II Nephi 1-2

II Nephi 1: This land (the Americas) is a choice land reserved for an inheritance for the righteous. It will be a blessed land--prosperous and free, as long as the inhabitants serve the Lord. But, if iniquity abounds, the land will be cursed and there will be no promise. Lehi is close to death and he speaks to his sons and people. He begs his sons to “Awake and arise from the dust my sons and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things. . . Awake my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity and arise from the dust. Rebel no more . . .”

Application: This is also my plea to my own sons (and all sons everywhere). If you read this someday--- Shake off the chains which bind you--alcohol, drugs, materialism, pride, anger, feelings of unworthiness. The Lord loves you,-- you are choice spirits saved for these latter days--sent to a country and a home where the Gospel was available to you. I know it wasn’t and isn’t a perfect home and family but you can rise above our imperfections and pull yourselves up and Stand Tall. BE MEN--men of righteousness--men of God!


II Nephi 2: Jacob receives his final “Father’s blessing and teachings. Jacob is a righteous man and son, he has had his ‘calling and election made sure’. He has seen the Lord face to face. Lehi also states that all “men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil” (the light of Christ) so that they can justly be judged by the law. Redemption is only possible through Christ’s atonement and resurrection. There is "opposition in all things" and Lehi expounds on this great principle. For a man to be free to act for himself, and, for there to be a choice,---there must me an enticement or opposition to each decision. Satan became part of the plan by providing the enticement which is in opposition to the Lord's commands and plan. This life is a time of probation and repentance. If Eve had not partaken of the fruit there would have been no change or growth, no children, no joy (for they knew no misery), and no good (for they knew no sin). It was God’s plan that by that act of disobedience--this probationary period of earth life and opposition would be introduced. “Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy!” men are free to chose liberty and eternal life through Christ the Lord or to choose captivity and death according to the power of the devil.


Application: Do I act or am I acted upon? Do I CHOOSE my path or just allow each day to slip away--No choice=no action=no valiancy=no glory. Also, I have thought about what went on in the Garden of Eden, the tree, the command, ultimately the choice. I truly believe that the tree was placed because God will never force us to do things, even for our “own good” It had to be a choice. Also we have heard that “no unclean thing can enter into heaven” Conversely, perhaps “no clean thing can be kept out of heaven” Adam and Eve prior to the partaking of the fruit in opposition to God’s command were clean and pure and walked and talked with God and Christ in the garden. But that small act of disobedience set in motion the entire plan of salvation. A necessary step for all of us to be able to progress, grow and ultimately return again to that Father who sent us forth into this earthly experience.