In the Last Days of My Probation

As you all know, I listen to The Book of Mormon every morning for several hours.  This morning a scripture that I'm not familiar with jumped out at me because this is exactly how I feel.  Or, in other words, I should say this is what I hope I can say at the end of my mortal life.

This scripture is the prophet Lehi speaking to his sons as he nears the end of his mortal journey-- or as he says, "in the last days of my probation". Basically teaching them gospel truths and admonishing them to live the gospel.

2 Nephi 2:30

"I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen."

I can relate to Lehi.  He also had family members -- namely his sons Laman and Lemuel -- who chose not to live the gospel and persecuted those who did.  Especially their family members.  This despite having a father and brothers who were prophets. So, obviously they were taught, and knew well, the Gospel.

I look to Lehi and his righteous sons as examples to me.  Lehi and his sons, Nephi and Jacob, all taught the gospel and called the wicked to repentance despite persecution. Even persecution from those who are supposed to love and protect them -- family.

Even on his deathbed, Lehi was teaching the gospel to his sons hoping that his wicked sons would wise up and change their ways to save their souls.

The following is part of what Lehi told his wicked sons on his deathbed.

2 Nephi 1: 13-19

13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

14 Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.

15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

16 And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning.

17 My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;

18 Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil.

19 O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.

Lehi continued to teach and warn his sons to complete chapter 1 of second Nephi.  It's quite powerful if you'd like to read the rest.

My heart also is weighted down with sorrow from time to time because of the hardness of the hearts of family members and my fellow men.

I hope I will always teach and defend truth throughout my life despite persecutions I may face.  I hope, like Lehi, that I will be able to say on my deathbed that "I have chosen the good part, according to the prophets" and that "my soul has been redeemed".  Because I, also like Lehi, "have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen."

That's my two cents.