As Jacob followed his parents' guidance and traveled to Padan-Aram, he stopped for the night at a place called Luz. While he slept, he had a spiritual dream in which he saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder. The Lord Himself stood at the top and reaffirmed to Jacob the promises He had made... Continue Reading →
Your Birthright
Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage (Genesis 25:29-34). We all know this. We might have to be reminded that "pottage" is a soup or a stew and that the original meaning of "mess" was a meal. But what's a birthright? The word only appears ten times in the Bible, always referring to... Continue Reading →
The Fall and the Temple
By partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve introduced not only physical death but also spiritual death into the world: they were immediately separated from God's presence. He would no longer walk in their garden and have periodic face to face conversations with them. Alma said, "It was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed... Continue Reading →
Patterns
When the children of Israel constructed the tabernacle in the wilderness, they built it according to a pattern which the Lord revealed to Moses. "Look that thou make them after their pattern," the Lord said, "which was shewed thee in the mount" (Exodus 25:9, 40). The objects in the tabernacle, such as the candlestick, were also made "according... Continue Reading →
“The Way Whither We Should Go” – 1 Nephi 16:10
After living in a tent for some time, Lehi and his family were commanded to begin their journey to the promised land. The following morning, they were given some assistance in the form of a mysterious device—"a round ball of curious workmanship" made of brass. The ball contained two spindles, one of which pointed "pointed the... Continue Reading →
If Ye Are Prepared…
When Nephi and his people "had prepared all things," including "much fruit and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance," and other provisions, they boarded the ship they had built to travel across the ocean (1 Nephi 18:6). The brother of Jared and his people did the same before embarking on their journey: When... Continue Reading →
How Can I Receive Guidance from God?
Today I reviewed 1 Nephi 16 through 18, searching for principles that will help me receive guidance from God. Here's what I've learned: God gives us help along the way, not all at once at the beginning of the journey. As Lehi's family traveled in the wilderness, the writing on the Liahona "was written and... Continue Reading →
How Did Nephi Deal with Adversity?
I've written a lot on this blog about dealing with adversity, but I still have a lot to learn. Today, I've looked at Nephi's response to specific challenges: the broken bow, the death of his father-in-law, the commandment to build a ship, and being tied up during their sea voyage. Here's what I've learned: The... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Jacob (Israel)?
Soon after Lehi led his family into the wilderness, he sent his four sons back to Jerusalem to retrieve a sacred record engraved on brass plates (1 Nephi 3:2-3). When they returned with the plates, he found that they contained the five books of Moses, a history of the Jews, and the writings of many... Continue Reading →
Why Were Laman and Lemuel Unable to Overcome Their Negativity?
It was difficult for Lehi and Sariah to lead their family from their comfortable home in Jerusalem to an undefined destination. Their two oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, didn't make it any easier. According to their younger brother, Nephi: They did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and... Continue Reading →