We spotted land this morning, and will probably be arriving soon. Figured I’d write up this post real quick because once we’re on land, it’ll probably be a lot of work to find a place, get things set up, and get settled. So it’ll be awhile before I can post again. Just wanted to let every one know that we’re alive, and most likely going to survive this trip. Well, time for me to gather all our gear and prepare to land.
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| Sorry quality ain't great. This is really zoomed in. |
Well, it’s been about 3 months now since we shoved off from Bountiful. Things have been pretty uneventful. Mom and Dad got pretty sick during the storm, but have recovered. It’s still boring as ever out here, but we don’t dare have any fun because we don’t want to be killed. I wish Nephi wanted to have fun. God would probably be okay with it then, and we could all enjoy ourselves.
Or maybe I’m being too negative. Maybe I’m not looking at this the right way. Maybe God is just, but His justice is higher than our understanding. So it seems like injustice, when it really isn’t.
Of course, if God’s justice is incompressible, that also seems unjust. It would leave mortals with no way to understand Him and what He considers justice. This would destroy our ability to comply with His demands for justice. We’d be breaking His laws with no knowledge of how to do any better, and we’d be punished for it. So maybe that doesn’t make sense either...
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| The whole situation makes about as much sense as this ^ dude. |
Well, I’m hoping we get to land soon. I’ve seen about enough of this boat.
Good news, we’re still alive. The storm has passed. And I guess God put me back in my place...again. Here’s the full story.
So two posts ago, I mentioned I was going to see if we could have some fun on the boat. Ahijah, true to expectation, taught us some good songs. We broke out the wine and we started to dance. It was the best time we’d had in weeks. Nephi, however, saw people having fun and decided God doesn’t like fun, and so we’d better stop it. I get that we need to obey God, but we need balance in our lives. People need time to unwind, and I don’t think Nephi gets that.
Anyway, he ripped into us for singing, dancing, and a few of Ahijah’s slightly off-color jokes. And normally I’m used to that, and can deal with it. And normally, none of us ever have more than a moderate amount of wine at a time. But we did get a bit to free with the wine, and Nephi’s self-righteousness came off as extra abrasive, so Laman and I told him off and tied him up on the ship so he’d leave us alone. We basically put him in a time out. Once he cooled off, we planned to let him go.
Nephi had been doing a lot of the steering up to that point (shocker, I know), so with him tied up, Laman went to take a turn. We thought the director was jammed or something, or that we might’ve broken it in the tussle with Nephi, so Laman had no idea where we were going. I tried to unjam it, or see if I could fix it, but no luck.
We went back to check on Nephi and tell him we’re in trouble because the director must’ve been broken when we tied him up, and asked him if he had the tools he needed to fix it. Rather than be a team player, he just lit into us again and said the director stopped working because of our wickedness. At that point we decided he hadn’t cooled off enough to come out of time out.
Because we didn’t know where we were going, the next day we ended up steering ourselves into a giant storm. Everyone was telling us we needed to let Nephi go, and the storm came because we tied him up. My thinking was correlation doesn’t equal causation. God himself seems to enjoy a bit of wine (story here), and so even though Nephi and Dad have been on God’s side on a number of issues over the last eight or nine years, there’s no way he’s right about this one, and he needs to get off his high horse. I felt like he was trying to rule over the entirety of the family now, and we needed to put him in his place. Not that he’s below us, but just that he’s not over us either.
Anyway, storm kept getting worse, and everyone kept saying we needed to untie Nephi. After four days of that storm going, it got so bad, we knew it was over. The ship didn’t seem like it could take too much more of this, and the waves were getting crazy enough that capsizing seemed inevitable. Everyone was begging for us to untie Nephi. I kept thinking there’s no way that’s connected to this storm, but we figured we’d give it a shot. Also, if the ship capsized, we didn’t want him to be tied to it. If there’s anywhere close to swim to, that at least would give him a chance at survival.
So we untied him, and looking at him, he was in rough shape. I felt pretty bad. His wrists were pretty swollen because not only was he tied, but also the rocking of the boat probably threw him against the restraints quite a bit. He was honestly classier than I expected. He didn’t rail on us, instead he just went and grabbed the director, and kneeled down and prayed. And…well, the storm stopped.
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| I snapped this picture within a minute after Nephi finished praying. Bizarre. |
Guys, I don’t know what to say at this point. It just feels like God is trying to showcase that He’s picked Nephi to be His favorite, and to rub that in every chance possible. Nephi was all worried that our partying was going to upset God, and it didn’t. There was no storm because of us having some fun. He was wrong. We tried to get him to chill out by putting him in timeout, and that’s when God decided to show His displeasure.
What am I missing here?! I didn’t think God was like this. Since when does He pick favorites who He supports regardless of how right or wrong they are? I never understood Job before. He made God seem too arbitrary. It didn’t match with the understanding of God that our prophets taught back home. But now I think I get it. He saves whoever He wants, and He condemns whoever He wants. “Blessed be the name of the Lord.” And I guess I’m just on the loosing end of His arbitrary nature. But I don’t want to be on the bad end. I’d like to be favored of God.
I’ve been trying.
I guess…I guess I might as well give up at this point. It’s clear He doesn’t want me.
This is gonna be quick. Just want to give a quick update in case this is the last post you get from me. The last two days we’ve been in a MASSIVE storm. Ship is holding up pretty well, but I’m not sure how many more days this storm will go. It’s been getting progressively worse, and even if the ship doesn’t break up, if she flips, we’re done for. I gotta get back to my post. Missing the boredom right now. Hope I’ll posting again in a few days. Please pray for us...
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| Last two days worth of scenery |
I thought all the extra time would allow me to do some good blogging, but it turns out when you’re bored out of your mind, it’s hard to think of anything to blog about. So I figured I could at least blog about the monotony to give me a break. But now I’m out of things to say about it other than state the fact that monotony is monotonous.
Maybe I’ll go talk to Ahijah. I hear he used to work at a pub for awhile. He probably knows some fun songs and dances from his days there. Maybe we could have some fun and liven up this place.
We shoved off from Bountiful about a week ago and we’re all. so. bored. and. testy. It’s a little closer quarters than I think we’re used to especially with all the kids running around now. There’s nothing much to do each day except prepare food, clean up food, and sit around.
My bet is on Laman being the first one to snap, but Jael thinks it’ll be one of her brothers first. I think it’d be awesome if it was Sam. He’s always so easy-going, if he finally just flipped out, it’d be hilarious, and not what anyone would expect.
Thinking about Sam having a break down is the most lively thought I’ve had this whole week. Well, that was fun. Now back to regularly scheduled reality of now. So. Boring.
Quick update is all I have time for. Ship is done. We tested it out; it runs well, and no leaks. We’re in the middle of loading up all our gear into the ship before we shove off. I imagine we’ll be leaving pretty soon. Once we get on board, I imagine things will probably be kind of slow, so I’ll have more time to blog.
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| Parting shot of our beautiful, temporary home |
Time to come clean and eat some crow. I’m now busy helping Nephi build the ship. I probably won’t have a ton of time to blog over the next while as we work on this. The day after my last post, Nephi came up behind me and Laman and touched us with his hands. No idea how to explain what happened, but all I can say is there was some power in him that really shook both of us. I guess that’s what I asked for in my prayer—a clear, unmistakable message. And boy did I get it. Anyway, Laman and I took that as evidence God is with Nephi in this ship building project. So even though I’m going to miss Bountiful, we’re doing our part to build a quality ship so we can leave.
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| Some scenery from our beautiful home we'll be leaving. (And yes, that's the point from which Laman and I were planning to help Nephi "cool off.") |
A quick note before I finish up though. I’m still trying to figure things out. Yes, God has given me evidence that Nephi is His man, and I’m accepting that evidence and obeying accordingly, but He hasn’t done anything to help resolve the questions I’ve expressed over and over again. I almost feel like He doesn’t care enough to be bothered. I mean Nephi and Dad get all sorts of personal visitations and answers to their questions, and I get nothing except chastisement and shocks. I really wish God loved me the same way He does Nephi.
Don’t know how to preface the conversation that happened today, so I’ll just jump in.
Laman: Nephi, you’re still gathering ore? I thought we settled this.
Nephi: Guys, I’m doing what the Lord told me to—
Laman: [sigh] You’re so much like Dad. You get these idiotic ideas in your head, and you just follow them over whatever cliff is nearby. Let’s look at the similarities here. Dad up and hauled us out of Jerusalem out here to suffer and die in the desert. And it wouldn’t be a huge deal if it were just us, but my wife and my children have suffered immensely because of Dad’s actions. You don’t know it, because Zilpah doesn’t like to complain openly. But she’s been in so much pain. She’s even told me she’s jealous of her dad's death because at least he isn’t suffering anymore.
Laman: We’ve been stuck out here for years. And all this time, we, the supposed providers and protectors of our family have been forcing them to suffer when instead we should’ve been providing them with the life they deserve. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, Nephi, but it’s not easy to bare and raise children. The comforts of society are a thing for a reason. We should’ve been in Jerusalem this whole time, taking care of our wives, ensuring our children have enough to eat—actually enjoying life!
Nephi: Until you and your family were slaughtered by the Babylonian army along with the rest of the wicked Jews.
Me: Dude, you are so self-righteous. The people in Jerusalem were righteous. They kept all of the Lord’s commandments, statues, judgements, everything laid out in the Law of Moses. And honestly, this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in for me. Yeah, the Lord spoke to us, and some stuff has happened like angels and a crazy director thing, that all seem to be evidence that Dad is a prophet. But we know that the Jews were righteous. They observed the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement, which Moses taught would cleanse all our sins before the Lord. Through Moses, God promised us that He will cause our enemies to be smitten before our face. They shall come against us one way and flee before us seven ways. But Dad, who is supposedly a prophet, has been very judgmental towards our people. A judgment I think he made erroneously. And then he led us out here into the desert because of this error in judgment. So yeah, there’s evidence to say he’s a prophet, but I just don’t get it, man. How does he get away with contradicting Moses? Contradicting God?
Laman: …and Nephi, I hate to say this, but you’re as bad as Dad is. I’ll admit, a few things have happened that seem to show the Lord's on your side. But those things don’t make any sense. You’re just as self-righteous and judgmental as Dad is.
Nephi: Lemuel, let’s talk about Moses. Do you believe our ancestors would’ve been delivered from Egypt if they hadn’t obeyed the words of God? Do you think they would have been led out of slavery if the Lord hadn’t commanded Moses to lead them out?
Me: Uhhh, not sure where you’re going with this, but the answer is no, they wouldn’t have.
Nephi: Okay, so you know that Israel was in bondage, and were yoked with some seriously awful tasks?
Me: [nodding] Uh huh…
Nephi: So you know it was good for them to be delivered?
Laman: Of course it was, Nephi, what’s your point?!
Nephi: And you know that God commanded Moses to do the delivering, and you know that he parted the Red Sea so Israel could pass through while the Egyptians were drowned.
Laman: [impatiently] Yep, we all know this.
Nephi: And then once they were in the wilderness, you know they were fed with manna, and drank water that came out of a rock when Moses smote it by the power of God.
Me: Yes, basic history. We know.
Nephi: But then, even though they were led by God Himself day and night as an actual pillar of light, and even though he did everything for them, they still hardened their hearts, blinded their minds, and rejected Moses and God. So how did God respond? He destroyed them as He said He would, He led them as He said He would, and He did for them all the things He said He would. The only things that were done were according to His word.
Nephi: Then they crossed Jordan, and God gave them power to drive out the people living there and destroy them. Now think about this, those people living in Canaan before Israel showed up, were they righteous?
Me: …well, n—
Nephi: —No, they weren’t. Now, if the Canaanites had been righteous, would Israel have been “chosen” to possess the land?
Me: Uhhhh, I’m...not sure...
Nephi: NO, they wouldn’t have been. Look, God esteems all people equally. The righteous are favored of God. But the Canaanites had rejected every word of God. They were fully wicked, and God destroyed them. He cursed the land for the Canaanites until they were destroyed, and blessed it for our fathers so they could obtain it. The earth was created to be lived on, and God raises up righteous nations on the earth, and destroys wicked ones. So He leads the righteous people to precious areas, and He destroys the wicked and curses their land. He’s up high in the heavens; we’re His footstool.
Nephi: He loves those who make Him their God. He loved our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was because of the covenant He made with them that He delivered Israel from Egypt. But wow did they ever harden their hearts in the wilderness, and God had to straiten them by His rod. It’s just like you guys.
Laman: What?!
Nephi: God straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent the fiery flying serpents, and He made a way for them to survive if they’d just look. But many wouldn’t and died instead. Then they kept hardening their hearts, until they started going after Moses—oh, and against God too. But, because of His mercy, God led them into the land of promise anyway. And now, after all this, it’s finally time for them to be destroyed because of their wickedness. Heck, they might already be destroyed for all I know. And I know there will be a day where nearly all of them will be destroyed except a few who are captured.
Nephi: And because of this, God told Dad to get out of Jerusalem (oh, and let’s not forget the Jews wanted him dead). But it’s not just the Jews, you guys have also wanted to kill him, which means you have the same murderous heart that they do.
Me: —Now wait a second! We had no intention of—
Nephi: [voice raised a bit now] You guys are quick to sin, but slow to remember God. You’ve even seen AN ANGEL, and GOD HIMSELF SPOKE TO YOU! He tried to speak to you in a still, small voice, but your hearts were past feeling, so you couldn’t feel that voice. So He spoke to you in a voice of thunder, which shook the earth. And you know that He can destroy the entire earth with His word, and He can alter terrain. So why are you so hard in your hearts?! I can’t tell you how sad I am in the depths of my soul, and how this breaks my heart! I have reason to fear that you guys might be cut off from God forever! And I— I am full of the Spirit of God, so much so that my physical frame has no strength.
Me: Nephi, you’re getting a bit worked up, and you’re not really making sense anymore. I think you need to calm down.
Laman: Yeah, and maybe cool off…[wink in my direction]
Me: A swim?
Nephi: Stop!
Laman: I think that’ll help him get his head back.
Nephi: Stop! In the name of the Almighty God, I command you to not touch me! I am filled with the power of God, so much so that my flesh is consumed by it. And if you lay a hand on me, you'll wither like a dried reed. You will be nothing before God as He smites you!
(Around this time, I noticed Nephi looked kinda…weird. Sort of glowing-ish, but not in a normal glowing way. It was weird. Anyway, his appearance definitely backed up his claim he just made)
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| Not exactly what it looked like, but I didn't have my camera on me, and this picture from an old Sinimite story about a monkey is the closest thing I could find. |
Nephi: And, I command you to stop murmuring against Dad, and to help me build this ship because God has commanded me to build a it. And you know what, if God commanded me to do all things, I could do them. If he commanded me to say to the water, “become land,” it would become land. If I said it, it would happen. So now, if the Lord is that powerful, and is capable of such awesome miracles, then why in the world couldn’t He instruct me to build a ship?!
Me: Okay okay, let’s calm down. We’re not going to hurt you—
Nephi: —You can’t hurt me. God has filled me with His power
Me: Fair enough, we can’t hurt you. But here’s my question, you didn’t make any sense just now. I was talking about the scriptural promises that God will protect us, and how that seems to undermine yours and dad’s claim that they’ll be destroyed for wickedness. You just kinda recounted our history and then called me and Laman wicked murders. So, help me see how this all ties together.
Nephi: Okay, let’s go over this one more time. You think you and the Jews are righteous because you observe a bunch of rites and ordinances given to Israel in Moses’ day, but as the Lord said, “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices? I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?” He goes on to tell us that our gifts, offerings, celebrations, fasting, pious meetings, all these things are sinful and false. Then He offers us an alternative to our false righteousness. “Come now, and let us reason together.” This is not the message of a God who expects you to only adhere to a list of things He revealed in the past. To come and reason with Him requires us to know Him now. And then, and only then, after you’ve communed with Him, if you are willing and obedient, your sins will be forgiven, and you will eat the good of the land.
Nephi: You see, the whole reason God was able to work through Moses in those days was because Moses and Israel (sometimes) obeyed God’s voice in those days. Righteousness isn’t just obeying a list given in the past, it’s also listening for, receiving, and obeying God’s word toDAY. That’s the only reason Moses was able to deliver the people. I recounted our history to illustrate this principle. But the people were bad at obeying God back then too. Heck, God offered Israel a chance to enter into His presence, and they even said no. Anyway, those promises you mentioned, those were conditional upon Israel’s righteousness, and our history shows that Israel was not righteous. If those promises were unconditional, then why was the Kingdom of Israel destroyed by the Assyrians?
Me: Well, Israel rebelled against the house of David, which God had appointed to lead this people. They cut themselves off from His protection.
Nephi: You’re exactly right that they cut themselves off through rebellion. So then the question is, “Have we also rebelled? Or are we still loyal to our God?” Let’s look at the evidence. Who appointed our current king?
Laman: The Babylonians, look, I get where you’re going with this.
Nephi: Okay, so you fill in the blanks then.
Laman: The fact that Babylon has already subjugated us into basically a vassal state is evidence that God might not be protecting us.
Nephi: Okay, and His lack of protection is evidence of what?
Me: I guess it’s evidence that maybe the Jews aren’t actually righteous.
Nephi: Now let’s bring this full circle. Our family is a type of Israel. Just as Israel fled wicked Egypt as destruction reigned down upon it, our family is escaping the fully ripe nation of Judah as destruction is about to be visited upon it. God led Israel by speaking to Moses, and He wanted to speak to all of Israel, but they hardened their hearts against Him. God leads our family by speaking to Dad, and He wants to speak with all of us, but you two have hardened your hearts against Him. So He speaks to whomever will listen, and He has commanded me to build this ship. Dad leads our family, but his profession hasn’t taught him to work metal. I don’t understand everything about how God works, but I think that might be why God has commanded me to take the initiative and build this ship. And, if you would go to Him, reason with Him, He would teach you what He needs you to do to fulfill your part in leading our family to our own land of promise.
Nephi: Just as Israel had to pass through the great waters to symbolize the death of their enslaved selves, and their rebirth as a covenant people of God, we too will pass through these great waters and be born anew as God’s people in a land He promised us. Now, does that make more sense?
Me: So, what you’re saying is that working backward based on the evidence at hand, the Jews aren’t that righteous, and so the promises of their protection aren’t binding on God. Consequently, destruction is coming to them, but protection is still offered to those who hear God's word in this day—in other words, Dad…and you. And so that’s why we’re out here, basically as a mini Israel with you and Dad playing Moses and me and Lemuel playing the children of Israel.
Nephi: Pretty much.
Me: That’s kind of a harsh, but the evidence of God’s power shooting out of you seems to support your point. So…you’ve given me a lot to think about. I hope you’ll be patient with me, this is a very different way of looking at our people than I’ve ever faced before. I need some time to think it over.
Nephi: Please take the time, and please, go to God. He will help you.
Laman: [slightly sarcastically] Yeah, that’d be nice.
Nephi: Whaddya mean?
Me: He means it’s easier said than done. I’ve prayed to God before and asked Him for answers to questions, but I’ve never received "an answer." Laman, I’m guessing you’ve been there too?
Laman: Yep. It’s really convenient how God won’t stop talking to you and Dad, but I’ve never experienced that.
Nephi: Try again. Take the next couple days, and really think this over, and spend time in prayer. God will respond.
Me: Okay, sounds good. Well, I gotta go help Jael. It’s starting to get late.
Nephi: Laman, Lemuel, I love you guys. That’s why I care so much about this. I hope you know that.
Laman: Yeah, Nephi, yeah, we know you do.
And then with that, we headed back to camp. This conversation all happened last night, and so I’ve been thinking over it since. I just don’t know. There are some obvious signs supporting the view that Dad and Nephi are asserting (Jews are wicked, ‘bout to be destroyed. God is protecting/delivering us to a promised land), but I don’t get why God is talking to them and not me or Laman. It’s not like I never ask Him for answers when I pray. I have in the past, but I learned that’s just not how He communicates with me. For me, our faith has always just made sense, and I’ve accepted that as God’s way of guiding me. So I’ve done my best to adhere to that faith, and obey the wise counsel of our leaders.
The last eight years have really thrown all that up in the air, and, for the first time in my life, things don’t just make sense anymore. So this evening after the family gets to bed, I think I’ll head up to the hills to pray about all this. Nephi’s the fourth son, and if God will talk to him, then why wouldn’t he talk to us older sons? I mean, I know Laman can be a bit cold, and so I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t bother to try talking to God. But I’m up for it, and as the second oldest, if God wants to lead our family, he’ll probably need to do it through me once Dad passes on. I should have time to update you all tomorrow on how it goes tonight.
Oh boy. You know…enough years had passed I thought we were good with Nephi again. But you know that ore he was gathering? Well, I guessed right and wrong. He was gathering ore to make tools—but not tools to build a house. He’s making tools to build…
…wait for it...
…A BOAT!
Yeah, he thinks he can build a boat! He’s never even been on a boat. I’m not sure if he ever saw a real sea prior to use arriving at Bountiful. Now, I can guess what you’re thinking. Maybe he’d like to do a bit of sailing around since we’re going to be living by the sea. Maybe he’s planning to do some fishing. Well you’re thinking wrong. Here’s the conversation:
Me: So a boat, huh? Sounds fun, planning on using it for fishing?
Nephi: Nope, it’s—
Laman: —It’s probably not the highest priority right now is what it is, bro.
Me: Laman’s got a point. I’ll bet Rebekah and the kids are anxious for you to get started on your house. Just a bit of marriage advice, I’d start with what your wife wants, then after she’s happy, get started on your new hobby.
Nephi: This isn’t a hobby; it’s what the Lord commanded me to do. Our families are not—
Me: —Try telling that to Rebekah, who will be living in a tent after her sisters are all living in homes we built.
Nephi: Guys. I’m not just building a boat. I’m building a ship, and this takes priority over building homes because we’re not staying here. We’re going to the land that God promised us.
Me: Woah woah woah...
Laman: …Wait, what?! What are you talking about?!
Me: Yeah, we’re already in the promised land. Look around! God led us here, there’s fruit, game, water, everything we need. If this isn’t the promised land, anywhere else would probably be a step down.
Laman: Aaaaand you don’t know how to build a ship. It’s one thing to build a little boat that you can use to sail around near shore. If it sinks, you can swim back. But you’re gonna put all our families on a ship you built and sail it out into the sea to some new promised land you’ve never seen when we already have one right here?! [Looking at some drawings Nephi made] Wait, are those your designs? You’ve clearly never seen a ship before because that looks nothing like what a ship looks like. You are sooo out of your depth.
Not the actual designs, but they were on this level of weird Nephi: Guys, this isn’t the promised land. It’s not where God wants our families to be. He commanded me to build this ship after a manner that He showed me and take our families to the promised land. Now I’m going to need your help on this. So would you please hear me out on this? If you don’t believe me take it to God and ask Him yourself.
Me: That’s why we have a prophet, Nephi. And that prophet is Dad—not you. Look, I’ll be honest, when we started this whole thing, it wasn’t easy for me to accept God was talking to Dad, and I still have some dissonance around that idea. But the voice of the Lord all those years ago plus us arriving here in the promised land has led me to the conclusion he’s probably a prophet—
Laman: —jury’s still out for me on that one.
Me: Fair enough, Laman. But Nephi and I both believe Dad is probably a prophet—
Nephi: I’m certain he’s a prophet of God.
Me: Okay, then you should understand then that it’s his responsibility to receive revelation for the family. For God to reveal this boat thing to you would violate the established channels. King David taught that God’s covenants are ordered in all things. He’s not going to violate His order. If this isn’t the promised land, and if we need to move on, that revelation will come to the prophet, the patriarch of the family—
Laman: —not someone who just wants to be. You’re wasting your efforts, and if we help you, we’ll be wasting ours too. In fact, it’s worse than that. It’s murdering our own families. Taking a ship out into the middle of the sea for who knows how long requires a good ship built by someone who knows what they’re doing. As the head of my family, there’s no way I’m going to let my wife and children drown on your suicide ship. I love them too much for that.
Me: He’s harsh, but he’s right. It’s my job to protect my family. I would be abandoning that responsibility if I allowed them to set sail on a ship you built. Heck, not just you, but on a ship any of us built. My lack of trust isn’t in you specifically—none of us know how to do this.
Laman: This isn’t the way to try to take power over the family, Nephi. Wait until Dad passes on, and then you can try to wrestle the birthright from me. But if you insist on this route, we’ll all drown, and you’ll have no one to rule over.
Nephi: You guys don’t get me at all, do you? Would you please just ask God about this?
Me: We have a prophet that we can and will follow; we don’t need to ask God about this.
With that, Nephi just hung his head, turned around, and walked off up into the mountains again. I have kinda conflicted emotions over the whole thing. He’s my kid brother, so I hate to hurt him like that. But on the other hand, it’s nice to see him finally humbled to the point where he couldn't get all self-righteous in the argument. I’ll make sure and apologize to him soon, just so that he knows there’s no hard feelings.
