I Will Go and Do - 1 Nephi 3:7

Go and Do

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

• 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

Moses and the Israelites crossing the red sea

• 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.

My Mission Story

• 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

Nephi and the Brass Plates

• 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

Thoughts on Go and Do

• 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.'

A Way Prepared

Nephi and the Brass Plates

• 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

My Mission Story

• 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

Moses and the Israelites crossing the red sea

• 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.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

• 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

Thoughts on A way Prepared

• 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.