How Christ Changes People, Nephi's Leadership, Aim + Self-Belief
The Disciple-Leader Newsletter #30 // August 19, 2023.
Discipleship. Leadership. Mental Performance.
DISCIPLESHIP
1) “And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart.” - Alma 5:12
2) "... Your hearts are changed through faith on his name ..." - Mosiah 5:7
This is how Jesus Christ changes individuals:
Incrementally and fundamentally
Incremental: Behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. (2 Nephi 28:30)
Fundamental: “The Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent … has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts. (Mosiah 5:2)
Transformed, grace for grace.
Christ “received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace." (D&C 93)
I witness the reality and divinity of a living Savior who invites us to come unto Him and be transformed. - David A. Bednar
Small, Simple, and Great
By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. (Alma 37:6)
A seed to a tree of life.
We will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed ... it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. (Alma 32:28)
But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. (Alma 32:41)
Joseph F. Smith's experience highlights this process of change beautifully.
“When I as a boy first started out in the ministry, I would frequently go out and ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until he made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this, nor did he have to speak with the trump of an archangel. By the whisperings of the still small voice of the Spirit of the living God, he gave to me the testimony I possess. And by this principle and power he will give to all the children of men a knowledge of the truth that will stay with them, and it will make them to know the truth, as God knows it, and to do the will of the Father as Christ does it. And no amount of marvelous manifestations will ever accomplish this. It is obedience, humility, and submission to the requirements of heaven and to the order established in the kingdom of God upon the earth, that will establish men in the truth.”
Incremental and Fundamental. This is how the Lord changes those who exercise faith in Him.
LEADERSHIP
“The people ... loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare.”
Jacob 1:10
Nephi did 3 things that engendered his people's exceeding love for him.
He was a great protector for them -- they felt safe with him.
Wielded the sword of Laban in their defense -- he fought for them.
Labored in all his days for their welfare -- his actions were always motivated by their best interests.
This one verse is a masterclass in leadership. Think about your circle of influence. Family, friends, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, anybody you associate with. Without fail, they will love, respect, and be influenced by you if they feel:
Safe around you. They don't feel judged. They feel loved, appreciated, and equal to you. They trust you.
Defended by you. They feel that if you talked about them behind their back, you'd be saying good things about them. They feel that you like them. That you would be there for them, unconditionally.
Served by you. They feel that you are interested in and motivated by their self-interests. That whether you agree or disagree, whether you compliment or correct them, whether it's warm love or tough love, it is always love.
Some people are born more others-oriented than others. But nobody is born with the leadership that Nephi is described as exemplifying. That type of leadership is not natural. It is learned, developed, and ultimately, gifted to us from God.
Nephi's outward leadership was an outgrowth of how he spent his unseen hours.
My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heard pondereth them ... My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. (2 Nephi 4:15-16)
And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things. (1 Nephi 18:3)
I pray continually for (my people) by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry. And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. (2 Nephi 33:3-4)
Perhaps Nephi's example helped provide the blueprint for Moroni's teachings on how to be filled with charity:
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love..." (Moroni 7:48).
Nephi's internal holy habits are inextricably linked to his external leadership. Nephi established a daily connection with the Lord in the unseen hours, so that during the seen hours, Christ shined through him. If it wasn't for Nephi's daily nonnegotiables, he simply would not have had the capacity to lead and love others in the way that he did. You cannot separate Nephi's effect on others from his personal connection with Jesus Christ.
You can't separate yours either.
MENTAL PERFORMANCE
"When you say your dream to somebody and he's not laughing at you, you don't dream big enough."
Tony Parker
Tony Parker lived this quote.
Born in Belgium and raised in France, he had dreams of making it to the NBA. And not just making it, but being one of the best. There were some obstacles though. Nobody from his country had really played and succeeded in the NBA. Also, he was short. There are a million 6'2 guys trying to make it. But to make it from France? The odds were stacked against him.
Claude Bergeaud, one of his French coaches, said, "(Tony) told me, 'Coach, I'll play in the NBA, and one day, France will recognize me as a great player'. It's incredible how, at 18 years old, he could have such confidence. I thought he could play in the NBA, but not that he would become a player of the importance he is today."
Eventually, he joined the San Antonio Spurs and went on to have a Hall of Fame career, but not without adversity. Gregg Popovich tells of his first time meeting Tony: "...[When] we gave [Tony Parker] his first workout, we didn't think he was tough enough – and we sent him home... I hated him. I said I don't want him. He's a weenie. He's unaggressive. He doesn't like contact, he's 19, and I don't want to see him.”
Despite others (including literal coaches of his) laughing about his dreams, doubting his potential, Tony didn't waver in his self-belief. Imagine if Tony would've allowed Popovich's belief in him to influence his own self-belief? If that happened, his career and dreams would've been instantly derailed. If Tony would've stopped believing in himself, why would any of his future coaches or teammates have believed in him?
C.S. Lewis once said, "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."
The same applies for your dreams. Aim for your dreams. If you don't get there, you don't get there. But it goes without saying you'll never get there if you don't even aim. “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found those dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” (Van Gogh)
Disciple-Leadership: Jesus-led. Lead like Jesus.