1 Nephi 13

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

The Book of Mormon and latter-day scriptures restore plain and precious truths that help us know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and help us know how to come unto Him.

1-4. Who are the Gentiles?

4-9. What is the great and abominable church? How can you avoid being deceived by people or organizations that would lead you away from Jesus Christ?

"The titles CHURCH OF THE DEVIL and GREAT AND ABOMINABLE CHURCH are used to identify all organizations of whatever name or nature - whether political, philosophical, educational, economic social, fraternal, civic or religious - which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God... Any church or organization of any kind whatever which satisfies the innate religious longings of man and keeps him from coming to the saving truths of Christ and his gospel is therefore not of God." -Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 138

8-9. What are the desires and motivations of the great and abominable church?

12. Who was the man among the Gentiles?

"It was Christopher Columbus whom he saw, and he observed further that the discoverer was guided by divine power on his journey." - Mark E Peterson

"From my youth onward, I was a seaman and have so continued until this day ... The Lord was well disposed to my desire, and he bestowed upon me courage and understanding; knowledge of seafaring He gave me in abundance, of astronomy likewise... I have studied all books - cosmographies, histories, chronicles, and philosophies, and other arts, for which our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my [enterprise] called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Hoy Ghost inspired me?" - Christopher Columbus

13. Why did Nephi describe for us what he saw in those who would oppose the church of God in our day? How does having a knowledge of your opponents purpose, methods, and strategies hope you prepare to defend yourself against them? Why do you think it is important to know that Satan organizes his forces to lead us away from God and His laws?

14. How were the Lamanites scattered before the Gentiles?

27. What is one way Nephi tells us that the abominable church is perverting the right ways of the Lord? What does it mean to pervert something? What are the negative consequences of turning aside or turning away from the right ways of the Lord?

"I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors." - Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 327

29. What does this verse suggest as a reason Satan wanted truths taken from the Bible?

34. What will the Lord bring forth because of his mercy?

35-36. What did the Savior say he hid up to come forth to the Gentiles?

36. What did the angel say was written in the record that was hidden?

39. What other books have come forth that testify to the truth of Jesus Christ? How much different should you be from the rest of the world because you have so many plain and precious truths restored to you? How important is it for you to study and apply them into your life?

"These other books are the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the revelations of The Lord to Joseph Smith." - Joseph Fielding Smith, Man His Origin and Destiny, p. 411-412

40-41. How have the plain and precious truths in the book of Mormon and other latter-day scripture's influenced your testimony of Jesus Christ? How have they helped you understand and live His gospel?

1 Nephi 12

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

As you steadfastly listen to the prophets and follow their counsel you are strengthened to guard against the temptations of the devil and the lure of pride.

1-23. Do you believe that the prophet today sees ahead of his time? Can you think of any examples?

"The Lord has blessed the lives of the Saints thought the Presidents of the Church by enabling these prophets to see ahead of their time. Acting as seers, they have been warned or made aware of future events or challenges long before these appeared on the horizon of human experience." - Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Ensign, October 1997

1-3. How did the growth of the Nephites and Lamanites in the promised land lead to the wars and contentions which Nephi foresaw?

4. What period in the earths history does this verse describe?

5-6. Who visited the Nephites? Which Nephites were privileged to be present when the Savior came? If the Savior were to come tomorrow would you be worthy to be among those who He ministered to?

11-12. How can a people who have seen Christ and had Him minister unto Him fall away in only 200 years?

13-19. What is it about wickedness that is so enticing that people will turn from the light to participate in its darkness? How can you withstand against darkness and temptation?

17. Why do you think that the temptations of the devil are symbolized by mists of darkness? How is giving in to temptation like walking around blindly? Why does Satan desire for us to believe that sin and occupancy in the great and spacious building is so desirable? In truth what is it really like?

"To those of you who are inching your way closer and closer to that great and spacious building, let me make it completely clear that the people in that building have absolutely nothing to offer except instant, short- term gratification inescapably connected to long-term sorrow and suffering. The commandments you observe were not given by a dispassionate God to prevent you from having fun, but by a loving Father in Heaven who wants you to be happy while you are living on this earth as well as in the hereafter." -Glenn L Pace, GC, October 1987

18. Why do you think that a great and spacious building is a good representation of the pride of the world?

19. Why were the Nephites destroyed? How can you guard against pride and avoid the temptations of the devil?

1 Nephi 11

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

The love of God is manifest in the sacrifice of His Son, hence through the powers of the atonement we have the opportunity to have our souls FILLED with JOY. The condescension of Jesus Christ demonstrates God's love for us.

1. What does it take to receive personal revelation? What three things did Nephi do before he received this personal revelation? How can pondering the things you read improve your ability to receive personal revelation?

3. What did Nephi desire? Why do you think he wanted to see the things that his father saw? How was Nephi able to recognize that the dream his father had, had a deeper meaning and was worth investing the time and effort and dedication that it would take for him to learn the meaning of it?

5. Why is it so important to simply believe? What is the opposite of belief? How does doubt weaken the belief that you already have?

"When problems come and questions arise, do not start to question your faith by saying how much you do not have… The true to the faith you do have. Sometimes we act as if an honest declaration of doubt is a higher manifestation of moral courage then is an honest declaration of faith. It is not!… If you and your Family want to be healed, don't let those questions stand in the way of faith working it's miracle." – Jeffrey R Holland, GC, April 2013

6. How does this verse testify to us that to believe is enough?

"Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes." – Jeffrey R Holland, GC, April 2013

"The size of your face or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue – it is the integrity you demonstrate to where the faith you do have and the truth you already know." - Jeffrey R Holland, GC, April 2013

16. What does condescension mean?

"Here was Jesus - a member of the Godhead, the Firstborn of the Father, the Creator, Jehovah of the Old Testament - now leaving His divine and holy station; divesting Himself of all that glory and majesty and entering the body of a tiny infant; helpless, completely dependent in His mother and earthly father. That He should not come to the finest of earthly palaces and be swaddled in purple [a sign of royalty] and showered with jewels but should come to a lowly stable is astonishing. Little wonder that the angel should say to Nephi, 'Behold the condescension of God." - Gerald N Lund, Jesus Christ, Key to the Plan of Salvation [1991], 16

"As I understand the definition of CONDESCENSION, it is the act of descending to a lower and less dignified state; of waiving the privileges of one's rank and status; of bestowing honors and favors upon one of lesser stature or status." -Bruce R McConkie, New Era, December 1984

"In effect, The Lord seems to be asking if Nephi understands how close to man God is willing to come, how far he is willing to go to help us, how much he loves us, how much he does and is willing to do for us." - Marion D Hanks, Ensign, July 1981

22. Why is the atonement of Jesus Christ most desirable and joyous? How does your knowledge of the Atonement of Christ make you feel toward your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ?

26-36. What does the great and spacious building have to do with the crucifixion of Christ and the persecutions of His apostles? Do you know anyone who fights against or makes fun of that which is good? Why do you think they get so angry with those who are trying to keep God's commandments? What can you do to be strong in the face of that kind of criticism?

"It was through pride that Christ was crucified. The Pharisees were wroth because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which was a threat to their position, and so they plotted His death." - Ezra Taft Benson, GC, April 1989 

28-31. How do theses verses show the Savior's love for His people? How do you feel this relates to His love for you today? How does the condescension of Christ affect your feelings and love for Him?

"As the one who was chosen to fulfill the requirements of the Atonement, Jesus Christ condescended... to be tempted, tried, mocked, judged, and crucified, even though He had power and authority to prevent such actions. President John Taylor described the condescension of Christ in these beautiful words: 'it was further necessary that he should descend below all things in order that he might raise others above all things…' Christ's suffering in the garden of Gethsemane epitomizes the most magnificent of all the attributes of Christ. His perfect love. Here we see that he truly loved all of us… The Atonement is an event that enables us to be reconciled to God… In terms of family, it means to be reunited with one another and with God and his Son, Jesus Christ. It means sadness through separation will become happiness through reuniting." – Earl C Tingey, GC, April 2006

1 Nephi 10

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

God reveals truth to all those who seek diligently receive the mysteries of God.

1.what did Nephi do to prepare us to be able to understand his record?

"Up to now Nephi had been summarizing the experiences of his father and abridging the record of Lehi. Now Nephi began an account of his own reign and ministry, which, of course, necessitated that a few more details of the teachings of Lehi and the doings of Laman and Lemuel be included." - Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L Millet, Doctrinal commentary on the Book of Mormon, 1:62

4-6. Why do we need a Redeemer?

Imagine being trapped in a pit... "This was precisely the condition that Adam placed himself and his posterity in, when he partook of the forbidden fruit. All being together in the pit, none could gain the surface and relieve the others. The pit was banishment from the presence of The Lord and temporal death, the dissolution of the body. And all being subject to death, none could provide the means of escape. Therefore, in his infinite mercy, the Father heard the cries of his children and sent his Only Begotten Son, who was not subject to death nor to sin, to provide the means of escape. This he did through his infinite atonement and the everlasting gospel." - Doctrines of Salvation 1:27

"Imagine... that your sins have pulled you into the bottom of a deep pit. From a cliff high above, The Lord tosses a rope to you - the rope of mercy. In order for the rope to be of any help, you must tie it around you and fasten it with the knot of repentance. This is the only way to be pulled free of sin. In a very real way, repentance is one of the gifts we give to our Savior when we 'offer a sacrifice unto The Lord [our] God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit'. Through repentance, we may 'come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need'. Nephi taught: 'For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.' The grace of Jesus Christ makes up for our deficiencies when we are striving with all of our hearts to obey. Then we are promised that we will receive grace for grace unto salvation." -Ted E Brewerton, Ensign, December 1994

"Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind. And no other book in the world explains this vital doctrine nearly as well as the Book of Mormon." - Ezra Taft Benson, GC, April, 1987

14. What does it mean to be grafted in to the tree or the house of Israel? How are you as a member of the Church helping to gather scattered Israel?

17-19. What did Nephi desire to know? How do you think your desires affect your ability to receive revelation? What do you desire to know from The Lord? What are several things Nephi believed in that led to revelation? How do you think these beliefs might affect your ability to receive revelation today? Do you believe what The Lord has revealed to you? When have you felt God answered your prayers or felt promptings from the Spirit while you were diligently seeking help or guidance from The Lord? What is one way you can more diligently seek inspiration from The Lord?

17. What did Nephi feel after hearing about his fathers vision? What can you do with your ears, your eyes, and your heart to be able to see, to hear, and to feel messages from your Heavenly Father?

19. What are the mysteries of God? How are the mysteries of God revealed to you? What do you think it means to diligently seek the mysteries of God?

"The term mysteries of God as used in the Book of Mormon denotes the saving principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are termed mysteries because they are unavailable to the natural man, not because they are mysterious or difficult to understand. They must be revealed from God through faith and obedience. They are  designed to lead God's children to eternal life. 'A mystery is a truth that cannot be known except through divine revelation - a sacred secret.'" -Hyrum M Smith and Janne M Sjodahl, The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p. 141

1 Nephi 9

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

The Lord knows our mistakes and weaknesses even before we do and with that infinite knowledge, He prepares a way for us to be delivered from our sins... Even thousands of years before they occur.

5-6. Have you ever done something, just to be obedient, that didn't seem to make sense at the time, only to find out the reason later and then you were glad you obeyed? Why is important to obey The Lord even when we don't fully understand His reasons?

"At least six times in the Book of Mormon, the phrase 'for a wise purpose' is used in reference to the making, writing, and preserving of the small plates of Nephi. We know one such wise purpose - the most obvious one - was to compensate for the  future loss of 116 pages of manuscript translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith from the first part of the Book of Mormon. But it strikes me that there is a 'wiser purpose' than that, or perhaps more accurately, a 'wiser purpose' in that. The key to such a suggestion is in D&C 10:45. As The Lord instructs Joseph Smith on the procedure for translating and inserting the material from the small plates into what had been begun as the translation of the abridged large plates, he says, 'Behold, there are many things engraved upon the [small] plates of Nephi which do throw GREATER VIEWS upon my gospel. So clearly... we got back more than we lost. And it was known from the beginning that it would be so. We do not know exactly what we have missed on the lost 116 pages, but we do know that what we received on the small plates was the personal declarations of three great witnesses, three of the great doctrinal voices of the Book of Mormon, testifying that Jesus is the Christ." - Jeffrey R Holland, Ensign, January 1996

The Lord went to a lot of effort to bring these words to us. How can you show your appreciation to Him for these records which you are so blessed to have?

1 Nephi 8

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

All people are invited to the tree of life but because of unbelief and temptation, many will not come. Coming to Jesus Christ and partaking of His Atonement brings happiness and joy. Pride, worldliness, and submitting to temptations can keep you from receiving the blessings of the Atonement. If we hold fast to the word of God, it will help us overcome temptation and worldly influences. Holding fast to the word of God helps us grow closer to the Lord and receive the blessings of the Atonement. As you follow and hold fast to the word of God, you can overcome obstacles that would prevent you from partaking of the Atonement and receiving true joy.

1-2. What method did The Lord use to talk to Lehi?

"Revelation is communication from God to man. It can occur in many different ways. Some prophets, like Moses and Joseph Smith have talked with God face to face. Some persons have had personal communication with angels. Other revelations have come, ... as 'through the dreams of sleep or in waking visions of the mind.' In its more familiar forms, revelation or inspiration comes by means of words or thoughts communicated to the mind, by sudden enlightenment, by positive or negative feelings about proposed courses of action, or even by inspiring performances, as in the performing arts." - Dallin H Oaks, New Era, September 1982 

"Inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound." - Boyd K Packer, GC, October 1979

1-36.What is the meaning of Lehi's dream? How are the scriptures like a rod of iron that lead you to the Savior? How has the Atonement brought you great joy? What must you do now and in the future to receive all of the blessings of the Atonement? What obstacles might you need to overcome to do so? How do the choices you make affect your closeness to The Lord and you ability to feel His love? What things do you need to do and what things should you avoid to come closer to The Lord and feel His love more powerfully in your life?

"Seeing mortality as a wilderness fraught with darkness, dreariness, and moral hazards is essential to understanding Lehi's dream. (Lehi's own life experience made this imagery both natural and appropriate.) the central message of this dream is that there is a 'tree, whose fruit is desirable to make one happy' - 'the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.' This love has as its ultimate statement 'the condescension of God' through the advent of Jesus Christ in the flesh to minister among men and then to be 'lifted upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.' The challenge of mortality is to find and remain close to this tree, with its divine fruit, in the midst of avast moral and spiritual wilderness. Some means of direction is needed. In his dream, Lehi followed the man in the white robe, his compass bearer on a journey that lasted many hours through a dark and dreary waste. Eventually Lehi's followership led him to his celestial destination. The dream then teaches that he who would follow in Lehi's path, which is strait and narrow, will find a rod of iron beside the path - the word of God - to which the wayfarer must holdfast in order to find the tree and partake of the fruit. The path and the rod of iron, though passing perilously by the precipice of spiritual death, nonetheless will safely guide the seeking traveler through mortality's wasteland." -Lance B Wickman. Ensign, June 1996

"You may think that Lehi's dream of vision has no special meaning for you, but it does. You are in it' all of us are in it... Lehi's dream or vision of the iron rod has in it everything a Latter-day Saint needs to understand the test of life." - Boyd K Packer, Ensign, August 2010

7-10. How was Lehi delivered from darkness? How has prayer lifted you in your darkest hours and helped you to see the world more clearly?

10-11. What is the central image of Lehi's vision? How does Lehi describe this tree? What does the fruit represent? Why did Lehi want to get to the tree? What did Lehi do with the fruit?

"The tree of life... is the love of God. The love of God for His children is most profoundly expressed in His gift of Jesus as our Redeemer: 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.' To partake of the love of God is to partake of Jesus' Atonement and the emancipations [freedom from restraint of sin] and joys which it can bring." - Neal A Maxwell, GC, October 1999

12. What  happened after Lehi partook of the fruit? When has the Savior's Atonement brought happiness and joy into your life? Why should we, like Lehi, desire that our family and friends experience the blessings of the Atonement after we have experienced them? We cannot decide whether others will choose to partake of the love of God. However, we can invite and encourage them. How could you invite and encourage someone you know to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement?

20-24. How did the rod of iron help individuals find their way to the tree of life? What do you have in your life that act as a rod of iron that guides you toward the tree of life? How consistently do you hold onto the rod of iron?

21-33. How do the filthiness of the world, Satan's temptations and the pride of the world slow or hinder your spiritual progress?

25. How can you get to the tree and stay there? Why did some become ashamed after they go to the tree? Why do you think Lehi wasn't ashamed? Which group would you want to be in?

26. Why do some people make fun of those who are trying to keep God's commandments? What is the best thing to do when people make fun of you for trying to be good?

"Have good associates or don't associate at all., Be careful in the selection of your friends. If in the presence of certain persons you are lifted to nobler heights, you are in good company. But if your friends or associates encourage base thoughts then you had best leave them." -Ezra Taft Benson, 'God, Family, Country', p. 241

30. What do you need to do in order for the word of God to safely lead you to the tree of life? When has the word of God guided you and kept you safe from temptation, pride or worldliness? When has the word of God helped you come closer to the Savior? 

1 Nephi 7

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

The Lord commands us to marry and raise up children unto Him. The Lord strengthens all those who diligently seek Him and follow His prophets, but He withdraws His Spirit from those who reject him and seek wickedness. God answers prayers according to our faith. The Lord requires us to forgive each and every person that offends us in any way to any degree regardless of whether they are repentant or not.

1-2. How important are families to The Lord? How important is your family to you? Do the members of your family know how grateful you are for them? Why are families important to God's plan? What does it mean to raise up seed unto The Lord?

"We the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." - The Family: A Proclamation to the World

"The most important things that any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ever does in this world are: 1. To marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority; and 2. Too keep the covenant made in connection with this holy and perfect order of matrimony - thus assuring the obedient persons of an inheritance of exaltation in the celestial kingdom." - Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 118

3. What is so important about marriage and family that The Lord would command Nephi and his brothers to endure the many days of hard travel through the wilderness to return to Jerusalem?

4-5. How did The Lord help Ishmael and his family accept the invitation to join Lehi's family in the wilderness? How does The Lord prepare you for the hard things that you will face? How do you feel about change and challenges? How can you come to accept change as a blessing rather than a trial?

5-12. Notice the word 'heart' and 'hearts'. How was Ishmael's heart difference from the hearts of Laman and Lemuel? In what condition is your own heart? What should we do and what should we remember to help our hearts stay soft?

6-7. What is the source of rebellion?

8-12. What three truths did Nephi say his brothers had forgotten? How could remembering those three truths have helped Laman and Lemuel be faithful to the Lord? How can remembering what the Lord has done for you help you be faithful in choosing to follow him?

13. Why is it comforting to know that all things which the Lord hath spoken must be fulfilled? What are some promises the Lord has made to you and your family that make you happy and hopeful?

14–15. Why is it essential to remember what the Lord has done for you and to follow his guidance?

16-18. What great miracle did Nephi experience because of his prayer of faith? Why is it important for you to remember the miracles the Lord has performed in your life?

17. What does it mean to pray in faith?

"Do you know what I likely would have prayed for if I had been tied up by my brothers? My prayer would have included a request for something bad to happen to my brothers and ended with the phrase wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren or, in other words, please get me out of this mess now! It is especially interesting to me that Nephi did not pray, as I probably would have prayed, to have his circumstances changed. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances. And I suggest that he prayed in this manner precisely because he knew and understood and have experienced the enabling power of the atonement of the Savior… The implication of this episode for each of us is quite straightforward. As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon." – David A Bednar, In the Strength of the Lord, BYU 2001–2002 Speeches

18. When in your life have you prayed with faith and recognize the Lords answer to your prayer? How can you follow Nephi's example to pray and seek strength to change your circumstances rather than praying for your circumstances to be changed?

19. How can a plea for righteousness soften the hearts of those who intend to do evil?

20-21. Why was Nephi so quick to forgive? Why is it so important that family members be willing to forgive one another?

"ESSENTIAL STEPS TO REPENTANCE

1. Soften your heart

2. Stop doing the sin

3.  Ask others for their forgiveness

4. Pray to the Lord for forgiveness"

-Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: the Book of Mormon, p. 23

"He who will not forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he himself must travel." – Spencer W Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 269

"A common error is the idea that the offender must apologize and humble himself to the dust before forgiveness is required. Certainly, the one who does the injury should totally make his adjustment, but as for the offended one he must forgive the offender regardless of the attitude of the other…" – Spencer W Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 282

"Yes to be in the right we must forgive, and we must do so without regard to whether or not our enemy repents, or how sincere is his transformation, or whether or not he asks our forgiveness." – Spencer W Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 283

1-22. How would it make you feel if you were treated by your family members the way Laman and Lemuel treated their family? What did Nephi do for his family that impresses you? What could you do to follow Nephi's example? Why do you think it is important to treat your family members with love, kindness, respect, and forgiveness?

1-22. How are your actions evidence of the choices that you make? How can you tell which side people are on today? What are some of the advantages of being on the Lords side?