Laman and Lemuel

Last Sunday, we finished the book of 1 Nephi in Sunday School.  Our Gospel Doctrine teacher is quite a character.  Sometimes it feels like Sunday School is comedy hour rather than a time of learning and edification.  That is sort of frustrating, but what can you do?  I read the lessons and study guide the week before the lesson and try to learn as much in my personal study as I can, and then grin and bear it through Sunday School every week.  I know this isn't the best attitude to have...I'm working on it!
I have absolutely loved re-reading 1 Nephi again.  There are so many lessons to learn and re-learn in 1 Nephi.  One of my favorite comparisons in the Book of Mormon is the contrast between Laman and Lemuel and Nephi.  Here we have this righteous and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ in Nephi.  He is always trying to do what is right, he follows his prophet father with unwavering faith, and he is determined and dedicated to following the commandments of God.  Then we have Laman and Lemuel who aren't always trying to do what is right, follow their prophet father with constant complaining and little faith (but still follow him), and try to take the easy way out of following the commandments of God.  I love this comparison because I am always reminded of how much of Laman and Lemuel I have in me, and how much I want to be more like Nephi.
So last week in Sunday School, the teacher and several of the members of the class were having a hay day ripping Laman and Lemuel apart.  What were they thinking?  Why did they never stop complaining?  Why didn't they just shut up and do what Lehi said God wanted them to do?  Why did they always treat Nephi so poorly?  Didn't they realize their behavior is what was causing the Liahona to not work?  They had seen angels for heaven's sake!  These two were a real piece of work!
As the comments went on and on, I could tell the people on my row were getting a little restless.  The people on my row included my roommates and two other single girls our age.  I leaned over to Tricia and said, "man, I guess no one in this ward has any Laman and Lemuel in them like I do."  She was already in the act of raising her hand to make a comment.  She made an inspired comment that perfectly articulated exactly what I was thinking.  Lehi and Nephi were so patient with Laman and Lemuel, just like the Lord is so patient with us when we mess up over and over again and complain and often begrudgingly do what we have been commanded to do.  We have people like Nephi in the scriptures as examples of what we all want to be but often fall short of.  The teacher sort of dismissed her comment and tried to move on with the lesson.  Then one of our friends raised her hand and made a comment about how Laman and Lemuel were among the "saints".  They were following a prophet.  They had gone back to Jerusalem several times now and could have stayed there, but they still came back to be with their family.  If they lived right now in our time, they would be members of the church.  Then another friend made an awesome comment along the same lines.  And again, the teacher sort of said thank you for the comments, and then moved on to his entertaining the class.  The whole time I wanted to raise my hand and say something along the lines of...if none of us had any Laman and Lemuel in us and we were all like Nephi, then the bishop wouldn't have just gave an entire talk in sacrament meeting about how we all need to be more faithful in paying our tithing, contribute more in our fast offerings, be way more diligent at our home and visiting teaching, and attend the temple more than we do.  I'm always too chicken to make comments in Sunday School, and that comment probably would have been a little too confrontational, but it is what I was thinking the whole time.  I felt like everyone was seeing the motes in Laman and Lemuel's eyes and not the beam that we all have protruding miles out of our own eyes.  (See Matthew 7:1-5)
I spent this last week thinking about why people making comments about the lameness of Laman and Lemuel had bothered me and my roommates so much.  I mean, they were pretty lame when all is said and done.  My roommates and I talked about the Sunday School lesson quite extensively when we got home last Sunday.  I think the comments bothered me because they had such a "holier than thou" tone to them, and I'm really sensitive to that.  I think members of the church can really have problems with this (especially here in the 'tah), and it is not good at all for being member missionaries.  But probably the bigger part of it was that in a roundabout way, I felt like they were making comments about me.  Heavenly Father probably thinks the same thing about me...what is she thinking?  Why doesn't she ever stop complaining?  I have blessed her so much!  Why doesn't she just shut up, have more faith and trust in me, and do what I tell her to do because I know what is best for her?  Why doesn't she treat other people like they are my sons and daughters?  She has felt the Spirit and been given undeniable witnesses of the truthfulness of the gospel and the importance of keeping my commandments for heaven's sake!  She is a real piece of work!  (Ok, Heavenly Father probably doesn't really think these things because He is perfect, but it is what I would think of me if I were Him.  And He really does think I'm a piece of work, a piece of work that He created.)
How often do I complain about having to do my visiting teaching every month? (Pretty much every month)  How often do I think of going to temple every week as just another thing to get done and not the precious privilege that is really is to enter the House of the Lord and serve? (More often than I should)  How often do I lack faith in my Heavenly Father's plan for me? (Just about every day)  How often do I feel like I'm wandering around the wilderness on my way to the promised land trying to follow the prophet but lack the eternal perspective that I should I have? (All the time)  Thank you Laman and Lemuel for allowing me to feel like I'm reading about myself when I'm reading 1 Nephi!
All that being said, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the Book of Mormon and lessons I can learn from it.  I am grateful for the reminder of how much of Laman and Lemuel there is in me and how much I want to be more like Nephi.  I am grateful for a patient and loving Heavenly Father who sent His Only Begotten Son to earth to perform an infinite Atonement that allows me to repent and overcome my weaknesses so that I can become more like Nephi (Nephi wasn't perfect, by the way.  I read 2 Nephi 4 this week and was reminded that he had struggles too.  I love Nephi!).  I am grateful for roommates and friends who I can discuss these things with and who are such examples to me.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith by the power of God.  I am grateful for all the people who sacrificed so much so that I can study and learn from the Book of Mormon today.  How about we all try to be a little more faithful and diligent like Nephi and a little less like Laman and Lemuel?!  We will be so much happier and useful to the Lord if we do!