1 Nephi 3:14-16, 28 and
1 Nephi 7:6-17

The dramatic account of Nephi standing up to his brothers never fails to awe me. He relentlessly testifies of truth and courageously withstands their mocking, doubting, mumbling, and beatings. I have reflected off and on the last few months that it takes a certain level of stubbornness for a person to remain active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There will always be nay-sayers and even active attempts by others to pull down one’s faith. Nephi stubbornly refuses to give in to his brothers’ pessimism or their encouragement to disobey. He stubbornly insists on the primacy of God’s commandments and the need for obedience. It takes a stubborn person to say, “Nothing is working out, this seems impossible, everything is pointing away from God, but I’m going to believe and press forward anyway.”