"All Things are Present Before Mine Eyes"

The Omniscience of God
The Small Plates

Once upon a nonexistence-of-time, Heavenly Father was sitting on his golden throne, listening patiently to the man kneeling before Him. The man was struggling with a problem, and he finally asked, "Father, can't Martin just let his wife see the manuscript? He's an honest man, he'll make sure nothing happens to it."

Heavenly Father responded kindly, "No, Joseph. It's a bad idea. Trust me." Joseph nodded sadly and went back to work.

He returned, however, to ask again. "Heavenly Father, Martin is so miserable. His wife doesn't understand why he has to be gone all the time, she doesn't believe in his work. If he could just show her the manuscript . . . "

"No, Joseph," Heavenly Father said, a little more sternly. "I have given you an answer already. Don't let him take the manuscript. The consequences would be severe." Joseph argued for a little longer, then finally sighed and accepted His decision, leaving to report back to his friend.

But, of course, he returned not much later. "Heavenly Father, Martin and his wife are fighting more terribly than ever before. I hate to see him suffer like this, to watch his family be torn apart. Martin has sworn to me that he will take the utmost care if he is allowed to take the manuscript home, and I believe him. What harm can be done in clearing away his wife's concerns?"

Heavenly Father sighed, sadly. "Alright, Joseph. Go get Martin, we have some covenants to make."

Joseph smiled broadly and thanked Heavenly Father profusely, running off to tell Martin the good news.

Heavenly Father stood and walked over to a distant corner of the room where there was another man, sitting in a tent, writing something down on a set of metal plates. Heavenly Father tapped him on the shoulder. The man looked up, pausing in his inscription. "Nephi," Heavenly Father said, "You'd better make another set of plates."

- - -

Now, don't anyone go around thinking this is doctrine; it's not. It's just a way my Book of Mormon professor tried explaining God's perspective to us. It's kind of fun to think about, though, isn't it?

By the way, the title is doctrine. D&C 38:2.