Let go.
Initially in the Book of Mormon, there was a large section (116 handwritten pages when translated) covering the ministry of Lehi and the trip into the wilderness. Those pages were lost, so the prophet Joseph Smith translated the opening we have now from the small plates of Nephi, engraved by Nephi years after the events it tells. Hence we have a synopsis focusing on what Nephi felt was important to remember: the warning from God that they must leave Jerusalem, the trips back for records and for another family, the turning points of their eight years in the desert, crossing the sea, and splitting into two groups of people.
Nephi gave only an overview of his father’s warning to Jerusalem, instead focusing on the dream of the tree of life and how to reach it. He then tells his brothers’ reactions, including their lack of faith, their desire to go back to Jerusalem, and their refusal to ask God themselves. I bet he was very grateful that his brother Sam listened and supported him. Laman and Lemuel reluctantly went with Sam and Nephi to get those stupid brass plates from a powerful wealthy man, Laban, whom they feared and probably admired. Their first thought was to buy the plates, an honest, non-threatening trade. To no-one’s surprise, the man refused. Then he sent troops to kill them so he could keep their gold. The young men got away; Laman and Lemuel refused to go back again. When Nephi insisted, they tried to beat him to death. An angel stopped them, which, were they thinking straight, might convince them to get the plates. But they felt terrified and heart-broken; they can never return to Jerusalem, ever.
All this time they had thought: “this is temporary; we’ll stay in the desert until things calm down, and then we’ll go back. Even if our dad has to stay away, we didn’t do anything wrong; we can suck up to them and we’ll be okay.” When Laban tried to kill them, and then Nephi killed Laban, they finally let go of their Jerusalem lives of wealth and servants and city life. It was wrenched out of their hands. They could still have gone back, to face charges of murder, to hide and skulk, to survive the power vacuum Laban’s death left. But they didn’t.
Instead they gathered more people and set out across the desert. They kept going, in fits and starts, until at last they were turned loose on a different continent. Their descendants increased to fill the land, a good land with lots of animals and edible plants.
Which things is God telling you to let go of? What warnings do you hear? Are you listening? Follow God’s directions, cross the desert, find the promised blessings.
