2 Nephi 4

There's so much to learn from this chapter. My biggest takeaways were that I need to trust in the Lord more and no rely so much on myself, the arm of flesh. I've gone too far on the spectrum of asking for help/doing your best with your best judgment. Maybe it's Satan who makes us think that the latter is always the better option; and then it turns into relying on the arm of flesh and not trusting in God. 

Another thought is that love consumes the flesh. I wonder if I felt God's love it love for God more often if I would be able to get rid of the natural man tendencies in me, like the temptation to rely on myself, or the temptation to be prideful or judge others. 

The last is from verse 27: when we give way to temptations, the evil one has place in our hearts, destroys our peace and afflicts our soul. Wow! Pretty awful effects and results from sinning. 

What makes the Liahona work?

Before that, we need to understand how it came to be. People didn't make it. So no matter how good we are or smart we are or whatever, we still need guidance from Heavenly Father. "And the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship." Man couldn't have done it. And God loves us, so He did. 

"And it did work for them according to their faith" (Alma 37:40). It works according to their faith. I need to ask more. I need to ask for guidance more often, and believe God will give it to me. I think it's possible to go too far to the "God wants me to make decision on my own and do things the best that I can do before asking Him" side. He wants to help me, and He wants to grow our relationship. 

Things that break it: slothfulness (apathetic, lazy), not exercising our faith and diligence 

Transgression, traveling an indirect course (Alma 37:41-42)

Or don't give heed. So not only when you do not ask, but when you don't heed what is given to you. 

Look and live! It's there. The way is prepared. Just look. The words of Christ can lead us a straight course to eternal bliss 

Repent

In John 8, Jesus shows a few different thing about sin and repentance. First wi the woman taken in adultery, he shows that we can't judge other's sins, no matter how serious they are. He also demonstrated how willing He is to forgive when we have a broken heart and contrite spirit. 

Later on, Jesus shows the Pharisees that  they don't know God, that they are servants of sin: 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Nephi builds a ship

One interesting thing about 1 Nephi is the just apposition between Nephi being shown what to do and Nephi figuring things out on His own. The Liahona gave lots of directions, when they were righteous. But it didn't tell them where to find tools. Instead, Nephi knew in order to be a god steward, there were a few things he would need to do on his own first before asking the Lord. For example, he made a new bow. He asked the Lord where to find ore (I wonder if he looked in his own first). The spirit of the Lord was present and powerful when it needed to be, but it wasn't there and strong so often that they did every little thing according to it. The Lord trusted them to make their own decisions and to use their muscles or their best judgment figure things out. 

By this shall men know

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

This is how people we going to know that I am a real disciple of Christ: if and how I show love. Am I truly a disciple of Christ? Do I really want to follow Him and be like Him? 

He loves me. Am I perfect? Do I deserve His love? No. Not really. But He loves me always. That is how I should love others. 

1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

How I can improve my prayers

I sang "Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire" for my scriptures study this morning. That hymn is so good, all seven verses. The references it gave led to 3 Nephi 13:5-18, which include the Lord's Prayer. From it I learn this:

"Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." 

This makes me feel that I need to have more sacred reverence and respect for God and His will when I pray. I also need to realize that He knows of what I need before I ask Him, which means I should ask Him more fervently what I should pray about and for. Pray to Him as though He really is all-knowing and omniscient and the Potter and I just the clay. 

"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." What this means is that once we have forgiven others, we can then ask for forgiveness for ourselves. So maybe the first step in this part of prayer is to work on figuring out who we need to forgive and doing it. 

Then we ask for help with things we are tempted with. And we do this by recognizing that He has all power and will receive all glory from everything good. 

Keep the commandments and exhort others to do the same

There is a major theme in 1 Nephi about keeping the commandments and how doing so will only bring blessings. Blessings like prosperity, things working out, etc. 

Also there is a verse that talks about inviting others to keep them too: 

1 Nephi 17:15 "Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence."

The footnotes are especially insightful. They talk about exhorting wth diligence and authority. That idea reminds me of what my stake president, President Cutler, says to his high councilman, that they should not be embarrassed to teach others and train them in the way of the gospel. To teach without reservation.

Right now Jessie and Mark are having a hard time. I wonder how we can help them and if we can use this verse. Look up the footnotes!