I am
certain that some of us have wondered how is it that Joseph went to the Lord
three times to get permission to allow Martin Harris to take home the
translated pages of the Book of Mormon. The lesson is twofold….be careful what
you ask for and yield to God rather than to the persuasions of men. And not
only persuasions but counsels also (D&C 3:6,7).
Lucky for
Joseph, the Lord who was overseeing his calling was a God of mercy who forgives
His servants in their weakened state of mortality (v 10).
Joseph was
forgiven and called back to the work. The Book of Mormon was translated to the
end, published and is flooding the earth, minus the Book of Lehi…for now. And
all because of the Lord’s un-surpassing wisdom. What the Lord knew over 2,000
years earlier was that
the larger plates which were essentially The Book of Lehi would become the 116
pages of the lost manuscript in 1828.
The
smaller plates which Nephi was commanded to make, without knowing why, covered
exactly the same period as the lost manuscript and basically summarised Lehi's
prophecies. The story does not end there either. Mormon, under the inspiration
of the spirit, included these smaller plates in his own abridgement. He must
have wondered if he was repeating himself by doing so, having just abridged
Lehi's account, but Mormon being obedient did as he was prompted to do
admitting he did not know all things but like Nephi, he knew that the Lord knew
(Words of Mormon 1:7).
Both
of these men were far more experienced spiritually than Joseph Smith was at 23
years of age. Besides the fact that he had the gospel his whole life, Nephi
wrote his book 30 years after arriving in America, plenty of time to rise to
his spiritual stature (2 Nephi 5:28). Mormon was spiritually endowed from the
time he was 10 years of age (Mormon 1:2).
Between
the time of the First Vision and Moroni’s visit, Joseph recounts in his history
that he was ‘left to all kinds of temptations and mingling with all kinds of
society….which denotes a serious spiritual deficit (JSH 1:28). Martin Harris,
being 23 years Joseph’s senior, who believed in Joseph’s calling, assisted him
in the work and supported the endeavour financially, would have been of large
influence in Joseph’s experience (D&C Student Manual, p 10)
As
I re-visited this story I was reminded of many blunders I have made in my life.
Some were made because I relied on my own wisdom, some because I turned to my
friends for advice and received counsel based on their life experience
and paltry wisdom and some because I disregarded my revelations unsure of their
authenticity because of my lack of confidence in receiving such.
There
have been times when I have received revelation to steer me in the right
direction, I would get distracted by the pressing hardships around me and I
would forget what I was told. Then I would circle back to the same problem
wondering how it is that I am back there…and then the revelation would come to
my mind as if the Lord was giving me a second chance.
The
Lord knew we would make many blunders in this life due to our dulled spiritual
senses and mortal understanding. Should you find yourself with a blunder at
your feet, be kind to yourself, not all is lost. God still has faith in you. He
can help you repair what is broken and correct your present course.
If
you have missed the lessons you are meant to learn, He will return them to you.
His mercy and long-suffering is unfathomable. His forgiveness even more so…..
The
lessons of my life flowed like a river
Winding
through days, months and years;
I
rescued a few but missed so many
From
the currents as I saw them passing;
They
drowned in the daze of my ignorance,
Unwanted
and ignored but yet abiding.
I
fish them now from the pool of my memory
And
give them life everlasting.
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