Nephi\'s Confidence in Lehi

Church Educational System

Nephi showed great humility by going to his father even after Lehi had murmured; Nephi still honored him. President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) told of an experience that illustrates the principle of seeking counsel from our fathers, even though they may not be perfect:

“Some time ago, a young man came to my office requesting a blessing. He was about eighteen years of age and had some problems. There were no serious moral problems, but he was mixed up in his thinking and worried. He requested a blessing.
“I said to him, ‘Have you ever asked your father to give you a blessing? Your father is a member of the Church, I assume?’
“He said, ‘Yes, he is an elder, a rather inactive elder.’
“When I asked, ‘Do you love your father?’ he replied, ‘Yes, Brother Benson, he is a good man. I love him.’ He then said, ‘He doesn’t attend to his priesthood duties as he should. He doesn’t go to church regularly, I don’t know that he is a tithe payer, but he is a good man, a good provider, a kind man.’
“I said, ‘How would you like to talk to him at an opportune time and ask him if he would be willing to give you a father’s blessing?’
“‘Oh,’ he said, ‘I think that would frighten him.’
“I then said, ‘Are you willing to try it? I will be praying for you.’
“He said, ‘All right; on that basis, I will.’
“A few days later he came back. He said, ‘Brother Benson, that’s the sweetest thing that has happened in our family.’ He could hardly control his feelings as he told me what had happened. He said, ‘When the opportunity was right, I mentioned it to Father, and he replied, “Son, do you really want me to give you a blessing?” I told him, “Yes, Dad, I would like you to.”’ Then he said, ‘Brother Benson, he gave me one of the most beautiful blessings you could ever ask for. Mother sat there crying all during the blessing. When he got through there was a bond of appreciation and gratitude and love between us that we have never had in our home’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1977, 45–46; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, 31–32).

Book of Mormon Student Manual (2009 Edition)

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