Inviting Minneapolis: I Will Bless Thee Forever

These past few weeks were good. We had zone conference and set 2 people on date. President talked about how important it is to give people all the information they need to succeed. That we should assume ignorance vs. wilful rebellion. He talked about how agency is the ultimate principle in the father's plan and how we can only advocate for the correct use of it, not mandate it. It felt kind of like Nephi preaching from the garden tower:

O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God (Helaman 7:17.)

How telling it is that we all know what is right, and yet we all seem to fall short in doing it. In speaking to those people, Nephi chooses to bear his testimony:

Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be (Helaman 7:29.)

He appeals to a higher authority. Even though his words make the people angry, he feels compelled to speak them because they are true. Then, after consistently crying repentance and prophesying the murder of the chief judge, God rewards Nephi:

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.

7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.

8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.

9 And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.

10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.

Nephi qualified for this incredible power by declaring the word, not fearing the people and not seeking his own life, but instead seeking God's will and keeping his commandments. He has been persecuted and reviled and cast into prison multiple times. But after receiving godlike power, the first thing he does is intercede on behalf of the people:

4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.