When Numbers Define You

IAT = I am thankful

a positive thought out of nowhere
a purpose springing to life
communities of friends
caring professionals
that sounding board I'm married to

Have you ever stopped to think how much in our life CAN BE governed by numbers? Birth dates. SS numbers. Age, weight, height, measurements, shoe size, income, family size. Let's go back to weight. Because I know there are so many people who make judgments about themselves and others based on a number between their feet. I can say I sure used to do that. Fortunately, the last nearly ten years of study have intercepted MOST of the negative fallout from looking at a number every day, or often.

The old me, would come to conclusions based on that number. I am fat. I am ugly. I am a loser. Many people do that every single day. I've been on a 28 day clean eating, elimination type quest. I quickly became 12 pounds lighter and then just sat, at one number. Stuck. "I'm stuck." It didn't matter how perfectly I was eating, and boy howdy, no corn, soy, wheat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, joy...just kidding. I've been 99.9 % PERFECT. My cheat was tasting a sweet potato chip. I've had a bite of wheat bread on Sundays. I can't think of what else, but no sugar.

I'm leading a very small group of ladies through this program and we are focusing not on the numbers, well not anymore anyway, but on the process. We are bringing our minds and thoughts to it. Our selves and our emotions. Our weight and our bodies. Lastly, our spirits and relationships. I can't wait to see how they succeed!

So, guess what? I feel great. But I am having a daily wrestle with that NUMBER. I'll just be honest. It's 181. Why should I hide it? By hiding it, I am giving it power. "No one must know that I weigh 181." Why? I've bounced all along the 181 scale for ten days, and briefly GAINED 2 pounds and then lost them again. But TODAY. Today, after my morning routine and getting ready to hop in the shower, I was 181.2. POINT TWO mind you.

Out of the blue, two things happened at once. In one moment I had two sensations. The first--this is completely ridiculous. I stare at that number every day in anticipation, hoping that it will nudge to 180, 179, 175, and eventually 169. When it doesn't, I get all discombobulated. Why is that? I have grown to love myself, to understand my divine nature, and to realize that I am loved and cherished by my Heavenly Father. WHAT IN THE WORLD does that number between my feet have to do with ANY of that??? It has NOTHING to do with that. I am not 181!

At nearly the same moment, I had these kinds of thoughts. 181!!!! Seriously, that is a location on the way to a destination. The destination is HEALTH. I want to FEEL good, not arrive at some magical number. I want the state of my body to be WELL BE-ing. What do I care about a number? I OWN that number, and I'm going to go flying by it to 179, 175, whatever number I want that comes to represent a state of health!

Then clarity. DECEPTION. That deceiver! He wants me to be stuck!!! Stuck on a number, stuck on a lie, stuck in discouragement so that I will toss it all away because I couldn't do it (because I gave up and didn't stick with it long enough to INVITE health into my life), and now I'll just go back to ice cream, pop corn, and my daily gnoshing of something crunchy. Then all the years of affirmations I've ever written, and some new ones, started bubbling to the surface. Here is the truth about me that I declare.

In the spirit of For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND, and the fellowship of the unashamed, here is my declaration. (I am very familiar with the fact that you should not use negatives in a declaration or affirmation, but this is for a literary purpose as well. I'm not claiming it's great, but it's what's coming out of my heart at the moment.)

I am not defined by numbers. The day I was born, the day I die, the numbers between my feet, my height, my hip size, or any other number that I might interpret as a failure of some kind. I am not meant to cower, I am meant to conquer.

I am not meant to fear, I am meant to live by faith.
I cannot be crushed into the ground, for I am lifted on the wings of grace.
I am at all times a daughter of God.

I don't IDENTIFY with being a daughter. I AM HIS daughter.
I am a daughter on earth, a sister, a niece, a cousin, a granddaughter, an in-law, a teacher, a friend, a wife, a MOTHER, and on a very good day, a pathway to wholeness.

I am powerful.  Make no mistake, HE means for me to be powerful. (And you too.)

I am not meant to be nervous, unsure, doubtful, addicted (to food, to tv, to legal or illegal substances, to social media, computers, porn, thrill seeking, or any other false hope), or broken.

God means for me to be a sword in His hand, a tool for His good, a melody in His orchestra, a Light in the darkness that BLASTS the world with HIM and His goodness and hope and joy and peace. He means for me to be intelligent, humorous, gracious, compassionate, and many more things that He has already gifted me with, and any other thing that I seek to bring His glory forth in the world.

He means for me to link arms with others; my husband, children, extended family, faith community, strangers I meet on the street, to become a FORCE for GOOD, to spread joy and peace and the WAY to that peace.

I will no longer let a number, a comment from someone else, my own negative thoughts determine what I will and will not be. I WILL BE what He wants me to be. No, I AM what He wants me to be, improving each day as I get up and try again and again.

Some days it will be difficult. Some days there will be tears. Each new day, I will pray for help, rise to that day, do what I can to serve my family and others on my path, seek for His will in my life, and work so that when I lie down at the end and pray, I can feel as if I did my part. I will understand that I won't always be at my best. It doesn't make me less. Some days I will waste time or make poor choices, but at the end of each day, I will offer my heart to Him. I will give him my imperfections, my mistakes, my occasional brokenness, and ask Him to make it pure and clean again through His grace, and give it back to me for another try in the next day.

But NEVER again, no never again, will I let the deceiver trick me into being less. Today I declare myself a no deception zone, I will open my mind and heart to LIGHT and TRUTH, and I will be defined by who I AM and WHOSE I am.

2 Nephi 1-2

IAT = I am thankful

for awesome teachers to learn from
for time away with hubs
for lasts
for firsts
for friends

I am going to stop saying which week it is because inevitably, like this time, I may not post in a timely manner. But I do want to keep track of my thoughts as I go. I am still pondering the lesson from two weeks ago. We had a substitute Sunday School teacher. I REALLY enjoy all of the teachers we have. They each bring their own strengths, but this week we had Brother Tilley who is our most local seminary teacher stepping in. I love his energy and vibrance! What a great lesson.

 

While chapter one deals with some of the promises of the land of liberty (or the Land of Promise, which we believe is America), it's chapter 2 that really caught my pondering this time through.  I believe lds theology is unique in regard to Adam and Eve. The 2nd chapter of @ Nephi is where we first get a glimpse of the differences between our faith and the rest of Christianity. If I'm not mistaken, most of Christianity sees the Garden as a great tragedy. We see it as a great necessity and are grateful for the contributions of our First Parents. Had they not transgressed the law, contrary to popular thought, we would not all be living in a state of bliss and love and peace. Because, WE wouldn't be there. Adam and Eve would be there in that state, and we'd all still be cheering on the other side for them to do what was necessary to bring about the Plan of Salvation. You can read about that here.

One of the most oft quoted verses from the Book of Mormon, comes from this chapter. 

Adam fell that men might be, and men are, that they might have joy!

I love that! But that's not my favorite verse actually. There are two that caught my attention. One from my own reading, and one from Brother Tilley's insight. Shout out to Josh.

In verse 16, we read:

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should ^aact for himself. Wherefore, man could not ^bact for himself save it should be that he was ^centiced by the one or the other.

That really stood out. "COULD NOT ACT FOR HIMSELF," save he was enticed by one or the other. So, in the Garden, we had two enticements; the tree of Life, and the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Of course, there was also the third wheel in the Garden doing  the evil enticing. We literally have to have good or evil to entice us, to be able to act. It's how we prove whether we will do all things the Lord commands us. You can be enticed by the evil one or by the Holy One.

Brother Tilley turned our attention to this verse:

10 And because of the intercession for ^aall, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be ^bjudged of him according to the truth and ^choliness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the ^dpunishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the ^eatonement—

He brought our attention to the word AFFIXED. He said he hadn't noticed it before and I'm not sure I had either. The point was, that happiness and punishment are affixed. So, if we want happiness or joy that we are meant to have, there is a sure way to it. It's affixed. And happiness and punishment are in opposition to one another. The law, and the keeping of it, is what brings us happiness. What a simple formula and solution. If you are unhappy (not talking about depression), do a thorough review of your life. Figure out what laws (commandments) you could keep better, and do it. That's pretty awesome. In my world, when I go to our sacrament meeting and partake of the sacrament, I can repent of the ones I'm not doing so well and try again.

The sacrament has become so joyful to me for that purpose. I can never return without the atonement of Jesus Christ. I would have never had the opportunity for a joyful life without the Fall. Life is grand, and so in the plan!

Patterns and Repetition--Weeks 3 and 4

IAT = I am thankful

For lots of good thoughts
and inspiration
answered prayers                    It's funny when I read these later, I don't know what they mean.
exciting NEW things
for being a Nanna

This time through the Book of Mormon I am loving and appreciating Nephi more than ever before. He was living the SAME experience as everyone else, but he was having a much different experience than his older brothers. Over and over again he expresses his faith, obedience, and ATTITUDE. I think the first evidence of the differences is in 1 Nephi 2: 16. His heart needed softening like his brothers, but unlike his brothers he prayed for answers to his questions.

I LOVE this article about the pattern Nephi teaches us; a pattern for asking and receiving. Well worth the read.

OBTAINING THE BEST GIFTS FROM HEAVEN

Last week I had lesson 5 on Hearkening and Giving Heed. But the thing I picked up that I thought about a lot, was how many times just in 1 Nephi, the Lord tells Nephi that He is going before them and preparing a way, knowing what they need. He does that for us too. And I love that thought! Here are just a few references. The word prepare is used at least 82 times in the Book of Mormon. Because I kept seeing it repeated, it caught my attention.

The famous one:

• 1 Nephi 3:7

  7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

• 1 Nephi 10:18

  18 For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.
  

• 1 Nephi 17:13

  13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

And my favorite:

• 1 Nephi 9:6

  6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.
  

 I hope I remember to post what I learn each week, because I want to remember it. 

When you ask the RIGHT questions

IAT = I am thankful

for answers
for friends who understand
and celebrate
for new focus
for a resolution

I've been asking a question, kind of, for several years. The question involves getting myself back home full time. That's enough detail. Each time I have set a goal to that end, when I get to the destination, the answer is clearly opposite of what I desire. That's been frustrating. My desire is something best, in the good, better, best scheme of things, but I've had to be satisfied with good.

It's been perplexing for sure. 

In the meantime, in my day to day desire to learn and grow, I've begun studying better financial habits. We've been applying that knowledge and it's exciting to see our progress toward our goals. A couple of weeks ago, it occurred to me, what my new goal should be. Then my question changed. I'm a fan of great questions, so I'm not sure how NOT having a good question got passed me. But it did.

Last week my question changed from WHEN CAN I _______ to WHAT MUST I DO TO _______?
When I asked that question, inspired answers came because I had prepared myself without even knowing. That's the beauty of doing what you can to follow the Best Source. He says:

But the Lord ^aknoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all ^bpower unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is.

I didn't know my answer was being prepared in advance of the question, but yee haw I'm glad it was. So, now that I have my question, and my answer, I have a goal and a focus. Hopefully, sooner than later, I can move from my good now, to a better process, to my end best goal. All because I changed from the wrong to the RIGHT question!

Week 2- Ifs, therefores, wherefores

IAT = I am thankful

for long talks with hubby
for friends
for the temple
for translation equipment
for warm fuzzy blankets

Week 2 covered chapters 8-15 of First Nephi.

Going back to last week, take notice of if/then and wherefore type verses. What do we learn in just these chapters from those kinds of words? Ok, I'm going back to chapter 1. Just some of them.

The first if statement we find is in chapter 2 at the end.

IF they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed.

In Chapter 3,

 Wherefore IF (they did not flee) they would also perish.

Verse 6,

Therefore thou shalt be favored because thou hast not murmured.

1 Nephi 4: 32, 33

If he would hearken unto my words, we would spare his life. (An important if!)

If he would go down to the wilderness with us, he would be a free man. 

There are parallels for us in those two ifs. IF we hearken unto the Lord He will spare us. If we allow Him to be with us in our wilderness, we can be FREE.

Verse 3,

An angel has spoken to you, WHEREFORE can ye doubt? (That's a head scratcher for sure)

Chapter 5, verse 4,

IF I had not seen the things of God, I would not have known the goodness of God and tarried and perished.

Chapter 7, this one should just be quoted.

12 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all ^athings according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise ^bfaith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

IF we are faithful to him, we will obtain the land of promise.

If ye (hearken not, go against) ye will perish.

In the vision in chapter 8,

I partook of the fruit (and experienced it's joy) and wanted my family to partake.

 Chapter 9,

The Lord knows things from the beginning WHEREFORE he prepares a way to accomplish all His works. (Pretty amazing, that the way is prepared)

Chapter 10. GOOD stuff.

The way is prepared for all men IF they repent and come unto Him.

IF ye have sought to do wickedly, you are cast off forever.

WHEREFORE all men were lost and fallen, SAVE they rely on the Redeemer.

19 For he that diligently ^aseeketh shall find; and the ^bmysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the ^cHoly Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; WHEREFORE, the ^dcourse of the Lord is one eternal round.

THEREFORE remember all they doings, they shall be brought into judgment.

Chapter 11,

BECAUSE thou believest in the Son, WHEREFORE thou shalt behold.

Yea, it is the love of God, WHEREFORE it is most desirable above all things.

Chapter 13,

IF they endure to the end, they shall be lifted up at the last day.

WHEREFORE there are many plain and precious things taken away.

 WHEREFORE I will be merciful unto the Gentiles.

Chapter 14,

if the ^aGentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in ^bpower, in very deed, unto the ^ctaking away of their ^dstumbling blocks—

IF the Gentiles repent, it shall be well with them.

Wo unto them, IF they harden their hearts.

WHEREFORE, ^dwhoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the ^ewhore of all the earth.

Chapter 15,

IF ye will not harden your hearths, these things shall be made known to you.

IF they die in their wickedness, they must be cast off.

If their works are filthy, they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God.

WHEREFORE the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that ^djustice of which I have spoken.  

WHEREFORE, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that ^atree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most ^bdesirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the ^cgreatest of all the ^dgifts of God.

I hope that gives you some reasons to look for what I call indicator words. Important words that indicate something good is following. Don't forget BEHOLD either. :-)

Help NEEDED--Women

IAT = I am thankful

Inspired counsel from inspired leaders
Truth
Influential women I've known
Living prophets
The power and opportunity to BE an influence

I just finished reading the wonderful address by President Nelson from October 2015 General Conference. A Plea to My Sisters. It stood out profoundly to me the incredible list of what is needed in the women today to make a difference in our world.

He begins by quoting a favorite of mine by President Spencer W Kimball.

“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world … will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world.”⁵

Here is the list of everything needed during the "winding up scenes of the earth" from his talk. (Brings privileges and responsibilities)

*Your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, your voices.
*Women who make and keep sacred covenants, then keep them. Speak with the power and authority of God.
*Women who are organized, who can organize. With executive ability--plan, direct, administer, teach, speak out.
*Women with the gift of discernment. Who can view and detect popular trends that are shallow and dangerous.
*Women who know how to make important things happen by their faith. Who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world.
*Women who are devoted to shepherding God's children. (ALL WOMEN can do this). Who know how to receive personal revelation, understand the power/peace of the temple endowment, know how to call upon the powers of heaven, teach fearlessly.
*Women who speak the things that come to heart and mind as directed by the Spirit.
*Your impressions, insights, inspiration. (We need you) to speak up/speak out in councils. Each married sister to speak as contributing and full partners.
*Married or single, all sisters possess distinctive capabilities and special intuition.
*YOUR STRENGTH.
*Women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ to teach and raise a sin-resistant generation.
*Women who can detect deception in all it's forms.
*Women who know how to access God's power who express beliefs with confidence and charity.
*Women with the courage of Mother Eve.

Feel overwhelmed? DON'T. "We" don't need THAT. Read the list several times. Read your patriarchal blessing. Which ones are gifts? Ask the Lord to strengthen them. Which ones are weaknesses? Ask the Lord to strengthen them. Choose some that you want to be better at, and DO THE WORK necessary to be strengthened. These kinds of attributes do not happen in a day. If you really want to be a woman of strength and power as President Nelson described, then MORE TIME has to be spent doing those things that will allow you to be what the Lord needs you to be in these final "hours and days" of His work.

If you sleep in, get up early. If you are afraid to speak, practice speaking. If you waste too much time on social media, replace it with study. SPEND TIME ON YOUR KNEES. If you aren't strong in doctrine, read the best books and talks. If you need more power in the word, spend more time in it. If you are absorbed in yourself, serve others. If you haven't been to the temple in months, write down a goal and keep it. If you aren't keeping the Sabbath, use it to do these things. YOU have complete power in becoming a woman of power that is needed. What are you waiting for? As President Kimball also used to say, "DO IT."

My Weekly Learning 1 Nephi

IAT = I am thankful

I get to teach SS
I have great students
The Spirit teaches
for many resources
for freedom to worship

I want to have a place where I keep all of my thoughts about what I learn each week teaching and being in class when the others teach the Book of Mormon.

Here are a few of the things I learned this week reading 1 Nephi 1-7.

The whole goodly parent thing in verse 1 of the first chapter always gets the attention, but I noticed this time the phrase,

"having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God."

I found the phrase interesting and wondered what kinds of experience Nephi had as a boy that taught him the goodness and mysteries of God. What things in life have taught me about the goodness of God? How am I studying to understand His mysteries?

We only get nine verses into the Book of Mormon before we see the first reference to Jesus Christ. He was seen as One whose luster was above the brightness of the sun at noon-day. Lehi also saw God on His throne, twelve others who were likely His apostles, and a book that he read many things out of.

The chapter closes with Nephi's testimony of the tender mercies of the Lord and the power He gives for deliverance.

In Chapter 2, the family has left Jerusalem and it's wickedness and after 3 days they build and altar, offer sacrifices and give thanks. This happens three times in these 7 chapters. I love that in spite of leaving comfort and riches, and taking to the wilderness and tents, there is still a spirit of gratitude. What a great example for us that when we make sacrifices or life turns differently, that we can still be grateful.

We begin to see already that Nephi and Sam, and Laman and Lemuel are very different types.

Nephi believed, L and L did not. Nephi knew he had good parents, L and L murmured. Nephi went to the Lord for understanding. L and L knew not the dealings of the Lord. Nephi was willing to go and do. L and L complained they had been asked to do a hard thing. Nephi refused to return without the plates even after failure. L and L wanted to give up at first failure. Nephi knew the Lord was mightier than Laban. L and L doubted the Lord could deliver them.

Who are we most like? Do we murmur or believe? It was pointed out in class today that L and L followed, and to a degree did what they were asked. But it was surface obedience. Nephi was willing to go the step further. Why? Did he not have doubts, fears, grumblings in his heart? Apparently he did. Verse 16 tells us.

wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did ^bvisit me, and did ^csoften my heart that I did ^dbelieve all the words which had been spoken by my ^efather; wherefore, I did not ^frebel against him like unto my brothers.

Nephews heart needed softening too. He cried unto the Lord until his heart was softened and he no longer had a desire to rebel. I can imagine with two older brothers complaining, it was probably hard not to feel the same way. Nephi took those thoughts and feelings to the appropriate place. Do we?

In verse 20, we see a patter of if then, in this case stated as "inasmuch." I think it's important to pay attention to these kinds of statements and what can be learned from. They might also start with an if or a wherefore. Here is the most important one for our story. It *IS* the story after all.

And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall ^aprosper, and shall be led to a ^bland of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

Chapter 3 introduces us to the first of hundreds of questions in the Book of Mormon. The angel asks an informative question. Why are you beating your brother? Only moments later AFTER SEEING THE ANGEL, Laman and Lemuel ask a boneheaded doubt question. How is the Lord going to deliver Laban into our hands? Flipping the page to chapter 4 Nephi asks a faith question. The Lord is mightier than the earth, then why not mightier than Laban? Then when trying to convince Zoram not to flee and making an oath and explaining the Lord had commanded them to seek the brass plates, Nephi asks the brilliant question we should all be asking.

shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? 

Chapters 4 and 5 taught me that we should be looking for repetition.  4 times in 4 and 4 times in 5 a word or it's variation occurs. In chapter 4 the word is deliver and in chapter 5 it's preserve. Doesn't the repetition imply (it does to me) that the Lord will not only deliver and preserve those in the story, but us as well? In this case, it would be the plates of brass with their scripture, history, genealogy, and teachings of the Lord that would preserve the people as much as they would listen to them.

In chapter 6 we get Nephi's intention for keeping the records.

that I may ^apersuademen to ^bcome unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

Chapter 7 gives us an example of Nephi's character. After asking his brothers a series of how is it questions (how is it that ye have forgotten?), he is bound by his brothers and threatened to abandon him to wild beast or kill him. He asks for help and when he received it and the situation is finally under control and they ask his forgiveness, he "frankly" forgives them. Are we so willing to forgive? These are my highlights I took away this week. I don't imagine many will be interested, but it's mostly for my own benefit. :-)


Here were my study questions for the lesson, most of which we did not get to explore in class due to shortness of time.

Why did Lehi leave Jerusalem? (Read 4 and 6. He has a vision. What does he see?

•Read 19-20. Why did the people of Jerusalem reject the message of Lehi and other prophets? (Read 2: 12-13) What was Laman and Lemuel’s response?  How do WE rebel against the Lord and His servants? How did Nephi respond to his father’s message? (Read 2: 16.) What do we learn from Nephi and others examples?

•What did the Lord promise Nephi if he would obey the commandments? (See 1 Nephi 2:19–20, 22.) What did the Lord promise would happen to Laman and Lemuel if they rebelled? (See 1 Nephi 2:21, 23–24.) Do the same promises apply to us, how?

Do you think it was a sacrifice (moving to the wilderness)? What sacrifices have you made to be obedient to the Lord? How have you been blessed as you have made such sacrifices?

Do we give thanks to our Heavenly Father even when the experience may be a sacrifice?

•What were the blessings from Lehi’s obedience?

Read 3: 5 and 7, What was the difference between Nephi and L and L’s response? How would you have responded?

•In verses 1 Nephi 3:3, 19–20; 4:15–16; we are given the reasons for obtaining the brass plates. What are they?  Turn to Mosiah 1:3–7.) Read. What does Mosiah confirm about the importance of the plates? How are our own records important? Are we keeping them?

Read Verse 3 of 4, Wherefore can ye doubt? What witnesses do we have in our own life that testifies of the Lord’s power in our lives, and then we doubt. Wherefore can ye doubt?

•What are some situations in which we might need to be “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [we] should do”? (1 Nephi 4:6). What can we learn from Nephi’s words: “Nevertheless I went forth”? (1 Nephi 4:7).

•Nephi is reluctant, but the Spirit constrains him to slay Laban. How did this prepare the way for him as we read in 3: 7? Does anyone have a similar experience of the Lord preparing a way for you?

•Why was an oath important in these verses? An oath is a sworn affirmation to be true and faithful to one’s promises. Why is it important that we be known as people who keep our word? How important should the oaths and covenants we make in the temple be?

•How do we show faith like Nephi? (Shall we not be diligent)

Are we doubting? Asking how is it possible?

•What did the brass plates contain? (See 5: 11 through 16)  

•What prophecies did Lehi make about the brass plates? (Read 5: 18 and 19) How are these prophecies being fulfilled?

What did Nephi say would happen if they continued in the wilderness and were faithful to the Lord? What did he say would happen if they returned to stay in Jerusalem? (See 1 Nephi 7:13–15.)

What was their response? How did Nephi handle the situation? Read Verse 21.

•What qualities did Nephi conitnually exhibit in his dealings with his brothers? How can we demonstrate these qualities in our relationships?