A few thoughts on a Sunday afternoon
There have been some thoughts in my head that I've been meaning to jot down and I type faster than I write, so this is where I'm going to put them.
First I want to share a lesson I learned from a really great Sacrament Meeting talk that we had several weeks ago.
In 1 Nephi we are familiar with the story of Nephi and his brothers being sent by Lehi to get the brass plates from Laban. In the first attempt at retrieving the plates, Laman goes by himself and he is not successful. In the second attempt all the brothers go together and they gather all the riches that their family has (which was apparently considerable) and offer it to Laban in trade. And it doesn't work. Not only does it not work, but Laban tries to kill them and keep the riches for himself and they barely escape with their lives. Laman and Lemuel are not happy about that. We know how they felt. Have you ever wondered how Nephi felt? Nephi was a righteous man. Do you think he prayed for wisdom, support, or confirmation with this idea to take all their riches to Laban and trade? Is it possible that he not only prayed, but that he felt pretty good about that plan? Inspired, even?
And yet, it was an epic fail.
How could they fail when Nephi was most likely doing his best to be guided by the Spirit? Was this discouraging to Nephi? Did he doubt his ability to hear the Spirit?
Fast forward to when Nephi goes in on the third and final attempt to get the plates. Who does he find drunk and passed out in the street? Only Laban. Laban flush with cash. Laban probably celebrating his incredibly enlarged riches. Because of Laban's celebratory circumstances, it enables Nephi to retrieve the plates and in the process also recruit another righteous man named Zoram to go to the promised land with them.
There are so many great ideas in looking at Nephi's experience like this. The Lord had the vision and the perspective that Nephi did not. If Nephi and his brothers had been successful with their bribe, Nephi would never have met Zoram. For the sake of one man Nephi was allowed to receive inspiration to do something that in the short run was a fail. Nephi had to be patient. He had to trust in his ability to listen to the Spirit even when it seemed that maybe he had misheard.
I was just really, really intrigued by the lesson here. How often do we think we are following personal revelation that doesn't pan out the way we anticipated that it would and it makes us second guess ourselves? I think we can learn from Nephi's example of faith, trust and enduring to the end.
*******
Second thought. Today I was remembering a funny experience with my friend K. I was remembering when we had first started getting to know each other. She used to call me every single day to chat. And I never called her. Partially because I knew she was going to call me. And partially because I'm just not very good at picking up the phone. I was remembering one time when she called and said she felt bad that she was the one doing all the calling. I don't think she minded placing the phone calls, just that she worried she was bugging me or something. And I was quick to reassure her that I really looked forward to her calls and was grateful that she was so much better than I was at making an effort to reach out and sustain our friendship. It's a friendship that's endured for quite awhile now, though we hardly ever talk on the phone anymore. In fact, most of my really good friendships are because my friend pushed hard to make it a relationship. My friendship with Ju started in a similar fashion. She did all the talking and I did all the listening and we were both very happy!
******
And also today I was remembering an experience when I was new in the ward. I'd had a couple of rough weeks at church in terms of feeling unwelcome. There was a lot going on with turnover the same time we moved in, so I knew in my head that was a big part of things, but I was discouraged to find myself sitting alone in Relief Society several weeks in a row and not having a single person say hi to me. I determined to find someone who looked lonely to sit by the next week. Which I did and it was a fail. It was a girl who didn't like coming to church and was annoyed at my overtures. I didn't know that at the time. I just knew that she was obviously NOT interested in striking up a conversation. She actually laughed and looked away instead of answering my get-to-know-you questions.
Cue another sad Sunday. So it was with some trepidation that I attended a RS activity that following Thursday. Imagine my relief and pleasure when at the activity the Bishop's wife came in, said hello to me, and said, "come sit by me". I had a friend. It was the end of feeling lonely at church. I struggle to reach out to people I don't know but this experience has given me more motivation and courage to do that. Because I know for a fact it makes all the difference.
First I want to share a lesson I learned from a really great Sacrament Meeting talk that we had several weeks ago.
In 1 Nephi we are familiar with the story of Nephi and his brothers being sent by Lehi to get the brass plates from Laban. In the first attempt at retrieving the plates, Laman goes by himself and he is not successful. In the second attempt all the brothers go together and they gather all the riches that their family has (which was apparently considerable) and offer it to Laban in trade. And it doesn't work. Not only does it not work, but Laban tries to kill them and keep the riches for himself and they barely escape with their lives. Laman and Lemuel are not happy about that. We know how they felt. Have you ever wondered how Nephi felt? Nephi was a righteous man. Do you think he prayed for wisdom, support, or confirmation with this idea to take all their riches to Laban and trade? Is it possible that he not only prayed, but that he felt pretty good about that plan? Inspired, even?
And yet, it was an epic fail.
How could they fail when Nephi was most likely doing his best to be guided by the Spirit? Was this discouraging to Nephi? Did he doubt his ability to hear the Spirit?
Fast forward to when Nephi goes in on the third and final attempt to get the plates. Who does he find drunk and passed out in the street? Only Laban. Laban flush with cash. Laban probably celebrating his incredibly enlarged riches. Because of Laban's celebratory circumstances, it enables Nephi to retrieve the plates and in the process also recruit another righteous man named Zoram to go to the promised land with them.
There are so many great ideas in looking at Nephi's experience like this. The Lord had the vision and the perspective that Nephi did not. If Nephi and his brothers had been successful with their bribe, Nephi would never have met Zoram. For the sake of one man Nephi was allowed to receive inspiration to do something that in the short run was a fail. Nephi had to be patient. He had to trust in his ability to listen to the Spirit even when it seemed that maybe he had misheard.
I was just really, really intrigued by the lesson here. How often do we think we are following personal revelation that doesn't pan out the way we anticipated that it would and it makes us second guess ourselves? I think we can learn from Nephi's example of faith, trust and enduring to the end.
*******
Second thought. Today I was remembering a funny experience with my friend K. I was remembering when we had first started getting to know each other. She used to call me every single day to chat. And I never called her. Partially because I knew she was going to call me. And partially because I'm just not very good at picking up the phone. I was remembering one time when she called and said she felt bad that she was the one doing all the calling. I don't think she minded placing the phone calls, just that she worried she was bugging me or something. And I was quick to reassure her that I really looked forward to her calls and was grateful that she was so much better than I was at making an effort to reach out and sustain our friendship. It's a friendship that's endured for quite awhile now, though we hardly ever talk on the phone anymore. In fact, most of my really good friendships are because my friend pushed hard to make it a relationship. My friendship with Ju started in a similar fashion. She did all the talking and I did all the listening and we were both very happy!
******
And also today I was remembering an experience when I was new in the ward. I'd had a couple of rough weeks at church in terms of feeling unwelcome. There was a lot going on with turnover the same time we moved in, so I knew in my head that was a big part of things, but I was discouraged to find myself sitting alone in Relief Society several weeks in a row and not having a single person say hi to me. I determined to find someone who looked lonely to sit by the next week. Which I did and it was a fail. It was a girl who didn't like coming to church and was annoyed at my overtures. I didn't know that at the time. I just knew that she was obviously NOT interested in striking up a conversation. She actually laughed and looked away instead of answering my get-to-know-you questions.
Cue another sad Sunday. So it was with some trepidation that I attended a RS activity that following Thursday. Imagine my relief and pleasure when at the activity the Bishop's wife came in, said hello to me, and said, "come sit by me". I had a friend. It was the end of feeling lonely at church. I struggle to reach out to people I don't know but this experience has given me more motivation and courage to do that. Because I know for a fact it makes all the difference.
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