Sister Scriptorians

1 Nephi 3 & 4 To shrink or to rise? That is the decision that Nephi was faced with when he was asked to do something hard. The Lord commanded the sons of Lehi to return back to Jerusalem and obtain the Brass Plates. But how were they supposed to accomplish their task if the Brass Plates were kept by a mighty man named Laban who had chased them out of his house and taken all of their property. If the Lord asks us to do hard things, shouldn't he give a plan on how to do it? If he doesn't give us a plan, then what exactly does he expect from us? What did Nephi intend for us to understand when he said that "the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7). What is the Lord's role?

1 Nephi 3: 1-4 The Brass plates were not only a record of the Jews consisting of the words of God as spoken by the prophets, but it also contained the genealogy of Lehi. Is travel back to Jerusalem to obtain their family history worth the risk? We know the right answer is YES, but listen to this episode to but some teeth into that answer. The power of your own family history may surprise you.

1 Nephi 3: 1-4 Why would the Lord command Lehi's sons to return back to Jerusalem and obtain the Brass Plates? This was no easy task. It required traveling back through the wilderness, confronting a mighty man whom the Brass Plates belonged to, and then traveling back to the Valley of Lemuel. These plates must have been crucial to the salvation of Lehi and his seed. Find out how the Brass Plates provided Spiritual Grounding to Lehi's family just like the Book of Mormon provides that for us.

1 Nephi 2: 17 In the Book of Mormon, we have the powerful teachings of Nephi and the contentious murmurings of Laman and Lemuel, but we only have the faithful actions of Sam. Another son of Lehi, Son shows us the great worth of being a discerner of spirits, following the prophet, and being obedient and firm in his testimony. The world needs more Sams!

1 Nephi 2: 19-24 Nephi was promised that if he keep the Lord's commandments, he will prosper, he will be led to a land of promise, and that he will be made a ruler and a teacher over his brethren. This week's podcast will liken Nephi's blessings unto us and how we experience these same blessings today.

1 Nephi 2: 16 What if we were to stop ranking our experiences with the spirit? What if we were to stop assigning the degree of confidence we allow ourselves to feel when we receive manifestations of the spirit? No doubt we would have confidence if it was a face to face encounter, but if it's just a thought or a feeling....well....... I love how Nephi, in a moment of concern, turned to the Lord. He had great desire to know the mysteries of God and so he turned to him in prayer. He cried unto the Lord and proclaimed, "He did visit me." We aren't sure exactly what that means, but we know what that visitation produced. It changed Nephi and if we allow ourselves to recognize when the Lord visits us, it can change us too.

1 Nephi 2: 14-16 Father Lehi had had enough! He was tired of the murmuring, complaining, insults, and resistance of his eldest sons Laman and Lemuel. So he did what every parent at one time or another does, we lay down the law - except he did it being filled with the Holy Ghost. It confounded his sons and for the first time on their trip they stopped murmuring and complied - but only temporarily. Listen to today's episode and discover what the difference is between directing behaviors and guiding the hearts of our children as we teach them to seek God.

We continue to move through the characteristics of God found in Lectures on Faith. We learn in order for our faith to be productive we must have a correct knowledge of God's characteristics and attributes. We must believe He is who He says He is. In this episode we learn that He is the God of Truth and Cannot Lie, He is Not a Respector of Persons, and He is a God of Love.

1 Nephi 2 If Nephi said that Laman and Lemuel murmured "because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them," (1 Nephi 2:12) doesn't that make knowing God's characteristics and attributes necessary to exercise our faith in him? To see his hand in our lives? To temper our complaining and rebellion? While referring to Lectures on Faith, this podcast will focus on the first three characteristics - That God is the Creator and Upholder of All Things, That He is Merciful and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Goodness, and that He Changes Not. Hopefully, by the end of this episode you can see areas of weakness in your faith that need fortifing so that your faith can become productive. He wants us to know Him so we can understanding His dealings.

"Don't be a Laman or a Lemuel!" These 7 words, to an LDS person are a complete sermon. 1) It is a warning against Murmuring! What is murmuring? AND Why do we do it? 2) It is a warning against being stiffnecked. That's a funny word! Join us to discover what that means. 3) It is a warning against being a disrespectful family member. Learn why this warning is applicable for every member of the family unit. 4) And finally - the last is more of an invitation - Come to know for yourself the dealings and mysteries of God. Read this week Lectures on Faith - specifically Lectures 3 and 4. Ponder how knowing the attributes and characteristics of God actually can increase our power of faith and can help us be at ease with the Lord's plan for us. Don't Be A Laman or a Lemuel! Come to know Heavenly Father and your Savior, Jesus Christ in a more personal way. Referred to in this episode: "Murmur Not," by Elder Neal A Maxwell

President Ezra Taft Benson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints summed up Pride as Enmity Towards God and Enmity Towards Our Fellowmen. Enmity is hostility to, hatred for, or a state of opposition. Pride began before this life here on earth and is the "Universal Sin." We all struggle with it from time to time! BUT knowing what it is can help us to minimize it and help us move towards humility. Learn how Enmity Towards God  began and discover whose side you are actually choosing when you feel hostility towards Him. Also, learn the "4 Cs" of Enmity Towards our Fellowmen - Conceit, Contention, Competition, and Lack of Confidence.

Departing from Pride isn't like your typical road trip. It's a journey! So don't worry about packing a lifetime of provisions. Just gather what you need for your first step and depart. There will be stops along the way to gather more supplies. There will be times in which you'll camp for a while. And there will come a time when the spirit will confirm that you've done well and that it's time to move on. Departing from Pride is one step at a time for a lifetime. The Book of Mormon will be our most important provision. Partake of its nutrients DAILY!

1 Nephi 2 Around 600 B.C., Jerusalem was not a place friendly to the prophets of God. How remarkable is it then that Lehi was found listening to the prophets and accepted a call from the Lord to preach repentance unto the people? When he had sufficiently delivered the Lord's message, the tender mercies of the Lord offered Lehi protection by warning him to leave Jerusalem in order to spare his life. The Book of Mormon can be seen as an epic invitation for us to depart also - to depart from pride. We invte you to accept this invitation and begin your journey by reading President Ezra Taft Benson's 1989 General Conference Talk, "Beware of Pride."   http://sisterscriptorian.com/the-book-of-mormon-an-invitation-to-depart-2/

1 Nephi 1   What is the key to Nephi's success, determination, and positivity? Lucky for us, he doesn't keep it a secret. He knew the goodness of God! He saw it, felt it, and was blessed by it. He knew who his power source was. It was the gift giver, the one making him mighty and delivering him over and over again. It was the Lord! And the Lord was showing up for him, just like He does for you, by bestowing His tender mercies upon us.   http://sisterscriptorian.com/episode-1-tender-mercies-the-lords-gift-to-you/  

President Spencer W. Kimball of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in 1979 expressed a desire for our homes to be blessed with Sister Scriptorians. What an amazing Call to Action! There are plenty of opportunities to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but as we purposely chissel out time to read our scriptures and receive insights from our Heavenly Father, we will be given the strength to keep moving forward. Join us weekly on this podcast and become a Sister Scriptorian as we Learn, Liken and Lift Others One Principle at a Time.   LDS Mormon Scripture Study Book of Mormon