1 Nephi 11:18 - 11:22

1 Nephi 11:18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

Nephi is told that what the person he saw was to be the mother of the Son of God when he came to be a mortal in the future. Now at this point Nephi must now be trying to connect the term ‘condescension of God’ with the vision of the virgin who is to be the mother of God. A great example of telling what a person is to be looking for before they are shown it and then asking what they saw.

1 Nephi 11:19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

In this scene, Nephi is shown how Mary gets pregnant with Jesus. The Holy Ghost is involved in the process, but we are not told specifically how it was done. What was the impression on Mary is what has caused me to wonder.

1 Nephi 11:20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

The next thing he sees is Mary holding a child.

1 Nephi 11:21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

Now for the concept the angel wants to get across to Nephi. How does this child of the future equate with the meaning of the tree that Lehi saw in his vision? The angel wants Nephi to voice the connection he has made, if he has made it, to the angel. Another great technique in teaching.

Don’t take for granted that anyone gets the idea that you have presented to them. Make them tell you to see if they got it. Even better is for them to write down their impressions as I am doing now.

Second it gets what maybe only an impression and makes a little more concrete in ones mind. It also is a great way to see what other ideas come up or digging a little deeper as you start to either speak or record your impressions. Mysteries that lay just under the surface of the first thoughts can now come out, which come out better in writing than in speaking.

1 Nephi 11:22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

Nephi gives his interpretation of the connection. Now his impression is not what I would have come up with because I would probably not even come up with one. I would have to have a suggestion or help with that. Anyway I would have the question which would make me more open for an interpretation than if I had just dismissed it as crazy.

Nephi equates the two scenes with the love of God for his children which is on all not just some or just the good people but all his children. This love being more worth acquiring than all the stuff of this world.

The image that the love of God is presented by a tree is interesting. It is a place to get out of the hot sun and one tree can shade many people.