1 Nephi 11:13 - 11:17

1 Nephi 11:13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

Nephi is shown in vision about 600 years into the future. He sees Jerusalem and another city that is Nazareth. In that city he sees a girl who is a virgin and who has lived a virtuous life.

Here we see some of the powers we will have in the next life. Not only will we be able view events of the past but see the events of the future. This shows to me that when the plan of happiness was put together, the events of our lives were known to Heavenly Father and the best outcome for each of us then could be put into place.

When it is said that all things are before the Father, it literally means that God can see the past and the future simultaneously. That He can make plans so the best outcome for each person in light of their personalities and abilities that they will have in mortality will happen.

Have often wondered if we were shown what our lives would be like before our birth, but we still choose to come. Maybe we were shown that our lives would not be pleasant all the time. In addition, I wonder if we also were asked to take upon ourselves some of our troubles because we were told what the benefits would be to us as a individual. And would that include illness and personal tragedy. I am incline to think that what has happened or will yet happened to us, was know to us before birth, but that we knew how they would be of benefit to our eternal development.

1 Nephi 11:14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

After looking at the scene before him an angel comes to him. I wonder if there is a difference between the look of the Spirit and the appearance of the angel? I would have thought that since both were spirits they would be the same. This angel could have been someone who had already been through the mortal experience and maybe they look somehow different so that Nephi would note the difference. However it just maybe that Nephi was noting that the first spirit was the Holy Ghost while the second was another individual that was a spirit.

Anyway Nephi is asked what he saw. This teaching technique is vital because it allows the teacher to know what the student actually saw rather than assume what he saw. If the student saw something different than what was intended then, the follow up information that the teacher was going to impart that was based on what he wanted him to see would not apply and the student may not have then understood what the teacher was talking about.

So the technique is read a verse then have the students tell the teacher what they just read to make sure his next point would be understandable. If the students did not see what the verse was about then, the teacher will have to make sure that they understood what he wanted to see before he could go on to elaborate on the point he was hoping the students would get from the reading.

1 Nephi 11:15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

Nephi says to the angel that he saw a beautiful woman who appeared to see more fair than all other virgins. Her beauty might refer to her innocence as an unmarried girl as well to her physical beauty. In fact that he compares her to others makes me wonder how he could do that since his experience in life does not included seeing all the other women in the rest of the world.

1 Nephi 11:16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

Another technique here. The angel asked if he understand a term “condescension of God?” Before the angel can explain the reason for see this virgin, he has to see if Nephi understands what this term means so that the rest of the explanation means. The angel must also see to that Nephi understands that it is God that is coming down from heaven and the reason for doing so. Nephi must understand the reason for doing so and what it is called. This term he will use when speaking to others about what he saw. This points out the need for precise definition for words and that all need to have the same so as to make talking about it equally useful to all.

1 Nephi 11:17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

Nephi is not sure but gives what knowledge he has namely that God loves all his children. That means God wants them to be happy and tries to accomplish that end. Nephi knowing that his knowledge a very limited, confesses he does not know the meaning of what see saw or to what it applies. Again, we see another technique. Have the student try to explain what he knows in relation to the picture or to what has just been read. Make sure they are ready to receive more information. If they sound very certain and it sounds like they have their minds made up, the teacher may have to have them read another scripture to soften up their minds.