I Will Go and Do - 1 Nephi 3:7

2021-01-10 09:30:00

Go and Do

Long journey to find the Holy Grail
Best friend captured and shot
Indiana goes into the temple to try and safe his friend
Has to solve riddles and puzzles along the way to get to the grail
Almost to the end he has this riddle to solve:

Only in the leap from the lion's head may he prove his worth
- impossible jump of hundreds of feet across a deep cavern
Calms him self and sticks his foot out and tips forward to take the leap of faith

Israelites just escaped from the Egyptians
Egyptian army was following to capture them (Ex 14:10)

And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
Trapped between an army on one side and the Red Sea on the other.
Isrealites murmered and Mises talked to the Lord. (Ex 14:16)

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Area I lived in High School had some bad missionaries that lead me to not wanting to go
Left home for college and became good friends with a recent return missionary
- Happy
- Light of Christ
- I wanted this!
Felt called to go on a mission
- Went through the process of paperwork and doctor visits
- Visited home for final Bishop and Stake President interviews
Bishop interview went great was pumped and ready to go serve the Lord
Stake President interview did not go so well
- Stake president wanted my family and I to pay entirely for the mission
- Stake had issues with sending out missionaries in the past to have them come home
- Very poor area and did not have much money
- Reality was I did not have much of any savings, and my Dad being a public school teacher with 3 kids at home did not have the funds either
- Since no money was available, sadly was not able to go
Very depressed, why did I feel so strongly to go, but then could not
- Went back to school and started another year figuring that was it for me, I was just not going

Lehi and his Family have left Jerusalem some distance when Lehi dreams a dream (1 Nephi 3:4)

Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.
Nephi’s brothers were not really happy with the idea (1 Nephi 3:5)

And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them…
Nephi said he would go (1 Nephi 3:7)

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded...
However they had set backs
- Tried to trade with Laban, their riches for the plates
- Nephi’s brothers were very mad and did not want to try again
- Even had to have an angel come

It is not easy to go and do, and even harder to keep doing. Brandon Sanderson quote:

The most important step a man can take. It’s not the first one, is it?
It’s the next one. Always the next step…
Indiana had to take that leap of faith to save his friend, even though the cavern was deep with no end in site
Moses and the Israelites had to take that first step into the Red Sea. Was there still water lapping at their ankles, was the ground still muddy?
I had to do my part to get ready for a mission and to stay ready even though I thought I was at a dead end.
Nephi had to go to Jerusalem and fail a few times in the attempt to get the plates
It can be discouraging, but we must have faith to go and do. J.R.R. Tolkien

Come, Mr. Frodo! … I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo dear! Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he’ll go.'

The lord promises a way will be prepared (1 Nephi 3:7)

...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.
Nephi had faith and went into the city again on his own
- Laban was delivered into Nephi’s hands (1 Nephi 4:13)
  
  Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
- Able to obtain the plates and return to his Family in the wilderness

Several months later Mother’s Uncle called saying he had funds to facilitate missionaries going and wanted to pay if I was still had the desire to go
- YES!
- Worked my way through redoing paperwork and Doctor’s visits and as the school year ended I put in my paperwork
- Left for the MTC, just days before my 20th birthday, only a year later

The Red Sea was divided and the Israelites were able to cross (Ex 14:22)

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
The Egyptians followed and were drowned in the Sea (Ex 14:28)

And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

His foot touches down on a bridge hidden by optical illusion when he was at the point to jump
- Able to cross and find the Holy Grail to save his friend

In all of these stories it sounded so easy, a way was prepared, Heros always win right
In the moment it really does not feel that way.
Joseph's agony in prison when he cried out (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1)

O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
Even Jesus Christ the most perfect person called out from the cross (Mark 15:34)

...My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
But I testify a way is prepared, it will not be easy, but it will be worth it.
In closing share the words of Nephi (1 Nephi 3:7)

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.