1 Nephi 9

I have always like 1 Nephi chapter nine.  I used to like it because it was short enough to get through during the five minutes I had to squish scripture study into my hectic day.  I also liked the fact that it was straight forward and easy to understand as it talks about the how Nephi wrote two sets of plates, the large plates (for secular history) and the small plates (for sacred things).  Recently, I have come to love chapter nine.  When I read it early this year, I wrote in my scripture journal:  "This chapter is wonderful!  It always seems as if I can actually feel my bucket of faith filling up when I read it."

I love verses 5 & 6 (I added the italics):

"Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.  And thus it is.  Amen."

Nephi has such faith.  He did not receive the instruction to make two separate plates, but then dismiss such a thing as illogical just because he could not see the logic.  He trusted Heavenly Father; he made the plates and began to write.

Nephi is shown a ton of stuff about the future as 1 Nephi progresses, and I'm sure that, by the end of it all, he understood exactly why he needed to make these two records, but when he began it was simply out of obedience.

Sometimes it is so hard to understand what the Lord would have us do.  I am at a time like that in my life right now, where choices abound, and I'm not seeing one clear path.  But at least I do know that each day I can do my best to obey His commandments and maybe as I go along everything will become clearer.