Go and do.

Last weekend I suddenly felt like I wanted to completely halt my scripture reading and start over from the beginning. So, I'm back in first Nephi, reading the familiar words, but also trying to find new insight in the familiar.

I haven't made a ton of progress, based on the fact that the illness thing is making me super tired, super fast--but I've managed to read up through Chapter 4.

I think I've always focused mainly on the most recognized verse of this section, and haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the details of the narrative. I've considered Ch. 3 V. 7 to be a kind of theme for the first few chapters... "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"

What I've never paid much attention to is how Nephi goes about applying this knowledge.

I've always just had it in my head that he's right about that, but have never considered the efforts involved in taking that prepared way.

Nephi and his brothers don't really go to Laban with a sure knowledge that their plan is going to work. In fact, it doesn't work at all. Plan #1 is to send Laman in to simply ask Laban for the plates. Unsuccessful. Plan #2 is hatched by Nephi. He suggests that they gather up the possessions they left behind and take them as an offering to Laban. Once again, Laban threatens to kill them, and they flee, leaving behind all of their money and goods.

Nephi understands that there is a reason why they need the plates, and remains determined to get them before he returns to his father.

There isn't really a Plan #3, since Nephi states that he was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things he would do.

I guess it just occurred to me that even though Nephi knew what was supposed to happen, and even though he had the faith that everything would work out as it was supposed to, it wasn't just a piece-of-cake little jaunt up to Jerusalem.

His life was threatened, he was beaten by his brothers, he had to make a decision that on the surface seemed like a terrible thing to do--and yet, he knew that it had to be done, that the Lord had prepared a way, and there it was.

So, I guess what I can learn is that even when I feel like I know what is right, and I trust that the Lord will provide a way for good things to happen, the path won't necessarily be easy. I might have to make some difficult decisions on my own. I might have to suffer because of the decisions of those around me. I might even find myself or my desires threatened in some way... But I can continue to trust that there is a way provided. I just have to be patient and keep trying to find it.