Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 2:1-4

For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life. And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness. Lehi saw a vision of the destruction of Jerusalem and tried to tell the Jews … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:20

Lehi has gone to preach to the Jews concerning the things he saw in his vision. Verse twenty: And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. 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. There’s a lot of … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:15-19

Lehi saw the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem, and the things he saw were so overwhelming, he began to praise God. Starting with verse fifteen: And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him. Can you imagine seeing God and Jesus Christ? I can’t fathom what that would be like – to see them, in their heaven, surrounded by angels and disciples. Not only that, but Lehi … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:10-14

After being overcome by the Spirit and retiring to his room, Lehi has a marvelous vision in which he sees God sitting upon His throne, and then sees One descend and come toward him. He recognizes this One as being the Lamb of God. Picking up with verse ten: And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament. These twelve represent the twelve apostles, and their luster, being that of the stars, is somewhat less than that of Christ Himself, who was described as having a luster of the … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:6-9

In verse five, we read that Lehi did pray with all his heart on behalf of his people. Today as we move into verse six, we’ll see the result of that most fervent prayer. “And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.” Because of his focused, sincere prayer, Lehi was given a vision of such magnitude that the fire which symbolized it … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:2-5

In 1 Nephi 1:2, Nephi tells us that he makes this record in the language of his fathers, and then in verse 3, he bears us his testimony and stands as a witness that the things upon the plates are true. He says, speaking of the record, “and I make it according to my knowledge.” He doesn’t say, “I make it because my father told me to,” or “I make it based on stories my father related.” He says that he makes it according to his knowledge, meaning that he knows, for himself personally, that the things he wrote are … Continue reading

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1:1

I have a tendency to rush my scripture reading, going from verse to verse as quickly as I can. It’s an easy way to polish off ten or fifteen verses in a hurry, but I’m not getting the meat off the bone, so to speak. I’ve set myself a goal of reading through each of the standard works slowly, really looking at each line and listening to the words as they resonate within me. I invite you to join me on this journey. Starting with 1 Nephi 1:1, which I believe is the most read verse out of any in … Continue reading

Towards the Promised Land – H. B. Moore

Ever since conducting my interview with LDS author H. B. Moore, I’ve eagerly anticipated reading “Towards the Promised Land,” volume three of the “Out of Jerusalem” series. This book encompasses 1 Nephi 17:7 – 18:23. Such short verses to convey so much – and so many possibilities. Moore takes the question of “What if?” and applies it to these verses of scripture. Nephi and his family have been living in the land Bountiful for a while and some have built rudimentary homes for themselves. But even while enjoying the fruit, meat, and honey that pervade the area, Nephi feels unsettled. … Continue reading

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites – Chris Heimerdinger

In the novel that launched LDS author Chris Heimerdinger’s successful career, we meet Jim Hawkins, a teenage boy who’s been in a lot of trouble lately. He’s causing heartache to his parents and grandmother with his attitude toward church, and he needs a wake-up call in the worst way. His grandmother, ever vigilant about her family, says a special prayer that something will happen to Jim that will bring the spirit into his life. Garth Plimpton is Jim’s exact opposite. Nerdy where Jim is cool (or at least, where Jim perceives himself to be cool) Garth has studied the scriptures … Continue reading

Liken the Scriptures – Ammon and Lamoni

In this installment of the Liken the Scriptures Gold Series, we find Spencer struggling through the Book of Mormon, trying to understand it but not making much headway. His older brother McKay brings home a CD with music his mother objects to, but McKay doesn’t see why it’s so bad. He goes upstairs to find Spencer waiting for him with questions about the story of Ammon, and he takes the time to explain it to his little brother, who of course uses his imagination to bring it all to life. Ammon is on a mission in the land of the … Continue reading