The central symbol in Lehi's dream was "a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10) After eating some of the fruit, his greatest desire after that was to help others experience that same joy, beginning with his own family. When one of Lehi's sons, Nephi, prayed to understand his father's dream, he experienced a... Continue Reading →
John the Baptist
The prophet Isaiah spoke of a prophet who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ: The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Isaiah 40:3 After studying the brass plates, which contained the writings of Isaiah, and while living in the wilderness himself, the... Continue Reading →
Son of God
It is ironic that we believe in an all-powerful Being called "the Son of God." Book of Mormon prophets repeatedly emphasize this irony as they discuss the birth of Jesus Christ. Just before describing an expansive vision he experienced, Nephi introduces the term "the Son of God" for the first time, explaining that the term... Continue Reading →
Mary
When Nephi needed to understand God's love, he saw Mary. About 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Nephi's father shared with the family a dream he had experienced while they were traveling in the wilderness. The central symbol in that dream was "a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10). Intrigued by... Continue Reading →
“I Have Spoken Unto You Plainly” – Alma 5:43
From the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi set the standard: in this book, the word of God would be preached in plainness. In the opening chapter, Nephi's father, Lehi, sees a vision which "[manifests] plainly" to him "of the coming of the Messiah" (1 Nephi 1:19). Nephi later foresees a time when corrupt... Continue Reading →
Hosanna
Psalm 118 contains the following poignant expression of adoration and pleading: Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success. (Psalm 118:25, New Living Translation) This pleading is followed by an expression of confidence in the one who can provide this salvation: "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord"... Continue Reading →
“I Do Not Know All Things” – Words of Mormon 1:7
When Nephi was asked a difficult question, he responded first with something he knew—"I know that [God] loveth his children"—but then followed up with an acknowledgement of his limitations—"nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17). When Ammon asked King Lamoni if he believed in God, Lamoni answered, "I do... Continue Reading →
Nephi’s Vision
The prophet Nephi was so impressed with his father's dream and his father's prophecies that he prayed to see what his father had seen. As a result, he saw a sweeping vision in which an angel showed him many future events and used them to explain the symbols from his father's dream. Today, I summarized the... Continue Reading →
Learning How to Learn – Nephi’s Vision
Nephi's vision is unlike any other that I am aware of. It consists of a guided tour through a sweeping series of future events. Nephi is accompanied throughout the vision, first by the Spirit of the Lord, and then by an angel. These guides not only explain what he is seeing; they also teach him... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Affirm?
This is the second in a series of posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. In yesterday's post, I discussed what the Book of Mormon is. Today, I will discuss what the Book of Mormon affirms. The Book of Mormon affirms many truths. As I've pondered this question today, I've... Continue Reading →