Keep The Commandments - 4th Nephi

Today I read the last page of 3^rd Nephi and 4^th Nephi.  Given my circumstances currently, it was a chilling experience.  My time in the scriptures has a broad background brush that paints every page.  It is the brush of the paths of my children, nieces and nephews who have turned from the teachings of their youth, who have broken their covenants (and their parents’ and grandparents’ hearts) and followed the path of inactivity, indifference and some even spurning things of the Lord.  The entire time I’m reading I can’t help but think, “And how is this working for you?”  Every one of them has heavy burdens of either divorce, individual health, ill health of a family member.  Of course, my biggest concern is my own two daughters - one losing one job after nothing – never of her own fault, according to her account, the other in the throws of a divorce.

3 Nephi 29:5 “Wo unto him that spurneth at the doing of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!”  Yikes!  Why would that not breathe a little fear into your soul? Of course, it is because you aren’t reading it regularly and don’t really believe the Lord is good on His promises. The dictionary defines woe as “great sorrow or distress: they had a complicated tale of woe;  (woes) things that cause sorrow or distress; troubles. 

I was reminded as I was reading that my son-in-law declined to have my granddaughter baptized because he wanted to wait until she was old enough to “choose for herself” so she’ll know what she’s doing.  When I was told this, I felt like a glass of ice water has been thrown on my face.  This from a young man who less than ten years previous I could easily see as a bishop, stake president or general authority because he was so knowledgeable in the gospel. He has totally forgotten the covenants he made with the Lord. He was heaped a whole lot of woes on him and his family, the effects to be felt for a very long time. 

4^th Nephi is a short chapter with a long history starting out with the people of Nephi having all things in common and worshipping God and keeping all the commandments.  It starts out as a happy time never to be equaled in the history of man.  There was peace in the land. They were strong and powerful as a people and built beautiful cities. They worshipped the Lord and did His will in all things.  Then Satan began to have sway with some of them and they began to fall away from the church.  What caused this? It would seem to me that one of the biggest hurdles we have to jump as members of the Church is “prosperity”. The Lord blesses us when we do His will and part of those blessings can sometimes mean financial success.  It is critical that success be credited to the Lord and that we continue serving – even pump it up - and keep the commandments so that we don’t misuse our prosperity.

Pride is the next one.  Those who are prosperous begin wearing costly apparel, build nicer homes, and focus on themselves more.  Ugh!  Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. 

The next step is division among the people, aka “classes”.  The “haves” and the “have nots” are not comfortable in each other’s company and the chasm becomes greater and greater. It’s a fast decline and easy to understand.  The Lord makes it clear in the scriptures that the way to avoid this class distinction is serving each other and keeping the commandments of God. 

This includes the covenants we made in the temple of the Lord.  Again, my son-in-law told me the Lord didn’t really expect everyone to go to the temple every week or even every month.  It is a suggestion to go regularly, but He knows people in far-reaching parts of the world are going to have to make huge sacrifices to get there.  The point is being “temple focused”.  Well, consequently we can count on two hands the times she has been to the temple since their marriage.  How can we remember the promises we’ve made if we don’t keep hearing those promises? 

The way to stay safely on the Lord’s side of the line is clear and consistent. We’ve been told over and over in conference talks, read how in the Book of Mormon and there are sermons walking around us freely daily.  Keep the commandments.  Read your scriptures daily individually and as a family.  Have individual and family prayer.  Have Family Home Evening, and attend the temple frequently.  If you can’t attend the temple frequently because of distance, then focus on saving and planning for the next possible trip, having that be a focus of your family worship. It seems like such an easy formula. Why do so many lose that focus? 

I could go on and on and I have a day to tackle.  I know the things I’ve written are true.  I’ve applied them to my life.  When I get casual in any one of the things I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I have noticed it is easier to relax in another one.  These are all items that need to be attended to regularly – daily even.  Oh how I pray for my children and loved ones to have the epiphany necessary to stop in their tracks and ask themselves this question “What am I thinking?”  And then have the courage to make the changes – one step at a time, steady and consistently moving forward and back to the “path that will lead to happiness in the life and eternal life in the world to come.” This comes from Proclamation on the Family, and is a truth of which I can testify.