A Study of the Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 16:18-32 The account of Nephi's bow breaking has several point of interest to me this evening. First, when Nephi's brothers and father murmur against the Lord because of their want of food, Nephi's first priority was to correct them in murmuring against the Lord. He spoke much unto them. This principle of truth, speaking much to persuade his brethren, was a principle of power in my mission. Even now I see it as a point of persuasion. Nephi had the truth. He knew he had it. And the way that he convinced his brethren and father of the truth was through much persuasion. This was even more important to him than making a new bow. Nephi understood that he had to have his brothers' support and his father's patriarchal guidance to overcome this obstacle. Secondly, immediately after they humbled themselves because of Nephi's words, he was able to make a new bow and find food. He was led directly to it. This clearly demonstrates that the Lord could have at any tim...

1 Nephi 2:17-19 The next step for Nephi, after having obtain a personal knowledge of the things that Nephi's father taught, was to share that with his brothers. Sam believed his words. Laman and Lemuel did not. This prompted Nephi to his next action -- to pray for his brothers who didn't believe. Upon praying to the Lord, Nephi then received even greater light and knowledge than what he had already received. The profoundness of the simplicity of Nephi speaking to his brothers cannot be understated. He opened his mouth and shared his personal witness to validate his father's claims. Now with Nephi, there were two witnesses to validate the journey that they had undertaken--that it was a commandment of God, not the vain imagination of their father. If Nephi had been unable to open his mouth, the remainder of their party may have been persuaded by Laman and Lemuel. Tomorrow, more on the pattern of revelation employed by the Lord with both Lehi and Nephi.