I was listening to the Book of Mormon this rainy morning while standing in front of the mirror fixing my hair. The familiar stories of Nephi and his family were floating around the bathroom—stories that I know by heart. I love to search for any new nuggets of wisdom while listening to these well-known stories from the scriptures. Certainly there are lessons that I haven’t previously noticed—things that will matter to me right here, right now. Suddenly, I had the thought, “Why did Laman and Lemuel even go?” Why did they go with their father? They complained, bitterly, against him. They dragged their feet. They claimed to not even believe what he was telling them. It seems like they were old enough to take care of themselves. And we even know that Lehi left in such a rush that the family home, full of gold and silver and precious things, was left behind, untouched. Why didn’t Laman and Lemuel stay? Why didn’t they run away and run back to their home? Perhaps there were safety issues with remaining at home, but still, why didn’t they go their own way?
The audio kept playing from my phone as I pondered these thoughts. I started paying attention again just as I got to the part where Laman and Lemuel obey their father and head straight back to Jerusalem with Nephi and Sam. They were charged with the task of obtaining the brass plates, which contained scripture as well as a record of their genealogy. Laman was even the one who went in to talk to Laban, in an attempt to fulfill his father’s request. Laban threatened Laman, sought to kill him, and Laman barely escaped with his life! That story got me thinking. I started making a list in my mind of all the hard things that Laman and Lemual actually did do. If you take out the murmuring and rebellion, Laman and Lemuel’s life story reads really differently.
Laman and Lemuel fled Jerusalem with their family, leaving all that they knew and loved behind. Laman and Lemuel traveled in the wilderness, hunting for food and living in a tent. Laman and Lemuel were nearly killed when they attempted to get the brass plates. Laman and Lemuel fled for their lives while being robbed of all of their family’s riches. They returned to the wilderness, and then came back to Jerusalem AGAIN to convince another family to join them in the wilderness. They married and started families while in the wilderness. They suffered along with everyone else when there was no food, no fire, and no comfort. And YET, they kept on going. They were understandably doubtful when their younger brother, Nephi, told them he was going to build a ship to cross the ocean. But eventually (there is a lot more to this story!), they did repent, “did worship the Lord, and did go forth with [Nephi]; and did work timbers of curious workmanship.” (1 Nephi 18:1) They helped Nephi finish the ship, and that must have been long, hard work! When the ship was ready, they saw that it was good. And they were even humbled by the sight of it. Then, they actually got on the ship, ready to CROSS THE OCEAN!! That took some guts.
I just kept thinking about Laman and Lemuel. We all know them as the murmuring, murderous older brothers who caused an insane amount of heartache and sorrow to Nephi and the rest of his family. They kept threatening to quit. They kept arguing and complaining. They kept trying to do it their own way. But during the whole arduous journey to the promised land, they didn’t quit. Somehow, they kept going. They did all the hard things, but without the comfort and peace of the gospel. They did all the hard things, and received none of the blessings into their hearts. Nephi, on the other hand, said, “Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.” (1 Nephi 18:16)
Life can be so challenging. We all have trials and heartache and sorrow to wade through. The only difference is that some of us are wading through it while murmuring and complaining, and others are like Nephi, wading through it with the help of the Lord. But the interesting point is that we all have to wade through it. Sometimes we are doing all of the right things, all of the hard things, but our hearts are not in the right place. Laman and Lemuel aren’t remembered for all that they DID do, but they are remembered as the brothers who complained. Which is sad, because they did a lot of the hard things—with the wrong attitude.
I thought of myself. I thought of the many times I want to quit. When everyone is crying and fussing around me, and little boys are full-on fighting, and the house seems so chaotic, and everyone is demanding something from me, I think, “That’s it. I’m outta here!” Of course, I haven’t quit. So far. But that’s the Laman and Lemuel in me. They didn’t quit either. But they complained and griped and had a terrible attitude. I don't know if this will make sense to anyone else but me, but I think I can fall prey to doing the "right" thing with the "wrong" attitude. And I want to remember Laman and Lemuel the next time I find my attitude lacking.
I love Nephi. So much of his story is about persevering in the face of daunting trials. He proclaimed, “I will go and do…” and then he did. We love and honor him for all that he did, because his heart was willing. And he recognized the Lord’s hand in his life.
We aren’t blessed for what we do, for what we go through. We are blessed for the “way” we go through it. And those blessings come in the form of peace during adversity, comfort during hardships, and joy during trials. When we turn to Lord, we are blessed with strength beyond our own. Oh, what a difference those blessings could have made for Laman and Lemuel.
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