A Matter of Food – Pathways Discussion Board Post

[AmyJ]

I am copying my post here because I found a different perspective in writing it and wanted additional commentary on it.

Nephi reports at least 2 instances of near-starvation for the entire family. The first is found in 1 Nephi 16:21 and is the famous bow experience. I also think that it is an implied cause of death for Ishmael reported in 1 Nephi 16:34-25. The second instance of near-starvation is reasoned from 1 Nephi 16:39, when Nephi reports that the people were blessed with food because of their choices. How can the Lord bless them with food so that they don’t perish unless they are at the point of starvation from lack of food? It is also likely that some of Ishmael’s daughters were also pregnant at the time. 1 Nephi 17:2 reports that the women (those daughters of Ishmael) could breast-feed their children enough that the children survived (NOTE: As near as I can tell, it is hit-or-miss whether a woman will have the resources to completely supply the needs of the child, and that historically has not always been the case. However, a key indicator on success here is ensuring the mother has enough food/water to cover her needs and the needs of her child.), and the women had strength “like unto the men” to face their challenges. For this statement to be accurate, it means that the women were pregnant during the traveling in the wilderness and that the times of lack of food did not kill off a great percentage of the unborn offspring. So, I can understand why Laman, Lemuel, and some of the sons and daughters of Ishmael were unhappy with the situation. Mourning the death of a patriarch while you or your spouse is being pregnant and starving/watching your spouse starve or nearly starve is not my idea of a good time.

However, this is how Nephi views the situation, “And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men [his family members/us] keep the commandments of God, he [God] doth nourish them [his family members/us] and strengthen them [his family members – remember pregnant/postpartum women, and newborns/toddlers in the story traveling in the desert], and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.” (1 Nephi 17:3)

I think the second half of the scripture is key – Nephi is taking all their experiences, their “many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all” (1 Nephi 17:6) and using them as proof that God provided means [in this case food] for them while they traveled. The food was not provided all the time, the challenges were fierce, but as Nephi and the families did their part (followed the Liahona, remembered the voice of the Lord recorded in 1 Nephi 16:39, re-created a bow, completed their mourning, survived treacherous pregnancies, dealt with new babies/young toddlers and sought food), the people survived and flourished (in the sense of population growth and survival capacity) in their harsh circumstances. Would they have survived under Laman/Lemuel’s guidance? I don’t know, but I suspect they would have gone back to Jerusalem. I don’t think they would have built a boat, gotten the plates of brass from Laban, or settled in Bountiful.

[Anonymous]

I once did a study of the willie & martin handcart companies.

It was an interesting study of people dying of hypothermia and starvation AND seeing little miracles from God that sustained their hope.

For them, catching a wild bunny and knowing that there would be meat in the dinner pot was a miracle from heaven. They were still starving, people were still dying, but every little pleasure and kindness was seen as gift from God.

Many would see the Willie & martin experience as a meaningless tragedy. However, that is not the only perspective. Some might very well apply the summary of Nephi to their own sorrows, ““And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men [his family members/us] keep the commandments of God, he [God] doth nourish them [his family members/us] and strengthen them [his family members – remember pregnant/postpartum women, and newborns/toddlers in the story traveling in the desert], and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.”

Thus they add meaning and purpose to their suffering. This is a normal and even healthy thing to do.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Roy.

Roy wrote:

Many would see the Willie & martin experience as a meaningless tragedy. However, that is not the only perspective.

My ancestors were in the Martin Handcart company. Heber was 13 yrs old when his father died (hence, my username on these forums…to always remind myself to keep the faith my ancestors exemplified).

While Heber’s journals included incredible hardships and pains, the hope of the gospel and the faith the family had sustained them as they looked for the little miracles that kept them alive. It is not my place to explain away those things that happened to them. It was a powerful motivator for the 13 yr old boy to pull the handcart with his sick mom and sisters and younger brother and almost froze and starved to death doing it.

After being saved by rescuers at the Sweet Water crossing, and brought back to the Utah valley…they had lasting injuries, but it seemed to solidify their testimony that God loved them and sustained them through their trials and they would be rewarded as an eternal family in the afterlife.

Why does God do this to His children? Aren’t there better ways to learn and experience this mortal experience?

I don’t know reasons “why” for a lot of things. I don’t know what is designed by God as to what happens and what doesn’t happen, when seagulls get sent to eat crickets and save crops and when crops get devoured by pests and people starve.

As my dad was dying of cancer, in the hospital room he continued showing his faith and the power of hope amid adversity when he told me “You know, all these things bring us experience and learning. There are things I have to learn through all of this. I’m trying to let God teach me.” I didn’t want him to learn…I wanted him to be healed through his faith.

It didn’t happen. But I learned, our whole family learned, through the experiences.

Those are my thoughts. I don’t care if Nephi was real or fiction, if they were really starving with their pregnant wives or if those were just stories to make a point…it feels like this life has hardships to endure, whatever they are. And building faith in the right things can help me apply that faith to my life, and help guide me through my own trials…as silly and little as they are compared to my dad’s or my ancestors in the handcart company.

The power is in the myths and teachings. There is no great answer to “why” it happens the way it does, and there is no great value to proving or disproving historical accounts of those who shared their journeys with us to help us learn. There is greater love and strength and enduring in hope when we apply the gospel teachings learned through the book of mormon.

Thanks for letting me share. Thanks for the thread, and letting me learn from all of you.

[Anonymous]

Heber13 wrote:

Those are my thoughts. I don’t care if Nephi was real or fiction, if they were really starving with their pregnant wives or if those were just stories to make a point…it feels like this life has hardships to endure, whatever they are. And building faith in the right things can help me apply that faith to my life, and help guide me through my own trials…as silly and little as they are compared to my dad’s or my ancestors in the handcart company.

The power is in the myths and teachings. There is no great answer to “why” it happens the way it does, and there is no great value to proving or disproving historical accounts of those who shared their journeys with us to help us learn. There is greater love and strength and enduring in hope when we apply the gospel teachings learned through the book of mormon.

Thanks for letting me share. Thanks for the thread, and letting me learn from all of you.

Wow. Just wow. Thank you!

I am here in part to build my faith in the “right” things.

The process from moving from California to Michigan I half in jest refer to our “reverse trek” – and it has many of these experiences we needed to become the people we are.

[Anonymous]

That was beautiful, Heber.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Heber13 wrote:

I don’t know reasons “why” for a lot of things. I don’t know what is designed by God as to what happens and what doesn’t happen, when seagulls get sent to eat crickets and save crops and when crops get devoured by pests and people starve.

This is my attitude. I let people believe that it was miraculous when God delivered them from a situation in which they made unwise decisions and suffered accordingly. Or when something good happened as they lived their lives wisely. I find the rules by which God bestows miracles are murky, and unpredictable. I find that it’s so incredibly disappointing when you really want something, exercise faith, and then find it doesn’t happen. It can destroy faith in others when that happens.

I think it’s better be thankful you “got out of the situation” when good luck and hard work combine to bless your life, and not to expect or hope for miracles — just let life come and be thankful for the boons. Be agnostic about whether God actually did it, but be supportive when others attribute these plums from heaven as God’s tender mercies.

[Author]

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