1 Nephi 12 - What matters most?

Great and Spacious Building = Vain Imaginations/Pride of the children of men.  What is a "vain imagination?"  It sounds like a bad band.  Here's a definition I found of VAIN: without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless.  Imagination is perhaps more plain.  So vain imagination.  A dream.  A worthless, insignificant wish.  I'm sure we could go on.  And this large and spacious building Nephi saw in dream, was a representation of vain imaginations.  Clearly I am intrigued by this phrase.  It is connected to "the Pride of the children of men."  No doubt.  Again, what is vain imagination?  The image it represents is destroyed in proceeding chapters.  I want to know.


While I'm sure we could create a great list on the chalkboard of things that could be considered vain imaginations, I'm just going to say that they are surely ALL around us.  Its as if things in the world today are vain imaginations.  Frivolous things, of no consequence or contribution.  Worldly pleasures that bring us temporary gratification, but vanish away, or keep us coming back again and again, taking us away from more important things.  

The excellent phrase "good, better, best" comes to mind. What are our goals in life?  What is important?  Are we spending too much time in the "not urgent, not important" quadrant?  Believe me, I am guilty as charged.  But this verse - verse 18 - very much caught my attention.  So I say, let us dispose of our vain imaginations.  Let us focus on the things that matter most.  May we not be caught away in foolishness that contributes little to nothing in our eternal progression.  Things that likely even stop, or damn us, from progressing.  Even regressing!  If that should be the case, we are blessed to have the principle of Repentance.  But I will not get into that right now.  

The simple principles of the gospel, along with prayer, scripture study, and church attendance will bring the Spirit of the Holy Ghost into our lives in greater abundance, and help us to see clearly through all the vain imaginations the wold throws at us.  We will be more able to stay on a productive and righteous path.  May the Lord bless us in doing so.  
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Extras:
-Excellent talk by Elder Bednar on this topic.  
-President Packer has been in the news lately.  Here's another "controversial" quote from his library: "That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building."  How about that.  Please read the rest HERE.  It is an excellent article.

1 Nephi 11 - Answers to Prayers

 It is extremely difficult to choose one thing from each of these chapters.  There is so much to learn from this book. 

Verse 1 is a perfect pattern for receiving personal revelation.  And we all need personal revelation.  This repeats a pattern we have seen several times already from Nephi - asking to know for himself! (see CH 2 and CH 10).  He always does this!  How does it start in verse 1...After I had desired to know...believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me...I sat pondering in mine heart.  And then... He has an incredible vision!  A seriously incredible vision.  Possibly one of the greatest visions recorded. 

So what did Nephi do to receive such a thing?  It started with desire.  It was important to him.  He also believed the Lord would give him what he desired.  Belief is connected to faith, though faith is something much more than mere belief.  Finally, Nephi pondered.  Oh how important this step is to receiving guidance from on high.  Moroni's promise at the end of the Book of Mormon (Moroni 10:3-5) exhorts us to ponder on the mercy of the Lord.  That promise is a perfect example of what we see here.  Moroni also reminds us that in order to receive an answer, we must have a sincere heart (desire), real intent (intention to act upon an answer, which will be apparent if we truly desire the thing), and faith in Christ (stems from belief).  Ask (pray) with these characteristics, having pondered on them, then ponder some more in the spirit of prayer.  This an excellent formula, if you want to call it that, for receiving answers to prayers.  I'm not going to guarantee you will receive a vision like that of Nephi's, but you will dramatically increase the likelihood of you having some kind of revelatory experience. 

If you don't know Book of Mormon is true, apply this pattern.  But you have to be willing to act upon an answer.  I have applied this pattern myself in different situations, and I know it works.  God answers in His own way, in His own time, but He does answer.  To quote another excellent verse from chapter 11, "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do no know the meaning of all things."  Our Heavenly Father does love us, and is anxious to give us personal revelation to guide us in our lives.  I bear testimony of this. 

Excellent Talk on Personal Revelation

1 Nephi 10 - God Calls Prophets

This chapter talks about some things we may or may not be familiar with.  But they are quite important whether we think them to be or not.  Important things are important, and I have an interest in being informed about important things.  When we're talking about things of a Godly nature, the way we come to know of these important things is through PROPHETS.  We have books like the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and others because of prophets.

Chapter 10 teaches of Christ - that He will come into the world, and that we can rely on Him always, among other things.  Verse 5 tells of more of prophets, and how many have prophesied of the coming and Atonement of Jesus Christ for years.  The prophecies we learn about in this chapter are not exactly mind blowing (actually they are).  They parallel many of those we read in the Bible.  We know of them because God loves us and wants us to know of these important things, and makes them known to us through prophets.  As we also learn in verse 18, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  If He called prophets then, surely He would call them now.  I know God loves me, and I know He wants me to succeed.  I know He calls prophets to guide me, and you, and all His children through life.

If this all sounds to be somewhat of a "mystery" to you, follow the counsel given in verse 19.  Diligently seek, and you shall find, and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, through the Holy Ghost, which comes by Faith in Christ (see v.17).  I PROMISE!  There is an order to all these things, and our Heavenly Father is eager to reveal this order to us, that we might follow it back to His presence.  He reveals it through prophets and the power of the Holy Ghost. Find out!

Also in regards to verse 17, see the post for 1 Nephi 2, which backs up Nephi's desire to know for himself, which is what I invite everyone to do for themselves.

What on earth is a Prophet?? Regard this fine gentleman expound.