1 Nephi 3:9-18

Nephi and his his brothers returned to Jerusalem to get the plates of brass and tried to work out how best to get them.  Their plan failed when Laman was picked to go and ask for the plates and Laban, who possessed the plates, rejected him, violently.  All of the brothers were upset by what had happened, maybe thinking that this was going to be easy.  Nephi's brothers were ready to go back empty handed but Nephi knew that they needed to accomplish what they had come for.  In verse 15 he makes a covenant that they will not leave until they finish the job they were sent to do.

Nephi's idea is to try and buy the plates from Laban.  He says that they should go and get the riches they left behind, reminding them that they left them for a reason.  I suppose that Nephi's brothers were not immediately sold on his idea because he proceeds to remind them of why all this is happening and works to convince them to continue trying.  Nephi reminds then that it was not just Lehi's idea that they leave in the first place but that he was following what he was commanded to do.  Also, that Jerusalem would be destroyed and that Lehi himself was in danger of losing his life because of how the people had rejected the prophets.  Jeremiah 26: 20-24 speaks of one of those prophets who, after prophesying the same thing as Lehi, also fled Jerusalem but was hunted down and killed for his prophesies.  This threat that Lehi faced was real and Nephi and his brothers would likely have known the danger Lehi was in.

1 Nephi 3:1-8

It is interesting to me that even in Lehi's time, 600 year B.C., genealogy was important.  Lehi has a vision in a dream that Nephi and his brothers should go and get the plates of brass from Laban.  He says that these plates contain not only a history, but also his genealogy.  This is a commandment to Lehi and, even then, Laman and Lemuel murmur.  They do not believe this commandment came from the Lord but that it is something that Lehi is asking of them.  This can happen to us even now as the Lord gives inspiration to leaders of the church, whether it be prophets or local leaders, and we murmur or simply do not follow the instruction.  We can fall into the same trap of thinking that it is they who are requiring it of us and not the Lord.

Lehi knew what Nephi's response would be before he even shared it.  He said that Nephi would be favored because he did not murmur.  Then Nephi gives a great response in verse 7.  Go and do has become a mantra for many in the church, even sang enthusiastically by primary children.  The statement about how the Lord always prepares a way can be especially comforting.  This is supported in the references in Genesis and Philippians, where both the ability of the Lord to do all things and that all things can be done with the Lord's help are emphasized.  Doctrine and Covenants 5:34 also adds that sometimes we need to wait for the Lord to command us and then the way is prepared.  We are also told however that we shouldn't need to be commanded in all things in D&C 58:26.  The Lord has instructed throughout scripture that it is through the Spirit that we will know, D&C 11:12 tells us to, "...put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good..."

As any father would be, Lehi is pretty happy about Nephi's response and knows that he is blessed.

1 Nephi 2:19-24

After Nephi had received his testimony of the truthfulness of the things his father had taught him, and after he had tried to share this testimony with his brothers, Nephi received a blessing from the Lord.  He was blessed because of three things: his faith, his diligence, and his humility.  As seen in both the Index and the topical guide,diligence is often a requirement for blessings to come.  Sometimes, it would seem, faith, humility, obedience, study, work, among other things is just not enough unless they are exercised diligently, over  a period of time.  Diligence - Careful and persistent work or effort.

In the next few verses the Lord outlines the blessings that Nephi can receive through the faith, humility, and diligence mentioned before.  The verses alternate between blessings as well as a curse for lack of the aforementioned.  Through continued obedience Nephi is promised that he will prosper, be led to a promised land, and be made a ruler and a teacher over his brethren.  This promise is fulfilled later as he and his family are led to the Americas and he is made a ruler over his younger brothers and others that had joined their journey, as well as many of their descendants.  He, and his people were also prosperous during Nephi's lifetime as long as they were obedient.

In verses 21, 23, and 24 a curse is laid out as well, or consequences for disobedience.  Nephi is told that his brothers will be cursed for their disobedience, being cut from the Lord.  They are also cursed to have no power over Nephi and his people, unless they rebel also.  The rest of the Book of Mormon shows this to be true as the Nephites (Nephi's people) are often disobedient and the Lamanites (Laman's and Lemuel's people) then have power over them.  The Lord states that the purpose of this curse is not to punish, it is not out of cruelty or anger, it is to "stir them (Nephi's people) up in the ways of remembrance."  Heavenly Father wants to bless us, He wants us to remember Him and follow Him so that we can receive the blessings he has promised.

1 Nephi 2:13-18

Laman and Lemuel's murmurings must have gotten to Lehi at one point here becasue verse 14 talks of how he spoke to them with "power, being filled with the spirit, until their frames did shake before him." They ultimately did what he told them to do but not because they believed or had gained a testimony but only because of this power that Lehi was able to convey.  In stark contrast to this situation, Nephi sought out the truth for himself through prayer.  He wanted to know the "mysteries of God," through faith he prayed and he said the Lord visited him and softened his heart.  This made it easier for him to believe the words of his father and follow his cousel and not rebel.  The references on Verse 16 show how the Lord visits many with his spirit, if they believe on his words.  It is incredible that the Lord promises this, but He does require faith.

In verse 17 Sam is instructed of Nephi regarding the things the Lord has taught him.  Same must have had a very simple faith because he believed his older brother.  I know that many times it is easy to hear from someone we trust and to believe them without any further witness.  Trust is important when sharing the gospel.  But Laman and Lemuel did not believe Nephi, here again, the hardness of their hearts and their unwillingness to go to the Lord is to their detriment.  Nephi's reaction is not one of anger, or throwing his hands up in the air and saying something like, Oh well, to each his own, and just giving up.  He is "grieved" and prays for them.  He understands, at least to some extent, how damaging this might be for them eternally and he cares.

1 Nephi 2:9-12

So here begin the murmurings of Laman and Lemuel.  These two brothers would have already sat and listened to many teachings by their father.   Had probably read many scriptures, participated in the priesthood ordinances of the time.  We don't know if they were "active" in the teachings which they likely had.  The things that Nephi lists as being those things they were upset about leaving were all of the temporal things that they most likely stood to inherit when Lehi passed on.  These were apparently the things that were important to them.

It is interesting that Nephi says they murmured because the "knew not the dealings of that God who had created them."  There is a reference in the footnotes to Moses 4:6 where Satan also "knew not the mind of the God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world."  Both of these verses use the verb "knew not,"  I would think that in both case, they were aware of the teachings of the Lord, the were aware of the commandments of God, but that what they lacked was a spiritual affirmation of the their divinity.  Alma taught how to gain this knowledge in Alma 5: 45-46, "...Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?  Behold I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.  And I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hat made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit..." This was after Alma had been taught by his father, after he had seen an angel, and after he had been visited by the Lord when unconscious.  He still had to fast and pray to "know".