Lessons from 1 Nephi 1

What can we learn from the first chapter of the Book of Mormon? Apostles and Prophets have quoted 1 Nephi 1 on a variety of subjects: parenthood, prayer, the Book of Mormon as a witness of Jesus Christ, the tender mercies of the Lord, and more. Click on the "Read more" link below for some quotes collected from scriptures.byu.edu.

Parenting

Don't Leave For Tomorrow What You Can Do Today - Elder Claudio R. M. Costa

• Our Father has taught us that parents are obligated to teach the gospel to their children. [ See D&C 68:25. ] The prophet Lehi understood well his responsibility to teach his children. Nephi declared that he had been taught “in all the learning of [his] father.” [1 Nephi 1:1. ]

A "Mother Heart" - Julie B. Beck

• What is a mother heart and how is one acquired? We learn about some of those qualities in the scriptures. To paraphrase Proverbs: “Who can find a … woman [with a mother heart]? for her price is far above rubies. … She … worketh willingly with her hands. … With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. … She stretcheth out her hand to the poor. … Strength and honour are her clothing. … She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness” ( Prov. 31:10, 13, 16, 20, 25–27). A woman with a mother heart has a testimony of the restored gospel, and she teaches the principles of the gospel without equivocation. She is keeping sacred covenants made in holy temples. Her talents and skills are shared unselfishly. She gains as much education as her circumstances will allow, improving her mind and spirit with the desire to teach what she learns to the generations who follow her. If she has children, she is a “goodly parent” (1 Ne. 1:1) who lives and teaches standards of behavior exactly in line with the teachings of living prophets.

David, A Future Missionary - Darwin B. Christensen

• Immediately in the Book of Mormon, we learn lessons of parenthood. Father Lehi provided the foundation background, giving his son Nephi reason to make the famous statement, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father” (1 Ne. 1:1).

"Because My Father Sent Me" - Loren C. Dunn

• The history of the gospel of Jesus Christ from Adam and Eve down to the present day is closely associated with father and mother and family. The introductory pages of the Book of Mormon have the great prophet Nephi, while recounting the trials and blessings of his day, first paying homage to his father: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.” [1 Ne. 1:1]

"Therefore I Was Taught" - Elder L. Tom Perry

• The Book of Mormon begins with these words: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father” (1 Ne. 1:1). What a different world this would be if the personal journals of each of our Father in Heaven’s children could begin with a similar phrase—having goodly parents and being taught by them.

Therefore I Was Taught - A. Theodore Tuttle

• As prophetic events unfold, one thing is certain: we will need to be more self-reliant. We will all need to teach more within the walls of our own homes. In the Book of Mormon we find some models: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father” (1 Ne. 1:1). No doubt Nephi was taught the things of the Spirit—his writings reveal that. He probably was taught practical matters as well, for he was a very resourceful man. Today that son is fortunate whose father teaches him somewhat in all his learning.

Spiritual Reservoirs - Spencer W. Kimball

• Lehi and Sariah built and filled reservoirs for their children. One said: "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father . . . having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings" (1 Ne. 1:1). Though two of the brothers ignored those teachings, using their own free agency, yet Nephi and others of his brothers were strongly fortified and all their lives could draw heavily on the reservoir built and filled by worthy parents.

Education

The Supreme Test of Religion - Levi Edgar Young

• Think of what your message can become as you go forth to teach. But it is going to require of you some sort of planning toward an end. Your minds must become more sensitive to the revealed truths of God as never before. Your faith in your work must deepen from day to day. Let me call to your minds the words of the first two verses of the first chapter of the Book of Mormon: I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father: and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days. Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians (1 Ne. 1:1-2). What a noble tribute to education these words are. Lehi had become an educated man in his day, and his son pays him loving tribute. So you must study the words of Holy Writ every hour of the day and remember the admonition of the first teacher to the American Indians, called by some the apostle John Eliot: Work, with faith in Jesus Christ can accomplish anything.

The Standard Works - Levi Edgar Young

• In reference to the other Church works, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price stand with the Bible at the head of the religious books of today. Every one of our four Church works has a genuine and divine truth that God lives and that we are his children and are given the duty to work out our destinies. We cannot study them enough. Just to read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon gives us a lesson in the meaning of education. To think that Nephi was educated in both the learning of the Egyptians and the Jews (1 Ne. 1:2)! Today few people realize what that learning was. Some scholars maintain that the learning of the Egyptians in ancient times has never been equaled.

Prayer

Pray Always - David A. Bednar

• We learn a vital lesson from the example of Lehi in the Book of Mormon. Lehi responded in faith to prophetic instruction and warnings concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. He then prayed unto the Lord “with all his heart, in behalf of his people” (1 Nephi 1:5; emphasis added). In answer to this fervent prayer, Lehi was blessed with a glorious vision of God and His Son and of the impending destruction of Jerusalem (see 1 Nephi 1:6–9, 13, 18). Consequently, Lehi rejoiced, and his whole heart was filled because of the things which the Lord had shown him (see 1 Nephi 1:15). Please note that the vision came in response to a prayer for others and not as a result of a request for personal edification or guidance.

A Witness of Jesus Christ

The Book of Mormon's Witness of Jesus Christ - J. Thomas Fyans

• My wife, Helen, and I have read the Book of Mormon several times in the past few months. We have asked ourselves, “If this is another testament of Jesus Christ, how does it perform this task?”

  We determined to note every reference to the Savior as we prayerfully prepared ourselves for another excursion through this special witness. We had just turned the very first page in this sacred record, and the curtain began to open to a panorama of testimony that Jesus is the Christ.

  Here is the first scene. Lehi, praying with all his heart, had this experience:

  “There came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much. …

  “And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

  “And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

  “And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read” (1 Ne. 1:6, 9–11).

  What was Lehi’s reaction to this heaven-sent scene? “He testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world” (1 Ne. 1:19).

  We were still in the first chapter of 1 Nephi, having barely begun our quest. As we continued, verse after verse, chapter after chapter bore witness of his reality.

The Keystone of Our Religion - Marion G. Romney

• From the title page of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet learned that one of the two purposes of the book was "the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ" (BM Title Page).

  For the accomplishment of this purpose, the book is from beginning to end a witness for Christ. Its first chapter contains an account of a vision in which Lehi beheld Jesus "descending out of the midst of heaven" in luster above the noonday sun. (1 Ne. 1:9) Its last chapter concludes with Moroni's great exhortation to come unto Christ and be perfected in him, with this assurance: ". . . and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be . . . sanctified." (Moro. 10:32-33)

All Men Everywhere - Dallin H. Oaks

• One of the things I learned in this most recent reading of the Book of Mormon was how much God loves all of His children in every nation. In the first chapter Father Lehi praises the Lord, whose “power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth” (1 Ne. 1:14). Again and again the Book of Mormon teaches that the gospel of Jesus Christ is universal in its promise and effect, reaching out to all who ever live on the earth.

Lesson From Laman and Lemuel - Neal A. Maxwell

• Nephi, “had a great knowledge of the goodness … of God,” hence Nephi’s firm declaration: “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Ne. 1:1; 1 Ne. 11:17). If we have a love of God and know His goodness, we will trust Him, even when we are puzzled or perplexed.

God's Pattern

A Pattern For All - Merrill J. Bateman

• At the beginning of most dispensations, a book is given to the newly called prophet. Moses received tablets (see Ex. 31:18). Lehi was given a book to read concerning the destruction of Jerusalem (see 1 Ne. 1:11–14). Ezekiel was given “a roll of a book” (Ezek. 2:9–10) containing the Lord’s message for the house of Judah in his day. John the Revelator on the Isle of Patmos was shown a book with seven seals (see Rev. 5; D&C 77:6). Is it any wonder, then, that the Lord would provide a book containing the fulness of the gospel as part of the “restitution of all things”? The Book of Mormon has the power to draw all men and women to Christ. Its references to the Savior’s Atonement are the clearest on record with regard to its purpose and powers.

The Holy Ghost

Becoming a Great Benefit to Our Fellow Beings - Spencer J. Condie

• Satan would diminish your faith and dilute your priesthood power to work mighty miracles, but a loving Heavenly Father has provided you with providential protection—the gift of the Holy Ghost. In the first chapter of the Book of Mormon we learn that as Lehi read the scriptures “he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.”[1 Ne. 1:8–12] Nephi later promises us that as we “feast upon the words of Christ … the words of Christ will tell [us] all things what [we] should do.” [2 Ne. 32:3]

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

True Happiness: A Conscious Decision - Benjamin De Hoyos

• Happiness comes as a result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances. When the prophet Lehi warned the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they mocked him, and, as with other ancient prophets, they sought to take away his life. I quote the prophet Nephi: “I … will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” [1 Ne. 1:20; emphasis added]

The Tender Mercies of the Lord - David A Bednar

• This afternoon I want to describe and discuss a spiritual impression I received a few moments before I stepped to this pulpit during the Sunday morning session of general conference last October. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf had just finished speaking and had declared his powerful witness of the Savior. Then we all stood together to sing the intermediate hymn that previously had been announced by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The intermediate hymn that morning was “Redeemer of Israel” (Hymns, no. 6).

  Now, the music for the various conference sessions had been determined many weeks before—and obviously long before my new call to serve. If, however, I had been invited to suggest an intermediate hymn for that particular session of the conference—a hymn that would have been both edifying and spiritually soothing for me and for the congregation before my first address in this Conference Center—I would have selected my favorite hymn, “Redeemer of Israel.” Tears filled my eyes as I stood with you to sing that stirring hymn of the Restoration.

  Near the conclusion of the singing, to my mind came this verse from the Book of Mormon: “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Ne. 1:20).

  My mind was drawn immediately to Nephi’s phrase “the tender mercies of the Lord,” and I knew in that very moment I was experiencing just such a tender mercy. A loving Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously. Some may count this experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.

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Testimony

LDS.org Gospel Topics

• A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior's true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today. With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel.
• Happiness in this life and throughout eternity depends largely on whether individuals are "valiant in the testimony of Jesus" (D&C 76:79; see also D&C 76:51, 74, 101).
• The quest for a testimony begins with a righteous, sincere desire.
  
• Testimony comes through the quiet influence of the Holy Ghost.
• Testimony grows gradually through experiences.
• Testimony grows as it is shared.
  

Scriptures

• John 7:17 - If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
• D&C 6:22-23 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
• D&C62:3 - Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.
• D&C 88:81 - Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.

Talks

Pure Testimony - Elder Ballard

• Clearly, in our world today it is a rare and precious thing to have a testimony that God our Heavenly Father lives; that His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer; and that priesthood authority to administer the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored once again upon the earth. The profound blessing of having a testimony of these truths cannot be measured or ever taken for granted.
• Simply stated, testimony—real testimony, born of the Spirit and confirmed by the Holy Ghost—changes lives. It changes how you think and what you do. It changes what you say. It affects every priority you set and every choice you make. To have a real and abiding testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be “spiritually … born of God,” to “[receive] his image in your countenances,” and to experience a “mighty change in your hearts” (Alma 5:14).
• Real testimony of these precious truths comes as a witness by the Holy Ghost after sincere and dedicated effort, including teaching in the home, prayer, scripture study, service to others, and diligent obedience to Heavenly Father’s commandments. To gain and forever hold on to a testimony of gospel truths is worth whatever price in spiritual preparation we may be required to pay.

• My experience throughout the Church leads me to worry that too many of our members’ testimonies linger on “I am thankful” and “I love,” and too few are able to say with humble but sincere clarity, “I know.” As a result, our meetings sometimes lack the testimony-rich, spiritual underpinnings that stir the soul and have meaningful, positive impact on the lives of all those who hear them.

  Our testimony meetings need to be more centered on the Savior, the doctrines of the gospel, the blessings of the Restoration, and the teachings of the scriptures. We need to replace stories, travelogues, and lectures with pure testimonies. Those who are entrusted to speak and teach in our meetings need to do so with doctrinal power that will be both heard and felt, lifting the spirits and edifying our people.
• ...the Spirit cannot be restrained when pure testimony of Christ is borne.
• ...having a testimony alone is not enough. In fact, when we are truly converted, we cannot be restrained from testifying. And as it was with Apostles and faithful members of old, so is it also our privilege, our duty, and our solemn obligation to “declare the things which [we] know to be true” (D&C 80:4).
• While it is always good to express love and gratitude, such expressions do not constitute the kind of testimony that will ignite a fire of belief in the lives of others. To bear testimony is “to bear witness by the power of the Holy Ghost; to make a solemn declaration of truth based on personal knowledge or belief” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Testify,” 241). Clear declaration of truth makes a difference in people’s lives. That is what changes hearts. That is what the Holy Ghost can confirm in the hearts of God’s children.
• Testify God is our Father and Jesus is the Christ. The plan of salvation is centered on the Savior’s Atonement. Joseph Smith restored the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Book of Mormon is evidence that our testimony is true.

Testimony - Elder Oaks

• As we desire and seek, we should remember that acquiring a testimony is not a passive thing but a process in which we are expected to do something. Jesus taught, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).

  Another way to seek a testimony seems astonishing when compared with the methods of obtaining other knowledge. We gain or strengthen a testimony by bearing it. Someone even suggested that some testimonies are better gained on the feet bearing them than on the knees praying for them.

• Those who have a testimony of the restored gospel also have a duty to share it. The Book of Mormon teaches that we should “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9).
• Our children should also hear us bear our testimonies frequently.

Bearing Testimony - Elder Jay Jensen
Pure Testimony - Elder Worthlin

• President Boyd K. Packer said: “A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that ‘leap of faith,’ as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and step into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two.”

  Making a determined and confident public statement of your belief is such a step into the unknown. It has a powerful effect in strengthening your own convictions. Bearing testimony drives your faith deeper into your soul, and you believe more fervently than before.

  To those who faithfully bear testimony, the Lord said, “Ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.” I have tried to follow this counsel to bear testimony.

A Growing Testimony - Pres. Faust
The Power of a Personal Testimony - Pres. Uchtdorf
Securing Our Testimonies - Elder Donald Staheli
You Know Enough - Elder Neil L. Andersen

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Prayer

Thoughts from Ensign articles:

Improving Our Prayers - Elder Worthlin (March 2004)

• Does the time you spend in prayer enrich and uplift your soul? Is there room for improvement?
• Have you considered the effectiveness of your prayers, your efforts to reach toward Him from this mortal life? How close do you feel to your Heavenly Father? Do you feel that your prayers are answered? Do you feel that the time you spend in prayer enriches and uplifts your soul? Is there room for improvement?
• “The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another.” - Pres. Hinckley
• Do your prayers at times sound and feel the same? Have you ever said a prayer mechanically, the words pouring forth as though cut from a machine? Do you sometimes bore yourself as you pray?
• Will prayers that do not demand much of your thought merit much attention from our Heavenly Father? When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don’t have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice.
• Our prayers can and should be focused on the practical, everyday struggles of life. If we should pray over our crops (see Alma 34:24), then why not over other important challenges we face?
• Prosperity can deaden us to spiritual things. It can give us the illusion of power. When we are sick, we can go to a doctor and get healed. When we are hungry, we can feed ourselves. When we are cold, we can get warm. In short, most of the problems of life we can solve ourselves—we can answer many of our own prayers. Because of the relative ease many have in acquiring their daily bread, they can become deceived into thinking they are saviors unto themselves. In their pride and foolishness they feel they have little need of a Heavenly Father. They think little of the power that created the universe or of Him who gave His life that they might live.

• A Pattern for Prayer: In Psalm 37 [Ps. 37] David revealed an inspired process for active prayer and faith. It is a step-by-step process that may serve as a pattern for us to follow as we seek to increase our faith and improve the efficacy of our prayers.

  “Fret not” is the first step (see Ps. 37:1). To fret means to worry or to brood about something. The first thing we must do is stop worrying. When we worry about the future, we create unhappiness in the present. Righteous concern may lead us to take appropriate action, but worrying about things we cannot control can paralyze and demoralize us.

  Instead of worrying, focus on doing all that you can, and then leave the worrying to your Heavenly Father. If your heart is right with Him, He will take care of the worry and the fear. We must learn to “fret not.”

  The second step is to “trust in the Lord” (see Ps. 37:3). Why should we trust in Him? Because He is our loving and all-wise Father in Heaven. Because He is the giver of all good gifts. Because He knows us and wants us to be happy and successful and to return to Him. God is in His heaven. He is perfect. He loves us.

  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding,” we read in the scriptures. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5–6).

  The third step is “do good” (see Ps. 37:3). We do good because we are followers of Christ. We do good because we are members of His church. We do good because we have made solemn covenants to serve as a light unto the world. Our Heavenly Father expects our actions to serve as a living testimony to our words. As we do good, the Lord can bless our efforts.

  This is not to say that we must never make a mistake, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The Lord requires that we seek Him with a humble heart, that we repent of our sins, and that we continue to do the best we can. As we make mistakes, we should learn from them and strive not to repeat them. As we do so, we become ever more Christlike, ever more as men and women of God.

  As our actions contradict our professions of faith, our prayers become weak. When we do good, the Lord can work through us and magnify our efforts.

  The fourth step is to “delight thyself also in the Lord” (see Ps. 37:4). What a wonderful doctrine! Instead of worrying or grumbling that our prayers have gone unanswered, we should delight ourselves in the Lord. Be grateful. Be happy. Know that the Lord, in His time, will bring about all your righteous desires—sometimes in ways we predict, sometimes in ways we could not have possibly foreseen. What a wonderful recipe for happiness and peace.

  The fifth step is to “commit thy way unto the Lord” (see Ps. 37:5). No matter what your worries are, commit yourself to keeping His commandments. Brethren, honor your priesthood. Sisters, cleave unto the principles of light and truth.

  The sixth step is to “rest in the Lord” (see Ps. 37:7). Sometimes the hardest thing we can do is wait. The Lord has His own timetable, and although it may frustrate us, His timing is always perfect. When we rest in the Lord, we allow Him to work His will for us in His own time and in His own way.

• You recall the Prophet Joseph Smith’s experience with darkness and light in the Sacred Grove. President Lorenzo Snow (1814–98) wrote of an experience of his own:

  “Some two or three weeks after I was baptized … I began to reflect upon the fact that I had not obtained a knowledge of the truth of the work … , and I began to feel very uneasy. I laid aside my books, left the house, and wandered around through the fields under the oppressive influence of a gloomy, disconsolate spirit, while an indescribable cloud of darkness seemed to envelop me. I had been accustomed, at the close of the day, to retire for secret prayer, to a grove a short distance from my lodgings, but at this time I felt no inclination to do so. The spirit of prayer had departed and the heavens seemed like brass over my head. At length, realizing that the usual time had come for secret prayer, I concluded I would not forego my evening service, and, as a matter of formality, knelt as I was in the habit of doing, and in my accustomed retired place, but not feeling as I was wont to feel.

  “I had no sooner opened my lips in an effort to pray, than I heard a sound, just above my head, like the rustling of silken robes, and immediately the Spirit of God descended upon me, completely enveloping my whole person, filling me, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and O, the joy and happiness I felt! No language can describe the almost instantaneous transition from a dense cloud of mental and spiritual darkness into a refulgence of light and knowledge, as it was at that time imparted to my understanding. I then received a perfect knowledge that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and of the restoration of the holy Priesthood, and the fulness of the Gospel. …

  “… That night, as I retired to rest, the same wonderful manifestations were repeated, and continued to be for several successive nights. The sweet remembrance of those glorious experiences, from that time to the present, bring them fresh before me, imparting an inspiring influence which pervades my whole being, and I trust will to the close of my earthly existence.”

The Language of Prayer - Elder Oaks

• The words we use in speaking to someone can identify the nature of our relationship to that person. They can also remind speaker and listener of the responsibilities they owe one another in that relationship. The form of address can also serve as a mark of respect or affection. So it is with the language of prayer.
• Modern English has no special verbs or pronouns that are intimate, familiar, or honorific. When we address prayers to our Heavenly Father in English, our only available alternatives are the common words of speech like you and your or the dignified but uncommon words like thee, thou, and thy which were used in the King James Version of the Bible almost five hundred years ago. Latter-day Saints, of course, prefer the latter. In our prayers we use language that is dignified and different, even archaic.
• I am sure that our Heavenly Father, who loves all of his children, hears and answers all prayers, however phrased. If he is offended in connection with prayers, it is likely to be by their absence, not their phraseology.

Peace Through Prayer - Elder Rex Pinegar
Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer - Elder Scott
Prayer - President Benson
Prayer - Elder Eyring
The Lifeline of Prayer - President Foust
Sweet Power of Prayer - Elder Nelson

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Mormon 4

Notes from personal scripture study:

Mormon chapter 4

• It is easier to remember to pray at the beginning of my scripture study when I take notes.
• "..it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed." (v5) War and the destruction that comes with it are one way that the wicked are punished. It seems to me that when the wicked stir up men unto bloodshed, the righteous frequently suffer as well. I don't think it is fair to say that the righteous are being punished, however. Maybe Mormon is saying that the wicked punish themselves through the shedding of blood.
  
• verses 13, 14 - the city of Desolation changes hands for the 3rd time in the chapter. Was it occupied entirely by the military forces? What about the people that weren't fighting? V14 mentions that the Lamanites offered up women and children "as sacrifices unto their idol gods." Perhaps this is the type of punishment that the wicked bring upon the wicked. If the Nephites had been righteous, maybe these sacrifices would not have occurred as they did.
• Chapter 4 begins with the Nephites as the aggressors, but ends with the Lamanites doing all the attacking. The aggressiveness of the Nephites led to their destruction (v4).
  

Start 9:40 pause 9:50 resume 10:13 end 10:37 -- 34 min.

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The Infinite Power of Hope

Notes from my scripture study today:

The Infinite Power of Hope by Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf (from November 2008 Ensign)

Notes:

• Faith overcomes fear; hope overcomes despair. Faith and hope must be put into action to be truly effective.
• The scriptures are written that we "might have hope" (Romans 15:4). This verse actually says that hope comes through "patience and comfort of the scriptures." What does comfort of the scriptures mean? Knowing them well enough to be comfortable? Finding comfort in the words?
• Having hope is important if I want to have a happy life (Psalm 146:5) - specifically, having hope in the God of Jacob and his power to raise us unto life eternal (Moroni 7:41).
• The absence of hope can make the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).
  
• Hope is a gift of the Spirit which accompanies repentance and humility (Moroni 8:26).
• "...be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard..." (Colossians 1:23).
  
• We are commanded to be hopeful: "we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope."
• "...wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance" in the kingdom of God (Ether 12:32).
  

Quotes:

Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity.

[W]e have the responsibility to make [hope] an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope.

Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us.

Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future.

Started: 1:30 p.m. Ended: 2:15 (45 minutes)

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Even As Abraham

As we study the scriptures, we learn that many prophets had their faith tried in many different ways. But as far as I can think of off the top of my head, there is only one trial of faith experienced by a prophet that the Lord specifically tells us that we must also go through. In Doctrine and Covenants 101:4-5, the Lord says that the Saints "must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son. For all who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified." A similar idea is found in John 8:39, where the Savior says, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham."

Each prophet had his faith tried in different ways, and each of us will have our faith tried in different ways. What is it about Abraham's trial of faith that makes it the one that must be universally passed by all of us if we wish to draw nearer to God? There are probably several good answers to this question, but my feeling is that it has to do with how Abraham was able to put the will of the Lord before his own, even when it meant sacrificing something that he dearly loved. If I want to do the works of Abraham and return to the presence of God, I must also learn to put the will of God first in my life.

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For Great Are the Words of Isaiah

I recently completed a personal study of the book of Isaiah. It was my first attempt at really trying to understood his writings, and took me nearly a year to complete. I am very glad that I put in the effort I did, however, because Isaiah is amazing. I will try and write an entry or two on what I learned. To start, here are a few thoughts on why Isaiah is so difficult to understand, and what I can do about it.

In 2 Nephi 25:1, Nephi mentions that his people had a hard time understanding the writings of Isaiah, and then explains why he chose to include them. He also gives several keys to understanding Isaiah. What I recently found interesting, however, is the footnote in verse 1 that leads to Jacob 4:14. In Jacob 4:14, we learn that the Jews desired things that were difficult to understand, and “because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.”

There are two things I took from this verse: first, we are rewarded according to our desires. Second, the book of Isaiah isn't necessarily meant to be hard for me to understand – it was meant to be hard for the Jews of that time to understand.

Following the last footnote in verse 14 to Isaiah 57, I came across another scripture that was interesting. One of the ideas in Isaiah 57:13-14 is that those who trust in the Lord (v13) seek for their stumbling blocks to be removed (v14). In other words, in contrast to the ancient Jews, those who trust in the Lord seek for the gospel to be plain to the understanding.

Applying this principle to myself, I came up with the following: If I trust in the Lord and ask in faith, my stumbling blocks can be removed according to my righteous desires. I can be filled with the spirit of prophecy (2 Nephi 25:4) in such a way that the words of Isaiah will become plain to me.

After spending a year studying Isaiah, I know that Isaiah can become plain and precious. While there are still many parts of Isaiah's writings that I do not fully comprehend, I am amazed at how much I was able to get from the book with just a little more effort than normal. The Savior has commanded us to study Isaiah, “for great are the words of Isaiah,” (3 Nephi 23:1) and He can and will help us to understand Isaiah's writings.

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Now I Know of a Surety

Lehi took his family and traveled three days into the wilderness before stopping to offer sacrifice (1 Nephi 2:6-7). At that point, Lehi dreamed a dream in which the Lord told him to send his sons back to get the brass plates. Why did the Lord let Lehi and his family travel three days before telling them that they needed to return? It seems like it would have been easier to obtain the plates before leaving in the first place.

I think there a couple of hints in 1 Nephi as to why the Lord waited to tell Lehi. First of all, the Lord waited until Lehi had offered sacrifice. In other words, Lehi received revelation after being obedient to the voice of the Lord and after performing a temple ordinance. My understanding is that Jewish law required a Jew to travel three days from the temple in Jerusalem before this sacrifice could be made.

The journey back to Jerusalem to retrieve the plates also proved to be a growing experience for Nephi. He learned that the Lord would guide him through the Spirit, as we see in 1 Nephi 4:6.

But it my mind, the real answer to this question can be found in 1 Nephi 5:8. In this verse, we see Sariah's reaction to the return of Nephi and his brethren with the plates. I think her words are very revealing: "Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness." It appears that Sariah needed to gain a testimony of her husband, the living prophet. She needed to know of a surety that he was called of the Lord, and that the hand of the Lord was guiding him. By waiting three days before sending Nephi and his brothers back for the plates, the Lord, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, provided a means for Sariah to gain this testimony.

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A Few Thoughts on the Resurrection

In the Bible Dictionary entry for "Resurrection," it says that the doctrine of the Resurrection is "the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ." I usually only think about the blessings of the Resurrection when someone close to me passes away, but after reading this I felt like perhaps the doctrine of the Resurrection is a doctrine that should be making a bigger difference in my life. I decided to try and gain a better understanding of the connection between the Resurrection and having hope. How important is hope in this gospel?

Moroni 7:41 tells me that I should "have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection." In 1 Thes. 5:8, the armor of God is discussed, and the helmet is called the "hope of salvation." Connecting these two scriptures, it seems like having a hope because of the Atonement and Resurrection is an important part of protecting myself against Satan.

I found it interesting that hope is connected with the head (the helmet). As I thought about this, another scripture came to mind: Jacob 3:2. Here we are told that if we have a firm mind, then we can feel the love of God forever. How can I have a firm mind? Seems like wearing a helmet of hope would be useful. Hope can certainly help me fight off mental afflictions like discouragement.

The doctrine of the Resurrection is a powerful doctrine that should fill my life with hope and help me to have a "firm mind."

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A Few Thoughts on the Atonement

I taught Sunday School again today. The lesson was on the Atonement, in specific the events that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here are a few of the thoughts that I shared in my lesson:

The Atonement can be found everywhere in the scriptures if we just look. For example, in 1 Nephi 17:8, the Lord tells Nephi, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters." The Lord "carries" us to the promised land. It is only through his Atonement that we can make it across the waters, past the trials of this life, and to the Celestial kingdom.

In Romans 8:16-17, we are told that we can be joint heirs with Christ, "if it so be that we suffer with him." What does it mean to suffer with Christ? As I read about Christ's experience in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), I noticed that he took Peter, James, and John to the Garden and asked them to "watch" with him. I wonder if one possible way that we can "suffer with" Christ is by doing exactly what Jesus asked his disciples to do in the Garden: watch and pray. Be there, in a sense, and stay awake.

Finally, I noticed that before the Atonement occurred, Christ had the attitude "Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:39). Perhaps before the Atonement can become a reality in my life, I must also have the attitude, "Thy will be done."

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Laws, Rites, and Ordinances

Yesterday a friend of mine sent me the following in an email:

K, guys. So here is the deal. I love the NPR podcast "This I Believe." Users write in and submit stories of stuff that they believe in - sometimes it is in relation to spiritual stuff, sometimes with hardships in life, sometimes life lessons, etc. Kinda gushy sometimes - but something I find pretty inspirational and cool. So, recently, this following podcast came out. This has been a hot topic lately with some of my friends (more in relation to dating than marriage - but same principle). And I want to know what all of you think about it. It is short - so either read it or listen to it and tell me what you got. Do you agree? Not agree? See flaws in her argument? Etc.

So, let me here what you have got to say.

You can either read or listen to the segment here.....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10536016

I read the article, and then spent about an hour writing my thoughts about it. I must say that by the end of the hour I had gone somewhat off-topic, so my response doesn't accurately reflect what was written in the article. But I had a few thoughts that I wanted to post here for the sake of remembering them. Here they are:

A few years ago I went and did some sealings in the temple. It was amazing because the sealer, Bro. Jack Rose, would stop after every ordinance and ask us questions about different parts of the ordinance. One phrase he pointed out has stuck in my mind till now: "laws, rites, and ordinances." When we are sealed, we covenant to keep the laws, rites, and ordinances of marriage. He pointed out that the word was "rites," not "rights." And then he spent several minutes teaching us about what that meant. Basically, he talked about all the little acts that make all the difference. And he promised us that if we put in our best effort, then the Lord would help us to keep this covenant. He shared a personal experience where the Lord let him know of something his wife needed so that he was able to take care of it before she had to ask. I'm single so I may be wrong, but I get the feeling that the rites of marriage probably affect the happiness of the marriage as much as, if not more than, anything else.

Again, I'm not married, so I haven't tried this out yet, but I have to believe that if I pray every night with faith that the Lord will help me meet the needs and wants of my spouse, then He is going to answer my prayers. Of course, I have to be willing to put in the effort. And I have to do it for the right reasons. If I do it expecting a reward or some sort of return favor, then I have the wrong attitude. As with keeping the commandments, my motivation for keeping the laws, rites, and ordinances of marriage should be love, not potential blessings or rewards.

I also feel that we shouldn't wait until we are married to start putting in the effort. If we learn how to do things that take effort and aren't fun now, then it should be easier when those things become part of the marriage covenant (the rites). If we start doing little things now (washing dishes, learning to put the toilet seat down, being more responsible with money, etc., etc., etc.), isn't that a way of showing love towards our future spouse?

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Parallels

There are many parallels to be found between the journey that Nephi took to the promised land and my journey through life to the Celestial Kingdom. Here are five that I have spent some time thinking about in the last couple of years:

NEPHI: Nephi went to the temple often (1 Nephi 18:3, 1 Kings 3:2), and the Lord showed him from time to time how to build the ship that allowed him to cross the ocean (1 Nephi 18:1). The ocean could be considered to be Nephi's greatest obstacle to reaching the Promised Land.
ME: If I go to the temple and pray to the Lord often, the Lord will show me, line upon line, how to overcome my greatest obstacles and weaknesses.

NEPHI: Many times, Nephi probably built part of the ship without knowing beforehand how it would work or be incorporated into the rest of the ship.
ME: The Lord will tell me things that I may not understand or see how to fit into my life. If I incorporate these things into my life with faith, the finished product will allow me to overcome my obstacles and reach my promised land.

NEPHI: Nephi was promised that if he kept the commandments, he would be guided towards the promised land (1 Nephi 17:4). Not only that, but he would know that he was led by the Lord.
ME: If I keep the commandments, God will show me how to grow closer to him. I will recognize the Lord's guidance in my life, and know that he is leading me.

NEPHI: After the Lord commanded Nephi to build a ship, Nephi asked the Lord where to find ore to make tools (1 Nephi 17:8-9). Nephi sought out raw materials, not a finished product.
ME: When the Lord gives me a commandment to build or accomplish something, I shouldn't expect him to give me a finished product. I need to seek out raw materials, make tools, and then put in the time and work it takes to build my ship.

NEPHI: Nephi's brothers opposed him, telling him that he could not build a ship (1 Nephi 17:19).
ME: I also will face opposition in my life when trying to build my "ship." I may be told that what I am trying to do is impossible, and that I am "lacking in judgement." I must persevere and have faith as Nephi did.

Well, I'm running out of time for this post. Perhaps I will continue these thoughts in another post in the near future. There are definitely more parallels to be written about.

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If I Wash Thee Not, Thou Hast No Part With Me

As I have been preparing to teach my Sunday School lesson this week, I have spent a lot of time thinking about John 13:6-10. Here are a few of the things I have been thinking about:

In John 13:8, Peter tells the Lord that "thou shalt never wash my feet." As I thought about Peter's statement, I wondered if maybe I sometimes have this same attitude with the Lord. Are there things that I should let the Lord do for me or help me with that I don't? Do I ever depend too much on myself or my own talents and abilities? A line of Hymn #124, Be Still My Soul, came to my mind: "Leave to thy God to order and provide." How often do I fail to do that? Lately I have realized that I sometimes try to take certain aspects of my life into my own hands, when instead I should trust God and let him guide me and provide for my needs. (A topic for another day: how can I do that and still follow the counsel from D&C 58:26-27?)

Approaching this verse from a slightly different direction, do I have sins, pains, doubts, or anything else that I, for whatever reason, am not letting the Lord wash away? Am I letting the Lord wash or heal me as completely as he wants to? Or do I have a favorite sin, or maybe an emotional wound, that I can't give up or get over? The Lord wants to wash me. He wants to heal me. What is stopping me from letting him do that fully?

I think these are important questions to ask myself. Just look at the consequence of not allowing the Lord to wash me,which is also found in John 13:8 - "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

Peter, after having these consequences made clear, decides that he wants the Lord to wash "not [his] feet only, but also [his] hands and [his] head" (John 13:9). At first, I thought that perhaps Peter was being a bit overzealous. The Lord tells him in the next verse that only his feet needed to be washed. But then I read the JST of verse 10, and from that it is clear that the hands and head also needed to be washed. It wasn't necessary at this time for Peter simply because his hands and his head were already clean. So maybe Peter wasn't necessarily being overzealous - maybe he just wasn't trusting in the washing that had already been done.

Again, I wonder if maybe I am also like Peter in this verse at times. The Lord has forgiven me of many sins in the past; he has washed those parts of me clean. Do I trust in his forgiveness? Or do I allow Satan to cause me guilt and pain for areas of my life that are now clean?

It is easier to feel the Savior's love, and to "love one another," when I let the Lord wash me and heal me completely, and when I trust in his forgiveness and love.

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Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow

This comes from an email I wrote on November 7, 2005:

Jacob 4:3 - "Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents."

Jacob here is talking about the difficulty of writing upon the plates. His motivation for doing this difficult task and his understanding of its purpose are explained in verse 3. The phrase from that verse that sticks out to me the most right now is "that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow." Wouldn't you say that we could apply this phrase to ourselves and our use of the scriptures? God has given us the scriptures, and if we use them correctly, then our learning will be joyful. If we choose to ignore the scriptures or try to learn on our own, then our learning may be filled with sorrow.

Just another reason that daily scripture study is a good idea.

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He Shall Heal Them

This is from an email I wrote on October 18, 2005:

2 Nephi 26: 8-9:
8) But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are they which shall not perish.

9) But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness.

I found these verses interesting because Nephi is talking about those people who are righteous enough to survive the destruction that came with Christ's death. The interesting thing is that, even though these people were good, in verse nine we see that they still needed healing. Once they are healed, "they shall have peace." That sounds like a spiritual healing to me.

In other words, good people need Christ's healing, too.

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The Labor Which They Had to Perform

This is from an email I wrote on April 19, 2007:

Why is it that in general we seem to feel that repentance has to take a long time? Maybe I just haven't looked hard enough, but I can't find anywhere in the scriptures that says that repentance needs to take a lot of time. In fact:

Alma 34:31 - "...if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you."

Most of the big conversion stories in the scriptures happen fairly quickly. Sure, Alma the Younger suffered for 3 days, but the moment he thought of the Savior and cried out for mercy, he "could remember his pains no more" (Alma 36:16-19).

Seems to me like the three day thing is actually symbolic of the Savior's death and resurrection. Saul also passed through a 3-day period as part of his conversion where he couldn't see anything and he didn't eat or drink (Acts 9:4-6).

My conclusion is that, with the exception of your more serious sins like murder and fornication, repentance only requires as much time as it takes for us to turn to the Lord fully and completely. (Actually, the same thing can probably be said of the more serious sins - but with those, it is much more difficult to turn to the Lord fully and completely, and more time is needed.) All we have to do is look (1 Nephi 17:41). Perhaps we take longer at times to repent because we underestimate how powerful the Atonement really can be.

Just a thought.

-John, who probably thinks too much

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Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work

This is taken from an email I sent out on April 8, 2007:

Just a quick thought: have any of you ever noticed the first 4 verses of James chapter 1? We all know the significance of verse 5, but I think the surrounding context is very interesting, too:

v1: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
v2: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (JST: many afflictions);
v3: Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
v4: But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
v5: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

I wonder why we always separate verse 5 from verses 2, 3, and 4. It seems to me that James is telling us that passing through affliction and learning patience are two important keys necessary to gaining wisdom from God. Once Joseph learned from God that none of the churches was true, he certainly had to pass through many afflictions (JS-H 1:22) and practice incredible patience (3 years passed before he was again visited by Moroni, and it wasn't until 7 years later that he got the plates). Any thoughts?

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Conformed to the Image of His Son

This is taken from an email I sent out on April 3rd, 2007:

Tonight in the temple, the phrase "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Moses 2:26) stuck out to me for some reason. Isn't it it redundant to say image AND likeness? Does anyone have any ideas on that one? As I wondered about that redundancy, a scripture came to mind that I read a long time ago:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:28-30).

Perhaps when God said, "Let us make man in our own image," he was referring both to the creation of our bodies AND to the whole testing process we go through here on Earth. Not only are we made in His image physically, but through the trials and adversity that we pass through while we are here, we are made in His image spiritually.

Just a thought.

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Stronger Than the Waters

This comes directly from an email I sent out to a few friends about two months ago. Rather than go through and rewrite it, I decided to just copy and paste it directly into the post:

Genesis
So Monday night I prayed about a few things that I have been concerned about recently. And then I opened the scriptures, hoping that perhaps I might find an answer there. I asked God if there was any place in particular where I could read to find an answer (an effective tool I learned in my Keys to Scripture Study class), and perhaps coincidentally, Genesis came to mind right away. I flipped through Genesis, noting all the times in the book that God tells us to "fear not, I am with thee." (Luckily I had them all marked due to a strange desire I had last year to read the book of Genesis.) I also found that scripture in chapter 18 that says nothing is too hard for the Lord. At the time, I found both of those thoughts comforting.

Moses and Pharaoh
I then continued flipping the pages until I came to Exodus 5:22-23. This is the part that I find interesting, and if anyone has any thoughts on it, feel free to share. God commands Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask him to free the children of Israel. Moses does so, but Pharaoh not only turns Moses down, but makes the burdens on Israel heavier. In verses 22 and 23, Moses goes to the Lord and asks Him why he was sent to Pharaoh if things were only going to get worse. To put this into my own words, Moses did what God told him to do, but it didn't turn out at all like he expected it to.

An answer?
Mostly this became a lot more interesting to me on Tuesday, when I also tried to follow some promptings I had and got a result that I wasn't entirely expecting. So it became obvious to me that the Lord was trying to teach me something. What I am not entirely sure of is what He wants me to learn. Has anyone had any experiences like this that could enlighten me? I feel like I have actually had my share in the last few years, but I can't say that they have ever made any sense to me. I still don't know why I felt so good about interviewing with IBM, for example, or why I felt like I needed to stay in Provo for Fall 2005. I turned down two internships because of that latter feeling.

My ideas
This is what I have been thinking since last night:
1) First of all, in the next chapter of Exodus, the Lord answers Moses and tells him that now he was going to show forth His power and free the Children of Israel. So perhaps God sent Moses to Pharaoh so that Moses could gain an appreciation for how powerful God truly is. Perhaps Moses had to learn that it was necessary to depend on God to be delivered from captivity.
2) Tuesday afternoon as I was waiting in the temple chapel for the session, I felt like reading Moses 1. I was impressed by the experience that Moses had, both with Satan and with God. Once Moses commanded Satan to depart, he called upon the Lord again and the Lord returned. This is what he said to Moses: "Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger than many waters." The obvious reference there is to how Moses was able to command the Red Sea to part, but I think there could be more meaning than just that.

Waters and storms
For the Nephites and Jaredites crossing the ocean, the waters could be considered the largest obstacle they faced before reaching the promised land. I could go off for an hour about how these journeys are symbolic of our journey to the Celestial kingdom, but I won't. Suffice it to say that the storms (of life) pushed Lehi's family off course because of the wickedness of Laman and Lemuel, but only pushed the Jaredites toward the promised land because they had yielded their hearts to God.

So what if when the Lord told Moses that he would be "stronger than the waters," He was referring not only to the Red Sea, but also to the trials and afflictions that Moses would face in life? Perhaps Moses' experience with Pharaoh was one way in which the Lord was building him up to be stronger than the "fiery darts of the adversary."

Being filled with light
A few weeks ago in the temple I asked God how I could be filled with light, and He answered me by showing me some interesting connections in the scriptures I had been reading that week. The Jaredite barges were filled with light continually (Ether 6:10), even when they were swallowed up by the waters of the sea. How? They were airtight. God showed the Jaredites how to build them. If I am to be filled with light, I also need to be airtight against temptation and trials and afflictions. If I build my foundation on the Savior, the winds and storms of life will have no effect upon me (Hel. 5:12). I must not let the winds penetrate and beat upon my heart. I must have a firm mind (Jacob 3:2).

Conclusion
So basically, perhaps God prompts us to do things that won't work out so that He can build us up. Make us "stronger than the waters." And show us how dependent we really are on His hand for deliverance.

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Having Light Continually

A few months ago, I was sitting in the Celestial Room, and for whatever reason I was feeling the need to be filled with more light. So I prayed and asked God how I could be filled with more light. Immediately the following thoughts came to my mind:

The Jaredite barges were filled with light "continually," even when swallowed up by the sea (Ether 6:10). How? They were airtight (Ether 6:7). God showed the Jaredites how to build them.

I need to be airtight against my temptations and my afflictions and trials in order to be filled with light. If I build my foundation on the Savior, the winds and the storms of life will have no effect on me (Hel. 5:12). I must not let the winds penetrate and beat upon my heart. I must also have a firm mind (Jacob 3:2). If I commend myself to the Lord, the storms that I encounter will only push me forwards towards the Promised Land (Ether 6:4-5). The Lord has command over the winds and the waves (Hymn #105).

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