They advised me to start from the beginning. Start at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, and read so that I don't get lost. They are also going to bring me a children's book on the scriptures so I can learn easier, and WITH PICTURES. I can't express how elated I am for this.
(The original copy of the Book of Mormon: sent as a graduation gift from CX Flynn (btw: THANKS))
Just a quick thought tonight. As I read about Lehi, and how he had the courage to pray to God and learn that God wanted him to leave Jerusalem and lead them to the promised land. I also read about Nephi.
And there is one verse that really caught my attention, and made me rethink the view on spirituality altogether.
For those of you that don't know, later on in the book of Mormon, Nephi becomes very popular in the sight of God. He goes through tortures and terrors in order to just follow God. His life is HARD, and he is probably one of the many people in the scriptures that is one of the closest to God and Jesus Christ.
That's why this scripture really caught my eye.
1 Nephi 2:16
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers"
To me, it just baffles me, that a faithful, wonderful, man like Nephi would need to bow down before the Lord and have his heart be softened. So often I think that now that I'm in the church, my heart is soft, and I don't need it to be softened again. But then I realize, even the best of the best, need to bow down before the Lord and ask the Lord to soften their heart.
Lastly, it says, that after his heart is softened, he believed ALL the words which had been spoken by his father. This doesn't say, that he believed some of the words, or he selected the rules and beliefs he liked and not the others. It also doesn't say that he bended some of the words so that he could get out of the rules and bend and get as close to breaking the rules as much as he could.
It just stood out to me. Because Nephi believed all the words. And I think that applies to our lives. Especially as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we need to bow down before God and ask him to soften our heart. And when he does, we need to believe what we have learned and what the Prophets have said; not what our mortal minds desire.
It's time, for us to bow down today, and with whatever struggle we are going through, whatever rule we have trouble following; whether it is lying, or stealing, or gossip, or drinking, or smoking. Whatever it is. It's time to bow down before the Lord, and ask him to soften our hearts; so that when the hard times come, when we are tested and tried, we will have our answer, so we can know and have the strength to make the right choices when the temptations come.
These things I say in the Sacred Name of the Beloved Son, Jesus Christ
-Amen
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