B.O.M.B (Book Of Mormon Blitz)

What does it mean to be “highly favoured of the Lord”?

2010-04-21T16:07:00.001+12:00

One thing that has always stood out to me each time I read the Book of Mormon is when Nephi mentions that he was highly favoured of the Lord (see 1 Nephi 1:1). What was it that made him highly favoured?

Obviously obedience to the Lord must have been one of the characteristics that endeared him to the Lord, as it would for any parent, but are there any other characteristics that one can model themselves upon to receive the same level of favouritism?

The only other instance in the Book of Mormon that mentions someone being highly favoured of the Lord is found in Ether 1:34. Here the Lord has just confounded the language of the people who were building a tower in Babel and Jared, obviously concerned for his family and how they would continue long-held traditions and cultural practices, turns to the one person he recognises as being “highly favoured of the Lord” – his brother Mahonri-moriancumer.

Recognising the favour placed upon him by the Lord Jared asks Mahonri to “cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.” Now who amongst us that has children does not lend a greater ear to those of our children that listen and obey our words? But surely a key component to listening to one child more than another is that they tend to turn to us more readily for counsel and advice.

This need to call upon the Lord to remain favoured of him is highlighted in Ether 2:14 when the Lord chastens Mahonri for having not called upon him. Furthermore, the last two lines in chapter one indicate why the Lord is willing to bless Mahonri and his seed, “And thus will I do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.” Nephi exhibits the same yearning to call upon God in 1 Nephi 2:16 when he desires to know and understand the vision of his father.

Hence, it is clear that to be highly favoured of the Lord one must, “come to God [and] weary him until he blesses you”(words of Joseph Smith recorded in Willard Richards Pocket Companion, 78-79).

1 Nephi 3 contains one of the most memorised verses in the book of Mormon in which Nephi displays his intention to always keep the commandments. But the verse just before it is often overlooked in my opinion and holds another key to being not only favoured of the Lord but being ‘highly’ favoured of him.

Lehi has just expressed his disappointment and frustration to his son Nephi that Laman & Lemuel continue to murmur at the Lord’s commands. He then counsels his son to go “and thou shalt be favoured of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.”

How many times have you read through the scriptures and been amazed at how often the Lord’s chosen people have murmured against him? We have the examples of the children of Israel in the wilderness and Laman & Lemuel in the book of Mormon. Clearly the Lord witholds his favour from those who lack faith by constantly murmuring against him.

Conversely, there are no bounds on the blessings the Lord is willing to bestow upon those who “submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:15).

These are just a few of the insights I’ve gained from my reading, please feel free to share your own thoughts and impressions.

May we all learn from the examples displayed in the book of Mormon and qualify ourselves to be highly favoured of the Lord by obeying his commandments, diligently calling upon his name, and doing all things without murmuring. If we do this we shall enjoy the blessings the Lord has already prepared for us.

Is Lehi mentioned in the Bible?

2010-04-21T09:23:00.003+12:00

Just an interesting little fact I learnt about on my mission.

The name Lehi is mentioned in the Bible in Judges 15. It was the place where Samson killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.

So we learn that the place, Lehi, mentioned in the bible is significant for that is the scene of Samson’s feat with the ‘jawbone of an ass’ (which by the way is a long jawbone) and we know that Lehi came from that area where the names of people and places are traditionally linked together (a tradition repeated by Lehi himself in 1 Nephi 2:7-10).

Therefore we could assume (by the way I must clarify that this is merely an assumption or theory and not backed up by doctrine) that Lehi’s name was linked in some way to the place of Samson’s feat of strength and that he would have taught his children its significance seeing that Nephi was “taught somewhat in all the learning of [his] father”.

Now that’s an interesting fact in itself but the fascinating thing I found in Tahiti is that they
revere Ta’aroa as the god of the sea. Literally translated ‘Ta’aroa’ means ‘long jawbone’. In maori mythology Tangaroa is the god of the sea and you will find in most other polynesian cultures there is a similar deity, i.e Samoan and Tongan cultures revere the deity ‘Tagaloa’.

Contrary to many theories expounded in many western educational institutions, we as members of the church know the polynesian people to be descendants of Lehi and his family (see the July, 1971 issue of the Ensign).

With this knowledge then, could it be that these polynesian cultures have retained a record of their original ancestor, Lehi who made an unprecedented voyage across the sea, in the symbolic nomination of a common deity, Tagaloa/Ta’aroa/Tangaroa? A family historical myth transmitted through many generations originating in a common truth (Lehi traversing the sea to arrive in the promised land) and culminating in a shared myth (Ta’aroa/Tangaroa – God of the sea).

Testing BlogJet

2010-04-19T13:00:00.003+12:00

I have installed an interesting application - BlogJet. It's a cool Windows client for my blog tool (as well as for other tools). Get your copy here: http://blogjet.com

"Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imagination." -- Albert Einstein

And my father dwelt in a tent, 1 Nephi 2:16

2010-04-16T22:21:00.004+12:00

This verse has always intrigued me. We know that Mormon abridged the plates so as to only include those things he felt would be important for us in the last days. Then why include such a seemingly insignificant verse describing the relatively indigent housing conditions of Lehi? And why repeat the fact that Lehi dwells in a tent four times within the first 16 chapters? (1 Nephi 2:15; 1 Nephi 9:1; 1 Nephi 10:16; and 1 Nephi 16:6)

Over the years I've conjured up my own theories on why Mormon decided to leave this verse in. But here is my 'ponderment' at this current time.

Now if we keep in mind that Lehi appears to have been a person of well-to-do means back in Jerusalem given Laban's lustful desire for his precious possessions. Laban was someone of high standing in Jerusalem and we can assume was well-resourced and so for him to be envious of the gold and silver that Nephi and his brothers brought as bargaining tools for the brass plates says a lot for their impressiveness.

We gain a further impression of Lehi's wealth when Laman and Lemuel complain to Nephi that instead of wandering in the wilderness they could have been enjoying their possessions and the land of their inheritance (1 Nephi 17:21).

So, given these facts, we can safely assume that Nephi must have been impressed by the faith exhibited by his father in sacrificing all he had in order to obey the Lord's commands. And so to honour his father Nephi highlights the fact his father dwells in a tent as a token of his faith and sacrifice.

Alternatively, Nephi could be using his father's tent as a symbol of the temple much like how the tabernacle was used as a mobile temple in the days of Moses. The temple is a centre place of worship and for receiving blessings and making covenants. For Lehi and his family the tent is the only logical place for all those things to happen and thus could have symbolised for them the temple blessings. Nephi therefore refers to his father's tent in sacred reverence to all that it symbolises for them in the wilderness.

Then again, Nephi could simply be stating the fact that his father dwelt in a tent.

And it finally came to pass...

2010-04-16T09:14:00.003+12:00

Hey all,

Well I finally got around to getting this blog set up so I can start posting my many great insights ;-) and ponderings gained from reading the book of mormon as part of our ward challenge.

This is my first blog so please bear with me as I struggle through it. For like Nephi I am not mighty in writing as I am in speaking, hang on I'm not even mighty in speaking. Ah well, hopefully the spirit will be able to make up for my lack of skills and you will somehow be able to gain something from what I write.

Obviously I would have liked to have started this blog when the challenge was started so my posts would keep up to date with my readings but nevertheless we shall make do with what we have for now.

Basically how this will all work in theory is that I will make regular posts to the blog in line with what I'm reading and if you feel so inclined you can comment on my musings and even share your own thoughts and feelings from your own reading.

The idea behind it all is to create an environment where those involved in the challenge can,

Feel free to share their thoughts and feelings from what they read (for we did liken all scripture unto ourselves)
Learn from others (for when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other)
Be unified (for they were of one heart and one mind)
Be enthused to read and finish the challenge by feeling part of an online team all with the same goal (be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things)
And finally, to just have fun reading the Book of Mormon (For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them)

By all means if you have any suggestions on how to make better use of this blog please let me know.

So, without any further ado, let the blog begin.