Obtaining a Land of Promise...and Family Unity - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Five (1 Nephi 5)

While Nephi and his brothers are away in Jerusalem, we learn a lot about the love and anxiety a mother feels through their mother Sariah. The scene shifts to Sariah and Lehi in the wilderness, presumably after a few weeks have passed with no word from the boys.

Now think of it from Sariah's point of view. Your husband has told you that you need to leave the only place you've known (with all your possessions and family ties and friends) immediately. You leave a comfortable house, spend two weeks wandering, and then end up camping in the desert--indefinitely. Then, your husband sends your sons back to where you came from on a dangerous mission, and your entire future depends on the success of that mission.

It seems as though Sariah has been extremely accommodating and patient throughout this entire process. But one day, it just all seems like a little too much, and she complains to Lehi about these visions of his.

Lehi's response is very interesting. He freely admits that yes, he's had all these visions, and explains in a way to his wife that seems much more tender and compassionate than defensive. What Sariah is concerned has become a burden is clearly seen by Lehi as a great blessing, because he has been powerfully convinced by what he has seen, heard and felt (what he seems to call the "goodness of the Lord") that had they not heeded the warning to leave Jerusalem they'd all be dead or soon be dead.

And what's even more astonishing is what he says in verse 5. Not only does he feel as though leaving Jerusalem was a blessing, he sees his family's current status as strangers in a strange land as something to rejoice in. He says that he has obtained a "land of promise," and insists that he knows that his boys will return. It's an amazing lesson in how everything depends on your perspective. It's instructive that Lehi does not say that he will obtain a land of promise in the future when they reach their final destination (even though that's true as well), but that he has already obtained it. For me, it's a great way to remember to appreciate whatever I have around me when I know that I am watched over by a Heavenly Father who loves me. If He truly does provide us with direction when we ask for it (and I'm convinced He does), then we too can rejoice that we have already obtained a land of promise, come what may, whether it is a real place or a state of mind about embracing what life gives us.  

To Sariah's credit, she hasn't had the direct benefit of these experiences, and so she's doing her best to rely on Lehi's word. It seems as though the great confidence he shows helps comfort her so she is able to endure the wait a little longer until her sons find their way home. Then, as Nephi records their joyful reunion, he also writes that Sariah has gained a certain knowledge that the Lord has warned and protected them. It's a touching way to show how two people who love each other find a way to work things out and grow closer through both adversity and joy. Their closeness as husband and wife will be critical as they face more challenges ahead.

The end of the chapter contains a nice segment where Lehi reads the record that his sons have brought from Jerusalem, traces the heritage of their family from Joseph in Egypt to the present, and prophesies about the important role the record will play in blessing future generations of their family. It shows how valuable it is to document special family experiences.

You can read the chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5?lang=eng