I finally finished this reading assignment last night (a little behind schedule, but I'll over-compensate eventually).
As I read chapter 16, I just became increasingly annoyed with L&L. They're so whiny!! And why is Nephi the only one who can hunt? Why are they sitting around on their butts complaining, instead of out hunting or doing something? I did find it funny, though, in verse 21, that Nephi says "...I, Nephi, having been afflicted with my brethren..." And later (verses 37-38)...why is the only solution L&L can come up with always "let's kill dad, oh, and our brother while we're at it!"? Is that really the first thing that always came up? I suppose that technically, we're reading a biased account, because Nephi is writing it, not L&L, but still...
Okay, moving on (breathe...) to chapter 17 and ship building. First of all, I don't think I'd ever try to cross an ocean in a ship that I built. Let me just state that for the record. I'm impressed that when the Lord commands Nephi to build the ship, the first thing Nephi says is "where do I find ore to make tools with?" It's not "I don't know how" or even "but I don't have tools." It's part of the "go and do" mentality. In this chapter (at least in verses 17-18), I can sympathize with L&L. If my brother started to build a ship while we were all camping on the beach, I would
definitely think he'd gone waaaay off the deep end (no pun intended). As I read the rest of chapter 17, I can't help thinking that Nephi must get really annoyed at having to stop an explain things to L&L all the time. He can't just start a job and finish it, because he's constantly having to put those two in their place. Verse 50 reminded me of a CD that I have that I absolutely love. It's right out of the Book of Mormon...it's called
From Cumorah's Hill.
Chapter 18 -- again, what's with all the violence? And the stupidity?