Nephi went to the Lord with a plan to fulfill the Lord's will, and just asked the Lord for help in fulfilling it. Because he was actively seeking the Lord's will, he had the "go and do" faith and knew that the Lord would provide the way.
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Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.
— Oscar Wilde
He didn't say, "How do I build a ship? I don't know how to build a ship." He just asked for help to get started on what he could do and trusted that the Lord would help him when he got to the parts he couldn't do (yet).
I like the aspect that he started with the basics- tools. He knew there was going to be work involved, no shortcuts. He asked for help making tools. He hadn't done this particular task before, so perhaps did not have the proper tools available to him yet. He desired the Lord's help but at the same time it was apparent he was not trying to duck the work. I don't think Nephi was inept at finding ore himself, but this task had to be done the right way...
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Ray, you obviously forgot a letter, "o". The statement should read, "Don't forget to ask me where to find the oreo." You're hiding them in your desk, aren't you. They better not be double stuff. Those are just nasty!
salesortonscom wrote: Ray, you obviously forgot a letter, "o". The statement should read, "Don't forget to ask me where to find the oreo." You're hiding them in your desk, aren't you. They better not be double stuff. Those are just nasty!
mirkwood wrote: Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....you stole my thunder!!!salesortonscom wrote: Ray, you obviously forgot a letter, "o". The statement should read, "Don't forget to ask me where to find the oreo." You're hiding them in your desk, aren't you. They better not be double stuff. Those are just nasty!
I you don't want your thunder stolen then use a thunderlock and keep it out of sight. Thunder thieves look for easy targets!
Nephi didn't come to the Lord about how to build a boat. The Lord came to him. The Lord commanded him.
Nephi probably didn't have a clue about building ships. Instead of doubting, he came up with an idea, "Tools... I need tools." Perhaps he knew how to do metalsmithy, I dunno... but he had a big task in front of him, and he started somewhere, and the Lord provided the way, giving him information along the way.
Recently in my life, I've felt the Lord expecting things of me. Honestly, I have no idea how to go about doing them. I feel a bit overwhelmed. I don't have nearly the skills that most folk have to be capable, but I love God. Sometimes I think of this response Nephi had, and I think, you know, "Okay, you want me to do this? Fine. Right now this is an obstacle, and this is and obstacle. I don't want to murmur, but How? I will do my best, Lord, but Where can I find the ore for the tools to overcome this?"
Sometimes I think we need to stop asking that our big obstacles be removed, and just ask for the tools to work our way through them.
And that's why I write myself the little cryptic note...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
