“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.” Ether 12:3-4

When life doesn’t go anything like I expected (99.9% of the time), it helps me to remember the experiences of Nephi and his family in The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ. In 1 Nephi, chapters 3 and 4, the Lord asks Nephi and his brothers to go back a great distance to Jerusalem to obtain a sacred record on plates of brass from King Laban, a wicked man. Nephi gives his inspiring pledge, “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.” On their first attempt, however, the king threatens to kill  the eldest brother. They are “exceedingly sorrowful” and some are ready to give up. It’s understandable; they had tried, failed, and the danger is real.  But Nephi, determined to do as the Lord asked, faithfully entreats the others to keep trying.

“Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when we encounter challenges… Perseverance is demonstrated by those who keep going when the going gets tough, who don’t give up even when others say, ‘It can’t be done.’” James E. Faust

This time they take treasures, but barely escape when the king steals their gold and orders the guards to kill them all.  Another failure. No wonder they’re discouraged and the older brothers are angry. Here they are trying to do what the Lord commanded them, and twice they’re met with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. They’re understandably afraid to face the king and his guards again, after all, Laban is a “mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?” I wish I remembered more often that the Lord is “mightier than all the earth…mightier than Laban and his fifty…or even than his tens of thousands.” I’m afraid way too often, however, like Nephi, I want so much to do the Lords’ will.  I try. I give my all, only to fail. It feels like the Lord has forgotten me when this happens. It’s heart-wrenching to feel that way, but He never forgets us, we are the ones who forget that He has a plan and His ways aren’t our ways.  We sometimes feel a little beat up, like Sam and Nephi, in the cave, after the second failure.

“For I will go before your face,” the Lord declared. “I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

Do we have the courage to keep trying when the failures pile up?  Can we follow Nephi’s example and believe “God is mightier” than any of our obstacles, and that with Him we can succeed? Nephi does finally succeed—when he is “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand…” Not knowing. That’s a tough one for me.  I like to be obedient, but I want it laid out clearly.  I want to know beforehand! I struggle to leave behind my own meager wisdom and let my omniscient Father lead me, through the Holy Ghost. A leap of faith for sure. Could Nephi have ever conceived a plan to kill Laban—a horrific thought to him—without the other two failures turning him completely to the guidance of the Spirit? Sometimes our humbling experiences of defeat prepare our hearts to receive answers we otherwise couldn’t have imagined.

At the end of this story, they accomplish the commandment, retrieve the record, to preserve the language and faith of an entire people, and return to their parents. Amazing. Did they have peace from then on? That was a harrowing experience, along with leaving home and everything they ever knew! Alas, no. They went on to have many more challenges, each seemingly more intense than previous ones. Life is like that; we don’t grow with ease.

In my life, I see in hindsight some things I never would have believed I could do, until after the failures and challenges I’d already faced. Most of the time, it seems, is spent in the failure/try again part. In the “exceedingly sorrowful” period, it’s not easy to see or remember the ultimate success awaiting each steadfast follower of Christ. The only way I keep trying is by remembering the times I’ve been “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand,” and completed difficult tasks successfully.  

Reading the account of Nephi takes only a few moments; so much happens in those short minutes of reading. All the painful, discouraging stuff occurs, then the successful conclusion appears to follow immediately.  But life takes a lot longer than reading a story.  We’re still in the middle of it. Our challenges sometimes drag on for years. Maybe that’s why we’re told so many times to remember. We can look back and see what our loving Savior has already done for us, how our faith and perseverance have paid off in the past. We can believe that one day, this will be the past—our story—and our posterity can read our words, in just a few minutes, and see we had courage, we kept going, we were led by the Spirit and accomplished the commandments we received from the Lord.  

 “I respect those who quietly do their duty though deepening trials come their way. And I admire those who strive to be more worthy by overcoming a personal fault or who work to achieve a difficult goal.

“…You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that ‘with God nothing shall be impossible,’ know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors.”  Russell M Nelson