Why Can't We Get The Plates?!!!

The First Book of Nephi

Chapter 3

"So how are we going to get these plates?" Lemuel asked, looking up at the city wall.

Sam spoke up thoughtfully, "we don't all need to go. It would look rather pathetic. Just one of us should go."

"Well, I guess that would be Nephi," Laman said, pushing me forward. "It was your idea to follow Father's crazy notions."

"But you're the oldest! You know him better than I do. He wouldn't listen to me anyways! He'd just laugh at me! The youngest son of Lehi come to get the records."

Sam stepped in between us. "We'll cast lots. Whoever it falls on will go."

There were nods around, and we cast lots, sort of like throwing dice or rock paper scissors, and it fell upon Laman. He grudgingly left, and we waited in our tents outside the city.

We waited anxiously to see how Laman would do.

***

We saw Laman exit the city wall, and we all stood, watching as he ran towards us. We only stared worriedly as he reached us and doubled over breathing hard. He told us about he had gone to speak with Laban and asked for the plates, but Laban had gotten angry and commanded his servants to kill Laman.

"We're never going to be able to get the plates!" We all complained, worrying about what we were going to do.

We had started back towards our parents, but then we remembered how we had left everything in our home in Jerusalem. We turned back, took all of our gold, our silver, and our precious things, hoping we could buy the plates.

We tried again, and Laban received us well, admiring our possessions. He listened pleasantly, taking the gold and silver into his possession, but instead of giving us the plates, he commanded his servants to kill us! We escaped into the caves outside the city, just barely getting safe.

Laman and Lemuel were so angry at me, yelling at me, and beating me with a rod. Suddenly, the cave was filled with light, and an angel stopped them.

He spoke to my brothers, and said, "Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands."

It stopped them for a moment, and the angel left, but soon after, they started to complain and to question what the angel had said.

"How will we get the plates?" Lemuel growled.

"Laban will kill us all!" Laman said. "He commands fifty men, he could kill fifty men! He could easily kill us!"

To read the actual story, go here 1 Nephi 3

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