1 Nephi 9

(All of my own thoughts are in blue type. red 4/20 Green 1/21 Orange 4/22 Brown 2023) 

CHAPTER NINE

Nephi makes two sets of records—Each is called the plates of Nephi—The larger plates contain a secular history; the smaller ones deal primarily with sacred things. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

  1 And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak, he had visions, he heard the voice of the Lord, he shared what he was taught with his family as he dwelt he was “living” there, not just traveling in a tent, Knowing this phrase "dwelt in a tent" was given it's own verse earlier reinforces in my mind that the tent he dwelt in may have been a sacred tent apart from the one he slept in and that he spent much time in there with the Lord in the ^avalley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates. Makes me wonder what these things were….I also wonder what they did everyday. They only had each other to interact with. They weren't building homes, or businesses, or roads. We know they must have had to find food, prepare it, eat, wash clothes, mend things, feed/care for animals. But perhaps Lehi had a lot of time to write, and pray and ponder and "be still".
  2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the ^aplates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

  3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special ^apurpose Okay...Joseph Smith and Martin Harris…right here…hundreds of years ago, God prepared a way out of your mistake of losing the 116 pages.  He knew you’d repent, and he did the ultimate “bait and switch”.  God can make all things right…he’s already prepared that for you. We should have confidence that God has seen our lives too; our decisions; our mistakes, and has prepared a way for us to repent also; that we may also fulfill our special purpose in life. God did that for me. He saw my "mistake" financially and knew that my heart would be sick about it because of what I internalized about debt when I was 8 years old. He then prepared me and my family for the "way" that would be prepared for my deliverance. He knew what I would do and what I would need and that I would sincerely repent and call upon Him for deliverance, and He did not disappoint! that there should be an account engraven of the ^bministry of my people. Perhaps there would be value in us keeping two kinds of journals as well? Is the purpose of keeping the kinds of record separate so they would be more searchable? Mormon abridged the Book of Mormon from many records...This year we are studying the Doctrine and Covenants. I am going to keep my own Book of Commandments where I record the revelations and promptings (small and large) and their fulfillment/impact/learning received. I did not do that.... I just now started a special notebook to try doing that again. Didn't do it so much last year...again. I've pulled it out once more and now I'm recording the things I'm putting on the alter each week to try to truly "repent"/change some little thing (or big) each week. "By small and simple things, great things come to pass!" The little things really do matter. The day to day "simple" and little things are really what make up the bulk of our lives!

  4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the ^aother plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people. What is the value in recording the wars and contentions of a people? To establish fault, accountability, or to learn from the past what causes the contentions? To see the fulfillment of prophecy?

  5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a ^awise purpose in him, which purpose I know not. Considering how difficult is was to make/engrave on metal plates, Nephi may have wondered why and if he asked, the Lord never told him, but he did it anyway.  If Mormon abridged the record, he could have drawn out the ministry information to include, but it would certainly have been time-consuming.  Perhaps it would help our posterity to know what was “of most worth” to us, by separating out for them these things.

  6 But the Lord ^aknoweth all things from the beginning; He knows…He prepares….wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men This is Nephi’s great testimony! ; for behold, he hath all ^bpower unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is End of discussion…no murmuring…no questioning.  Truth is truth, fact is fact!. Amen. This is timely for today, April 16, 2020 as the world is experiencing a pandemic that has economies shut down. We must trust that the Lord knows all things - even this - from it's beginning to its end. He has already prepared a way to accomplish all his works among us. He has all power to fulfill his words, no matter what scientists, politicians, the media, or YouTubers say. And thus it is. Amen! Here we are almost a year later (Jan 2021) The pandemic continues with mask wearing, social distancing, limited numbers at church and large gatherings. Lots of government control. A stolen presidential election. Extreme censorship and control in social media and on TV. We're headed right for the anti-christ, but also for Zion. Praying that I can survive it all and be guided through it all! Now it is April 2022. The pandemic is all but over, though it seems to be continuing in China but without worldwide panic or attention this time. A war has broken out as Russia has attacked the Ukraine (end of February) and millions have fled for refuge. The war on gender is raging and making great headway, but people are starting to stand up against it. Food shortages, water shortages and an economic collapse are staring us in the face. Now it is February 2023. The attention on Covid is still being pushed by the mainstream narrative, but more and more attention is being given to the injuries and issues it is causing. My own brother, Scott, had a "mysterious" brain bleed that caused him to stroke while he was skiing. He had just had a physical and was in perfect health. Clotting is more common with the Vax but I can't help but think it had something to do with it, since "unknown" is the major cause of death right now and "all cause" mortality is through the roof for the the younger demographics. The corrupt CDC just added the Vax to the childhood immunization schedule, bringing the total vaccines to 72 from birth to 18! So wrong! It's hurting our children, not helping them! Russia is still warring with Ukraine. Turkey just had a 7.8 earthquake and tens of thousands of lives have been lost. Biden (or his imposter) is still in the Whitehouse wreaking havoc on our country. What has God prepared for what He has seen in our day? Is the answer in Isaiah and Revelations? Daniel? Jeremiah? What has he prepared for the escape of the righteous? Will it be like the children of Israel's exodus? Still looking for the Savior's return! I have included an account of Joseph Smith's experience with the lost manuscript. Considering the depth of his sorrow and grief and guilt over that, how comforting it must have been when he translated this chapter of the Book of Mormon! To hear that hundreds and hundreds of years earlier, God had seen him and this very moment in his life and had made a way for "all things to work together for his good." How grateful he must have felt for Nephi's willingness to obey this request from the Lord, without even knowing why, even though it may have been inconvenient or difficult. It is such a testimony to me that God truly is "in the details of our lives", as Pres. Monson has taught us! 

From the Life of Joseph Smith

On June 14, 1828, Martin Harris left Harmony, Pennsylvania, taking the first 116 manuscript pages translated from the gold plates to show to some of his family members in Palmyra, New York. The very next day, Joseph and Emma’s first child was born, a son they named Alvin. The baby died that same day, and Emma’s health declined until she was near death herself. The Prophet’s mother later wrote: “For some time, [Emma] seemed to tremble upon the verge of the silent home of her infant. So uncertain seemed her fate for a season that in the space of two weeks her husband never slept one hour in undisturbed quiet. At the end of this time, his anxiety became so great about the manuscript that he determined, as his wife was now some better, that as soon as she had gained a little more strength he would make a trip to New York and see after the same.”¹

In July, at Emma’s suggestion, the Prophet left Emma in her mother’s care and traveled by stagecoach to his parents’ home in Manchester Township, New York. The Prophet’s trip covered about 125 miles and took two or three days to complete. Distraught about the loss of his firstborn son, worried about his wife, and gravely concerned about the manuscript, Joseph neither ate nor slept during the entire trip. A fellow traveler, the only other passenger on the stagecoach, observed the Prophet’s weakened state and insisted on accompanying him for the 20-mile walk from the stagecoach station to the Smith home. For the last four miles of the walk, recalled the Prophet’s mother, “the stranger was under the necessity of leading Joseph by his arm, for nature was too much exhausted to support him any longer and he would fall asleep as he stood upon his feet.”² Immediately upon reaching his parents’ home, the Prophet sent for Martin Harris.

Martin arrived at the Smith home in the early afternoon, downcast and forlorn. He did not have the manuscript, he said, and did not know where it was. Hearing this, Joseph exclaimed, “Oh! My God, my God. … All is lost, is lost. What shall I do? I have sinned. It is I that tempted the wrath of God by asking him for that which I had no right to ask. … How shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?”

As the day wore on, the Prophet paced back and forth in his parents’ home in great distress, “weeping and grieving.” The next day he left to return to Harmony, where, he said, “I commenced humbling myself in mighty prayer before the Lord … that if possible I might obtain mercy at his hands and be forgiven of all that I had done which was contrary to his will.”³

The Lord severely chastised the Prophet for fearing man more than God, but assured him he could be forgiven. “Thou art Joseph,” the Lord said, “and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall. But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work” (D&C 3:9–10).

For a time, the Lord took the Urim and Thummim and the plates from Joseph. But these things were soon restored to him. “The angel was rejoiced when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim,” the Prophet recalled, “and said that God was pleased with my faithfulness and humility, and loved me for my penitence and diligence in prayer, in the which I had performed my duty so well as to … be able to enter upon the work of translation again.”⁴ As Joseph moved forward in the great work before him, he was now fortified by the sweet feelings of receiving the Lord’s forgiveness and a renewed determination to do His will.