Learning

This week as I was reading throiugh 1 Nephi 13-15 I was struck by the contrast between Nephi and his brothers again. It's something that I've thought about a lot and something that a lot of teachers have also pointed out but this time I really found myself pondering on what it takes to obtain knowledge. Nephi was curious about what his father had seen and so he thought about it and prayed and that's when he got his answer. His brothers just were talking (or arguing) with each other about the meaning of the dream. As I thought this over I thought about myself compared to Laman and Lemuel. A lot of times I feel that I ponder and pray and still don't get an answer and then I will take my questions to others and as we talk I'll get the needed revelation. Laman and Lemuel also took their questions and asked Nephi what the meaning of different aspects of the dream were. It's seems like they were searching for answers right?

That's when I realized that what they did wrong was that they didn't pray. I know it seems like I already said that but at the same time what I learned is that revelation comes through all different avenues when we receive it. However the thing is we all ask for it in pretty much the same way. Laman and Lemuel asking Nephi questions about what they didn't understand wasn't a bad thing. The problem was that they neglected to do the most important part. Pray.

If we pray and don't get answers like Nephi did that's okay. I'd even go so far as to say normal. But we are commanded to pray and then we can find our answers through many different ways.

Week 1

Sometimes when I start to read The Book of Mormon from the beginning again I like to use a brand new blue paper back copy. I feel like it helps me to get entirely new revelations since I'm not distracted by other marks or notes and it helps me to see what I'm looking for, and what has changed, in my life now compared to the last time I read.

As I have been reading at the beginning of this new semester I was able to read with a good friend of mine. We were reading in 1 Nephi Chapter 11. A verse I have always loved but seemed even more applicable now than ever to me was verse 1. I love the very clear pattern for revelation that it gives. Nephi had desire to know. He believed that the Lord would be able to make them known unto him. He sat and pondered in his heart, and then he was "caught away in the Spirit of the Lord' and was taken places he'd never been and saw things he'd never seen.

This passage has come to mean a lot to me as I've sought revelation in my life but this time as I read it I was struck by the simplicity. His pure desire ended with him seeing a vision of the savior. The revelations that I seek in my life probably aren't going to result in a vision like what Nephi saw but I know that as I seek to know, trust the Lord, and ponder on what I already know that the Lord will take me where I need to go and show me things that I've never seen before. It may not even be what I ask for when I get the revelation, but it'll be what the Lord wants for me.