TIM0THY

My family and I found a couple of interesting things in this story during our most recent reading that I hadn't really given much consideration to before.
For one, it shows us that Nephi believed it was important to obey the commandment to honor thy father and mother. It would have been very easy for him, after having made his new bow and arrow, to set out on his own to find food. But instead of going it alone he chose to defer to his father. Asking his father for guidance in this matter allowed him and his father to reconcile after having a difference in perspective on the issue (Nephi having kept a positive attitude while his father gave in to the temptation to "murmur against the Lord his God"). This reconciliation and deference on Nephi's part seems to have been a catalyst that prompted Lehi to repent of his pessimism and humble himself enough to inquire of the Lord as to where Nephi could find food.
The second thing we noticed, while closely related to the first, is still distinct enough to be acknowledged separately. In His dealings with His people, the Lord expects us to adhere to certain chains of command and authority. Though small in numbers, Lehi's family was the entirety of the Lord's people at this point in the Book of Mormon saga. Lehi, as patriarch and prophet was the leader of this small group and the mouthpiece of the Lord for them. Nephi seems to have clearly understood this principle and by deferring to his father on the matter of where to find food he demonstrated the importance of following and sustaining the Lord's chosen leaders.

This won't happen until the millennium. Unwed women and children who died before they marital age will have the opportunity to get to know the opposite sex and become acquainted with them. As they become acquainted they will choose a companion (who obviously will choose them) and in the millennium we will be informed of their decision and we will seal them to the spouse of their choice. We aren't here to seal them to someone they wouldn't have chosen for themselves.

My family and I found a couple of interesting things in this story during our most recent reading that I hadn't really given much consideration to before.
For one, it shows us that Nephi believed it was important to obey the commandment to honor thy father and mother. It would have been very easy for him, after having made his new bow and arrow, to set out on his own to find food. But instead of going it alone he chose to defer to his father. Asking his father for guidance in this matter allowed him and his father to reconcile after having a difference in perspective on the issue (Nephi having kept a positive attitude while his father gave in to the temptation to "murmur against the Lord his God"). This reconciliation and deference on Nephi's part seems to have been a catalyst that prompted Lehi to repent of his pessimism and humble himself enough to inquire of the Lord as to where Nephi could find food.
The second thing we noticed, while closely related to the first, is still distinct enough to be acknowledged separately. In His dealings with His people, the Lord expects us to adhere to certain chains of command and authority. Though small in numbers, Lehi's family was the entirety of the Lord's people at this point in the Book of Mormon saga. Lehi, as patriarch and prophet was the leader of this small group and the mouthpiece of the Lord for them. Nephi seems to have clearly understood this principle and by deferring to his father on the matter of where to find food he demonstrated the importance of following and sustaining the Lord's chosen leaders.

My family and I found a couple of interesting things in this story during our most recent reading that I hadn't really given much consideration to before.
For one, it shows us that Nephi believed it was important to obey the commandment to honor thy father and mother. It would have been very easy for him, after having made his new bow and arrow, to set out on his own to find food. But instead of going it alone he chose to defer to his father. Asking his father for guidance in this matter allowed him and his father to reconcile after having a difference in perspective on the issue (Nephi having kept a positive attitude while his father gave in to the temptation to "murmur against the Lord his God"). This reconciliation and deference on Nephi's part seems to have been a catalyst that prompted Lehi to repent of his pessimism and humble himself enough to inquire of the Lord as to where Nephi could find food.
The second thing we noticed, while closely related to the first, is still distinct enough to be acknowledged separately. In His dealings with His people, the Lord expects us to adhere to certain chains of command and authority. Though small in numbers, Lehi's family was the entirety of the Lord's people at this point in the Book of Mormon saga. Lehi, as patriarch and prophet was the leader of this small group and the mouthpiece of the Lord for them. Nephi seems to have clearly understood this principle and by deferring to his father on the matter of where to find food he demonstrated the importance of following and sustaining the Lord's chosen leaders.

The downside is, you have to drive the kid everywhere. Cure worse than disease?

Perhaps I’m being overly pedantic (or snobbishly legalistic), but it seems to me that much of what we call “testimony” in the church could more accurately be described as “extemporaneous inspired catechism”.  There’s a place for that, sure; but I think we often fail those to whom we seek to minister when we offer our catechisms to people who were starving for our testimonies.

Once I start playing the “why did he say what he said?” or “what did she really mean” game, there’s no logical stopping point until sink into a sort of nihilism wherein I don’t believe anyone about anything.
Speaking generally:  sure, peer pressure to testify of the Church—or the Gospel—or Jesus—or one’s love for one’s family—is always a potential factor.  But I think I owe it to most people to at least go into an encounter taking what they say at face value.  If I want to dig a little deeper, and it’s important to me; I can always take them aside one-on-one later to ask them to clarify or provide additional perspective.
Personally, I avoid the phrase “I know the church is true”—first, because I generally avoid the phrase “I know” in testimonies (I believe far more than I know); and second, because the more I parse the phrase the less I understand what “the church is true” actually means.  (That the prophet is a bona fide prophet?  Fine, say that.  That there is safety in adhering to and living the lifestyle the Church promotes?  Fine, say that.  That the Church has a unique claim to divine favor and inspiration and authority?  Fine, say that.  But I don’t know what “the Church is true” means, anymore than I know what “the American Bar Association is true” means.)