Figuring Out The Family ( Starring The Book of Mormon)

I love the Book of Mormon. Actually, I love all scriptures, however the Book of Mormon holds a special place in my heart. Following counsel from Elder Bednar, every time I finish it I start over with a new study or theme. About eighteen months ago as I was finishing my mission and completing a study of the Book of Mormon and the Atonement, I started praying to know what I should focus on next. The impression was very clear- focus on the family. With help from The Family: A Proclamation to the World, I began studying and pondering on how to build successful families based off the "principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities...". The Book of Mormon is filled with lots of families and their relationships with each other and with the gospel of Jesus Christ- it starts with the story of Lehi's family and ends with a father and son story of Mormon and Moroni.

 

 

Throughout the course of my study, I have been instructed by the Spirit to improve my family relationships and to prepare myself to create my own eternal family; it has been an incredible blessing in my life. So recently, when given the privilege to teach an institute class for my stake this summer, they allowed me to create my own class on this very topic. Anyone who has ever been in a class with me knows how excited I get and this class is no different. This is applying principles and examples from Lehi, Nephi, Alma, Mosiah, etc to our real relationships!!

 

We started off talking about the doctrine of the family and the family of God. We talked about types and shadows- normally we talk about how prophets are types and shadows of Christ, but we talked about how our earthly families and relationships are types and shadows of our eternal family relationships. So incredible!

Sister Esplin in this last General Conference reminded us that"strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes do not just happen. They take great effort, they take time, and they take each member of the family doing his or her part. Every home is different, but every home where even one individual seeks for truth can make a difference.”

Then last night, we dove into the scriptures, particularly the example of Lehi as a "goodly parent" and his example of obedience, faith, prayer, and humility just to name a few. It is interesting to note that all other accounts of prophets are written either first hand by the prophet or by a separate/unattached individual ( Mormon abridging some records, etc) so perhaps our stories of Lehi are the only ones told by a son. It gives us a different insight into who he really was. We discussed the interaction of agency and faith within the family; we know Heavenly Father will never take away our agency or force us to believe or do anything. Yet we also recognize the power of faith and came to the conclusion as a class that while our faith cannot force anyone to choose the right, it can influence and create circumstances that encourage the righteous exercise of agency ( See Mosiah 27:14).

We learn that Lehi wasn't perfect, as a prophet or as a parent (shocking, I know), in the account of Nephi's bow (1 Nephi 16:20-25). However, Nephi's response to his father is humble and incredibly applicable to all of us. He prepares himself and then asks his father where he should go to obtain food. We know Nephi understood how to pray and receive answers, but the amount of respect and honor he had for Lehi, both as his father and as the prophet, it instructive. When his father was struggling, he showed an increase of trust in him and a willingness to obey ( a mirror of Lehi's obedience in leaving Jerusalem). Families and individuals are not perfect- there are going to be disappointments and frustrations. And while we cannot control the actions of those we love so dearly, we can control our responses to them.

Those are just a few of the wonderful lessons from Lehi and I'm excited to share, discuss, and explore how we can "figure out" the family.