The Good News

1 Nephi 19

Nephi makes the plates of brass because he was commanded to do so. It must have seemed odd to him that the Lord would require two copies of the same history. How wonderful that he obeyed the Lord. Had he not, we would be without this part of scripture. I'm currently reading Joseph Smith's History by his mother, Lucy Mack Smith. The account she makes of the event where the 116 pages of manuscript are lost are riveting. The pain that entire family went through when they were lost is gut-wrenching. They all cried hard because they feared for Joseph's eternal well being. The interesting thing to me is that Martin Harris had them in his possession until the day before Joseph arrived to see why he hadn't returned with them and that Martin Harris was guilty of showing them to many people – not just his wife.

I pondered verse 7 this morning where Nephi talks about men trampling under their feet the very God of Israel. That would be Jesus Christ. How is this done? Am I guilty of it? I certainly would hope not, but it is easier to do than one would think. Nephi goes on to describe how this is done: “they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.” Where does the voice of his counsels come from? The scriptures, our modern-day prophets, a.k.a. Conference talks. Do I study these things? Do I heed the counsel in them? This is a question we should constantly be asking ourselves. I NEVER want to be on that side of the fence again. My desire is to be the one who spreads the good news that He lives. He loves his children and we are all his children. He will come to the rescue if we so desire. I have learned this for myself and it is my deepest desire that each of my children and grandchildren will know this from their own life's experiences.