to the Lord and asking for help from Him, they try to take matters into their own hands. So often in our lives, there are things we cannot control and things that are too great for us to try to handle alone. Instead of getting mad or frustrated and wanting to give up, we need to allow ourselves to slow down and think. Once we have a firm grasp on the situation, we should pray and ask the Lord for help. Sometimes He doesn't give us a direct answer. Sometimes this means He trusts us enough to make the correct or more correct decision ourselves. And sometimes we don't get an answer because either choice is appropriate. One of the most amazing things I noticed while reading is that Lehi even got mad even though he's always been the most faithful to the Lord. I think this serves as a reminder that we are not perfect and that we all make mistakes and do things we shouldn't. Lehi messing up shows this.

What we need to remember is that when we do make a mistake, we need to make sure we repent and then try our hardest not to make that same error again. When we lack faith and hope, we need to ask the Lord for help. Sometimes He will then present us with a trial to test our faith and hope. I personally have had this happen. And while it is quite frustrating, so far there has not been a single trial I haven't made it through. This is only true because I have asked for His help constantly. We are encouraged to read our scriptures daily. I find that scriptures bring great comfort, but they are also a wonderful place to look for guidance. Someone at some point in the scriptures has experienced a similar trial to you and you can read their story. The Lord truly has given us all of the tools we need to get through anything.