These Are My Days

Helaman 7:1-9

 1 Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward. 

 2 For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them; 

 3 And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity. 

 4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; 

 5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills— 

 6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul: 

 7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord— 

 8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren. 

 9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.

I feel Nephi's pain. Although this was written between 23 BC and 21 BC, we face the same issues today.  If you didn't know any better, you might think this was written last week, not over 2000 years ago.

In this passage, Nephi, the son of Helaman, is trying to do what's right.  He's preaching the word of God to the people but they reject him.  Nephi is sad because of the wickedness of his people-- who were once righteous followers of God.  He wishes that he could have lived in a time when people were firm to keep the commandments of God and slow to be led to iniquity.  But Nephi laments that those are his days and he is filled with sorrow because of the wickedness of his brethren.  I can certainly relate.

Nephi says that the great iniquity of his people had come upon them quickly -- in the space of not many years. In my few decades upon this earth I have also seen iniquity increase dramatically -- not only in the world but also amongst "my people".

As Nephi of old I also sorrow because of the wickedness of my brethren.  I see the world rapidly diverging farther and farther from the truth.  Truth and righteousness are mocked and condemned.  While lies and wickedness are embraced.

Even back then, verse five says, the guilty and wicked were heads of government and held offices where they ruled according to their will and changed laws that they might more easily sin. Sounds like a lot of politicians today.  Especially like our last presidential administration and the leftist Democrats.

Like Nephi of old,  I went to distant lands to preach the word of God unto them. Often times I was rejected because I taught truth.  Even in the short 25 year since I was a full-time representative of our Lord Jesus Christ, preaching His gospel, the world has become much more wicked.  People are ripe with iniquity.  I see the people in a state of awful wickedness, and my heart is swollen with sorrow.

Not only are people in the world rejecting our Savior and His gospel and doctrine, but many who once believed and stood for truth and righteousness, as members of the Lord's Church, are now rejecting the Lord and the truth they once knew.  I lament with Nephi over the loss of my brethren, my people. I sorrow because of their wickedness, and their quickness to be led to do iniquity, and their slowness to hearken to the words of the Lord.

Like Nephi of old,  I, too, am consigned that these are my days, and my soul is filled with sorrow because of the wickedness of my brethren.

That's my two cents.