Peace Like a River

1 Nephi 2
In this chapter Lehi taught his sons, Laman and Lemuel, that peaces comes through righteous living. He invited Lemuel to remain “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” and encouraged Laman to “be like…this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!” (see also Isaiah 66:12).

Doctrine and Covenants 59:23 outlines this principle of how to acquire and maintain peace, “But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.”

Jesus Christ reminded his disciples that his words and teachings were given to them “that in me ye might have peace” (John 16:33). In his April 2013 talk, “Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness,” Elder Quentin L. Cook reminded us that “The Savior is the source of true peace. Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace.”

Lehi’s family were just beginning “with the trials of life” as they heeded the Lord’s commandment to leave their home, their lands, their gold and silver, and their “precious things” to travel in the wilderness because the Jews sought to kill Lehi as a result of his preaching and teaching.

Laman and Lemuel were not happy to sacrifice their lifestyle and follow the Lord’s command, which Lehi received in a dream, to depart into the wilderness. They murmured against their father and the Lord (see 1 Nephi 2:11).

Rather than murmuring, their younger brother, Nephi, followed his father’s pattern, the hero’s pattern, of ask-learn-do in order to learn the Lord’s will for himself and his family. Nephi had “great desires to know of the mysteries of God” so he “did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers” (1 Nephi 2:16). Like Nephi, as we ask for and act upon the knowledge we receive from God, we can have peace.

Elder Cook said, “Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows the we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies.” He quoted President Heber J. Grant who described the Savior’s peace this way: “His peace will ease our suffering, bind up our broken hearts, blot out our hates, engender in our breasts a love of fellow men that will suffuse our souls with calm and happiness.”

Nephi learned that God knew him and had blessed him because of his faith and obedience. His soul was filled with assurance as he started down the hero path knowing that keeping the commandments of God would enable him to be a leader, to be a servant, and to be “a ruler and a teacher over [his] brethren.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *