Helaman Chapter 7 - October 11, 2017


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22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.

23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those who repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent.

I find this interesting.  Clearly this is a "good" show of strength being referred to (since repentance brings more of it), and yet that phrase in italics seems to say that the Lord blesses the wicked to some degree (consistent with Matthew 5:45 "... for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust ...").  It makes me wonder just how oblivious I am to how much the Lord does for me from day to day, and makes me believe he's more merciful and patient than I sometimes recognize (and I think he's pretty merciful and patient already).  Do we look for the Lord's blessings and mercy in the lives of the wicked, or do we look for his justice, and assume the good is their own doing / unfair....?

Anywho, something to ponder for a while.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I’ve been working my way through 1 Nephi 1 in a manner similar to what follows, but now that I’ve remembered that there is a study board for the Book of Mormon, I think I’ll jump to Helaman 7 and start putting my notes here for whoever else might be interested in them, if anyone.

(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:1 - 3)

1  BEHOLD, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward.

 

So who were the people in the land northward? Lets see what we can learn by looking at other references to people in the north.

In Helaman 3, verses 3 – 14, which occurred around about the 46th year of the reign of the judges, or 49 BC, we get a bit of a description about who these people were, and their way of life. In verse 3 it states that “there were an exceeding many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land northward” as a result of “much contention and many dissensions” in the land of Zarahemla. In verse 19 it notes that these contentions were still continuing in the land. In verse 12 we learn that some of them were descendants of the people of Ammon, that is former Lamanites who had been converted through the preaching of Ammon and his bretheren between 91 – 77 BC. In Alma 50, around 71 – 78 BC there are some more references to the land northward. It was to the land in the north that Morianton was going to flee, with his people, in fear of Moroni’s army, after a border dispute between Morianton and the people of Lehi became  violent. In Alma 63:4 in 56 BC we learn that 5,400 men, “with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward, and in verse 6 we learn that many Nephities “did sail forth with much provisions, also many women and children; and they took their course northward.” A year later, in verse 7, “many more people” entered into another ship “and set out again to the land northward.” A year or two later (the timing is imprecise) but either 56 or 55 BC “there were many people who went forth in to the land northward” In Helaman 6:6 in 29BC it states that “many of the Lamanites did go into the land northward” and it is in this year that Lehi and Nephi began their missionary work in the land northward, the return from which is referred to in Helaman 7:1.

These, and other references suggest that the land northward was a place where Nephites, who wanted to get out of the mainstream society, migrated to. It seems to be a place similar to, but separate from, mainstream Nephite culture. Its hard to tell, but my impression is that there were many different destinations and locations that came under the category of northward lands and there is no reason to assume that all those who went to the northward lands went to the same place – we just know that they went north. Its hard to tell whether or not it came under the same jurisdiction as the judges at Zarahemla. So these are the people who Nephi went to preach to.  

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More on Helaman 7: 1 - 3

This brief reference to Nephi’s lack of success, and what he did as a result has some contrasts and similarities with what is recorded in Alma 8 when Alma experienced a lack of success while preaching in Ammonihah.

 

The message which Alma and Nephi were preaching is described in the same way – Alma 8:8 “He began to preach the word of God unto them”. Helaman 7:2 “He did preach the word of God unto them.”

 

When Alma experienced a lack of success, he gave up and headed for home but the Lord commanded him to return to Ammonihah and continue preaching. When Nephi experienced a lack of success, he gave up and came home. Interestingly, Nephi wasn’t home for all that long (chapters 7, 8 and 9, basically just long enough to preach from his garden tower and sort out the murder of the chief judge ) before he also heard a divine voice commanding him to go back out and continue preaching.

 

The mood of both Alma and Nephi immediately prior to receiving the divine instruction was similar: Alma 8:14  And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah.

Compare this with Nephi, as recorded in Helaman 10:3:

3  And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities.

Enos and Lehi also seems to have been motivated by similar concerns.

Enos 1:9  Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

1 Nephi 1:5  Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

 

There are also some similarities in the message that Alma and Nephi heard – they were both commended for their faithfulness and obedience

Alma 8:15 “for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God”

Helaman 9:3 “for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word.

 

Both Alma and Nephi prophesied to those they were preaching to and their message was almost identical. Alma was told to tell the people in Alma 8:16 Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them and Nephi was told to tell them in Helaman 10:11

Ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.

Lehi and Nephi were told very similar things.

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There are also a few similarities between Nephi in the land northward, and the mission of Alma and his companions to the Zoramites. In both cases, the people they went to preach to had Nephite origins, but had chosen to leave the Nephite mainstream, in both cases they rejected the prophets who were sent to them and in both cases war and destruction followed shortly after this rejection. (See Alma 43:4 and Helaman 11:1, 6 which talk about “all the land among all the people of Nephi” and “the whole earth being smitten.”

This comment, that Nephi “returned again unto the land of his nativity” suggests again that the land northward was different, and separate from, Zarahemla.

What happened to Nephi hear sounds vaguely similar to what has been prophesied about the last days. It has been prophesied, I’m not sure where, that there will come a time when it will be decided that the people of the world have had a sufficient opportunity to accept or reject the gospel, and after that the missionaries around the world will be called home and then the destruction will begin.

I’m not sure why we only get commentary about Nephi here as Lehi was with him on this mission to the north. (See Helaman 6:6)

 

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Another point that attracts my interest in these three verses I the brevity o the account of Nephi’s preaching and missionary activities in the land northward. These two verses really, verses 2 and 3 give the whole account of Nephi’s missionary activities in the north lands. This compares with 9 chapters for the missionary activities of Ammon and his brethren to the Lamanites; one fairly lengthy chapter (Alma chapter ) describing Alma’s preaching in Zarahemla, another chapter (Alma 7) describing his preaching in the land of Gideon, 6 verses for Melek, 6 ½ chapters on Ammonihah, a lengthy chapter (Helaman 5) where Nephi and Lehi preach among all the people of Nephi, and then to the Lamanites, and two chapters for Samuel the Lamanite. The Book of Mormon has many recorded discourses of prophets and missionaries preaching to, and teaching the people, and much of its best doctrine is delivered in this manner, but for the preaching and prophesying of two of the most powerful prophet/teachers in the Book of Mormon, in the north lands, all we get are just two verses. There’s not enough information to come to any valid conclusion as to why this might be, but here are some possibilities:

There was a longer account of their work in the north lands, but perhaps Mormon chose not to include it;

Perhaps Nephi relied on the same reason given by Abinadom in Omni 1:11, ie, its all been said and written before, so no need to write anything further;

Perhaps being discouraged by the lack of success, Nephi didn’t feel like writing up the record;

Maybe he didn’t say anything worth writing?

Perhaps the people in the north lands, being separate from the Nephites, were not considered to be a priority, in the same way that Christ didn’t go to, or teach much directly, to the Samaritans.

Despite this apparent omission, it’s likely that we can still conclude that the Book of Mormon contains the content that God wants it to contain. He has shown a willingness to intervene when it comes to adding or removing content from the Book of Mormon, (See 3 Nephi 23: 9-13 and the preface to Section 3 of the Doctrine and Covenants ) so if Nephi had done anything really significant or worthwhile in the north lands, God would probably have arranged for a record of it to be included.

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1 hour ago, askandanswer said:

if Nephi had done anything really significant or worthwhile in the north lands, God would probably have arranged for a record of it to be included.

If Nephi had done anything God wanted added to the record, God would probably have arranged for Mormon to include it.

I kinda doubt that whatever Nephi taught was insignificant or not worthwhile.  Redundant? Probably.  Cut short due to rejection of the people?  Perhaps.  Something not meant for / needed by us today?  Apparently.  But insignificant and worthless?  I doubt that.

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(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:4 - 5)

4  And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;

5  Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—

 

Helaman 6:6 indicates that Lehi and Nephi went to the land northward to preach in the 63rd year of the reign of the judges. Helaman 7:1 indicates that Nephi returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward in the 69th year, so it looks like his mission to the land northward was for about 6 years. Helaman chapter 6 also describes the deterioration in society, government, civility and morality that occurred during this 6 year period. So what happened was that Nephi spent 6 years on a mission in the land northward and doesn’t seem to have accomplished anything, and in his absence, his hometown absolutely fell apart. Seven years previously, Nephi had been the Chief Judge, but he resigned in order to preach the gospel and teach the people. This is the same decision that Alma made, as recorded in Alma 4: 18 – 20. Both Alma and Nephi were Chief Judges and head of the church, but they both resigned their position as Chief Judge, in the belief/hope that they could do more good by focusing more on their church calling rather than their day jobs. They were of the belief that, given the state of the people, what was most needed was for them to spend all their time on preaching the gospel and teaching the people. Alma seemed to have some initial success with this in Zarahemla and Gideon, as recorded in chapters 5 – 7, but he ran into problems in Ammonihah, as recorded in chapters 8 – 14. Nephi had some remarkable success with the Lamanites, as recorded in Helaman 5 and 6, but no success at all in the north, and in his absence, the government which he had previously led, but resigned from, was taken over by the Gadianton robbers. Given the high cost of achieving this success with the Lamanites, I can’t help but wonder whether it was  the right decision for Nephi to resign from being Chief Judge and leave the country. I’m also wondering why the great power in preaching that Nephi and Lehi demonstrated in Helaman 5: 17 – 19, why this power did not seem to have the same effect in the north or in Zarahemla. I can’t help wondering what would have happened in Zarahemla If Nephi had stayed there and done his preaching there instead of going north. Would the deterioration have continued if he had been there to counter-act it? Based on the power of his preaching to the Lamanites, surely he could have made a difference back home?

Nephi’s actions here remind me very much of Sister Oscarson’s General onference talk last October in which she said:

Sister Linda K. Burton told the story of a stake Relief Society president who, working with others, collected quilts for people in need during the 1990s. “She and her daughter drove a truck filled with those quilts from London to Kosovo. On her journey home she received an unmistakable spiritual impression that sank deep into her heart. The impression was this: ‘What you have done is a very good thing. Now go home, walk across the street, and serve your neighbor!’”3

What good does it do to save the world if we neglect the needs of those closest to us and those whom we love the most? How much value is there in fixing the world if the people around us are falling apart and we don’t notice? Heavenly Father may have placed those who need us closest to us, knowing that we are best suited to meet their needs.

This account of Nephi and the condition of Zarahemla vaguely reminds me of parts of the New Testament. With only 12 apostles trying to cover the whole of the known world, and with very slow means of communication and transportation, it’s not hard to see how false ideas and wickedness could grow before the apostles could have time to notice and properly respond to them. With Nephi and Lehi being elsewhere, perhaps its not hard to see how false ideas and poor behavior could grow in Zarahemla during their absence. And this makes me start to wonder why was the salvation of so many people, the Lamanites, the Nephites in Zarahemla, and the people in the lands to the north seemingly dependent on the life and works of just two people – Lehi and Nephi? . Were there no other people who God could have raised up to teach and warn the people?

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The only other times and places of comparable wickedness that I can remember in the Book of Mormon is Jacobugath, as mentioned in 3rd Nephi 9:9 and Zarahemla – again – as mentioned in 3rd Nephi 6 and 7. In all three cases the root cause appears to be Gadianton robbers and secret conspiracies taking over the government. Both cities were burned, but although Zarahemla was first taken over by Gadianton robbers in Helaman 7 in 23 BC, it was not until half a century later, at the coming of Christ, when it was actually destroyed. By contrast, Jacobugath came into existence somewhere between 30 – 33 AD, and was destroyed by the Lord in about AD 33 or 34.

 This similarity in condition – both cities were being run by secret combinations and were extremely wicked – but difference in outcome – one was allowed to continue on for half a century, the other was destroyed almost immediately - is but one of numerous examples in the scriptures that, based only in the information we have in the scriptures, demonstrates a variation in the level, or degree of wickedness before a city is destroyed. Sometimes a city or person is allowed to remain in their wickedness, and sometimes not. I wonder why there is a variation. Possibly one of the things the Lord takes into account when deciding whether or not to destroy a city because of their wickedness is their prospects of rehabilitation and repentance. If there is still some some that they will repent, the most merciful thing to do is to grant them time to repent. If there is no hope that they will repent, and all likelihood that they will continue to sin, then the most merciful ting to do is to destroy them so that they don’t continue to add to their condemnation through their sins.

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Verse 5 sounds like a description of several modern, current governments that exist in the world today. I’m thinking particularly of Russia and Zimbabwe and the Philippines under Marcos. It might even be a description of some parts of Mexico. I’m sure there are many others.

 I’m wondering whether the state of affairs described in verse 5 would have been more or less likely to come about under a monarchy, where power was held by a single individual. From what I understand, the system of government by judges is a system where power is distributed among many individuals whereas in a monarchy, all power is in one set of hands. It would seem that the more individuals who are given power, the more opportunities there are for corruption, perhaps in a manner similar to that described in 3rd Nephi 6: 21-30.

 One example of where people have been persecuted because of their righteousness is recorded in Daniel chapter 3 where, in defiance of the king’s orders, Shadrach, Meshack and Abed-nego continued to pray to God, and as a result were thrown into the furnace. A more recent example is the way the early saints were treated in Nauvoo and elsewhere. Another possible example is the person who, acting according to their beliefs and conscience, refuses to bake a cake for the wedding of a gay couple, or something similar. Personally I don’t think its wrong to bake a cake or not to bake a cake, but some who refuse to do so are being legally “persecuted” for their view of righteousness.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:6 - 9)

6  Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul

The rapidity with which the Nephites oscillated between righteousness and wickedness is surprising and curious. I don’t think we see anything similar in the Old or New Testaments or in the early days of the church in the latter days. Of course the people of the Old Testament moved in and out of righteousness and wickedness but there swings seemed to be much slower, and also closely related to the disposition of whatever king they had at the time. The oscillations of the Nephites contrasts interestingly with the Lamanites who Ammon and his brethren converted. They seemed to remain righteous for much longer than did the Nephites. Mostly, most of the Lamanites didn’t oscillate at all. They usually just stayed wicked, with only a few exceptions. I suspect this frequent oscillation points to some sort of fundamental fault somewhere, perhaps in the character and personality of the people, perhaps in their culture, perhaps in their system of government, perhaps in the effectiveness of their church and church leaders, or perhaps something else. Its clear that this oscillation is a bad thing, and it almost certainly has a cause, but what that cause is, I don’t know. It suggests that Nephite society, or at least that part of it which the keeper of the records made observations and records about was fairly small and close-knit, as this would facilitate the speed of the changes which seemed to happen so frequently. I’m guessing that such changes would spread more slowly in a larger, loosely-knit, or widely dispersed society.

 

Nephi’s reaction to this wickedness sounds very similar to that of his ancestor, Alma the Younger, as recorded in Alma 28 and again in Alma 31: 26 – 36.r Both seem to be hearfelt prayers, motivated by their depths of concern for those who know not the gospel and the wickedness of those who do. It also sounds similar to Enos 1: 9, 11. This seems to be a different sort of approach to other prophets who, when seeing the wickedness of the people, plead with the Lord to exercise vengeance. See, for example Doctrine and Covenants 109: 25 – 30 and the sentiments expressed by Jonah in Jonah 4:1

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I should be studying it daily but I've been pretty unwell for almost a week. I'm beginning to feel better now so my study has resumed. When I'm not looking at Helaman 7 I'm trying to mix the counsel of President Nelson given in the April 2017 General Conference to read through all the entries about Jesus Christ in the topical guide and the counsel given by President Monson, also in April 2017 to study the Book of Mormon each day. I'm mixing them by only reading the entries in the topical guide about Jesus Christ that refer to scriptures in the Book or Mormon. I do the topical guide reading when I'm feeling lazy and tired and the Helaman 7 study when I can think straight. 

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7  Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—

(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:7)

 

THis Nephi’s recollections and understanding of how things were in the days of first Nephi does not seem to be consistent with first Nephi’s description of the times in which he lived. Nephi, son of Helaman seems to be engaging in a fairly common form of human behaviour here - a hearkening back to the “good old days” when people were nicer and everything was better than it is now. Two thousand years later, in a completely different culture, we still see people engaging in this type of behaviour.

It’s not completely clear which specific time period Nephi son of Helaman is referring to. If he’s talking about the days when Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, then we know that would be the time when his brothers smote him with a rod and had to be restrained and reproved by an angel (1 Nephi 3). In chapter 15 Nephi describes his brethern as hard hearted and suggests that they are not keeping the commandments. Two chapter later, his brothers try to kill him and were so ill-intentioned towards him that the Lord had to bless him with a special protective power. In the very next chapter (1 Nephi 18) seemingly not too long after this special protective power is removed, his brothers tie him up on the ship, ignore his pleadings, and threaten his parents. These are not the actions of people who are easy to be entreated and firm in keeping the commandments of God so perhaps this is not the time that Nephi, son of Helaman, is referring to.

A possible clue to the timeframe is Nephi’s use of the phrase “then were his people…..” Presumably the people who left Jerusalem with Lehi did not become Nephi’s people until after Lehi died. In 1 Nephi 19:1 Nephi uses the phrase “my people” and its probable that Lehi was still alive at this time, given that he didn’t die until 2nd Nephi 4, but the timing is still ambigous given that all of this happened somewhere between 588 - 570 BC. But even if we accept that the time Nephi son of Helaman is referring to is when Lehi’s people became Nephi’s people, then that would place it around the time that the family broke up along religious and political lines, with Nephi, Sam, Jacob and Joseph separating themselves from Laman and Lemuel. 2 Nephi 5 seems to describe a time when Nephi’s people were probably easy to be entreated and firm in keeping the commandments of God, around 588 – 559 and perhaps this is when Nephi son of Helaman was referring to. However, by about 559, in 2nd Nephi, 32: 7 Nephi said (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 32:7)

The Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can  and in the next chapter he says (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:2) But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught. So perhaps this was not the time that Nephi, son of Helaman was referring to. He certainly wasn’t talking about the time a few years later, when Jacob, brother of Nephi said (Book of Mormon | Jacob 1:15 - 16)

15  And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.

16  Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.

So we are left with a situation where Nephi, son of Helaman, gives a description of a time and people that appears to be mostly inconsistent with the description given by Nephi and Jacob, who lived in that time and place.

I guess there are several possible explanations. Perhaps in their writing, Nephi and Jacob mostly focussed on the negative stuff and did not write about all the times when the people really were easy to be entreated and firm in keeping the commandments. Some people are just more prone to focus on the negative than the positive. Or perhaps Nephi son of Helaman had access to records that have not been included in the Book of Mormon that showed to him that the people in the time of 1st Nephi were as he described them. Or perhaps Nephi son of Helaman really didn’t know what he was talking about and as a child grew up on myths and legends fed to him by his parents of the good old days when everybody was righteous and obedient. Maybe he was not aware of what 1st Nephi had said about the times and people that surrounded him.

It seems to me that President Hinckley, with his endless optimism and enthusiasm is quite a contrast to Nephi, son of Helaman, and even to several latter-day prophets. It often seems to be that prophets mourn the wickedness of the people and speak of how evil and fallen the world is. My recollection is that President Hinckley, while not being unaware of the evils of the world, often spoke about how now was the most exciting time to be alive, what a wonderful place the world is, and how we have much reason to hope for an even more exciting, better future.

If things really were as bad as Nephi, son of Helaman is describing, then quite possibly, a great deal of the responsibility for the states of affairs rests on his father, grand-father, and great-grandfather, each of whom occupied a position of enormous power and influence. In condemning the woeful state of his community, is not Nephi also partly condemning those who were entrusted with the responsibility of keeping it from becoming woeful? This raises the question of accountability and responsibility, which I won't go into here, but it seems that the main reason from moving from a system of kings to a system of judges, as described in Mosiah 29 was so that there would be a shift in accountability, from the kings to the people.

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8  Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

 

To me, Nephi’s great love for his brethren is illustrated by the sorrow and agony he feels at their wickedness, (vs 6) and the joy he imagines he would feel if he were living among righteous brethren. This shows a true compassion and concern for their eternal well-being. He is not thinking at all about his own condition in these verses. This is the hallmark of a true shepherd, steward and servant, caring more for the safety and wellbeing of their flock rather than themselves.

 

Its possible, but only speculative, that if this Nephi had lived in the times of 1st Nephi, that his effectiveness as an instrument in God’s hands might not have been as great. I’m guessing that much of Nephi’s personal growth and spiritual development came about as a result of the difficulties in which he found himself, specifically the wickedness and hard-heartedness of the people amongst whom he was living and that in the absence of such difficulties, he would not have grown as much as he did. Would he have worked as hard to preach the gospel if he was living amongst people who already had and were living the gospel? Would he have tried as hard to save souls if he was living amongst a people who already had a lot of hard-working effective soul savers? If he was not doing these things, (because they were already being done well by others) would he have reached as much of his potential as he did? We tend to try less in easier times because the need to try harder does not seem to be as great. We grow when we are stretched, and we are more likely to be stretched by hard times than good times.

 Nephi’s yearning expressed here to be in a situation other than the one he is in reminds me of when his great-grandfather expressed a similar yearning, as recorded in Alma 29:1 (Book of Mormon | Alma 29:1 - 3)

1  O THAT I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Alma responds to his own wish by saying, in verse 3, something which might be equally applicable to Nephi:
(Book of Mormon | Alma 29:3)

3  But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

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(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:8)

8  Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

 

I wonder why this Nephi is harking back to a possibly not quite correct idea of how life was like at the time of 1st Nephi when it was only two chapters previously (Helaman 5) that he had been a central player in a spiritual/proselyting event the likes of which dwarf anything that 1 Nephi was ever involved in. This Nephi seems to have achieved a much better outcome than 1st Nephi did. Under 1st Nephi, Laman and Lemuel rejected the gospel, the family broke up and became hostile towards each other and went their separate ways. As a result of the preaching of Nephi, son of Helaman, the descendants of Lehi were reunited in the gospel. (chapter 6). Admittedly, this miraculous preaching and proselying happened about 7 years before Helaman 7:8 in which Nephi expressed his sorrow, but it does make me wander, given the enormity of the experience, why Nephi seems to be overlooking it in favour of a smaller set of outcome that were achieved more than 500 years ago and why he was seemingly no longer feeling joy as a result of the experiences that he personally had been involved in.

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