The Liahona

This morning, I was reading in 1 Nephi 16, when Lehi and his family received the Liahona from the Lord.  It was a ball (or compass) made of fine brass that would direct the family on their journey to the promised land.

I think it's interesting that this guide was made out of the same material as the scriptures Nephi and his family brought with them from Jerusalem.  The brass plates were their guide, spiritually, and this Liahona was their guide physically.  It contained two spindles, "the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness" (v.10).

As I read that this morning, I wondered why their were TWO spindles--wouldn't they only need one?

Then I did a google search and found this: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59.

It's a beautiful article published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute, which teaches an engineering principle called "voting."  Basically, there needed to be two spindles so they could verify that the Liahona was operational.  It's a common engineering principle today, though it wasn't known back in Lehi's time or Joseph Smith's time. 

I want to be in tune to the messages that the Lord is sending to me.  I don't have a brass ball, but I have my scriptures, I am able to pray to the Lord each day, and I hear Him helping me, guiding me, and providing the way for me to draw closer to Him.