All the Feeling of a Tender Parent

1 Nephi 8: 36 - 1 Nephi 9:1, NC 1 Nephi 2 par. 13


And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord. And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent that they would hearken to his words, in that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them. And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them. And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak as he dwelt in a tent in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things which cannot be written upon these plates.

A backtrack again.

There seems to be sooo much to what Lehi saw in vision and when you start to wonder about certain parts of what he saw other questions continue to arise.

That is part of what is so difficult about putting out any ideas in a blog.  There is no time or room to discuss all that is there.

My dad and I were discussing the principle of repentance with respect to Lehi's vision.

Three points that seem to indicate a finality of things, or in other words a point of no return, as we viewed it, were 1) drowning in the filthy water 2) being ashamed after partaking of the fruit 3) being in the great and spacious building when it falls and great is the fall thereof.

1) Drowning

Is it possible that is what was occurring to the entire Nephite nation when Mormon stated the following?

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 - 16, NC Mormon 1:6)

I used this citation in the last post but wanted to use it here again as an example where it would appear that the nation as a whole has basically "drowned" in sin and despair to the point that even their sorrowing is the sorrowing of the damned.

Is this the time or one of the times that Samuel the Lamanite was prophesying about when he declared,

 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation, ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light? Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you. Behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity; and behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that it becometh slippery, that ye cannot hold them. And in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them, and in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you and your destruction is made sure. And then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament and say, Oh that I had repented and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day shall ye say, Oh that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery, that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us. Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone. And behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle. Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us because of the curse of the land. Oh that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us, for behold, the land is cursed, and all things have become slippery and we cannot hold them. Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in these days.  But behold, your days of probation are past. Ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain, and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and eternal Head. O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words. And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you and that ye would repent and be saved. (Helaman 13:29 - 39, NC Helaman 5 pars. 8 - 9)

Do Mormon's words show that they had crossed the point of no return, not because they couldn't repent but, because they lost their strength and will to do so? (Like someone who has become so exhausted that they have no strength left to stay afloat and they drown.)

2) Being ashamed after partaking of the fruit.

Is it possible that many of those who witnessed such marvelous light during the time of the Prophet Joseph fell into this category?

The Lord stated this concerning some of them.

"Cursed are all those that shall lift up the heel against mine anointed, says the Lord, and cry, They have sinned, when they have not sinned before me, says the Lord, but have done that which was meet in mine eyes, and which I commanded them.  But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves, and those who swear falsely against my servants, that they might bring them unto bondage and death, woe unto them because they have offended my little ones.  They shall be severed from the ordinances of my house, their basket shall not be full, their Houses and their barns shall famish, and they themselves shall be despised by those that flattered them.  They shall not have right to the Priesthood, nor their posterity after them, from generation to generation.  It had been better for them that a millstone had been hanged about their necks and they drowned in the depth of the sea." (D&C 121:16 -22, T&C 138 pars. 13 - 14)

This, to me, would appear to be a statement that communicates a finality of judgment or impossibility of coming back from that judgment.

Did those who betrayed Joseph and Hyrum after having received so much light do so because they were overcome by those things discussed in the last post that are part of the great and spacious building?

3) Occupying the great and spacious building when it experiences its great fall

During Nephi's vision, the angel spoke the following

And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying, Behold, the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold, the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And it came to pass that I saw and bear record that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and the fall thereof was exceeding great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying, Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (1 Nephi 11:32 - 36, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 14)

Again, to me, this statement seems to possess a bit of finality to it.

I have wondered when exactly this would occur or if it is an event of multiple occurrences.

One thing the Lord has declared that makes me wonder if the time is close is the following.

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. And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through, both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off. Yea, woe be unto the gentiles except they repent, for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots, and I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strong holds. And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy land, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers. Thy graven images I will also cut off and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities. And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms shall be done away. For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day, whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel, and I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. (3 Nephi 21:9 - 21, NC 3 Nephi 9 par.12)

Clear up to the point that what the Lord declared would occur does occur, is it possible that someone may leave the building and make their way to the path and the tree?

Those who are lost to view in strange roads, is it possible that we all find ourselves at one point or another in this situation?

The Lord stated through Joseph,

Therefore, it is an imperious duty that we owe, not only to our own wives and children, but to the widows and fatherless, whose husbands and fathers have been murdered under its iron hand, which dark and blackening deeds are enough to make hell itself shudder, and to stand aghast and pale, and the hands of the very Devil to tremble and palsy. And also it is an imperious duty that we owe to all the rising generation and to all the pure in heart (which there are many yet on the earth, among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it), therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness wherein we know them and they are truly manifest from Heaven. (T&C 139 par. 15)

Is it possible that one interpretation of the above is that if we possess truth we ought to reach out to those who find themselves in "strange roads"

At the beginning of Lehi's vision did he find himself situated in a "strange road"?

What did that part of the vision represent for Lehi?  Is it possible that it was representative of Lehi's earlier life and meant to give hope to others who might find themselves in "strange roads"?

In all of this, the recurring question to me is, "where am I presently located in this vision"?

If the arm of the Lord is continually extended to all men, am I in a position where I can yet repent and choose light for myself?

If I am presently off of the path because I have not watched myself, and my thoughts, and my words and my deeds and kept myself in remembrance of Christ can I still return and overcome the additional condemnation I have put upon myself by departing from the path because of being overcome by my own blindness of mind and my hardness of heart?

I apologize for the long sidetrack.

In this part of the narrative is it possible for us to see a view of how a parent, part of the Family of God, feels for all of their children?

Are we seeing here, in part, the tender feelings of our Father as he reaches out to all of us in spite of our rebellions?

The phrase to "exhort them with all the feeling of a tender parent" is a very descriptive phrase.

Is it possible that this phrase could also be applied to this event with Adam and Eve?

And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters. (Moses 5:12, OC Genesis 3 par. 4)

Could we reasonably suppose that Adam and Eve also exhorted their sons and daughters with all the feelings of tender parents?

Should that be the only way that I and my wife exhort our children; with the feelings of tender parents?

If we exhort our children this way will our exhortations include persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness, and pure knowledge?

Given that the record states that Lehi and Sariah both were goodly parents, is it reasonable to believe that Sariah was also present during this event?

Would it be reasonable to assume that she was contributing her wisdom to these exhortations?

Nephi is very particular to record that Lehi stated that he had great fear for Laman and Lemuel that they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

If I remember right, this is the second time that Laman and Lemuel being cast off or cut off from the presence of the Lord is mentioned.

The first time was from the Lord Himself speaking to Nephi.


And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. (1 Nephi 2:21, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 9)

Why is it mentioned both of these times, specifically, concerning being cast off or cut off from the presence of the Lord?

Why does Lehi fear greatly concerning Laman and Lemuel having this happen to them?

Why did the Lord specifically speak concerning this?

Should I be looking at this and going what does this all mean for me?

If we go back and consider what we have already looked at concerning "rulers and teachers" and "beckoning" is it possible that we might find a connection between the earthly presence of those who were called as "rulers and teachers" even before the foundations of the earth, their missions to "beckon" to all to partake of the fruit and the limited time that the opportunity to partake of salvation, a restoration of the family of God, is available at any one time on the earth?

Could Lehi fear exceedingly for Laman and Lemuel because of the limited time available to them to heed the beckoning call of an authorized "ruler and teacher" and enter into the presence of the Lord in order to then enter into the presence of the Father in order to become part of the House or Family of God?

Remember what the Lord declared?

In the journey through my Father’s realms are many stages with temporary abodes. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare an abode for your upward journey. And when I arise, I will prepare places for you, but I will be your companion again and visit each of you, so that where I travel, you may journey to also. And the path I follow upward you know, and the way of ascent you also know. Thomas said to him, Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way? You have not told us. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the record of the truth, and the means for Eternal lives, worlds without end: no man comes to the Throne of the Father without me. If you follow me, you will come to the Father’s Throne through me and will thereafter be like him forever. (T&C 171, The Testimony of St. John 10 par. 9)

According to the Lord is there any way to make it to the Throne of the Father without Him?

If an opportunity then to enter into the Lord's presence is rejected is there a stop to that person's ability to progress and continue the journey?

Is it possible for cursing to come because of such a rejection?

And this greater Priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest, and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh, for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.  Now, this, Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God, but they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence. Therefore, the Lord, in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into his rest — which rest is the fullness of his glory — while in the wilderness.  Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also. And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power. (D&C 84, T&C 82 pars. 12 - 14)

Remember all along how we have talked about "priesthood" being an association first with angels, then with Christ, and ultimately with the Father; becoming part of the Family of God?

If we are to understand what happened to the Israelites at Siani didn't they reject the opportunity to associate with the Lord?

Wouldn't that association have given them a greater Priesthood?

If it is impossible to see the face of God and live without this greater Priesthood isn't that a confirmation of what the Lord told His disciples; "...no man comes to the throne of the Father without me."?

Without an association or priesthood with Christ, no one is able to come to the throne of the Father.

Israel lost this opportunity to have this association or Priesthood with Christ which would have allowed them to continue to the Throne of the Father and restore the Family of God again on the earth following hundreds of years of apostasy in Egypt. 

When they rejected this the Lord swore in His wrath that they should not enter into His presence.

What does that mean?

Does it mean that the opportunity passed for them to receive what they might have received but they would not?

That would mean that it then became impossible for them to have the Family of God restored to them at that time.

The Prophet Joseph speaking of this event declared,

When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which he cursed them with a carnal law. What was the power of Melchizedek? ‘Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 322)

The Israelites were damned.  Their progress to the Throne of the Father and the Family of God was halted and they were left with a law that held a lesser Priesthood or association; the association with angels.

This law continued clear to the time of Christ.

During this time very few individuals came up to an association or Priesthood with the Lord and ultimately with God.

Joseph again explained,

Answer to the question, Was the Priesthood of Melchizedek taken away when Moses died?

All Priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it. That portion which

brought Moses to speak with God face to face was taken away; but that which brought the ministry

of angels remained. All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God

himself." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 180 - 181)

Because of the deficiency in the nation of Israel, those prophets who obtained an association or Priesthood with Christ and ultimately with God did so solo.

The next opportunity for Israel at large to receive what was offered at Siani did not come until the Lord's earthly advent.

The prophet Joseph declared,

And God said unto Noah the end of all flesh is before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold I will destroy them with the earth," thus we behold the Keys of this priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah that he talked with him in a familiar and friendly manner, that he continued to him the Keys, the Covenants, the power and glory with which he blessed Adam at the beginning and the offring of Sacrifice which also shall be continued at the last time, for all ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the priesthood under the direction and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation.  Therefore all things had under the Authority of the Priesthood at any former period shall be had again - bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets.  "then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord Se[e] Malichi 3 Chap. 3&4 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of Silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord

It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine, set forth in the above quotation, As it is generally supposed that Sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice was offered up- and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of Sacrifice in the future, but those who assert this, are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood.  or with the prophets The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the priesthood.  It began with the priesthood and will be continued until after the coming of Christ from generation to generation-We free-quently have mention made of offering of Sacrifice by the servants of the most high in ancient days prior to the law of moses, See which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority power and blessings.

Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will, (a reference to a yet future event) before the last dispensation, restore the authority and delive[r] the Keys of this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness.

It is true that the Savior had authority and power to bestow this blessing but the Sons of Levi were too predjudi[ced]

And I will send Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord &c &c.

Why send Elijah because he holds the Keys of Authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood and without the authority is given the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness. (The Words of Joseph Smith, Ehat and Cooke,  pgs. 42 - 44)

As I understand what has been said, Elijah was the last in Israel to hold the keys to present the opportunity to Israel again before the Lord came but it was when the Lord came that He came to gather Israel again.

The Lord had the authority to present the opportunity again but "the sons of Levi were too prejudiced" to receive the offer so it was again removed and the opportunity for the house of Israel to again have the Family of God restored to them was lost and they then lost any further opportunities for such an offer to the Gentiles.

It would appear that the opportunity for the restoration of the Family of God on the earth happens very few times on the earth and when the opportunity is rejected by those receiving the offer it is taken from them and generations come and generations go before the offer is extended again.

If such an opportunity is available during my life, since it occurs so rarely upon the earth, would it not be a responsibility that devolves upon me to humble myself and accept the Lord's offer to be a part of His work to reestablish the Family of God again on the earth?

The Prophet Joseph was a messenger sent with the authority to present the opportunity to the Gentiles.

The Gentile church, founded by Joseph, rejected the same opportunity that the Israelites rejected at Siani.

Joseph and Hyrum were taken out of their midst like Moses and they, the church, were left with the lesser order of association or priesthood; an association with angels.

Four generations have passed since the initial rejection and another messenger has been sent with authority to renew the Lord's offer again.

In the Glossary of terms under "Jesus Christ as the Father" in the T&C we read the following.

If you hear the voice of God speaking to you, telling you Psalms 2:2, You are my son; this day have I begotten you, the voice you will be hearing will be Christ’s. No one gets out of this world, back into the family of God in eternity, without Christ as their father. We’re all the descendants of Adam, which means we’re going to die. But if we become sons [and daughters] of God, we become sons [and daughters] of that God who won the victory over the grave, who becomes our Father, which is why the Book of Mormon calls Him the very Eternal Father — because Christ has to be your father in order to escape the doom which belongs to Adam.

Lehi, having become part of the Family of God, and having a son who likewise had become a son of God as well, would have understood the principle of lost opportunities because of one's rejecting what the Lord was offering?

Is it possible, like Abraham to Joseph in Egypt, that through Lehi a branch broken off from Israel had the Family of God restored to them; first through Lehi then Nephi and likewise his brother Jacob and then Enos?

Would Lehi fear greatly for Laman and Lemuel being "cast off" from the presence of the Lord because that would mean they had forfeited the rare opportunity being given to be part of a restoration of the Family of God on the earth?

What consequences personally in this life and in the eternities would that lead to for them?

What about Laman and Lemuel's posterity?

What were the consequences for them?

How many generations passed among the Lamanites before King Lamoni came into the presence of the Lord?

What are the consequences for me if I do not accept now what the Lord is offering?

At this point, it would seem to me that even with what Lehi has seen in vision he does not feel that his sons are beyond the point of repentance.

The language Lehi uses to try to persuade his two sons is very telling of the position that Lehi is in.

And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent that they would hearken to his words, in that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them and not cast them off;

Lehi has seen in vision the situation of his two oldest sons.

Yet he tries to persuade them that perhaps by their heeding the Lord would not cast them off.

In my opinion, there is an account in the book Beloved Enos that reflects the actions of Lehi here.

Enos verse 13
And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him --- that if it should so be that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation.

This is what Nephi saw in vision.  This is what he carved onto the Small Plates of Nephi (on which Enos is now writing).  With these words Enos is accepting the prophecy of Nephi, and more likely also accepting the things which his "many long struggling" led him to realize.
Nephi knew his descendants would fail in their faith, be destroyed by the Lamanites, and that the Lamanites would also lose the true faith.  Nephi also wrote that the record or testimony of the Nephites would be restored to the Lamanites at some future time.
Given that Nephi wrote these things on the same plates on which Enos is now writing, the question arises as to why Enos puts his wording so tentative.  He does not come right out and repeat what Nephi has written.  Instead he makes this future uncertain.  He writes: "[I]f it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means..."  He knew this was going to happen.  It is already prophesied in the very plates on which he was etching his own record.  Given this, we should consider why he uses tentative language rather than definite language to describe this already known future.  It was not because he was unaware of his people's fate.  Nor was it due to a lack of faith on his part.  Rather, since Enos would have been given the sealing power as a part of having his calling and election made sure, he would have been cautious about how he stated in his sacred writings his descendants' fate.  Remember that once someone has been given the power to bind the Lord, the Lord has committed Himself to vindicate the words of such a servant.  Enos' use of tentative language on something which has already been prophesied by Nephi is one of the confirming evidences that Enos has been given the sealing power (and correspondingly had his calling and election made sure).  He did not want anything he said or wrote to bind the Lord to this unwanted outcome. (Beloved Enos, Denver Snuffer, pgs. 84 - 86)

In spite of what Lehi has been shown in the vision he does not want to bind the Lord to the unwanted outcome of Laman and Lemuel, his sons, being cast off from the presence of the Lord.

This does not reflect a lack of faith on Lehi's part.

This reflects, in my opinion, that Lehi possesses the sealing power and so he is very cautious of what he speaks.

He understands how to hold sacred things.

He is inviting and bidding his sons to keep the commandments of God.

Today is the 21st of December.
Since I consider this blog to be a diary of my scripture studies I need to update something from this post.

I tend to fixate on somethings to the exclusion of the obvious and I believe that I have done that in this post.

In Ether, the Brother of Jared left a record of an event that I believe applies to Lehi's desire that Laman and Lemuel not be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord shewed himself unto him and said, Because thou knowest these things, ye are redeemed from the Fall. Therefore, ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I shew myself unto you. Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life; and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name. And they shall become my sons and my daughters. And to none of those now living whom I created have I appeared, for none have believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold, this body which ye now behold is the body of my spirit. And man have I created after the body of my spirit. And even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh. (Ether 3:13 - 16, NC Ether 1:13)

It would appear from what the Lord Himself declared to the brother of Jared that if someone is to be redeemed from the fall they must have the Lord show Himself to them just like the brother of Jared experienced here; in the flesh.

This is what Lehi experienced and Nephi as well.

If we are cut off from the Lord is it possible for us to be redeemed from the fall?

Is this a serious matter?

How would I cut myself off from the presence of the Lord?

If Lehi was so earnest in seeking to persuade Laman and Lemuel to not be cut off from the presence of the Lord, should I be concerned about this for me and my family?