Private Interview with Savior

1 Nephi 11

Nephi is shown the spirit of the Lord and also the tree of life, Mary, the crucifixion of the Savior and the fall of the prideful, aka the great and spacious building.

I can't imagine what it must have been like for Nephi to have had this very private exchange with the Savior and then with an angel. Why was he given this great privilege? The answer is in v1: “as I sat pondering in mine heart. . .” Why is it so hard to give the pondering the required time and place to have a similar effect? Why must we always be in a hurry to get to the next thing, i.e. the day's work, or sleep, depending on the time of day. Even now as I'm reading mid-day, I have on my mind the next thing I'll be doing. This has got to be not only displeasing to Heavenly Father, but it cheats me out of having my own private time with the Lord. Nephi was told at least eight times to “look”. Do I really look when I'm reading? Do I dig? Oh, I really try to. I could do so much better.

Julie Beck said an interesting thing in a talk I listened to. She said, “. . . and in that moment when we prepare for our most important interview with our Savior. . .” She was talking about a simple, daily prayer! Do I prepare to pray? Do I give it the time and the introspection that is required to be given the gifts I so desire? These are questions worthy of pondering all by themselves.

The sad thing in this chapter is where Nephi actually sees the crucifixion of the Savior and then the persecution of the apostles. When we can “see”, it is so very difficult to understand such hatred and such blindness. The fall of the great and spacious building, aka the pride of the world, is another sad thing Nephi witnessed. This is especially sad when you think you may have loved ones who reside in that great and spacious building. “Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”