Choosing to Ponder

Hello!

In our last class, we recently talked about how to properly accept guidance and revelation. Something that really stuck out was the idea of not waiting to be "acted upon" by the spirit and instead searching for the spirit. The example that was brought up was 1 Nephi 11:1 compared to 1 Nephi 15: 1-2, and 7-9. These two verses show the difference between the reaction that Nephi had to Lehi's vision and the reaction that Laman and Lemuel had. In 1 Nephi 11:1 it states:

"For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot."

In this verse, you can see how Nephi takes what Lehi says and decides to search for answers on his own by pondering them in his heart. When he does this, he is taken away by the spirit and experience revelation. This is an excellent example of how you can have a relationship with the gospel when you choose to actively study it. When this verse is compared to 1 Nephi 15: 1-2 and 7-9, you can see how Laman and Lemuel had a completely different reaction. In the verses it says: 

"And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.

And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.

and in verse 7-9:

"And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.

And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us."

In these few verses, instead of actually searching for revelation they chose to wait and be acted upon by the spirit.  They chose to be confused and not ask questions concerning the gospel and were not guided by the spirit. When I look at the difference between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel, I remember how there was a time in my life where I didn't choose to actively ponder the spirit. I wouldn't pay attention in Sunday School and Seminary, and believed that just attending was enough to help me grow closer to God. This is not the case. It wasn't until I started attending Institute at UVU, that I really decided to actively learn from the teachings of the Gospel. 

This action of me choosing to look for answers and to try and understand the gospel and follow the teachings, was as if I was in the river by the Iron Rod and I finally gained the strength to pull myself out and grab ahold of the Rod. 

I have definitely had times in my life where I have fallen off the straight path, but the moments where I decided to turn back and hold back onto the Rod helped build my testimony of the Gospel. I am so grateful that the Lord placed the river of doubt next to the Rod so that when I fall, which hopefully will not happen again, I can climb back out and find the Rod again. 

Thanks for reading!

Caroline 

True Words

Hello!

   Today in class, and a little bit on the first day, Brother Griffin discussed the miracle of the translation of the Book of Mormon, and particularly about Joseph Smith. I think that is a good place to start in my blog.
   The method in which the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the Gold Plates into the Book of Mormon is something that people really struggle with and is often something that undergoes a good amount of ridicule. Today, Brother Griffin talked about the translation of the Book of Mormon, but discussed it in a way that I had never thought about before. Brother Griffin decided to focus on Joseph Smith and how he was truly led by God when he translated the book. Brother Griffin brought up 2 Nephi 27:19 - which says:

"Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned."

With this verse, Brother Griffin pointed out that this verse was foreshadowing Joseph's future translation of the Gold Plates. Something very interesting that Brother Griffin pointed out was that in the verse, is that the verse is discussing how Joseph Smith wasn't a learned man. Brother Griffin continued discussing this idea and brought in Joseph Smith's journal (learn information about it here and here - which was written after the translation of the Book of Mormon - and Brother Griffin used this as evidence of how Joseph was not very "learned". When you look at a journal entry  by Joseph Smith, particularly page 4, you can see how his writing was not very advanced. Brother Griffin brought this up to show how Joseph Smith was writing the book from revelation. This idea can be seen in the second half of the of 2 Nephi 27:20 - which says: 

"Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee."

In the second part of this verse "wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee.", Brother Griffin pointed out that it seems more like the Lord was saying that Joseph will not be reading the words and translating them, but instead he will be reading the words that the Lord will give him. This verse furthers the ideas of Joseph, not being "learned" and was probably instead writing everything from the revelation he was receiving from the Lord. 

   Brother Griffin built of this idea off the idea of Joseph not being learned and receiving the info for the translation directly from God, and I liked that he supported this by comparing Joseph's journal writing to 1 Nephi 1 and how the writing of 1 Nephi 1 is so much more educated and meaningful than the way that Joseph writes in his journal. 

Another thing that I took from the class that really was interesting was looking at 2 Nephi 27:20 and the apart about the "learned shall not read them". This could be seen as the scriptures saying that the educated will not believe, and I think that could be a look to it. But also I think it could be seen as people who choose science over religion. As an art history major, there are many instances where this occurs in how art has progressed. In the beginning - like Medieval art - artists would create very religious works of art. This continued up until the Renaissance, but the shifted in the Baroque period. In the Baroque period there would be religious artworks but they would also have ones that they almost completely removed religion (besides some symbols in the images), but It wasn't until the Enlightenment period, which was full of science and discovery, that they started to replace images of religion with ones that are much more based in science. When we were discussing the idea of the "learned" not reading, I immediately thought of An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) by Joseph Wright Derby. In this image, Derby has removed the hand of God and has replaced it with science. This image almost references that the scientist is the new God with the depiction of a scientist being able to control the life of the bird through the use of the air pump. Although I don't think this painting is really bad, it seemed to have a similar connection to 2 Nephi 27:20 that I found particularly interesting.

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) by Joseph Wright Derby.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo 

Caroline

The Book of Mormon

Hello!

     I will be writing on this blog about something that is really important aspect of my life, which is the Book of Mormon. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Book of Mormon has been something that has brought me comfort and guidance in times of deep trial. I was born into the church, but the big step for me in my conversion to the gospel began when I read the book completely on my own when I was seventeen.
    I have a strong testimony of gospel, and I believe that over time it will continue to get stronger through my own dedication to strengthen it. There are many ways in my life that my testimony has grown, but the times that I have noticed the most growth has been when I am seriously studying the Book of Mormon.
    While attending Brigham Young University, I am finishing up my senior year, and have taken many religion courses. Currently I am taking a Book of Mormon course, and it asks that you make a blog recording your personal experience with the Book of Mormon as you read along with the class. The type of things I will be discussing will mostly be things that I have touched me from the class discussion or from my personal scripture study.
    We are asked to share our blog on social media for our friends to read. When this idea was brought up, I was afraid of the idea of sharing my personal experiences with my Facebook friends. This feeling of fear was shortly followed by guilt when I realized that I was afraid to share my testimony with others. Once I discovered that this fear was silly and that sharing my testimony is a very beneficial thing to a world that is full of so much confusion and doubt, I gained a new feeling of purpose and excitement.
    I am excited to share my journey in reading the Book of Mormon with whoever decides to read it, and I hope that you share your own experience or respond to what I have written in the comments!

xoxo

Caroline