Day 53: September 11, 2011

1 Nephi Chapter 17

Verse 6:

Even though Nephi and his family had suffered a lot in the wilderness, they found good things to be grateful for. They had been led to a place where they could continue forward towards the promise land. They rejoiced. I sometimes get too focused on what Is wrong and what I don’t have. I forget sometimes to thank the Lord for what I do have and the things that I are blessings in my life.

Verse 7:

The Lord calls Nephi and tells him to get into the mountain. Arise and get into the mountains. Knowing symbolism, I know that the mountain is also a word for temple. Nephi goes forward to the mountain and receives the message from the Lord. I too have the opportunity to get myself up into the mountain, or rather to attend the temple. Each time I go I feel the spirit and I am able to reflect on the things that will be of most value to me. I love the temple and am so grateful to be so close to so many temples.

Verse 8:

While on the mountain conversing with the lord, Nephi is commanded to build a ship after the manner which the Lord shows him. I love this verse. I can picture Nephi building this ship and having a master ship builder come and ask him why he is building it like that. He would respond, because this is how the Lord has taught me to do. The Lord has a plan and purpose for each of us. Sometimes the Lord looks at us and thinks that we are weird for how we live or how we do things, but it is after the manner which the lord shows us that we should live our life.

When I was on my mission, I started to struggle more with my depression. The medicine wasn’t working like it should have any more. I was instructed by my mission president to pray and ask the Lord if I was supposed to go home. I put it off because I didn’t want to go home yet. I finally prayed and followed what the spirit told me to say. I knew immediately that I was supposed to go home. I had done what the Lord needed me to do there in Texas. I still struggled with it. One day while studying the scriptures I read this chapter. This verse really stood out to me. I realized that while the world or most members would think that going home early was not normal and negative, the Lord had a different plan for me. I knew that He was leading my life. How grateful I am for that.