1 Ne 3:10-11 reads: when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.
And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Laban...
So in their first attempt, they consulted with just each other.
Their second attempt is apparently also just ideas they came up with on their own. 1 Ne 3:21-22:
I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.
And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.
I don't think following the template of all 3 is what we are suppose to follow. I think their first 2 attempts were good tries, but they were failures. It didn't succeed UNTIL he asked the Lord to direct him-until he operated on faith. So the template to follow is the 3rd time, not the first two.
Nephi learned his lesson well. He didn't do multiple attempts to build a ship before he asked the Lord how.
Before that, when his bow broke, he asked where he should go. He did build a bow himself, so he didn't do NOTHING until he was told. He remained actively and creatively engaged in the situation. At that point, He could have gone out looking to hunt and been frustrated that he couldn't find anything, and THEN ask the Lord or his father prophet where to go. But instead, he jumped to the 3rd and successful try format.
This does not contraadict DC 58:26-29. In fact, the act of making another bow and of asking his father prophet where to go demonstrate the instruction in DC 58:
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
Note that verse 26 the Lord uses the word 'compelled.' Laman and Lemuel were more in the category of being compelled, as well as not doing anything until commanded, as in verse 29. We should be actively involved in doing good, planning good, being good.
While we should be actively engaged in righteous things, we need to combine that with the instruction to consult the Lord in what and how we want to accomplish those righteous things.
Alma told his son we should counsel with the Lord in all things, which includes making our plans.
Alma 37:37
37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good
DC 9:7-9 tell us the same thing, to counsel with the Lord:
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
The problem with the first 2 attempts of Nephi and his brothers is they didn't even consult the Lord.
So instead of our goal in life being to get good at figuring out how to solve our problems, and instead of having failures so the Lord has to rescue us, we should plan to do good and consult with the Lord on what and how.
