Last night I got into bed and began reading the Book of Mormon as I do every night.  I read seven verses.  They were the first verses of the book of Second Nephi.  I was carried away in thought, and got no farther with my reading.

This morning I had no remembrance of what those thoughts were even about.  I reread the seven verses, and it all came flooding back.  Let’s see what the Spirit will teach me as I try to organize these thoughts into something coherent.

Father Lehi states that this land of America is “a land which is choice above all other lands.”  (2 Nephi 1:5).

Amazingly, I get to live here.  Further, I think that my particular spot in this choice land is the choicest of all.  The soil is perfect, the weather and climate are just right, the scenery is spectacular, the people are good, and there is no other place I’d rather be or even visit.

Lehi says that “the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also (to) all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.”  (v. 5).

Intriguingly, the Book of Mormon tells us that the Gentiles upon this land who hearken unto the Lord and who “harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God ... shall be numbered among (Lehi’s seed):  yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity ...”  (1 Nephi 14:2).

Think of that.  If I prove faithful, I’ll be numbered among Lehi’s children, and I become part of the covenant that says I’ll get to live in this choice spot forever with my own children who will get to live here, too.  (See also 2 Nephi 10:19, and 3 Nephi: 21:22).

Lehi prophesied “that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

“Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring.  And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore they shall never be brought down into captivity ...”  (2 Nephi 1:6-7).

Those verses say that Lehi and the Mulekites were brought here by the hand of the Lord.  The Mulekites didn’t just accidentally stumble upon this land.  Neither did my ancestors who were “the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity” (1 Nephi 13:13, 16, 19, 29, 30) to escape the tyrannical governments and churches in their native Europe.  Neither did the Black people accidentally get here who were brought from Africa.  Lehi’s words indicate that they, too, were brought by the hand of the Lord.

Interestingly, my ancestors came here to escape captivity.  The Blacks were brought here specifically to be put into captivity.  Both they and my ancestors suffered difficulties and privations of every kind so that their posterity could have the blessings of living in liberty, comfort, peace, and safety.  We owe a nearly unpayable debt to them.  If we do our part by extending temple blessings to them, the end result will be that we and they will live together upon this land of promise forever in perpetual peace and happiness.

That’s our inheritance.  (2 Nephi 2:7, 1 Nephi 13:30).