In the Book of Mormon, Laman and Lemuel are the two eldest sons of the prophet Lehi and the elder brothers of Nephi (see 1 Nephi 2:5). They were notable for their rebellion against Lehi andNephi (their father and brother, respectively). They and their descendants became known as theLamanites.
In the LDS culture, Nephi is always viewed as the righteous son - the one who kept God's commandments no matter what. Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, are generally viewed as wicked. Nephi explains that Laman and Lemuel were rebellious only because "they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them" (1 Nephi 2:12). Because of their unrighteousness, we might be led to believe they have little to teach us. However, as we look closer at them and their descendants, we not only see some of our own weaknesses but also what we may become if we do not follow the teachings of Christ.
The goal of this blog is to help LDS youth learn lessons from individuals in the Book of Mormon and to provide guides to help them develop into righteous young men and women of God. Each entry will begin with a scripture introducing the topic. The body of the entry will explain what lessons can be learned from the actions of Laman, Lemuel, and their descendants, the Lamanites. Recognizing that even the Nephites were sinful at times, the main text sometimes focuses on Nephi's descendants as well. At the end of each entry will be a handful of goals for you to work on in the upcoming week.
This blog was begun as a ticket item for Wood Badge, a training course for adult leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. One of my goals was to create twelve entries over the course of three months (or one a week). As this was a rather intense process - when factoring in time for family, work, and church responsibilities - my goal is to continue this blog with at least one additional entry each month.
If you have any suggestions for improving this blog, or if you would like to suggest a new topic theme, please feel free to let me know.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Draper, LMSW (a.k.a. - Brother Bear).
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