January 6-12: 1 Nephi 1 - 7

January 6–12

1 Nephi 1–7
“I Will Go and Do”

Share your insights, impressions, helpful quotes, resources, questions and anything else you like to discuss on this topic below.

In chapter 2 of 1 Nephi, the Lord makes Nephi a promise. If Nephi keeps the commandments of the Lord then he will be led to 'a land of promise.' In chapter 3 Nephi and his brothers are commanded to return to Jerusalem and to obtain the brass plates from Laban. Their task proved to be quite challenging and Laman and Lemuel were ready to give up and return to their father empty handed. I don't know if Nephi yet realized the importance of the brass plates yet; but he knew he had been commanded to get them. The brass plates were of such importance to the purposes of the Lord that had Nephi failed to obtain them the Lord may not have had reason to lead Lehi and his family to the promised land. Since returning to Jerusalem was not an option for Lehi, we see here that the commandments of the Lord were for his benefit and not simply requirements of an absent God.

Ogden & Skinner, Verse by Verse of the Book of Mormon wrote:Murmuring may be defined as half-suppressed or muttered complaint, grumbling behind the scenes rather than being openly critical, or disloyal.

This definition of murmuring helps me to understand that murmuring is not an insignificant thing. Open disagreements and hostilities can be addressed and worked through by a family. Murmuring, as defined above, makes reconciliation nearly impossible and can eat away at relationships until nothing is left to bind a family together.

I have two brothers and four sisters. When I was six years old the Lord answered my family's prayer and provided the means for us to keep his commandment. We lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin at the time and the St. Paul Stake Center was located a couple hours drive away in the Twin Cities. In order to attend both days of Stake Conference we decided to travel with my grandparents in their motor home. In all there were 10 or 11 of us travelling together (we didn't all stay in the motor home that night). The motor home died as we arrived at the traffic light at Hwy 10.  After trying, unsuccessfully, for some time to get the vehicle started one of my siblings suggested that we pray. No sooner had we ended our prayer than a loud knock came at the side door startling us! Upon opening the door we saw a man standing there. He introduced himself and proclaimed, 'I am a mechanic, can I help?' The joy and relief we all felt was immediate and we burst into laughter and shouts of joy! He didn't know that we had prayed him there or that he was on the Lord's errand. Within a few minutes the engine roared back to life and we were once again on our way to the Stake Center. We were keeping the commandment of the Lord to attend Stake Conference and in our hour of need he provided the expertise and means necessary for us to complete our journey.

1 Nephi 3:7 wrote:"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."