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1st Nephi 8:12

7/26/2012

    Lehi speaking: As I partook of the tree (of life--see 1st Nephi 15:22),
my soul was filled with exceedingly great joy and I knew that this fruit                was more desirable than any other fruit I had ever tasted.

    The Book of Mormon has many beautiful and majestic passages                     of scripture. Chapters 8 and 11 of 1st Nephi, regarding Lehi's vision,
are two excellent examples of the majestic beauty of the Book of Mormon.
If you read these verses slowly and contemplatively, I believe you will
feel the spirit of the Lord.

1st Nephi 4:6

7/18/2012

    Nephii speaking: I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand, the things
which I should do.
    For me, this is a very interesting statement, especially knowing that Nephi
would be "inspired"to kill a person (Laban--see 1st Nephi 4:18), when it was
really not his incllination to do so.
    I am glad that Nephi was called upon to kill Laban instead of me. I might
have balked at committing this "inspired" act. Or, at least, I might
have questioned as to exactly where this leading was coming from.
    I have been reading a new biography about the assassination of Jame Garfield
by Charles Guiteau (Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, pub. 2011, by
Doubleday).
   Guiteau definitely felt he was doing the Lord's will when he shot President
Garfield.
   (What would have happened to Abraham, if an angel had not stopped him
from killing his son Isaac? What would Abraham's wife thought about this
"sacrifice")?
    Obviously, our minds can involve us in drastic actions whiich may produce dire
consequences. We should be very careful in what we say and do to ourselves or
any other individuals. Our actions thoughts and actions matter.

1st Nephi 3:7

7/7/2012

Nephi speaking to his father: I will go and do the things that the Lord hath commanded...
What may we say about humans and their nature? it would seem that most of us,
most of the time, would rather do anything and everything else than learn and obey the
commandments of God. While this learning and obeying might not always make our lives
instantly easier, it most certainly would make them better.

1st Nephi 2:20

6/28/2012

    Nephi: Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall prosper
in the land (See Mosiah 1:7; Alma 50:20)
    Jesus intimated that it was very difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom
of God. We suspect that it is difficult for a poor person or a middle class person
to enter his kingdom, also
    A rich person is often too spoiled to care about spiritual matters
    A poor person often seeks material wealth over spiritual riches
    A middle class person may have a good chance of entering the kingdom
if his priorites are right and righteous
    A commandment not kept may be a kingdom lost
    (Thank God for the atonement of Jesus Christ and the principal of repentence)

1st Nephi 2:9

6/13/2012

    Lehi speaking to his oldest son, Laman: O that you might be like this river*
    continually running into the fountain of all righteousness.
    (*A river called Laman that emptied into the Red Sea, named by Lehi in honor
of his oldest son, Laman).

    Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
(Robert Robinson-1757).

    You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.
    (Song of Solomon 4:15)
    The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from
the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

    There are many fountains in the world, but none more sweet and wonderful
as the fountain of all righteousness.

1st Nephi 1:14

6/6/2012

    Lehi (Nephi's Father): Thy throne, O Lord God Almighty is high in the heavens
and thy power, goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth...
    In Christ were all things created through him and for him. Christ is before all
things. In all things, Christ has supremacy. For it pleased the Father that in Christ
the fullness of God should dwell in his son Jesus Christ. (Colossians:1:16-19 parphrased)

1st Nephi 1:1 c

6/5/2012

    Nephi: During my lifetime, I have received much knowledge regarding the mysteries of God.
    Are there any valid mysteries of God that would not include and involve his son, Jesus Christ. Probably not. The more we get to know Jesus Christ, the more knowledge we shall have regarding the mysteries of God.

1st Nephi 1:1 b

6/5/2012

Nephi: ....I have been highly favored by the Lord all my days....
Whether we have been great sinners or simply mediocre ones, would we still not have to admit that we too have been highly favored by the Lord all our days?

1st Nephi 1:1 a

6/5/2012

I, Nephi having been born of goodly (respectable, well to do,
worthy, honorable, spirit filled) parents...
In a perfect world, all children would be born of goodly parents, but we know,
this is not the case for millions of children. Imagine what the world and our
communities would be like if they were filled with goodly parents.