The Book of Laman

Recently, some documents came into my possession written by what appears to be the hand of Laman, son of Lehi detailing a very different story of the early Book of Mormon events. I will post some excerpts here.

The Book of Laman
Chapter 1

Day 1 500 BC

I Laman, the son of Lehi, do endeavor to give an account of the business dealings of our family in Jerusalem and later in the new world.

My father Lehi being a wise man and a good merchant had been observing the geopolitical situation in Jerusalem and had determined to relocate the business. After several speeches to members of the chamber of commerce, he along with my mother Sariah, my sisters, and my younger brothers Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi met as the board of directors and determined to relocate our business dealings to a more business friendly environment that had the natural resources to support our enterprise.

My brother Lemuel and I had been actively engaged in the business for some time and had been teaching our younger brother Sam the ropes of the business. As minority stock holders and members of the board we endeavored to make the case that with some re-branding and a new marketing initiative aimed towards the potential clientele the changing political situation might offer, that we could indeed weather the storm and come out ahead. Our youngest brother Nephi would hear nothing of our suggestions and immediately made a motion to accept our father Lehi’s relocation plan. The motion was seconded by our brother Sam who was thrilled with the idea of the new adventure. Our father Lehi, owning the majority of shares in the company, easily won the proxy fight that ensued and thus the decision was made. Nephi had been particularly troublesome at the shareholders meeting before the vote and accused my brother and me of murmuring and other unseemly behavior.

We had great concern over our youngest brother, Nephi, who had been suffering for some time from severe depression and mental illness. Relocating our business necessitated a long journey into the wilderness to look for a suitable location. Being the pragmatist and worried about Nephi’s condition as well as the advancing years of my parents did endeavor to suggest an alternative course of action but Nephi was so very excited at the prospect of leaving his home that I worried about his decision making capacity. To make matters worse, my father worrying about Nephi not doing well on the trip, had indicated to him that he would be able to make some important decisions in regards to our travels. This only seemed to make our poor younger brother even more eager to get going.

I tried telling Nephi that we needed to be realistic about how difficult it would be to relocate and that he should be prepared for the inevitable hardships we would encounter. He was such a tender hearted little fella that I just didn’t have the heart to keep making him face reality so we took our journey into the wilderness without further discussion of the hardships.

We took only the essential items we would need for exploring and starting our new business venture leaving many items behind that we could not use including our gold, silver, and fine linens that would have been difficult to carry and would not have been much use in setting up the business in the rugged environment we were traveling to. This was not an easy decision as much of the family was accustomed to the finer things in life but I knew that it would be an even more difficult journey taking these things along.

Day 2

We had been traveling in the wilderness for a little time and came to the land around the Red Sea. While sparsely populated, my brother Lemuel and I immediately saw the potential for international trade here by setting up a seaport. Nephi immediately shot down the idea. My father Lehi, worried about Nephi’s fragile mental state, told us to back off. Privately, he told us that Nephi really needed some wins to help boost his self esteem. So with some feelings of dissatisfaction we continued on another day.

Day 3

We stopped by a river today and our father made a table out of stones. We were all very impressed with his workmanship. Nephi was feeling a bit down so our father came up with a great way to boost his and everyone else’s spirits. He decided to name some of the geographic features in the area after us. Being the oldest, he naturally started with me naming the river Laman. Well Nephi broke down and started accusing father of not loving him as much as the rest of us. So to humor him, father made up a pretty lame reason for calling the river Laman and not Nephi. I love my parents but sometimes their parenting methods have me baffled.

They obviously understood Nephi though and soon he was happy again. Shortly after some stern words to Lemuel and I for not being more sensitive to Nephi’s condition, my father being tired returned to his tent and we were left to get everything else set up in camp.

That night we hear a lot of crying coming from Nephi’s tent. One minute he seemed to be talking to someone and the next sobbing uncontrollably. The next morning though, he seemed to be much worse. He started talking nonsense and it seemed to us that he had been having a real breakdown and I assumed that he had not taken his medications.

He went on and on about how he was going to be a great ruler, that our children would be cursed, and other things that I am embarrassed to write down for the poor lad’s sake. So we went and had breakfast after that and then Nephi went into our father’s tent for what we hoped was some fatherly advice to get Nephi back into reality.

Day 4

So Nephi went into the tent for a few minutes and came out and told us we are going back to Jerusalem. Lemuel and I were in shock and wanted to know why. Seems that mom and dad had left behind the family bible which had the important family records including births, deaths, and marriages. I was a little upset that something as important as this could be left behind as was my brother Lemuel. Nephi had recently been put in charge of record keeping at a meeting with my father and should have thought of this sooner. The records had been loaned to a cousin named Laban who was a very important man in Jerusalem. But to make matters worse, dad thought it would help out Nephi if we told him he was in charge and then played along. His self esteem was so low that in the off chance this strategy might help him, it was worth it.

So we began our journey three days back to Jerusalem to cousin Laban’s house. When we were on the outskirts of the city, for some reason, Nephi took out his set of Lots he had picked up on a weekend trip to Jerusalem. I personally did not approve of Lots as I considered their use a form of gambling. He played with them for a minute and said that I was the one to go to see Laban. This was odd because we had already decided that since I was the oldest and had known cousin Laban longer, that I should be the one to go there.

So we all went into the city and I left the rest of my brothers, Sam and Lemuel, to watch after Nephi in the market area. I went to Laban’s house and was received most warmly. After a few minutes of chit chat I broached the subject of the family Bible. Laban immediately remembered the bible and said I could have it. He indicated that he couldn’t exactly remember where he had left it in his house but that he would have his servant find it for us.

Remembering that cousin Laban had been in some financial trouble as of late, I offered to bring him some of our treasure that we had left at home as we were probably not coming back anytime soon and felt obligated to help out a family member. Laban refused but after some persuasion said that he would be willing to take it as long as he could invest part of it and donate the rest to a local charity on our behalf.

As my father had given me a durable power of attorney to make such a decision on his behalf, I accepted Laban’s offer and told him I would return with the treasure and pick up the bible then. We shook hands and parted.

When I got back to my brothers in the market, Nephi started running and screaming that I was being chased. Afraid we would lose him and that he might injure himself, we ran after him. We caught up to him and got him settled down and I told everyone what the plan was. We went to our house and picked up our gold, silver, and precious things to give to Laban.

Day 5

Today we took our treasure to Laban for him to invest and donate to the poor. He was very excited to see so much treasure and suggested setting up some sort of endowment to offer scholarships to less fortunate children in the city. We thought it was a wonderful idea. Nephi, though, seemed distracted and started acting oddly.

Laban told us that he had found the bible but had not expected us so soon. He had sent it into town with his man servant Zoram for cleaning and repairs. He was certain that it would be ready later that evening. Suddenly Nephi began yelling and bolted out the door. I hastily offered our apologies to Laban and ran after our brother who began screaming about men trying to kill him. We caught up with him in a cave and found him lying on the ground with a large spider on his back. It was the biggest, nastiest looking spider I had ever seen. I was certain it was poisonous and Lemuel and I picked up a couple of scrolls and started wacking the spider to kill it.

Nephi went nuts and accused us of trying to hurt him. He was completely out of control of his faculties and just curled up in a little ball on the floor. So here we were with our brother in a completely useless state with our task only half completed and three days journey from home. I was desperate and formulated a plan that as you will probably agree was not a good idea especially when the long term ramifications are observed.

I told Sam to run out to our stuff and get on his white dress robes that he wore to special occasions. Then Lemuel and I got some really bright torches we had purchased with a special pitch to allow for brighter burning. So same came into the room, we lit the torches, and before he had said a word Nephi perked right up and started talking to “his angel”. These new torches were extremely hot so we dropped them and leaned back, shielding our eyes from their brightness. Nephi talked on and on in what appeared to be a one way conversation with “Sam the Angel”.

Soon the torches burned out and when our eyes were re-adjusted to the dark we could tell that Nephi was in much better spirits. He seemed much more alert than he had ever been and insisted that he go back alone and make things right with cousin Laban and bring back the bible. He had tears in his eyes and I felt very bad for him so I reluctantly agreed to allow him to go as long as he went strait to Laban’s and strait back. I also insisted that he apologize to Laban for his rude behavior earlier.

So we waited outside the gates of the city for Nephi’s return. The next thing I know I see two guys coming out of the city and neither one looks like Nephi. We start running worried about the bandits that sometimes roam the city at night. Then I hear Nephi’s voice calling me and realize it is him wearing some strange clothes. With him, is a very terrified looking Zoram, the servant of Laban! To make matters worse, Nephi had blood on his new clothes.

I asked him what the heck had happened! He told us how he went into the city, found Laban asleep and killed him! A cold chill went down my spine. How could I have been so stupid. Now our brother had killed a man and would certainly be wanted by the authorities! The thought of poor, delusional Nephi going through a trial and possibly prison or execution was just too much especially considering the punitive system of justice in place in Jerusalem.

I tried explaining the situation to Nephi but he kept babbling about angels and messages. He was obviously having an episode and it was all my fault! To compound matters, he had taken a hostage and leaving him behind would mean poor Nephi being found out. I had to protect my brother!

Nephi was really not taking this very seriously and thought he could just swear Zoram to secrecy. Poor naïve Nephi. So we did the only thing we could do. We left and took Zoram with us. We knew we could not return due to the criminal investigation. We had been seen with Laban the previous couple of days and now he was dead and we had left the country. At least Nephi had gotten the family bible. So we began the return journey with Nephi continuing to babble along the way about visions and angels. What have I done?

If There Is Anything Virtuous.....

I've never been big into the Christian rock or hip hop scene. Some of the offerings are pretty lame much like the LDS music scene. I tend to stick with my Michael Mclean, Lex de Azevedo, and Janice Kapp Perry. The Christian music scene also wears on me when a song uses the name of Deity so often that it loses it's sacredness. Sometimes the music itself overpowers the lyrics that any uplifting message is lost which I sometimes wonder if it is not intentionally done that way.

Recently though I was listening to the radio and came across a hip hop style song with a catchy chorus that just kept playing over and over in my head. I heard it some time later and was hooked. The song is by a Christian artist named tobyMac and is entitled: "Lose My Soul".

Basically the song is based on two scriptures from the new testament.
Matt. 16: 26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

and

Mark 8: 36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

The song talks about the enormous pressures that a pop culture figure undergoes (what we all often undergo) and the challenge not to lose his soul in the process. You can listen to it with the lyrics at Youtube:



It is tremendously difficult in the modern world to find success without losing the best part of ourselves in the process. This really came to mind today as I talked with a customer who was having some difficult times and how he had been advised by someone he knew that to be more successful he would have to become a jerk. Something both he and I disagreed with. My customer mentioned that it was better in his mind to be able to look the almighty in the eye at the end of this life with a clean conscience,

In watching the historic inauguration yesterday I was also reminded how easy it can be to gain the whole world, whether it be riches, fame, power, titles, or position, and lose one's soul. How easy it can be to compromise one's values and principles for a little worldly gain. Heck! Isn't that the exact definition of a hedge fund manager these days!?!

This can be especially challenging for the upcoming generation as they see so many in power and in stardom living worldly lives. They seem to be so happy. People almost (and in some cases actually do) worship them. Their pictures are on the cover of magazines and they have more wealth than most of us could spend in an entire lifetime.

But true happiness is only to be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The happiness that accompanies fame and fortune is often fleeting. Those caught up in the lights of the paparazzi often turn to drugs, alcohol, and risky behavior in a vain attempt to find some momentary happiness only to sink deeper and deeper into despair. How many of society's most popular have succumbed to early tragic deaths or become slaves to addiction. This is not freedom but bondage.

No amount of wordly success and popularity can gain us true and lasting happiness if we must give into sin to attain it. We will find that our soul will be lost and subject to the arrows of the adversary. If we hold true to the gospel we can attain success in this life and exaltation in the life to come.

And they shall run and not be weary....

This article at Meridian got me thinking: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/candoyouth/081231run.html


I have seen people try and do to much, too fast, and then fall into depression when they cannot do everything. Particularly, I have seen new converts get depressed when they try and do everything but still feel they fall short as if perfection can be won in a day, week, year, or even lifetime.

As I read the article I was reminded of the race I ran back in high school track. It was the two mile which consisted of 8 laps around the track. The 2 mile was ran right before the mile relay, the last event of the track meet. Most of my fellow track team members were already on the bus when the race started. No one wanted to watch people endure 8 laps of agony.

Over the course of 8 laps it is easy to lose track of how far you have come. Your mind, starved for oxygen from the exertion, starts to play tricks on you. You cannot remember if you are on lap 6 or lap 8. Your mind wanders as lap after lap goes by until the last 1 1/2 lap or so when when things start to get intense. In order to assist the runners there is a running tally of what lap they are on kept by the starting line that you can look at as you pass.

Sometimes even with the running count it can still get confusing. Runners will get spread out all over the track. Some runners will get lapped by faster runners. Others will pass runners and then get passed later by the same runners they passed earlier. With an oxygen starved body and brain, confusion can occasionally set in. The physical pain you feel also contributes to poor decision making as every muscle in your body screams for rest.

On one particular day we were running at Redwood High school, home of the Rangers. Redwood had a blue track. We really liked the blue track because in our minds it was easier to look at than our old black track. We convinced ourselves that the blue track would be less hot and give us an advantage. It would be like running on cool water. In reality there probably was no difference. About 20 or so guys lined up for the start that day and the race began.

The race progressed like any other up until lap 6 when one of the runners began running faster and faster. It was clear to me and I'm sure to many of the other runners that this guy had lost track of what lap he was on. He began passing runners who were trying hard to maintain their pace.

A funny thing happens when your brain is oxygen starved. You begin to question if it isn't you who are off in the lap count. Soon the feeling spread and everyone began to pick up the pace as a small panic began. Suddenly, most of the runners were going much faster. Still not as fast as the first guy but the pace had definitely quickened as if each runner was worried that maybe that one guy was right.

Fortunately, the rest of us didn't completely give into the mania and didn't blow out everything in our energy reserves. As the young man crossed the line on his seventh lap he was informed that he had one more lap to go to finish the race. Totally spent, he could go no further and stumbled off to the side of the finish line and collapsed on the grass. The other runners passed by and finished the final lap. He will forever remember how he came just short of finishing that race because he ran faster than he was able.

Mosiah 4:27

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.