Scripture Reading Day 1: Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi Ch 1-3

Today is the first day of my year of scripture reading goal. I plan to read a couple of chapters per day and if I stick to my plan, I'll have completed the Book of Mormon, D&C, Pearl of Great Price and the Bible exactly one day from today. This is a major part of my plan to arm myself with more knowledge of the gospel and to gain an even deeper testimony so that I may be better equipped to handle temptation in the future. I've fallen off the path once and I know how easy it can be to fall but that climb back up is steep and rocky and beyond difficult.

I'm starting today in the Book of Mormon. I'd like to think I have a small testimony of the gospel. I believe in all the things I've heard and I know the way I feel now that I'm back in the church as opposed to how I felt before. However, I think it's crucial that I read the book for my testimony to grow. I've only ever read bits here and there but I am determined this time to read the whole thing.

As I read through the very first chapter I had one verse kind of stick out to me. In that chapter it tells of Lehi receiving a vision and trying to warn everyone to change their ways or they will be destroyed. Verse 19 reads:

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"And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the Messiah, and also the redemption of the world."

Wow, does that ever sound familiar. I look around and I see the LDS church being mocked for the same thing. People don't want to hear what we're saying and so they make fun of us. I just couldn't help but see the similarities there and I hope that in the future I can be brave and keep doing what I need to do even in the face of public ridicule. I couldn't imagine having to drop everything and take off, leaving my house, my stuff, and everything else behind. Then you get to what I think is one of the ultimate scriptures to remember 1Ne 3:7

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things that which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that 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." 

I find that the promise in there is rather comforting. Sometimes it's really, really hard to do what you are supposed to. Sometimes it feels almost impossible but you read that and realize it's not impossible. If it's something that the Lord asks of you he will provide a way for you to do it. We have to realize that we're not alone in this. When it comes to doing the will of the Lord we have to remember that he has our back. It's only when we stop doing his will that we lose that help. I've tried to live without that help and I'll tell you that life was rough. I, personally, need to make an extra effort to remember this.

Tomorrow I'm moving forward with chapters 4-7.