1 Nephi 4:5

5  And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls.  And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

             Then this fifth verse is interesting too. In an old Saints Herald where Emma Smith was

being   interviewed after the death of the Prophet, she said when they got to this passage

(Joseph Smith was translating with the seer stones), he looked up with surprise and said,

"Emma, did Jerusalem have walls?" He didn't even know the city had walls. He didn't

know anything  about what he was writing here. Yes, Jerusalem had walls.

-Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 1, p.159

            It was very late at night, and this was not the strictly legitimate way of going about

things; but Nephi had been encouraged by an angel, and he was resolved to get the plates

by fair means or foul. He had reached the end of his resources, and his situation was

completely desperate.

-Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol.6, Part.4, Ch.9, p.112 - p.113

1 Nephi 4:4

4  Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

     “nevertheless”

            -they did it anyway, so why didn’t they just do it with the right attitude?  In fact, Laman and Lemuel did everything that Nephi did (left Jerusalem, went back for the brass plates and Ishmael, built a ship, sailed to the promised land, etc.) they all shared the difficulties of the same trials but they got so very little out of it.  What a shame for them, it is almost funny because even with all their opposition they did not get it any easier. All went through the same trials, they could easily have endured it in such a fashion so as to have been “better for it” as easily as being condemned for the way they handled it.  Isn’t a mission the same thing?  The most diligent and the worst slacker both spend two years.  Complaining and being disobedient don’t make it any shorter –in fact it seems all the longer when we fight against it. Isn’t life the same thing?  All go through it!  We can pursue the path of happiness by living the way that permits us to travel that road or we can choose some other way in pursuing “the object and design of our existence.”

     "did follow me up..."

            -there is great persuasive power in the simple example of doing!  Most people who are, for some reason, stuck in indecision or opposition will fall in behind one person who acts with confidence and surety.  This works both ways:  in the pursuance of evil and good.  Most of us want someone else to take the dangerous step of initiating an action.  It takes courage and commitment that very few possess to not only know that is right but to engage, to do, what is right.

            -Nephi took the lead and created a situation where others had to make a choice.  There must be leaders who have such conviction of character!  Our leaders need to take the first steps and live up to their calling… they will then find that others of lesser courage will follow.  This is especially true when a voice of opposition has been sounded.  Although it makes the situation all the more tenuous, a person who knows the truth must pursue that truth whichever way the winds of opposition blow and regardless of if they are simply “prevailing” or “gale force” winds.

1 Nephi 4:3

3  Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an ^aangel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye ^bdoubt?  Let us go up; the Lord is able to ^cdeliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

            -They saw an angel and they can doubt? "Wherefore can ye doubt?" Why weren't they

             completely overwhelmed by the angel? Why didn't that convince them for the rest of

            their lives? This is an interesting phenomenon. Brigham Young said, "Pray that you will not

see an angel, because everyone who has seen an angel has apostatized from the

Church." Nearly all of them did. "Wherefore can ye doubt?" When the angel is gone,

you are still there. That's the   point. You are still yourself; you haven't changed your

character. You may see ten angels, but that doesn't make any difference. Do these things

leave a permanent imprint? A person goes back to his normal life, and in this life the

earth has a very strong hold on us. Nothing is more   powerful than gravitation—the

weakest form in the universe.

-Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 1, p.158

      “wherefore can ye doubt?”

            -but they still doubted.  Yes, they knew that they had seen an angel and we will assume they knew the truth of Moses and the exodus.  There must, therefore, be more to having faith than knowing of these things. To Nephi this knowledge strengthened him, but to Laman and Lemuel this knowledge did little to help.  They were missing something else, but what?  Their hearts were not set on doing the Lord’s work, they were not obedient but were rebellious in their desires/hearts therefore these wonderful things (experience and knowledge) turned to their destruction as equally as it turned to Nephi’s exaltation (his deliverance in this specific trial is but one case example of his progressing/movement towards exaltation).

       *Exaltation is a process made up of many incremental steps/experiences.

       “the Lord is able to deliver us even as our fathers…”

            -there is great strength, power and confidence to be drawn from the experiences of others, particularly those whose lives and tests are recorded in the scriptures.  When they are able to determine key actions, beliefs or other means they employed to find deliverance and success.  We are bound to follow their footsteps just as we use a map to help us get through unfamiliar ground.

1 Nephi 4:2

2  Therefore let us go up; let us be ^astrong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red ^bSea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

-What are the more subtle lessons that Nephi is trying to teach (or understand) in drawing

 upon the experience of Moses and the Children of Israel?  The necessity to ACT.

     “therefore let us go…”

            -the “therefore” here refers to God being mightier than the whole earth and therefore able to prosper them in their efforts and to deliver them from death.  In other words, Nephi’s strength rests in his knowledge of God/in his testimony. Joseph Smith said that “it is the first principle of religion to know the character of God.”  It also appears to be of primary importance for each individual’s testimony to know for a certainty the character of God.  The lack of his singular knowledge is what makes Laman and Lemuel so weak and impotent in spiritual strength.  He who knows the character of God has a great key to the power and strength of God, but he who lacks this testimony must certainly live in fear and weakness.

     “let us be strong like Moses…”

            -the “strength” here, as alluded to above,  is not earthly and physical, but dwarfs anything man can aspire to by his own power.  This strength is quiet and meek,  it is not evident in the physique but can divide seas, move mountains, lay waste to armies, restore life and command the elements.  That is strength.

·         A vivid delineation between the two powers is aptly illustrated by Nephi’s example.  A physically weak people who had been slaves parted the sea and broke away from the yoke of their bondage while the most powerful army of the time was decimated by the waters of the sea that delivered Moses.  That is the strength Nephi wanted his brothers to develop; the same kind we need to develop.

It might be appropriate to guess as to Nephi’s spiritual strength from his reasoning and persuasion to get his brothers to be more faithful.  Nephi calls upon lessons of past prophets to engender faith and courage in his brothers.  He, himself, must have been familiar with these events and learned lessons of faith, of righteousness and of how God deals with men. From these he drew strength, comfort and knowledge that all was OK and would work for his good. We would profit to do the same.

1 Nephi 4:1

PLAN 3
-First and foremost in this attempt is the ingredient of (like the previous two attempts) faithful obedience:  “Let us go… let us be faithful in keeping the commandments…”

1  AND it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be ^afaithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not ^bmightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

            -The emphasis has moved from "I will go and do,(3:7)" to we will not leave until "we

have     accomplished, (3:15)" to the Lord is "mightier than Laban and his fifty" and "the

Lord is able     to deliver us," (1 Nephi 4:1-3).

-Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Recurrence in Book of Mormon Narratives, p.45

        “let us”

            -by this time I think I would have been fed up and frustrated with the stubbornness of my brothers and given up trying to pull them along.  But Nephi continues to invite them and really work at bringing them to be obedient to the Lord’s commandment. We should be as patient in our work with the “Laman and Lemuels” of the kingdom.  The Lord is with us in any case.

I think one of the lessons God is trying to impress upon us in the scriptures, since He shows us by experience after experience, is that He is more powerful than vast numbers of trained mean and that when we align ourselves to His purposes we can not fail.  Besides being our support, He wants us to recognize that it is His hand that delivers his children and not their own strength.  Notice the similarities in all the situations:

                        -unarmed children of Israel versus Pharaoh’s army

                        -grossly outnumbered Gideon versus the Midianites

                        -young Nephi versus Laban and his “fifty”

                        -Joshua destroying Jericho with trumpets and shouting

                        -Elisha:  they that be with us are more than they that be with them

                        -Fierce weather intervening against militias and mobs sword to destroy Zion’s

  camp.

1 Nephi 3:31

31  And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to ^amurmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands?  Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

      "Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying:  How is it possible that the Lord will ..."

            -this more than anything manifests the truly sad condition of Laman and Lemuel.  I don’t even know how to explain the how and whys of this situation.  It would be unbearable to live with the fear and uncertainty that accompanies a lack of faith.

            -What is making them doubt?

                        -lack of faith                           -attitude

                        -denying God's power            -fear of man

      “how is it possible…”

            -what motivates this question?:

              -sever lack of faith.

              -denial of or complete ignorance to the power of God.

              -fixed mal-attitude.

              -no eternal perspective.

Although we perceive this question as evidence of a character beyond our belief, how is it that we fail to pay our tithing because “how is it possible” for us to meet our financial obligation?  How is it possible that the Lord will bless us?  How is it that we resist any commandment because we don’t see “how it is possible” that we can endure the sacrifice of it?

            -the situation for Laman and for us is, in an eternal perspective, quite ironic because the true question is really: How is it possible that the Lord will not deliver and bless us?  It is impossible.  He will always deliver us because He rules the circumstances of this world, this existence and this reality by the power of His word.

       "he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?"

            -Did Nephi have to go against fifty when the Lord directed him?  He didn't even have to go

            against the full strength of one.  Laban, himself, was out.

      “he can slay fifty, why not us?”

            -why not us?  Because a man engaged in God’s work/errand is able to do more than 50.  His power enables the righteous man or woman to overcome what would otherwise be impossible situations.

            -when Nephi is led back into Jerusalem and faces Laban, does he face fifty armed and trained soldiers?  Does he even have to defeat 5 able men in an armed confrontation?  No, neither.  The Lord accomplishes his work in his own way (and a way that evens the field for us).  Nephi did not even have to face Laban personally in all his strength.  Laban’s weakness was part of his own undoing.

Summary of Plans 1 & 2

            There seems to be one obvious and perplexing question that comes out of the experience so far:  Why did two attempts meet with failure when they had been striving only to fulfill the command of the Lord?  Perhaps there are many reasons;  one possibility is that they were tested to see if they would be persistently obedient in doing God’s will.  There are many other reasons.  Plan 3 , or the 3^rd attempt into Jerusalem, illustrates some differences from the previous two.  Since Plan C succeeded it is probably safe to assume that those steps taken --that are unique to this last attempt-- facilitated its success.

1 Nephi 3:30

30  And after the ^aangel had spoken unto us, he departed.

            -At times we ascribe more confidence and goodness to ourselves than we truly merit. We say “they have seen an angel, how hard can it be?  They must know of the incredible power on their side.”  I draw your attention to the fact that the angel departed.  Once more they were left alone to accomplish the work.  It still had to be done.  The same was true for the early saints.  Take the prophet Joseph for example: After the first vision of the Father and the Son was closed he still had to face the ridicule, endure the tarring and beatings, survive months freezing in jail, watch the Saints be driven and murdered and then walk into the prison where he knew he would die.  It is a law of this life that the work is done after the heavens are closed.

1 Nephi 3:29

29  And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an ^aangel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?  Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ^bruler over you, and this because of your iniquities?  Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will ^cdeliver Laban into your hands.

            -I think we are provided with great insight into how God works from this verse.  God will not do what we can do for ourselves;  He will not overstep His bounds and infringe on our agency.  But He will part the veil and become personally involved (or send a representative to accomplish such intervention) so as to assist us when we are not yet equal to or able to fulfill a task ourselves. He does this here when Nephi and Sam are being abused by their brothers.  God sends a heavenly person because among other things I am sure, Nephi is not able/does not know how to protect himself.  As Nephi learns that he has the power/ability to protect himself he is expected to do so without heavenly intervention.  We see that he is thus able by the time his brother oppose him at the time of building the ship and sailing across the ocean.

We err when we desire God to send down heavenly associates when we are quite capable of solving/working out/attending to our own problems.  More than not God answers our pleas by increasing our abilities or providing a neighbor whose presence or talent fulfills our needs.

       “and he (the angel) spake unto them”

            -pray that God is never required to send an angel to declare unto you the proper course of action or your duty.  Laman and Lemuel failed to hear the quite, still small voice of the Holy Ghost, the physically audible voice of the prophet, or the written words of scripture (which their brother had so recently reminded them of).  They were past feeling and, lest they prove to be obstacles to God’s work, had to be shaken into reality.  Their attention had to be “captured” through some drastic and uncommon manner.  This visitation was to their condemnation and not to their glorification as can be seen by their subsequent actions of complaining and rejection of the angel’s words.

      “why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?”

            -How do you think they would answer this?  Really, consider the reasons they might have given.

     “ruler over you, because of your iniquities…”

            -the reason/need for a ruler arises because of the wickedness of some (they do not have the self-discipline and cannot rule themselves).  The desired and highest circumstance is where each is his or her own ruler.  Picture a society so righteous that a common king or governing body was not needed.  Such would be a totally honest and a perfectly kind society. Such would be the quintessence of freedom.

       "...ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands."

            -They were tested twice (to see if they would be obedient to the Lord in doing as he asked) before Laban was put in their hands.

            -the angel communicates the commandment one more time.  Now Laman and Lemuel know that it originates from a source beyond their brother or their father.

      “the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.”

            -here the Lord –through his spokesperson- not only identifies the main obstacle that Nephi has already recognized as the main hindrance to the mission, but also directs them that He will take care of that obstacle.

            -why does the Lord even bother with Laban?  He could as easily have helped Nephi break into the treasury and carry off the plates without messing with Laban?  What is being taught?

1 Nephi 3:28

28  And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman.  Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many ^ahard words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod.

      “Laman was angry”

            -Here is another example of anger being manifest by one who is not righteous.  Anger is a companion to wickedness.

            -In our time we speak of people, some young man or some young woman or even groups of people who are angry.  These seem to be consumed with an ire and a deep festering “problem” with society.  Often we seek to understand why they are angry, as if there is some justification or legitimacy behind their emotional state.  Anger is a chief tool of Satan.  Anger is one of his most descriptive qualities.  His anger and subsequent rebellion caused his expulsion from heaven and forfeiture of future endowments (body, chance at a redeeming experience in mortality, eternal kingdom, etc.).  No wonder his goal is to lure people into the cankering realm of anger.  No wonder he is expert about stirring men up to anger.  Anger is like a drug, which after entering our blood stream, shuts off all forms of higher thought.   One who is angry is not humble.  He seeks to blame his situation (usually the suffering that accompanies unrighteous living) on others.  He seeks for retribution and punishment.  His anger is based in comparing his position against others which is based on faulty judgment. 

      “angry with me… and my father…”

            -Laman still does not have the idea that this is the Lord’s errand and not Nephi’s or Lehi’s little escapade.  This is very much like a member who has a difficult time accepting the instructions of the prophet or other priesthood leader.  If we recognize that commandments come from God we would know that we must obey but if we can suppose they are only from another man we can find some questionable aspect to the command and justify our deliverance or stubbornness thereto (in a cynical world that is over-concerned with the rights of the self, in the world that Toqueville warned of and in which everyone is myopically pursuing their own interests in the name of enlightened self-fulfillment, it is easy to find “something questionable” about any man or woman who would make demands of us or suggest that we change some aspect of our behavior.  Why they are just trying to control us, to subdue our will, to gain a position of advantage over us.  We are our own bosses, we have rights and freedoms, who are they to say what we can and cannot do?   Oh, but this all sounds so very familiar to Laman and Lemuel’s  arguments… Things do not change.)

      “also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman…”

            -thus far Lemuel’s only real sin/shortcoming/major mistake was listening to, or being influenced by, the words of his brother.  I perceive that this was not a terrible thing by itself, but very soon we are to see where a person can end up –what larger transgressions they can be guilty of- when at first they only gave heed to wayward words and ideas.  We ought to be very careful who and what we listen to.

            -what a difference it would have made if Lemuel was less of a follower and took active steps to find out for himself regading the hand of the Lord in his life.  Lemuel could have shifted the balance of power significantly in the direction of his father and his brother Nephi.  Three (Lemuel, Nephi and Sam) against one (Laman) would have created very different power dynamics than two against two.  As it was, however, Lemuel abdicated much of his agency as a follower of Laman.  His eternal path was determined by falling in with and following his brother.  This type of passive living is dangerous.

     “hard words”

            -how much of our current/everyday conversations could be categorized in this generic phrase: “hard words”.  How many of us are frequently involved in conversations that include hard words about others?  How quickly will hard words turn, like they did so quickly for Laman and Lemuel, to sinful actions?

            -Let us here observe that the progression of any thought or emotion to its action is not very long.  Also let us admit that there is a natural evolutionary course that must be followed.  An emotion/thought that is felt within the soul will arise as a word which will, sooner or later, become an action that will in turn mold and form a person’s character.  Anger, hostile communication will eventually evolve into physical violence.  The way to cut the cycle before it runs its full course, or to correct it when it has already begun its destructive result is to supplant the evil origin/root with a good one.  Anger must be replaced by compassion, understanding and/or charity.  To assume that anger can still exist and focus on squelching the verbalization is not to treat the real wound and will never serve to cure the problem.  The fruit of a tree will always be the resemblance of its seed and roots.  Anger can never beget anything but its own.

1 Nephi 3:27

27  And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we ^ahid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

            -the earth, since we are taught it is a being in its own right and is in the process of filling the measure of its creation, is a friend to those who are about the Lord’s business.

 

            -some truths we learn from the Book or Mormon record are of tremendous eternal important, others are more trivial.  From this verse we learn very clearly that the servants of Laban are slow and the sons of Lehi are fast.  Other than what this may say about the importance of caring for our physical bodies (and adhering to the Lord's law of health, whatever form that may take in a particular dispensation), this fact falls among the trivial truths contained in the record.... although if the pace had been reversed and the servants were faster afoot, the entire trajectory of the future Nephite and Lamanite society would have been different.  But this was not a situation an omniscient God would leave to chance... God is in control of the trajectory of man and ensured that the pace of his servants would exceed those who would foil their purpose.  One wonders if even Nephi recognized God's unseen hand in what surely appeared to be a failed endeavor. God is often in those situations we esteem to be blunders, failures and frustrations.  Are we wise enough to see it?  There is so much that mortal man is not capable of seeing.

1 Nephi 3:26

26  And ^ait came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.

            -if you are Nephi, what are you thinking?  Are you frustrated, bewildered, wondering why the wicked aren’t just prospering while you –who is doing what is right- are struggling and meet with failure.  Furthermore, the wicked are prospering at your expense.  What is going wrong?  Why isn’t the Lord prospering us as we are doing his work?  What to do now?

            -in this life it often appears that the wicked prevail.  It appears so because it is sometimes so.  The wicked prosper at the expense of the righteous. But this condition is a temporary reality –a state of affairs that is so difficult for us mortals to see while we are so caught up in the condition of time.  Yes, Laban is prospered at this moment, but his situation is fleeting.  In less than twelve hours (much less) his increase at the hands of Lehi’s boys will not only reverse itself but he will find himself eternally impoverished.  No observer will esteem Laban as the prospered one.  Mortal conditions change so dramatically and rapidly that we are wise to withhold comparisons and judgment.

1 Nephi 3:25

25  And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did ^alust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.

            -the man Laban is revealed to us in brilliant color (attempted murder, lust after another’s property, theft, false accusation).  He is a man driven by his lusts, particularly for material wealth.  Is there a greater example of a despicable, self-centered human being?  He seizes immediately on a strategy where his own appetites trump the most fundamental codes of morality.  Seemingly he takes such action in a moment indicating that this wickedness and evil is central to his character.  He is entirely corrupt, carnal and narcicistic.  He is a perfect villan:  clothed with mortal power and adept at iniquity.  To what extent is he an archtpe of the Jerusalem establishment?  No wonder destruction hangs upon them.  He, like King Noah of a later era, has no idea his mortal prominence and power are about to dissolve literally overnight.  All his pathetic schemes and tireless self-exhalting efforts to accumulate the riches of this world will amount to nothing in a matter of hours. 

1 Nephi 3:24

24  And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the ^aplates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

            -Nephi and his brothers propose a trade:  plates of brass for gold, silver and all their wealth.  One has material, temporal value and the other has eternal, spiritual value.  Which would Laban value?  Where do our actions demonstrate the location of our value?  The currency of time (where we spend our pondering and efforts) reveals which we value.

 "...we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things."

            -would we give all this for the scriptures?  Do we show it?

            -Would we make such a weighty offering of monetary value to obtain a copy of the scriptures if we did not have them?  Do we show the scriptures that much worth and put such a high value on them or do they sit like paperweights in the dusty corners of our bookshelves (which is no more than a physical representation of the position they occupy in the dusty corners of our heart and mind).  I believe that there will be an accounting made for the value we put on them.

            -If the principle is true, those things we obtain too easily far too often do not acquire the intrinsic worth that is demanded by the object and thereby become objects of ingratitude, waste and devaluation, then we should be very careful that the scriptures do not become objects of luxury and convenience.  Ingratitude, waste and devaluation of a celestial gift are not things the Lord is bound to look favorably upon.  We would have a more worthy attitude of the scriptures if we, like Joseph Smith, were forced to use every effort to defend them from enemies.  While some find that the golden plates are still golden, they might as well be buried deep in the mountainside as much as some of the Saints use them.

1 Nephi 3:23

23  And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban.

            -instead of sending just one, the brothers went together in the strength of their numbers.  This is a contrast to their first attempt where they sent only one in.  Perhaps they felt safer in the strength of their brotherhood.  Even this, however, is mached and exceeded by Laban.  Curiously their third attempt involves only one going in with the Lord as a ‘silent companion’. 

1 Nephi 3:22

22  And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our ^agold, and our silver, and our precious things.

       “… land of our inheritance…”

            -In Jerusalem, Laman, Lemuel and Nephi would have had a sizeable amount of wealth and land to inherit (we can surmise from the record) but even if it were 1,000 acres the comparison is ridiculous when we see the continent the Lord had in mind for their new inheritance.  Truly we also cannot comprehend the great things the Lord has in store for us if we will just obey his commands and do his works.

        "did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things."

            -sounds a little like consecration to me.  Is this not an example of a type of consecration?  The agreement is to give all our possession to the work of the Lord if called upon to do so.  Some are called upon to do so… are we ready to be called?

            This trial of the brass plates is simply a comprehensive study in the law of consecration (give all our time, talents and possessions in the service of the Lord).  First they were asked for their time, next for their possessions and finally their talents.  During the entire endeavor they are putting their very lives in jeopardy.  If this is not an exercise in living and illustrating the law of consecration, I don’t know what is.

1 Nephi 3:21

21  And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I ^apersuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.

     “after this manner of language did I persuage my brethren”

            -what was so persuasive –from Laman and Lemuel’s perspective- about these reasons Nephi offered?  The reasons seem to appeal to their spiritually minded side:  why would they care about preserving the language of their ancestors?  Why would they care about securing the teachings of the holy prophts?  Presumably these things seem like foolishness to them any yet Nephi convinces them to try one more time.  What was the sway that these spiritual-logical pleadings have on Laman and Lemuel?  It may be that the power of persuasion rests soley on virtue of truth.  Truth carries its own power even to the wicked.  Truth is accompanied by the influence of the Holy Ghost which generates feelings of faith.  It was not the logic or reason of Nephi’s argument but the intangible influence of the spirit of truth that generated confidence and a will to action in Laman and Lemuel.  Speaking truth is our best, and often our only, recourse.

     "did I persuade my brethren..."

            -do we have to be constantly persuaded to follow the directions of the Lord?

            -Why did Nephi even attempt to persuade his brothers –who obviously did not want to be part of this –to help him?  I think it boils down to the love that he had for them,… see footnote for 21a.  His concern was beyond the physical task at hand but included the eternal well-being of his brothers.  At times we would do well to recognize that an earthly project is the vehicle by which we are attaining/striving towards eternal characteristics.  This should lead us to be more patient and committed to helping others achieve success.  We would be wise to realize that it is people and not things, positions or accomplishments that have meaning in this life.

 

1 Nephi 3:20

20  And also that we may ^apreserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy ^bprophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.

      “that we may preserve unto them (our children)”

            -living the gospel often causes us to act not for ourselves but for others who may be several generations removed from us.  It is to act with a godly perspective.  This frequently requires sacrifice for people and occasions we will not know in mortality.  This is to have an eye of faith.  The spiritual being operates with eternity in mind.  The physical being operates with here and now in mind –decisions are made based on what will I get out of it immediately?  God’s plans have the scope of eternity as a point of reference.  Our best decisions are made when we consider the eternal consequences of an immediate choice.

            -our children inherit and pay the price of our choices.  Consider what would have happened if Nephi and his brothers had abandoned their efforts to retrieve the brass plates with the language and doctrine of the Messiah…  For one or two generations the progeny might have lived off the strong legacy of Lehi and Nephi but eventually it would have become myth and tired tradition.  Truth seems to have a half-life in mortality.  Half of the faith and commitment would have made it to the first generation and then it would be cut in half again from the first to the second generation until it would have been fundamentally changed, forgotted or dismissed.