Desire : What desireth thou?

1 Nephi 11:1-22

Desire

All of us have desire. The question is what do we desire? How does what we desire affect our belief in God? What is the connection between what we desire, what we believe and what we know? How does this relate to our family?

(Words and Phrases)

ponder in mine heart (vs. 1)- Nephi desired to know what his father knew. He believed all that his father expounded to him concerning "the dream". He took his desire, added it to his belief and began to "ponder in his heart". He meditated, prayed, and thought deeply about all that he had been told. He loved his father and he recognized the love of God within his father and within his father's words.

DESIRE + BELIEF+ (PONDERING) = KNOWLEDGE

what desireth thou? (vs. 2) Over fifty years ago, my father had a desire to know God. The dark and dreary world had left him in dire circumstances, and he recognized that he needed God's love in his life. My grandmother had taught him of God. He believed in God. He took this belief coupled it with his desire and he asked God. He received his "vision" (answer) that opened up a new way of life for my father. As he followed that answer and learned to listen to the gift of the Holy Ghost, this particular desire changed his life.

His desire changed my life. I (like Nephi) desire to know all that my father knows, to believe the scriptures as he understands them, and to learn with the same power of the Holy Ghost that radiates so beautifully from his voice, his words, and his life.

He set a path for me, for my children, for his family. He set a path filled with the joy of God's love (vs. 22) when his desire spurred his belief to ponder a greater gift.

"thou shalt behold" the thing which thou desireth (vs. 6) God loves us. He has promised us if we will ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, he will manifest the truth of his love unto us. Nephi asked and he will receive (the next 4 chapters )of God's truth.

We all have our own personal "visions" of truth that are connected to our desires. Weather the truth we seek is of a spiritual, scientific, personal or political nature, it does not matter. God knows all things. He can help us discover what we seek.

I think that Nephi's formula has been used and known by many great men (not just prophets).

I think of the Wright Brothers and their desire to fly. They desired to fly + they believed they could fly + they pondered (studied) how they could fly + they asked God and all of their errors to help them learn the rules of flight + then they listened to the answers that came both in the whisperings of their minds, the experience and science of their experiments, and the power of their belief.

desire + believe+ ask+ study(ponder) + listen = success and learning of knowledge

Be careful what you pray for. Know your desires. Know your beliefs. Know your God.

to know the interpretation (vs. 11) - We don't always get what we are taught the first time. After Nephi saw the "tree of life" he said "I believe it is precious above all" (vs. 9) Nephi understood that what he saw was special. He knew what it did to his soul. But he also understood that he didn't understand.

When the angel asked a second time what he desired, he said to know what it means? The tree of life as we learn in vs. 22 represents the "love of God". This is why before explaining this to Nephi he took time to show Nephi the birth of Christ through his virgin mother Mary.

It is a great gift to understand that the love of God is "most desirable above all things".

I believe that when we desire... to have the love of God.... as the foremost desire in our life... everything else falls into place.

the most joyous to the soul (vs 22)-

When I was a young girl my father taught me of his beliefs. He taught me of his conversion and how God opened up "his mind" and took away the clouds of disbelief. He taught me how to read the scriptures and liken them to myself. He taught me to write things of great importance and to let God's love flow through me. He shared with me how the Holy Ghost inspired him, giving him hope and new ideas to help him solve his problems.

As I grew the desire to do and experience all that I have seen my father experiences grew in me. Like Nephi I recognized the love of God within my father's words. I desired to not only accept his belief as his belief but to make it my own.

Today I have a testimony of God's love. His love has carried me.....Because I desired to know. Because I believed in God.... because I pondered.... and studied... and put it to the test. I experimented with God's word and learned not only of God's love for me, but of its truth.

Life is rich with good things to know. There are many things in life that we can desire. God will answer all of our prayers and help us learn to desire for the good and wise things.

If we desire to become a doctor we set our life on a course to become a doctor believing that one day we will be a doctor. If we (like the Wright Brothers) have a desire to fly (or whatever has not yet been done) we need only to believe, to study, to ponder, and to ask for truth.

As great as the mysteries are amidst the fields of science, there is no greater mystery than to personally discover the Joy of God's love as it opens up our personal vision to a life filled with righteous desire.

These Plates of Brass (1 Nephi 5: 10-22)

1 Nephi 5: 10-22

These plates of brass

I attended a fast and testament meeting that was unusual in that the majority of the testimonies revolved around how the scriptures and in particular the Book of Mormon (these brass plates) had changed their lives. I wrote down several of the comments. As we think about these brass plates, I think we can learn to appreciate all that the Lord had in store for those who follow his spirit (1 Nephi 4) and find learn the dealings of that God (chpt2).

Testimonies witnessed they receive: a daily dose, a testimony of the Bible, true evidence, a greater glimpse, a purpose, a time to reflect, strength, help during turbulent times, gratitude, an anchor, an uplift, faith in the Savior, blessings, the gift of the Holy Ghost, deep insights into our lives, a personal compass, answers to prayers, witness to an unchanging God, miracles, the spiritual way, knowledge, Peace, and communication with God.

(Words and Phrases)

after he gave thanks ..took the records.. did search them. (vs.10) - I give thanks each morning for food, for a safe night, and then as a family we search the scriptures. It's not enough to read the scriptures. I need to search them. I need to look for what I need that day in order to navigate my choices.

I have a theory that if we listen to our body, it will let us know what nutrients we need and we will want to eat certain foods. I think the scriptures are much the same way. If we will read them, the parts that are important to our spiritual nutrition will jump out at us and we can find wholeness. I hope that I can teach my children to not just read the scriptures, but to search them for all that they need to learn.

Herein lies the difference in just feeding a child and teaching a child how to feed themselves. We can take our children to church. We can read to them from God's Holy Word, but if we haven't taught them to search God's word for what they need, have we really taught them to fish?

five books of Moses (vs.11) What are the five books of Moses? I don't know? Something to think about and study later on? What do we know about these books? They contain an account:

1. of the creation (v11)

2. of Adam and Eve (v11)

3. a record of the Jews through to Zedekiah (v12)

4. the prophecies (v13) beginning - Zedekiah?

5. Jeremiah the prophet (v13)

6. a genealogy (v 13)

7. an account of Joseph (son of Jacob) how he was preserved when they were led out of captivity

from the beginning (v12) - this struck me.. could it mean (from the beginning of when the written word began?) Or is it possible that there was another race of men that actually began with the creation? We know from science that man was here long before his written record was. I really don't believe that there is a problem with science and religion. I believe the problem lies in communication of language, and there is much we don't know. It jumped out at me.

he was filled with the spirit (vs. 17) - Lehi read the brass plates and was filled with the spirit. Many people testified yesterday of how they read "the brass plates" and how they were filled with the spirit (see above). Is it possible for me to read the scriptures and be filled with the spirit also?

he began to prophesy (vs. 17).... he told what would become of the plates....Why do we think that we cannot prophesy concerning our own situation? What is revelation if it is not prophesy? When I read, pray and study God's word, I believe he will open our lives unto us and show us the pathways we have chosen. He will help us to see where we are headed good and bad. Here's the catch. Nephi knew what was in the plates as he read them with his father Lehi. Would what he saw come to pass if he had not written about it? We wouldn't know about it. His written word wouldn't have power to sway our thoughts, emotions, and spirits.

It is one thing to prophesy and keep it in your heart. I believe it is much more powerful to prophesy and write it for all the world to see.

He prophesized:

1. Plates should go forth unto all nations.... it’s happening as we speak.

2. to all kindreds, tongues and people of his seed.... (all nationalities genetically connected)

3. never perish...

4. would never be dimmed by time. These words are words of wisdom that guide the soul.

they were desirable... of great worth. (vs. 21) What is of great worth to me? When I think of all the things I own, it is the things that bring me closer to my children that are of great worth and desirable. If there is anything that can do this, I will seek it out.

it was wisdom that we should carry them with us (vs. 22)- I have to wonder how I use wisdom to carry God's word with me each day? I wonder... I can carry God's word with me or be as those in Jerusalem and be carried away? I wonder do I even remember to pick them up some days? What if Lehi had forgotten them? What if he hadn't gone back for them? What if it was all of men? Would all of this have lasted (never to perish)? Would it have dimmed with time?

What of the other great works? How do they dim with time? I listened to a commentary to "To Kill a Mockingbird". This great classic is beginning to waiver in popularity among university professors and students who have begun to say that its message is dated and no longer applies to them. I thought it all a very interesting conversation.

Still... I wonder what determines what we carry with us each day? If we were to backpack, we would be sure to carry with us essential physical food. Spiritually we all need to be reminded and carry with us essential spiritual food so that when life is hard, when we lose our way, when we exhaust ourselves and need encouragement, and when we struggle with decisions, we will have the wisdom within us to help us make choices that will bring comfort, peace and understanding.

I have found that "these plates of brass", although metal and of great weight, lighten my load each day. They lift me up, teach me of an easier way and give me perspective that keeps me forever in the brightness of His love.