2 Nephi 11

My Soul Delighteth. Those are the words Nephi uses throughout Chapter 11. He's introducing the words of Isaiah that he'll be quoting for the next several chapters and he uses the phrase "my soul delighteth in his words" (2).

I don't know about you, but Isaiah is sometimes the harder part of the Book of Mormon and Bible to understand. Occasionally, I'll receive some insight. But more often than not, I just don't understand it. This time around I'm using John Bytheway's Isaiah for AirHeads. It's extraordinarily helpful. Then I begin to understand why Nephi's soul delighteth in his words. In the original language, Isaiah's words were more like a type of poetry. And poetry in one language does not easily translate into another. But I've begun to see the beauty in the words of Isaiah. Both in it's meaning as well as in the syntax, the arrangement of the words within the sentences.



Nephi also shared other things his soul took delight in:

"Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ" (4). 

"And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death" (5). 

"And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish" (6).

I understand these things, for my soul taketh delight in the same things. Sharing my testimony with others about Jesus Christ. I love doing that. It really makes me pleasure to be able to share something that gives me such joy and peace in life with others, because I know that they too can find such joy and peace. I glory in the fact that I've made covenants with the Lord that make it possible for me to live with him again as well as live with my family forever. That my ancestors have also made covenants making it possible for us all to be together forever. How can that not make me grateful and joyful? I find happiness in the Plan of Salvation for us to experience mortality, learn, grown, gain an immortal body and live in the presence of God with our families forever, if we are righteous. That's something I am certainly glad for. I am grateful for the chances I have to share my testimony of the Savior and his Atonement that made it possible to us to all live again with God and our families, as well as so much more. I understand Nephi.

This is the introduction Nephi gave to quoting Isaiah's words. The words which testify of Christ's first and second coming. Basically, the words which express the things that make his soul delighteth.

We can take delight in most anything, but for true delight, for delight that really enters your soul and makes you so cheerful, you find it in the Lord and what he's done for us. You can't stop being grateful when you begin to understand.