Thou Canst not Accomplish So Great a Work

1 Nephi 17:19 - 22, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 17

And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceeding sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts. And now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying, We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work. And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart. Yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years. And our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things save it were death. And it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people, for they keep the statutes and the judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people. And our father hath judged them and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his word; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.

The Stick of Judah in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 5 par. 17

And now it came to pass that I, Nefi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts. And now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying, We knew that you could not construct a ship, for we knew that you were lacking in judgment; wherefore, you cannot accomplish so great a work. And you are like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart.  Yes, he has led us out of the land of Yerushalayim, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years.  And our women have labored, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things except it were death. And it would have been better that they had died before they came out of  Yerushalayim than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yes, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Yerushalayim were a righteous people, for they keep the statutes and the judgments of yhwh, and all his mitzvot according to the Torah of Moshe; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people. And our father has judged them and has led us away because we would hearken unto his word; yes, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brothers murmur and complain against us.

 I personally believe that part of the endless depths of light that are made available to me, or any other person, in the Book of Mormon is that it is possible, in my opinion, to read the record and according to the present circumstances of my life be able to, through thoughtful introspection, detect changes that need to be made inside myself to live a more godly life.

I presently believe that if I faithfully respond to such present urgings towards godliness contained in the Book of Mormon record I can revisit the record again after the experience of living a more godly life and obtain even more insight into further changes that are required inside me to move me to an even more godly life still.

Is it possible that, in part, that might allow me, through the use of the Book of Mormon, to start to walk the path Abraham walked when he declared the following?

In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my father, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence. And finding there was greater happiness, and peace, and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the Fathers and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same. Having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a Father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a high priest, holding the right belonging to the Fathers. It was conferred upon me from the Fathers: it came down from the Fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning (or before the foundations of the earth) to the present time, even the right of the firstborn (or the first man — who is Adam — or first Father) through the Fathers unto me. I sought for my appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the Fathers concerning the seed. (Abraham 1:1 - 4, T&C 145, Abraham, 1 par. 1)

By accepting insights from the Book of Mormon and changing myself internally according to those insights, would that make me a follower of righteousness by creating the experience of living a more godly life?

Would living a more godly life put me in possession of knowledge?

You pray each time you partake of the sacrament to always have my spirit to be with you. And what is my spirit? It is to love one another as I have loved you. Do my works and you will know my doctrine, for you will uncover hidden mysteries by obedience to these things that can be uncovered in no other way. This is the way I will restore knowledge to my people. If you return good for evil, you will cleanse yourself and know the joy of your Master. You call me Lord, and do well to regard me so, but to know your Lord is to love one another. Flee from the cares and longings that belong to Babylon, obtain a new heart, for you have all been wounded. In me you will find peace, and through me will come Zion, a place of peace and safety. (T&C 157 par. 51)

Could it be correctly stated that living a godly life is a "hidden mystery" to me presently (i don't presently know how to live that way) and only through the experience of trying to live a godly life may I uncover that hidden mystery?

Would such a life journey give me knowledge and put me on the path of being a follower after righteousness?

By revisiting the record after such a journey and acquiring even more insights that allow me to, by further practice, obedience, and experience, work towards an even greater change internally to live an even more godly life, would that have the effect of making me a greater follower of righteousness and put me in possession of even greater knowledge?

Does the Book of Mormon hold, on many apparent and also deeper not-apparent levels, instructions from God?

Is it possible for any individual by finding out these instructions to keep the commandments of God?

Do I or any person have to have a complete understanding of what the message of the Book of Mormon is urging them to do before they can be obedient?

Doctrine is not to be understood as an academic or scholarly undertaking. (Remember the chapter in Eighteen Verses on Moroni 10: 5.)

It is supposed to be understood in the doing. (John 7: 17.) When you have done it, as Nephi has, then you will be able to explain the doctrine. To attempt to have a command of the doctrine without having done the will of the Father is to always be left without understanding. It is also not necessary to be able to fully expound the doctrine before doing it. It is necessary to take action consistent with the invitation offered to you. ("Don't Over-think Things," DenverSnuffer.com, August 29, 2010)

My present understanding is that what Abraham describes involves even more than what I am currently considering about the Book of Mormon, but would thoughtful introspection of the Book of Mormon record be a perfect way for me to, at the very least, begin walking in a path similar to Abraham with the added benefit, for me personally, of having time and experience and careful and ponderous thoughts in this process allowing me to develop internally to be firm in my mind in the things of godliness before I would be required to receive things that would not be good for me to receive without a firm mind?

Is it possible that is what the Lord is declaring to us here?

I desire to heal you from an awful state of blindness so that you may see clearly my will, to do it. I promised to bring unto you much of my gospel through the Book of Mormon and to provide you with the means to obtain a fullness of my gospel, and I have done this; yet you refuse to receive the truth, even when it is given unto you in plainness. How can you who pursue the truth yet remain unable to behold your own weakness before me? (T&C 157 par. 16)

Is it possible for me the come to a more perfect view of my weakness before the Lord by using the Book of Mormon in the way I have described above?

What about the Lord's continued words?

Unto what can I liken it, that you may understand? For you are like a man who seeks for good fruit from a neglected vineyard — unwatered, undunged, unpruned, and unattended. How shall it produce good fruit if you fail to tend it? What reward does the unfaithful husbandman obtain from his neglected vineyard? How can saying you are a faithful husbandman ever produce good fruit in the vineyard without doing the work of the husbandman? For you seek my words to recover them even as you forsake to do them. You have heretofore produced wild fruit, bitter and ill-formed, because you neglect to do my words. (T&C 157 par. 17)

Is it unreasonable to consider my own soul to be a vineyard?

If I can consider that my own soul is a vineyard, can I determine, with the help of the Book of Mormon record, that my soul is presently unwatered, undunged, unpruned, and unattended to one degree or another?

How can good fruit ever come from my soul if I fail to attend to it?

Is it possible with help from the Book of Mormon record for me to begin to water, dung, and prune my own soul?

I presently feel that the above considerations are related to what is occurring here in the record between Nephi, Laman, and Lemuel.

Let me explain.

Isn't it interesting that Nephi was not allowed to build the ship alone?

Could the Lord have given Nephi both power and knowledge to accomplish the labor by himself?

Nephi declared the following to his brothers.

...And I said unto them, If God had commanded me to do all things, I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, Be thou earth — and it shall be earth. And if I should say it, it would be done. And now, if the Lord has such great power and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me that I should build a ship? ... (1 Nephi 17:48 - 52, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 22)

Why did the Lord require the labor of Laman and Lemuel as well to build the ship?

Is this a similar principle of the Lord requiring Laman and Lemuel to be a party to the recovery of the plates; Nephi was not allowed to recover them alone?

We talked in the post "The Commandments of God Must Be Fulfilled" that it appears to me that there was no option for the migration or the events of the migration to succeed unless all of them succeeded together.

Is this the principle in action here with the construction of the ship?

If such is the case, how would the record be different at this point in the migration if internally Laman and Lemuel had progressed to be different people?

What is it that strikes me at this time at this point in the record?

I believe and profess to adhere to a restoration movement begun by God through the Prophet Joseph Smith and renewed and re-invigorated by God again beginning in 2013 when God sent a messenger to declare that sufficient time had passed from the murders of the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum for God to set Their hand again the second time to recover Israel and vindicate Their promises to the ancient Fathers.

My present understanding is that this undertaking is commanded by God to be accomplished by a community of people, not by a solitary individual.

People claim they have kept the covenant, but such claims cannot possibly be. God’s covenant is for and about “people”—His people. It is not possible for an individual to keep the covenant. Everybody rises together, or everybody falls together. The covenant can only be kept as a community. Individuals acting alone can never accomplish what is required of the group.

The October 4, 2018 revelation (T&C176) also focuses on community. It begins by addressing “people” and not the individual. The Lord’s voice to “people” begins and ends with two questions. After asking the questions a second time, He gives an answer to what ought to have been learned. Here are the Lord’s words to the people:

You ask on behalf of my people and therefore I answer my people. Hear, therefore ,my words: What have you learned? What ought you to have learned?

And then at the end: …I ask again, What have you learned? What ought you to have learned? I say to you...there is need for but one house, and I accept the statement you have adopted and approve it as your statement to be added. But I say again, there was honor in the labor of others. Whereas I look upon the heart and see faithful service, many among you do not look at, nor see, nor value what I the Lord love in the hearts of my people. As I have said before, I say again, Love one another, labor willingly alongside each other. Learn what you ought, and when I ask you to labor, do so wisely even if you know not beforehand what you will find. I do not ask what you cannot do. Trust my words and proceed always in faith, believing that with me all things are possible. All who have been faithful are mine...(T&C 176:1-2,12-13,emphasis added)

God mentions His “people” in order to get our attention. The prophecies of God’s last-days work and the fulfillment of God’s covenants with the Fathers are not merely for individual salvation. The covenants are about “people” or a divinely organized community. Righteous individuals isolated and scattered throughout the world are incapable of vindicating the promises made to the Fathers. There must be people gathered together and living the correct pattern before the Lord returns. "Civilization", General Conference Address, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., Grand Junction, CO, 21 April 2019, pgs. 4 - 5)

My present observations lead me to believe that everyone will succeed or fail together in this endeavor.

Could it be appropriately stated that what God requires now is "so great a work"?

What is my personal condition in relation to "so great a work"?

God, in mercy, has condescended to reveal instructions that demonstrate to me that I am in serious need of change internally.

...You have all been wounded, your hearts pierced through with sorrows because of how the world has treated you. But you have also scarred one another by your unkind treatment of each other, and you do not notice your misconduct toward others because you think yourself justified in this. You bear the scars on your countenances, from the soles of your feet to the head, and every heart is faint. Your visages have been so marred that your hardness, mistrust, suspicions, resentments, fear, jealousies, and anger toward your fellow man bear outward witness of your inner self; you cannot hide it. When I appear to you, instead of confidence, you feel shame. You fear and withdraw from me because you bear the blood and sins of your treatment of brothers and sisters. Come to me and I will make sins as scarlet become white as snow, and I will make you stand boldly before me, confident of my love. (T&C 157 par. 49)

I presently believe that if I had been part of the migration of Lehi's group I would have behaved rather more like Laman and Lemuel in my present condition.

In this restoration endeavor, how is it possible for me to cooperate with the Lord in a community effort unless I become a different person internally?

How many times have I been a hindrance to what the Lord desires to accomplish because of my hardness, mistrust, suspicions, resentments, fear, jealousy, and anger toward my fellow man that prevents community between me and my fellow man?

Envy, resentment, and misapprehending intent, anger, etc. are all things that I so easily detect in the actions of Laman and Lemuel as they relate to Nephi and Lehi and the works that needed to be accomplished during their migration.

These things exist in me.

I have misapprehended the intent of people as they have moved to accomplish what the Lord has commanded them to do. I have rejoiced over people thinking them foolish in doing what the Lord instructed them to do. I have been envious of people as they have gone about to accomplish what the Lord has instructed them to do.  I have been angry at people who have sought to do what the Lord has told them to do. I have considered that people who have been called by the Lord to do a work could not accomplish so great a work.

What am I to do?

I believe God has mercifully sent instructions in the scriptures for me to obey to obtain knowledge by living a more godly life than I live right now.

The following are excerpts from multiple blog posts expounding on the scriptures God has sent to give instructions for me to obey and therefore gain knowledge so that I may begin to walk the same path as Abraham, Lehi, Nephi, and everyone who has sought greater knowledge from God. 

Harmless: Chastity

I’ve told someone (and it has been repeated) that ‘the law of chastity is not what you think it is.’ If I were writing it for emphasis and understanding I’d write it this way: The law of chastity is NOT what YOU think it is. Meaning that the person I was talking to had a limited, misunderstood idea of the law. And, make no mistake about words, it is a law, given by God.

Chastity begins with the first commandment given to the first couple who were made in the image of God. That command is to “multiply and replenish the earth.” OC Gen. 2:9. That is part of chastity: The obligation to employ the sexual ability and power to produce offspring.

Chastity includes the command, “You shall not commit adultery.” OC Exo. 12:10. But if all you manage to do is to refrain from adultery, you are still a threat to your neighbor if you do not obey this accompanying command, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Id. at 13. This, too, is part of chastity.

The Lord explained further that chastity requires control over inappropriate sexual thoughts and fantasies, “I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart. Behold, I give unto you a commandment that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart, for it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.” NC 3 Ne. 5:27. Therefore, chastity requires you to have a firm mind in this form of godliness if you want to obey the law.

The law goes on to describe the kind of relationship intended by the law of chastity. “You shall love your wife with all your heart, and shall cleave unto her and none else, and he that looks upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the spirit, and if he repent not he shall be cast out.” T&C 26:6. It is impossible to be harmless and live in peace through self-government if this part of the law is disobeyed.

Then we also have this commandment, “Teach your children to honor me.” T&C 158:11 (part of the covenant with God). That is elaborated upon in the Lord’s command, “And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, the Son of the living God, and of baptism, and the gift of the holy spirit by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the head of the parents. For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. And they also shall teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before the Lord.” T&C 55:5.

You are not just obligated to “multiply” and bring offspring into the world, but part of the law of chastity requires those children to be instructed, warned and guided to the point they honor God. The best way to honor God is to obey His commandments.

The law of chastity is intended to inform how you live your life, how you use the power of procreation, how as a husband you love your wife and cleave only to her, and as a wife you love your husband and cleave only to him.

And, of course, chastity prohibits polygamy, “Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.” NC Jacob 2:7. That should go without saying, as should most of this. If you studied your scriptures nothing in this would be misunderstood by you.

All of the elements of chastity are designed to circumscribe conduct within the bounds set by God to allow you to live in peace with others. It protects your family and protects your neighbor’s. But it requires a firm mind in every form of godliness to become such a harmless soul.

There are many people who talk about a place of peace but who are utterly unfit to live peacefully with their fellow man. Sexual promiscuity destroys. It weakens the soul and leaves them unfit for self-government.

If you cannot obey the law of chastity you should live where your failure is accepted, perhaps even welcome. The world embraces an increasingly diverse and ungoverned sexuality and you will be welcomed there. But do not think that you can live peacefully without having the iron will to follow God’s direction voluntarily and internally. No one will be governing you in the Lord’s city of peace. You must bring that peace with you....

Harmless: Envy

Envy is a little thing. A mere emotion. But that little sentiment harbored in our heart sends seismic disruption into society. Envy provokes resentment. Even if you do not act on the desire to bring down those you envy, holding it in your heart divides you from your neighbor. “Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before envy?” OC Proverbs 4:51.

Envy destroys peace and removes all charity from the envious. “Charity envies not.” NC I Cor. 1:52. Envy cripples us. It is a disease to be overcome.

It was envy that motivated the killing of Christ. As Pilate clearly observed when Christ was brought before him to be judged, “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.” NC Matt. 12:21, see also Mark 7:21. This defect in our heart is shared with those who wanted the Lord killed. It originates in darkness and will destroy those who harbor it.

Alma the Younger explained how unprepared we are for the kingdom of Heaven when we are envious, “Behold, ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of Heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life. Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared. And I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand; and he knoweth not when the time shall come, for such an one is not found guiltless.” NC Alma 3:5.

Harmless: Ambition

As the Lord suffered in Gethsemane, one of the terrible errors of mankind He confronted and overcame was the ambition of men, “He knew what it is like for men to satisfy their ambition by clothing their hypocrisy in religious garb.” T&C 161:23. Here ambition is linked to religious hypocrisy. Those do go together.

Consider how serious holding ambition in our heart is when it can defeat the rights of priesthood, “That they may be conferred upon us, it is true, but when we undertake to … gratify… our vain ambition, … behold, the Heavens withdraw themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.” T&C 139:5, emphasis added.

Ambition provokes people to seek more than another. It makes us long to excel, to get control, to have authority. At its core ambition produces unease and discontent. Ambitious souls needlessly criticize and back-bite others to make themselves appear better than the object of their scorn. It prevents us from being at peace with one another.

A community plagued with any ambitious residents will never be at peace. It cannot be. The threat of harm lingers over it, and at last it will break out into the open and destroy any group where ambition is present, as surely as the failure in the 1830s.

Being ‘harmless as a dove’ is among the greatest of accomplishments. A community of such individuals can attain peace. A community of any other kind will not have peace...

Harmless: Pride

The proud will be destroyed by the Lord at His return. “For behold, the day comes that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” OC Mal. 1:10. Those words alone should make us abandon pride. But there’s plenty of other words to make it clear: Pride is destructive to the individual, their families, and to communities.

“He that is of a proud heart stirs up strife[.]” OC Proverbs 4:94.

“The Lord will destroy the house of the proud[.]” Id. 2:176.

“Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” Id. 2:189. Think of that – Pride is an abomination to the Lord.

The Lord responded to us and provided His covenant, but He began with a warning about there being unacceptable pride among us, “You have asked of me concerning the scriptures prepared on behalf of all those who seek to become my covenant people, and therefore I answer you on behalf of all the people, and not as to any individual. For there are those who are humble, patient, and easily persuaded. Nevertheless, people who are quarrelsome and proud are also among you[.]” T&C 157:1.

Why is pride so offensive?

The Lord alone deserves our respect, attention and obedience. The rebellion that began in heaven itself was instigated by pride. It is reported that Lucifer held these proud thoughts about himself, “[Y]ou have said in your heart, I will ascend into Heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” OC Isa. 6:6. He was not willing to follow God, but wanted to pursue his own self-will. Given that God has stated it is His work and His glory to bring about the eternal life and exaltation of man (OC Gen. 1:7), Lucifer could have achieved through humility what he forfeited through pride.

There have been many people who were willing to follow the Lord for a short time. But by and by, they aspire to get attention, gratify their pride and satisfy their vain ambition. The Lord took notice of them in a parable about sowing seeds, “And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprung up. And when the sun was up, they were scorched because they had no deepness of earth; and because they had no root, they withered away.” NC Matt. 7:1. We’ve lost some of those from our ranks. They still are out there, seeking notice, asking for donations, insisting they can teach you Torah and bring you closer to salvation, or other vain undertakings.

The Lord has a great deal more in store for those who follow Him. But the proud wander away into other fields, and ultimately will be burned at His coming. When we are proud we are not harmless. We are a threat.

A city of peace cannot include the proud because they cannot abide peacefully with others. Their self-will and vaunting pride makes them discontent, and their discontent spreads outward. It cannot allow peace to settle into the community...

Harmless: Charity

In the Answer to the Prayer for Covenant the Lord counseled us: “Be of one heart, and regard one another with charity. Measure your words before giving voice to them, and consider the hearts of others. Although a man may err in understanding concerning many things, yet he can view his brother with charity and come unto me, and through me he can with patience overcome the world. I can bring him to understanding and knowledge. Therefore, if you regard one another with charity, then your brother’s error in understanding will not divide you.” T&C 157:53.

It is probably safe to assume we all “err in understanding concerning many things.” But that alone does not condemn us. Apparently the Lord just takes that as His responsibility to fix. He says: “I [meaning the Lord] can bring him to understanding.” That relieves us from fixing one another.

We have a difficult enough challenge to fix all our our own nonsense, errors, ambitions, envy, and pride. That is the battleground. We do not need to export that battle into “fixing” our fellow man.

A community of peace is almost certainly going to be comprised of flawed people who deal with internal struggles. But viewing our neighbor charitably, and letting the Lord help them (just as He will help each of us) to overcome our weaknesses can change the conflict away from us.

Can we discuss difficult subjects without demanding that our neighbor “fix” his opinion to align with our own? That ought to be answered with a resounding “YES”. We are going to need to have difficult discussions about challenges that we will face establishing a city of peace under the Lord’s direction. We know erring in understanding is pervasive. It is easiest to see in other people. But what we see as their obvious failure is almost without fail something we can detect because we have that very same flaw. It is invisible to us personally. But move it onto our neighbor and it becomes glaring.

“Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies.” NC 1 Cor. 1:31. “Let all your things be done with charity.” Id., 73.

“Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, hearts of mercies, kindness, humility of mind, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you; and above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” NC Colossians 1:13.

“[L]et him repent of all his folly, and clothe himself with charity, and cease to do evil, and lay aside all his hard speeches[.]” T&C 141:38.

“If you will not accuse me, I will not accuse you. If you will throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours — for charity covereth a multitude of sins.” Joseph Smith, DHC 4:445.

Charity, or love for one another, is the antidote for all the failings of the past. We needn’t fail. But we do need charity to succeed... ("Harmless" (posts 1 - 4), DenverSnuffer.com, December 3 - 15, 2023)

I agree with all of the above.

If I respond to the urging from this part of the Book of Mormon record to me to look inside myself and see my weakness and the peril I personally present to a community effort (so great a work), just like Laman and Lemuel, and I apply the above principles internally in an effort to correct my failings, can I have confidence that God will make my weaknesses become strengths?

And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying, Fools mock, but they shall mourn. And my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness. And if men come unto me, I will shew unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness, that they may be humble. And my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will shew unto the gentiles their weakness. And I will shew unto them that faith, hope, and charity bringeth unto me, the fountain of all righteousness. (Ether 12:26 - 28, NC Ether 5 par. 5)

Would doing these things require me to be thoughtful and ponderous and self-evaluating over time through life experiences?

Would I need to cry unto God to help me?

Is crying unto God part of humbling myself and having faith in Christ?

Do I need to have God lift this burden despite my own best efforts?

Can God lift this burden for me?  

Through such a journey, with God's help, can I become a more godly person?

Can I become a person who will not bring peril to so great a work that God is undertaking at this time in history?

I believe that if I become a more godly person by obedience to the above-expounded principles, at some future point in time I may come to this point in the Book of Mormon record and have other deeper meanings come to my attention, allowing me to continue to seek for greater knowledge and to become a greater follower after righteousness; an even more godly person.

I, Nephi, Was Exceedingly Sorrowful

 1 Nephi 17:19 - 22, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 17

And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceeding sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts. And now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying, We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work. And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart. Yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years. And our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things save it were death. And it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people, for they keep the statutes and the judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people. And our father hath judged them and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his word; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.

The Stick of Judah in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 5 par. 17

And now it came to pass that I, Nefi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts. And now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying, We knew that you could not construct a ship, for we knew that you were lacking in judgment; wherefore, you cannot accomplish so great a work. And you are like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart.  Yes, he has led us out of the land of Yerushalayim, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years.  And our women have labored, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things except it were death. And it would have been better that they had died before they came out of  Yerushalayim than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yes, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Yerushalayim were a righteous people, for they keep the statutes and the judgments of yhwh, and all his mitzvot according to the Torah of Moshe; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people. And our father has judged them and has led us away because we would hearken unto his word; yes, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brothers murmur and complain against us.

I have always considered that Nephi was sorrowful here because he was, in my previous determination, at the very least a little "impatient" and "desperate" in his feelings.

I believe that I get my interpretations mostly wrong, as I have previously stated, and if I happen to be right it is most likely that I am right about an idea but my interpretations are very incomplete.

I believe that holds true for my previous determinations about Nephi's feelings as recorded at this point in the record.

Why would that be important at all?

I believe that if my new determination is correct it gives me a measuring point to determine where I stand at any time before God in two areas.

To begin:

I believe that God was very precise in Their selection of the terms that were translated into the Book of Mormon through the Prophet Joseph.

I believe that They were and are still well capable of knowing what was in Nephi's heart at this time during the migration.

God determined, from Their perfect understanding of Nephi's heart, that the Book of Mormon would declare that Nephi was sorrowful for the hardness of the hearts of his brothers not that Nephi was sorrowful for the delay of the building or because of anxiety about the building of the ship.

If such is the case then this brings me to my first question:

Can we discover in the record that Nephi truly did possess the confidence that the Lord would make available the means for His command to Nephi to build a ship to be accomplished?

What about Nephi's declaration here?

... And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceeding glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord. (1 Nephi 3:1 - 8, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 10)

And here.

... for God had commanded me that I should build a ship. And I said unto them, If God had commanded me to do all things, I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, Be thou earth — and it shall be earth. And if I should say it, it would be done. And now, if the Lord has such great power and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me that I should build a ship? And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days. Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so powerful was the spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon them. (1 Nephi 17:48 - 52, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 22)

Could it properly be said concerning Nephi that his confidence in the Lord was unshakeable?

Is it possible from the careful consideration of Nephi's record to this point to arrive at an understanding of how Nephi came to have such unshakeable confidence in the Lord?

How does Nephi's confidence in God to build a ship have anything to do with me?

Is the Book of Mormon telling me "what" great things the Lord has done or is it telling me "how" great things the Lord has done?

If this is a "how to" book, does that mean that I likewise am authorized and capable of arriving at confidence in the Lord that is unshakeable just like Nephi?

There is a book of scripture from the Prophet Joseph that was initially part of the LDS church canon but was removed by a committee from the LDS scriptures that has now been restored to its proper place in the scriptures through the renewing of the restoration in 2014 that was begun by the Prophet Joseph. It is titled The Lectures on Faith.

The Lectures on Faith is contained in the Teachings and Commandments volume of the restoration scriptures in T&C section 110.

I would invite everyone living to read and re-read and study and give careful and solemn and ponderous thought to the Lectures on Faith.

These lectures describe 1) what faith is 2) the object on which faith rests; knowledge that God exists 3) The character of God in their perfection 4) the correct idea of the attributes of God in their perfection 5) a correct definition of the Godhead 6) the knowledge a person must possess (and how to obtain that knowledge) that the course of life they are pursuing is in accordance with the will of God 7) the effects of faith.

My present understanding is that Nephi's life was an example of an individual who applied what is taught in the Lectures on Faith and thereby obtained confidence in the Lord that was unshakeable.

As an example, consider the following from the Lectures on Faith when contemplating Nephi's life.

Such was and always will be the situation of the saints of God: that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds and faint, for such has been and always will be the opposition in the hearts of unbelievers and those that know not God, against the pure and unadulterated religion of Heaven (the only thing which ensures eternal life), that they will persecute to the uttermost all that worship God according to his revelations, receive the truth in the love of it, and submit themselves to be guided and directed by his will, and drive them to such extremities that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of Heaven, and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for the redemption of man, will enable them to exercise that confidence in him necessary for them to overcome the world and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God.

For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge, realizing that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into Eternal rest and be a partaker of the glory of God.

For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God.

Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life, and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.

It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him. (T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6, pars. 4 - 8)

In this very same lecture, we read the following concerning unshaken confidence.

But those who have not made this sacrifice to God do not know that the course which they pursue is well-pleasing in his sight, for whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of doubt and uncertainty in their mind, and where doubt and uncertainty is, there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time. So that persons whose minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence, and where unshaken confidence is not, there faith is weak, and where faith is weak, the persons will not be able to contend against all the opposition, tribulations, and afflictions which they will have to encounter in order to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus, and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over them and destroy them. (T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6 par. 12)

If God is an unchanging God, is it possible for me to, like Nephi, obtain unshaken confidence unless I follow the very same path?

What does God declare to me in this Lecture?

It is in vain for persons (me) to fancy to themselves (myself) that they are heirs (I am an heir) with those, or can be heirs (an heir) with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they (I) in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are (I am) accepted of him, 

Do I need to obtain unshaken confidence in the Lord?

Is it possible for me to obtain faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life without it?

Just as Nephi was commanded to do physical works as well during his ministry, is it possible that the Lord has physical works that He would like me to do as well in my own small sphere of influence?

Given my weakness and failings, is it possible that such physical works might be to me just as challenging, relative to my greatly limited capacities, as building a ship was to Nephi's capacities?

Would I be found hardening my heart against a command from God and telling myself that I, knew that ye were ( I was) lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou (I) canst not accomplish so great a work. And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart (I am led away by the foolish imaginations of my heart).

Why do these things concern me?

When the Lord extended a covenant again today in September of 2017 these are some of the remarks that He required to be spoken before the covenant was administered.

Although the laborers in this final effort are “few” you will be the means used by the Lord to complete His work in His vineyard (Id., v.70). You are required to labor with your might to finish the Lord’s work in His vineyard (Id., v.72). But He will labor alongside you. (Id.) 

He, not a man or a committee, will call you to do work. When He calls, do not fear--but do not run faster than you have strength. (Boise Conference Address (Opening Remarks) Covenant of Christ Conference Egyptian Theater Boise, Idaho, September 3, 2017 by Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., pg. 6)

My present understanding is that anyone who responds to the work the Lord is going forth to accomplish right now is right now or will be in some way at some time called by the Lord Himself to labor alongside Him in His vineyard to complete His work, whatever that work may entail.

As I consider how exceedingly important His work is at present and my own constant propensity to screw things up really bad really fast, it terrifies me to think of being called by Him to do anything unless I am able to have confidence in Him (unshaken confidence?) that He will prosper my inadequate efforts if I will meekly cooperate with Him.

Why the above sentiments?

I believe that the Lord allows everyone their agency when they are called by Him to labor beside Him.  Anyone can work at cross purposes with the Lord, He allows that, even though He has called them to labor and even though He will accomplish His purposes regardless, in the way He has determined from the beginning.  

Can you imagine how terrifying it would be to think about appearing before the Lord on the day of judgment if I have gone about jamming myself into His work to hinder it (working at cross purposes)?

How great and terrible would my accountability be before Him on that day?

My present understanding is that if I am to responsibly respond to a call the Lord may give to me to work beside Him cooperatively to accomplish something in His vineyard, whatever that may look like or whatever that may entail, my confidence must be solely in Him and it must become unshaken confidence or I will grow weary in my mind and faint because I believe that if I do willingly respond to a call He may give me I will be challenged and stretched and tested.

There is another facet to obtaining confidence in the Lord that I believe is important for me at this time in world history.

So, some of you feel an inordinate anxiety at the events we can all see taking place throughout the world. You've allowed the politics of everything to make you desperate to flee. Well, it doesn't matter if you flee; the circumstances aren't going to change. And if you bring with you the conviction that “everything is political,” you're not going to escape the anxiety that you feel.
One of the reasons why political leaders find it very useful to make people frightened is because when they are frightened and they get to the “fight or flight” part of their mind, they cease to be rational—and they find themselves willing to adopt irrational choices to try and solve the problem that is making them afraid, even if the problem that they fear is of very little or even no consequence. 

You're being played. You're being played, America. You're being played, the world. And you are allowing yourselves to be played as disciples of the Lord. You ought—of all people—to have an extraordinary amount of confidence that the Lord knows exactly what He's doing, and He's making provisions to accomplish the fulfillment of the covenants that He said He intends to vindicate. As well might man [put] forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri River [from running] in its...course (T&C 138:22) than man interrupt the purposes of God. It's just not gonna happen. 

Patience is very hard to summon when you're stirred up to anxiety—“Oh, my God, my God, my God!!”—over something that your God has control over. He defeated an invading Assyrian army using fleas. He fed the Israelites who were tired of manna with quail that flew in to be feasted upon. The God of Nature is not troubled by what troubles you. And the God of Nature is probably nothing more than bemused at how you're acting in this moment of confusion and dread. Our Lord is unflappable and affable. And He's not dancing around, doing a pee-pee dance because He's afraid of what's happening today. He has absolute confidence in the ultimate outcome, and it's going to be exactly as He said it would be. So, fleeing—particularly at this moment—may not be at all what you think it will be. (Equality Living Waters Ranch Retreat, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr. Challis, ID 5 September 2021, pg. 3 - 4)

My present understanding of the above statement is that I ought to obtain confidence in the Lord so that I have the capability of getting rid of my unproductive anxieties and also so that I can develop the patience necessary to not charge forward when I ought not but to wait upon the Lord with confidence in Him that He can and will complete His work precisely as He has determined that it will be completed in the timing that he has also determined is appropriate.

I realize that I have been applying my present understanding of confidence in God to situations that involve groups of people and not just me but also, individually speaking, my present understanding is that I must obtain this unshaken confidence in the Lord in order to be able to be redeemed even as Nephi was redeemed.

Because of the above explanation, I do not believe now that Nephi's sorrow came because he doubted that the ship would be built, but I am able to look at the unshaken confidence Nephi was able to obtain in the Lord and determine where I am at present and that I must press forward personally to obtain the same.

If Nephi was not sorrowing because of a lack of confidence about the ship being able to be completed, can it be properly determined that Nephi really was troubled by his brothers' hard hearts?

Do we have other examples in scripture that describe individuals who sorrow because of the hard-heartedness of others?

What about Lehi concerning his sons?

Wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words. Oh that ye would awake, awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. Awake and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth. But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell — I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love. And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning. My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts, the Lord your God should come out in the fullness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed for ever, or that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations, and ye are visited by sword and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the Devil. O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. (2 Nephi 1:12 - 19, NC 2 Nephi 1 par. 3)

What about the prophet Mormon for the Nephites?

And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel, the prophet. For behold, no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land. Thus, there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation, and their mourning, and their sorrowing before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them, that they would again become a righteous people. But behold, this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance because of the goodness of God, but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin. And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God and wish to die. Nevertheless, they would struggle with the sword for their lives. And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was past with them, both temporally and spiritually, for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away. (Mormon 2:10 - 15, NC Mormon 1 par. 6)

What about Alma's experience here?

And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass that while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying, Blessed art thou, Alma. Therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou received thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you. And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah and preach again unto the people of the city, yea, preach unto them, yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them. For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people — for thus saith the Lord — which is contrary to the statutes and judgments and commandments which he has given unto his people. (Alma 8:14 - 17, NC Alma 6 par. 5)

What about the three Nephites?

And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his disciples one by one, saying unto them, What is it that ye desire of me after that I am gone to the Father? And they all spake, save it were three, saying, We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry wherein thou hast called us may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom. And he said unto them, Blessed are ye because ye desire this thing of me; therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old, ye shall come unto me in my kingdom, and with me ye shall find rest. And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three and said unto them, What will ye that I should do unto you when I am gone unto the Father? And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired. And he said unto them, Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved who was with me in my ministry before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death, but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the Powers of Heaven. And ye shall never endure the pains of death, but when I shall come in my glory, ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father. And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow, save it be for the sins of the world. And all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me while the world shall stand. And for this cause ye shall have fullness of joy, and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father. Yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fullness of joy, and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father, and the Father and I are one. And the holy ghost beareth record of the Father and me, and the Father giveth the holy ghost unto the children of men because of me. (3 Nephi 28:1 - 11, NC 3 Nephi 13 par. 3)

There are many more scriptural examples but I believe these are sufficient to demonstrate the point.

Why are these individuals sorrowful about the wickedness or hard hearts of others?

In the case of the three Nephites, they were changed so that the wickedness of others could not affect them in a physical sense at all.  So why would they sorrow?

As a parent, I believe I can say that I understand a little at least of how Lehi felt with his children because I feel sorrow for my children's sorrows.

But how is it that the hard-heartedness of people who are completely unknown to those above-mentioned examples would cause sorrow in their hearts?

Is it possible that their sorrow at the hard-heartedness and wickedness of others is in any way related to the following?

There’s a direct relationship between faith, hope, and charity. Faith comes from obedience and sacrifice. Hope comes from the promise given to a person, by God, which their faith has secured for them. And charity comes as those holding faith and receiving hope, seek to have all others share in the same promises. The greatest gift you can give to another is eternal life. All those who have such a promise from God want everyone else to have a similar promise for themselves. They teach, preach, exhort, and write to share with everyone that same opportunity to gain hope in God. They understand how rare a thing it is to bring a soul to salvation. But they’re not interested in merely making a bad-person good or a good-person better, nor are they content to move souls from a Telestial destiny to a Terrestrial destiny. Those who have such promises for themselves long, hope, pray, and preach to bring every other soul back to God to dwell with Him in Celestial glory. They seek the eternal life of all mankind. They participate with God in His great work. They join Christ in His declaration:

For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore, he suffered the pain of all men that all men might repent and come unto him. And he ha[th] risen again from the dead that he might bring all men unto him on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repent[eth]. Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father? And now if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me in the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me? (JSH 15:31 RE)

It’s a rare thing when any person acquires the firm hope of a glorious resurrection, secured through the voice of the Father, declared by the Holy Spirit of Promise. The wonder is that it happens at all. But it does. And for those to whom such hope has come, they want all others to receive the same promise. Joseph Smith, who had such a hope in him, spoke openly of these things. He wanted all mankind to be exalted. To some extent, we have quieted our voices on this subject. And we need to raise them again.
(82:Hope, part 3, Denver Snuffer Podcast, transcript, August 18, 2019)

Is it possible that because of the above, Joseph, who had a firm hope in Christ, was able to declare the following?

Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 174)

And the following;

All the religious world is boasting of righteousness; it is the doctrine of the devil to retard the
human mind, and hinder our progress, by filling us with self-righteousness. The nearer we get to
our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel
that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 241)

Is this why Alma felt to declare this?

Oh that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people. Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption — that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might be no more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish, for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life. Yea, I know that he allotteth unto men — yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable — according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction. Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men, or he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless, but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. (Alma 29:1 - 5, NC Alma 15 par. 12)

Could it be reasonably stated that an individual who has real hope in Christ has unshaken confidence in Christ as well?

Are all of these things given by God in order that we may see and measure ourselves in order to detect our own need to improve?

Should I be thinking about these things when I read about them in the Book of Mormon?

Should I note from this recorded event that even if I repent and arrive at the point where I do feel sorrow for the wickedness and hard-heartedness of others because of a hope that I have in Christ I should expect that they would misapprehend the reason for my sorrow just as Laman and Lemuel misapprehended the reason for Nephi's sorrow?

Does it matter at all if someone misapprehends someone else's godly feelings, intentions, or actions?

I would like to share two websites here.

Scriptures.info and https://bornofwater.org/

The scriptures.info website contains all of the restoration scriptures available for free to anyone who would like to access them.

The Bornofwater.org website states the "Doctrine of Christ" as declared by Christ Himself at the time He visited the Nephites following His resurrection from the dead. 

If an individual, any individual anywhere in the world believes in the "Doctrine of Christ" they are eligible and worthy for baptism.  Anyone anywhere in the world may register on the Born of Water website to request that someone with authority come to baptize them.  There is no cost to be borne and there is no institution to join. 

I invite all to study the restoration scriptures found on the scriptures.info website and I invite all who believe in the Doctrine of Christ to act in faith by requesting baptism.

My present understanding is that not all scripture that has come from God is contained on the scriptures.info website but that there are sacred writings that They, God, have established all around the world in all of the various cultures, which sacred writings will at some point be gathered together again in one in Jesus Christ; showing that Christ is the Redeemer of the entire world and showing that God has spoken to and loves every nation in the world.

Ye Shall Be Led Towards The Promised Land

1 Nephi 17:11 - 18, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 16

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make bellows, wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts. And after I had made bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite two stones together that I might make fire. For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire as we journeyed in the wilderness, for he said, I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not. And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments. Wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led. Yea, and the Lord said also that after ye have arrived to the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God, and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction, yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem. Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence. And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock. And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying, Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters. And thus my brethren did complain against me and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship, neither would they believe that I were instructed of the Lord.

The Stick of Joseph in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 1 par. 16

And it came to pass that I, Nefi, did make bellows, with which to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts. And after I had made bellows, that I might have the means to blow the fire, I did strike two stones 
together that I might make fire. For yhwh had not thus far allowed that we should make much fire as we journeyed in the wilderness, for he said, I will make your food become sweet, that you cook it not.  
And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that you shall keep my mitzvot. Wherefore, inasmuch as you shall keep my mitzvot, you shall be led towards the promised land; and you shall know that it is by me that you are led. Yes, and yhwh said also that after you have arrived to the promised land, you shall know that I, yhwh, am Elohim, and that I, yhwh, 
did deliver you from destruction, yes, that I did bring you out of  the land of Yerushalayim. Wherefore, I, Nefi, did strive to keep the mitzvot of yhwh, and I did exhort my brothers to faithfulness and diligence. And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock. And when my brothers saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying, Our brother is a fool, for he thinks that he can build a ship; yes, and he also thinks that he can cross these great waters. And thus my brothers did complain against me and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship, neither would they believe that I was instructed of yhwh.

I am very interested in Nephi's statement here in the scriptural record.

For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire as we journeyed in the wilderness, for he said, I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not. And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments. Wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

What was entailed in the Lord becoming their light in the wilderness?

What did that look like?

How exactly did the Lord prepare the way before them?

Were there other events, not included in the record, that occurred as well as what is recorded that also contributed to their knowing that they were being led by the Lord?

Is this event, described here by Nephi, a parallel to other journeyings of a people God has determined to work with as They patiently bring those people through a wilderness towards a better place?

What about the Jaredites?

...thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward, and there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the land of the earth...And it came to pass that when they had come down into the valley of Nimrod, the Lord came down and talked with the brother of Jared. And he was in a cloud, and the brother of Jared saw him not. And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel. And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness and did build barges in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord. And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people. And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and for ever should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fullness of his wrath should come upon them. (Ether 1:42 - 43, 2:4 - 8, NC Ether 1 par. 4, par. 6)

What about the Israelites coming out of Egypt?

And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, for God said, Lest perhaps the people repent when they see war and they return to Egypt. But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had the children of Israel solemnly swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.

And they took their journey from Succoth and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. (Exodus 13:17 - 22, OC Exodus 8 pars. 9 - 10)

What about the Nephites who followed king Mosiah into the wilderness?

Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla. For behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi — and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him into the wilderness — and it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord. And they were led by many preachings and prophesyings, and they were admonished continually by the word of God. And they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla. And they discovered a people who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla, and also, Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass, which contained the record of the Jews. (Omni 1:12 - 14, NC Omni 1 par. 6)

What about the people with Alma who were baptized at the waters of Mormon?

Now Alma having been warned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them and had made it known to his people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and departed into the wilderness before the armies of king Noah. And the Lord did strengthen them, that the people of king Noah could not overtake them to destroy them. And they fled eight days’ journey into the wilderness, and they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water. And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground, and began to build buildings, etc. Yea, they were industrious and did labor exceedingly. (Mosiah 23:1 - 5, NC Mosiah 11 par. 1)

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying, Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me. And I will covenant with this my people and deliver them out of bondage. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage. And this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them, that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying, Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage. And he said unto Alma, Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.

Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the nighttime gathered their flocks together, and also of their grain; yea, even all the nighttime were they gathering their flocks together. And in the morning, the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites; yea, and all their taskmasters were in a profound sleep. And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness. And when they had traveled all day, they pitched their tents in a valley; and they called the name of the valley Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness. Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage — for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God. And they gave thanks to God — yea, all their men, and all their women, and all their children that could speak, lifted their voices in the praises of their God.

And now the Lord said unto Alma, Haste thee and get thou and this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awoke and do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land. And I will stop the Lamanites in this valley, that they come no further in pursuit of this people. And it came to pass that they departed out of the valley and took their journey into the wilderness. And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days, they arrived to the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy. (Mosiah 24:13 - 25, NC Mosiah 11 pars. 9 - 12)

Aren't there striking similarities in all of these migrations?

Didn't all of the above migrations involve the groups traveling through completely unfamiliar territory?

Don't all the accounts talk about being led by God's power; "I will be your light in the wilderness", "I will prepare the way before you", "the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel.", "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night", " they were led by many preachings and prophesyings, and they were admonished continually by the word of God. And they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness","I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage."?

I understand that these are "historical" accounts of God's deliverance of faithful peoples in the past but is it possible that these accounts have an a added purpose of focusing our minds on "how great things" the Lord has done?

Are these patterns that show us how the Lord might work to lead a repentant people out of bondage and wickedness in the future?

Can we find any examples in the scriptures where the Lord talks about a cloud of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night, and being led by the power of His arm at a time future to the above historical accounts?

What about Isaiah's words used by Nephi to describe his prophecy of the last days?

In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, them that are left in Zion and remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all, the glory of Zion shall be a defense. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm and from rain. (2 Nephi 14:2 - 6, NC 2 Nephi 8 par. 10)

What about one of Ezekiel's prophecies of the last days concerning Israel?

As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out will I rule over you. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face — as I pled with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, says the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant, and I will purge out from among you the rebels and them that transgress against me. I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 20:33 - 38, OC Ezekiel 9 par. 8)

What about these words of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph concerning the redemption of Zion following the failure of Zion's camp to re-establish the early church members to their lands in Missouri?

Behold, I say unto you that the redemption of Zion must needs come by power, therefore I will raise up unto my people a man who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel, for you are the children of Israel and of the seed of Abraham, and you must needs be led out of bondage by power and with a stretched out arm. And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be. Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers, my Angel shall go up before you, but not my presence. But I say unto you, my Angel shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time you shall possess the goodly land. (D&C 103:15 - 20, T&C 104 par. 4)

Is it possible that in the last days as the Lord leads a meek and penitent group of people out from an existing society and to a place of peace, He will do so following the pattern He has followed before whenever He has led a people out from bondage?

Before continuing I want to say again, as I have said before, that what I am expressing in this blog, what I presently understand, what I find compelling personally, and what makes sense to me, is at the very best incomplete if it happens to be correct at all, but most probably it is a compound of incorrect assumptions and other thinking errors.  My only thought in sharing these ideas is to hopefully cause folks to become curious to look into the Book of Mormon in a serious thoughtful way for themselves and let God inform them what the message of the book is. 

I have wondered many times, and I wonder again now if I have conjured up in my mind "This is what the scriptures are showing" and then I think about how to parse the scriptures to fit into the shape I have conjured up in my mind.  This is only one of the many reasons I would consider it dangerous to consider anything I share here without imposing a great amount of skepticism on what I have to say.

I do hope that with time and experience, I can demonstrate sufficient patient diligence to God so that They, in Their mercy, might be willing to make my views of their message more clear so that I can come to a proper understanding of Their works.

Now, to continue:

Is it reasonable to conclude from the scriptural accounts of the Lord leading groups of people out to a promised land in the past that the people being led out were at first living inside wicked societies and were in bondage to one degree or another?

Is it reasonable to conclude that things had gotten to the point in those societies that the societies were in need of fundamental repentance or destruction?

Did the Lord send messengers to testify of Him and to invite folks generally in those societies to repent?

When general repentance did not occur, what did the Lord do with a small portion of people who did repent?

Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited, and he hath created his children that they should possess it. And he raiseth up a righteous nation and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes. He ruleth high in the Heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool. And he loveth them who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers; and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod, for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent flying fiery serpents among them; and after they were bitten, he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform were to look. And because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished. And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they did revile against Moses and also against God. Nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise. (1 Nephi 17:36 - 42, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 20)

Do the historical accounts of the Lord's deliverance of faithful peoples match the cycle that Nephi describes here above?

Is it possible that this repeating cycle that Nephi referred to here and what we find in the scriptural record is what we should expect for the gathering of the last days Zion?

Are we presently in a position of bondage living among a wicked society?

If there is a pattern, then would that entail God first sending a messenger to declare repentance?

When God sent messengers in the past to declare repentance did they come from inside or outside of the established and recognized institutions and religions of the society?

As examples: Lehi, Abinadi, Alma the Younger, Samuel the Lamanite, Jesus, Jeremiah, Joseph Smith, etc. Where any of these messengers inside of the established and recognized institutions and religions of their societies?

How did anyone who responded to the message of repentance know that the messengers had authority from God?

Was the message they were sent by God to deliver accepted generally by the population of the society or even by the established and recognized religions in the society?

For those who did accept the message of repentance God had sent, what was required of them to become a people who God was committed to working with in spite of their failings and need to change?

Is it possible that the following is a prophecy about our present day?

For in that day, for my sake, shall the Father work a work which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them, and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them. But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore, they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. Therefore, it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the gentiles, it shall be done even as Moses said — They shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant...(3 Nephi 21:9 - 11, NC 3 Nephi 9 par. 12)

Is it possible that this event the Lord prophesied of to the Nephites is what Nephi is referring to here?

And it shall come to pass that if the gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks, and harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father. Yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land for ever. They shall be no more brought down into captivity, and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded. And that great pit which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church — which was founded by the Devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell — yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God, not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end. For behold, this is according to the captivity of the Devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him. (1 Nephi 14:1 - 4, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 25)

If the Lord sends a messenger to declare a message of repentance is that a great and a marvelous work?

By sending a message of repentance is the Lord manifesting Himself in power and in very deed to take away stumbling blocks or in other words false ideas and incorrect traditions?

Both Nephi and the Lord speak in covenantal language:

"they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father. Yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel", " They shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant."

If we look in the scriptural record, is it possible to detect that when the Lord goes about to lead a people out from wickedness and bondage He extends a covenant to that group?

Is this part of a pattern of deliverance?

Is it possible that such events have occurred and continue to occur right now?

I witness that these events have occurred and continue to occur right now.  You can read my living witness of these events here. The House of Israel Shall No More Be Confounded

Just for conversation's sake, if my present understanding happens to be correct how would the Lord deliver a repentant group of people from present bondage in a wicked society?

Is there any place in the entire earth that is uninhabited or rather free from the rule of a currently existing nation?

What would it look like for the Lord to lead a group of repentant folk out of our presently collapsing society?

How would they know that they are being led out by the power and by the arm of the Lord?

Where would they go?

Would they be traveling through completely unfamiliar territory?

Ether prophesied of a place that will be established in the latter days; a holy city.

Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land. And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come — after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again, an holy city unto the Lord (wherefore, it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old, but it should be built up again and become a holy city of the Lord, and it should be built up unto the house of Israel) and that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type. For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there. Wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph, that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph, that he should perish not.

Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built up upon this land, and it shall be a land of their inheritance. And they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord like unto the Jerusalem of old. And they shall no more be confounded until the end come, when the earth shall pass away. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. And they shall be like unto the old, save the old have passed away and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel. And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old and the inhabitants thereof; blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. And they are they who were scattered, and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham. And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, There are they who were first who shall be last, and there are they who were last who shall be first. (Ether 13:4 - 12, NC Ether 6 pars. 2 - 3)

Is it possible for the Lord to establish a New Jerusalem, a righteous place of peace, in the midst of such wickedness as we presently witness?

It is foretold in both the Bible and Book of Mormon and is part of the Mormon belief about events that will precede the Second Coming of Christ. The location of the city is believed by most Mormons to be fixed in Independence, Missouri. From other revelations, Biblical prophecies, and teachings of Joseph Smith there is reason to doubt that location.1 Zion, the New Jerusalem, and the Kingdom of God all relate to each other and will be developed and functioning in the last generation before the Lord returns. If this does not happen, the whole earth will be cursed (see T&C 151:13; see also 3 Nephi 10:1; T&C 31:14; Genesis 4:22–23).2 There is a new and different meaning in Christ’s Book of Mormon prophecy to the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 10:2) that has come about because of recent events. Previously, Christ’s words seemed to foretell that the lost and scattered remnants would build the Lord’s House and the New Jerusalem; now it appears that there are covenant-receiving gentiles who are included — gentiles who repent and hearken to Christ’s words and do not harden their hearts will be brought into covenant as His people. Christ mentions three distinct bodies. First, those who have accepted the covenant and are numbered among the remnant of Jacob to whom Christ gave this land for their inheritance. Second, the lost descendants of the remnant of Jacob on this land who will repent and return. Third, as many from the House of Israel who will repent and return. These three will build a city that shall be called the New Jerusalem and will come to know God while gathering and laboring to build it. Then they will go out to assist all of God’s people in their lost and forgotten state, to be awakened to the work of God and gathered as one body of believers. And all who have any of the blood of Abraham, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, will come to be taught in the New Jerusalem. There the Power of Heaven will come down to be among them; the angels (and Enoch with his ten thousands) will come down; the Ancient of Days, or Adam (the first father), and Christ, also, will be in the midst of His people (see 3 Nephi 10:1). (T&C Glossary of Gospel Terms, "New Jerusalem")

How will such things be possible?

Is it reasonable to state that we presently find ourselves in a wilderness according to righteousness as a society?

If I happen to be correct in my present understanding that the Lord has sent a messenger with His message of repentance and at very least a small group of individuals has accepted the message (received it), how would the Lord go about to begin working with that group to eventually "lead them out"?

Zion is something that has only been accomplished in the known history of the world by two communities. It is prophesied that there will be a third. What is to be created is something so foreign to this world, that there is nothing in the world to use to judge how we are doing. 

Even the scriptures do not give a blueprint to follow. If they contained the necessary information, Zion would have been established long ago. God alone will establish Zion. His instructions are vital and necessary for us. Once He instructs us, the Scriptures can then be used to confirm that His direction to us now is consistent with what He prophesied, covenanted and promised would happen. But the path to Zion is to be found only by following God’s immediate commands to us. 

That is how He will bring it. He will lead us there. There is no magic, there is no sprinkling fairy dust that will take you to where God is. It does not and cannot happen that way. He will lead us, teach us, command us, guide us, but we have to be the ones who become what He commands. We have to be the ones who do what he bids us do. 

The greatest instruction that I know to have been given by God at any time, to any generation, is a rule of community found in the Sermon on the Mount and in the Sermon at Bountiful. Now we have the Answer to the Prayer for Covenant, that not only resonates with the message of those two sermons but applies it directly to us in our peculiar circumstances, to fix our peculiar defects and urges us to be more like Him. (Boise Conference Address (Opening Remarks) Covenant of Christ Conference Egyptian Theater Boise, Idaho, September 3, 2017 by Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., pg. 3)

Is it possible that the Sermon on the Mount and Sermon at Bountiful could be considered the first directions and messages given by God as a "liahona" to this small group of individuals to begin guiding them out of this society through completely unfamiliar territory towards a promised land of a city of peace?

Is it possible that God’s immediate commands to said small group of individuals could be considered the same as the writing on the liahona changing from time to time according to the diligence and head that small group gives to what the Lord gave in His initial directions in the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon at Bountiful?

Are there tasks that must be completed as part of such a journey, such as taking what the Lord is now offering to both the descendants of Lehi here in the Americas and the Jews; both groups comprised of children of promise?

Is it possible that for such a group of people the principles of their success in travel mirror the same principles as Lehi's group?

And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball or director, or our fathers called it Liahona, which is (being interpreted) a compass; and the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to shew unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness; and it did work for them according to their faith in God. Therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done. Therefore, they had this miracle, and also many other miracles, wrought by the power of God, day by day. Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means, it did shew unto them marvelous works. They were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence, and then those marvelous works ceased and they did not progress in their journey. Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst because of their transgression.

And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow. For as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal), they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise. (Alma 37:38 - 45, NC Alma 17 pars. 15 - 16)

I expressed in the previous post "Thou Shalt Construct a Ship" that I now wonder if both the Jaredite and Nephite passages over the many waters occurred inside of floating temples, sacred space, the Lord commanded them to build in order to teach them things and perform authorized ordinances that would give them power to approach Him.

Would such a thing be mirrored for a modern-day group of individuals being led out of our present society? 

The Lord revealed some things to the prophet Joseph concerning the temple He had commanded the saints in Nauvoo to build in 1841 and gave them sufficient time to complete the task or be rejected as a church with their dead.

And again, verily I say unto you, how shall your washings be acceptable unto me except you perform them in a house which you have built to my name? For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was. Therefore, verily I say unto you that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, and honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name. (D&C 124:37 - 39, T&C 141 par. 12)

As I presently understand from the above declaration by the Lord, if a temple that the Lord commands to be built is built in the way He commands that it be built and then He comes to it and accepts it as His house and dwells there then that house becomes a place where those repentant folks receive washings, and anointings, and baptisms for the dead, and solemn assemblies, and memorials for their sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and oracles, and conversations, and statutes, and judgments for the beginning of of the revelations and the foundation of Zion.

Would such things received in sacred space by a small group of individuals represent receiving God's immediate commands?

By receiving such things in a temple the Lord has commanded and accepted and where the Lord dwells personally, would such a group of individuals know that it is by the Lord that they are being led?

Would such things be indicative of such a group of people being led by His power and by His outstretched arm?

Just for clarification:

I've been using the phrase "small group of individuals" because it seems to be the reality not because it is exclusionary or what the Lord would desire.

I believe that the Lord would love for everyone to receive and respond to His message of repentance and be led out from our present predicament but for the entire history of the earth, an overwhelming majority of the human family have rejected His outstretched hand.

My present understanding is that this is the reason for the Lord's lamenting here in the scriptures.

The Lord said unto Enoch, Behold these, your brethren, they are the workmanship of my own hands; and I gave unto them their intelligence, and in the Garden of Eden man had agency. And unto your brethren have I said, and also gave commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should serve me, their God. But behold, they are without affection and they hate their own blood. And the fire of my indignation is kindled against them, and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them. Behold, I am God, Man of Holiness is my name, Man of Counsel is my name, and Endless and Eternal is my name also. Wherefore, I can stretch forth my hands and hold all the creations which I have made, and my eye can pierce them also. And among all the workmanship of my hands, there has not been so great wickedness as among your brethren. But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers. Satan shall be their master, and misery shall be their doom, and the whole Heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of my hands. Why should not the Heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer? But behold, these whom your eyes are upon shall perish in the floods, and behold, I will shut them up. A prison have I prepared for them. And he whom I have chosen has pled before my face; wherefore, he suffers for their sins, inasmuch as they will repent, in the day that my Chosen shall return unto me; and until that day, they shall be in torment. Wherefore, for this shall the Heavens weep, yea, and all the workmanship of my hands. ""(Moses 7:32 - 40, NC Genesis 4 par. 7)

And here.

And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear and did witness of it, saying, O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, O ye people of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you! And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel who have fallen! Yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem as ye that have fallen, yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not! O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart! But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers. (3 Nephi 10:3 - 7, NC 3 Nephi 4 par. 9)

And this is what Nephi saw concerning those who would respond to the Lord in the latter days.

And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters, and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters. Nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw. And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together in multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth. And they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. (1 Nephi 14:11 - 14, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 28)

Back to the post.

If the presence of the Lord were to abide at a temple that He has accepted what would that look like?

Is it possible that His abiding presence would in any way resemble the following?

And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all, the glory of Zion shall be a defense. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm and from rain.

If the Lord commands a temple to be built and it is accomplished even as he has declared that it must be accomplished and those who are willing to receive Him are allowed by Him to enter in and receive all that He declared is the foundation of Zion would they not be approaching the destination of the promised land of a city of peace even as Lehi's group arrived in the Americas on their floating temple?

What were Isaiah's words concerning the established latter-day Zion?

And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.(2 Nephi 12:2 - 4, NC 2 Nephi 8 par. 4)

Who is it who will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks?

And it shall come to pass among the wicked that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety, and there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven, and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. And it shall be said among the wicked, Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible, wherefore we cannot stand. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion singing with songs of everlasting joy. (D&C 45:68 - 71, T&C 31 par. 15)

As I presently understand it, only those who have been led out because they have received the Lord's message of repentance delivered by His servant who He has sent and have responded and gone through the journey of leaving this society through diligent obedience to God's immediate commandments to them and have received the foundational knowledge that must be given by God to a penitent people in a temple that God has commanded to be built and then has accepted and the Lord abides there in order for the Lord to establish Zion will complete the journey to the promised land of a city of peace.

My present opinion is that those who, through all hazards, complete the journey will be well aware that it is the Lord who has gone before them and led them out and been their light and prepared the way before them in the wilderness and has led them to the promised land by His power and outstretched arm.

They will praise and honor Him for leading and protecting them.

In that day it will be the Lord who will be glorified for establishing Zion, a city of peace where the people of God will dwell.

It is His work.  Only He can accomplish it.

There is so very much that ought to be looked at concerning this subject and this blog is so completely insufficient in even touching on the glorious migration the Lord has in His heart for a penitent, meek, and diligent group of people.

This migration is a migration that leaves Babylon and fulfills Nebuchadnezzar's dream that Daniel interpreted where all of the ideas, philosophies, economies, and so forth of Babylon will, at last, be completely obliterated by the Lord establishing His kingdom, without hands because it is He who is accomplishing the task, through leading out a few humble followers and going before them as their light and in His power to bring them to the promised land of Zion.

All are invited to participate.