Nobody’s Perfect

By Shauna Skoubye

Nephi said exactly what I was thinking: “My soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.”

I have always longed to be like Nephi: strictly obedient, extremely faithful, and deeply spiritual. In my eyes Nephi was the supreme example of goodness. Few things appealed to me more than the thought of growing up to be just like him—or at least beginning to possess even a portion of his excellence.

One day I was having a mini crisis, caused by feelings of inadequacy. I had such ambitions and so many goals. But I just didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. Through tears of hopelessness, I expressed these feelings to my father. He promptly stood up, walked over to the bookcase, and pulled out one of his copies of the Book of Mormon. Without saying a word, he opened it to 2 Nephi 4 and began reading verse 17.

Chills spread through my body like electricity as I listened to these powerful words: “O wretched man that I am!” My thoughts raced. How could Nephi, my hero and example, say that he was “wretched”? If he was wretched, what did that make me?

Again, the electricity rushed through me as my father read verse 28: “Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin.” It felt to me as though the dark clouds in my mind had parted and cleared away to reveal the warmth and splendor of an open blue sky and bright sun. It is impossible to describe the way this verse illuminated my soul. Few verses of scripture have filled me with as much hope, inspiration, and joy as this one did.

In verse 30, Nephi said exactly what I was thinking, only in more eloquent words: “My soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.” This verse brought with it feelings of peace and gratitude for the Lord’s tender mercy and love.

My dad closed the book and explained that these verses are sometimes called Nephi’s psalm. He then gently taught me that even the greatest people on earth are imperfect, and these people must recognize their imperfections or else they would be prideful and, therefore, not great.

I understood. Just because I had weaknesses didn’t mean I was incapable of becoming like Nephi. Recognizing my weaknesses brought me closer to the caliber of Nephi. Nephi was great because, as well as being obedient and faithful, he was humble and willing to admit his faults.

Ever since that experience, I have treasured these words of Nephi. Each time I read them, I experience the same thrills and inspirations as the first time I read them. The verses sing out to me that I am a daughter of God, capable of more than I could ever imagine. I know that if I’m faithful and press forward, untold blessings are in store.

Nephi Writing on the Gold Plates, by Paul Mann