1 Nephi 5

I can totally identify with Sariah. There is nothing more scary than not knowing if your children are safe or even alive. I'm sure Sariah was sick with worry when the boys had been gone for so long. It was a dangerous trip, and a very dangerous mission. She had  no idea how they would get the plates from Laban. She eventually reached the end of her rope and she lashed out at Lehi.

Why do we take out our frustrations on our husbands. I'm sure she knew he wasn't a 'visionary man' and that he was a true prophet of God. She knew him better than anyone. But a momma bear gets pretty fierce with it comes to her children.

I also think after they returned safe and sound and she saw the value of the plates, she was very sorry, repentant, and embarrassed because for complaining and doubting her husband. I'd sure hate for the whole world to know all my words spoken in my times of extreme frustration and fear. I always think part of the punishment Lehi's family received for their weaknesses was for their every action to be recorded for all posterity and future peoples of the world to read. I can identify with Sariah.

But the real issue is that we can learn from Sariah's doubts. We can see the end of the story of Lehi and know how it all turns out. We know Lehi was a great prophet so that makes it easy to not doubt and wonder why Sariah was so weak. But when you're in the situation, and can't see the end of the story, it isn't so easy to be strong.

The lesson we can learn from chapter 5 is that we need to trust God. We can learn to not doubt. not complain, and not fear. Every time we read in the scriptures an example of how things turned out fine in the end, we can solidify our faith enough to not doubt, complain, or fear. God is in charge. He might not make everything turn out how we thought it should, but it will always turn out best for our eternal good and joy. We can trust that.

I also love verse 5 where Lehi is defending himself to Sariah and he speaks of the blessings they have received and one of the things he lists is the 'land of promise'. He speaks of it as a current possession and blessing, but they are still about 8 years from receiving that land! In the same way, we can look at our future blessings, even though they are many years from coming, as if we already have them because we have the promise of them. The promise is as good as already having them.

This is contrary to how it works on earth. We aren't happy till we actually HAVE the thing, whatever it is. But eternally speaking, all the blessings that are promised ARE ALREADY OURS as long as we remain faithful.

There is one more favorite verse in chapter 5 - verse 20, "And.... thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us."  I would like to be able to say that at the end of every day of my life!