25 January 2013

FHE - 1st Nephi, Chapter 1

Ashlyn was in charge of the lesson this past week and I got this idea that would put our Eggspert buzzer game to use.

Ash and I sat down Sunday night and read through chapter 1 of First Nephi and came up with about 20 questions.

TANGENT: I've been really trying to STUDY my scriptures lately and have found that questions are invaluable. It gets you thinking and pondering. I haven't gotten very far, however, but I've learned more about Zedekiah, king of Judah at the time of Lehi, than I've ever known before. END OF TANGENT.

Then for FHE everyone was given about 10 minutes to read through chapter 1 and study it as much as they could in that time before Ash quizzed them with her questions. The winner got some stale chocolate I had in my closet. Oh yum!

She asked a lot of WHO and WHAT questions, but I think one of the most important questions we can ask when studying is WHY.

I mean WHY would the Jews care so much about the content of Lehi's prophesies that they would want to kill him? If we see some outlandish story in the National Enquirer, we might roll our eyes, call them looney, and just dismiss it. We certainly don't have any inclinations to go out and harm whomever wrote the story. It makes me think that the Jews must have believed somewhat in Lehi's words, at least enough to want to get rid of him, to shut him up.

I also like what Nephi says at the every end of the chapter. I kind of see it as his purpose for writing, for keeping this record that we have today. It is the thesis statement for the Book of Mormon.
"I Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."
The Lord is going to be with those who are faithful. And throughout this book we see that again and again. When we are faithful, the Lord is there to bless us, strengthen us, help fight our battles. And when we are not faithful and cease to remember him, we have no promise. That is what this book is about and Nephi wants us to know that right from the start.

QUESTIONS WE CAME UP WITH

What is the name of the first book in the Book of Mormon called? FIRST NEPHI


Who taught Nephi? HIS FATHER, LEHI

What does the word commencement mean? BEGINNING



What was the language Nephi wrote his record in? LANGUAGE OF THE EGYPTIANS

Who was the king of Judah? ZEDEKIAH

How many prophets were there during the time of Lehi? MANY

What were the prophets prophesying about? THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM

What came to Lehi as he was praying? PILLAR OF FIRE

After praying, Lehi went home and did what? CAST HIMSELF UPON THE BED

What were three of the five things Lehi saw in his vision? GOD, ANGELS, the ONE, 12 OTHERS, a BOOK

What was given to Lehi in his vision? A BOOK

Lehi describes Jesus’s countenance as being brighter than what? THE SUN AT NOON DAY

Who wrote chapter 1 of 1st Nephi? LEHI

Who abridged chapter 1 of 1st Nephi? NEPHI

The people are going to be forced to leave Jerusalem and go where? BABYLON

Did Nephi record everything his father saw and heard and prophesied? NO

What does the word abridgment mean? TO SHORTEN OR CONDENSE

What did the Jews want to do to Lehi after he testified to them? KILL HIM

What two things were in the book that Lehi prophesied to the people about? THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH and THE REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD

Why did the Jews mock Lehi? BECAUSE HE TESTIFIED OF THEIR WICKEDNESS

Nephi wants to show us through his writing that the  _______________     ________________ of the Lord are over all those whom the Lord hath chosen because of their faith. TENDER MERCIES