1 Nephi 13-14

I've read these....Reading was sporadic due to vacation and then getting back on track.

From these chapters it's easy to see we're living in the last days.

Found on About.com that there is a good section on LDS stuff there, including a Scripture Reading Book Mark and Goal Calculator. I've figured I need to read almost 5 pages everyday (of the standard size book) if I want to complete the BOM by Dec 31st from today....but of course that's if I started over right away. I found out from taking a quiz on the site that Lehi's name is actually in the Bible, (I had to look it up, and I think it's in Judges - yup! - Chapt 15.) Interesting, huh?
K!
I've gotta go. More later!

1 Nephi 12

Vs6. And hence we have our premise for what the Book of Mormon was all about. Spelling out how this nation prospered and fell according to their faithfulness in Jesus Christ.
Vs17. How many times can a person's heart be hardened and their eyes blinded before there's no chance for them? How many times a a person fall and repent before they for sure lose their exaltation? I hope it's a whole life-time and I hope that when death takes us away from this "Testing" period that we're heading in the right direction!
Vs23. Interesting that idleness is named individually apart from all of the other abominations.

1 Nephi 11

Vs6. The Angel was quite happy that N was so faithful.
Vs7. N earned his "sign" - he didn't ask for it.
Vs11. Clearly identifies what an angel looks like....and the Spirit of recognition that comes with it.
Vs21. K- I found it interesting how the Angel chose to show the correlation between the dream and the interpretation thereof. We get the story of Christ's birth and his condescension to illustrate the love of God. & N knew it right away.
Vs25. So we have the New Testamant story of Christ that defines Lehi's dream.
Vs35. The wickedness of the Spacious Building. Hugely due to peer pressure - and that apparently is one of the reasons why Christ was crucified. So men could keep their positions of power over other men. Pride.
Vs36. God won't tolerate pride... looks like that's another reason why I shouldn't be holding a greudge - 'cause it's all really due to pride.

1 Nephi 10

Vs16. There's got to be a reason N keeps mentioning that his father dwelt in a tent. Maybe because it was just so unusual and out of the norm for him....
Vs17. This verse has really stuck with me over the weekend. I've also been desirous to know that which is concerning my family....and then in church yesterday our High Council speaker said that keeping the word of wisdom was Key to Personal Revelation. Ahh! Better reason to be fit and healthy than just trying to keep the hubby happy!
Vs18. THE ANSWER that so many people just don't want to accept! I also just find it very comforting to know that He is stable - and I can count on Him. Always. It's just me that's not stable yet. A worthy goal to work towards.
Vs19. Does say to be diligent - so keep workin on it!
Vs21. I hope I'm not seeking to do wickedly...um but isn't that what it really is when I retain a grudge and just don't want to be "nice" anymore to that one difficult individual? I guess I need to repent. *sigh*. I have a really hard time really comprehending being cast off forever. It's too scarey.
Vs22. How do I know for sure it's the Holy Ghost telling me to tell someone somthing that they may not want to hear? I've done it before and it comes out sounding like I'm being self-righteous. And maybe I really was, because maybe I wasn't doing it with the guidance of the Holy Ghost - just out of judgement and anger. I do second guess myself there.

1 Nephi 6-9

Sorry for the skip...I've been reading at moments in between interruptions. It's actually been pretty busy this week.
Chap 6. Interesting N's perspective on what to write compared to some of the other writers. Actually makes me kind of curious why Mormon would include the Book of Omni - any other reason besided just showing a chronological line of how they got from "there to here"?
Anyway....
Vs 4 gave me the little warm"chill" - he is persuading not forcing. I love God for that attitude. I hate being forced to do things. And what does it really mean to be saved. Many Christians talk about it and base their religion around it - but what does it really mean?
Chap 7. Must've been quite the talkers, these boys' of Lehi - in order to talk another family into abandoning life as they know it. And of course the credit was given to God for softening Ishmael's heart - it would've had to be to accomplish that. And we see that Ish has some kids of similar temperament to Lehi's - rebellious and obedient.
We've got N's miraculous escape from being tied up in Vs 18 - the first one of a few. Those bro's just didn't want to listen to N. They really had contempt for him. But they did listen to one of the daughters and the mother and one of the sons. They were pretty good talkers themselves. I wonder what words they could use to soften a hard heart? I need that kind of inspiration sometimes - but I think I get in the way too much for that. *sigh* Gee, they even prayed for forgiveness from God. Not surprising that N could easily forgive them. He loved his brothers.
Chap 8. Now why would N start this chapter out this way with gathering seed? Oh, yeah - because that's where Lehi had his vision of the Tree. Oh! Get it???? His vision was of the Tree of Life and the Fruit, while he was gathering seeds! I never noticed that before! I wonder if I could ever get some kind of vision like this to help me guide my children? And I really wonder if I could have a similar one to fill in what N left out? I guess if was pertinent to my life and those I'm in charge of Heavenly Father would allow me to see it too. Otherwise the words of his prophet will suffice. You know - the vision does read like dreams play out. It kind of skips where scenes just change - one group of people after another... in real life the flow would probably be happening all at once. Some people clinging to the rod, some getting lost, etc. In the dream form it really is easier to lay out the interpretation, too. Interesting how God uses dreams as a Tool for communication. Do you think it might be because we're more likely to accept the fantastical surrealism in dream form than if we just were wide awake and the Heaven's opened to show us this? Also, I'm remembering that the Jews held symbolism in high regard. So was Lehi and his family Jewish? I think they didn't describe themselves as Jewish because back then they were still very tied up in the tribes - the Jews were from the line of Judah. Lehi's line was from Joseph.....but this Joseph really wasn't one of the tribes, either - he was just descended from one of the lines as well. Okay - now I want to figure this out. Any scholars know about this? I'm sure the info is somewhere to find....
Vs 38. I wonder what the other prophecies were? How did L&L react? Must've been OK at this time because N didn't mention that they rebelled again.
Chap 9. A Command to write in his "journal". I think of "Whether by the mouth of my servantsor myself, it is the same" right here. WRITE! (That's a great thing about Blogs! Makes it so much easier to record your life! Hey! Remember the scripture that says and the works of men shall be shouted from the rooftops????? Our deeds are being revealed - but maybe just not our identities attached to them quite yet. Interesting! But I digress!)
Vs6. Again - N's faith to be guided because he just trusts the Lord implicitly. Complete comfidence in His guidance. If I could only be that faithful! I have faith and know that he lives and loves me, but I have a really hard time remembering to turn to God for guidance - I get too independent (another way of saying I have a lot of pride, I guess). I have a hard time understaninding my need for repentance and doing it too. I have work to do. I guess being aware of the need is really the first step, though, huh? I take a lot of first steps.

1 Nephi 5

K - in brief I did read. This is one of my favorite chapters...Sariah & Lehi shows thier true colors.
I'll have to write more later...

C Ya!

1 Nephi 4

Vs1. Very faithful - especially after being chased out already!
Vs2. EXPECT Miracles! N proves that they will happen!
Vs5. Wonder if N just didn't want to have to deal with them freaking out within the city, so he decided to take care of it himself.
Vs6. Have enough faith of your own to do that too?
Vs9. Why would he draw his sword out in the first place?
Vs10. Freak out time!
Vs13. No, the Lord doesn't always seem to keep his own "rules" - but he's perfect! To an earhtly mind this can be quite confusing! It's wrong to kill - but even worse, if you don't kill, then... Choices between the lesser of 2 evils. It's a rough thing to have to be obedient to the Lord at times! He Really does test us hard!
Vs14. See? He needed a strong "answer" in order for him to be strong enough to be able to follow through on the harder tests!
Vs15. Smart boy. Putting 2+2 together....
Vs19. Wonder if he knew why he was doing it at this time...
Vs22. Laban did have the priesthood...
Vs24. He wasn't really lieing, right? How many prophets have done that? Hmm...Abram?
Vs31. Give credit to the Lord for his strength. Must've been pretty tired from all of the stress and the physical expenditure.
Vs32. I betcha N was really hoping he wouldn't have to follow through on his threat.
Vs37. Sigh. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to rely on an honor system like that?

1Nephi 3

(I read this last night...)

Vs5. So Lehi had already spoken to L&L while N was receiving his kudos from the Lord.
I love how Lehi has such a clear perspective on why he's making his kids do this... It is interesting that Heavenly Father wants the kids to do it, rather than Lehi... Oh, duh! It's Lehi everybody wanted to kill - that's why they had to take off! Duh-me!
Vs6. N's already received his testimony and is also "in tune" - that's why he doesn't need to whine too.
Vs8. Wouldn't that be great to hear from your kid?
Vs12. I wonder how Laman presented the idea to Laban? If it had been presented in a different way (if Laman's heart had been willing to do it in the first place) - would it have made a difference to Laban? Or was he just plain wicked. I guess Laban got a couple of chances to make it right, though. But it really doesn't matter in the end what the "if"s were - because the result was what it was!
Vs15. N's a tough nut with a testimony - you can see he could be rather stubborn.
Vs28. Ouch!! Not even just punches! They were pretty violent.
Vs29. No wonder an Angel had to stop them! And then to have to humiliate them with the reminder that N would rule over them.... So you can see how L&L just outright lied to their posterity. Wonder how they dismissed this from their memories and justified themselves later on. What a lot the parents had to deal with! The Angel even told them they needed to go back - but they still made N do it!

1Nephi 2

Vs2. Lehi must've been very practiced at recognizing when he's receiving directions as opposed to just thinking it was himself dreaming! Lots of Faith, too. I don't know that I'd've had the guts to move my family leaving all the worldly things behind because of a dream I had. Although I did have a dream one time, that I knew was a warning not to do something I was contemplating... and I did know that Heavenly Father was communicating with me. So maybe it was something like that.
Vs5. Intro to the fam! 4 boys old enough to get married, but none were. Interesting. Ya know - Lehi must've been pretty strong, too - he had enough energy to pack and walk and then set camp, and then build a whole altar out of stones. I'd've been too pooped! And he gave Thanks to boot!
Vs11. Very understandable for Laman & Lemuel to murmer - they just didn't get it. Makes me scared about my kids when they display such poopy attitudes sometimes. Heavy burden on parents to teach them how to be positive and faithful!
Vs13. Oo. Scarey. They were like the people who wanted to take their father's life? This shows that they were a little bit more off than just having bad attitudes.
Vs14. Way to go Dad! Chew 'em out for being such turkeys about the whole thing! Again, this shows that Lehi must've been a pretty strong dude for his oldest boys to fear him.
Vs15. Why would Nephi say this in the middle of talking about his problems with his boys? In a verse all by its very lonesome.
Vs 16. He thought himself exceedingly young. Wonder how old that is? 'Cause he still got married pretty soon from this. But I like how he just had a great desire to know. Ahh - see? He was struggling with it himself. He probably understood where his brothers were coming from, but maybe he didn't want to get his dad mad at him. So he just followed his dad's example maybe? But he still must've had quite a bit of faith (like Joseph Smith) to have received an appearance from the Lord. Maybe he also needed that strong of an answer in order to carry him through what he was going to be going through in his future.
Vs17. Sam & Nephi must've had a pretty good relationship for Nephi to talk to him in the first place - but also for Sam to believe him. Maybe Nephi was too strong-headed himself for him to believe in his brother's words had the situation been reversed. Sam seems to me to be a rather "soft" personality. Not a bad thing in my eyes. Probably a pretty sweet kid.
Vs18. The poops again. Ah, but Nephi's learning that his Heavenly Father is there for him. Got problems with the Sibs? Go to Heavenly Father. Why not the parentals? Hmm.
Vs19. Way to go, kid! Wonder how greatly this surprised him?
Vs23. I guess in those days you thought more about what was going to happen to your posterity than we do nowadays. We're pretty much a here-and-now society.
Vs24. Very interesting the way the Lord blesses and curses his children. Goes to show right here "Where much is given (received?), much is expected!" Good way to discipline children; "I'm gonna give you this, but because I do - you're going to have to do that! And I will expect you to get it done!"

1 Nephi 1

Vs 1. He was an optimist - just glossed right over his trials and talked positvely about his blessings.
Vs 16. Why would he want to recap his father's writings? (Besides being inspired?) I think because the retelling helps explain where he's coming from and why he has done what he's done.
Vs 19. I feel like this happens to me in a modern way at times. When my husband is in his downward pendulum swing, he can be rather nasty to me (he's called me a "pretender" and said he had no interest in going to the temple if he was going to be stuck with me for eternity, etc. Yes, those are the bad moments) and has a rotten attitude about the church. I can't call him on it at all, because it gets twisted into how it's all my fault - so in a way I feel "mocked", too. I don't claim to be perfect, but I'm just trying to be better. Sometimes I too worn out to try anymore, oftentimes I allow him to push my buttons, I react so vocally and quickly that I say not nice things. No - very not perfect. Isn't that where forgiveness, tolerance, and charity need to come into play? I take comfort in "As ye judge, so shall ye be judged".
(Sorry for the side-track)
Vs. 20 Wow. His attitude strikes again. My father was kicked out, mocked, target practice for the Poopy People and Nephi will show us the Tender Mercies of the Lord.

I wonder if he wrote these accounts while he was going through them, or if he had time to let the wounds heal and gain his perspective again. I hope so - or else he's almost too awesome to be mortal... Can you keep this kind of attitude while you're going through these kinds of trials and call them blessings? Writitngs sure can leave out a lot!!