Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed Unto It"

8/3/2019 Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed Unto It"

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Gospel Doctrine, Lesson 5: Hearken to the Truth,and Give Heed unto It, 1 Nephi 16-22

Wadi Tayyib al-Ism, could be the Valley of Lemuel,

this is currently the only known river that continual

flows into the Red Sea.

Then Ishmael died and was buried in the place which was called Nahom (1 Ne. 16:34)

The place pictured here lies in the general area where the group traveled and for many

years has had variations of the nameNahom associated with it. In recent years archae-

ologists have discovered these stone altars, which have a form of the nameNahom in-scribed on them and date back to the sixth or seventh century B.C., during Lehis day.http://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/01/was-lehi-here?lang=eng

While we cant trace their exact route, we can stillget a sense of the general areas where Lehi and

his family traveled and, by doing so, gain an even

greater appreciation for what they went through.Recent research gives us a clearer picture of some

of these areas and the conditions Lehis group

would have encountered.

Although the precise route of Lehis family is not known, they would likel

have crossed such a sandy waste while traveling in the desert between Nahand Bountiful. This part of the journey would have been especially difficu


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At Bountiful, Nephi did go into the mount oft, and [hdid pray oft unto the Lord (1 Nephi 18:3). The peak sho

here is representative of where Nephi may have gone

pray to the Lord and to receive instruction.

The cliffs pictured here have hives of honeybees in them.

The power of the Holy Ghost must ever be the chief

source of evidence for the truth of the Book of Mormon.

All other evidence is secondary to this. No arrange-ment of evidence, however skillfully ordered; no argu-

ment, however adroitly made, can ever take its place.

[However,] secondary evidences in support of truth, like

secondary causes in natural phenomena, may be of first-rate importance, and mighty factors in the achievement of

Gods purposes.

Elder B. H. Roberts (18571933) of the Seventy,New Witnesses for

God, 3 vols. (1909), 2:viiviii.

#1: The word curioushas changed meanings over the past nearly two centuries. In Joseph Smith

day the word meant made with care, skillfully wrought with art, elegant, and exactness of workmaship. (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew Skinner, Verse by Verse The Book of Mormon, 70)

#2: From time to time, the Lord has provided his prophets with physical devices to assist and direthem and their people. We know that there was more than one Urim and Thumim (see Bible Dictionarpp. 786-87). (David J. Ridges, The Book of Mormon Made Easier, Part 1, 113)

#3: Our daily pointers are prayer, scripture study, and obediencesmall means that bring aboutgreat results. The gift of the Holy Ghost, like the Liahona, functions only upon our faith, diligence,

and obedience. The phrase and thus we see signals some important lesson that we should no

miss. The lesson in this first instance is that the Lord by small and simple means can bring about

great things. It is not a matter of walking back to Jackson County; it is walking or driving over tovisit and lift those we home teach or visit teach. It is not whether you are willing to die for the caus

of Christ but whether you will daily study his words and daily talk with Heavenly Father in humbleprayer. (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew Skinner, Verse by Verse The Book of Mormon, 70)
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/18.3?lang=eng#2http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/18.3?lang=eng#2


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#4: President Harold B. Lee said: Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do ex-

actly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to givheed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet, as he receiveth them

walking in all holiness before me, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith (D&C 21:4-5).

There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority

the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some oyour social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, t

promise is that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the lord God will disperse the powers of dar

ness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his names glory (D&C 21:6). (The TeachingHarold B. Lee, 525-26)

#5: Elder Robert D. Hales tells us: I have come to understand how useless it is to dwell on the whys, wifs, and if onlysfor which there likely will be given no answers in mortality. To receive the Lords comf

we must exercise faith. The questions Why me? Why our family? Why now? are usually unanswerablequestions. These questions detract from our spirituality and can destroy our faith. We need to spend our

time and energy building our faith by turning to the Lord and asking for strength to overcome the pains a

trials of this world and to endure to the end for greater understanding (CR Oct 1998, 16)

#6: Elder Richard G. Scott encourages us: May I share some suggestions with you who face the testing

that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and obedient to His commandments. Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multipldoses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evi

dence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11-12) He therefore gives you expe

ences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get y

from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort apain (CR, Oct 1995, 18)

#7: Elder Neal A. Maxwell shared how great lessons often come after difficulties: Nephis broken bow

doubtless brought to him some irritation, but not immobilizing bitterness. After all, he was just trying to

feed the extended family, so why should he have to contend as well with a broken bow? Yet out of that epsode came a great teaching moment. Irritation often precedes instruction (If Thou Endure It Well, 128)

#8: Elder Marion D. Hanks emphasized Nephis great character in how he approached this crisis: Wha

to do? Nephi says he made a bow and an arrow out of some available wood, got a sling and stones and,

said unto my Father, Whither shall I go to obtain food? It is a simple thing, isnt it? This means th

Nephi went to his father and said, Dad, the Lord has blessed you. You are his servant. I need to knowwhere to go to get food. Dad, you ask him, will you? Oh, he could have gone to his own knees. He coul

have taken over. I count this as one of the really significant lessons of life in the book, and I repeat, the pages are fu

of them. A son who had strength enough, and humility enough, and manliness enough to go to his wavering superio

and say, You ask God, will you? because somehow he knew this is how you make men strong, that wise confidenin men builds them. Lehi asked God and God told him, and Lehis leadership was restored (Steps to Learning, BYUSpeeches of the Year, May 4, 1960)

#9: Some years ago a good friend called me one evening and said, Dave, do you know how true the Book of Mor

mon is? I said, Tell me. How true is it? He asked, Do you know why Nephi made an arrow out of a stick to uwith the wood bow he had just made? Why didnt he simply use one of the arrows he had for his steel bow, which h

broke? I replied that I hadnt ever even thought about that. He went on to say that he had become interested in arch

ery, and upon reading this part of the Book of Mormon again, it occurred to him that the steel bow would use rela-

tively short arrows, but the wooden bow would bend back much farther than a steel bow, thus , the wood bow woulrequire considerably longer arrows...He concluded our telephone conversation by expressing his testimony He fe

that there was no way that Joseph Smith could have even known about such things from practical experience in his

day, in order to fabricate such an account and now I, too, marvel even more at the truthfulness of the Book of Momon each time I read this account of Nephis broken steel bow. (David J. Ridges, The Book of Mormon Made Easier, 117)


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#10: Hunting in the mountains of Arabia to this day is carried out on foot and without hawks or dogs, in classical

times the hunter in this area was equipped with a bow and slingexactly like Nephi. Nephis discovery that the best hunting was only at the top of the mountain agrees with later experience,

for the oryx is a shy animal that travels far and fast over steppe and desert in search of food but retires ever to the a

most inaccessible sand-mountains for safety In western Arabia the mountains are not sand but rock, and

Burkhard...reports that in these mountains between Medina and the sea, all the way northward (this is bound to in-clude Lehis area) mountain goats are met, and the leopard are not uncommon. Julius Euting has left us vivid de-

scriptions of the danger, excitement, and exhaustion that go with hunting of the big game that abounds in these mou

tains, which are, by the way, very steep and rugged. (Hugh Nibley,Lehi in the Desert, 67)

#11: According to the ancient Arab writers, the only bow0wood obtainable in all Arabia was the nabwood thatgrew only amid the inaccessible and overhanging crags of Mount Jasum and Mount Azd, which are situated in th

very region where, if we follow the Book of Mormon, the broken bow incident occurred.

How many factors must be correctly conceived and correlated to make the apparently simple story of Neph

bow ring true! The high mountain near the Red Sea at a considerable journey down the coast, the game on the peakhunting with a bow and sling, the finding of bow-wood viewed as something of a miracle by the partywhat are

chances of reproducing such a situation by mere guesswork? (Ibid., 68)

#12: Concerning the name of the place where Ishmael died, Dr. Nibley states: Note that this is not a place which

we called Nahom, but the place which was so-called, a desert burial ground. Jaussen reports...that though Bedouinsometimes bury the dead where they die, many carry the remains great distances to bury them. The Arabic root, nh

(vowels must be supplied) has the basic meaning of to sigh or moan, and occurs nearly always in the third form,

sigh of moan with another. (Ibid., 90-91)

#13: It must have been an impressive and ominous experience for the complaining women and the four men (who

were right in the midst of plotting a murder) to suddenly hear the voice of God split the silence of the heavens andcommence rebuking them. It was no minor chastisement. The scripture says the Lord declared many words to the

and did chasten them exceedingly.

No wonder the rebels ceased to be angry with Lehi and Nephi and repented so deeply that the Lord was ab

to start blessing them again. The Lord knew that what was about to happen to them would require that they be eligifor miraculous quantities of blessings, so it was most fortunate that the company once more became united and hum

bly awaited the Lords next command. (Cleon Skousen, Treasures from the Book of Mormon, 1-99)

#14: Elder L. Tom Perry said, This is one of the more interesting stories we have in the scriptures be-cause it tells of an instance in which the lord provided help but then stepped aside to allow one of His so

to exercise his own initiative. I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if Nephi had aske

the Lord for tools instead of a place to find the ore to make the tools. I doubt the Lord would have honorNephis request. You see, the Lord knew that Nephi could make the tools, and it is seldom the Lord will

something for us that we can do for ourselves (CR, Nov., 1991)

MORE QUOTATIONS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST:

President Spencer W. Kimball: Solitude is rich and profitable. When we pray alone with God, we shed all sham an

pretense, all hypocrisy and arrogance. The Savior found his mountains and slipped away to pray. Paul, the great ap

tle, could not seem to get into the spirit of his new calling until he had found cleansing solitude down in Arabia. He

went into solitude a worldly man and came out cleansed, prepared, regenerated. He was born of water in a Damascriver and of the spirit in an Arabian solitude. Enos found his solitary place in the forest. Moriancumer went to the

mountain top to ask the Lord to touch the stones to light his peoples way. And Nephi learned to build a ship throug

communication with his Lord on a mountain far from human ears. Joseph Smith found his solitude in the grove witonly birds and trees and God to listen to his prayer. In solitude we, too, may pray with greater depth and fervor. (FPrecedes the Miracle, 209)


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Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained why we should accept the Lords correction even if it is painful: God is not only

there in the mildest expressions of His presence, but also in those seemingly harsh expressions. For example, whentruth cutteth to the very center (1 Ne. 16:2), this may signal that spiritual surgery is underway, painfully severin

pride from the soul. (CR, Oct 1987, 37)

1 Ne 17:14: Right now, as we journey through our mortal lives, we do much on faith. But when we actually arrive

heaven (the promised land) we will then know positively that the Lord is God, that he exists, and we will becomeaware of the many times He intervened in our lives while here on earth. We will know that He delivered us from

spiritual destruction and bondage through the Atonement of Christ. We will know that he brought us out of the worand worldliness and into heaven. (Cleon Skousen, Treasures from the Book of Mormon, 127)

1 Ne. 17:52 The gentle approach of the still small voice could not humble them. But the threat of physical destrution does. In many ways, such is the case in our day (see D&C 88:88-90) We understand this to be the root cause o

so many natural disasters and upheavals in nature in the last days. It is a final attempt by the Lord to get peoples at

tention so that they can repent. Otherwise, they will be destroyed by the final wars, etc. or at the actual Second Com

ing. (Ibid., 136)

Critics of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon have ridiculed the idea that there were horses in the New World

However, solid evidence has since surfaced that horses were indeed in America before Columbus arrived. The follo

ing quote from page 19 of the 1996Book of MormonStudent Manualeliminates the criticism. It reads as follows: Joseph Smith had been writing the Book of Mormon instead of translating it from ancient records, he would have

been very foolish to have included references to horses on the American continent in Book of Mormon times. In

1830, nearly all the historians and scholars were convinced that there had been no horses on the American continenbefore the coming of Columbus. After the Book of Mormon was published, however, archaeological discoveries w

made that clearly indicate that horses were in the Americas before Columbus. Arrived. In the asphalt deposits of Ra

cho LaBrea in southern California, numerous fossil remains of horses have been found that antedate Book of Mormtimes. Although these discoveries do not absolutely prove horses were in the Americas in the time period covered b

the Book of Moron they do prove horses were there before Columbus. (Ibid., 141-42)

A mission presidents counsel to his missionaries:

Are you struggling, discouraged, wondering if you can make it?

Here is some encouragement from Nephi (liken his words to yourself):1 Nephi 3:5-7, 15

4:6

9:6

15:1117:3, 13

18:3

18:1618:21I prayed...and there was a great calm

2 Nephi 10:20 (first half)

10:23 (first line)32:3 (second half)

4: 17-35 (!) (Ibid., 74-5)

If Joseph Smith has been writing the Book of Mormon on his own, he certainly would not have described this partArabia as a desert wilderness. The consensus in his day was that the center of the Arabian peninsula was a broad vi

of lovely trees and beautiful lakesabounding in game.

The most popular guide book of that period gave this erroneous description for the interior of Arabia and thsaid the coastline was a rock wall as dismal and barren as can be: not a blade of grass or a green thing, can be

found. When modern explorers finally charted the interior of Arabia they found it to be just opposite from the 1825

guidebook, but exactly the way the Book of Mormon had described it. (Ibid., 1-100)


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Lessons from the Potter and the Clay

CAMILLE FRONK

Camille Fronk was an instructor in the Department of Ancient Scripture when

this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 7 March 1995.

Let me tell you about some people I know. One is a woman who served a full-time mission when it was not fashionable to be a s

er missionary. She received no financial support nor spiritual encouragement from her family. Upon returning, she worked her whrough college and graduate school, marrying when most considered her rather old. After her children were born, her husband lhis job; he has yet to find permanent employment. However, by taking temporary jobs here and there, including those the family

could do together, this woman and her husband have survived financially for several years. The couple serves faithfully in Churcallings, finding numerous opportunities to encourage and assist those who are in need. Whenever I visit their relatively small an

humble home, I am struck by their simultaneous expressions of gratitude, peace, and joy and their enthusiastic pursuit of knowl-

edge.

I know another woman who was widowed at age twenty-four, after only three years of marriage. She worked hard to support heryoung family and eventually became a very successful businesswoman. At the height of her career, as a result of a client's disho

est dealings, she lost her business and any capital to begin again. Today she struggles financially and is learning to live a much s

pler lifestyle. However, she considers herself wealthy because she has grandchildren and opportunities to expand her understand

and appreciation of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

What do these two friends of mine have in common? Life has rarely, if ever, been easy for them. It has not been at all what they

had expected, nor does it appear that it will become easier in the future. Yet they continue to trust in the Lord.

Many of you may be feeling great concern as you look to the future. You are often reminded that the most critical decisions in liare made during these, your college years. You hear frantic reports of a diminishing job market, a shrinking marriage market, an

expanding competition to get what little there is of each. Fears of losing a scholarship, running out of tuition money, never havindate, and lacking the intellect to complete graduation requirements can keep you perpetually burdened with doubt and worry. W

he Savior proclaims, "Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you" (D&C 68:6), we somimes conclude he couldn'tpossiblybe talking to students. We think that not until after we graduate, marry, and settle into a care

can we experience a life that is rejoicing, relaxing, and reassuring. That is, until you talk to those who have graduated, married, a

are settled in a career and find that many of them worry, too.

My remarks today are an attempt to dispel some of our worries and concerns. When the Lord invites us to "cast [our] burden" up

him (Psalms 55:22), I believe he is talking to us now, regardless of our current lot in life. When he said, "I am come that [ye] mihave life, and that [ye] might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10), I don't believe he meant only after retirement but that we c

enjoy peace and happiness now.

President Ezra Taft Benson said:

I hope that we will keep ever burning in our hearts the spirit of this great work which we represent.

If we do so, we'll have no anxiety. We'll have no fear. We'll not worry about the future because the Lord has given us the assura

that if we live righteously, if we keep his commandments, if we humble ourselves before him, all will be well. [So Shall Ye Reap,

comp. Reed A. Benson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1960), pp. 5859]

Actually, if directed properly, our worries and fears may be the very emotions that lead us to where we need to be. Sister Virgin

Pearce said,

The uncertainties of earth life can help to remind each of us that we are dependent on [our Heavenly Father].But that reminder

not automatic. It involves our agency. We mustchoose to take our fears to him, choose to trust him, andchoose to allow him to drect us. We must make these choices when what we feel most inclined to do is to rely more and more on our own frantic and ofte

distorted thinking. ["Fear,"Ensign,November 1992, p. 90; emphasis in original]

How do we direct our fears and worries to the Lord so that we can focus our energies on the things that really matter?

The scriptures are filled with glorious imagery that leads to deeper appreciation of the Lord's counsel to us. Today I would like t

use the symbolism of how a potter transforms clay into a valuable and useful vessel to show the Lord's guiding hand in our livesam indebted to Brian Christensen, assistant professor of ceramics here at BYU. He generously gave of his time to both demonstr

and explain the process of forming clay pots. The slides you will see show one of his current students engaged in the ceramic pro

ess and some of Professor Christensen's completed pieces.


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Old Testament prophets used the metaphor of the potter and the clay to teach a particular dimension of our relationship to the Lo

and remind us of our dependence on him. In Isaiah we read: "But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our

potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie identified the potter in the metaphor as Christ, "meaning that he governs in the affairs of men so as to

mould and shape earthen human vessels into vessels of honor and service to him" (MD,p. 580). By understanding the process required to form a clay vessel, we are able to more fully appreciate the role the Savior, or the Master Potter, performs in our own

ives.

First, let's look at the qualities in the clay itself. This readily available raw material is part of the earth. It is in itself one of God'screations. We are struck from the very beginning by the humility and unpretentiousness manifest in unworked clay. How approp

ate to compare our mortal bodies to tabernacles of clay (see Mosiah 3:5), a lowly substance capable of being formed into vessels

glory. It reminds us of our own nothingness without the skills, the vision, and the sacrifice of the Master Potter.

Of all sculpting materials, clay responds the easiest to touch and retains the most minute detail, even a thumbprint. Each detail cbe changed innumerable times until the potter is satisfied and declares the vessel complete. As sons and daughters of God, each

us bears his imprint. Jesus alluded to our bearing the imprint of God when he taught in Jerusalem. A group of Pharisees andHerodians, attempting to trap Jesus with their cunning questions, asked, "What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Ca

sar, or not?" Jesus drew their attention to Tiberius' image engraved on a Roman coin and responded, "Render therefore unto Cae

he things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (see Matthew 22:1522). If the coin belongs to Caesar, wh

hen belongs to God? Elder James E. Talmage suggested the following:

Every human soul is stamped with the image and superscription of God, however blurred and indistinct the line may have becom

through the corrosion or attrition of sin; and as unto Caesar should be rendered the coins upon which his effigy appeared, so unGod should be given the souls that bear His image. Render unto the world the stamped pieces that are made legally current by tnsignia of worldly powers, and give unto God and His service, yourselves--the divine mintage of His eternal realm. [Jesus the

Christ(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1956), pp. 54647]

In the metaphor of the potter, the Lord's handiwork and detail in the clay is an enduring reminder that he has formed us and that

will "not be forgotten of [him]" (Isaiah 44:21).

However, the clay is not without its weaknesses. Initially it is unresponsive and requires at least three preparatory treatments bef

t can be shaped. First, the potter must add water--another seemingly simple element, but one that has vital properties. Water brin

he clay to life. The symbolic water we receive from the Savior is as critical to our existence as physical water is to the clay. To

Samaritan woman drawing water from a well, Jesus taught:

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a wellwater springing up into everlasting life. [John 4:14]

Elder Bruce R. McConkie described this "everlasting water" as the "words of eternal life, the message of salvation, the truths ab

God and his kingdom; it is the doctrines of the gospel" (seeDoctrinal New Testament Commentary 1 [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft

1965], pp. 15152). These everlasting truths keep our hopes and faith in Christ alive. They are essential to our ability to endure.

Another form of preparation occurs when the potter dries out the clay while kneading it and eliminating air pockets. In ancient

imes the clay was even trodden underfoot to form the paste (see Isaiah 41:25). These "kneadings" of the potter can be paralleleddisappointments and at times severe challenges we experience individually or as a people. They are not intended to destroy but

have a refining capacity to bring increased perspective and wisdom. In 1855 Elder Wilford Woodruff told the Saints to trust the

hands of the potter, particularly during their current hardships. He said:

The chastisements we have had from time to time have been for our good, and are essential to learn wisdom, and carry us throu

a school of experience we never could have passed through without. I hope, then, that we may learn from the experience we havhad to be faithful, and humble, and be passive in the hands of God, and do His commandments. [JD 2:198]

Joseph Smith recognized the growth and progress that came from his life of adversity. Likening himself to a rough stone, he said

The only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with acceleratedforce against religious bigotry, priestcraft, lawyer-craft, doctor-craft, lying editors, . . . backed by mobs, blasphemers, licentious

and corrupt men and women--all hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished

shaft in the quiver of the Almighty. [Teachings,p. 304]

Sometimes I think we expect that our lives will be free from hardship, suffering, and pain if we just continue to pay our tithing,read our scriptures, and do our home and visiting teaching most of the time. We like to focus on scripture passages that proclaim

God's love and concern for us, concluding that he will therefore protect us from any discomfort and distress if we are at least try


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o keep his commandments. We are then surprised when we get sick right before finals, or we lose our job while trying to save

money for a mission, or what looks like a tragedy hits a strong family in the ward. We may be wiser to also notice scriptures wh

he Lord says:

Whom I love I also chasten. [D&C 95:1]

My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion;

and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom. [D&C 136:31]

Remember that the Savior came to "heal" broken hearts, not to prevent them. It is also helpful to note that one meaning of the w

chaste is "pure," and, therefore, to "chasten" also means to "purify" (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1981).

During the kneading process, the potter will become aware of stones and other foreign objects mixed in with the clay. They willneed to be identified and removed by running a wire through the clay as the final preparation to shaping. In reference to the pott

and clay metaphor, Brigham Young identified a part that we must assume in this cleansing. He said, "It is my business to . . . usehe wire to draw from the lump any material that would obstruct the potter from preparing a vessel unto honor" (JD 4:23). In the

analogy, it is important to recognize that our responsibility is not a passive one. It is through the process of repentance, confessin

and forsaking our sins, that we do our part to become pure and receptive in the hands of the Potter.

Now that the clay is pliable and free from debris, the potter is ready to anchor the clay wedge on a wheel. In a sure and confiden

manner, the potter presses the clay down and brings it up until it is not only centered on the outside but eventually centered at itsvery core. It is critical that the clay be totally centered or it can never respond to the directives of the potter and therefore never b

formed into a vessel of honor. When the clay does not deviate to the left nor to the right, the potter knows it is centered. Elder

Heber C. Kimball, a potter himself by trade, taught, "What makes the clay snap? Because it wants its own way; and you cannot bhappy unless you submit to the law of God, and to the principles of His government" (JD 2:154).

Our focused faith in Christ even enables us to perform beyond our natural abilities. Recall Peter when he walked on water. I am

disappointed when I hear those who claim the incident shows that Peter was lacking in faith. If we accuse Peter of not having fawhat must we conclude about the eleven who remained in the boat? President Howard W. Hunter explained the source of Peter's

success in walking on the water and why that success subsided. He said:

While [Peter's] eyes were fixed upon the Lord, the wind might toss his hair and the spray might drench his robes, but all was welOnly when with wavering faith he removed his glance from the Master to look at the furious waves and the black gulf beneath hi

only then did he begin to sink. ["The Beacon in the Harbor of Peace,"Ensign,November 1992, p. 19]

As we become "centered" on the wheel of the Potter or "fix our eyes on Jesus," as President Hunter said it, we too can walk suc-

cessfully over "the swelling waves of disbelief' and remain "unterrified amid the rising winds of doubt" (ibid.). Like Peter, we w

believe the Savior when he says, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matthew 14:27). Once we are centered in him, right toour very core, we have no need to fear.

The clay is now cleansed, pliable, and centered, allowing the potter to form and shape it into the vessel he has envisioned. I founfascinating to learn where a potter focuses his attention during this stage of creation. He does not concentrate on the outward ap-

pearance of the vessel. He knows that the outside will take care of itself when the inner space is formed. In other words, the formhe inner chamber determines the appearance of the exterior. President Benson spoke to us as a church of the importance of focu

ng on the inner vessel (see Alma 60:23), beginning first with ourselves, then with our families, and finally with the Church (see

"Cleansing the Inner Vessel,"Ensign, May 1986, pp. 47).

Society and the world hold the magnifying glass to our outward appearance: the style of our clothing, the strength of our GPA, tsize of our home, the price of our car. In contrast, the Lord "seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,

he Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). It is much easier to repair a bad-hair day than to repent of an offense. What a fal

acy to think that just because we get a new haircut, or a grade changed, or a new piece of furniture that we are better people. It iequally untrue to conclude that we can change people's spiritual desires and hopes by simply changing their physical appearances what comes from the inside, from the heart, that reveals our true level of goodness and is consequently reflected in our outwar

appearance (see Mark 7:1523). Likewise, Paul taught that we can be epistles of Christ, not written "with ink" or "in tables ofstone" (there is the outward surface only), but with "the Spirit" when we have internalized Christ in the "fleshy tables of the

heart" (see 2 Corinthians 3:3).

Not all clay vessels go into their desired shape the first time. Some become marred while they are on the potter's wheel. The expenced potter Heber C. Kimball explained that it happens when "they are not [content] with the shape the potter has given them, b

straightaway put themselves into a shape to please themselves; therefore they are beyond understanding what God designs, andhey destroy themselves" (Stanley B. Kimball,HeberC.Kimball: Mormon Patriarch and Pioneer[Urbana: University of Illinoi

Press, 1981], p. 270). The Lord described such individuals as those who


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seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, who

mage is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol. [D&C 1:16]

While there are no guarantees that once on the wheel you will never go wrong, all is not lost for those who contend against the Per. The clay is "cut off the wheel and then thrown back again into the mill, to go into the next batch" (HC4:478). It is given an-

other chance to be obedient and pliable in the hands of the potter. Even so, through sincere repentance, individuals may start aga

and be found humble before the Lord, willing to hear his word and follow his direction.

That is what Jeremiah meant when he said:

Arise, and go down to the potter's house. . . .

. . And, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to

potter to make it.

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in min

hand, O house of Israel. [Jeremiah 18:26]

It is also what Paul was referring to when he said, "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vesse

unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:21).

In all this imagery of being submissive in the hands of the Lord, some of you may be uncomfortable with the apparent absence oagency. In reality, agency is constantly present, but it is not the so-called agency the world has designed. A good potter alwaysgives the clay respect by not moving it faster than it is capable of enduring and will never force it into a shape. With a combinati

of pinching and pulling movements, adding the living water constantly to keep it flexible and alive, the potter leads the vessel toproper form. He can feel unique tendencies within the clay that, when followed, lead him to create a different vessel every time.

Notice the variety in these completed vessels. Some are more simple, others more complex. Some are rough and cracked, othersvery smooth. The true beauty and glory of each individual vessel is produced as a result of the cleansing, kneading, centering, an

nternal shaping the clay has endured.

We may balk at the thought of trusting our all to the Potter for other reasons. I will mention three.

First, it may be a problem we have with pride: We think we can do things better on our own. In Jeremiah's time, the kingdom of

Judah was chastised for not only forsaking the Lord as the "fountain of living waters," but for insisting that they design theirown

water vessels. Their vessels turned out to be totally dysfunctional, described as "broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jeremi2:13).

In reality, being puffed up with our own sense of greatness and ability has no foundation. Stop and think of where you are in youife. How did you get to your current status? How many others have made sacrifices for you, given you guidance, advice, moral

financial support--even just giving you an opportunity to prove yourself? Since my arrival at BYU one and a half years ago, I habeen impressed with the older buildings on campus. They were obviously constructed when there were fewer students, a smaller

faculty, and a simpler system for administration. Technology, as we know it today, would have been unfathomable to students ohat earlier era. Yet those students came to college then as eager to learn and hopeful of the contributions they would give to the

world as you are now. Those older buildings remind me that we are the recipients of the inventions, inspiration, and courageous

endeavors of those previous graduates. We have the opportunities available to us today because of their sacrifices and contribu-

ions.

Perhaps one reason the Savior admonishes us to "become as little children" (Matthew 18:3) is that children are so pliable, free frpride, and receptive to direction from others. A friend of mine recently reported to a Church leader that she overwhelmingly preher calling in the Primary to her previous assignment of teaching adults in Sunday School. "I can understand that," the Church

eader responded, "in Primary you still get to work in wet cement."

We have heard prophets call us a "chosen generation" reserved to come to earth at this important time. I have wondered what thameans. What should we be doing to fulfill our important purpose? Is it to become the best composer? the greatest engineer? or th

most renowned financial planner? I don't think so. That seems to be secondary--the exterior. I am intrigued by the absence of pri

expressed in a thought by President Joseph F. Smith:

To do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all man-kind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful fath

or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman. One is universal and eternal greatne

the other is ephemeral. . . .


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. . Many are unhappy because they imagine that they should be doing something unusual or something phenomenal. Some peop

would rather be the blossom of a tree and be admiringly seen than be an enduring part of the tree and live the commonplace life

the tree's existence. [GD,pp. 28586]

Perhaps our greatest mission is to show by the way we approach each day, each assignment--even in the most challenging times

hat we will remain valiant, that we will be great covenant-honoring Saints.

A second reason we may resist submitting to the Lord is because we have been abused and mistreated or our agency has been denied by one whom we loved and trusted in the past. Fears of possible consequences of being vulnerable cause us to put up barrie

and defenses. We can become convinced that someone else who appears to love us today may only be scheming ways to take advantage of our trust tomorrow. The difference here is that the Master Potter is a perfect being. In the LDS Bible dictionary, unde

Faith, we read:

The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice,

mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him with

reservation. [p. 669]

We must remember that Jesus Christ came to earth to "healthe broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recove

ngof sight to the blind, toset at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18; emphasis added). There is absolutely no need to fear

hat he will harm or ever disappoint us!

Finally, we may hesitate to trust the Potter because we have a fear of taking responsibility. We would rather trust other mortals t

make our decisions, knowing that if things don't work out as expected, we have someone to blame besides ourselves. Some of us

don't know how to be alone with ourselves and our thoughts and therefore miss the direction of the Spirit. Our lives are so filledwith schedules and deadlines, social events and noise that silence and stillness have become extremely uncomfortable to us. Eld

Henry D. Moyle said:

Without[the]power of the Holy Ghost you and I would not be able to become submissive to the will of our Heavenly Father. Wewould not know what his will is. . . . We must be as clay in the hands of the potter to permit our lives to be molded in the pattern

that the Savior of mankind set for us. [CR, April 1950, p. 148]

No one can tell you just how your life will evolve, nor how to avoid misfortune. You can design your most hoped-for life andpainstakingly work to achieve it. But I would dare say that fortunately for you and me, it may not unwind as we have planned.

There will be surprising turns that we never could have anticipated. The Lord is in control. He is the Potter. And as a result, wehave richer, more meaningful lives. As you look at your own past, you can recognize the obvious guidance of the Lord. He has t

us:

As often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to thplace where thou art at this time. [D&C 6:14]

Why should we question that he will continue to direct us in the future?

In conclusion, remember what our two most recent prophets have promised us concerning putting our trust in the Lord. Presiden

Benson identified ten aspects of our lives that are improved when we submit to him:

Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He wdeepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, in

crease their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends and pour out peace. ["Jesus Christ--Gifts and Expectations," Chr

mas Devotional, Salt Lake City, 7 December 1986; quoted in TETB,p. 361]

President Howard W. Hunter observed the consequences if we choose notto submit to the Lord:

Indifference to the Savior or failure to keep the commandments of God brings about insecurity, inner turmoil, and contention.These are the opposites of peace. Peace can come to an individual only by an unconditional surrender to him who is the Prince

peace and who has the power to confer peace. [That We Might Have Joy (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1994), p. 30]

You are the clay--and as such you are of utmost importance to the Lord. He loves you and desires to shape you into a magnificenvessel of honor--designed and glazed for all eternity. May we therefore set aside our fears and concerns for the future and "trust

he Lord with all [our] heart[s]; and lean not unto [our] own understanding. In all [our] ways" let us "acknowledge him," and I bwitness "he will direct [our] paths" (Proverbs 3:56). He loves us and will continue to support us. I bear witness of that love and

hat we are not forgotten of him. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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LESSON OUTLINE Today our lesson includes some of the most beloved stories in the Book of Mormon. It begins with Lehi re-ceiving the Liahona, and ends with the arrival of his family in the promised land.Read 1 Ne. 19:23 (last sentence)

~So, how can we like Lehis journey to our own lives? What might his journey be symbolic of? (our jou

ney through life)~The promised land? (celestial kingdom)~The hardships they endured? (our trials and tribulations)

Whats especially useful about Lehis story is that, though all of his family had to go through the same journeyand struggles, some were amazingly heroic, and others were amazingly, not! So we can decide who we what topattern our lives after: Nephi, or Laman & Lemuel.

Read 1 Nephi 16:10First, lets see what curious means, shall we? Quote #1Second, if there were two spindles, or pointers, and one pointed the direction they should go, where did the othone point? (the direction they were actually going) Quote #21 Ne. 16:28

~To what can we liken the Liahona in our lives? (the Holy Ghost)Quote #31 Ne. 16:29~What are some other sources of guidance weve been given to help us in our journey? (scriptures,

prophets, patriarchal blessings) Quote #4~Is it wise for us to pick & choose which commandments well obey? Why not?

Next comes the first severe trial of the journey. In verse 17 it says theyd been traveling for many days andfinally they get to pitch their tents and rest for awhile, and do what else? (hunt for food) Everything was going well! The fact that they were receiving directions from the Liahona indicates that they were being diligent andfaithful. But then what happened? (Nephi breaks his bow, and the others lost their sprint) This was serious! Howserious? (life or death serious) Another indication of the seriousness of their situation is that someone murmuwho had never murmured before. Who? (Lehi) Quote #5Hindsight is always 20/20, right? But can we have 20/20 foresight? When trials come to us, what can we learnfrom Nephis experience about how we should approach them? (as an opportunity to strengthen our faith) Quote #6

~So what did Nephi do? (Made a new bow)Read 1 Ne. 16:23There are many lessons in this verse! Quote #7

~When were irritated, what would be a good question to ask, instead of getting full-blown frustrated?


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(What can I learn from this? Or, How would Heavenly Father want me to respond?)Quote #8Quote #9~After Nephi asks Lehi where to hunt, the Liahona directs him to __? (The top of the mountain)Quote #10Quote #11

The next trial is Ishmaels death. Note in verse 34 it says he was buried in Nahom.Quote #12After Ishmaels death the murmuring begins again, and once again Laman & Lemuel plot to murder Lehi andNephi. Heavenly Father knows the group must get to the Gara mountains where there is timber to build a ship

~What lies between Nahom and Bountiful? (harsh desert)~Would they need help? Lots of miracles? So what did the Lord do so that they would be worthy?Read 1 Ne. 16:39Quote #13~In the most difficult stretch of the journey how were they blessed? Have youbeen blessed in hard timRead 1 Ne. 17:1-3~If Heavenly Father provided means for Lehis family during their afflictions, what does that mean for u

What was the next test? (build a ship) 1 Ne. 17:8-9~Is that how you would have responded? Where can I find ore to make tools?Quote #14~What was Laman & Lemuels response? (mocking)~They still hadnt learned. Their faith wasnt any stronger for their experiences. Why???

But lets listen to Nephis valiant faith:

1 Ne. 17:50Nephi teaches us how he did it, how he was able to endure so much so well. Remember when hes on the ship,bound with strong cords by his brothers? What was his response, and what should we do as well when sore trialscome upon us? 1 Ne. 18:16When we come to the end of our journey, we will be able to see the Lords hand in each of our lives.1 Ne. 17:14That we may see his hand in our lives now is my prayer...

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Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed Unto It"