1 Nephi 2

(July 5, 2014)

                As I read this chapter, I was impressed by the thought that every bad thing that Laman and Lemuel feared would happen actually happened.  They were dragged out into the wilderness, where periodically they starved.  They were forced to leave their riches, and lived a life of hardship and deprivation rather than one of comfort and ease.  Whether they were righteous or wicked, they would have had that difficult life.  But because of their lack of faith and personal righteousness, they suffered through all of those trials in a way that did not lead to personal growth.  They had the trial, as each of us will, but they did not receive the blessings that are available for going through the trial in faith.

                In our lives, we are going to face trials and struggles regardless of how we live our lives.  Do we face these trials and struggles with faith and with a dedication to do what we can to be righteous?  Or do we curse our fate and turn away from the Lord?  That is what it means to be Nephi or Laman.  Both were starving in the wilderness – the challenges came to the righteous and the wicked.  But only Nephi was humble and faithful enough to profit from his trials.