The Journey That Almost Failed

It’s amazing how often the Lehite expedition came close to failing.  Except for the problem of the bow, each close call came because of Laman and Lemuel’s belligerence, and the Lord had to step in on several occasions because of it.  The first was on their trip to get the plates.  After their failure to get the brass plates from Laban, Laman and Lemuel “did smite [Nephi and Sam] even with a rod.”  They must have been close to killing Nephi, for the Lord had to send an angel to stop them: “An angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: “Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?” (1 Nephi 3:28-29).  The next problem came when they were returning from getting Ishmael’s family.  Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael rebelled against Nephi, and after he chastised them, they were angry and Nephi recorded, “They did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.”  Nephi prayed for divine strength to “burst the bands” from off him, and he was freed miraculously and once again stood before them (1 Nephi 7:16-17).  With the help of one of the daughters of Ishmael (perhaps the one he ended up marrying?) they convinced the rebellious sons to leave Nephi alone and continue on their journey.  The third close call came after Ishmael died at Nahom.  Nephi wrote, “And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael: Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi.”  Before they could carry out their plans, Nephi said that “the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger” (1 Nephi 16:37-39).  I’m not sure exactly what that means, but clearly the Lord intervened in a dramatic way to save the lives of Nephi and Lehi and the whole expedition.  The fourth time that Laman and Lemuel came close to killing Nephi was when he chastised them for not wanting to help him build the ship.  Nephi wrote, “They were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea.”  But he once again showed forth the power of God, and he commanded them not to touch him and the Lord did “shock them” so that they understood whose power Nephi had (1 Nephi 17:48, 53).  Because of this they again were stopped in their attempt to destroy Nephi.  The last event that almost caused their mission to fail was when they were on the boat.  Once more angry with Nephi, Laman and Lemuel did bind him with cords and left him there for four days.  Finally when the storms that God sent for their iniquity became so great that they knew they would die without some miracle—God “threatened them with destruction”—they loosed Nephi and all their lives were spared.  It’s certainly a miracle that Nephi made it alive to the Promised Land!  The Lord had his eye on the group and would not let them fail, but He also only intervened when absolutely necessary to save Nephi’s life.  From this incredible story we can gain confidence that the Lord will likewise help us through the challenges of life and intervene when miracles are needed.