Murmuring - Nephi's Measuring Stick

I have been trying to understand what is was that Nephi had that made him highly favored of the Lord. What made it so Nephi never murmured or complained? The obvious answer is that he had faith, that he brought some this with him from the premortal realm. It seems like it was easy for Nephi to trust in the Lord while everyone else had levels of unbelief. We, in general, act like Laman and Lemuel although we want to believe that we would act like Nephi. So, what did Nephi do to be so believing that the Lord would work in Nephi's behalf whenever he was in a pinch?

So far, I come up with following:
1. Nephi desired to know the mysteries of God, sought after the Lord (asked) and received an answer ( 1 N. 2:16,19). Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, murmured against their father, apparently because the wouldn't seek humbly for an answer from God (v. 12). It looks like the thought to seek or inquire of the Lord didn't even cross their minds.
2. Nephi make special mention that he was young. Perhaps that means that he wasn't full of worldly nonsense that molds our belief systems as we get older. He hadn't developed an unbelieving heart. He was able to start fresh from the start with minimal faith debilitating influences. His older brothers were already intrenched in their ways.
3. Nephi's testimony or softening of his heart caused him to believe the words of his father. When commanded to go back to Jerusalem, he had already prepared himself to say yes. He believed that the command came from the Lord. He believed that a way would be prepared. He didn't murmur (1 N. 3:1). His brothers saw it as a hard thing and murmured (v.5).
4. After the first attempt to get the plates, everyone was sorrowful. Nephi's brothers wanted to give up. Nephi pulls out the slump and rallies the brothers together. He tells them to be faithful. They bribe Laban with their father's gold and silver. This plan also back fires. You can imagine what's going on in Laman and Lemuel's heads. They just about got themselves killed because of the (in their opinion) Nephi's stupid plan to bribe Laban. They also realized that they have just squandered their inheritance. And last of all, they are wanted men. They can never return to their old life. Well, they get mad and start beating on Nephi and Sam. This makes sense to me. They believed Nephi's plan and it completely backfired. Their older brother natural man-ness kicks in and they start smiting them with a rod. If God doesn't do something right now, Nephi could be forced to comply with Laman and Lemuel's demands and scrap the mission - as well as being severely beaten or worse. The only logical response from God is to intervene. The boy is exercising faith! He believes that the Lord will provide a way. So the angel comes and puts and end to the beating. This reinforces Nephi's faith. He just received an evidence of things not seen , an assurance of things hoped for. He now knows that God is willing to intercede when necessary.
5. But, Laman and Lemuel start murmuring again after the angel leaves. Why? They hadn't planted the seed of faith so the experience wasn't a faith growing experience. I am a little surprised that Laman and Lemuel didn't say, "we now believe the words of our father". But, the fear of Laban stuck with them. They couldn't get the fear out of their heads. Nephi gives them a pep talk about how the Lord has done great things in the past and that they just saw an angel (1 N. 4:3)! The brothers whine (murmur) all the way back to Jerusalem. They are following Nephi but they can't cast off their unbelief. Nephi finally decides to drop the excess baggage (alternate voices) and go it alone. The Spirit guides him and he finds Laban. Nephi is given a very difficult personal test and passes. He gets the plates.

It's interesting the Nephi's mother, Sariah, is freaking out at base camp. She doesn't believe Lehi and his visions. The boys have been gone for a long while. She is convinced that her sons are dead. Lehi gives her a pep talk (1 N. 5:4). He doesn't get defensive or mad. He agrees that he is a visionary man and stays positive that everything is going to work out. This comforts Sariah. I am comforted in hard times by the faith promoting pep talks of others, especially my wife. When her sons return she now knows of a surety that the Lord is with her husband. The joy and comfort she received upon the return of her sons and the plates established her faith. She didn't murmur after that. But, why didn't this happen with Laman and Lemuel? I am not sure.

In 1 N. 5:20 we read that 'thus far I and my father had kept the commandments where with the Lord had commanded us.' Nephi singles out himself and his father as being able to do the hard thing and not murmur.

Nephi follows the pattern of exercising faith, getting an answer which grows his faith, doing it again, having another miracle occur, growing his faith once again, and so on. This is a logical pattern. If God is really there, he will not let those that are planting the seed of faith down. But, our faith has to be tried. We are the conflicted ones. Instead of growing logically from one faith promoting experience to the next with confirming witnesses from the Lord, we tend to vacillate all over the place. Nephi was able to stay focused and steadfast as he progressed from grace to grace. Why do we fear? Why do we freak out when the going gets rough? Be believing. Fear not. Come unto the Lord.