Lesson 39: 3 Nephi 17-19

[UtahDan]

We had a great discussion about 17:9 "for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you."

Lots of questions and experiences of being physically healed, having ones heart healed but just as many about learning that sometimes the healing never comes notwithstanding all the faith we can bring to bear. Just a lot of really great authentic stories about how people had grappled with real problems and their desires, positive experiences and disappointments. To me this is the gospel at its best. The jist being that we can have our hearts healed, that we can have peace, but anything else is up to God and His will is not predictable on these matters.

We also had some good discussion about the idea that the healing came after "sufficient" faith, rather than perfect faith. The idea that sufficient means that which we can muster, even if it is less than another. Similar concept to not being able to run faster than you have strength. A lot of people really seemed taken with that concept.

I love 3 Nephi for the same reason I love the New Testament. Even if we have to hear the words through a human filter, they are still words of the Savior and his personality just shines through. I understand the idea that all the scriptures are the word of God, but it isn't the same for me, not remotely.