1 Nephi 2:5-12

After traveling for three days, Lehi and his family set up camp near a river. The first thing he does is build an “altar of stones” and makes an “offering” to the Lord, and gives thanks to God. (See 1 Nephi 2:6-7).  The footnotes in these verses are worth reading, they refer to several scriptures where other prophets built altars. The most interesting to me, however, are two scriptures that tell us how to build this type of altar:

5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of ^astones: thou shalt not lift up any ^biron tool upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the ^aaltar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God: 7 And thou shalt offer peace ^aofferings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God. 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. Deut. 27:5-8

30 ¶Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal, 31 As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an ^aaltar of whole ^bstones, over which no man hath lift up any ^ciron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. Joshua 8:30-31

It appears altars are to be built from natural stones.

If I hadn’t actually lived through the past few years of my life, and experienced children that  “knew not the dealings of that God that created them”, then I couldn’t really understand how Laman and Lemuel became who they were. I feel Lehi’s pain as he pleads with Laman, saying: “O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness.” And to Lemuel: “O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!”

Much has been written on this blog about trials I have endured due to my sons’ choices. All of it shows my limited understanding of the love our Savior has for all of us. I have indeed murmured in the past about the stress of wayward children. Today, however, I thank the Lord for the wonderful teachers he has given me in my sons’; I am convinced they are old, wise souls that have condescended to come to be my sons. Their mission is to teach a stubborn, proud man how to love unconditionally. How can I do anything other than love and serve them?