While reading 2 Nephi, chapter 8, I felt like I was having a personal counsel with my Heavenly Father. I’ve learned over the years to keep my family home evening lessons short. I figure I’ve got 5 minutes to share the important thing. Even with that, I have to stop and ask the young ones to please stop playing ball and listen or not to wrestle. I have to snap my fingers at the older kids to bring them back to me….out of their day dream. That’s how this chapter felt. It’s not very long, and it’s jammed with goodness…..but I can feel the Lord snapping his fingers, trying to bring me back…helping me focus….this is important!!!! I can feel his enthusiasm! I’ve felt the same way with President Russell M. Nelson, he’s 93 years old, but you wouldn’t know it. He has a very important mission to do, his message is quick, and his enthusiasm is high. He wants us to get EXCITED!!
One of my favorite memories growing up was when my dad would take us to get ice cream or to the mall to walk around as a family. He would get us all excited…
“TALK ABOUT BIG!!!! “He would say with his Hands high in the air and a huge smile across his face. We would yell…”Talk about big!!” And everyone would cheer!
“TALK ABOUT EXCITING”
We would mimic…and cheer!!
“TALK AWESOME!”
Another mimic from us 12 all admiring kids….and more cheering!!
This is how I feel the Lord and Russel M. Nelson feel!
They want us to grasp what we have going on…who we are…what we need to do. With some serious advise on how to stay out of harms way…
When we went to the mall, after all the cheering and excitement was in full gear…he laid out the rules. Stay with your partner. Stay with the group. He told us where to meet if we got separated and who to talk to and who not to talk to. I remember feeling a little fearful, wondering if people could really take little kids? However, we were all safe…because we followed the simple guidelines laid out by a loving father.
There are two main points I got pumped up about in 2 Nephi chapter 8
#1- WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS!!!!
If that’s not exciting, I don’t know what is. Every prophet has prophesied about our day! We are here…it’s us!!! It’s our children!!! (Maybe it’s their children? Who knows?) We know we have a HUGE purpose!
We know that the Lord knows who we are and has prepared us! And we know that Lucifer knows and has been plotting and trained his troops for thousands of years!
2 Timothy 3: 1-2,4 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, …
“… lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”
#2- we have been invited with great enthusiasm by President Russell M. Nelson to PARTICIPATE IN THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL!
Another forever prophesy seen by all the ancient prophets. The prelude to the second coming. Meaning we have been called to prepare the earth for Jesus Christ himself to come again! TALK ABOUT BIG!!! TALK ABOUT EXCITING!!!! TALK ABOUT AWESOME!!!
My dear young brothers and sisters, these surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic! – President Russell M. Nelson
2 Nephi chapter 8, has this same enthusiasm! Check out the heading…
2 Nephi 8 (Compare Isaiah 51 & 52 1-2)
In the last days, the Lord will comfort Zion and gather Israel
So let’s get started with the 5 minute lesson prepared thousands of years ago for us! That alone makes me get goose bumps! The Lord has been preparing, thinking, teaching , guiding for thousands of years so that when the time came…we would have everything we needed. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! Now it’s up to us to do it!
Mormon wasn’t sure why he needed to record the sacred ancient record the way he did. He only knew the Lord told him exactly how to do it, so that it would benefit us perfectly. AND HE DID. He did his part. Thank you Mormon!
3 Nephi 26:12 Therefore I, Mormon, do write the things which have been commanded me of the Lord. And now I, Mormon, make an end of my sayings, and proceed to write the things which have been commanded me.
The Lord is asking Mornon to not waste any words, only record in this record that which I, the Lord, see fit. Mormon must follow with exactness, because he doesn’t know the beginning from the end…but he trusts the Lord to know who the record is for and what they will need to hear.
Nephi 8:1 Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.
2 Nephi chapter 8 started off with “hearken”….It’s a plea to listen. It reminds me of family home evening at my home, when I’m about to say something I feel is important and want everyone to listen.
So here we have Heavenly Father asking us to listen, he says “Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness.” If you have any desire to follow me…pay attention.
He wastes no time….”Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn” if you seek after righteousness…and you want to stay on the path…follow the Savior, the rock!
Helaman 5:12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall”
This is the way to make it …if we want to endure to the end, if we want peace, if we want to help gather Israel, if want want to stand before God during the final judgement and want to feel worthy of his warm embrace…we must look to and follow the Savior…the only sure foundation on this storm filled sea called life. He is the iron rod that will keep us on the path, even during foggy moments. If we find ourselves drifting…falling down cliffs and into pits…worry not! Continue to look to the “rock” who will dig you out, clean you off, and place you gently back on the path….and walk beside you unless you need to be carried for a moment or two. Remember to look “to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.”….remember those special moments that the Savior dug you out of your sins, addictions, despair….he will always be there for you if you will but turn to him.
Heavenly Father knew the last days….(the “Latter days”) would be dark, and confusing….he knew it would be distracting and depressing. He prepared perfectly for it, and he prepared us to be able to handle it. He gave us the only thing we need, a Savior, an older brother who was willing to carry the weight so that we could endure to the end. An older brother who loves us more than himself, who was willing to endure all so we could have all.
2 Nephi 8:3
For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
I find this to be literal and figurative. We saw with the early saints how the Lord literally made their wilderness or desert, into Eden. Nauvoo from my understanding was not the most desirable place to establish a community for it was a swamp land. With the blessings from the Lord and hard-work, they cultivated Nauvoo into a wonderful self sufficient community. The same thing happened for the Saints as they arrived in Utah. Salt Lake was a desert but with the guidance of the Lord and hard-work it become a wonderfully desirable place to live.
I find this to be the same in my life…trials can feel like a desert or wilderness, but when I allow Christ to fill my heart and soul, the desolate feeling leaves and I am able to be comforted and know that my Heavenly Father loves me. My emotional or spiritual desert blooms when I fill it with Christ.
We too are building a legacy that the generations to come with look to for inspiration.
“Let us not only remember the past and it’s required sacrifice, let us remember that we are responsible to build a legacy for the generations that follow us. “ -Thomas S Monson
2 Nephi 8:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light for the people.
Three verses later, he readdresses us with “hearken”…LISTEN! I can see myself right now with my kids around me, expressing vitally important information, repeatedly asking them to please pay attention. If you will follow the Savior, he will show you the law and if you follow you can look forward to the day of judgement…the day of judgement is light to those who live their mortal existence in the light. It is heavy and dreaded for those who choose to live in darkness without the law.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan by which we can become what children of God are supposed to become. This spotless and perfected state will result from a steady succession of covenants, ordinances, and actions, an accumulation of right choices, and from continuing repentance. “This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32). -Dallin H. Oaks
2 Nephi 8:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Wake up!! Stay with Me! There’s more…beware of man. As you follow Christ…the adversary will never stop trying to persuade you with every trick known to the devils, to leave the law of light, the iron rod, the straight and narrow path…and join the world. We have been commanded to live in the world but not of the world.
1 Nephi 8:25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
It’s a constant battle to not allow what others think affect what we do, but to live in a manner that is not only pleasing to God…but also, responsive to Him. One who seeks after righteousness may not struggle as often with sins of commission…but there are always sins of omissions, which slip into our lives as we become complacent or concerned with what others think. I believe what is expected of us increases as we grow in knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we need to be more diligent and aware of our hearts.
D&C 82:3 ….whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord’s teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This process requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.
2 Nephi 8:9 Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days. Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
Wake up! He’s pleading with us to remember who we are…premortally! The battles that we fought for righteousness. The wars we won, that allowed us to come to earth, receive a body, and experience the awesome growth of mortality! We have battled the demon of rebellion before earth, we must fight him here. He tries to lull us to sleep. Keeps us distracted, shuts our ears, so we can’t hear. Hardens our hearts so that we aren’t in tune with the Holy Ghost. He wants us to shut down…so we don’t perform our destiny! He knows how powerful, strong, and valiant we were in the pre-existence . If he can keep us from remembering… if he can keep us distracted from the most important work on earth….then he is victorious over us. We need to wake up!
“At the same time God helps us fulfill divine assignments, the adversary works to distract and dissuade us from a life of meaning.” Elder John C. Pingree Jr. (October 2017)
2 Nephi 8:11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
The work will be accomplished. We get to choose whether we want to be apart of it. We get to choose if we want to assist in gathering Israel, and preparing the earth for Savior to return to earth. Great joy and gladness will fill the soul of all those who lived here on earth and followed the law. Imagine be reunited with all your loved ones in the resurrection, the absolute, unexplainable joy it will be, to still be standing next to the Savior! To realized you made it! You conquered earth and earned Eternal life.
Mosiah 2:41 Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.
2 Nephi 8:12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?
This made me laugh, because it’s so true. Why do we even give notice to man, and earthly distractions of sins? Every living person, no matter who they are, how powerful they are, wealthy, or eloquent with words….they will die. When they die, or when we die, all that earthly glory will fade, and they will be judged with the same law as everyone else who has ever lived. The only person who has lived on this earth who is worth following is the one who conquered mortality through a sinless life, with perfect focus on following the law. This is the only one, Jesus Christ. Give no notice to anyone else. Besides the fact, that ,Christ promises to comfort us during our tough times. It seems the pattern for “man”, is each for themselves. When the going gets tough….your on your own. It seems that the only comfort for the toughest moments is someone who can express empathy. Otherwise, it’s difficult to understand. I remember when my sister lost her son,it was devastating. She was literally wailing…and rightfully so. She fully understands and believes in the plan of salvation, but no one is prepared to bury their child. All of us family members who were present at the time, were un able to console her. She found comfort in a mother who had lost her daughter two years previously. She needed someone who understood her pain. That’s where Christ is our perfect source…he has suffered all that we will ever suffer…he has born our afflictions, he has drank the bitter cup. He knows our pain…and through him and him alone, we can find comfort.
D&C 122:9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and … fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever
2 Nephi 8:13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?
Over and over in the scripture we hear…how can you forget all the Lord has done? But somehow….it’s super easy. I know I fall guilty of praying extra intensely during the difficult trials of life. The Lord is begging us to stay focused! Stay awake! Don’t be complacent! Don’t forget all He does for us! I can understand how frustrating it is when he comes to our rescue time and time again…and yet, we still pay attention to the lies and tricks of the adversary. We still allow the distractions to take over our lives.
Where is the adversary when life is crumbling and you realize you need help? He’s no where…why…because he loves it when we are broken. He wants to break us. Not fix us. We must remember who digs us out of our holes …not who who gave us the shovel and then pushed us in.
“We all remember how Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage, and how the Egyptians were destroyed by the Red Sea; how the Lord gave the Amorites and the people of Jericho into their hands so that they might possess their lands, and how Joshua reminded his people of the words of the Lord:
“And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.”
Then Joshua said: “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
And then he warned: “If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.” And frightened, they responded: “The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” (Josh. 24:13–15, 20, 24.)
A parallel to this is found in the story of our pioneer forefathers, who because of their religious convictions had to flee from their beautiful city and homes. Though they suffered much, and many died, they remained true to their faith, and even in the face of all their hardship as they toiled across the plains, they sang: “And should we die before our journey’s through, Happy day! all is well.” They blessed the name of the Lord, their God, and continued to serve him, and through their righteous endeavors he has blessed and prospered them and their posterity.”
-Aldo’s Tanner (April 1971)
2 Nephi 8:14 The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
I am not a scriptorian, I simply like to apply scriptures to myself, the best I can. To me this screams “atonement”. The bread of life is Christ, he Is the only thing that can keep us from starving spiritually.
“We remember Jesus as the Bread of Life, as the Living Water, as the Light and Life of the World as we come and follow Him, that by Him and through Him we will be saved. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). -Robert D. Hales October 1997
We need Christ. He is the only one who can loose the bands of the adversary. Lucifer’s time is running out, and he knows it. He knows that we have a full press on finding all who want to follow Christ. We are seeking and we will find. As we find them we will help pull them from their pits and teach them the plan of salvation. As they move towards Christ they will find that promised comfort. As we all move toward Christ we will find that comfort. How much greater will that comfort be, as we reach out to others, to save them too, welcome them into the fold?
I have found comfort through my prayers that the Lord loves all his children. Even those in terrible conditions, with no fault of their own. I can go weeks without sleep worrying for these situations. I find myself crying out to the Lord to help them. I don’t have a name, but I know there are millions of bad situations. Every time, I feel His love for His kids. I have come to the conclusion, that even though there has to be accountability to wickedness, and that involves innocent people being hurt, The Lord can ease the burdens, so that they can endure. He is their bread. He is their comfort, even if they haven’t had a chance to know Him, they will. When that day comes, whether in this life time or the next, they will know him, from the feelings of their heart.
This is such a sweet story of the Lord helping one who knew of his biblical miracles and full of faith turned to him in her moment of despair…..
“The life of Ann Rowley, a pioneer woman in the early days of the Church, demonstrates how exercising faith impacts our lives for good. A widow from England, Sister Rowley exercised her faith to answer the prophet’s call to gather to Zion. She was a member of the Willie handcart company, which encountered deep snowdrifts along the trail in the fall of 1856. They had reached a point in the trek where her seven children were literally starving. She wrote: “It hurt me to see my children go hungry. … Night was coming and there was no food for the evening meal. I asked God’s help as I always did. I got on my knees, remembering two hard sea biscuits that … had been left over from the sea voyage. They were not large, and were so hard they couldn’t be broken. Surely, that was not enough to feed 8 people, but 5 loaves and 2 fishes were not enough to feed 5,000 people either, but through a miracle, Jesus had done it. So, with God’s help, nothing is impossible. I found the biscuits and put them in a dutch oven and covered them with water and asked for God’s blessing. Then I put the lid on the pan and set it on the coals. When I took off the lid a little later, I found the pan filled with food. I kneeled with my family and thanked God for his goodness. That night my family had sufficient food.” – Elder Marcus B. Nash October 2012
I know he is also miraculous to those who don’t know him, or who are in situations too dark to call out…he loves all His children equally.
The Lord tells us to know Him in our hearts and in our actions. As we align our lives to where the Lord can direct us we will be able to be his hands here on earth and help those seeking help form their oppressor …those seeking Christ.
How many different ways does the “oppressor” keep us captive? Especially when we consider the way he uses man to captivate us as well and ourselves. Let’s make a list just for fun….there’s no way to name everything but we can get started…Sin, Pride, status, poverty, addictions, emotional issues..depression, anxiety, OCD, physical ailments…illness, disabilities, self esteem, spiritual ailments….feeling adequate, procrastination, complacency. Just to name a few. With Christ as the bread of life, how can we be of use in these situations for others? We can always see others as we want to be seen. We can look past social status and get to know each other. We can send a card, make a phone call to help these suffering from physical or emotional ailments know they are loved. We can reach out with guidance to those needing to get back on the path. As you can see, we all fall into the captive categories and we all fall into being the Lord’s hands. As we help others, others will help us. It’s a beautiful system really. Thankfully we all have different strengths and different weaknesses and together we are whole as long as we are following Christ.
2 Nephi 8:15 But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared; the Lord of Hosts is my name.
Don’t doubt the Lord when it comes to needing help with problems. He can do the impossible. We just need enough faith to step into the Red Sea! Trusting that he will guide us…even part the Sea! We all have armies chasing us… trying to drown us in the sea of tribulation or sin! Trust the Lord that he can part your sea and drown your enemies….allowing you to pass on dry ground. You’ll still have to walk across the Res Sea…there’s always work to be done on our part…but if we ask him for help, its miraculous.
“Life with God is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties.”
-C. S. Lewis
2 Nephi 8:24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
He ends with begging us to wake up…again! Stand up out of the filth of the world…shake off all the distractions and temptations. Put on your armor of God and come into Zion, a place of peace, where the law is followed and the spirit dwells. Take a seat and enjoy the comfort and love that comes from following after Christ!
There is so much compassion and empathy in this chapter. You can feel our Heavenly Father’s patience in us, as he repeatedly asks us to listen, trust him, recognize his hand in your life, remember who you are and remember the tender mercies granted to you daily by your loving Father. He loves each of us dearly and will do anything to help us avoid pits pain. If we fall, He is their to pick us up, dust us off, and help us carry on.
I hope as you read this chapter you will be able to feel the Love radiating towards you from Heaven. I hope it supersedes the stresses and trials here on earth. Pray specifically to the Lord and allow him to shower you with daily miracles of strength and fortitude to endure to the end.
-Sherri Jorgensen
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