I was pretty amazed at how it was not as hard as I thought to read these first 10 chapters. I think once I put it in my mind that it was reading (in big chunks instead of stopping to digest every principal), the reading came easily.
The one principal that touched me was "fear God vs. fear man." As I read how Laman and Lemuel constantly fear man over God, regardless of the miracles they've experienced, I look at my own life. It's way easier said than done. I know that.
I don't know about you but I know when I "fear man" more than I "fear God" it sometimes comes from thinking...'well, God would understand more why I have to do this then others would understand why I have to say no, etc.
I have to, no I NEED to remember my Heavenly Father wants to see me "fear God" over "fear man" so He can watch me grow. So I can prioritize what is important in my life. So no matter what happens in life, He can see me choose Him over all others.
Time and time again, the Lord blesses Nephi for his obedience and yes, it may seem sometimes to his brothers that he's so "fortunate;" but it is only through his obedience, his blessings are in abundance.
Even when Nephi was told by the spirit to slay Laban, he hesitated and almost talked his way through the inevitable. What a true example of being obedient, humble, submissive and strengthening yourself as you do something so hard.
The Lord asks us to do hard things often. Not to punish us. But to bring to pass His blessings and work among us, our family and those around us. The Lord told Nephi to forgive his brothers after they beat him, after they tied him up and left him, after they threatened him. How many times do I hold on to hurt feelings with my family, my husband, my children, those around me? And for what? To waste precious times we have with our loved ones?
I am grateful for this challenge and am thankful for the spirit it has already brought into my life.
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Ok. So this has got to be one of the hardest challenges that I've been faced with my whole life. It's reading. But Im so excited and I sooo want to educate myself thru reading. So here I am clicking my thoughts(cuz my keyboard is out) of the first 10 chapters. Not to be a big murmur head like Laman & Lemuel but 3 times they had to return to Jerusalem. What great faith Nephi has to NOT murmur and just be obedient. I also wonder if the one daughter who plead for his life would be the one he eventually married? I find it interesting that even back then in those days they knew to preserve their geneaology so that their people would know. And here I am, lazy to write anything in a journal. I also mimic the words of Janice. The Lord does give us hard things to make us better. Nice read.
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