Led by the Spirit

Likening chapter 4 of the first book of Nephi

1 Nephi 4:1

And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

As Nephi did before, he once again encouraged his brothers to follow the Lord and believe that anything is possible for the Almighty God, who is mightier than any one. Personally, I have seen His powerful hand bless me, and also many others.

I have been guided by His Spirit, just like Nephi did, and have been able to navigate through difficult times and misfortunes with the assurance that God is always there to help. I have experienced some mighty miracles in my life, which might not always be what you would expect. However, His interventions have been evident to me many times, even though they might be invisible to others. There were even moments when people around me noticed that there was an invisible force working for me.

Due to the undeniable presence of God in my life and the profound impact of His wisdom and guidance, I could no longer ignore His existence. It was through experiencing His mighty hand that I truly started to believe in God, fulfilling my heartfelt desire to know Him. His divine intervention has rescued me from spiritual, psychological, and physical perils.

1 Nephi 4:2

Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither…

After a month of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I realized that I had changed more than I ever thought I would be able to in my life. My mind had changed, and my ability to interact with people had improved. My hopes were greater, and my happiness was more steadfast. I considered life as a great adventure, full of opportunities to seize. I was able to express myself with much more confidence, and I felt the love of God continually. I remember thinking it was a miracle in my case because of so many unsuccessful attempts to be more agreeable to others. Prior to my baptism, I had become very cynical, and I didn’t think I was able to change my attitude about so many things. I had already become a better man, and this happened within just a month. Even so, my family started to notice it too, and my friends didn’t recognize me. They were worried, though, that I had been brainwashed. I would tell them that it was perhaps a very necessary cleansing.

In February 1999, after serving as a missionary for nine months, during a worldwide satellite broadcast, our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, made the following statement:

“Last year there were approximately 300,000 convert baptisms throughout the Church. This is tremendously significant. This is the equivalent of 120 new stakes of 2,500 members each. Think of that: 120 new stakes in a single year! It is wonderful. But it is not enough. I am not being unrealistic when I say that with concerted effort, with recognition of the duty which falls upon each of us as members of the Church, and with sincere prayer to the Lord for help, we could double that number.”

This powerful statement left a deep impression on my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I constantly questioned how I could become a better missionary.

By early July of the same year, after having remained in Libby, Montana for some time, my companion and I received news that neither of us was being transferred. In our mission, new missionaries arrived every four weeks and needed to be paired with more experienced companions for training. Existing companionships were also regularly rearranged, and missionaries were shifted to different areas throughout the mission. Each transfer day was a mix of anticipation and apprehension. We had been together for four months, my companion and I, and I was anticipating a transfer. However, since it didn’t happen, I began to contemplate how I could improve my efforts. The counsel to make “concerted efforts” remained on my mind. It became clear to me that I needed to learn how to work more effectively with local members and guide them in doing missionary work.

Other missionaries in my district had recently proposed using the announcement of the new Spokane, Washington temple as an opportunity to encourage members to invite their friends to attend the open house scheduled before its dedication in late August. We urged the members to invite their friends and bring them to Spokane, a three-hour drive away, to visit the new temple. We prepared the invitations, discussed the plan frequently, made some goals, and invited both members and non-members to attend the open house.

Something remarkable occurred during this time: we discovered the power of “concerted efforts” as both missionaries and local members worked together. The Spirit of God was with us, and we all experienced a profound sense of joy. After the open house, we continued to think about other ways to invite members to participate in the missionary effort, encouraging members to pray and invite their friends to hear the Gospel.

My companion was eventually transferred out of the area. I remained and became a zone leader. I exhorted all the missionaries in my zone to set goals for working with members and finding people to teach. We set a goal to double our baptisms that year and prayed for guidance from the Spirit of God. We shared our vision with the local church leaders, supported with the statement made by our prophet, and started working more closely.

Towards the end of the year, during a meeting with all the missionaries in my zone, we collectively reviewed the progress of the individuals we were teaching. We discussed those who had the potential to be baptized by the year’s end. It became evident that the Elders in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, were lacking sufficient individuals seriously interested in the Gospel to reach our target. I advised them to pray for divine guidance in finding a family of five people, insisting that this was essential to double their baptisms. In time, they were able to locate and baptize that family before the year concluded.

I emphasized the importance of the numbers, but they weren’t the sole focus. The numbers were there to guide us in understanding the extent of the work that needed to be accomplished and to offer us a shared vision for discussion. The ultimate goal was to lead as many people as possible to Christ through the act of baptism.

When we reached the combined zone conference on December 16th of that same year, we had indeed doubled our baptisms for the entire zone. We were all filled with happiness. We had started the year as the lowest-baptizing zone in the mission and ended it as the best. The other missionaries in my zone made me realize what a significant accomplishment it was, and they were very proud of me as their leader, but I knew that it was the work of the Lord.

I learned that year how efficient we may become in the Lord’s work listening to the living prophet and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

1 Nephi 4:3

Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers…

Here is a message to my children and anyone who may read these words: believe me when I say that the Lord has the power to assist you in your challenges, just as He did for me and countless others. He responded to my prayers and provided inspiration on numerous occasions, helping me understand the truth of the Book of Mormon, guiding me through tough situations, and even rescuing me from circumstances I could not handle on my own.

As you may already know if you’re familiar with me (or if you’ve read the beginning of this book), I experienced a severe car accident at the age of seven that left me partially paralyzed. Consequently, it has been exceedingly challenging for me to navigate my life while striving for success in my endeavors. Because I was a car accident victime, I thought I could receive some help from the insurance state company, but when I required support to continue my education after college since I couldn’t work and study full time without exhausting myself, my insurance agent explained that he couldn’t take any action because I had demonstrated my ability to function normally by returning to school as a child. He informed me that the only way to receive assistance was to establish medically that my condition had significantly worsened.

By the end of 1992, my physiatrist conducted a medical assessment to justify the deterioration of my condition over time. I hired a lawyer whom I couldn’t afford much, and who couldn’t achieve much either in terms of assistance. In the spring of 1993, I received $600 from the insurance company, which I used to travel to the West Coast with some friends. Eventually, I became homeless and ended up in the USA.

Upon my return to Canada, my father took me to a specialist who had the bright idea to perform an X-ray. The results confirmed that I had been walking for an unknown period with a dislocated hip, explaining the systematic pain I endured. In August 1994, I underwent surgery to secure my hip in place, just above the pelvic socket. At the time, medical authorities were unable to explain how my hip had become dislocated, as it had gone unnoticed during my accident. Some suggested it might be a personal condition, a congenital issue from birth. However, after the operation, my orthopedist informed me that it was evident it was a post-trauma condition. I later asked him to document this in a report.

Thinking that I finally had the evidence needed to substantiate a relapse, I approached my insurance agent for assistance. Instead, I received a letter stating that the specialists had concluded that my issues were attributed to a personal condition. This was not true, of course, but since they had made their decision, I was left to prove otherwise.

In 1995, I sought the counsel of another attorney who referred me to a medical expert. They requested that I gather all the available medical records from the hospital archives where I had been treated following the accident. Our goal was to find evidence that my hip had become dislocated during the accident and not prior to it. However, we couldn’t locate any mention of the hip in the records. There was only one X-ray of my pelvis, but it was difficult to discern my skeletal structure due to the substantial amount of blood in my body after my spleen had ruptured. We were left with no clues about the condition of my hip.

Due to my financial constraints and being on welfare, both my attorney and the specialist halted their efforts after determining that they had done all they could with the $1,000 allocated by the government for my case. Feeling discouraged and having exhausted all available options, I made the decision to abandon the pursuit of legal action against the government for their unfair decision. I resolved to continue following the same approach I had always adopted in my life, striving to do my best and seeking success through my own talents and efforts.

When I chose to enter into the waters of baptism, I placed my wavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, recognizing my own limitations in managing life, I leaned on the belief that Christ had the power to reshape my character and guide me toward personal improvement. My past sins weighed heavily on me, yet, in accordance with the promise, the Holy Spirit that enveloped me after my baptism brought a profound inner peace. Moreover, I received blessings of understanding and heightened spiritual awareness. My capacity for love and empathy expanded, and I maintained trust that, with God’s assistance, I could attain success in life despite the challenges posed by my physical condition.

1 Nephi 4:4

Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

No one can compel another to change. People must choose to change for themselves; however, we can certainly exert influence and inspire others to change. This is the transformative work that Christ does within us. The Holy Spirit inspires followers of Christ to choose the right path. Individuals are then either transformed by the Spirit as they follow Christ, or not, if they choose not to do so. The Holy Spirit can indeed bring about transformation, but not without our willingness.

My missionary service was undeniably one of these transformative journeys that the Lord inspired me to embark upon. Through this experience, the Lord revealed to me that I had the capacity to become a better man, and I recognized that it was through His inspiration and grace that I had grown more like Him. It stands as one of the best decisions of my life. However, my family didn’t initially view it the same way. I was going to leave work and family, and it scared them. I had to explain to my mother, father, and grandmother even, that I believed God had helped me secure a good job. Two years after my baptism, I was employed at the Bank of Montreal, initially as a phone agent and later as a clerk, handling transactions for customers and contributing to the enhancement of operational processes and services.

By 1998, I had completed two full years at the bank and had saved enough money to embark on a two-year mission. My close relationships and siblings were deeply concerned that I might lose a solid position and never have another opportunity like it. I hadn’t finished my bachelor’s degree, and my physical condition made it challenging for me to secure a good job or study full time. They attempted to dissuade me from going.

I assured my mother that since God had guided me to where I was at that point in my life, I was confident He would continue to guide me after my mission, especially after dedicating two years in His service. And indeed, He did, repeatedly, even until now, twenty-five years later. Now my close ones see that the hand of the Lord has blessed me throughout my life.

1 Nephi 4:5-6

And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

I learned to rely on the Lord, much like Nephi did. Nephi’s unwavering trust in divine guidance allowed him to be ready for any task the Lord asked of him.

In 1995, I didn’t know which direction to take in my life, but I had a dream in which my father told me to study industrial mathematics. I didn’t have much self-esteem then. I was 22 years old. I had just undergone hip surgery and was walking with crutches. I was living on social assistance and couldn’t find a job suitable for my very limited abilities. I wasn’t sure what I could do to earn a living due to my disability. I had faced several failures. The prospects didn’t seem very encouraging to me. But since I was good at mathematics in school, I looked for various university programs in mathematics, keeping in mind the dream I had. We didn’t have the internet back then like today, and it wasn’t as easy as it is now to get information.

I went to the orienteer office to get program guides from different universities and looked for what was offered in industrial mathematics, but I didn’t find anything really relevant. Industrial mathematics wasn’t a discipline labeled as such at any university. I understood that at the University of Sherbrooke, the program was industry-oriented, but without really knowing, it was difficult to get a clear idea of what I should study.

Anyhow, I managed to find a full-time job at the Bank of Montreal to pay off all my student debts and save $10,000 for my mission. Away on my mission, I met a bishop who worked from home in northern Idaho. He was a computer engineer. I was very good at computers, so I thought that might be an avenue for me.

After my mission in 2000, I found myself at a crossroads again, uncertain about my life’s direction. Yet, I held firm to the belief that God would guide me, just as He had done so far throughout my journey—from baptism to the end of my mission.

On the flight back from my mission to Montreal, I was sitting next to a man in a wheelchair who was doing mathematics. Interested, I asked him what his profession was, and he replied that he was an engineer. It was very encouraging for me, and I considered this as a sign that I could do this kind of work.

I returned to work at the Bank of Montreal and started college studies in computer science; but I thought I was wasting my time at college. So I dropped the program to rather enroll in university. I called the École Polytechnique de Montréal to ask if I could enroll in their computer engineering program, but they told me I had to have done my college studies in pure sciences. I had only taken human sciences and mathematics in college. They made it clear that I didn’t have what it took.

Disappointed, but not discouraged, I abandoned the idea of studying computer science and enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in teaching in Rimouski for the fall of 2001. I had fervently prayed on my mission to become a seminary instructor one day and had really felt that Heavenly Father heard me. Reading the information from the Church Educational System (at that time, I had access to the internet), I learned that to become a seminary instructor, a bachelor’s degree in any discipline was required to undergo instructor training. I thought that since I had a real talent for teaching in the Church, I could hope to become a good teacher. I chose a teaching program for children with difficulties. My goal was to help disabled children succeed in their studies.

I loved my teaching studies at the Université du Québec à Rimouski. I also liked my cohort. We did great activities together, but I often saw a group of students working together on their mathematics in the cafeteria. It was a very diverse group, and they seemed to get along well. They were part of the bachelor’s degree in computer science.

At the end of my first teaching internship in a primary school in Matane, during my second semester in the spring of 2002, my internship supervisor strongly discouraged me from pursuing teaching due to my disability and difficulties moving around. She made it clear that I wasn’t in the right place in a school, and I mostly understood that it would be difficult for me to work in a school every day, and especially to be accepted by other teachers, and even more so by parents. It hit me hard. I remember, I was on the bus between Matane and Rimouski, thinking about the bachelor’s degree in computer science, and I asked God (in prayer in my heart) if it was a good idea for me to study computer science; the Spirit immediately confirmed to me that it was the right direction to take: I felt an intense warmth in my heart confirming that it was the right choice for me. I knew this feeling very well, this divine feeling that guided me several times to accept the Gospel, join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and choose the path of discipleship.

I inquired about the computer science program and the prerequisites for enrollment. I was only missing one mathematics course. I went to meet the program director to ask if he would credit me for the first programming course, given the courses I had very successfully completed at college. He told me to enroll in the second programming course, which he was teaching himself during the summer, saying that if I passed the second course, he would have no problem crediting me for the first. The director later became a true friend.

I announced to my program director in teaching that I was leaving his program and heading towards computer science. He was devastated because I was a good student. He tried to dissuade me and told me not to listen to the teacher who had supervised my internship, but the Spirit had been very clear with me, and my decision was made.

I achieved the best results in the programming class that summer and started my studies in the bachelor’s degree in computer science in the fall of 2002. On the recommendation of my new director, I took an intensive catch-up course in mathematics, as my courses had been taken several years earlier.

I completed my bachelor’s degree in 2005. My director moved me to Montreal at the end of spring to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at Université du Québec à Montréal. But I had hip surgery in November and had to abandon my studies to focus on my rehabilitation throughout 2006. I returned to my studies in the winter of 2007 using an electric scooter.

During my master’s studies, I took software engineering courses that were very useful later in my career. These courses, in addition to the expertise I developed during my research, allowed me to find and keep good positions at work.

One thing leading to another, I developed, thanks to God, an expertise recognized by my peers and the industry in business analysis, process modeling and architecture. I worked on projects and models to understand and improve not just IT solutions, but entire organizations.

On day, I was talking with a neighbor who lives in the building where I live. We had invited him and his wife to come watch a video about the Nativity. During the discussion, we talked about what I do for work. And we realized that we did the same job. However, he is retired. That’s when I asked him, out of curiosity, what training he had followed to start his career in this field, because business analysis is a fairly recent job. He told me he had studied industrial engineering. I immediately made the connection with the inspiration to study industrial mathematics that I received in my dream in 1995, and it reassured me about the professional path I ultimately chose to take.

Moreover, in my patriarchal blessing that I received in 1995, the Lord revealed to me that I would be “an organizer.” It really surprised me at the time because I felt so disorganized. I always kept this prophecy in mind and sought to improve continuously at church, at the bank, on my mission, during my studies, at work, etc.

The patriarch blessed me to succeed in this manner: “Be faithful and you will resist temptations, you will be a guide, an organizer for your brothers and sisters. How amazed they will be at your knowledge.”

I really think this prophecy is fulfilled. I now work to direct a team that helps my organization clarify its operations, business model, rules, policies, and operations, contributing to IT projects and transformations. I train and I guide my team members to improve in theory and practice.

The Lord has guided me all these years. He has taken me by the hand and brought me back repeatedly to the path He planned for me long before I was even born. I am fulfilling His purpose. It is encouraging for me to see that I am still on His path and also to see that despite my desires and deviations, or my weaknesses, obstacles, and life’s challenges, persecutions, illness, disability: He has the power, intelligence, and strength to keep me on the path to success and salvation.

We should never despair and loose trust in the Lord. He takes us by the hand and leads us where He wants us to be. We should stay faithful and trust God because He intends to do everything for us to succeed in life.

It’s not easy to understand and see clearly the direction to take in life. The right information doesn’t always come when we need it; discouragement sometimes paralyzes us; adversity prevents us from doing God’s will, or doubt; but God has His hands outstretched to bring us back and help us succeed.

I can honestly say that “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.”

1 Nephi 4:7-8

Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.

And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

Nephi was wandering in the dark streets of the city of Jerusalem, but nevertheless he went forth, trusting in the Lord as he made his way towards the house of Laban. He had the right attitude to have when things seem hard to accomplish, not knowing exactly what to do: going forward with faith in the Lord. And he found exactly what he was looking for: Laban lying down helpless in front of him.

How often in my life has the Lord put the right circumstances on my path to solve big problems, even insurmountable ones. While waiting upon the hand of God, I had to keep moving. I struggled with fears, discouragement, fatigue, and paralysis; nevertheless I went forth, and I found divine help on my path on numerous occasions.

While studying computer science in Rimouski as a single adult at thirty years old and with a disability, I began to feel stressed about finding a soulmate. I was studying most of the time or working on university projects, and to make things harder, I wanted her to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There were only a few of us attending our small branch in Rimouski.

I prayed to God, expressing my concerns not just about love but also about my bad hip and my difficulties. On January 13th, 2002, I listened to a talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott, one of the Twelve Apostles at the time. I had written him a letter the same day he gave his talk to the young adults, telling him I trusted he would answer my concerns in his talk that very night, and he surely did, being inspired by the Lord.

Here is an excerpt from the letter I wrote:

“I live now in Rimouski, which is a city of about 30,000 souls. We are between 15 and 20 active members in our small branch. I left Montreal City where there are institute, the temple and many church services, to come here at the university. I chose to come here because my mother lives close by and because I prefer small institutes. I was also tired of the big city and wanted some peace after the girl I loved said no to my offer. Some say that I acted foolishly. They may be true but I really felt prompted to leave and come here. Now was I inspired of the right spirit? I hope so. Here the chances I meet a Latter-day Saint girl are very few and I can’t help it but think of all the times I have been approached by some girls and didn’t act. I know that I have not done everything in my power to love and invite a daughter of my Heavenly Father to the holy altar; so I start to have real concerns about my eternal exaltation. I rejected the holy order of matrimony by acting foolishly too often.

“I have also been caught in the trap of being too busy with many things, including serving faithfully in the church, to get close to a girl and go out with some. That was another way of escaping my duty to marry. The mission was one, and now schooling is another. These are really good things. I found myself now at 30 years old. Not married. Beginning a bachelor’s degree. Poor like Job. Physically tired of life because of pain from a dislocated hip that I got from a car accident. And lonely.

“I feel like I started my life again too many times and that it begins to look like I will stay single all my life. This is my greatest fear. On the other hand, my greatest fear is also to make the life of my companion miserable because of my sins and my worries and my handicap and my bad temper. Sometimes I just think I should stay like this and die like this in old age but then it will really be that I chose deliberately to forsake exaltation.”

At the beginning of his talk that evening, Elder Scott asked two questions:

“Do you feel overwhelmed, wondering if you can make the correct choices, uncertain of how to proceed? Does trying your best not seem to be good enough? I understand what you are going through.” He got my attention.

He then shared with us an inspiration he received as a young adult. It was the solution he found that helped him cope with his worrying to the point of illness.

“I was prompted to divide mentally—and physically, where possible—all of the challenges, tasks, and assignments given to me into two categories. All of the things for which I felt responsibility but for which I could do nothing to resolve I put in a basket called ‘worry.’ Then all of those things for which I had some ability to control or resolve I put into a basket called ‘concern.’ I realized I could not resolve those things in the worry basket, so I tried hard to forget them. Later in the process I learned that putting them into the worry basket didn’t mean they wouldn’t be taken care of. They were resolved by those who could best handle them—and most often that was the Lord Himself. The items in the concern basket were ordered in priority. I conscientiously tried to resolve them to the best of my ability. Although I could not always fulfill all of them on schedule or to the degree of competence I desired, I did my conscientious best.”

I did exactly as Elder Scott suggested. I started to make a list of all the things that stressed me out, all the things I was worried about, and all the things that were causing me to suffer. On the list were my dysfunctional hip, the fact that I was still single, the insurance company that didn’t want to admit that my condition was caused by the accident, and more. I put everything I could think of on that list. Then I considered each problem and divided them into two categories: the things I had no control over went on the “worry” side, and the things I thought I could do something about went on the “concern” side. Then I prayed to ask God to take care of the worry side for me and to help me work on the concern side. It helped a great deal to feel at peace. Then I forgot about the list.

A few years later, while living in my own home in Laval, Québec, having a hip replacement, being married and with a baby, I came across that list for the first time since I had written it.

I started looking at the list, and I was stunned to realize that all the problems I had written in the worry basket were taken care of by the Lord. All of them. None were left. Even the insurmountable problem with the insurance company was resolved. The insurance company admitted my condition and compensated me for all the years I didn’t receive any annuities. I received enough money to buy a small house just before my marriage. It was a miracle. I had hired lawyers and consulted specialists who were helpless in my case. Yet, it was all taken care of.

Then I went over the concern basked, which was mine, and I noticed that I was still struggling with most of the problems in there. Realizing that the Lord was more efficient than me, I decided to transfer some of the problems I had been struggling with for a long time to His side. Then I thanked Him for what He was doing for me. That list made me realize how faithfully He cares.

1 Nephi 4:9-13

And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands…

And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

Nephi was constrained by the Spirit to do something very hard. He didn’t want to kill a man. He had never done such a thing in his life. And this may seem to us something very hard to conceive: that God would ask a man to kill another.

Please note that we are reading the words of a man who lived 600 years B.C., in a time and place where people seemed to kill each other with more frequency than what we may witness in our part of the world. Laban just attempted to kill Nephi and his brothers, and he succeeded to steal their property. Lehi had to leave with his family to hide in the desert to save himself from being killed. Apparently, murdering each other may have been a more convenient practice at Jerusalem at that time than what we may think. But even so, how could a just God require Nephi to kill Laban? This question delves into the complexities of divine commandments, the purposes of God, and the moral struggles faced by individuals.

Nephi’s experience highlights the profound struggle between divine command and personal morality. Nephi’s initial reluctance to kill Laban reflects his moral integrity and his discomfort with the idea of taking a life. This internal conflict emphasizes the gravity of the command he received and the deep respect Nephi had for life.

The Spirit’s message to Nephi underscores a broader divine purpose. The directive to kill Laban was not a random act of violence but was seen as necessary for the preservation of an entire nation. It had all to do with the brass plates, which contained vital genealogical and scriptural records. They were crucial for Nephi’s people. Not having these records could lead to spiritual and cultural decline.

The Spirit reminded Nephi that the Lord slays the wicked to bring forth His righteous purposes. This statement implies that Laban was seen as wicked in the eyes of God. Therefore, his death was considered as a just act within the context of God’s broader plan.

Nephi’s decision to obey the Spirit’s command illustrates a profound level of faith and obedience to God’s will. Despite his personal reservations, Nephi trusted that God’s instructions, though difficult and incomprehensible to him at the moment, were aligned with a divine plan that transcended human understanding. This act of obedience was a significant test of Nephi’s faith and commitment to God’s purposes.

In this experience, the authority of God serves as the ultimate moral justification for the act. The belief that God, as the supreme being, possesses the authority to command actions that may seem morally perplexing to humans is central to understanding this event. Nephi’s acceptance of the command reflects his acknowledgment of God’s omniscience and ultimate wisdom.

In 2008, while I was studying part time to complete a master’s degree in computer science, I went through a difficult period, experiencing discouragement at school and frustration with my physical condition. Being declared invalid, I was tempted to quit university and abandon hope of returning to full-time work. Having received annuities for almost a year, I began to consider staying at home, finding a good cause, and doing voluntary work as much as I could. However, this was not the Lord’s plan for me.

I was exhausted most of the time, struggling with pain and fatigue. While trying out new treatments and medications, none of which worked as hoped. I started to desire rest and to accept my condition as it was. The idea of staying at home and taking care of what I could was a relief. Doctors, specialists, family members, and friends all helped me reconsider my life, especially since I had a regular income assured. Even though it wasn’t much, combined with my wife’s salary, it was enough to meet our needs. Still, the unpleasant thought that my future kids might be shy one day to tell others that their dad was at home and invalid lingered in my mind.

I began to think that I should stop being so stubborn and prideful, insisting on being the provider for my family. I wondered if I was wrong to believe I could go back to work someday; and despite being only in my mid-thirties, I felt old and truly desired to rest.

Just when this thought started to feel right, I had a revelation during a stake priesthood conference. I was strongly and divinely admonished to keep studying and prepare to return to full-time work. When I felt the Spirit enticing me, without any words, what I should do, and realizing that I was wrong to think I should stay home, tears rushed down my face. It was incredibly painful to think of all the hardship I was going through and that it wasn’t the end.

As I contemplated the idea of working full-time one day and wondered how I could manage it, I realized that the only way I could do so would be by using an electric wheelchair full-time. I then had a silent conversation with God, promising that I would return to work as He was guiding me to, even if it meant sitting in a wheelchair. My eyes were filled with tears even more, but my mind was set. Though I knew it would be painful, I had made my decision to obey the counsel of the Lord.

I continued studying part-time and obtained my master’s degree in 2011, then I started working full-time as a specialist in the technology I used during my research. It was one of the best thing that could have happened to me career-wise.

As of 2024, I’ve managed to stay out of a wheelchair, but I use an electric scooter to go to the office two to three times a week, and I’m perfectly content with that.