A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 27:1-14 When I am struggling to find meaning in a particular passage of scripture, I will look for what that set of scriptures are teaching me about God. Here, when a critical decision needed to be made regarding the safety and welfare of the Ammonite converts, the king asks of Ammon to inquire of the Lord. Here is an interesting thing, because the will of the Lord was essentially the same as Ammon's desire for the people. However, the word of the Lord that came to Ammon allowed for greater depth and understanding. It wasn't just, "yeah, he said yes." Rather, the word of the Lord to Ammon gave explanation and reason for their needed departure plus some behind-the-scenes perspective on what was happening in spiritual terms: Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them; therefore get thee out of this land; and bles...

2 Nephi 32 In plain terms, Nephi now explains the "now what?" part of discipleship. There is no law of Moses, no rules and regulations, no measured or calculated formula for success. Instead, Nephi says this: Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye shall do.  ...And receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you all things what ye shall do.  In other words, go to God himself for your instruction. Develop with Him a relationship of friendship and trust. He will lead us safely home, if we listen to His voice ( see "Let the Holy Spirit Guide", hymn no. 143 ).

1 Nephi 17:1-6, 12-15 The final leg of their land journey is described in the first verses of this chapter ( see vs. 1-6 ). It is in this section of the account that we learn that this is journey from Jerusalem to the land Bountiful by the seashore was in duration eight years long. That is a vast amount of time. Nephi describes that blessings that accompanied them as they crossed towards the land Bountiful. (The description of their women being able to give birth and nurse their children is a vivid illustration to this young father of how blessed they were during their travels. ) Nephi concludes: "Thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them", ( vs 3 ) There is a brief antidote for acquiring a testimony in verses 13-15 . The Lord explained to Nephi why it was that ...

1 Nephi 16:12-17 This unassuming group of verses offers instructions on how to accomplish otherwise insurmountable tasks. To contemplate what was accomplished with Nephi and his family traveling to the promised land forces one to literally conclude that this was in fact a miracle. Without the Lord's divine assistance, this could not have been accomplished. But more specifically, they traveled from day to day, taking occasion to rest and renew their strength as they continued onward towards their objective. Because of the attention they gave to the Liahona, they were directed through the more fertile areas of the wilderness. This simple observation does not require a lot of words to describe, but covers a vast amount of time. In their minds, at least in Nephi's, this constant and continual divine guidance must have solidified the notion that the Lord is always with His people.

1 Nephi 2:19-24 In this second communication that Nephi has with the Lord, the Lord extends to Nephi blessings and curses. The Lord pronounces a particular cursing upon his brethren -- if they rebel against Nephi, they would be separated from the Lord's presence. There is a parallel relationship between Nephi's brothers to him and me to my ecclesiastical leaders. Failure to sustain my leaders puts me at risk of separating myself from the Lord. This can be a hard principle to embrace. It is hard to think that God will entrust an imperfect man with judgment to act in my behalf when spiritual discernment is required, but I've seen it happen so I know the principle to be true. I take comfort in the fact that the Lord will sustain and magnify his chosen servants, despite their weaknesses, to act in behalf of all His children. *** There is a parallel between the patterns that the Lord uses with both Lehi and Nephi to reveal himself unto them. First they pray, the Lord speaks to ...