LESSON PLAN FOR 2 NEPHI 6-10

Watch the video presentation for this lesson here: https://youtu.be/UueREwx3c7o

INTRO

This week we get to hear from Nephi’s little brother, Jacob.  Unlike Laman and Lemuel who couldn’t cope with having their younger brother take the lead or have the spotlight, Nephi is able to give the stage to Jacob. It’s as if he’s saying, You know, you should hear this talk my younger brother gave, it’s amazing. 

2 NEPHI 6 SUMMARY

And to begin, I’m just going to summarize chapter 6. It’s a message we’ve seen a number of times already and will see again. The basic story of the House of Israel will make many appearances in the Book of Mormon. And the basic flow is as follows:  Jerusalem will be destroyed and the Jews scattered, but they will return again. And at some future time, the Savior will visit them in the flesh, but they will reject Him, and again they will be scattered. But in the last days, they will be gathered once again, and all who believe in him will be saved and delivered out of the hands of their enemies.

2 NEPHI 7-8 I AM HE THAT COMFORTETH YOU

ICEBREAKER

Q: How many of you know somebody who left “the iron rod” for a time, but returned? Maybe that person is you.

A: What brought you or them back?

Each person is welcomed back by their Savior and each feel of his love and forgiveness embracing them. 

TRANSITION

Nephi invited us in 1 Nephi 19:23 to liken the words of Isaiah to ourselves. These chapters are a perfect opportunity for us to do just that. They center on the house of Israel, who have strayed from Him. Well, have you strayed from the Savior at all? Have you distanced yourself from Him and His Church? OR maybe you are still active in body, but inactive in Spirit. You go to church, you serve in your calling, maybe you even say your prayers, but there’s no heart in it.  You draw near with your lips but your heart is far from him. 

If you feel distant from Christ for any reason, read these chapters with that in mind.  

Whenever you see the phrase "house of Israel” or “Zion”,  substitute it with your name and see how that personalizes its message for you. 

Or if you do feel close to the Savior, substitute the name of somebody you love that has strayed. I believe that if you do this, you’re going to find a beautiful message of hope for them or for you. This is the Lord’s message of comfort to those who have strayed. 

GROUPS

If you're teaching these chapters, sometimes the simplest approaches are the most effective. I might divide the class into three groups and invite some of them to read chapter 7, some to read the first half of chapter 8 and the rest to read the second half of chapter 8. Then, have them read their section with the above questions in mind and to be prepared to share at least one message from their chapter that was meaningful to them. 

PERSONAL COMMENTARY

1 Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement? To whom have I put thee away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities, have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

So here I am feeling distant from the Lord, wondering where He is in my life. And he says, Ben, Have I abandoned you? If you think I have, where are the papers? Have I sold you? If you think I have, where is the receipt? They don’t exist, because I've never given up on you, I have never left you, if you feel distant it’s because you left me, you sold yourself.

:2 Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea, there was none to answer. O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke, I dry up the sea, I make their rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters are dried up, and they die because of thirst.

Ben, I’ve called you many times and there was no answer, but, have I lost my power to redeem you and deliver you? I have all power over heaven and earth. I’ve done miraculous things. I haven’t pulled my hand back, it’s still reaching out to you! Come home! Do you think I don’t have the power to redeem you?

:4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of Israel. When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning. He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.

God has given me the power to speak to you in such a way that will help you to want to return. While you’re sleeping, every morning I get up early to prepare what I’m going to say to you.

Now a little bit of a shift here, he’s going to tell us what he was willing to do for us. As if he’s saying, look how much I love you, look what I was willing to do for you.

5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

Ben, I went through a lot for you. God sent me to suffer for you, and I was obedient to that command. I let them scourge me, humiliate me, spit on me. It was hard, but God helped me. I was determined though to do it, for you. 

8 And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth.

I’m more powerful than sin, more powerful than death, more powerful than the adversary. Stand together with me Ben, and we’ll fight them off together. Together we can overcome all your challenges. 

10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?

Now that is a rhetorical question and I hope you all know the correct answer. What righteous person do you know of that walks in the dark? None of them. They all have light. So Ben, come walk with me in my light, I’ll teach you to walk in the light. 

11 Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. bThis shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Don’t try to do this by yourself. If you try to walk by your own light and try to make your own fire, all you’ll get is sparks. That can only end in sorrow. 

Now to chapter 8

3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

Ben, let me comfort you. I can make all the deserts of your life like the Garden of Eden, I can make you happy again, and grateful to be alive. I can make you sing again. 

7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

You don’t need to be afraid of your enemies, don’t worry about what other people might say.

11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man,

You can come back, come back to me with joy and gladness and you will be welcomed. All your sorrow and tears will flee away. I am here. I am here to comfort and help you. There is no reason to be afraid.

16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art my people.

I’ll teach you what to say and do, I’ll protect you, I’m holding you in my hand. You are my son. 

22 Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause of his people; behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again.

I’m pleading your case before God. I’m rooting for you. I know you’ve been drinking from the cup of bitterness, and suffering, and justice, and consequence, but let me take that cup from you. You don’t need to drink it. I will. I will drink it for you. 

And then we end in triumph:

24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

So, It’s time to wake up, It’s time to get moving again, get dressed up in your Sunday best, that life of uncleanness and sorrow are behind you now. Shake off the dust of the past, stand up and sit on a throne, loose yourself from the chains of your past and sit with me. 

APPLY

Have class members share what messages were most meaningful to them.

TESTIFY

I hope and pray that if you needed that message, that you felt its power and that you will respond to that gentle, loving, inviting voice.  If you have strayed, he’s gently calling you, return to me!

2 NEPHI 9 GLORIOUS OR AWFUL

ICEBREAKER

Q: What were you afraid of as a child? How about monsters? Were any of you afraid of imaginary beasts hiding in your closet or under your bed?

Have yourself or class members share their “fear of monsters” stories.

TRANSITION

Q: Well, there’s a monster in 2 Nephi 9 and I want you to find it. He’s hiding somewhere in the first 13 verses?

A: It’s in verse 10. Its name is Death and Hell.

Jacob tells us of the grasp of an awful monster. I picture this monster with two giant claws reaching out for me. For some reason, I always picture the Rancor from Return of the Jedi. And what are those two claws reaching out for us? Death and Hell, or physical death, and spiritual death. Spiritual death doesn’t mean that our spirits cease to exist, but rather it means a separation from the presence of God. 

And because of the fall of Adam, all of us have become subject to that monster. Well, just like my father used to come into my room at night and make sure that there were no monsters under my bed or in my closet. We have a father who is going to come in and rid our rooms of this monster. OR we can picture Jesus as the great monster slayer. And just like the monster has two claws, Christ has two weapons he will use to lop the claws off of the beast and make him powerless. 

Q: What are those two weapons? They are found in vs. 6 and 7. What are they? 

A: The resurrection and the atonement. Each used to destroy both death and hell, both physical and spiritual death. 

DOCTRINAL QUESTIONS

1. If there had been no resurrection or atonement, what would have been the results? 2 Nephi 9:7-9

2. Did Christ pay the price for the unlawful actions of those who didn’t understand the laws of God like little children, the mentally disabled, or the ignorant? 2 Nephi 9:25-26

3. Did Christ pay for the sins of those who will never accept him or his atonement? (2 Nephi 9:21)

4. Why did Christ need to pay for the sins and transgressions of all individuals? (2 Nephi 9:22)

1. If there had been no resurrection or atonement, what would have been the results? (2 Nephi 9:7-9)

       A:  7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.

9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.

It’s pretty clear how important the resurrection and the atonement were to the plan of salvation

2. Did Christ pay the price for the unlawful actions of those who didn’t understand the laws of God like little children, the mentally disabled, or the ignorant? (2 Nephi 9:25-26)

A: So yes, their unlawful actions needed to be paid for as well. But Jesus took that upon himself and therefore death and hell have no claim on them either. The monster, can’t get them.

3. Did Christ pay for the sins of those who will never accept him or his atonement? (2 Nephi 9:21)

A: Yes. He did suffer for their pains. Even those who don’t accept him or his sacrifice. He suffers the pains of every man woman and child that ever lived.  Which begs this next question:

4. Why did Christ need to pay for the sins and transgressions of all individuals? (2 Nephi 9:22). That almost doesn’t seem to make sense. Why make Jesus suffer for the sins of people who don’t accept him. Don’t they have to suffer those things themselves like Doctrine and Covenants 19 tells us? Yes, they do, but so does Christ, Christ suffers for them as well. Why? vs. 22 holds part of the answer

A: So the resurrection and the atonement make it possible for all people to be brought back to the presence of God to be judged. No unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God, but everyone needs to stand before him to be judged. So, the power of the resurrection and atonement come into play here. Because Jesus suffered the sins of all, all can have their fallen state, at least temporarily overcome so that they can have that final judgment. Those who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice and have sought to live a Celestial law will be able to continue in the presence of God. Those who have not will be assigned a lesser kingdom of glory or outer darkness. 

THE THEME

Q: Well that highlights what I feel is the major thrust or theme of this chapter. If you had to choose one part of the plan of salvation that stood as the watershed moment or point on which the rest of the plan pivots, what would it be? The part of the plan where everything before it is leading up to and pointing to it, and then everything after it is affected by that moment. From this list, which would it be?

• The war in heaven

• Birth

• Death

• The Resurrection

• The Second Coming

• The Millennium

• The Final Judgment

• Eternity in the kingdoms of glory

A: It would have to be the final judgment wouldn’t it? Everything that comes before is going to be taken into account. All our premortal, mortal and post-mortal decisions and actions will be taken into account. And then our eternal destinies are determined by it. 

The whole plan really balances on that moment, doesn’t it? 

Q: And if I had to choose just one verse to hang the rest of the lesson on, the major idea I feel that Jacob is trying to get across to us here, it would be vs. 46. The final judgment can be one of two kinds of experiences for us. What two words describe it? It can be either ______________ or _______________. 

A: Did you catch them? The final judgment can either be Glorious or Awful. Those are the keywords of the lesson. Now let’s approach the rest of the chapter with that in mind. Which would you like it to be?

And on one side of the screen, we’ll display the things that will make it glorious, and on the other side, we’ll display what will make it awful. Then your job is to choose accordingly. 

Q: So let’s take a look, and we’ll begin in vs. 14:  What are the two types of perfect knowledge?

A Perfect Knowledge of all your Guilt,OR A Perfect Knowledge of all your Righteousness

And what does that exactly mean? I don’t know, but I have a theory that I honestly hope is wrong. But it’s a possibility I suppose. But it could mean that I will fully understand how my unrighteous actions and decisions have impacted and affected other people. Maybe we don’t fully comprehend that now. Perhaps people saw us doing something and it shook their faith or they justified their own sinful actions because they saw us do it. And we may have never even realized it. What impact did our anger, our impatience, our lust, our selfishness have on others? Did it bring sadness, sin or suffering to them and have profound consequences for their future? I hope that’s not what it means. And by the way, I do believe that the gospel and atonement of Christ can cover and heal those types of things, and people need to be accountable for their own decisions. But,  

On the other hand, if we have repented, if we have looked to Christ and believed in Him, we will have a perfect knowledge of our enjoyment and righteousness. And I do hope that this is what this means. Perhaps we will come to fully understand how our righteous actions and decisions have impacted and affected other people. How our example blessed them and changed them and led them in the right direction. We may not fully comprehend that now, but wouldn’t it be awesome to have a perfect knowledge of that influence. The best example of that principle I can think of is that old black and white Christmas masterpiece “It’s a Wonderful Life”. George Bailey is given a perfect knowledge of the good influence his life had had. The gift of knowing what the world would be like without us. Perhaps the Lord will help us to see that for ourselves. To know what it would have been like otherwise. I remember refusing to look at a pornographic image that some boys in my computer class had brought up on the screen. Later that month, another classmate passed me a note thanking me for my good example. That because I had refused to look, that it gave them the strength and resolve not to look either. I didn’t even know anybody was watching. If they hadn’t given me that note, I would have never known. How many things like that are out there for us. And how would it feel at the last day to have a perfect knowledge of all the good your life did. To have your own “It’s A Wonderful Life” type moment. That would be glorious, wouldn’t it? 

Q: What are the 2 ways we can come dressed to the Judgment?

I can appear naked before him.

Is that how you want to meet God? Of course, this is symbolic, not literal. But it’s a pretty effective metaphor, isn’t it? How would you feel? Ashamed, embarrassed, you would want to hide. Some of you are thinking, I’ve had dreams like that. The scriptures say that some will wish that the mountains and rocks would fall on them to hide them from the face of God. That would be awful, wouldn’t it?

What’s the alternative? What do we wear to the judgment?

We can be clothed with purity and righteousness.

That’s how I want to appear before God. Clothed in beautiful righteousness. I know I’ve shared this thought before but I love the image of the great locker room in the sky. Each one of us has a locker with our name in gold above it. Inside it what we will wear to the judgment and each day of our lives we are weaving threads into that clothing, through our obedience, sacrifice, and service. And if our lives have been full of these things, when we open the locker, for women their will be a beautiful dress, and for men a handsome looking 3 piece suit. That’s how I want to appear before the judgment seat. Clothed and confident. However, if our lives have not been full of obedience, and sacrifice and service, how horrified we might be to see what we had to wear, or not wear. Hopefully, we can approach the throne of God, fully clothed in purity and righteousness.

Q: What 3 things must I do to make it a glorious day?

• Believe in the Holy One of Israel

• Endure the crosses of the world

• Despise the shame of it

We need to believe and develop faith in Christ, work through our doubts and questions which will certainly arise. 

We need to endure the crosses of the world. It’s important for us to understand that we will need to carry those. On that straight and narrow path, we are going to run into them. And the only way forward is to pick it up and carry it. And not everybody’s cross is the same. Maybe your cross is a physical or mental disability, maybe it’s a rough home life,  losing a child, overcoming an addiction, standing firm in the face of persecution and ridicule, depression, financial difficulties, or loneliness. We all have crosses to bear in this life. Opposition in all things. And sometimes somebody may come along and tell you that you shouldn’t have to carry it or to drop it. Or they say “Surely God would not require this of you”. And how do we respond to that?  It reminds me of the story of Peter when Jesus tells him that he is going to be killed, and Peter says no, be it far from thee Lord (Matthew 16:21-25) And Jesus gives him a fairly firm rebuke. “Get thee behind me Satan”. I don’t think he’s really calling Peter Satan, but he’s saying that thought, that suggestion that he shouldn’t do what his Father had asked him to do was an offensive thought to him. He had a cross in his path and here is Peter standing in front of him and telling him not to take it up. And Jesus says, no, get behind me, I will take up my cross. We have to do the same.

And Despise the shame of it. Maybe that means that we don’t care when they make fun of us or ridicule us. When we hear the laughter of the Great and Spacious building we heed them not. It could also mean that I don’t participate in the shameful things the world does. Both interpretations work. 

If I do these three things, then my judgment will be glorious. 

What falls on the other side then?

• Well, I doubt Christ

• I drop my crosses

• Embrace the shame of the world. 

Q: vs. 21 What must I do to make it a glorious day?

I hearken to the Savior. That implies hearing and obeying.

On the other hand. I ignore and disregard his words.

Q: Vs. 23-24 What 4 things must I do to make it a glorious day?

I see 4 things and they should sound familiar. 

Repentance, baptism, faith, enduring to the end. Sounds like the 4th article of faith and the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. I just don’t see a mention of the gift of the Holy Ghost but perhaps we can imply that here. So this is the Lord’s path. 

On the other hand, I can doubt, continue in sin, remain unwashed, and give up.

Q: Now vs. 27 what will make that day awful?

What will make it awful? Those that knowingly transgress his laws and waste the days of their probation. Their state is awful. What things waste my life? Well, just start looking through verses 28-39 and you’ll find a huge list of ways to waste your life. I’m going to focus on just two of them.

:28-29 we have a description of those who are learned but think they are wise. And so they hearken not unto God’s counsels. So these are people who go out and read every book they can get their hands on, they develop their minds, earn degrees, and plumb the depths of academic and intellectual scholarship. But in the midst of that quest for knowledge, which vs. 29 tells it can be good. God loves education and using our minds to their utmost capacity. But at the judgment, to the man that has all the degrees and all the knowledge but couldn’t learn to listen to and follow the prophet, because he “knew better”, the Lord will say to him, “You’ve wasted your life”. 

vs. 30 has another way to waste your life. Rather than spending all my time accumulating knowledge, I seek to accumulate money, I seek to be rich and I despise the poor and persecute them and my heart is set on treasure. So I work my life away, and I become the CEO, and I amass a fortune, and I buy an enormous house, and I wear all the right clothes and I only help myself and my heart is set on my money rather than my character. And I stand at the judgment and say, Lord, look at everything I’ve accomplished, look at what I built. And the Lord will say, “No, you wasted your life”. 

If I waste my life, the judgment will be awful.

But, if I obey and fulfill my life and purpose, and I seek not only to be learned but also wise by hearkening to God’s counsel,  and I don’t set my heart upon riches, and I repent of my sins, then that day will be glorious.

Q: v. 39 Can you see a contrast here? What are the two types of mind I can have?

So the two types of mind? The carnal mind, or the spiritual mind

And if I am carnally minded, it will lead me to spiritual death

And If I am spiritually minded, it will lead me to life eternal.

You’ve heard of being right-brained or left-brained? Well here’s a similar dynamic.  A carnal mind or a spiritual mind. What’s the difference? King Benjamin is going to talk about these two sides that we all have inside us, the natural man and the Saint. The carnally minded individual is always looking to please and strengthen the natural man. To give into lust, greed, laziness, and pride. They want what they want now. The spiritually-minded individual seeks to please and strengthen the saint or spirit within him. To strive for cleanliness, humility, obedience, and sacrifice. Which of the two do you seek to please? It’s awful to have a carnal mind, but glorious to have a spiritual one. 

vs. 40, I revile the truth, or I love the truth

vs. 45, Shake off the chains, or I remain bound

I come unto God, or I stray from him

Vs. 49 I abhor sin, or I relish it.

I delight in righteousness or I despise it. 

Q: vs. 51-52. How I feel about the things of God and the soul are good indicators of how my judgment day will go. 

If I hearken, remember, come, feast, delight, remember, pray, give thanks and rejoice in God’s light and truth, my judgment will be glorious.I love how he says, "Let your souls delight in fatness”. In most areas of life, we want to practice restraint and prudence. But there is one area we are encouraged to indulge in. The things of God.   It’s like, go ahead, get fat on the gospel. Go back for seconds and thirds. Heap up your plate with it. Feast until you become spiritually obese. This attitude towards God’s work will make you glorious. 

But if I spiritually restrict my calories, and starve myself of the things of God, and I’m a spiritual stick figure, then, that will be awful.

APPLY

So, where are you headed? Based on what we’ve talked about here, if the judgment were tomorrow, would it be awful or glorious for you?

TESTIFY

 I invite you to do the things that will make that watershed day a glorious one and not an awful one. It will be the greatest day of your existence. 

Perhaps the best way to end this discussion would be with Jacob’s parting words in chapter 10:23-25

ALTERNATE ACTIVITY

Find all the O’s and Wo’s of 2 Nephi 9.  

2 NEPHI 1 and 10

The Promises of the Promised Land

Search for and mark all the promises God makes with the inhabitants of this land in 2 Nephi 1:5-9 and 2 Nephi 10:10-19

2 Ne.  1:5 Land of promise

2 Ne. 1:5 Choice Land

2 Ne. 1:5 Covenanted Land

2 Ne. 1:5 The Lord will lead people here

2 Ne. 1:6 There shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

2 Ne. 1:7 Consecrated land

2 Ne. 1:7 A land of liberty unto them; wherefore they shall never be brought down into captivity.

2 Ne. 1:9 Blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

2 Ne. 10:10 Blessed upon the land

2 Ne. 10:11 A land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land

2 Ne. 10:12 I will fortify this land against all other nations

BUT, there is a warning in chapter 1

:7 if iniquity shall abound, cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous, it shall be blessed forever.

Or if we begin to 

:10 dwindle in unbelief

THEN

:11 he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause the to be scattered and smitten. 

So how do you know if your nation is dwindling in unbelief? To dwindle means to diminish gradually. So what are the signs that your nation is dwindling in unbelief? 

1. They begin to lose their knowledge of the creation of the earth and Man. 

2. They begin to forget the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world. Well, where do we read about the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world? The scriptures. How are we as a nation doing with respecting, and using, and understanding the scriptures?

3. They begin to discredit and disregard the power of faith.

4. They move away from the following of the commandments. And here you could just list each of the 10 commandments and ask how our nation is doing with each? What grade would you give us on keeping the Sabbath day holy, taking the name of the Lord in vain, committing adultery, or coveting?

5. They begin to reject the Savior. How are we doing there?

Well, if America allows herself to dwindle

:10 behold the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

That is the law of this land. And we already have two great examples of this law in this land’s history. The Jaredites being replaced by the Nephites and Lamanites, and the Nephites and Lamanites being replaced by the Gentiles.  

We would de well to heed the fate of these two civilizations. Don’t dwindle in unbelief. Even though you may not be able to control your nation, at least as an individual, you can control your fate.