{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_51095/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_51095","id":"gutenberg_51095","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51095","summary":null,"tags":["Book of Mormon stories, English","Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Latter Day Saints"],"text":"BOOK OF MORMON\n\nSTORIES.\n\nNO. 1.\n\nILLUSTRATED.\n\n\nADAPTED TO THE CAPACITY OF YOUNG CHILDREN,\n\nAND DESIGNED FOR USE IN SABBATH\n\nSCHOOLS, PRIMARY ASSOCIATIONS,\n\nAND FOR HOME READING.\n\n\nPUBLISHED BY\n\nGEORGE Q. CANNON & SONS CO.,\n\nSALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.\n\n1892.\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\nThis little work containing Book of Mormon stories, is issued as a\ncompanion volume to the \"Simple Bible Stories\" series. It is written\nfor the purpose of presenting the Book of Mormon narrative in language\nthat can be understood by small children. It is arranged so that it can\nbe used in connection with the Book of Mormon Chart No. 1, published by\nthe Deseret Sunday School Union. Each picture on the Chart is made the\nsubject of a story in this work, and the illustrations in the book are\nsimilar to those on the Chart.\n\nTHE PUBLISHERS.\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\n\nTHE PROPHET LEHI IN JERUSALEM\n\nTHEIR JOURNEY IN THE WILDERNESS\n\nTHE SONS RETURN TO JERUSALEM\n\nTHE SONS' SECOND JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM\n\nNEPHI'S VISION\n\nTHEY CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY\n\nNEPHI BUILDS A SHIP\n\nARRIVAL ON THE PROMISED LAND\n\nLEHI BLESSES HIS CHILDREN\n\nNEPHI AND HIS PEOPLE SEEK A NEW HOME\n\nNEPHI AND HIS PEOPLE BUILD A TEMPLE\n\nNEPHI MAKES PLATES ON WHICH TO KEEP A RECORD\n\n\n\nBOOK OF MORMON STORIES.\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS\n\nTHE PROPHET LEHI IN JERUSALEM.\n\nThe Bible tells about the peoples who lived a long time ago in a far\noff country called Asia. The city of Jerusalem is in Asia. In and\naround Jerusalem many of the Prophets of the Lord lived many years ago.\n\nThe Savior was born in a small town near this great city, and when He\nlived on the earth. He went to Jerusalem several times. He also visited\nother towns near by to teach the people.\n\nJerusalem was built on a hill, and had a high wall around it, so that\npeople could only get in and out of the city through the gates. A great\nmany people lived there. They had many fine houses and a very beautiful\ntemple, which was the grandest and nicest building in the world.\n\nThe Book of Mormon tells about a people who came from Jerusalem to this\ncountry where we live, which is now called America. The Indians who\nlive among us are the children of the people whom the Book of Mormon\nspeaks of. Their forefathers came from Jerusalem many hundreds of years\nago.\n\nAt the same time when the Prophet Jeremiah, of whom the Bible tells,\nwas living near Jerusalem, another Prophet named Lehi dwelt in that\ngreat city. This was six hundred years before the Savior was born. The\nking who was ruler at Jerusalem at this time was named Zedekiah. He\nwas not a good man, and did not do as the Lord wished him to. Many of\nthe people of the city were also wicked. Jeremiah told the king and\nthe people of their wickedness, and that their city would be destroyed\nunless they lived better lives and obeyed the Lord.\n\n[Image captioned \"LEHI PREACHING TO THE JEWS.\"]\n\nThe Prophet Lehi also preached to the people, and told them what awful\nthings would happen to them because of their sins. The people did not\nbelieve Lehi, and they became angry at him because he told them of\nevils which would come upon them. They even tried to kill him, but the\nLord did not let them harm His servant.\n\nBoth Lehi and Jeremiah told the people of Jerusalem, who were called\nJews, that a king who lived in another city called Babylon would come\nwith a great army of soldiers and destroy Jerusalem. They would tear\ndown the walls of the city and burn the houses in which the people\nlived. Then these soldiers would kill many of the people who lived\nin the city, and others would be taken away to Babylon and put into\nprison. The Lord told these Prophets, Lehi and Jeremiah that these\nthings should happen, and that is how they knew about what would happen.\n\nThe Lord loved the people of Jerusalem. Sometimes they were good\npeople, and the Lord wanted to save them. But they had become so wicked\nthat the Lord now sent these and many other Prophets to warn them, or\ntell them of what should happen if they did not do better.\n\nThe people would not do right, so, just as these Prophets had said,\nin a few years the king of Babylon sent a great army of soldiers to\nJerusalem, and they killed many thousands of the men and women. They\ntook others to prison, and the city and the beautiful temple were\nburned.\n\nPerhaps you will wonder what became of the few good people who were\nin Jerusalem. The Lord took care of those who loved Him. Jeremiah was\ntreated kindly by the king of Babylon, and was allowed to stay with a\nfew others in his old home. Daniel, and a few other good young men whom\nthe Bible tells of, were carried to Babylon and placed in the king's\npalace, where they were kindly treated. Lehi and his family and a few\nothers were cared for in a different way. How the Lord so wonderfully\nprovided for their safety will be told in the next story.\n\nThis story shows that the Lord is kind to His children, and tells them\nhow to be saved from trouble, just as our parents teach us how to avoid\ndangers and accidents. If we obey our parents we are safe from harm; so\nwhen people obey the Lord they are safe, for He will protect them. The\nstory teaches us, also, that what the Lord says is always the truth.\nHe never promises to do anything and fails to do it. Another thing in\nthis story to be remembered is that the Lord is not pleased with wicked\npeople, and they are sure to be punished for their sins.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Jerusalem is a city in Asia,\nwhere the Savior and many Prophets have lived long time ago--The Book\nof Mormon tells about a Prophet named Lehi who lived in Jerusalem\nmany years before the Savior was born--The people at that time were\nwicked--Lehi told them of their sins, and that they would be destroyed\nif they did not do right. The people did not repent, and an army of\nsoldiers came from Babylon and burned the city, killed many people, and\ntook others to prison--The good people were saved--The Lord is kind to\nHis children--He always tells the truth--He is not pleased with wicked\npeople.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nTHEIR JOURNEY IN THE WILDERNESS.\n\nAfter the Prophet Lehi had warned the people of Jerusalem of what was\ngoing to happen, the Lord told him in a dream to leave the city and\ntake his family with him.\n\nThe people did not believe what he said would take place, and they were\nangry with him because he told them of their sins. They wanted to kill\nLehi, so the Lord told him to leave them.\n\nLehi had lived in Jerusalem all his life up to this time. Besides\nhaving a home he had much gold and silver and other valuable things.\nBut he left all these and with his family journeyed in the wilderness,\nas the Lord commanded him. What is meant by the wilderness is a desert\nor land that is not cultivated; where there are no houses for people\nto live in. The country south of Jerusalem was generally called the\nwilderness, as it was rough and uncultivated. Lehi and his family\ntraveled south from Jerusalem until they came to this wilderness.\n\nFor three days they traveled in the wilderness, when they came to a\nvalley by the shore of the Red Sea. In this valley was a river, and\nthey camped by its side. They brought with them provisions, food and\nsuch things as they would need, and tents to live in.\n\nAs they expected to stay here for some time they pitched their tents.\nLehi built an altar here and made an offering or sacrifice to the\nLord, and thanked Him for His goodness. The Lord had told him to\nleave Jerusalem because the people wanted to take his life and he was\nthankful for being saved in this way.\n\n[Image captioned \"LEHI AND HIS FAMILY IN THE WILDERNESS.\"]\n\nLehi's wife was named Sariah. They had four sons at this time. The\nsons' names were Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi. They also had daughters\nbut their names are not told in the Book of Mormon.\n\nThe two older sons of Lehi, Laman and Lemuel, complained because their\nfather left his house and land and all his riches and brought his\nfamily into the wilderness to die. They did not believe that Jerusalem\nwould be destroyed; nor did they believe the Lord commanded him to\nleave Jerusalem for safety from the wicked people there. As they did\nnot have faith in the Lord they were afraid they might die in the\nwilderness for want of food.\n\nNephi and Sam believed what their father had told them, and were more\nwilling to obey him. Nephi especially had great faith in the Lord. He\nfully believed the Lord had spoken to his father, and he prayed to the\nLord that he might know for himself the things of God which his father\nspoke about.\n\nNephi's prayers were answered. The Lord visited him and told him many\nwonderful things. He blessed Nephi, and said he would become the ruler\nof his brethren who were disobedient. The Lord also told Nephi that He\nwould lead his father's family to a beautiful and rich country, called\nthe Land of Promise.\n\nThe Lord is ever willing to answer prayers. Those who pray to Him for\nknowledge or wisdom or anything that is for their good will be sure to\nreceive an answer, if they ask in faith, believing the Lord will hear\nthem.\n\nIf Nephi's brothers, Laman and Lemuel had faith and prayed to the Lord\nthey would know also that their father was a truthful man and was a\nprophet of God. But they were not willing to do this, and therefore\nthey were not blest like their brother Nephi.\n\nThis story shows us that the Lord will protect and bless those who\ntrust in Him. In the following stories about Lehi and his family we\nshall see how the Lord continued to bless them and provide for their\nneeds, and how He led them to a far off land that was not known to\nother people in the world.\n\n[Image captioned \"ARAB'S MODE OF TRAVELING IN THE DESERT.\"]\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Lehi told in a dream to leave\nJerusalem and go into the wilderness, that he and his family might be\nsaved--They go south from Jerusalem and camp by a river near the Red\nSea--Lehi's wife named Sariah, his sons named Laman, Lemuel, Sam and\nNephi--Laman and Lemuel are not satisfied with their father's doings,\nand complain--They do not believe what he tells them--Nephi a faithful\nand obedient son--He prays to the Lord and receives an answer to his\nprayers--The Lord blesses him and tells him many things--The Lord\nalways willing to answer prayers--The Lord protects those who trust in\nHim.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nTHE SONS RETURN TO JERUSALEM.\n\nWhile Lehi's family were living in their tents in the wilderness by the\nshore of the Red Sea the Lord told Lehi in a dream to send his sons\nback to Jerusalem.\n\nThere was a man in Jerusalem who had some plates of brass on which\nwas written or engraved the record or history of Lehi's relatives,\nhis father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and others. They gave an\naccount of the Jews from the time they came to Jerusalem and for a long\ntime before they came there. The record on the plates also told about\nthe creation of the world, about Adam and Eve, our first parents, about\nNoah, and Abraham, and Moses, and many other people.\n\nLehi wanted these plates to take with him, that his family and those\nwho lived with them might have an account of their forefathers, and\nthe laws of the Lord which were given through Moses, which were also\ncontained on these brass plates.\n\nAt the time when Lehi lived the people did not have books made of\npaper, like those we have. Instead of paper to write on they used skins\nof animals and other materials. Sometimes they used brass or gold\nplates, and cut the writing into the plates with a sharp knife or other\ntool.\n\nLehi sent his four sons back to Jerusalem to get these plates from\nLaban, the man who was taking care of them.\n\nWhen Laman and Lemuel were told that they must go they again complained\nand found fault with their father; but when Nephi was spoken to about\ngoing he was very willing to do so and did not complain. Laman and\nLemuel thought it was very hard for them to go back on such an errand,\nbut Nephi said he knew the Lord would not want them to do anything they\nwere not able to; and he believed the Lord would watch over them while\non their journey. How much better it would have been for them all to\nbe obedient like Nephi was will be seen from the following stories.\nSo Nephi and his other brothers took their tents and started on their\njourney.\n\nWhen they reached the city of Jerusalem they decided among themselves\nthat Laman, the older one of the four, should go to Laban's house and\nask for the plates. It was right that their father should have the\nplates, or the Lord would not have told him to send for them. But when\nLaman asked Laban to give the plates to him he became angry. He called\nLaman a robber, and said he would kill him. Laman then ran away, so the\nman did not catch him.\n\nWhen Laman went back to where his brothers were waiting for him and\ntold what had happened they all felt very sorry. The older brothers\nwanted to go back to their father; but Nephi was determined to get the\nplates for which he had been sent. He persuaded his brothers to stay\nwith him, and they went to their father's old home and gathered up the\ngold and silver and other precious things which had been left there.\nThese things they took to Laban and offered them to him if he would\ngive them the brass plates that contained the writings or records.\n\nWhen Laban saw they had so much gold and silver and other valuable\nthings he wanted to get the things, but would not give up the plates.\nSo he put Lehi's sons out of his house, then he sent his servants after\nthem to slay them and take their property. When these servants of Laban\ncame after Nephi and his brothers they had to leave their gold and\nsilver and run for their lives. They got out of the city and hid in a\ncave or hole in a rock, and so the men who were after them could not\nfind them.\n\nAfter this Laman and Lemuel became angry with Nephi and Sam, and they\nwhipped them with a rod. Then an angel from heaven appeared and told\nthem to not harm their younger brother Nephi, but to go again to Laban\nand the Lord would help them in performing their errand. When the\nangel left them Laman and Lemuel again complained, and said they did\nnot believe they could perform their errand. Nephi reasoned with them\nand persuaded them to go with him towards the city, although they were\nstill dissatisfied and angry.\n\nWhen they got to the gate of Jerusalem it was night. Nephi told his\nbrothers to hide there while he crept into the city.\n\nHe went towards the house where Laban lived and on his way near the\nhouse he saw a man lying on the ground. The man was drunk. He looked\nat him and found it was Laban. Laban had a sword with him, which Nephi\ndrew from its sheath. He examined it, and saw it was made of fine\nsteel, with a beautiful handle made of pure gold.\n\nWhile Laban lay before him on the ground the Spirit of the Lord told\nNephi to kill him. Nephi did not like to do this. He was a good young\nman, and knew it was not right to kill. But the Lord commanded him to\nkill Laban, and he obeyed the Lord. Nephi then put Laban's clothes on\nhimself and went into Laban's house. Here he found the servant who\ntook care of Laban's treasures. Nephi told this man to go and get the\nplates of brass from the place where they were kept and follow him. The\nservant, whose name was Zoram, thought it was Laban who was talking to\nhim. He therefore brought out the plates that contained the records and\nwent with Nephi to where his brothers were outside the gates of the\ncity.\n\n[Image captioned \"NEPHI'S RETURN WITH THE BRASS PLATES.\"]\n\nWhen Laman, Lemuel and Sam saw Nephi coming they were very much\nfrightened. They thought he was Laban, because he was dressed in\nLaban's clothes. They believed Nephi was killed and Laban was coming to\nkill them. So they began to run. Nephi called them, and they found it\nwas their brother and not Laban.\n\nBy this time Zoram, who was with Nephi, became frightened and was\ngoing to run back into the city, but Nephi held him. Afterwards Nephi\npersuaded Zoram to go with him and promised him they would not hurt him.\n\nThis story shows us that the Lord does not ask His children to do\nanything that is impossible, or that they cannot do. He understands\nall things, and knows what His children are able to do. Nephi's doings\nteach us a very good lesson in perseverance and patience. We can see\nhow, by trying again and not giving up, we can do things that seem\nimpossible at first.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Lehi sends his sons back\nto Jerusalem to get plates that contain an account or history of\ntheir forefathers--His older sons complain, but Nephi offers to go\nwillingly--When the sons reach Jerusalem Laman goes to see Laban, the\nman who has the plates--Laban gets angry, calls Laman a robber, and\nsays he will kill him--Laman runs away to save his life--The four\nbrothers go to their father's old home and get the gold and silver\nand other precious things left there and offer them to Laban for the\nplates--Laban refuses to give up the plates, and sends his servants to\nkill Lehi's sons and take their property--Lehi's sons escape by hiding\nin a cave--They go the third time to get the plates--Nephi finds Laban\ndrunk--Being commanded of the Lord, Nephi kills him and gets the plates\nfrom his servant==Nephi takes Zoram, Laban's servant, and the plates to\nwhere his brothers are outside the city.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nTHE SONS' SECOND JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM.\n\nWhile Lehi's sons were away on their errand to Jerusalem to get the\nrecords, their mother was very uneasy about them. She feared they might\nget killed or might die in the wilderness. When they came back both\ntheir father and mother were filled with joy, and were thankful to the\nLord for their safe return.\n\nSometime after the sons' return to the place where they camped in\nthe wilderness, their father was told by the Lord to send again to\nJerusalem.\n\nThe Lord desired to lead Lehi and those who were with him to a country\nwhere there were no people. There was a man named Ishmael, living in\nJerusalem who had several sons and daughters. The Lord commanded Lehi\nto send for Ishmael and invite him to go with them to the new country.\n\nLehi's sons were not married, and by getting Ishmael and his family to\ngo with them the sons of Lehi might take Ishmael's daughters for wives.\nThis was the reason why the Lord desired Lehi to send for Ishmael.\n\nLaman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi were sent to Jerusalem for this family.\nWhen they reached Ishmael's house they told him what they had come for.\nIshmael and his family were willing to go with them, and so they all\ntraveled together into the wilderness.\n\nWhile on their journey Nephi's two older brothers and some of Ishmael's\nsons and daughters rebelled against Nephi and the other members of\nIshmael's family. That is, they refused to go with them. They wanted to\nreturn to Jerusalem. Nephi told them that if they did return they would\nbe killed with the others who were there, as Jerusalem would surely be\ndestroyed. Being blessed with the Spirit of the Lord, Nephi spoke with\ngreat power to his brethren. But this only made them angry. They became\nso angry that they took Nephi and bound him with cords. They wanted\nto kill him and leave him there in the wilderness to be eaten by wild\nbeasts.\n\nWhile Nephi was bound he prayed to the Lord to protect and save him\nfrom his wicked brothers. The Lord answered his prayers. The cords with\nwhich he was bound became loosened and he was set free.\n\nAgain, before they reached the end of their journey, Nephi's older\nbrothers became angry and wanted to slay him. But this time Ishmael's\nwife and one of her sons and one daughter stopped them, and persuaded\nthem to leave him alone.\n\nAfterwards Laman and Lemuel felt very sorry for being so cruel to\ntheir brother. They asked him to forgive them for what they had done.\nNephi at once forgave them, and was glad to see them repent of their\nwickedness. He loved his brothers even when they tried to take his\nlife. Nephi told Laman and Lemuel to ask the Lord to forgive them and\nthey did this. Then they all went on their journey and soon came to the\nplace where Lehi and those who were with him were stopping.\n\nThis story shows again how the Lord watches over those who do right,\nand how he keeps them from harm when the wicked try to hurt them. Each\ntime when Nephi was in danger the Lord saved him from all harm. This\nwas because Nephi was a good man, and was obedient and faithful to the\nLord. He was also obedient to his father Lehi, who loved him very much.\n\n[Image captioned: \"NEPHI'S BRETHREN SEEK HIS LIFE.\"]\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Lehi's sons sent to Jerusalem\na second time--Their errand is to invite a man named Ishmael and his\nfamily to join their father's family in the wilderness--As the Lord\nintended to lead Lehi and his family to a new country where there\nwere no people, it was desirable that Ishmael go with them--Ishmael\nhad several daughters, whom it was expected would become the wives of\nLehi's sons--Ishmael and family agree to go into the wilderness--After\nstarting Laman and Lemuel and some of Ishmael's family rebel and want\nto turn back--Nephi encourages them to keep on their journey--They\nbecome angry at Nephi and bind him with cords, intending to kill\nhim--Nephi prays and the Lord loosens the cords and he gets free--Again\nNephi's older brothers want to take his life, but Ishmael's wife\nand her son and daughter stop them and persuade them to leave him\nalone--Afterwards Laman and Lemuel are sorry and ask Nephi to forgive\nthem--Nephi forgives his brothers and they all go on their journey and\ncome to the place where Lehi is stopping--The Lord always takes care of\nthose who obey Him.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nNEPHI'S VISION.\n\nWhile Lehi was in the wilderness the Lord showed him in visions many\nthings that would happen in the world a long time afterwards. A vision\nis something like a dream in which a person sees things as they really\nare or as they will be. When a vision is from the Lord that which is\nshown is something that has or will really happen. The way the Lord\ntells His prophets about what is going to take place is often by\nshowing them a vision or a dream in which they see what is going to\nhappen just as it will be when it takes place.\n\nWhen Lehi had these visions he told about them to his children. Nephi\nwas so interested or pleased with what his father told him that he\nwanted to see the visions for himself. So he prayed often to the Lord\nand asked Him to show him the things that his father Lehi saw. Nephi\nhad such strong faith that he was enabled to receive an answer to his\nprayers.\n\nAt one time, when Nephi was thinking about what his father had seen,\na vision of the Lord came to him. In this vision he was taken up into\na high mountain. An angel of the Lord spoke to him and asked him what\nhe desired. Nephi said he wished to see what his father had seen. The\nangel said to Nephi \"Look!\" Nephi looked and he saw Jerusalem as it\nwould appear in six hundred years to come. Then he saw other cities. In\nthe city of Nazareth which was near Jerusalem he saw a very beautiful\nvirgin or young woman. The angel said this was the mother of the Savior.\n\n[Image captioned \"NEPHI'S VISION.\"]\n\nSoon after he looked again and saw this beautiful young woman with a\nchild in her arms. The angel told Nephi that the child was the Savior,\nand that after many years from that time He would be born and live upon\nthe earth. Nephi then saw the Savior grown to manhood, and He went to\nJohn the baptist to be baptized. After this the Spirit of God, or the\nHoly Ghost rested upon the Savior and He went about teaching the people\nthe gospel, telling them how they should live. He also healed the sick,\nand the blind and the lame, and raised dead persons to life. Nephi\ncontinued to look upon the vision and he saw the Savior taken by the\nwicked people and nailed to a cross and left there to die. The angel\nexplained to Nephi that in this way the Savior would die for the sins\nof the world.\n\nAfterwards appeared the Savior's apostles and then he saw that the\nwicked people in the world fought against the church the Savior started\non the earth, and killed the saints who belonged to the church; then\nthe people in the world were left for a long time without the gospel.\n\nMany other things that have happened in the world since that time were\nseen by Nephi. He also saw things that have happened in this time when\nwe live.\n\nAll the things which Nephi saw in this great vision came to pass just\nas he saw them many hundreds of years before. The Savior was born six\nhundred years after Nephi saw Him in this vision. His mother lived in\nthe city of Nazareth where Nephi saw her. The Savior was baptized and\nwent about teaching the people, healing the sick, the blind and the\nlame, and raising the dead. He was crucified, too, just as Nephi saw He\nwould be; and the church which He started was destroyed on the earth,\nthe saints being put to death by wicked men.\n\nFrom this story we may learn that the Lord knows all about what will\nhappen in this world. He knew before the world was made what would take\nplace in the thousands of years to come. The Lord knows all things. He\nknows what each one of us may do or say. He even knows what we think,\nwhen we do not act or speak. When we say or do anything that is not\nright He knows about it, and is displeased. When we do good He sees it,\nand is pleased with us. If we try always to do right He will love us\nand will help us to do good.\n\nWe learn also from this story that the Lord tells good men about many\nthings that are going to take place before they do happen. This is\nbecause He loves them.\n\nBy knowing what is going to happen beforehand these good men can often\nsave themselves from danger or trouble.\n\nIn this way Lehi and his family were saved from death by leaving\nJerusalem before it was destroyed. Lehi tried also to save the people\nof Jerusalem by telling them what was going to happen, but they would\nnot believe him. They were so wicked they tried to kill him, and he had\nto leave to save his own life.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Lehi sees many things in\nvisions--He tells about them to his family--Nephi so pleased with\nhearing what his father tells he desires to see the things himself--An\nangel shows him a beautiful vision in which he sees the Savior and His\nmother--He also sees the Savior teaching the people and healing the\nsick--Sees Him nailed to a cross--Sees what happens afterwards--His\nchurch destroyed--The Lord knows all things--He tells His prophets many\nthings that are going to take place.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nTHEY CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY.\n\nWhen Lehi moved into the wilderness he went as the Lord guided him. He\nwas told that he would be led to a choice land, and he trusted in the\nLord to be guided in the right direction.\n\nLehi and his company had been camping by the shore of the Red Sea for\nsome time, when one night the Lord told Lehi to start again on his\njourney the next morning. He did not know which way to go, but he knew\nthe Lord would show him, as He had done before.\n\nThe next morning when Lehi arose he saw lying on the ground near his\ntent door a ball made of fine brass. It was curiously formed. Inside\nthe ball were two spindles, or needles. One of these needles pointed in\nthe direction the people were to travel. The Lord had placed this ball\nby Lehi's tent door that he might use it as a guide on his journey.\nLehi called this ball liahona.\n\nAs the Lord commanded, Lehi's company gathered up their property, their\ntents, provisions and seeds of all kinds, and started in the direction\nthat was pointed out by the liahona, or brass ball. The reason they\ntook seeds with them was that they might plant them in the country to\nwhich they were going. As they traveled along they camped from time to\ntime in order to get food. While stopping at camp the men would take\ntheir bows and arrows and hunt animals, which they killed for food. In\nthose days they did not have guns, as people have now. They used bows\nand arrows, and sometimes slings with which they would throw stones.\nThey did not make fires to cook their food, but ate the meat raw. The\nLord blessed the food for their sakes and it made them strong and\nhealthy.\n\n[Image captioned \"LEHI FINDS THE LIAHONA.\"]\n\nSometimes it was hard for the men to get enough food for all the\ncompany. The animals were not very plentiful, although the road they\ntook was through the best part of the country, along the side of the\nRed Sea. But much of the country through which they traveled was rocky\nand barren. There was but little water to be found.\n\nAt one time when the company stopped Nephi broke his bow while he and\nhis brethren were hunting. His brothers' bows about the same time lost\ntheir springs and were not as good as they had been. On this account\nthey returned to camp without killing any animals, and so they were\nleft without food.\n\nTheir bows were made of steel, and they had no way of mending them\nwhen broken. As they depended on these weapons for food they felt very\nsorrowful when Nephi's bow was broken. The people were hungry, and they\ndid not know what to do to get food. Laman and Lemuel and the sons of\nIshmael began to complain very much. Even Lehi complained at this time,\nfor they were all suffering for food, and it was a very hard trial to\nthem.\n\nAt last Nephi made a bow of wood, and out of a straight stick made an\narrow. He then asked his father where he should go to get food. Lehi,\nnot knowing where to direct him, inquired of the Lord. The Lord told\nLehi to look at the ball of brass which he had found near his tent\ndoor. He did so, and there on the ball was writing which told just\nwhere he should go.\n\nLehi and Nephi found that the ball or liahona directed them according\nto their faith. When they lost faith it would not direct them, but when\ntheir faith was strong it would show them where to go or what to do.\n\nAccording to the directions on the ball Nephi went into the tops of the\nmountains to find wild animals. There he killed enough to furnish food\nfor all the company, and when he returned with it they were all glad.\n\nAfter this they traveled on for several days. At the next stopping\nplace Ishmael died, and was buried there. His daughters mourned very\nmuch over his loss, and they complained of Lehi for bringing them from\nJerusalem. Laman and Lemuel were still not satisfied, and they found\nfault with their father, and wanted to kill him and Nephi and then go\nback to their old home.\n\nBut the Lord was with Nephi. His Holy Spirit rested upon him when he\nspoke to his brothers, and by reasoning with them he persuaded them to\nobey their father Lehi.\n\nThe next stopping place for this little colony or company of people\nwas near the shore of the Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean, a long, long\nway from Jerusalem. Here was a beautiful country in which there was\nto be found plenty of food of different kinds. They named this place\nBountiful, because so much fruit and honey was found there. They had\nspent eight years in the wilderness traveling between Jerusalem and\nthis place near the great ocean.\n\nFrom this story we can learn some good lessons. It shows us that the\nLord is ever watching over His children. When Lehi and his company were\nin want of food He knew of their suffering, but He wanted to try them.\nWhen they had been tried enough He showed them how to obtain the food\nthey needed. On this journey the company learned that it was necessary\nto trust in the Lord and have faith in Him, for they saw that the brass\nball which was given them by the Lord to direct them would work only\naccording to their faith.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Lehi instructed by the Lord to\ncontinue on his journey--He finds a brass ball by his tent door--It\npoints out the direction in which the company should travel--The\ncolony start again on their journey--They stop at times to catch wild\nanimals to eat--Use bows and arrows to shoot with--Nephi breaks his\nbow, and the company are without food--Nephi makes a wooden bow and\ngoes to the tops of the mountain, where he finds plenty of animals--At\nanother stopping place Ishmael dies, Laman and Lemuel want to kill\nLehi and Nephi--Nephi by the power of the Lord gets them to obey their\nfather--The company continue their travels and come to the great sea,\nnow called the Arabian Sea, or Indian Ocean--Here they find plenty of\nfood--The Lord always watches over His children--He lets them suffer in\norder to try them--It is necessary to trust in the Lord always.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nNEPHI BUILDS A SHIP.\n\nAfter arriving at the place which they called Bountiful, near the great\nocean, Lehi and his company pitched their tents and rested for many\ndays. Here the Lord spoke to Nephi and told him to go to a mountain.\nNephi obeyed the voice of the Lord. When he was upon the mountain he\nprayed, and the Lord told him he was to build a ship that the people\nmight be carried in it across the ocean, to the land of promise.\n\nThe Lord promised Nephi that He would show him how to build this ship.\nNephi had no tools with which to make a ship, and he did not know how\nhe should get along with the work. But the Lord showed him where he\nmight find iron ore out of which to make tools.\n\nNephi then made out of the skins of animals a bellows, such as\nblacksmiths use to blow the fire. He then made a fire by striking two\nstones together. He did not have matches, such as we use to make a\nlight.\n\nWhile the company were traveling in the wilderness they did not make\nmuch fire. The Lord did not desire them to make much fire or light. He\ncaused their food to taste sweet without cooking.\n\n[Image captioned \"NEPHI AND HIS BRETHREN BUILDING A SHIP.\"]\n\nThis the Lord did that they might know that He was their Leader, and\nthat it was by His power they were fed and cared for.\n\nAfter making a fire, Nephi melted the iron ore to get the iron out of\nit, and then he made tools from the iron.\n\nWhen Nephi's brothers saw that he was going to build a ship and cross\nthe ocean in it they made fun of him and called him foolish. They did\nnot believe he could build a ship, nor did they think he could cross\nthe great waters in the ship if he should build one. They were not\nwilling to help him, as they did not believe he was instructed by the\nLord.\n\nNephi reasoned with his brethren when he found they did not believe the\nLord had instructed him to build the ship. He reminded them of how the\nLord delivered their forefathers out of Egypt, and how He had led their\nfather Lehi and family from Jerusalem, and cared for them on their way.\nNephi also spoke to them about their wickedness and their unbelief.\nThis made them angry again, and they wanted to throw him into the sea.\nAs they were about to take hold of him Nephi commanded them in the name\nof the Lord to not touch him. He was filled with the Spirit of the\nLord, and told them if they touched him the Lord would smite them, or\nstrike them so that they would wither.\n\nFor several days after this they did not dare to touch Nephi. Then the\nLord told him to stretch his arm out towards his brethren, and He would\nshake them. This Nephi did and the Lord shook them so much that they\nwere willing to believe in Him. They then fell down and were going to\nworship Nephi, but he told them to worship the Lord and honor their\nfather and mother.\n\nThe brothers were now willing to help Nephi build the ship.\n\nFrom time to time, as He promised, the Lord instructed Nephi about how\nhe should make the vessel, and Nephi and his brethren got out timber\nand worked it according to the instructions they received.\n\n[Image captioned \"STYLES OF SHIPS USED IN OLDEN TIMES.\"]\n\nWhen the ship was finished they saw that it was good, and the work on\nit was very fine; and those who laughed at Nephi and said he could not\nbuild a ship were humble now, and they believed the Lord had guided and\ninstructed him.\n\nNow that the ship was built, the Lord told Lehi to take his family and\nall who were with him and get into it. So after preparing much fruit,\nand meat, and honey, and other provisions which they needed they all\ngot into the ship, and started out on their journey or voyage.\n\nThey still had to be led by the Lord, as they did not know which way to\ntravel. When the ship was launched or loosened from the shore the wind\nblew it in the direction of the land to which the Lord desired to take\nthem.\n\nWe learn from this story that Lehi and his company were led in the\nwilderness much in the same way as the children of Israel were, when\nthey left Egypt. The children of Israel were forty years in the\nwilderness going from Egypt to Jerusalem. The distance between these\ntwo places was not so very far. The reason they were so long in going\nwas because the Lord desired to teach them certain lessons before they\nended their journey, and it took all this time to prepare them to enter\nthe land to which they were being led. Lehi and his company were eight\nyears going from Jerusalem to the sea shore where they built the ship.\nThey too, might have traveled faster, but some of them were disobedient\nand complained very much. They did not have patience enough and did not\ntrust in the Lord as they should nor believe that He was leading them.\nThe Lord wanted them to learn these things and so He caused them to\nremain a long time in the wilderness, where they received an experience\nwhich was valuable to them.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Nephi is commanded by the Lord\nto build a ship, with which to cross the ocean--He melts ore and gets\niron to make tools--His brothers call him foolish and refuse to help\nhim--He reasons with them and they try to throw him into the sea--Nephi\ncommands them to not touch him or the Lord will smite them--The Lord\nshakes them; they then believe what their brother has told them and are\nwilling to help him build a ship--When the ship is finished all the\npeople in the company go into it and they start on their voyage--The\njourney of Lehi and his company was like that of the children of Israel\nwhen they left Egypt.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nARRIVAL ON THE PROMISED LAND.\n\nAfter sailing on the ocean for several days Nephi's brothers, Laman\nand Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, with their wives, began to make\nthemselves merry. They sang, and danced, and spoke with much rudeness.\nThey seemed by their actions to have forgotten how the Lord had cared\nfor them and guided them through the wilderness.\n\nNephi was afraid their actions would offend the Lord, and he spoke to\nthem about their behavior. But as before, this made them angry, and\nthey said they would not be ruled over by their younger brother. Laman\nand Lemuel took Nephi and bound him with cords and treated him very\ncruelly. Nephi was bound so tightly that he could not move.\n\nAs soon as Nephi was bound the liahona, or brass ball, failed to direct\nthem in the course they should take, and a great storm arose. The ship\nwas driven backward for three days, and those on board began to be\nfrightened, as they were in danger of being drowned.\n\nBut Laman and Lemuel were so wicked at heart that they would not\nrelease Nephi. Their father talked with them, but this did not soften\ntheir hearts. Lehi and Sariah his wife were getting old, and the\ntroubles caused them by their older sons made them very sick. Their\ntwo younger sons, Jacob and Joseph, who were born in the wilderness,\nwere much in need of their mother's care, and were grieved because of\nher sickness. Nephi's wife and children cried and prayed for him to be\nreleased, but this had no effect upon Laman and Lemuel. Nothing but the\npower of God would move them.\n\nOn the fourth day after Nephi was bound the storm became more severe,\nand it seemed as though the ship would sink. The storm was so terrible\nthat Laman and Lemuel became fearful that they would be drowned. They\nthen repented of their wicked acts and loosened the bands that held\ntheir brother.\n\nNephi's wrists and ankles, around which the cords were tied, were very\nmuch swollen and very sore; but he did not complain. He thanked the\nLord and praised Him for His goodness.\n\nAfter being released Nephi took the brass ball, or compass, as it was\nalso called, and it began to work again. He prayed to the Lord and the\nstorm ceased, and the ship was guided towards the promised land.\n\nFor many days they continued to sail, and at last they reached the\nshore of the land of promise. The place where they landed was in the\ncountry now called Chili, in South America.\n\nHere they got out of the ship and put up their tents. They planted the\nseeds which they brought with them from Jerusalem. The seeds grew, and\nsoon they were rewarded with abundant crops.\n\nThey found that there were animals of all kinds in the forests. There\nwere cattle, and horses, and goats, and many other animals. They also\nfound gold, and silver, and copper.\n\n[Image captioned \"ARRIVAL ON THE PROMISED LAND.\"]\n\nThis was indeed the choice land to which the Lord promised to lead Lehi\nand his colony. Here they could live in peace and happiness if they\nwould keep the Lord's commandments. There were no other people in the\ncountry to disturb them.\n\nThis story shows us that the Lord is true to His promises. Everything\nHe promised Lehi and Nephi was fulfilled. Laman and Lemuel, who were so\nfull of unbelief in regard to the Lord's promises, could now see that\nthey were all true.\n\nThey had no way of getting news from Jerusalem, and they could not\ntell what was happening there; but the Lord showed to Lehi in a vision\nthe destruction of Jerusalem, which took place just about the time his\ncolony reached the promised land.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: While in the ship Laman, Lemuel\nand Ishmael's sons with their wives act rude--Nephi was not pleased\nwith their behavior and speaks to them--They get angry and bind Nephi\nwith cords--A great storm arises and nearly sinks the ship--On the\nfourth day of the storm it becomes more terrible and Laman and Lemuel\nfear they will be drowned and release Nephi--Nephi prays to the Lord\nand the storm ceases--After sailing many days they reach the promised\nland--The country they arrive at is now called Chili, in South\nAmerica--They plant the seed which they brought from Jerusalem and\nraise abundant crops--They find all kinds of animals in the forests,\nand gold, silver and copper in the earth--This is the choice land\nto which the Lord promised to lead them--The Lord fulfills all His\npromises--Lehi saw the destruction of Jerusalem in a vision.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nLEHI BLESSES HIS CHILDREN.\n\nWhen the little colony of people led by Lehi arrived on the promised\nland Lehi was quite aged. He knew that he would not live very long.\nBefore he died he wanted to speak to his children and grandchildren and\nall who came with him across the great ocean. He also desired to bless\nthem, and as he was their father and a servant of the Lord, it was his\nright to do so.\n\nLehi was a great prophet. The Lord told him many things that would\nhappen in years to come. When he called his people together to speak\nto them and bless them, he told them many things which the Lord showed\nunto him. He reminded them of the great mercy of God in leading them to\nsuch a beautiful land, and told them that if they and their children\nafter them would be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord,\nthey should possess the land forever.\n\nThe Lord had kept this land for a good people, and as long as they\nshould serve Him they would prosper, but when they became wicked they\nwould not be protected by the Lord. Other people would be led to their\ncountry and take possession of it.\n\nLehi told what should happen to his children or posterity down to the\ntime in which we live. He also gave them some very good instructions.\nThese instructions you can read in the Book of Mormon when you become\nolder. The advice or counsel he gave them is good for others as well as\nhis children, and should be read by everyone who is able to understand\nit.\n\n[Image captioned \"LEHI BLESSING HIS FAMILY.\"]\n\nAfter telling them about these things, Lehi called his children to him\none by one and blessed them.\n\nIn speaking to Laman and Lemuel, Lehi said he feared very much for\nthem. On account of their disobedience he was afraid the Lord would\ncause a curse to come upon them and their children. He asked them to be\nobedient to Nephi, their younger brother, whom the Lord promised should\nbe their leader on account of his faithfulness and obedience. If they\nwould do as he desired them, Lehi promised they should not perish, but\nif they would not, the blessings he promised them would be taken from\nthem.\n\nIn speaking to his other sons Lehi also instructed them to listen to\nand obey the counsel of Nephi, and promised that their children and\nNephi's children should dwell together and be one people, and that they\nand their children should dwell in peace in the land for a long time.\n\nSoon after blessing his children and giving them the instructions he\ndesired they should receive, Lehi died, and his children buried him.\n\nIf Laman and Lemuel were not so rebellious and unwilling to believe\nthey might have seen many things to prove that their father was indeed\na true prophet. Everything he prophesied about came to pass just as he\nsaid; and many of his prophecies were fulfilled while Laman and Lemuel\nwere living. They could see and understand that the Lord spoke to their\nfather, but they were wicked and disobedient. In following stories we\nwill learn what happened to them for their disobedience.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Before Lehi dies he calls his\nfamily together to bless them and to tell them about what will happen\nin years to come--He instructs them to keep the commandments of the\nLord and obey the teachings of Nephi--Lehi dies--Laman and Lemuel do\nnot believe in their father's words because of their wickedness and\nrebellion.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nNEPHI AND HIS PEOPLE SEEK A NEW HOME.\n\nNot many days after the death of Lehi, Laman and Lemuel and the sons\nof Ishmael again became angry with Nephi. This was because he had\ncounseled them as the Lord had told him, to be more faithful. Nephi\ndesired his brethren to do better, and this was why he talked with\nthem. He also prayed for them that their hearts might be softened. But\ntheir hearts were evil. They became more angry with Nephi and tried to\ntake his life.\n\nThey said among themselves, \"Our younger brother thinks to rule over\nus, and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore now let us\nslay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For\nbehold we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us who\nare the older brethren, to rule over this people.\"\n\nThey did not tell Nephi of their intention to kill him, that they\nmight be rulers of the people. But the Lord warned him of what his\nbrethren wanted to do, and instructed him to leave them and go into\nthe wilderness. He was also to take with him all the people who were\nwilling to follow him.\n\nAll those who believed in the revelations of the Lord listened to Nephi\nand obeyed his instructions, and they were willing to follow him into\nthe wilderness. Among these were Nephi's family, Zoram and his family,\nSam and his family and Nephi's sisters.\n\nAfter traveling for many days they found a place suitable for them to\ndwell in, and there they pitched their tents. This place they named\nNephi, after their leader whom they loved. The people also called\nthemselves the people of Nephi. From this time on for many hundreds of\nyears these people and their children were called Nephites, and those\nwho remained with Laman and Lemuel were called Lamanites.\n\n[Image captioned \"THE NEPHITES SEEKING A NEW HOME.\"]\n\nThe place to which Nephi led his people when they left Laman and Lemuel\nis believed to be north of where they landed from the ship when they\nfirst came to the promised land. It was either in the country now\ncalled Ecuador or in Peru, in South America.\n\nThe Lord blessed the people who went with Nephi to build up a new home.\nThey planted crops and raised an abundance of food. They also raised\nherds of cattle and other animals that were useful to them.\n\nThe Lord told Lehi that He would lead him and his children to a rich\nand choice land; and so it was. His promise was fulfilled, just as it\nalways is.\n\nWhen Nephi left his disobedient brethren he took with him the brass\nplates which they obtained from Laban in Jerusalem. The records on\nthese plates were very valuable to him, and he desired to keep them for\nhis children and all who should live after him. These records contained\nthe laws and the commandments of the Lord, and Nephi and his people\ndesired to obey these commandments.\n\nNephi also took with him the sword of Laban and the brass ball or\nliahona which his father found near his tent door while traveling in\nthe wilderness, and which pointed out the way for him to travel. Nephi\nused the sword of Laban as a pattern to make other swords by. This was\nin order that his people might defend or protect themselves from Laman\nand Lemuel and those who were with them. Nephi knew that they hated him\nand his people and would try to kill them if they had the chance.\n\nIt was a wise thing for Nephi to have his people make swords to protect\nthemselves with, for in less than forty years after the time they came\nacross the sea to the promised land they had wars and contentions with\nthe Lamanites.\n\nWe learn from this story that Laman and Lemuel wanted to rule the\npeople, but the Lord had promised Nephi that he should be their leader\non account of his faithfulness. The Lord also said that Laman and\nLemuel and their children should be cut off from His presence, that is\nHe would not speak to them or give them revelations if they did not\nobey Him. Nephi did become the leader of the people, and the Lamanites\nwere shut out from receiving revelations from the Lord on account of\ntheir wickedness, showing that the Lord's words were fulfilled. We see\nby this that the Lord is very particular to keep every promise He makes\nto His servants. We should also be very careful to keep our promises to\none another and to our Heavenly Father.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Laman, Lemuel and Ishmael's\nsons get angry at Nephi and plan among themselves to kill him--The\nLord warns Nephi of their intentions and tells him to leave them and\ngo into another part of the country--Those who believe Nephi's words\nand teachings go with him into the wilderness to find a new home--They\ntravel many days and settle at a place which they name Nephi after\ntheir leader--This people afterwards called Nephites, and those whom\nthey left called Lamanites--Here they are greatly blessed of the\nLord--They sow seeds and reap an abundance of food--The records on the\nbrass plates, the brass ball and the sword of Laban taken by Nephi to\nhis new home--Nephi makes swords for his people to defend themselves\nwith--The Lord's promises to Nephi are fulfilled.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nNEPHI AND HIS PEOPLE BUILD A TEMPLE.\n\nAfter Nephi and his people had separated themselves from Laman and\nhis followers, the Lord placed a curse upon the Lamanites. He caused\na skin of blackness to come upon them. Before this they were a white\nand beautiful people; but that they might not be attractive to the\nNephites, the Lord caused them to appear loathsome and offensive. This\nwas in order to keep them from associating together in any way.\n\nThe Lord instructed the Nephites to not mix with the Lamanites, and\ntold them if they did they too would become cursed like them. The only\nway for the Lamanites to free themselves from their curse was to repent\nof their sins. After this curse came upon the Lamanites they became\nidle, mischievous and filthy; and they gained their living by hunting\nwild animals and eating their flesh.\n\nNephi had a great deal to do among his people. Besides teaching them\nthe commandments of the Lord he had to instruct them about many other\nthings. He had to teach them how to build houses, how to work wood, and\niron, and copper, and brass, and steel, and gold, and silver, in order\nto make useful articles out of these materials. He also taught them\nhow to obtain metals from the ore, which was found in great abundance\nin the mountains. He was very desirous that the people should become\nindustrious and learn to labor with their hands.\n\nNephi's younger brothers, Jacob and Joseph, and his own children and\nthose of Sam and Zoram were born after their fathers left Jerusalem.\nThey did not know much about building or other kind of work, for they\nnever had seen a city nor even a house. During their travels in the\nwilderness they lived in tents. Some of these children might have\nremembered seeing their parents building the ship in which they crossed\nthe ocean, but they were very young at that time.\n\n[Image captioned \"THE NEPHITES BUILDING A TEMPLE.\"]\n\nAfter teaching the people how to work at these different occupations\nNephi built a temple in which the people might meet to worship the\nLord and receive instructions. He had the temple made like the one in\nJerusalem, which was built by King Solomon, only it was not built of so\nmany precious things. Nephi had seen the temple in Jerusalem and knew\nhow it was built, and he made one like it as near as he could. The work\non it was very fine.\n\nNephi was so well beloved by his people that they desired to make him\ntheir king. He did not wish them to have a king but was willing to act\nas a leader and do all he could for them.\n\nHe needed some one to help him as a teacher of the people and he\nappointed and set apart his two younger brothers Jacob and Joseph\nas priests, that they might instruct the people. These two men\nwere faithful in their duties and they gave the people very good\ninstruction. The Lord blessed them in their labors and showed them in\nvisions many glorious things, just as he had shown their brother Nephi.\n\nWe learn from this story that Nephi was a very wise man. He was able to\nteach his people how to work at different kinds of occupations as well\nas to instruct them in their duties to the Lord. Nephi became wise by\nbeing obedient. He was taught many things by the Lord. He prayed to the\nLord to know what to do and his prayers were answered. The Lord helps\nthose who ask for His aid. He is willing to help them in their work or\nin their study, or if they are in trouble, or in whatever way they need\nHis help. The only way to be truly wise and to get correct knowledge is\nto seek the Lord for His guidance.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: After the Nephites and Lamanites\nseparate the Lord places a curse upon the Lamanites--Causes a skin\nof darkness to come upon them--This was to make them loathsome\nto the Nephites, so that they would not associate together--The\nLamanites become idle and mischievous--Nephi teaches his people how\nto work at different occupations--He builds a temple like the one in\nJerusalem--The people love Nephi and want to make him their king--He\ndoes not wish them to have a king but is willing to do all he can for\nthem as a leader and teacher--Nephi appoints his brothers Jacob and\nJoseph as priests to help him teach the people their duties--Nephi a\nwise man--Becomes wise by being obedient to the Lord.\n\n\n\nLEHI AND HIS SONS.\n\nNEPHI MAKES PLATES ON WHICH TO KEEP A RECORD.\n\nNephi was very particular to keep a record or history of his people,\nand to record the instructions he received from the Lord. This was in\norder that the people might know the many great things the Lord had\ndone for them and their forefathers.\n\nThe Lord was very particular about Nephi taking a record of his\nforefathers with him when he left Jerusalem. You will remember that\nNephi and his brothers were sent to Laban for the records, and Nephi\nwas commanded of the Lord to kill Laban in order to get them. The Lord\nknew that by having the people keep a record of His dealings with them\nthey would not be so apt to forget Him and His commandments.\n\nThe Book of Mormon tells about a company of people who left Jerusalem\neleven years later than did Nephi and his colony. They brought no\nrecords with them. A little more than three hundred years later the\nchildren or descendants of these people were found by the people of\nNephi. At this time their language was corrupted or changed so much\nthat the two peoples could not understand each other. These people\nwho were without records of any kind had also lost all knowledge of\nthe Lord. They did not know there was a God. This shows how important\nit is that records should be kept so that the people may remember the\ncommandments of the Lord, and not forget Him as these people did.\n\nNephi made some plates from metal on which he wrote or engraved an\naccount of his people from the time they left Jerusalem until a short\ntime before he died. On these plates he wrote a full history of the\npeople. Afterwards the Lord told him to make other plates and engrave\nupon them certain instructions for the benefit of his people.\n\nWhen Nephi became old he gave the plates which contained the records to\nhis brother Jacob and instructed him about what to write on them. Jacob\nin turn when he grew old gave them to his son. In this way the history\nof the people was kept for many hundreds of years.\n\nNext to the last man among the Nephites who had charge of the records\nwas one named Mormon. Besides writing an account of what happened in\nhis own time, Mormon made from these records which were on the plates\na short history of the people from the days of Lehi to his own time.\nThis history which he wrote is what was translated by Joseph Smith. It\nis called the Book of Mormon because it was written by Mormon. His son\nwhose name was Moroni was the last man among the Nephites who wrote on\nthe plates. He was also the last prophet that lived among them. When he\nfinished the history the people were fighting and killing each other.\nThey had become wicked and would not obey the commandments of the Lord\nnor listen to the instructions of His servants the prophets. On this\naccount the Lord allowed them to destroy each other. His prophets Lehi\nand Nephi said they would be destroyed if they would not serve the Lord.\n\n[Image captioned \"NEPHI MAKING PLATES.\"]\n\nWhen Moroni finished writing the history of the Nephites he placed\nthe plates containing the records in a stone box and buried them in\na hill. With the plates he also placed in the box the sword of Laban\nwhich Nephi took to slay Laban with and a gold breastplate such as the\npeople used to protect themselves in war; also the urim and thummim, or\ninterpreters.\n\nThis stone box and its contents remained in the ground where it was\nburied fourteen hundred years. On the 22nd day of September, 1827, this\nsame man Moroni, who had died and was resurrected, or raised to life\nagain, showed Joseph Smith the Prophet where this stone box was buried,\nand gave him permission to take the plates and other things out.\n\nWith the urim and thummim or interpreters, Joseph Smith translated or\nchanged the writings on some of the plates into the English language.\nIn this way the Book of Mormon was given to the people who live in\nour time. The urim and thummim was two precious stones fastened into\na silver rim. They had been prepared by the Lord for the purpose of\ntranslating. By looking on these stones the Prophet Joseph Smith could\nsee the English words to be written for the words which were engraved\non the plates.\n\nWhen Nephi became old and knew that he would soon die he anointed a\nman to be king to rule over the people. He had already appointed his\nbrothers Jacob and Joseph as priests to instruct them in their duties\nto the Lord. He himself had taught them many things about religion and\nother matters, and now he was prepared to die. He lived a good life,\nhaving been faithful in doing everything the Lord commanded him.\n\nPoints to be remembered in this story: Nephi kept a record of his\npeople so they might remember what the Lord had done for them--If they\ndid not have the Lord's commandments written they would easily forget\nthem--Nephi makes plates of metal on which to write the history of his\npeople--These plates were given by one man to another to keep for many\nhundreds of years--Moroni the next to last man who wrote on the plates\ncopied a short history of the people from them which is called the Book\nof Mormon--Moroni, Mormon's son finished the records and hid them in a\nstone box--Fourteen hundred years afterwards Moroni showed Joseph Smith\nwhere the plates were hidden, and gave him permission to take them out\nof the ground--With the urim and thummim Joseph Smith translated the\nwritings on some of the plates--Before he died Nephi anointed a man to\nbe king over the people.\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note:\n\nA few extraneous punctuation marks were corrected as seemed reasonable.","title":"Book of Mormon Stories. No. 1.: Adapted to the Capacity of Young Children, and Designed for Use in Sabbath Schools, Primary Associations, and for Home Reading","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":11232}