Sunday School 7 - 2 Nephi 3-5
Brothers and Sisters,
We are hard on ourselves. We score our own performance on our skill, performance of the skill, sins and temptations and the compares it with the outward public lives of others. When we look at Nephi we at time may slip into the idea that he was amazing and perfect. We say to ourselves what's Nephi's score card... Is he a ten? I recall that he was hard on himself (2 Nephi 4:17-35). Thankfully he saw his blessings along with his hardship and learned to use it as a teaching tool for himself and others.
Look at his psalm. Said he in the 34th verse...
"O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm."
In his life he has learned unbending faith. Sure it took him his whole life to get it, but he did it.
The second thing we learned this week is, [Nephi] lived after the manner of happiness (2 Nephi 5:27). After all the traveling, running and building, Nephi learned to pause and listen to the Lord. Now when this guy who has just taken it over and over, who wanted to kill his brothers after the death of his father, is finally told to slip out and run. Then after he ran with his siblings spouses and children, property, the plates, Leahona and the sword of Laban (of which he could of been tempted to use) he starts over... Again!
All of our experiences direct us to do better. Our lives will be full of work and sorrow. Now the scriptures say,...
D&C 122:7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
To strengthen the point, the Apostle says "Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, my dear brethren, let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents."
2 Nephi 5:11, 15 teaches us that the manner of happiness is hard work and sorrow expands the heart. Stenven Eastmond said in 2014 in a talk called The Healing Power of Grief...
"Sometimes the hardest part about grief is simply not understanding what is happening. Knowing a few principles can help us successfully make our own journey through grief."
The test of life will have grief with no explanation. It will have unexpected work, hard work. The experiences are with twists and turns. These changes in our lives will be given a full explanation in the next life and until that happens, work hard with joy, comfort those in sorrow and reach out in your own sorrow. The Comforter is a whisper away that's why he is revealed as a still small voice.
We can conquer grief and will gain strength from work. This will increase our joy and expand our hearts. Jesus showed us how we could gain compassion. Bear with patience affliction and hardship. Follow the Spirit. Pray and fast, bear the testimony that is yours. Let others know your strengths. God is with us.
Have a great week gang. Remember God loves you and the Sabbath was made for you.
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