In the past when I thought of the book of Helaman in the book of Mormon I didn’t think of Nephi but instead thought about the Gadianton robbers and the wickedness of the people. Well, that changed this past week. As I studied the last several chapters for my BYUi Book of Mormon class, I was reminded just how amazing this Nephi is. In Helaman chapter 10 we learn just how great he really is. Here is what the Lord says to him just as Nephi is feeling down about all of the wickedness of the people.
3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying:
4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
Helaman 10:3-7
How would it be to just be walking along thinking about your concerns for the people you home teach or perhaps your neighbors and the Lord says something like that to you? Somehow I don’t think it just came out of the blue and certainly not because the Lord didn’t have anyone better to reach out to. Clearly Nephi has established a pattern of living such that the Lord knew with no doubt that he could be trusted. This goes back to a principle of Faith that we discussed last semester. We need to live our lives trusting that the Lord will keep the promises He has made to us but we also need to live in such a way that the Lord can trust us to keep the promises we make to Him.
This semester I am pursuing a deeper understanding of how to develop that kind of faith. A faith that is both comforting and powerful. I believe it has to do with being submissive to the Lord. This is not just to say that we are willing to endure and suffer through this life. No, somehow that thought has me