(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)
The scriptures are of great worth. They teach God's commandments, they
tell of His dealings with His children and THEY INVITE THE SPIRIT. Being
obedient is ALWAYS right! When we exercise faith in God and seek to do what He
asks, even when we cannot see the outcome, He will lead us by the influence of
the Holy Ghost.
1. How did Nephi's perspective
of the greatness and might of The Lord help Nephi remain faithful even in the
face of seemingly impossible odds? Why was Nephi not afraid to face Laban a
third time?
2. How did Nephi use his
knowledge of the scriptures to answer the questions of his brothers? What power
did he find written in the scriptures? What could you do to make the scriptures
a more powerful part of your life?
"Nephi
applied the example of Moses to his personal circumstances and was confident
that God would also prepare a way for him to somehow obtain the brass
plates." -Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-study Seminary Students
3. How was Nephi's absolute
faith in God a motivating force for not only himself but also for his reluctant
brethren? How can exercising absolute faith in the Lord bless the lives of
those around you? Have you ever felt a need to do something or felt inspired to
do something and yet not immediately known why, when or how it would be done?
"You
must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the
darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you?” -Harold B
Lee, quoted by Boyd K Packer, ‘The Edge of the Light’, BYU Today, March 1991
4. Why do words spoken in
faith make the wicked resistant? What were Laman and Lemuel lacking that
prevented them from feeling and acting on the direction of the Spirit? Is there
anything in your life that prevents you from feeling inspiration and acting on
the impressions received by the Spirit? If so, what can you do to remove it
from your life?
5. Did Nephi know what he
would face within the walls of Jerusalem? Why was he not overcome with fear?
How did knowing that he was on the Lord's errand help him face the unknown
events he was yet to face help mobilize him on his errand?
6. How did the complete
reliance on the guidance of the Spirit ensure the success of their third
attempt to get the plates?
"Several
decisions faced these young men as they approached Laban to ask for the
records. It' smoky interesting to me to note the process by which they made
those decisions. First, the decision was to leave it to chance. And they cast
lots, and the lot fell to Laman... Laban was not too pleased with his
request... He said, 'Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee'. That was
enough for Laman; he fled and came back and reported to his brothers that
leaving the assignment to chance did not work. So they approached the house of
Laban and displayed the gold and silver and offered to trade these precious
things for the plates of brass. When Laban saw the property and that it was
exceedingly great, he did lust after it... He sent his servants after the boys to
slay them, and they had to flee, leaving their property behind. Things of the
world did not produce the records. So by night Nephi led his brothers outside e
wall of Jerusalem. He crept inside towards the house of Laban, this time not
leaving it to chance or worldly things, but going by faith. He said, 'I was led
by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.'... As he
came to the house of Laban, he found a man fallen to the earth, drunken with
wine. On coming closer, he discovered it was Laban. Laban had been delivered
into his hands. The Lord had opened the way to obtain the record. Making the
decision to place his trust in The Lord
produced the results." -L Tom Perry, GC, October, 1979
7-10. What can you learn from the final efforts of
Nephi to obtain the plates that can help you succeed in the challenges you face
or will face in your life? How did Nephi know it was the Spirit of the Lord
that required him to slay Laban and not his own emotions? Do you think this was
the first time Nephi had heard and followed the voice of the Spirit?
"I can
testify to you that there will be none of you have any adventure greater, more
thrilling, and more joyful than finding out how to interpret the Spirit which
comes unto you bearing testimony of the truth.… if you will ask, not doubting
that you can have an answer, the answer will come in the whispering. Then you
must learn to interpret the whispering. At first it likely will come as
something akin to a feeling, although not a feeling. There will finally come
into your minds the words expressive of the feeling, and those words properly
interpreted will be the whispering of the Spirit." – S Dilworth Young, GC,
April 1959
10-13. Why was Nephi directed
to take the life of Laban when killing is against the laws of God?
14-17. How do these verses
exemplify the confirmation of the prompting Nephi had received to kill Laban?
How does having a prompting confirmed, help you move forward with confidence?
17-18. Why was Nephi required
to do such a difficult thing? How does Nephi's experience compare to the
experience of Abraham with Isaac?
"Why did
The Lord ask such things of Abraham?... God did not do this for His own sake'
forHe knew by His foreknowledge what Abraham would do' but the purpose was to
impress upon Abraham a lesson, and to enable him to attain unto knowledge that
he could not obtain in any other way. That is why God tries all of us. It is
not for His own knowledge for He knows all things beforehand... But he tries us
for our own good, that we may know ourselves, for it is most important that a
man should know himself. He required Abraham to submit to this trial because he
intended to give him glory, exaltation and honor He intended to make him a king
and a priest, to share with Himself the glory, power and dominion which He
exercised." -George Q Cannon, GC, April 1899
19-27. How did Nephi obtain
the plates of brass from the treasury? What do you notice about Nephi's honesty
with Zoram in these verses? Does he pretend to have been doing the things that
Laban was doing or does he hold true to his purpose for being there? What do
his actions here tell you about his integrity?
30-38. What was the power of
an oath in Nephi's culture? Consider the promises you have made; how committed
have you been to keeping your word? How do you feel about people who never keep
their word? How would our world be different if people kept their promises? Do
you think that by allowing Zoram to come with them, he literally saved Zoram's
life? Why or why not?
"Swearing
an oath on your own life or on the life of God was comparable to saying, 'With
God as my witness, I will do as I have promised or die trying.'"
-Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon, p. 19
"The
rewards of integrity are immeasurable. One is the indescribably inner peace
that comes from knowing we are doing what is right; another is an absence of
guilt and anxiety that accompany sin. Another reward of integrity is the
confidence it can give us in approaching God. ... The consummate reward of
integrity is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. ... Let us live true
to the trust The Lord has placed in us." -Joseph B Wirthlin, Finding Inner
Peace in Our Lives, (1995), 193-194
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