Day 2: 1 Nephi 6-10

Welcome to Day 2 of our epic journey!

                                                     

Today, Lehi's sons return to Jerusalem to invite Ishmael and his lovely daughters to join their wilderness adventure! (Interesting, there is no murmuring THIS time. Haha) 

At one point, the journey gets quite challenging and Laman and Lemuel don't take Nephi's chastisement too well. 

Tied up, and fearing for his life, Nephi pleads with the Lord."Give me strength that I may burst these bands." 

Elder Bednar comments on this prayer:

“Do you know what I likely would have prayed for if I had been tied up by my brothers? My prayer would have included a request for something bad to happen to my brothers and ended with the phrase ‘wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren’ or, in other words, ‘Please get me out of this mess, now!’ It is especially interesting to me that Nephi did not pray, as I probably would have prayed, to have his circumstances changed. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances. And may I suggest that he prayed in this manner precisely because he knew and understood and had experienced the enabling power of the Atonement of the Savior. …

“Brothers and sisters, the implication of this episode for each of us is quite straightforward. As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who ‘act’ rather than objects that are ‘acted upon’ (2 Nephi 2:14)”

          
Today we also read of Lehi's incredible dream, loaded with powerful symbolism. (More on the interpretation tomorrow. The videos at the end of today's blog also expound on the dream.)

              

This cartoon of Lehi's dream, drawn by my father, made quite an impression on me as a child. I'll never forget the visual message: Cling to that iron rod with all your heart, might, mind, strength, teeth and toes!! Take NO HEED of those laughing and pointing from the large and spacious building. If anything, cling tighter. 

John Bytheway once joked that the people were all hanging out the windows pointing and laughing because there was nothing good going on INSIDE the building. Haha! 

I love Nephi's simple but powerful words: "We heeded them NOT."

Let's be among "those who are not of the world" and let's partake of the "fruit of the tree" to "fill [our] souls with exceedingly great joy!"



Time to READ and cling to that ROD! 

This short video clip will help set the tone for our study session today:

 

• Opening Song "The Iron Rod":

• Open study session with prayer
• Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 6-10
• Study Guide: (here)
• Scripture to Mark and Ponder: 
  1 Nephi 7:12 "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him."

1 Nephi 10:19 "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."

                             

“Families who prayerfully prepare and consistently hold Home Evenings, and who work together during the week to apply the lessons in their lives, will be blessed. There will be better feelings between husband and wife, between parents and children, and among children. In such homes, the Spirit of the Lord will be made manifest.” – Pres David O. McKay

Children's video on today's reading:

• Complete study session with prayer and record thoughts and impressions in your journal.  

Supplemental videos: