I believe that we all want to be like Nephi! No one truly wants to be a Laman and Lemuel! However, even though we do not desire it, we sometimes find ourselves acting as they did.

We know that Laman and Lemuel failed to establish a testimony of the Gospel. They never believed that their Dad was a Prophet of God, and they surely never excepted that their “younger brother would be a ruler over them.” They did not understand the scriptures because they did not apply themselves to understanding them. The visitations they had from the angels and the marvelous things they saw had little effect because they never truly believed or sought for the Lord to reveal the truth unto them.

When I say that we sometimes find ourselves acting like Laman and Lemuel I was not referring to the times that we tie our little brothers up (although I cant say I have never done that!), but more importantly the times in our trials that we murmur and complain about the hard things the Lord has asked us to do or things we are give to bare and overcome.

We have all received blessings that can not be numbered. If you have not had experiences in your life that can only be explained by an understanding and belief in the plan of salvation, it is time you seek for one!

What other explanation could there be for the angel appearing to Laman, Lemuel, Nephi and Sam, other then to help fulfill the will of God?

Nephi asks his bothers, “How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the Lord? How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord? Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us…?” (1Nephi 7:9-11)

Do you ever find yourself in this same situation? Simply forgetting what the Lord has already done for you? Not remembering that he has promised if we will have faith in him and ask that he will bless us?

Nephi goes on to teach his brothers, and he says, “…the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him. Wherefore let us be faithful to him. And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain the land of promise…” (1Nephi 7:12-13)

Their land of promise was the Americas. We have all been blessed to have been born here or to have been brought here to a country that provides us freedom and the ability for more opportunities then any other part of the world has to offer. This the United States of America is that very promise land which is spoken of by Nephi. We have that promise land already, so how can we apply this to our lives now today!?

We can say that our promise land will be our establishment in the Celestial Kingdom and that is true. That will be a promise land like none other we have ever seen or can comprehend. But where can we find a promise land here and now?

Do you have dreams, visions, and ambitions? Do you ever desire more for your life and your future? Sure you do!

So lets relate our dreams, visions, and ambitions to the lands of promise the scriptures are talking about. Each of us has a different promise land and we each determine weather or not we make it to our promise lands. The Lord has already told us that he will help us reach our promise land, but we have to travel through the wilderness for a period of time before we can get there.

If we endure the journey well, we will find our promise land ready for us to inhabit.