The Blessings WILL Come

This is probably one of the most famous Book of Mormon scriptures that there are:

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”.

The commandment that he was speaking of specifically here was the one to obtain the plates. When faced with the enormity of keeping ALL of the commandments it can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming. Something that I take courage from in Nephi’s example is that keeping the commandments is sometimes not an easy road to travel. With the commandment to obtain the plates, there were two unsuccessful attempts before he succeeded, and it was something that tried him physically, and also spiritually. This continued throughout his life, and there seemed to always be great opposition to keeping the commandments of God, but he never chose the easier way.

The last statement we have recorded from Nephi is:"…….thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen”. (2 Nephi 33:15).

The Saviour tells us of the rewards of obedience in a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith in D&C58:
2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.
5 Remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which is to follow”.

I hope that when there seems to be obstacles to prevent or discourage us from keeping the
commandments, that we will remember that God has promised that after much tribulation the blessings will come.