Seminary: 08 1 Nephi 8-9

Background: Lehi received a dream or vision of the tree of life.  Lehi then instructed his family regarding the vision that the Lord showed him.  Nephi desired to know and see what his father saw so he humbly prayed and asked to see these things.

1 Nephi 10:6

What would it be like if there were no Redeemer?

Nephi mentions that all mankind would be in a lost and fallen state if there were no Redeemer.  Or in other words there would be no hope for redemption.  All mankind would never be free from the curse of the fall or from their own stain that is a result of their imperfections.

Mosiah 3:19

According to King Benjamin, what must a man do to overcome the "Natural Man?"

He said that we need to "yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit."  We must become "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things that the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him."

President Joseph Fielding Smith once said:

"The whole plan of redemption is based on vicarious sacrifice, One without sin standing for the whole human family, all of whom were under the curse.  It is most natural and just that he who commits the wrong should pay the penalty-atone for this wrongdoing.  Therefore, when Adam was the transgressor of the law, justice demanded that he, and none else, should answer for the sin and pay the penalty with his life.

"But Adam, in breaking the law, himself became subject to the curse, and being under the curse could not atone for or undo, what he had done.  Neither could his children, for they also were under the curse to atone for the original sin.  Moreover, since we were all under the curse, we were also powerless to atone for our individual sins.

"It, therefore, became necessary for the Father to send his only Begotten Son, who was free from sin, to atone for our sins as well as for Adam's transgression, which justice demanded should be done.  He accordingly offered himself a sacrifice for sins, and through his death upon the cross took upon himself both Adam's transgression and our individual sins, thereby redeeming us from the fall, and from our sins, on condition of repentance."

How can we be redeemed from the curse of the fall?

Jesus came down and offered himself as our redeemer.  Through his life and death he was able to conquer physical and spiritual death.  In order for these acts to be able to cover or redeem us we would need to fulfill our end of the covenant.  We would need to do as he did and as he commanded.

At times it is hard to know how we should act in some situations.  So some may question... Who can receive answers to their prayers?

The answer is simple... Anyone can receive answers to their prayers.  It is a matter of whether we are listening and looking for the answer and willing to accept the answer that is given when it comes.

Nephi provides an excellent example of how revelation is received.

1 Nephi 10:17

Nephi desired to see what his father saw.  Nephi had faith that the Lord would bless him with his desire by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.  He diligently sought for the answers from the Lord.  As a result he was ready for the answer when it came and was worthy to be blessed with a revelation from the Lord.

By what power did Nephi realize the truth would be revealed?

He knew that the Spirit of the Lord is the power by which he would receive truth.

What must we do to receive revelation from the Holy Ghost?

Elder David A. Bednar explained

"The Spirit of the Lord usually communicates with us in ways that are quiet, delicate, and subtle...

"The standard is clear.  If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing.  If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us.  Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us.  Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us" (Ensign, May 2006, 29-30)

What does the "Mysteries of God" mean?

1 Nephi 10:19

The "Mysteries of God" are the things that are impossible for man to know without divine intervention.

What prevented Nephi's brothers from knowing what their father taught them?

Nephi's brothers did not have faith that the Lord would reveal the answers to their questions so they did not seek the answers.  The Lord has said that he that seeketh will find.  On the other hand he that does not seeketh will not find.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks talked about how our disbelief could prevent us from understanding the things of the Lord:

"Nephi attempted to teach his brothers that they could know the meaning of their father's prophetic utterances, 'which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord' (1 Nephi 15:3).  Nephi told them if they did not harden their hearts and would keep the commandments and inquire of the Lord in faith, 'surely these things shall be made know unto you' (1 Nephi 15:11).

"If we harden our hearts, reject continuing revelation, and limit our learning to what we can obtain by study and reason on the precise language of the present canon of scriptures, our understanding will be limited to what Alma called 'the lesser portion of the word' (Alma 12:11).  If we seek and accept revelation and inspiration to enlarge our understanding of the scriptures, we will realize a fulfillment of Nephi's inspired promise that those who diligently seek will have 'the mysteries of God...unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost' (1 Nephi 10:19)" ("Scripture reading and Revelation," Ensign, Jan 1995, 7).

 Think to yourself... Have you ever had a burning desire to know the answer to a probelm?

Now think about what lengths you might have gone to in order to find that answer.

1 Nephi 13:24-25

In Nephi's vision he saw a "book that proceedeth from the mouth of the Jew."  What is this book?

This "book" that Nephi saw was the Bible or at least the collection of the writings and prophecies that came from the prophets from the middle east area.  Today we call this "book" the Bible.

What did this "book" contain?

It contained the word of the Lord and was pure as it came from the voice of the Lord's representatives.

1 Nephi 13:26

What happened to the "book?"

Nephi saw that shortly after the "book" came forth it was corrupted by Satan to mislead us from understanding the Gospel of the Lord.

Joseph Smith taught about this corruption:

"...many important points touching the salvation of man, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled...it came from the original pen of the original writers...ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors." (History of the Church, 6:57)

1 Nephi 13:29

What happened next?

After Nephi saw the corruption he then saw the book being spread across the world.  It went to all nations and tongues.

The 8th Article of Faith:

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

Why is the phrase "...as far as it is translated correctly..." not related to the Book of Mormon?

The Bible had gone through many hands over the years.  It was translated by by the power and knowledge of man.  Languages do not always translate cleanly.  Many times one word can be translated in many different ways depending upon context.  So unless the person had the original writer there with them or they have a higher being inspiring them it is very difficult to be able to accurately translate what was written.

The Book of Mormon on the other hand went directly from the writer to the translator.  The translator also was blessed to have inspiration from the Lord as to the correct meaning so that the translation was as accurate as possible.

Lehi's Dream Interpretation Exercise

Additional Materials

Elder Marvin J Ashton

"Sometimes when we are asked to be obedient, we do not know why, except the Lord commanded.  Nephi followed instructions even though he didn't fully understand the wise purpose.  His obedience resulted in blessings to mankind all over the world.  By not obeying our present-day leaders, we plan our seeds in stony places and may forfeit the harvest" (Ensign, November 1978, 51).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

"Why was Israel scattered?  The answer is clear; it is plain; of it there is no doubt.  Our Israelite forebears were scattered because they rejected the gospel, defiled the priesthood, forsook the church, and departed from the kingdom.  They were scattered because they turned from the Lord, worshiped false gods, and walked in all the ways of the heathen nations....Israel was scattered for apostasy.  The Lord in his wrath, because of their wickedness and rebellion, scattered them among the heathen in all the nations of the earth.

"What, then, is involved in the gathering of Israel?  The gathering of Israel consists in believing and accepting and living in harmony with all that the Lord once offered his ancient chosen people.  It consists of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of repenting, of being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of keeping the commandments of God.  It consists of believing the gospel, joining the Church, and coming into the kingdom.  It consists of receiving the holy priesthood, being endowed in holy places with power from on high, and receiving all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through the ordinance of celestial marriage.  And it may also consist of assembling to an appointed place or land of worship.

"Having this concept of the scattering and gathering of the chosen seed, we are able to understand the prophetic word relative thereto" (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 515).

Elder Russell M. Nelson

"Living the Lord's standard requires that we cultivate the gift of the Holy Ghost.  That gift helps us understand doctrine and apply it personally.  Because truth that is given by revelation can be understood only by revelation, our studies need to be prayerful" (Ensign, November 2000, 17)

From the Book of Mormon Institute Manual

"Condescension means a voluntary descent from rank or dignity.  Elder Gerald N. Lund, formerly of the Seventy, commented on how well this word describes the coming of the Savior into mortality: "Here was Jesus-a member of the Godhead, the Firstborn of the Father, the Creator, Jehovah of the Old Testament-now leaving His divine and holy station; divesting Himself of all that glory and majesty and entering the body of a tiny infant; helpless, completely dependent on His mother and earthly father.  That He should not come to the finest of earthly palaces and be...showered with jewels but should come to a lowly stable is astonishing.  Little wonder that the angel should say to Nephi, 'Behold the condescension of God!'" (Jesus Christ, Key to the Plan of Salvation [1991], 16).

President Gordon B. Hinckley

"A host of critics have spoken out against [Christopher Columbus], I do not dispute that there were others who came to this Western Hemisphere before him.  But it was he who in faith lighted a lamp to look for a new way to China and who in the process discovered America.  his was an awesome undertaking-to sail west across the unknown seas farther than any before him of his generation.  He it was who, in spite of the terror of the unknown and the complaints and the near mutiny of his crew, sailed on with frequent prayers to the Almighty for guidance.  In his reports to the sovereigns of Spain, Columbus repeatedly to the sovereigns of Spain, Columbus repeatedly asserted that his voyage was for the glory of God and the spread of Christian faith.  Properly do we honor him for his unyielding strength in the face of uncertainty and danger" (Ensign, November 1992, 52).