Free as a Bird

Birds have intrigued me during the last year.  Inspired by bird feeders, bird books, bird statues, and living birds, I observe their freedom to act.  They go where they want, unrestrained by borders, countries, laws and ordinances.  Seeing what most other creatures will never see, they make the air their home.  Having lightweight bones, slick feathers, and sharp beaks, they survive somewhere between heaven and earth.

They often eat by pulling food from the earth, and taking it to higher ground.  Their primary cautions are predators and weather.

God is mindful of each sparrow, and knows when they fall.  The average human pays little attention to birds, because they are not in their field of vision.  But in spending more time looking at the sky, one observes a vast world of birds.  Some extremely small.  Some extremely large.  What is their purpose?

I suppose they are to teach me something about freedom.  

Glory in my Jesus

Nephi's last words

Nephi leaves an ominous warning to the reader of his book.

And now my beloved brethren 

all those who are of the house of Israel 

and all you ends of the earth 

I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust 

farewell 

until that great day will come 

and you that will not partake of the goodness of God 

and respect the words of the Jews 

and also my words 

and the words which will proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God 

behold I bid you an everlasting farewell 

for these words will condemn you at the last day 

for what I seal on earth will be brought against you at the judgment bar 

for thus has the Lord commanded me and I must obey 

Amen

2 Nephi 15 SC

Having completed a recent reading of 1 and 2 Nephi over the last few months, I ask myself, "What is Nephi's message?"  

Here he warns, that if: 

• you who choose not to partake of God's goodness, 
• nor respect the words of the Jews (not necessarily their traditions, which Nephi denounces, but the testaments which come from them), 
• nor respect Nephi's own words, 
• nor have ear for the words which come from the Lamb

– these words will condemn those who choose to ignore them.  What is Nephi's overreaching message?  He's pretty serious about wrapping up the book.  He clearly took a lot of effort to share certain things for us.  

My observations: 

• Nephi's books are filled with visions, revelations, dreams
• His books recount the consequences of sin
• He laments openly about his weaknesses
• He is passionate about loving his God, who he calls "my Jesus" (reminds me of this guy!)
• He has sealing power
• He encouraged face to face meeting with God
• He glories in plainness – there are not "hidden" gotchas that one must try feverishly to read between lines.  
• He reveals everything he possibly can about how to enter the "path", states little or nothing of special churches, groups, clubs or groups which require pacts, promises, or combinations
• He preaches the importance of baptism of water, of fire, of Holy Ghost, and entering into the "path"

I have grown to have an immense appreciation and love for Nephi.  I have read and heard others say that they find his writings and personality dry, boring, and humorless.  One author I read commented that he would probably not be likely to participate in friendship with Nephi because he seemed to be a bland kind of guy.  People used to comment in church how they could never "get through" his book, especially his retelling of Isaiah's accounts.  I find that reading Nephi's account in the Simple Copy has opened my eyes up to his heart, his passion, and his personality.  I don't find him dry at all.  I find Olde English dry.  

The Tongue of Angels

- 2 Nephi 14 SC

A New Tongue

But 

behold 

my beloved brethren

thus came the voice of the Son

unto me saying

"After you have repented 

of your sins 

and witnessed 

unto the Father

that you

are willing to keep 

my commandments 

by the baptism of water 

and 

have received 

the baptism of fire 

and of the Holy Ghost 

and can speak with a new tongue 

yes 

even with 

the tongue of angels 

and after 

this should deny me 

it would have been better 

for you 

that you had not known me"

And I heard a voice from 

the Father 

saying "yes, 

the words of my beloved 

are true and faithful

He 

that endures to the end 

the same 

will be saved" 

And now my beloved brethren

I know by this 

that unless a man will endure 

to the end 

in following the example 

of the Son of the living God 

he cannot be saved 

wherefore do the things which I have told you 

-Nephi

2 Nephi 13 RE