I will prepare the way

And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments. (1 Nephi 17:13)
The Lord does indeed prepare the way for us. He doesn't take away the wilderness, the burdens and troubles but he makes prepares the way for us to make through.

By small means the Lord can bring about great things

We turn a horse by the small bits in his mouth.  A ship is turned by a very small helm. Our tongue is a little part of our body yet boasteth of great things. “Yet Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessings and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren bear olive berries? Either a vine figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”  (James 3:3-12)

I have to admit that when I read about the fountain sending forth sweet and bitter water I get a visual of the Ohio River running into the muddy Mississippi  

By small means

“By small means the Lord can bring about great things.” (1 Nephi 16:29)

Nephi's Vision

Nephi’s Vision.

And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. (1 Nephi 13; 12)  

 We believe this refers to Columbus

“And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.” (1 Nephi 13:14)

 We know that this did come to pass. The American Indians (the seed of Nephi’s brothers) were nearly destroyed.

“And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.” (1 Nephi 13:17)

War with Brittan.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book and it was carried forth among them…  (the angel said) The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord. Which he hath made unto the house of Israel: and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets: and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many… they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.’ (1 Nephi13:20, 23)

 I have heard several American Indians speak of how when the Mormon Missionaries came with their message they recognized the Book of Mormon stories. Those stories had been handed down from generation to generation around the campfires of the American Indians – the seed of Nephi’s brothers.