1 Nephi 1

(July 4, 2014)

                We look to Lehi and Nephi as examples, and I think that is highly appropriate.  But let’s look at what happened to them in mortality.  They were forced out of a comfortable home, where they lived in relative peace (yes, destruction was coming, but still).  They wandered in the wilderness for almost a decade.  They traveled across the ocean, and when they arrived in the Promised Land, they found it much like their journey – full of threats and the murderous intentions of Laman and Lemuel (not to mention war).

                Nephi and Lehi had not peace in mortality that we have a record of.  They lived a difficult life.  Why should we feel as though we are beyond being compelled to leave our homes, our lives, and our peace?  What makes us believe that we are deserving of peace when such a gift was not given to Nephi and Lehi?  Are we somehow more righteous than they are?

1 Samuel 31

(July 3, 2014)

                There are times when our lives seem to be overwhelmed by darkness and suffering.  Here, the Israelites had been conquered and scattered, their king and his heirs all slain.  A superior military force on their borders.  They would have been justified, in the world’s eyes, for feeling afraid.  But they were a covenant people – things were different for them.  The Lord had laid plans for their salvation right around the corner.  David, their true king, would soon step in and right the wrongs and repair the damage.  Israel would be whole and strong again.

                Of course, David is a Christ-figure.  We, as a modern Israel, see destruction of those things we hold must important.  Our dreams and hopes are slain, we are scattered, and forces outside of our control rest upon our borders.  We too, from time to time, can be justified in the world’s eyes for feeling afraid.  But we too are covenant people, and things can and should be different for us.  The Lord has won Salvation for us, our true King has stepped in to right the wrongs and repair the damage.  It may not come in this lifetime, but because of the Atonement we can find comfort in a comfortless world.

Testimony of Joseph Smith; Brief Explanation of the Plates

(July 3, 2014)

                At times I, like most everyone I suppose, gets frustrated with myself as I keep needing to be taught the same lessons over and over again.  I have a genuine desire to serve the Lord, but even basic things (such as meaningful and intense prayer) can slip through my mind for days at a time.  Circumstances and life, of course, show me the folly of my mistakes but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with these mistakes when I know that I could have learned this lessons far earlier and at much less cost.

                Reading through this today, though, I felt a measure of comfort.  Even the prophet, Joseph Smith, had to be told the same thing over and over again before he would understand and remember.  Moroni repeated the same words to him time and again – meaning, I suppose, that our failures of understanding are part and parcel of the human condition rather than a particular failure of me.  This doesn’t make me any more comfortable with this weakness or any less desirous to eliminate it, but it brings me a measure of peace that the path I am on is one that has been walked before and by better men than I.

1 Samuel 30

(July 2, 2014)

                There is a frequent theme that is brought about through the scriptures.  We have something that is precious to us (Ziklag, Abigail, or even the flocks), but due to actions of others that is taken from us.  We might strive to recover those things that were lost, but as we look around us we see only the charred remains of our hopes and our dreams.  We heard the voice of our King (as the people in this chapter heard the voice of David), and we strive to follow Him towards recovering those things most precious to us.  And yet, so often, we reach a metaphorical Besor and are stopped.  We cannot make it – it is impossible for us to recover those things most important to us.

                Fortunately, our King (like David) understands that often our failures arise even when we serve in our own way and according to the best of our ability.  Our King goes before us to fight the battles and recover that which was lost, and if we are patient in waiting for Him to return, and if we are willing to have Him as our King, He will return what was lost to us and we will have joy in His service.

Moroni 10; Book of Mormon Title Page; Introduction; Testimony of the Three Witnesses; Testimony of the Eight Witnesses

(July 2, 2014)

                There are few thoughts more powerful, in my opinion, than the idea that without hope we are left only with despair.  This is true regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  There are times when despair at my current situation threatens to consume me, and yet I manage to hold it at bay through my hope that the Lord has a plan and that all things will work out according to His will – whether that means the results that I want or not.  I sorrow, I hurt, but I do not despair.

                I contrast this with an earlier time in my life.  At this point, I had all of those things that I fear now I had lost.  I had the objective trappings of happiness.  But inwardly, however, I had damaged my testimony by poor decisions that I had made.  The anxiety that I feel now, through the objective causes and the unknown, is miserable but is still nothing compared to the absolute terror involved with that earlier fear which resulted from my iniquity.  There is a qualitative different between the two.

                Given my preference, I would have stability and not have to suffer through either.  But if I had to choose between the pain I am suffering now and the pain I suffered then, I would choose what I am going through now.  Because while there is pain, there is also hope.

1 Samuel 27-29

(July 1, 2014)

                Modernists love to believe that the Bible, and its references to familiar spirits and so forth, is superstitious drivel that only a pre-modern, credulous people would accept.  But I do not believe we can so easily say that.  After all, if I were attempting to lead people astray in a skeptical, modern (and post-modern) world, I would certainly do everything that I could to ensure that scientific endeavors to verify supernatural events resulted in data that appeared within the margin of error.  Can we not see the same in Satan’s actions?  Scientific studies can only be relied upon if there is no active participation (on either side of the Veil) that would skew the results.  We can understand how the Lord might want there to be no statistically significant results (meaningful agency and the rarity of active Divine intervention), and we can likewise understand why the Adversary might actively be involved in attempting to preclude statistically significant results.  So when they should we assume that such supernatural events are non-existent (especially when we may have personal experience with those events in our lives).

Moroni 9

(July 1, 2014)

                Spending any time online in the Mormon Bloggernacle, it quickly becomes apparent that many people (both out of the Church and nominally inside it) have deteriorated in testimony to the point where Mormon’s language applies to them.  If you present clear doctrine to them, then the howls of offensiveness inevitably follow.  If, on the other hand, you attempt to qualify your language, these same people will often twist your language so that they can ignore it.  What they will not do, under any circumstances, is accept doctrine as valid criticism.  Of course, this is not true of each and every one of them – but it happens far too frequently.

                It is always easy to see those weaknesses in others, but the question then becomes whether we can see those weaknesses in ourselves.  After all, we have a clear example that Mormon’s understanding of fallen human nature is accurate.  We are fallen humans.  Do we see that same weakness in our lives?  If not, perhaps we are not looking as closely as we ought to.  What criticism do we find particularly offensive?  Does it have a doctrinal basis?  Do we allow ourselves to be angry over the words because that frees us from needing to examine our lives against the message that is underneath them?  If I am honest with myself, I must admit that is true.

                The other thought I had from reading this chapter was on the idea of sin as a token of bravery.  Even in our culture, that is something that we see far too frequently.  The natural man – even when we attempt to starve him by striving for a spiritual life – seeks out whatever he can find to reinforce the strength of the arm of flesh (as he supposes).  Whether it is professionally, personally, or interpersonally, we see sin as a sign of strength because it empowers the natural man within us (and the natural man is the source of our pride – including our pride in our strength).