Holman's Book of Mormon Blog

Summary: Lehi has a pretty wild dream. He  finds himself in a “dark and dreary wilderness,” and “dark and dreary waste.” A white robed man comes to him and tells Lehi to follow him. Lehi follows, gets lost. Prays for deliverance. Sees the tree, the path, the rod. Goes to tree and eats fruit which is “most sweet” and fills him with joy. Immediately desires his family to eat it (beckons to them with a loud voice). Sariah, Sam, Nephi all come to tree and eat up, but Laman and Lemuel don’t. Lehi sees other groups of people milling around. V.2 "I have seen a vision." I've always been confused by labeling Joseph Smith's experience (his "first" vision) as The First Vision. Was it really a vision? Didn't he just see God the Father and Christ? Weren't they just there with him? Wouldn't that make it not a vision? I always think of visions as the way Lehi has them, which always appear to be dreams. Sorry, no spiritual insight with this verse, just somet...

Summary: The Lord commands Lehi to send his kids back to Jerusalem to get Ishmael's family so they can hook up with his daughters and have kids. On the way back to Lehi in the wilderness, Laman riles everyone up and says they oughta just put the brakes on this crazy adventure and go back to J-town (actual words). Nephi does not agree, and teaches them about having faith in the Lord. They tie him up. He says, "Nuh uh" and the bands loosen. The situation is defused. They return to Lehi. V. 7- " And it came to pass that the  Lord  did soften the heart of Ishmael..." How does the Lord soften a heart? Doesn't this violate free agency?  Recall 1 Nephi 2:16. Lehi has just finished lambasting Laman and Lemuel for their faithlessness, as remember as well his other prophecies and visions in the preceding chapter regarding the Savior and the imminent destruction of Jerusalem. Nephi, although he's not absolutely certain of the truth of his father's words, ...