1 Nephi 7:17-18 Nephi asks if God will deliver him according to his faith
1 Nephi 17:48 - Commanded in the name of God, that that they not touch him
1 Nephi 17:53-54 - Stretches forth his hand to shock them
1 Nephi 18:10 - Speak unto them with much soberness
1 Nephi 18:11 - they bind him with cords, and treat him with much harshness (I'm sure they hit him and beat him up) and the Lord suffers it (maybe he did pray to be delivered according to his faith, but he felt the answer this time was "no")
1 Nephi 18:13 I can't believe he was tied up for 3 DAYS!!! on the 4th day they finally loose him
So, we see that he didn't shock his brothers every time to get them to help and cooperate (1 Nephi 17:53-54) nor was he miraculously loosed every time (1 Nephi 7:17-18). When they were on the boat, he was tied up and wasn't able to break the bonds. He had been loosed according to his faith before, so I believe he had the faith to be loosed again, but he didn't ask for that cause he probably knew the Lord didn't want that this time. Perhaps it was the Lord's will for him to suffer with it. And Nephi did suffer it and remained tied up for over 3 days. There are times when, in the Lord's wisdom, he suffers it for our sake and for others' sake. And so we need to suffer it. Another example - sometimes, we are not healed and need to suffer it. We needed to suffer through Peter's RSV and Croup during the past year, but with the ear ache, he was able to be miraculously healed, I'll share that story at the end of this post. And just cause there was a miracle this time doesn't mean it will always be that way from here on out. Every solution to the trail we are currently facing needs to be sought for and done according to the Spirit. Be worthy to have that spirit to guide and prompt, cleave to our covenants so that we have the confidence to call on the Lord, knowing we're doing our part. Be worthy to have the Spirit guide us and listen for the Spirit's instructions to us in each different situation.
Remember these 3 Principles Nephi lived by: 1 Nephi 18:16
I did look unto my God
I did praise him all the day long
I did not murmur against he Lord because of my afflictions
Below are the scriptures references of the ways that Nephi responded to different situations and commandments, and the way the Lord rewarded him. Also, the ways that Laman and Lemuel responded and the different ways they were persuaded or rebuked (Most of these thoughts were pointed out in the Teaching with Power lesson a few weeks ago, starting at 10:58)
TO LEAVE JERUSALEM
1 Nephi 2:16 - Great desires to know God, prays
Reward: 1 Ne 2:16 - Lord Answers, softens his heart
1 Nephi 2:12-13 - They Murmur
1 Nephi 2:14 - Counseled through Parent - Lehi speaks to them
TO GO BACK FOR THE PLATES
1 Ne 3:7 - I will go and do
Reward: 1 Ne 3:6, 8 Favored and blessed of the Lord
They murmur 1 Ne 3:5, but they go anyway
TRY TO GET THE PLATES - ATTEMPT 1 - asked for the plates
1 Ne 3:15 We will return and try again
Reward 1 Ne 4:38 Eventually they obtain the plates
1 Ne 3:14 they are sorrowful and about to return
1 Ne 3:15 - Nephi, a sibling, encourages them to be faithful
TRY TO GET THE PLATES - ATTEMPT 2 - purchase the plates
1 Ne 4:1 Let us be faithful, try again
Reward 1 Ne 4:38 He obtains the plates with help from God
1 Ne 3:28 they are angry and smite Nephi and Sam
1 Ne 3:29 an angel appears and rebukes them
TRY TO GET THE PLATES - ATTEMPT 3
1 Ne 3:31 - they murmur and don't think it's possible.
1 Nephi 4 - Nephi does it alone (with God)
RETURN WITH ISMAEL'S FAMILY
1 Ne 7:17 Prays for deliverance from bonds
Reward: 1 Ne 7:18 - loosed from bonds
1 Ne 7:16 - they are angry and bind Nephi
1 Ne 7:19 - women plead with them and soften their hearts, they ask for forgiveness
BROKEN BOW
1 Ne 16:22-23 - Nephi speaks to them, does not murmur and gets to work, makes a bow
Reward: 1 Ne 16:31 - saves everyone's lives
1 Ne 16:18 - they are angry, murmur, even Lehi murmurs
1 Ne 16:27, 29 - they fear and tremble after beholding the writings upon the ball, they are instructed concerning the ways of the Lord and given understanding
DEATH OF ISHMAEL
1 Ne 17: 2 - Grateful in all circumstances
Reward: 1 Ne 17:3 Nourished and strengthened
1 Ne 16:36-37 - murmur, desire to return to Jerusalem, want to kill Lehi and Nephi
1 Ne 16:39 - rebuked by the voice of the Lord himself
BUILD THE SHIP
1 Ne 17:8-9 Seeks the Lord's will and follows it
Reward: 1 Ne 18:4 Miraculously builds a ship
1 Ne 17:18 they complain, don't want to labor, don't believe it is possible nor that the Lord instructed Nephi
1 Ne 17:53-54 They are physically shocked by the power of God
THE STORM
1 Ne 18:16 - Does not murmur in his afflictions
Reward: 1 Ne 18:21-23 Saves family from storm, steers to promised land
1 Ne 18:9, 11 - they forget God, they are angry and tie up Nephi
1 Nephi 18:19-20 Power of God which threatened them with destruction
LEHI'S DEATH
2 Ne 5:5, 10 - Flees, keeps commandment
Reward: 2 Ne 5:27 Happiness
2 Ne 5:5, 10 - Flees, keeps commandment
Reward: 2 Ne 5:27 Happiness
2 Ne 4:13 - they are angry with Nephi
2 Ne 5:20 - nothing left to do, Nephi flees, He and God leave/withdraw, Laman and Lemuel are left alone to themselves and are cut off from His presence.
So, quick story, on Jan 9th, during the night at like 1 am, Peter was fussing and wouldn't nurse. Usually he just nurses in the bed and we both sleep fine, but he wouldn't stay attached and I could tell there we something wrong, but I was slightly groggy at 1 am and it took me a while to wake up and realize what was happening. So I eventually gave up on sleeping and got up to help him. He always quiets down for a bath, so I stared the tub and we got in as I tried to shush him. It didn't work - he was writhing and was not calm or comfortable. I kept thinking "WHAT Is WRONG?!?!" He didn't want to eat, no bath, I got dressed and grabbed a blanket for him and took him outside for a walk but that lasted a half a house before he started screaming again, now it's 2 am and so I hurried back inside with him before he woke up the neighborhood. I continued to try and think what was the problem. I remembered he had had a high fever a few days ago... Oh, it's probably an ear ache! I took him back to our room where I walked him around trying to comfort him and rock him, all the while thinking and praying what I should do. I could ask Corey to bless him (Corey was asleep downstairs on the couch)... I could go to the store for some ear drops, but Peter would be screaming the whole time.... it wasn't bad enough for the ER.... no doctor calls right now.... And I had had one thought come to me as I prayed and after about 10 minutes I felt confident enough to ok to act on it - so I raised my hand to the square and said "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command thy ear to be healed." And then I kissed him and lay down with him, and he latched on and fell asleep right away, and he slept the rest of the night and was fine the next morning. I have never done that before. I've had dreams before that I've done that - like once in my dream a big bear was coming close and about to attack us, and I raised my hand and commanded him in the name of Christ to go away, but I've never done it in real life. But I was inspired to do that this time, and I am so grateful to have received that prompting and that I am keeping my covenants so that the Lord would honor that word spoken in the name of his Son. I kinda was surprised the next morning at what I had done though, wondering if it was okay that I did that. I didn't doubt that it was the power in Christ's name that worked the miracle, but I did wonder if it was ok for me to do something like that. I shared this experience with my mission companion Nicole and she shared this quote by President Nelson with me from his most recent General Conference talk titled "Spiritual Treasures":
So, quick story, on Jan 9th, during the night at like 1 am, Peter was fussing and wouldn't nurse. Usually he just nurses in the bed and we both sleep fine, but he wouldn't stay attached and I could tell there we something wrong, but I was slightly groggy at 1 am and it took me a while to wake up and realize what was happening. So I eventually gave up on sleeping and got up to help him. He always quiets down for a bath, so I stared the tub and we got in as I tried to shush him. It didn't work - he was writhing and was not calm or comfortable. I kept thinking "WHAT Is WRONG?!?!" He didn't want to eat, no bath, I got dressed and grabbed a blanket for him and took him outside for a walk but that lasted a half a house before he started screaming again, now it's 2 am and so I hurried back inside with him before he woke up the neighborhood. I continued to try and think what was the problem. I remembered he had had a high fever a few days ago... Oh, it's probably an ear ache! I took him back to our room where I walked him around trying to comfort him and rock him, all the while thinking and praying what I should do. I could ask Corey to bless him (Corey was asleep downstairs on the couch)... I could go to the store for some ear drops, but Peter would be screaming the whole time.... it wasn't bad enough for the ER.... no doctor calls right now.... And I had had one thought come to me as I prayed and after about 10 minutes I felt confident enough to ok to act on it - so I raised my hand to the square and said "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command thy ear to be healed." And then I kissed him and lay down with him, and he latched on and fell asleep right away, and he slept the rest of the night and was fine the next morning. I have never done that before. I've had dreams before that I've done that - like once in my dream a big bear was coming close and about to attack us, and I raised my hand and commanded him in the name of Christ to go away, but I've never done it in real life. But I was inspired to do that this time, and I am so grateful to have received that prompting and that I am keeping my covenants so that the Lord would honor that word spoken in the name of his Son. I kinda was surprised the next morning at what I had done though, wondering if it was okay that I did that. I didn't doubt that it was the power in Christ's name that worked the miracle, but I did wonder if it was ok for me to do something like that. I shared this experience with my mission companion Nicole and she shared this quote by President Nelson with me from his most recent General Conference talk titled "Spiritual Treasures":
The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood. I pray that truth will register upon each of your hearts because I believe it will change your life. Sisters, you have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power to help your family and others you love.
Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?”
You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is spiritually invigorating.
I am grateful that the Spirit tutored me that night and helped me to know how to draw liberally upon God's power to help Peter. I'm grateful Peter was healed.
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