Nephi is Given the Sealing Power

Today I read Helaman 10, where Nephi is given the sealing power. You know, it just amazes me that after all they have now witnessed in the space of just a few hours, coupled with the fact that Nephi is being carried about in the Spirit from multitude to multitude, that people still would have hard time believing in what he is saying. I mean that just blows my mind!

This chapter is mostly known for the fact that Nephi is given the sealing power in this chapter. The sealing power of course is the power to bind things on earth, as well as in heaven. It is the power with which Elijah sealed the heavens and there was no rain for 3 years. It is the power by which husband and wife are joined for eternity in the holy temple.

The phrasing in this chapter when the Lord gives him the sealing power is very telling to me. The Lord in verse 5 tells Nephi that the Lord knows that he will not ask anything that is contrary to His will. Can you imagine if you were told this by the Lord himself? I would be in awe to be told that He knew that whatever I asked of Him, He knew it would be the same as His desire. I can only imagine being so in tune with the Spirit that I only desired that which the Lord desired. I can one day hope to get so righteous and get my wants and desires so in tune.

I am a firm believer that we cannot surprise the Lord. I mean, He has already told us that all is before Him, from eternity to eternity. I do believe that He knows exactly what we are going to do and how we are going to react even before we do. I think trials that we go through are more meant to help us learn about ourselves. I cannot remember how said it this last General Conference, but one of the speakers mentioned that our trials and tests are not when character is developed, it is when character is revealed. I believe it was Boyd K. Packer that said it and how right he was. I was told once as a teenager that it is how we act when we think no one is watching that our true self is revealed. That is when we "let our hair down" and behave as we really are.

So I think Nephi needed to hear the Lord say that Nephi would never desire anything contrary to His will because we all need that affirming voice. The Lord knew it, but Nephi needed to learn just how much he had grown. It is very similar in my opinion to when Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac to the Lord. Those are trials that are meant to reveal our character to ourselves. We will all have our own trial of faith, sometimes many of them, in this life. Hopefully we will find what we wish to find and that we choose the Lord in our times of need and give Him what He asks for. Trust me when I say it will not be easy and might very well be the hardest thing you ever do, and it WILL make you question your faith. Hopefully we learn what we need to the first time and do not need to learn it a second time! :) Until tomorrow.