Nephi entrusted his brother Jacob with his spiritual record and charged him with adding to it. Jacob fulfilled this charge, as did seven generations of his descendants, until Amaleki, who had no children, completed the record.
Here are some lessons I learned from these authors in April of this year:
Jacob: Set reasonable goals, and stick with them.
Jacob warned that "looking beyond the mark" causes "blindness" (Jacob 4:14). As I've thought about the implications of that principle in my life, I've realized that I'm often tempted to pursue activities which aren't directly related to achievable goals. Dreaming can be good, but an excessive focus on the mountains in the distance can cause me to miss the target right in front of me.
Zenos's allegory taught me a related principle. When the "branches" (my activities, responsibilities, and scheduled events) become too numerous, they can take "strength unto themselves," overpowering the roots (my fundamental goals). I've recognized the importance of pruning lower-priority activities in order to make space to achieve important objectives.
And I learned from the the servant in that allegory to trust the roots. Once I've taken the time to establish good goals, it's important to stick with them, and not to give up when things get discouraging. I need to continue pushing forward, trusting that an effort built on a solid foundation will eventually succeed.
Enos: Find joy.
Enos remembered his father's words about "eternal life and the joy of the saints" (Enos 1:3). He must have detected a gap between his own feeling and the joy his father had described. He found that joy and peace through prayer.
It's important to remember that God wants us to be happy. He has a "fabulous plan" for us which Jarom called "the plan of salvation" (Jarom 1:2) and which Alma called "the great plan of happiness" (Alma 42:8, 16). As Elder Patrick Kearon recently reminded us, "The intent of the Father's great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities" ("God's Intent Is to Bring You Home," General Conference, April 2024).
Amaleki: Be inclusive.
Amaleki's father knew of "no revelation save that which has been written, neither prophecy" (Omni 1:11). He was charged with passing the plates to his children, but he had no children. (See Omni 1:25.) Yet he wrote powerful and inspiring words which served as a fitting conclusion to Nephi's small plates, and then he entrusted those plates to King Benjamin, ensuring their continuance.
From Amaleki, I learned this lesson: People can make remarkable contributions regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances. I was reminded to be grateful that the Savior invites all of His disciples to come unto Him and participate in the work of salvation.
Mormon: As the Spirit works through you, it also works on you.
Mormon used the phrase "the workings of the Spirit of the Lord" to describe his process of following divine guidance. As I pondered that phrase, I realized something important: Even as the Spirit works through us, enabling us to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, it simultaneously works on us, helping us become something more than we were. I learned to be more grateful for the santifying influence of the Holy Ghost on me as I strive to follow His guidance and bless other people.
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