I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly called the Mormon Church) and a student at BYU, where I am studying the Book of Mormon. While reading in the first few chapters, I came across the recurring theme of obedience. Lehi, who is a prophet from Jerusalem around 600 B.C., is shown that Jerusalem will fall because the people were doing things that they shouldn’t be doing. Lehi tries to help and warn the people, but he is mocked and they attempt to kill him. My Book of Mormon professor at BYU gave our class an interesting perspective on this situation.
“Imagine someone coming in and telling you that you were doing the wrong things, and that you were going to be destroyed if you didn’t change your ways.” When I put myself in their shoes, it made me wonder what I would have done. I might laugh and not accept the person’s views. However, the extremity of trying to kill someone for words is too far. I think that every faith and every person can agree that killing should be avoided, especially for something so trivial. After Lehi tries to warn the people, he decides to get out of the city. He leaves behind his treasures and property, which was considerable, and takes his family and leaves. He has four sons from oldest to youngest, respectively, named: Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. I personally think that they were somewhere around my age. It must have been very hard to leave all their friends and the life that they knew behind, but they did it. Laman and Lemuel were a little more skeptical and grumbled, which is understandable. However, they all go on their way.
A ways into the journey, Lehi is told by the Lord that Nephi and his brothers must get the plates of brass. These are different than the gold plates that the Book of Mormon was translated from. The plates of brass were basically a family record of the Jews and the scriptures up to that point. Lehi sends his sons on their way back to Jerusalem. This was a long journey through desert.
However, Nephi says this in the Book of Mormon: “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.” (1 Nephi 3:7) This is the attitude that I hope to gain. There are many commandments and standards that have been set up and given to us by the Lord, and they are not easy to follow. Everyone struggles, and I don’t always obey. I mess up, and sometimes I think that my way is the best way. Nothing ever goes right this way, and God shows this to Nephi and his brothers when they are given their task.
When they reach Jerusalem, they attempt to get the plates back three times. The first two times they tried by themselves and then failed. The last time Nephi put his trust in God, and he was able to get the plates of brass. The United States’ motto is, “In God We Trust”. This statement is what Nephi followed. It is how I try to think, especially as a Latter-day Saint, (or Mormon). Obedience to God will lead us to success and a happier life.
Article written by Demetri S
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