Building SHIPS

 

This year the curriculum of scripture study for all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Book of Mormon.  Though I read and study a little bit from the Book of Mormon every day during the other three-year study cycles of the Old and New Testaments and the Doctrine and Covenants (another canonized scripture text), I look forward to additional insights when we all study the familiar scriptures about Lehi and his descendants on the American continent.

Here is the beginning of the story:

The prophet Lehi had a vision that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed because of the people’s wickedness and disbelief that Jesus Christ would be their Savior and Redeemer.  They believed that they were righteous because they followed the Law of Moses, which was only meant to point them to Christ.  So, when Lehi shared his vision with the people, they tried to kill him.  Then the Lord told Lehi to take his family and get the heck out of town.  God said he had a better place for them, but it was going to be a long journey for them to get there.

Lehi and his family, (wife and four sons, Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi) packed up their stuff, left their beautiful home and riches behind and went into the wilderness where they lived in tents and followed the Lord’s directions.  Things were complicated because Laman and Lemuel DIDN'T want to go.  They believed they would be better off back in Jerusalem—which in reality would be destroyed not too long after they had left.  Those brothers spent most of their time complaining and giving Nephi grief for believing their father's vision.

After wandering in the desert wilderness for some time, the family finally came to the seashore on the Arabian Peninsula where there was ample fruit and food, lots of green, and plenty of everything.  Beachfront property, for sure.  But they weren’t supposed to make their home there.  They still had to cross the ocean.

Now, Nephi was not a shipbuilder.  He never lived by the water.  I’m not even sure he had even seen a boat of that magnitude in Jerusalem!  But the Lord commanded him to make a ship.  Wisely, Nephi asked the Lord how he might be able to do that.  Bit by bit, the Lord gave him directions.  First, Nephi asked where he could find the raw ore to build tools.  Then he had to ask about now to make the tools.  Then it was asking the Lord about the next step, and the next step and the next step until the ship was finally finished.  And oh, by the way, at first Laman and Lemuel refused to help because they thought it was a stupid idea, but when Nephi—and the Lord—got firm with them, they lent a hand.  The ship was finished.  They were able to begin their journey over the water.

 

Last month when we studied the beginning chapters of the Book of Mormon, I saw Nephi as an example, and I also saw a little bit of myself in his actions.  That impression of myself was in 1Nephi 17:7-8 when the Lord tells Nephi he needs to build a ship so they can get started on their way to the Promised Land. 

 

 I’ve been asked to build a lot of “ships” in my lifetime.  And every one of those "ships" has taken determination, energy, sometimes exertion, and sometimes struggle on my part.  Basically, none of those ship-building projects has been easy.  Here are a few of them.

 

Scholar ship—Working to do well in school and be a good student.

Penman ship—Learning to write legibly so people could read my words.

Member ship—Not just belonging to a group, but being an active part.

Court ship—Taking time to get to know my future husband, fun but also some effort.

Friend  ship—Being a friend to have a friend!

Leader ship—Guiding by example and by keeping focused on the task at hand.

Fellow ship—Drawing other people into my circle.

Owner ship—Taking responsibility for my thoughts and actions.

Wor ship—Having a feeling of reverence and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Partner ship—Realizing that I don’t have to do everything on my own.

Steward ship—Recognizing that I need to take care of what I have, including the Earth.

Salesman ship—Presenting ideas and propositions both in my employment and life.

Craftsman ship—Doing the best I can while completing projects.

Citizen ship—Reflecting love for my country by supporting good values and living them.

Relation ship—Putting myself into a connection with the people around me.

Sportsman ship—Being fair and genuine in situations calling for teamwork.

Hard ship--Navigating through grief after the death of a child, subsequent divorce and financial challenges

And perhaps the most important ship I need to build every day:

Disciple ship—Constantly continuing my process of becoming like Christ.

 

I’m pretty sure YOU have built plenty of ships in your life, too.  So, I invite you to take some time to jot down the memory of a couple of them that turned out to be really outstanding examples of Nephi’s accepting an assignment from the Lord and then continuing to ask for directions along the way.  That’s the way it has worked in my life.  It’s probably the way that ship building has worked in your life, as well.