1 Nephi 11:3 - 11:7

1 Nephi 11:3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.

Nephi replies, with maybe a little irritation, that he wants to see what his father saw in his dream.

1 Nephi 11:4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?

Now the Spirit asks him if he believed what his father saw. He asks specifically if he believed that his father saw a tree? Again using a question to make sure that Nephi is focused on what the angel wants to reveal to him. It maybe that Nephi was wondering about other parts of the dream but the angel wants him to start the explanation with the tree and to show Nephi that it was the central part of the dream. This is an interesting way to focus on a particular point to begin a discussion. I will have to make note of this technique and use it in my teaching.

1 Nephi 11:5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.

Again I’m thinking that Nephi is still a little put out by the start of this ‘interrogation’, and he replies that the Spirit knows that Nephi believed his father.

Two things here. Do we need to ask in our teaching if people believe in the principle or principles covered in a scripture of quote just read? Since we need as teachers to try to get students to ask questions rather than we the teachers to be the one asking questions, this might be a good way to do that.

Second if gives us a chance to question our own testimonies or the extent thereof on the topic just read. If we have any doubts we could voice them at this time and get some input from other members of the class. We can plainly see just how much we believe about what we are being asked.

1 Nephi 11:6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.

When Nephi “bears his testimony”, the Spirit get excited and thanks God for the plan where people gain testimonies which brings so much happiness to everyone. The Spirit seems to be very excited whenever a testimony is borne. He says that because of his testimony, he would get the information he sought.

This is a way to get more information or to have the mysteries opened up to us. Tell our Heavenly Father that we believe a certain principle that we have read and then what we want to know more about in relation to it.

I assume that all the heavens are happy when we bear testimonies. The angels rejoice over us when we do. And I think that these angels are relatives and or descendants or ours. It’s no wonder that we have testimony meetings once a month and that sharing the Gospel is primarily done by testimony and not logic or argument.

1 Nephi 11:7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

An interesting teaching technique takes place here. The Spirit tells him what he will see, then Nephi sees what he has been told to look for.

The explanation of his father’s vision starts with the tree. The Spirit tells him that he will also see a man descending from heaven to the earth. After he sees what this man will do he Nephi will be required to be a witness to the world of his mission.

This could be a good technique to use in my teaching. In my next priesthood lesson, I can tell what we will cover and then proceed with it. I think this get the mind looking for what they have been told to look for which is a way to get more of their concentration on the lesson.