Calming Storm

1 Nephi 18:8-21; “And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions … 9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry … 10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity … I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me … 11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords … 12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work. 13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship … 15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them … 16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions. 17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them … and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds… 20 …wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me. 21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it … after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.”

Matthew 8:23-27; “And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

The first time I read this bible passage after I got saved I was SO judgmental! 

All I could see in this passage is how the disciples were blessed by having God Himself with them in the boat so why would they die if God is there in person? Why were they nagging at Him when He wanted to take a nap? 

These thoughts came from a learned behavior of criticizing God’s word and not trusting it before taking the time to read it for myself. Somehow in my head I had given the BoM a free pass even though I had denounced Mormonism. I told myself it couldn’t be ‘that bad’…oh dear… 

As I matured in the Lord I began looking at the Book of Mormon with a critical eye and not in the bad sense of the word. 

Critiquing something is much different than criticizing. While critiquing something you analyze to make a determination of its value and the only way to analyze something is by knowing the subject matter.

My late mother-in-law was an antiques dealer and she taught me that in order to determine the value of anything you have to know its history. It’d be foolish to purchase something when you don’t have all the information you need. The key tool in an appraiser’s toolbox is study. 

So let’s do that with the passage in the BoM! 

Is this story of Nephi’s trip on a boat reasonable? Could they have sailed from the Middle East to the shores of America at that time (c BC 600)? 

Why was this man using a mystical tool resembling an 8-ball if he was an Israelite? God condemned such activities. 

Would God pre-program a magical ball for them to take on a trip and then allow the ball to malfunction because of someone’s bad behavior? My husband’s an Aerospace Engineer and I’ve learned from him that outside influences should never interfere with the functionality of any instrument. If God is smarter than an engineer how could this happen? 

Why is there another story in the BoM that resembles an exaggerated story lifted from the Bible? 

Why are there so many coincidences like these if the Church doesn’t trust the Bible?