Climbing the Mountain

1 Nephi 11 is so full that I could write a blog from every paragraph. Today, time is short—we’re heading out to celebrate my youngest grandson’s birthday—but this is where my heart settled.

Ponder.

Do I do it enough?
Have I climbed the mountain of the Lord?
Have I ever truly been “carried away in the Spirit”?

Nephi was.

And I find myself wondering about his guide.

In other scriptures, the voice is clear. In Exodus, Moses hears the Lord speak in first person. In 3 Nephi, the Savior unmistakably declares who He is: “Come forth unto me…” There is no question.

But in 1 Nephi 11, it feels different.

Nephi says it is “the Spirit of the Lord.” Not the Savior Himself—but a messenger, a guide. Someone sent to teach, to show, to open understanding.

Does that really matter to me? Not really. Why?

Because it reminds me that revelation often comes through the Spirit—quietly, powerfully—rather than through something overwhelming or unmistakable. And if I want to see what Nephi saw, I need to be in a position to receive it.

Which brings me back to pondering.

Nephi didn’t just ask—he desired to know. And that desire carried him upward.

When he sees the tree his father saw, the description is simple but profound: beautiful, precious, desirable above all.

And then comes the answer:

The fruit is the love of God, “which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men.”

How does that happen?

Moroni gives us a glimpse:

• Remission of sins — there is nothing more liberating.
• Meekness — something that grows as hearts soften.
• Lowliness of heart — a humility that is steady, willing, and rooted in trust.

It’s not thinking less of ourselves.
It’s thinking of ourselves less often—while thinking more of God and others.

And then come the fruits of that life:

• Filled with the Spirit.
• Comfort.
• Hope.
• Perfect love.
• A steady diligence in prayer.
• Joy.
• The rod of iron—the word of God and the voices of His prophets—leads us there.
• To the tree.
• To the love of God.

Today, I’m left with a simple question:

Am I climbing?