Mission Impossible: Nephi and the Plates (1 Nephi Chapters 3-4)

Pretend for a moment that you are sneaking through the city that is longer home. Night has fallen and the streets are almost empty. Every sound makes your heart jump and you imagine an armed guard standing in every flickering shadow. You don't know exactly what you're looking for or what you'll do, and yet you understand that the future of your family rests with you achieving your objective. 

Imagine all that, and then explore with me Nephi's story. 

A. Key Players

Lehi
Prophet who took his family from Jerusalem after receiving a warning from the Lord. 

Laman
Lehi's eldest son

Lemuel
Lehi's second son 

Sam
Lehi's third son

Nephi
Lehi's youngest son and the writer of this chapter

Laban
The holder of the religious records, also known as the Brass Plates.

Zoram
Laban's servant

B. What was the storyline?

When Lehi's family fled Jerusalem, they took what they owned and left. Part of the rush may have been the threats made against Lehi's life after he began preaching in Jerusalem. There likely was immediate danger for Lehi and his family because of their beliefs. 

Once the family was several days' journey away from Jerusalem, the Lord commanded Lehi to send his sons back to the city for the brass plates, which contained God's laws and commandments as well as a genealogy of their ancestors. 

Laman and Lemuel, the two eldest sons, were not happy about this. They told Lehi that he was asking them to do a hard thing (1 Nephi 3:5). 

Lehi was disheartened by the attitudes of his eldest sons. He felt sad that they didn't understand that the Lord was speaking to them  through Lehi. 

In other words, Lehi-their-father was not requiring any of this. Instead, these commands came from God, through Lehi. 

Lehi spoke to Nephi and said, "Go, my son [to Jerusalem to get the brass plates], and thou shalt be favored of the Lord because thou hast not murmured" (1 Nephi 3:6, brackets added).

Note: to murmur means to complain.  

Nephi promised to go, telling his father that he trusted the Lord to prepare the way for him to fulfill these commands (1 Nephi 3:7).

Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi then walked back to Jerusalem. Once they reached the outer walls of the city, they 'cast lots' to see who should be the one to go and get the plates. 

Laman pulled the short straw and screwed his courage to the sticking place. (Sidenote: I'm finally reading Shakespeare).


Now we introduce a new person into our story: Laban, a notable citizen of Jerusalem who just happened to be the holder of these brass plates. 

Laman met with Laban and they chatted. I've always wondered if they talked about how they were almost name twins-- they were each just one letter away from having to be known as Laban and Labanhah.

Laman made a straightforward petition for the brass plates but Laban wasn't having it. He got angry and accused Laman of being a thief. 

"Behold, thou art a robber, and I will slay thee!" Laban threatened. 

Understandably, Laman flew out of there and met back up with his brothers outside of the city. 

The brothers were ready to call it a night and head back, but Nephi forestalled them. 

Since Laban had accused them of robbing him, Nephi had the idea of trading for the brass plates. Accordingly, they went to their house and gathered up everything valuable. 

They again petitioned Laban for those brass plates, this time offering treasure as a fair trade.

However, Laban had other ideas. He saw the gold, silver, and other valuables and decided to keep all of it. He threw out the brothers and sent servants to chase them down and kill them. Now he had the brass plates AND all of Lehi's wealth.

The brothers made it out of the city and hid in a cave.

"And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me (Nephi), and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words unto us, their younger brothers, and did smite us even with a rod" (1 Nephi 3:28, parentheses added).

The two eldest brothers grabbed clubs and whacked Nephi and Sam for a while. 

Ouch, right? Not cool. 

BUT before they could do too much damage (would they have killed their younger brothers? Maybe.) an angel of the Lord appeared. 

The angel spoke to them and told Laman and Lemuel that the Lord had chosen Nephi to be a ruler over them. 

The angel then told them to go to Jerusalem again and the Lord would deliver Laban into their hands (1 Nephi 3:29).

Chapter three ends with Laman and Lemuel saying, "How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?" (1 Nephi 3:31).

Nephi reassured his brothers and reminded them of Moses, who spoke to the Red Sea and the waters divided so that the children of Israel could walk through and escape from Egypt. Pharaoh's armies, however, were drowned in those same waters. 

After reminding his brothers that the Lord has worked miracles in the past and could do so again, Nephi told his brothers to hide and he would go back into the city by himself. 

Now the story gets interesting. 

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do" (1 Nephi 4:6).

Nephi crept through the city towards Laban's house. This is where I can envision him channeling his inner ninja, sneaking carefully though the dark city in search of the brass plates. The danger was very real. If he had been caught by Laban or his guards, he likely would have been killed. 

As Nephi walked down a street, he found a drunken man laying on the ground. 

And then he saw that it was Laban, the very man who had tried to kill him and his brothers. The man laying on the ground had literally robbed Nephi of his inheritance. 

Nephi saw the man's sword in its sheath and he drew it out to look at it. It was a beautiful sword, made from gold and precious steel. (This amuses me a little, because Nephi was a teenage boy. Of course he wanted to check out the sword.)

Then, while Nephi held Laban's sword, he was commanded by God to kill Laban. 

Let's read Nephi's own words:

"But I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

"And the Spirit said unto me again, Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

"And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

"Behold, the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

"And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land of promise.

"Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.

"And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.

"And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause-- that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.

"Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword" (1 Nephi 4:10-18). 

Nephi understood that the Lord wanted him to do this unsavory, terrible, awful thing. Nephi understood the importance of it and, most of all, he trusted God. He knew that the Lord's ways were higher than man's ways, and he knew that God sees and knows everything from the beginning to the end. 

Therefore, if God commanded him to kill Laban, then that was what obedient Nephi would do. 

Nephi took Laban's sword and killed him with it. 

Then he took Laban's clothing and armor and dressed himself to look like Laban.

He went to the treasury and saw one of Laban's servants. Nephi instructed this servant to get out the plates of brass and then to join him as he walked outside of the city. 

The servant, whose name was Zoram, came with Nephi all the way out of the city until they reached the hiding place of Nephi's brothers. 

However, Nephi's brothers saw this big guy wearing Laban's armor and assumed that Laban had caught and killed Nephi. They jumped up and ran for it. 

Nephi yelled out for them to stop. At this point, everyone present realized what had happened. Zoram did an about-face and began running back to the city. 

Nephi tackled the guy and held him so that he couldn't run away. He then promised Zoram that he wouldn't kill him if the man would join them in their trek through the wilderness. Nephi swore that the servant would be a free man. 

Zoram took courage and accepted Nephi's offer. He made an oath and promised his agreement and the five of them began the journey back to their father's tent, carrying Laban's sword and the plates of brass.

Here's a video showing much of what we just talked about:

C. Interesting Insights. 

Why did the Lord require Nephi to kill Laban?

Now, I know that this story is surprising and will cause mixed reactions. Some people will compare it to similar stories in the Old Testament and say, "Well, I'm remembering how the prophet Elijah killed all the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:40) and how Samuel commanded Saul to kill every living thing (1 Sam. 15:3). This story about Nephi lines up. What happens to Nephi next?" 

Others will come to a screeching stop and say, "This can't be God's book after all. God would never do such a thing."

If you fall in the latter category, I want to talk directly to you for a moment. 

I want you to know that I understand that this is a difficult story to wrap one's head around. I want you to know that I empathize-- sometimes, it's hard to understand God's ways. 

Did you know that there is a way to find out, for yourself, if this story is real? There is a way to ask God if He himself gave this commandment to Nephi. 

The Book of Mormon is God's book. God will help you and "manifest the truth of it unto you" as you read and as you petition Him for help. (Moroni 10:4).

I can't tell you exactly how He will answer your prayer, but I can tell you how He typically answers mine. 

God answers my prayers with feelings of peace, hope, and light. Typically these answers come as I read the Bible and the Book of Mormon; a passage or a verse will stand out to me and the feeling of deep peace will affirm that it contains my answer from God. 

If the story of Nephi killing Laban upset you, please understand that God cares so much about you and that if you ask Him "with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ," then He will answer your prayer (Moroni 10:4). The answer will come as you continue reading The Book of Mormon and praying to know if it is true. 

God always keeps His word. That's why I'm a part of His church. I have prayed to know the truthfulness of this book and I have had my prayers answered in real and powerful ways. 

I know that He will answer your prayers. God always keeps His promises.

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Now, just for fun, let's imagine the likely outcomes if Nephi HADN'T killed Laban.

Imagine that Nephi took Laban's armor and dressed as him, then put Laban's unconscious body under a tarp and went to convince Zoram to give him the plates. 

What would have happened when Laban woke up?

It would have been clear that someone had robbed him. If he had any sort of wit, Laban would have run straight home to see if all was in order there. 

Then Laban would have been told of Zoram's desertion. 

Now, let's put ourselves in Laban's head and think like him. 

If I were Laban, I'd send some servants into the city and other servants outside of the city to find Zoram. After all, if your treasure-keeper goes mysteriously missing, it's not unreasonable to assume that some treasure disappeared with him. 

After sending my fastest guards after Zoran, I'd assign servants to immediately begin accounting for my treasure. I would need to know how much he stole. 

After a couple of hours, the servants in the city would return with nothing. 

The accountants would come back from the treasure-house with this news: all is there, except for those valuable brass plates. 

Then the penny would drop. 

Who had been petitioning to take the brass plates?

Who had I (literally the day before) robbed of all their wealth?

Those rascally sons of Lehi. They must have gone a step further to get my plates; they had conspired with my treasure-keeper and STOLEN THEM!!

It's not a difficult jump to make. Nephi and his brothers tried twice to get the plates, and the second time I (Laban) stole their stuff and had my guards chase them from the city. 

I mean, it makes sense that they would see the plates as rightfully theirs since I took their gold-- they had paid for the plates and I had taken their money and then tried to kill them. It makes sense that the next thing they would try would be to go around my back and compel my treasure-keeper to join them.

Having figured this out, I would send a huge number of guards outside of the city to track down Nephi, his brothers, and the deserting Zoram. I wouldn't rest until they were found. 

The rest is easy to assume, isn't it? Laban would send many guards after the brothers and Zoram. He would kill them all. 

Lehi and Sariah, Nephi's parents, were elderly and would then be alone in the wilderness. They would continue on until they died, alone in the wilderness. 

But wait a second. Couldn't the Lord protect Nephi? Couldn't the brothers run for it and make it, even if Laban was chasing them?

Of course He could, and of course they could, if that was what the Lord wanted for them. 

But His ways are not our ways. He had a plan all worked out for Nephi's family and their journey. That plan did not involve this family being chased, hounded, and possibly captured by Laban. 

Other times when God commanded his servants to kill their enemies instead of saving them: 

Moses and his people pass through the sea on dry ground, but the armies of Pharaoh are drowned (Exodus 14).

King Saul is commanded to kill every living thing in the city of Amalek. (1 Sam. 15:3)

Samuel kills the king of Agag (1 Samuel 32-33)

Elijah kills all the priests of Baal. (1 Kings 18:40). 

Elisha and the she-bears (1 Kings 2:23-24)

Abraham pays tithes after killing the king (Genesis 14:18-20). 

As a final note, I want to point out that Jerusalem was just a few years away from being totally destroyed. By having Nephi get the plates and take them away, God kept the valuable scriptures safe despite the city's near annihilation. 

Interesting Insight #2

Nephi trusted that the Lord would prepare a way for him to fulfill each commandment. Did this prove true? What can I learn from this today?

At the beginning of the chapter, Nephi told his father: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7, underline added).

Nephi trusted that if God commanded, He would also prepare the way. 

Nephi was absolutely right, but it's interesting to see how the Lord prepared the way and to draw parallels for our own lives. 

Was it easy for Nephi? Was it smooth?

Did all go right the first time?

Ohhhh no it didn't. 

They failed, they struggled, Nephi was hit with a big stick multiple times. 

Then Nephi found that the way forward was far different than he'd ever imagined it would be. 

BUT they also had an angel appear to them and were led by the Spirit of the Lord. Nephi either felt or heard the Lord speaking to him and assuring him of His will. 

What can we learn from this? 

Perhaps that life is difficult, but for those who follow the Lord, the path is prepared. 

One of my favorite examples of this comes from a woman I know who understood that God expected her to obey the Word of Wisdom and quit smoking. 

She didn't know how to do it. She was afraid. 

But she decided that if this was what God wanted, she would do it. 

And so, she threw out the cigarettes. 

A month later, she told me in utter amazement that when she had gone 'all in' and trusted God to help her, she found that she could do it! The cravings weren't there. She had quit smoking and found that her way was prepared. 

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Thanks for reading this REALLY long post with me. This was an important one to discuss and I hope that it was helpful. 

Next post will be 1 Nephi 5-7, which is about 50 verses altogether.

Mom is Always There for You

After Chantelle's school Halloween parade, the students went back to class and the parents all streamed away, leaving me confused. I'd thought that the kids were coming home; now my five-year-old was at her desk with an hour of school to go. She didn't have her backpack, her folder, or anything that she needed. 

I couldn't go down to her classroom to check on her until the halls cleared. After waiting about fifteen minutes, the principal walked me down to her room. 

Chantelle and I waved covertly at each other while her teacher assured me that they would only be watching a movie: no backpack required. Chantelle wanted to stay so I waved again and the principal walked me back. 

"I'm sorry that you waited so long for nothing and now you've still got to pick her up after school," the principal apologized. 

He was sorry, but I wasn't. 

He doesn't have any kids of his own. He can't understand. 

If there's a chance that my daughter needs me, really needs me, I will pay any price to be there. 

If she could be embarrassed about not having her backpack, if there was a chance that she felt small and desperate for my help, I would gladly give anything to be there with her.

That's the difference between that well-meaning principal and myself.  He saw that wait, that unnecessary trip to a classroom, as fruitless or as an unfortunate waste of time. 

But to me, it was a reassurance that all was well: a certainty that my daughter was happy and secure. That's what I needed to know in order to be happy and secure myself. 

As she grows up, I want my girl to know that Mom is always there for her. If she truly needs me, I will be there. 

Chantelle, I am always on your team. 


-Jenna

Pack Up The Camels and Head for the Woods! 1 Nephi Chapter 2

Left to right- Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Laman. 

Hi everyone!

I've been thinking about how I want to approach this project of reading through The Book of Mormon together. 

It would be easy to dump truckloads of information, facts, interesting tidbits, and insights. In fact, I know right now that I'll have to take care to keep from totally overwhelming you. 

Because that's not what I'm trying to do, here. 

I don't want this to be overwhelming, for you (or for me, for that matter-- I have three kids! Time is limited) 

Instead, I decided that I want to format these discussions a little. 

A. I'll start by giving a quick description of the key players in each chapter. 

B. Then we'll talk about the storyline. What were the main people doing, and why?

C. Then I'll give a few insights that I think are very important. 

D. And finally, I might end with some questions for you to think about. 

Does that still sound kind of overwhelming? Maybe. But this way, you can skim and pick out helpful things. It'll also give me some sanity. I was going a little crazy trying to cover EVERYTHING. 

So-- here we go!

A. Who were the key players in this chapter?

(Note: these pronunciations are accurate in the USA, they will differ by region and language).

Lehi (pronounced Lee-high)

He was Nephi's father and a prophet. He received revelation from God directing his family and (at least once) instructing the people in general. 

Laman (pronounced Lame-en)

He was Lehi's eldest son. 

Lemuel (pronounced Lem-you-el)

He was the second eldest son. He tended to follow Laman's lead in everything.

Sam (pronounced as you'd expect). 

Sam was the third son. He had a gentler nature than his two older brothers.

Nephi (pronounced Nee-ff-aye). 

Nephi was the youngest son and (at this point) possibly the youngest child.

(At one point, Nephi mentioned that he had sisters, but we don't know where they are in the lineup-- see 2 Nephi 5:6).

Nephi was chosen by the Lord to be a leader of his family, even though he was the youngest son. 

B. What happened? What was the storyline?

Lehi had another dream. 

In this dream, the Lord instructed Lehi to pack up and leave Jerusalem. The family took some tents, provisions, and food. 

It says in verse 5 that they traveled by the Red Sea. 

After three days of travel, they stopped to offer sacrifices. 

While there, Lehi exhorted Laman and Lemuel, his two eldest sons, to be righteous and to follow the commandments of the Lord. 

"Now this [Lehi] spake because of the stiffneckedness (ie stubbornness) of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur (ie complain) in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart." (1 Nephi 2:11- parentheses added)

Laman and Lemuel DID NOT want to leave Jerusalem.

They complained against their father, telling him that he was a 'visionary man,' that he had taken them away from Jerusalem and away from their inheritances, and that they would now die in this awful wilderness. 

Lehi then exhorted his sons, "with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him." (2 Nephi 2:14). Laman and Lemuel were persuaded for the time being to continue on the journey.

Nephi wasn't sure about all this, just like his elder brothers. 

But Nephi understood that if God really had instructed his dad to leave Jerusalem, then God would make it known to him, as well. 

Nephi went off by himself and prayed.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi,...having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers." (1 Nephi 2:16)

God did not visit Nephi in person. Instead, he sent the Holy Ghost to comfort Nephi and confirm His will. 

A little later, Nephi taught Sam and tried to teach Laman and Lemuel, but the latter two would not listen. 

Nephi was grieved because of their stubbornness and again prayed to God. 

God communicated to Nephi again, but this time He really did speak. He also gave Nephi an incredible promise which is a main theme of The Book of Mormon.

The Lord said, "Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

"And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands." (1 Nephi 2:19-20, underline added)

Here is a video produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about 1 Nephi chapters 1-2. 

C. Interesting Insights

1. Who did the Lord choose as His next leader? 

"Inasmuch as thou [Nephi] shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren." (1 Nephi 2:22, brackets added). 

As far as I understand, Lehi's family lived in a patriarchal society, so Lehi was the head of his home and then Laman would have naturally been next in the line of authority. 

This makes for some interesting dynamics because the Lord clearly did not choose Laman as a leader.

It's interesting to see who the Lord works through. Nephi was "exceedingly young" (1 Nephi 2:16) and his heart was soft, which means that he was willing to listen to God and be taught. 

King David and Samuel were young when God chose them to do His work. Joseph Smith was, too. 

God works with willing clay. He teaches those who will listen, learn, and follow God's promptings, even when those promptings seem difficult. 

2. "Having great desires to know of the mysteries of God..."

Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi were dragged out of their beds at night and told to load the camels with tents and food. 

They were told to leave their inheritances in the form of gold, silver, precious things, and land. 

Then their father turned southwest and struck a trail into the wilderness, telling the family that this was for their own good and that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed.

Wouldn't that have seemed pretty drastic to you? 

Laman and Lemuel certainly thought so. 

They were "stiffnecked" (verse 11) which means stubborn. They "murmured" (verses 11-12) which means that they complained. 

In this same circumstance, what would you and I have done? 

Nephi shows us the correct reaction. 

Nephi decided to ask God if He had indeed sent this direction to Lehi. Nephi trusted that if God could speak to Lehi, then God could speak to him, too. 

"Wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father..." (1 Nephi 2:16). 

This precept (or general rule) is true today. 

You can ask God yourself and receive your own answer. 

Nephi even tells us how God will communicate to you. He will 'soften your heart that you will believe.' God will communicate through the still, small feelings from the Holy Ghost.

Pay attention to how you feel when you read this book and when you read the Bible. Do you feel peaceful? Do you feel love for God and love from Him? 

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ often spoke of His gospel being living water. 

When I read from The Book of Mormon, I feel like I'm drinking in that living water. 

These feelings are hard to describe, aren't they? But its difficulty doesn't change its legitimacy. When I read The Book of Mormon, I feel that I am drinking in God's own words. 

3. Keep the Commandments and Prosper

Near the end of the chapter, the Lord speaks to Nephi and gives him an incredible promise. 

"Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands." (1 Nephi 2:20). 

Keep God's commandments and prosper. Break His commandments and suffer. These promises ring through nearly every chapter of this book, colored by vivid real-life examples. 

If I could stress one part of The Book of Mormon, this would be it. 

God attaches promises to his commandments. In other words, if we keep God's commandments, we are entitled to His blessings. 

However, if we break His commandments we have no promise (D&C 82:10).

Do you want to know why this is amazing? We can try this promise out, right now. 

No matter who or where you are, you and I can always try a little harder to keep God's commandments. 

You can try God at His word and see what happens. Keep the commandments and God promises to prosper you.

Remember, though, that God prospers us in His own way. 

For example, I haven't found gold buried in the front garden. We haven't been blessed with a swimming pool filled with coins like Uncle Scrooge's. 

But my family has been given the most incredible blessings of health and success. 

We've succeeded when we should have failed. 

My children are healthy and alive when they could have died (a story for another time). 

We've been led where we otherwise would have been hopelessly lost. 

We've been given heavenly aid and direction when we desperately needed it. 

And, my friends, if that isn't being prospered, then what is?

What price wouldn't you pay to have not only God's help, but the assurance of His love for you and for your family?

What wouldn't you and I give?

So, here's my challenge to you. 

Think of one of God's commandments and commit to obeying it. If you aren't sure what they are or if you need a refresher, I'll refer you to the 10 Commandments. This is a wonderful place to begin.

Here's a link to the 10 Commandments in the Bible (begins at verse 3).

Here's a link to a description of the 10 Commandments if you'd like to read more about them.


Next post will be 1st Nephi Chapters 3 and 4. Each chapter is roughly 30 verses. You've got this. 

-Jenna 

Book of Mormon Post #2: 1st Nephi Chapter 1

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, was compiled by the prophet-historian Mormon. He gathered the faith-filled teachings of his people together into one book, written on solid-gold plates, and gave the book its title. 


This week we read 1 Nephi Chapter 1 which was 20 verses long-- about 2 pages in a paper copy of The Book of Mormon. 

We met two members of Nephi's family: himself, and his father Lehi. 

(Just so you know, in the USA most people will pronounce Nephi like this: Nee-ff-aye. 

Lehi will be pronounced like this: Lee-High. 

In other languages and places, the pronunciation will differ a little.)

1st Nephi is written in first person-- Nephi refers to himself as "I."

He's writing the story of his family. 

They were reasonably-wealthy inhabitants of Jerusalem during 600BC. 

(Those of you with a background in the Bible will perk up. Nephi and his family were contemporaries of Daniel, Jeremiah, and others who were conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar around 589 BC). 

Nephi, however, didn't know that Jerusalem was just a decade away from total destruction. His father didn't know, either. 

But Nephi records that prophets in Jerusalem were "prophesying until the people that they must repent, or the great city of Jerusalem must be destroyed." (1 Nephi 1:4). 

Nephi's father, Lehi, heard these prophets and felt troubled. He prayed to the Lord and had his prayer answered in a miraculous way:

"...as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly. 

"And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen." (1 Nephi 1:6-7)

After this vision where he 'saw and heard much', Lehi fell on his bed to rest. Then another vision opened up and he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ (referred to as 'One descending out of the midst of heaven'). He also saw Jesus's twelve disciples. 

They came down and gave him a book and as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, which means that he felt the Holy Ghost. 

Lehi understood that Jerusalem would be destroyed and many people killed. He knew that others would be carried away captive. 

After Lehi had these two visions, he was overcome with gratitude and praise for his incredible God, who was kind enough and merciful enough to give him these timely warnings. 

The chapter ends with Nephi explaining that he won't make a "full account" of his father's writings, because his father had written them down himself. (Remember this, by the way. I'll tell you a  fascinating story about the Book of Lehi in a later post about Joseph Smith.)

After his vision, Lehi goes into Jerusalem and tries to teach the people, but they try to kill him rather than let him preach.

The chapter ends with one of the most beautiful verses in the Book of Mormon and a testimony from Nephi:

"...but behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." (1 Nephi 1:20)

The tender mercies of the Lord are on all who have faith in Him. 

A tender mercy is something that God does just to be kind, just because He loves us. We have had so many tender mercies from God. He gives them to us as we follow Him and as we have faith in Him.

Here's a great video released from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dramatizing much of what you just read. 

Next post will be 1 Nephi Chapter 2, which is 24 verses, about two pages in the paper copy of The Book of Mormon. 

See you then!

-Jenna

Reading Through the Book of Mormon -- Post #1

"The Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man [will] get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” - Joseph Smith

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I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

It's a wonderful religion and the best part of who I am.

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. 

We also believe that the Bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. 

Aha. 

There's an interesting phrase-- the Book of Mormon. 

Chances are pretty good that you've heard this title before. 

It's been a nickname for just about two hundred years. 

It's the title of the book those well-dressed young men and women keep trying to give you. 

It's the name of a Broadway Play. 

So... what is the Book of Mormon? 

Simply put, the Book of Mormon is a historical record of a family who were warned by God to flee Jerusalem around 600 BC. 

This book is the record of this family and then of their descendants. The Book of Mormon focuses on faith, on Jesus Christ, and on the real-life consequences of rebelling against God. 

So why does my religion hold this book up as a cornerstone of our faith?

Why do educated men and women read and believe in this book?

It all comes down to this promise: 

"And when ye shall receive these things [the teachings in the Book of Mormon], I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4 - brackets and bold added)

The reason why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing-- the reason why I am a part of this church-- is because of this promise. 

Because I asked God and He answered. 

It was clear and it was powerful. 

The feeling that came from God was undeniable and unmistakable. 

And God will 'manifest the truth of it unto you', as well as He did for me. 

It will be done in His own way and in His own time, but God always keeps his promises. 

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Someone out there is aching to come closer to God but isn't sure how. 

If that's you-- if you're burdened with heartache, loneliness, grief, or pain of any kind, then I invite you to join me on a journey to come closer to God. 

I invite you to try God at His word-- to read this holy text and then to see if God really does keep His promise to manifest the truth of this book by the power of the Holy Ghost. 

This journey will take some commitment on your part. God responds to sincerity and to faith. 

I'm going to begin rereading through the Book of Mormon, a little at a time, over the next year. I invite you to read it with me. 

After reading through a chapter or two, I'll write new blog posts to help you understand the storyline, the people, and the language. 

We'll start simply. First, you need a copy of the book. 

You can get one for free, hand-delivered by two missionaries. If that's what you want, follow this link and enter your information. 

You can also download an app to use on your phone or tablet.  

You can order it from Amazon. 

You can read it online.

Once you get your copy, go to the beginning and read the first chapter. 

You'll need to flip through about fifteen pages to get to Chapter 1, past the introductions and illustrations. 

It looks like this:

The first chapter is about two pages long-- you can easily read that today.

This is going to be an unforgettable journey. Please, take this step forward with me. We'll come closer to God, together. 

-Jenna

Disney Comic #5: The Dream

This is me and my little sister Mandi, in case you're wondering

When I became a mother, I suddenly began having the strangest dreams. I would be in a place that USED to be fun (like Disney World), but instead of walking around having fun, my dreams would all center around trying to keep my baby safe.  

This comic is almost a shot-for-shot remake of my favorite of these dreams. (It's also, incidentally, Chantelle's and Piper's favorite comic strip).

Enjoy!

-Jenna

Disney Comic #4: The Farewell

Disney Comic #4: The Farewell

-Jenna

Advice for Medical School Interviews

It's mid-August and almost time for the medical school interview season to begin.

I always enjoy visiting Joe at the medical school hospital this time of year. We see gaggles of well-dressed men and women touring the city, wearing white name tags that are as good as beacons. 

Last year, Joe walked us past the admissions office where we saw nervous interviewees sitting in folding chairs. I tried not to stare as I wondered which of these anxious applicants would be part of the UPSOM class of 2023.

So, how does a hopeful applicant get to the interview? 

After a medical school applicant completes their initial application through AMCAS (the service that processes applications), they receive and complete secondaries from each school. Once those are completed and returned, the applicant is eligible to receive interview invitations. 

These interviews are intense and can be grueling. The length and depth of interviews will differ by program but it isn't unusual for an interview to be forty minutes long.

The interviews are intended to stretch the applicant while also testing to see if the person will be a good fit in a particular program. 

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My husband is currently a first-year resident with the UPMC hospital network. After his preliminary year ends, we will move to New Haven, CT to finish Joe's radiology residency at Yale. 

Our entire family has worked together to support Joe through medical school and now residency. Though the road has been hard, life has been so good to our little family. 

As we've continued through our medical school journeys, Joe and I have picked up on insights and realizations that would have been advantageous had we known them five years ago as we applied. 

My goal is to pass on this information as best I can to the many hopeful premeds out there. If only one of you benefits from our experience, we will be delighted and satisfied. 

If I Could Lean Back Through Time...

Let's pretend I've got that time machine from Napolean Dynamite. The crystals are in, the headband is on, and I'm going to fly backward through the years, just in time to give ourselves advice as we prepared for those medical school interviews.

Here's what I would say.

1. Assume that you're always being evaluated.

Not only will you be evaluated during the interview, you will also likely be evaluated during the more casual parts of the day, including during lunch and on the campus tour. 

Be on your most professional behavior during the whole interview day (and be sure to arrive on time or early!).

2. Be thoroughly familiar with your personal statement and your secondaries.

Many (if not all) of your interviewers are going to ask questions directly from your personal statement and secondaries. Please review these essays until you are prepared to discuss each idea that you've written and submitted.

3. Do your research on each school

When the interviewer asks, "Why are you interested in our program?" what will you say?

I recommend that when you sit down with an interviewer, you already know the school's background: what they are and what they're doing. 

One way to do this is to look at the research being conducted by each school. Is there any research going on that you are particularly interested in or to which you could contribute? 

4. Make a list of common interview questions

Go online or use past interviewing experience to make a list of 30 or so common interviewing questions. 

Think about each question and write down the answer you would give. You actually don't need to memorize your responses word-for-word; you don't want to sound mechanical. 

Instead, have your general responses ready so that you can discuss each topic without having to pause and think or say, 'Um.'

Here's a few questions to consider:

-Why do you want to be a doctor? 

-Why are you interested in our program?

-What do you consider to be one of your greatest strengths?

-What do you consider to be one of your greatest weaknesses?

-Tell me about a time when you failed.

And on and on. There are lists of these online. 

5. "Do you have any questions for me?"

During your interviews, you will likely have the opportunity to ask questions. This is a good opportunity to express some interest in a subject and it also allows the interviewer to display some of the school's achievements. It's a good idea to have some of these questions ready to pull out of your hat when the opportunity arises. 

My husband is going into radiology and so his questions were radiology-centered. During residency interviews, he asked his interviewers what the program was doing with AI in radiology. 

This will differ for you based on your interests. Think of some questions that you would like to ask. These questions can range from interest in medicine to fun things to see in the city.

6. Be Genuine

At this point, interviewers are not only looking for applicants who will be able to keep up with the rigorous coursework, they are also looking for applicants who will be a good fit in their programs. They want to get a feel for who you are as a person. Don't be afraid to be yourself. 

On another note, avoid inflating yourself or inflating the school. Don't gush or stretch out credentials to make them seem bigger than they actually are. Your interviewers are smart men and women who can see through any fluff that applicants try to pass for steel.

6. God's help

We couldn't have gotten where we are without God's grace and help. Every sacrifice we've made for Him, every crust we've given Him, has yielded loaves upon loaves in return. 

Why have we succeeded these past years? Not because we're smart (we're not). Not because we work hard (though we do). 

The secret to our success is no secret at all. We've kept God's commandments and He has prospered us in return. I don't even feel honest taking credit for what we've done. It was all because of God's grace and because He is so unbelievably, incredibly kind. 

And so, my final advice to you is to pause and consider your life. 

Is there anything you've been holding on to that God wants you to release?

Is there anything that you think He would like you to start doing? 

If anything comes to mind, now is the time to change, and change permanently. 

Medical school is tough, guys. It's long. And life is hard. We need Heavenly Father and He's eager to help us if we clear away the clutter that keeps Him from drawing close. 

Heavenly Father wants to reach down and bless you (and us, too) but there are laws that He must keep. He can't bless us unless we give up the things that keep Him away. 

Please think seriously on this. 

The point in my life where Heavenly Father began pouring out blessings was when I cleared up the clutter, threw out the trash, and slammed the door. It was when I finally had the courage to make those important changes, to stop doing some things and start doing others. 

Heavenly Father saw and He responded. 

And that response changed my entire life. 

We need Him and you need Him. Now is the time to make those important changes, even if they're hard. 

I promise, you won't regret it. 

Advice from Others

Not long ago, I put out a query on Facebook asking for collaborating ideas and advice for medical school interviewing since different people have different experiences. 

Benjamin wrote:

"I did several mock interviews with the career services at my university, and that helped a lot to practice answering common questions, talking about yourself. And at the end of the day just be yourself, the interviewers want to get to know you!"

Shannon wrote:

1) Have quick and articulate responses to “why medicine?” and “why this school?” Practice these with someone. 

2) Be able to discuss everything on your application. 

3) Come up with a couple of questions about the program/area to ask your interviewers. Make sure it’s not something readily available on the website. I often asked why they chose to come there and where they recommended I go for dinner. 

4) Use student hosts if available. It saves hotel costs and you can get information on the school from someone not on the admissions committee. They are poor students though, so the accommodations may not be fantastic. Consider if that will mess with your ability to interview well the next day. 

5) Be yourself. Usually at this stage you’ve made the number cut offs and they just want to see if you’ll fit into the class they’re trying to build.

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As always, if you have questions about interviewing at medical school, leave a comment and we'll answer.

If you have some experience with medical school interviewing and would like to add your input to this discussion, please comment and share! 

Good luck out there--

-Jenna