2 Nephi 10 – Our Children Shall be Restored

In 1 Nephi 19:23-24 Nephi tells us that we should liken the scriptures unto ourselves.  I couldn’t help but think of my wayward children as I read from 2 Nephi 10 this morning. 

For quite some time I’ve been wondering about the baby born to wicked parents who grow up without the gospel and dies having never heard about our Savior.  How unfair this seems to be.  I believe – and know they will get their opportunity to hear about the gospel after they die.  I believe they will be given the opportunity to accept or reject.  That is doctrine from the Book of Mormon as well, and I don’t really worry about it.  But I keep thinking about the millions who die in calamities in parts of the world where the gospel has never gone.  It just seems so unfair to me because I have been given so much because I have the gospel in my life. 

Well, 2 Nephi 10:2-4 covers these concerns beautifully.  Or at least this morning it is my wayward children I thought of as I read these verses. 

In v2 it says “For behold, the promises which we (I interpret this to mean me as well because I have received promises in the temple), have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our (my) children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, (You mean they just might not come back to the gospel in this life?  Can I bear this?) nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.”  These are temple blessings!

I’ve never doubted this teaching, but it is hard to deal with the fact they may not come back to the gospel in this life.  Even though Jacob is talking about the Jews, it’s not a stretch to liken this to children of the covenant who have strayed.  They too “crucify” Christ in that they take those things they have been taught that are sacred and cast them aside as a thing of naught. 

In verse 6 there will be destructions, famines, pestilences, and bloodshed among those who crucify their Savior.  I see this in my children’s lives that have wandered far from the path of righteousness.  Their lives are not happy ones.  They have forgotten their Savior who is mighty to save.  I pray constantly – not just daily, but constantly that somehow they will reach out for help.  I pray there will be someone there to reach out to them when they tire of the destruction in their lives.

So this really does answer my question about the millions of people who come to this earth never hearing the gospel truths and having the choice to accept them.  That said, I come to the conclusion that this life is a lot more about gaining a body than it is about the things of the spirit.  We will get that eventually.  The sad thing is the opportunities lost from not having the gospel in your life.  Once I discovered the truth for myself and embraced it, the world became a beautiful place.  The mountains were beautiful; I saw the beauties of nature and the goodness of others.  I promise I did not see these things before.  They were just objects.  Oh what a blessing the gospel has been in my life.  What a blessing the scriptures continue to be in my life.  Oh how I pray for all my children and grandchildren that they will have the blessing of seeing these things for themselves in this life and embrace it with all their hearts. But if not, what comfort comes from knowing the things Jacob taught me this morning.