1 Nephi 4–5

“I Was Led by the Spirit”

Nephi in Jerusalem

After two failed attempts to obtain the plates of brass from Laban, Nephi crept into Jerusalem by night with faith in the Lord. However, he had little idea of how to accomplish his task. Have you, like Nephi, ever felt strongly about doing something but been unsure of how to accomplish it? This lesson is intended to strengthen your trust in Heavenly Father and His willingness to guide you.

Helping students prepare for learning. The scriptures speak of a state of readiness in the hearts and minds of those seeking spiritual learning. Regularly discuss with students the importance of learner preparation and encourage them to complete the student preparation each day.

Student preparation: Give students a copy of President Nelson’s statement that appears at the beginning of the lesson. Invite them to come prepared with ideas of situations in which they could personally benefit from receiving the Lord’s guidance.

Possible Learning Activities

Receiving guidance from Heavenly Father

Display the following statement by President Nelson and consider inviting students to share their thoughts from the student preparation.

President Russell M. Nelson shared important counsel about receiving personal revelation. As you study his statement, consider how it applies to you.

President Russell M. Nelson

We can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small. (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 94)

• What are some situations in your life, large or small, in which it would be helpful to receive Heavenly Father’s guidance? (Consider writing your responses.)

Consider displaying the following questions and response options on the board before class begins or printing them out for each student. Allow students time to quietly assess their feelings and record their responses.

Choose the response that best captures your feelings about the following statements.

1. I actively seek Heavenly Father’s guidance and direction to help me with my challenges, questions, and decisions.

   • Often

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely

2. I trust in Heavenly Father’s ability and desire to guide my life by the Spirit.

   • Often

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely

3. I go forth with faith and act upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost, even when my path is unclear.

   • Often

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely

As you study a time when Nephi was unsure what to do, seek truths that strengthen your trust in Heavenly Father and His willingness to guide you.

“Let us go up”

Recall that Lehi’s sons made two unsuccessful attempts to obtain the plates of brass from Laban and were fearful for their lives (see 1 Nephi 3:11–27). What might you be feeling if you were in a similar situation? What concerns might you have? Despite witnessing an angel, Laman and Lemuel felt concerned and had questions about how to accomplish what they were asked (see 1 Nephi 3:31).

Read 1 Nephi 4:1–3, looking for how Nephi responded to his brothers’ concerns.

• What impressed you from these verses?

• What example from the scriptures did Nephi use to testify of the Lord’s strength and motivate his brothers? What accounts from the scriptures have given you courage and strength in your life?

• How might the phrase “Let us go up” apply to the circumstances and challenges of your life? (Consider marking this phrase in your scriptures each time it appears in verses 1–3.)

Consider showing the following video to help students better understand the storyline. It may be beneficial to pause the video occasionally and refer students to the scriptures. For example, the video could be paused at time code 1:07 for students to identify what Nephi is doing. Students could then be invited to read and mark 1 Nephi 4:6–7 in their scriptures.

Read 1 Nephi 4:4–8, looking for what Nephi did in the third attempt to obtain the brass plates. You may also want to watch “The Spirit Directs Nephi to Slay Laban” (3:26), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, as part of your study.

• What did Nephi know and what did he not know as he began this third attempt?

• What stands out to you about the phrase “Nevertheless I went forth” in 1 Nephi 4:7?

• What is a truth you can learn from Nephi’s words?

Here is one gospel principle you may have thought of: in times of uncertainty, we can receive guidance from Heavenly Father through the Spirit as we go forth with faith.

Consider recording this principle or a principle you thought of in your scriptures.

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught about the importance of our actions as we seek revelation and guidance:

President Dallin H. Oaks

In my study of the scriptures I have noted that most revelation to the children of God comes when they are on the move, not when they are sitting back in their habitations waiting for the Lord to tell them the first step to take. …

So we do all we can. Then we wait upon the Lord for His revelation. (Dallin H. Oaks, “In His Own Time, in His Own Way,” Ensign, Aug. 2013, 22–24)

Think about how this truth and the statement by President Oaks relate to the situations you identified earlier.

• Why do you think the Lord wants you to move forward in faith during times of uncertainty?

The Lord prepares a way

Nephi was commanded by the Lord to slay Laban. He was troubled by the idea of taking a life, but the Spirit continued to urge him forward. Nephi obeyed “the voice of the Spirit” (1 Nephi 4:18), disguised himself in Laban’s clothes, and convinced Zoram, Laban’s servant, to retrieve the plates of brass from the treasury.

Consider reading this account in 1 Nephi 4:9–24 and marking words or phrases that are meaningful to you. You could also watch “Nephi Obtains the Sacred Records” (4:20), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

How does Nephi’s experience of obtaining the plates relate to the testimony he shared in 1 Nephi 3:7?

Give students time to think about their own circumstances that may require them to move forward in faith. Encourage them to ponder what they have learned from Nephi’s experience as they quietly record their thoughts and plans to move forward. Consider inviting a few volunteers to share some of their thoughts and insights after they have finished writing.

• What have I learned today that can help me with my situation?

• What have I felt today that can strengthen my trust in Heavenly Father’s ability and desire to guide me?

• What can I do to follow Nephi’s example and go forth with faith even if my path seems unclear?

Commentary and Background Information

What if I am unsure about a prompting I have received from the Holy Ghost?

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

My experience has been that the Spirit most often communicates as a feeling. You feel it in words that are familiar to you, that make sense to you, that prompt you. …

… We must be confident in our first promptings. Sometimes we rationalize; we wonder if we are feeling a spiritual impression or if it is just our own thoughts. When we begin to second-guess, even third-guess, our feelings—and we all have—we are dismissing the Spirit; we are questioning divine counsel. …

First promptings are pure inspiration from heaven. When they confirm or testify to us, we need to recognize them for what they are and never let them slip past. (Ronald A. Rasband, “Let the Holy Spirit Guide,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 94–96)

1 Nephi 4:10–12. Why did Nephi have to slay Laban?

To better understand the Lord’s command to slay Laban, it may help to remember the following:

1. The Lord gave Laban two chances to part with the brass plates before requiring his life. Laban was a liar and a robber, and he had at least twice sought to murder. According to the law of Moses, stealing and attempted murder could both be punishable by death (see Exodus 21:14; 22:2; Deuteronomy 24:7).

2. The Lord wanted Lehi and his descendants to have the scriptural record, even if “one man should perish” (1 Nephi 4:13) for it to happen. The brass plates not only blessed Lehi’s descendants but also provided some of the content for the Book of Mormon (such as the quotations from Isaiah and from Zenos’s allegory of the tame and wild olive trees). The Book of Mormon, translated from the gold plates, has blessed millions of people and will bless millions more. Ultimately, all of this was at stake when Nephi stood over Laban and followed the Spirit’s direction.

Supplemental Learning Activities

1 Nephi 5:1–9. The power of testimony and gratitude

If students could benefit from learning about the power of testimony and the importance of gratitude, consider reading 1 Nephi 5:1–9 or watching the video “Sariah Rejoices in the Return of Her Sons” (4:05).

Questions like the following could be used for discussion:

• How did Lehi respond to Sariah’s complaints? (You may want to point out that Lehi responded with testimony and confidence in the Lord rather than with fear or doubt. He did not respond angrily or impatiently.)

• What can we learn from Lehi’s response to Sariah?

• What truth can we learn from verse 9? (Help students identify a truth like the following: When we receive blessings from God, we can choose to pause and give Him thanks.)

1 Nephi 5:10–22. The importance of the scriptures

To emphasize the importance of the scriptures, consider reading 1 Nephi 5:10–22 with students or showing the video “Lehi Testifies of the Importance of Scripture” (1:41). Students could search the verses for important content contained in the brass plates. They could share how the scriptures have been of “great worth” (1 Nephi 5:21) to them and their families.