Monday, April 29, 2013

Turning Back

Nephi went through an experience that I can relate to on an almost daily basis: he turned back. Turning back was not unique to Nephi, many other prophets have had to do a similar thing including Samuel the Lamanite, Nephi (later in the BOM), Jonah, Moses, Abraham, and many others. These prophets all felt inspired to return to an area, or people, that they thought they were done with. In 1 Nephi 3, Nephi is told to return to Jerusalem to retrieve the golden plates, and he promptly returns "without murmuring". His brothers Laman and Lemuel tried any excuse not too turn back, but Nephi knew he had to turn back in order to get the brass plates. And he also had great faith in the commandments. He said "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." He didn't hesitate to turn back.

But it isn't always hard to turn back, here are some things it is easy, although sometimes inconvenient, to turn back for

free food
something you lost
something essential for your day
your wallet
to brush your teeth
ice cream

Yet other things it is sometimes hard to turn back for like...

helping someone on the side of the road when you are in a hurry
reading your scriptures every day
saying your family and personal prayers
returning things you have borrowed
saying "I am sorry"

So what makes the top list different from the bottom list. It depends on what we think is essential. My father always stated that we rarely if ever forget to brush our teeth in the morning. If we treated saying our prayers as essential to our health as brushing our teeth then we wouldn't forget.

As a father and husband I need to "turn back" and do what will make my family happy.



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