Jeffersonian 1 Nephi

--------------------Intro--------------------

The history of Lehi and his wife Sariah, and their 4 sons, (beginning with the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. Lehi to departs out of The Great City, because he sees their immorality and they try to kill him for pointing it out. He traveled 3 days in the wilderness with his family, when he had his sons return to The Great City to get the records of their ancestors. They experience many hardships. They marry the women who joined them in their quest to find a good land to live a moral life. They come to a sea where Nephi's brothers rebel against him. He chastises them, and then builds a ship in a place called bountiful. They cross the sea to a good land.

--------------------Chapter 1--------------------

1 I, Nephi, was born to good parents. They taught me most of everything they know. I have seen many hardships during my life, and so I make a record of my life.

2 I make this in the language of my father.

1 There were many immoral people in The Great city.

2 So much so that the city would soon destroy itself.

3 they were liars, greedy, covetousness, corrupt, materialistic, and ritualistically abused children. They were an evil people.

4 My father meditated with all his heart on how he could help his people.

5 As he meditated, he became lost in thought.

6 Because of the things which he meditated on, he was very sorrowful. He felt hopeless to help my people.

7 He returned to his house and threw himself on his bed, as he was overwhelmed with the emotions from the things which he meditated on.

8 As he laid in my bed, he drifted off to sleep.

9 He dreamed many things regarding The Great City.

10 He dreamed that it would destroy itself and the inhabitants would become slaves because of their immorality.

11 After he had dreamed these things, he exclaimed that he did not want my people to die!

12 He told my mother, Sariah, and my older brothers, Laman, Lemuel, and Sam, about the things he had meditated and dreamed about.

13 He told us many things, too many to write.

14 He went to the people of The Great City and told them of their immoral ways, and to turn away from them.

15 They mocked him because of the truths that he told them.

16 When he did not stop, they became angry with him and tried to kill him.

--------------------Chapter 2--------------------

1 When he returned home discouraged, he fell asleep.

2 he realized in his dreams that he had helped his people as much as he could, and they still tried to kill him.

3 He realized that he needed to take his family and flee from The Great City.

4 He gathered up what we needed, and took his family into the wilderness.

5 He left his house, land, gold, silver, and valuable things.

6 He took nothing with him but his family, food, and tents.

7 He came to the borders of the land near the sea shore.

8 We had traveled for 3 days in the wilderness when we decided to pitch our tents near a river.

9 We celebrated that we were safe.

10 The river by which we camped emptied into the sea in a valley.

11 He named the river after my brother Laman, and told him:

	12 "I want you to be like this river, which continually flows into the sea with great nobility"

13 He named the valley after my brother Lemuel, and told him

	14 "I want you to be like this valley, which is firm and immovable. Be firm and immovable in living a life of morality"

15 He said these things to my brothers because of their stubbornness.

16 They had complained about their departure from the immoral Great City since we had journeyed into the wilderness.

17 They wanted to keep our land, gold, silver, and valuable things.

18 They believed our father led them into the wilderness to die, when he led them from The Great City to live.

19 They could not understand how the people of The Great City led immoral lives.

20 They did not understand how The Great City would destroy itself.

21 Our father spoke to them until they understood and were afraid of The Great City.

22 He confounded them until they dared not speak against him.

23 My brothers did as they were told.

24 My father dwelt in a tent.

25 I was very young, but strong. I wanted to learn these things for myself.

26 I meditated on all that I knew about The Great City, and came to the same conclusions my father had.

27 I spoke with my brother Sam about these things, and Sam believed our father and me.

28 I talked with Laman and Lemuel, but they still refused to understand the danger that we were all in.

29 I was saddened by the stubbornness of my brothers, and so I meditated. This is what I told my father:

	30 "I felt a great peace during my meditation.

	31 I felt that if I live a moral life and help our family, we will prosper and discover a good land for us to live.

	32 I felt that if my brothers rebel against you and our family, we will not find prosperity and a good land for us to live.

	33 I felt that if I lived a moral life, I can help my brothers live a moral life as well.

	34 If my brothers rebel against that which is moral, they will reap what they sow.

	35 They will be a curse to themselves.

	36 I felt that if they raised their children to be like this, they would cause problems for my future children."

--------------------Chapter 3--------------------

1 When I told my father these things, he told me:

	2 "I have realized that you must go back to The Great City.

	3 Laban has the record and history of our people and the genealogy of our ancestors engraved upon plates of brass.

	4 You and your brothers should go to the house of Laban and get the records and bring them here to us in the wilderness.

	5 Your brothers will complain and say this will be a difficult thing that I have required of them.

	6 However, it is not me that requires it, but our ancestor's memory and children's education that demand it.

	7 For that reason, go and get the plates of brass, my son."

8 I told my father:

	9 “I will go and do the things which has been commanded, for I know that it must be done to preserve our heritage.”

10 When he heard me say this he was very happy.

11 My brothers and I journeyed back into the wilderness with our tents towards The Great City.

12 When we came to The Great City, we talked with each other and decided who would go into the house of Laban.

13 It was decided that Laman would go and talk with Laban.

14 Laman asked Laban for the records and genealogy of our people which were written on plates of brass.

15 Laban became angry and threw Laman out of his house without the records.

16 He called Laman a robber and he would kill him if he asked again.

17 Laman ran away from Laban and told his brothers what happened.

18 My brothers felt hopeless and wanted to return to our father in the wilderness.

19 I encouraged my brothers by saying:

	20 “As long as we live, we will not go down to our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which has been commanded of us.

	21 We need to just figure out how to do this task the right way.

	22 Let's go to our land and house where our father left all his gold, silver, and all manner of riches.

	23 Remember: he left those there because he knew that The Great City would very quickly destroy itself because of its immorality.

	24 They are liars, greedy, covetousness, corrupt, materialistic, and ritualistically abuse children.

	25 If he had stayed in this city, he would have died as well.

	26 That is why he ran as fast as he could.

	27 However, it would be very wise of us to obtain these records. If we do, we can preserve to our children the history of our ancestors.”

28 With this, I convinced his brothers to try again.

29 And so we gathered our father's valuables so that we could buy the records from Laban.

30 We went to Laban and asked to trade the valuable possessions for the plates of brass.

31 When Laban saw my father's property he lusted after it.

32 He threw us out and sent his slaves after us to steal the property.

33 We fled from the slaves, but needed to leave the property to save ourselves, and Laban stole it.

34 Laman and Lemuel were angry with our father and me.

35 They beat Sam and I with a rod.

36 I, being very strong, stopped them and said:

	37 "Why do you beat your younger brothers with a rod?

	38 Why do I have to teach you how to live moral lives?

	39 We need to try to get the records again.

	40 We will overcome Laban."

41 Laman and Lemuel did not believe they could overcome Laban.

--------------------Chapter 4--------------------

1 I again spoke to them, saying:

	2 “Let's go to The Great City again, and we will figure out how to obtain our goal.

	3 If we are diligent we will reap what we sow.

	4 We need to be like our heroes, father, and ancestors.

	5 You know that we can do this.

	6 We need to be brave like our father to complete this task.

7 When I had said these things, they were still angry and complained, but they followed me towards the city.

8 At night we hid outside the walls.

9 I crept into the city towards the house of Laban, not knowing what I was going to do.

10 I came upon a man who had drunkenly passed out on the road.

11 I discovered it was Laban.

12 I took his sword and drew it from the sheath. The hilt was pure gold, and it was made with fine workmanship. The blade was made from valuable steel.

13 I took the clothes off of Laban and put them on so that I would have a disguise. I even put his armor on.

14 I then went to the treasury of Laban.

15 When I was there I saw Zoram, who was a slave of Laban's, who held the keys of the treasury.

16 I imitated Laban and ordered Zoram to go to the treasury with me.

17 Zoram believed that I was Laban, because I was dressed with Laban's clothes, armor, and weapons, and so he so did as he was told.

18 He spoke to me about the elders of The Great City, knowing that his master Laban had been out that night with them.

19 And I spoke to him as if I was Laban.

20 I also told him to carry the plates of brass with him till we were outside the walls.

21 I had Zoram follow him.

22 Zoram believed that the plates were being given to the elders of The Great City.

23 He spoke about them often as we ventured towards Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

24 When saw me, they ran away, because they also thought I was Laban, and I had come to kill them.

25 I called after them and they heard me and stopped running.

26 However, Zoram the slave was scared and began to run back to The Great City.

27 I, Nephi, am a big man and very strong, and so I grabbed the slave of Laban and held him so he could not flee.

28 I spoke to him, and promised him that if he listened to me, as long as we live I would spare his life.

29 I promised him that he had nothing to fear.

30 He would be a free man like us, and he was free to come with us into the wilderness.

31 I said to him:

	32 "Our father had commanded us to do this. Should we not listen to our father?

	33 If you come with us, you will have a place among us."

34 Zoram was relieved when I said these things to him.

35 He promised that he would come with us into the wilderness.

36 This made us happy, because we didn't want him going back to The Great City and tell the elders that we had the brass plates and were fleeing into the wilderness.

37 If they did know this, they would have chased us and killed us.

38 And so we journeyed back to our father in the wilderness.

--------------------Chapter 5--------------------

1 After we came to our mother and father in the wilderness, they were filled with joy.

2 Our mother was especially glad, as she thought we had died in the wilderness.

3 She complained to my father and called him crazy, and told him

	4 "You have led us from our land and home and my sons have died. Now we will die!"

5 My father said to her:

	6 "I know I sound crazy, but I know our sons will be successful in their goal and join us again in the wilderness.

	7 When they rejoin us, we will find a good land for us to have, and we will live happily."

8 My mother was relieved when my father was correct, and she said:

	9 "I now know that everything will be alright in the wilderness.

	10 I know my sons have safely returned from the house of Laban.

	11 They had the power to do that which their father asked of them."

12 Our parents were very happy at our return.

13 After we had celebrated our return, my father Lehi read the brass plates from beginning to end.

14 He found the record of our people from the beginning down to the reign of the current king.

15 He also found the genealogy of our ancestors.

16 Laban was also a descendant of our ancestors, wherefore he and his line had kept the records.

17 When my father had read these things, he was moved with great emotion, and began to express his desire for his descendants. He wanted the whole world to read the record of his people.

18 He said that these plates of brass should never be destroyed or dimmed by time.

19 We searched the records of our ancestors and found that they were of great worth to us.

20 We were now able to preserve our heritage for our descendants.

21 It was wise of us to go and get them and carry them with us as we journeyed in the wilderness toward a good land.

--------------------Chapter 6--------------------

1 I, Nephi, will not give the genealogy of my ancestors as part of my record.

2 I do not do this because my father has written it in his writings.

3 I will give this instruction to my descendants: do not write things in these plates that are of no worth to future generations.

--------------------Chapter 7--------------------

1 After my father had spoken some of his homes for his descendants, he realized that it was not good for him to take his family into the wilderness alone.

2 His sons should find women to make their wives and have kids who will live moral lives in the good land we will find.

3 He instructed me, Nephi, and my brothers, Laman, Lemuel, and Sam, to return to The Great City again and being Ishmael and his family into the wilderness with us.

4 We went to the house of Ishmael, and he liked us.

5 We felt comfortable telling him about the dangers within The Great City, and how we are fleeing to protect ourselves.

6 Ishmael and his family felt the same way after we had talked with them, and so they traveled with us.

7 As we journeyed in the wilderness, Laman, Lemuel, 2 daughters of Ishmael, and 2 sons of Ishmael, and all of their families rebelled against us.

8 They rebelled against me, Nephi, Sam, their father Ishmael and their mother (Ishmael's wife), 3 daughters of his other daughters.

9 They wanted to return to The Great City.

10 I, Nephi, was sad that they wanted this. I spoke to them and said

	11 "You are my older brothers. How is it that you are so quick to live immoral lives?

	12 Do you really need your younger brother to show you how to live a moral life?

	13 How is it that you still do not see the danger in that city? Were you not listening to our father?

	14 Have you forgotten that you reap what you sow?

	15 Have you forgotten that we can do anything we put our minds to?

	16 If we persist, we will find a good land for ourselves.

	17 Let it be enough knowing that The Great City will destroy itself one day.

	18 The things which our father has said WILL happen.

	19 The Great City is experiencing turmoil because of its immorality.

	20 hey are liars, greedy, covetousness, corrupt, materialistic, and ritualistically abused children. They are an immoral people.

	21 They tried to kill our father for trying to help them live moral lives, so he had to run away from the city.

	22 If you want to die, go ahead and go back to The Great City."

23 When I, Nephi, had said these things to my brothers, they were angry with me.

24 They beat me because of how angry they were.

25 They tied me up and tried to kill me by feeding me to wild animals.

26 Since I was restrained and unable to move, I started to meditate.

27 I meditated on how I could free myself from the cords and my brothers.

28 I realized that I could loosen the cords that bound my hands.

29 I untied my hands and then my feet and stood before my brothers and continued to encourage them to forsake the immoral lifestyle of The Great City and lead a moral life instead.

30 They were angry with me and tried to bind me again.

31 However, one of the daughters of Ishmael, one of her brothers, and their mother begged my brothers not to.

32 My brothers found compassion for me through them. The ceased trying to kill me.

33 They regretted their immorality and bowed down to me and begged me to forgive them of what they had done to me.

34 I frankly forgave them for all they had done, and I encouraged them to turn away from immorality and live moral lives.

35 They agreed to do so.

36 We again started our journey toward the tent of our father.

37 When we arrived, we all celebrated with each other.

--------------------Chapter 8--------------------

1 We gathered many kinds of seeds, grains, and fruit.

2 As we did this, my father came to us and said:

	3 "I have dreamed a dream.

	4 Nephi and Sam made me very happy in my treat because of the lives they lived.

	5 However, I am very scared about Laman and Lemuel because of the lives they lived.

	6 In my dream I found myself in a dark and barren field.

	7 I wandered for many hours and found nothing, so I meditated.

	8 After I meditated, I saw a tree.

	9 It was the most beautiful tree I had ever seen and had leaves that were as white as snow.

	10 The tree had delicious fruit and made those who ate it happy.

	11 I ate some of this fruit, and it was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted.

	12 The fruit of the tree was also the whitest thing I had ever seen.

	13 After I ad tasted this delicious fruit, I wanted my family to eat it as well, because it was the best fruit I had ever had.

	14 As I looked around, hoping that I would find my family, I saw a river near the tree.

	15 I tried to see the source of the river, and it was a ways away.

	16 At the source of this river Stood your mother Sariah, Sam, and Nephi.

	17 As they stood there, they didn't know which way they should walk.

	18 I called to them with a loud voice telling them to come eat the fruit with me, because it was good fruit.

	19 They came and ate the fruit with me.

	20 I also wanted Laman and Lemuel to eat the fruit with us.

	21 I again looked towards the source of the river and saw them standing there.

	22 I called to them with a loud voice telling them to come eat the fruit with me, because it was good fruit.

	23 However, they refused to come and eat it.

	24 I continued to look around and I saw a rod of iron along the bank of the river which lead to the tree.

	25 Along the rod of iron was a straight and narrow path which lead to the tree.

	26 It also lead by a fountain of water, and to a large field.

	27 I saw so many people follow this path that there were too many to count.

	28 They followed the path to the tree.

	29 There was a great mist of darkness that fell upon the path, and many wandered off and lost their way.

	30 Those who held onto the rod of iron as they walked the path kept moving towards the tree.

	31 There were some that after eating the fruit of the tree were ashamed.

	32 On the other side of the river I saw a great and spacious building floating in the air.

	33 It was filled with people both old and young, both male and female and their clothes were very expensive.

	34 They mocked and sneered at the people eating the fruit.

	35 There were some that were so ashamed that they left the tree and became lost.

36 I, Nephi, will not speak all the words of my father.

37 To make a long story short, he saw many people move toward the tree with delicious fruit while holding onto the rod of iron until they came to the tree and ate.

38 He also saw many people move towards the great and spacious building.

39 Many drowned in the river on their way to the building.

40 Many wandered around not knowing where to go.

41 When people pointed their fingers at me and mocked me when I was at the tree, I paid them no attention.

42 My father also said:

	43 "Many did not eat the fruit, including Laman and Lemuel."

44 After my father told us his dream, he told us he was very worried about Laman and Lemuel.

45 He begged Laman and Lemuel to listen to the lessons he taught them so that they would not be lost like in his dream.

46 And so my father taught them lessons on how to live a moral life.

47 After he taught them, he said many more things, and told us to always do the right thing.

--------------------Chapter 9--------------------

1 My father dreamed his dream and said these things as we lived in a tent in the Valley of Lemuel.

2 He said many more things as well which are not written on these plates.

3 Regarding these plates: they are not a full history of my people.

4 These are the Small Plates of Nephi, which contain my personal history and the genealogy of my people. The history of my people is in the Large Plates of Nephi.

5 The large plates contain the history of my people, the reign of their kings, their times of war, and their times of peace.

6 I made these plates so that these histories would be known to future generations.

--------------------Chapter 10--------------------

1 I will now continue with my own history, which includes the things that my family has done as well.

2 After my father told us about his dream, he begged us to live moral lives.

3 He told us that The Great City would one day soon destroy itself and become slaves.

4 My father said we should all be determined to find a good land for us to live in.

5 My father said that those who would join us should be like an olive tree.

6 Those that join with us in our goal are like olive branches that are grafted onto our tree.

7 My father said many more things, but this is all that is important.

8 He told us this as we continued to live in tents in the Valley of Lemuel.

9 After my father told me about his dream, I wanted to know what it meant.

10 I knew that if I pondered on the things he said, I would discover their meaning.

11 I know this because you reap what you sow.

12 If I went looking for the meaning, I would find it.

--------------------Chapters 11 & 12--------------------

1 I knew that if I meditated on the things my father said, I would know their meaning.

2 As I sat meditating, I thought of the tree that my father spoke of.

3 I remembered that it was the most beautiful tree, and the leaves on it were like snow.

4 The fruit of the tree was more delicious than anything and made those who ate it happy.

5 I wanted to know what the most delicious thing was and made people happy.

6 I realized that thing is love and joy.

7 I then thought of the rod that my father spoke of.

8 I realized that the rod represented doing good things and helping others, which lead to the tree that represented love.

9 I then thought of the great and spacious building that my father spoke of.

10 I realized that it represents those who live prideful and immoral lives and hate helping others.

11 Those who live in it mock those who love.

12 The collapse of this building would be a happy occasion.

13 I then thought of the river that my father spoke of.

14 I realized that it represented the depths of misery and the temptations of immorality.

--------------------Chapter 13--------------------

1 I thought what the foundation of the great and spacious building would be.

2 The people that inhabit it enslave those who live moral lives and tortures them.

3 The foundation of this building would be gold, silver, silks, scarlets, fine twined linen, and all sorts of expensive clothing.

4 They destroy love and morality so they can get the praise of each other.

5 The good land that we will find and live in will be one that will eat the fruit of the tree.

6 Many people will come to our land and we will prosper together.

7 We would teach the lessons on morality that our ancestors taught us, which are written on the plates of brass.

8 The people who would choose the great and spacious building would seek to destroy these lessons and histories.

9 Moral people seek to protect them.

10 They love the lessons that are taught from them.

11 If they follow the lessons of morality, they will leave a good legacy behind when they die.

12 Those who speak of peace and joy will be so welcomed the mountains they walk on will be beautiful.

13 They want everyone to enjoy the blessings of unconditional love.

14 There will come a time when this will happen in all nations.

--------------------Chapter 14--------------------

1 If everyone were to love one another and live moral lives, their lives would be much easier.

2 There would be no more fighting or wars. Only peace.

3 There would be no more slavery.

4 There would be no more anger.

5 When someone apologizes, they are forgiven.

6 Those who fight against this will have a gloomy life.

7 If we make this a reality, it would be a great and a marvelous work that hopefully would be everlasting.

8 I have written only a small part of the things which I felt and thought as I meditated.

9 Everything I have written is true.

--------------------Chapter 15--------------------

1 After I finished meditating I returned to the tent of my father.

2 When I arrived, my brothers were fighting with each other about the meaning of my father's dream.

3 They hadn't thought about the meanings for themselves and didn't want to take the time to do so.

4 I was sad because of the stubbornness of my brothers and because they did not understand the things that I came to realize during my meditation.

5 It was overwhelming having to help my brothers understand these simple things so often.

6 I knew I had to still help them, so I asked them why they were fighting.

7 They said:

	8 "We do not understand what our father meant about new olive tree with new branches."

9 I said to them:

	10 "Have you meditated on these words?"

11 They said:

	12 " We haven't because that would be useless."

13 I said to them:

	14 "How is it that you haven't meditated on these things?

	15 How is it that you are so stubborn?

	16 Don't you remember when I told you that if we work hard at accomplishing our goal, we will obtain it?

	17 The things which you want to know can be understood by you, but you have to try.

	18 Those that want to join us in finding a good land and live moral lives are like grafted branches to our olive tree.

	19 These people will work hard with us, and we will teach them the history of our ancestors and the lessons they taught.

	20 They will be very happy living with us, and we will live together with love.

	21 These are the people that would come and eat at the tree that our father spoke of.

	22 They will become one of us. They will be a part of our tree."

23 I said many more things to my brothers.

24 I gave them lessons on morality that were written by our ancestors, which spoke of love, good deeds, and working hard.

25 I did this so they could practice these things in their life.

26 After I spoke to them, my brothers humbled themselves.

27 They asked me:

	28 "What does the tree symbolize in our father's dream?"

29 I answered them:

	30 "It is the tree of life, which symbolizes love."

31 They asked me:

	32 "What does the rod of iron which led to the tree symbolize?"

33 I answered them:

	34 "It is practicing good deeds, which lead to love."

35 They asked me:

	36 "What does the river symbolize?"

37 I answered them:

	38 "It is the temptations of immorality, which leads to a miserable life.

	39 It divides those who live moral lives and immoral lives.

	40 People will see how we live our lives and will remember us by how we act.

	41 If we live moral lives, we will be remembered as living a moral life.

	42 If we live immoral lives, we will be remembered as living immoral lives.

	43 Those who would eat from the tree of life has a fruit that is better than all other fruits: love.

	44 Love is the greatest of all the gifts in life.

	45 Those who eat from this tree refuse to fall into the river."

46 I begged my brothers with all the energy I could muster to listen and understand the things I had said.

--------------------Chapter 16--------------------

1 After I, Nephi, had said these things to them, they said to me:

	2 "These things are hard! We cannot bear to do them!"

3 I told them:

	4 "What I have spoken is the truth, and the only people who think what I have said is hard are those who live immoral lives.

	5 This truth cuts the immoral to their heart.

	6 Those who live good and moral lives are justified in doing these things.

	7 They will be remembered favorably when they pass away.

	8 Brothers, if you are moral you would listen, understand, and live these truths. I beg you to do so."

9 My brothers humbled themselves and began to live moral lives. They had joy and hope in their life.

10 I said all these things as we lived in tents in the Valley of Lemuel.

11 While we lived here, my brothers, Zoram, and I married the daughters of Ishmael.

12 I felt very lucky to be living the life I was living.

13 After we were married, our father had us restart our journey in the wilderness.

14 On the morning that we departed, our father showed us a round ball of curious workmanship that was made of fine brass that he called the Liahona.

15 The ball had two spindles inside, and we were able to determine which way we should go by the use of them.

16 We gathered what we could and carried our possessions into the wilderness.

17 We took with us every kind of seed and our tents.

18 We crossed the River of Laman.

19 After 4 days of traveling in a nearly south-southeast direction, we pitched our tents in a place we named Shazer.

20 Armed with bows and arrows we went hunting for food in the wilderness so that our families could eat.

21 After we did, we returned to Shazer so that we could feed our families.

22 The next day began traveling again in the same direction, and styed where the wilderness was fertile near the sea.

23 We traveled for many days, finding food by hunting along the way with bows, arrows, stones, and slings.

24 As we traveled we pitched our tents at night so that we could rest and eat.

25 One day as I, Nephi, was hunting, I broke my bow which was made of steel.

26 My brothers became very angry with me because I broke my bow, because we could no longer hunt for food.

27 We were no longer able to hunt because my brothers' bows had lost their spring.

28 We returned to our families without food to eat.

29 We had walked a long ways that day, and we were all very tired and hungry.

30 Laman, Lemuel, and many of the children of Ishmael complained because of the hardships they were experiencing.

31 Even my father began to complain.

32 I chastised my family for not working together to find a way to find food but complaining instead.

33 I, Nephi, made a bow out of wood and arrows out of sticks.

34 I armed myself with these weapons as well as stones and slings.

35 I then asked my father where I should go to find food.

36 My father was humbled and regretted his own actions because of the things I had said and done.

37 He felt very guilty for not leading the family as he should have and leaving me to do so.

38 I went to the top of a mountain and hunted many animals so that I could feed my family.

39 When I returned to our tents with the food I had obtained, my family was very happy.

40 They were humbled and thanked me.

41 We began our journey again the next day in the same direction.

42 We traveled for many days when we decided to pitch our tents for some time in a place we named Nahom so that we could rest.

43 While we lived here, Ishmael passed away and we buried him.

44 The children of Ishmael were very sad because of the loss of their father and the hardships they had experienced in the wilderness.

45 They complained against my father by saying:

	46 "Our father is dead. We have wondered in the wilderness for many days. We have experienced hardships, hunger, thirst, and fatigue.

	47 After all of this, we will also die in the wilderness."

48 They wanted to return to The Great City.

49 Laman and Lemuel conspired with some of Ishmael's children and said to them:

	50 "Let's kill out father and our brother Nephi, who thinks he is his older brothers' teacher.

	51 We know that they lie to us with their cunning ways so that they deceive us so they can control us by leading us into the wilderness.

	52 After they have led us into the wilderness, he will make himself king over us and command us to obey him."

53 A son of Ishmael did not agree with them, and he chastised them for saying these things.

54 After they were chastised they realized they were acting immorally and stopped doing so.

--------------------Chapter 17--------------------

1 We began our journey again in the wilderness, this time traveling to the east.

2 As we traveled, we experienced many hardships.

3 Our wives also had children in the wilderness.

4 We lived good lives though. We had plenty to eat and our children were strong like us.

5 We journeyed without any complaints.

6 We had traveled for 8 years in the wilderness when we came to a land we called Bountiful.

7 We called this land bountiful because it had all the fruit and honey we could eat.

8 It was next to a sea we called Irreantum, which means "many waters".

9 Here, by the seashore, we pitched our tents.

10 Because of all the hardships we had lived through, we were happy when we came to live by the seashore.

11 When we had lived here for many days, I hiked a nearby mountain and meditated on it.

12 I thought that I should build a ship and carry my family across the water.

13 to do this, I needed to find ore so I could make tools to build the ship.

14 After I searched for the ore, I was able to find it.

15 I made bellows out of the hide of animals so that I could blow the fire as I was smelting the ore.

16 I wanted to do right by my family.

17 I struck 2 rocks together until I had a fire that I could smelt with.

18 I smelted the ore into tools I could use to build the ship.

19 When my brothers saw that I was building a ship, they said to me:

	20 "Our brother is a fool! He thinks he can build a ship and cross the sea!"

21 My brothers did not want to help me build the ship, because they thought it was useless.

22 I was sad because my brothers did not support me.

23 They became happy when they saw that I was sad.

24 They said to me:

	25 "We knew you couldn't build this ship! You're not smart enough!

	26 You're just like our father: lead away by his foolish heart.

	27 He took us from our home to wander in the wilderness for years.

	28 Our wives have lived heart lives while they were pregnant. They gave birth to our children in the wilderness. They have lived through everything except death!

	29 It would have been better for them to die in The Great City than to live through all of this.

	30 We have also suffered throughout the years in the wilderness.

	31 We wanted to stay in The Great City where we were happy.

	32 The people who lived there were good, honorable people.

	33 They obeyed the law and always did the right thing.

	34 Our father misjudged them and has led us here, and you are just like him."

35 I, Nephi, said to them:

	36 "Do you think our ancestors would have lived better lives if they didn't seek to live moral lives?

	37 Do you think they would have been able to work well together if they didn't treat each other with respect?

	38 Our ancestors could not, and they destroyed themselves because of it.

	39 After they crossed a river, some were able to live moral lives again.

	40 Do you think our ancestors would have been able to defend themselves in their new home if they had not lived moral lives and worked together? No!

	41 The people of The Great City have rejected everything that is good and are a very immoral people. They sought to kill each other.

	42 They may not know it, but they will completely destroy themselves.

	43 I don't know when it will happen, but it will happen soon.

	44 Only a few people saw this coming, and our father is one of them.

	45 This is why he took us into the wilderness.

	46 You are like the murderers who tried to kill our father.

	47 You are swift to be immoral, and slow to live in morality.

	48 I have chastised you and you have listened to me.

	49 I have always tried to help you by teaching you, but I feel like you will never understand my lessons.

	50 I have spoken to you with a voice of thunder.

	51 Why is it you are so immoral and stubborn!

	52 I am very upset because of you. I want you to live a moral life, and I am scared you will give up morality forever."

53 When I said these things to my brothers, they were angry and wanted to throw me into the sea.

54 When they came to grab me I said to them:

	55 "Do not touch me!

	56 I am very strong, and if you try to hurt me you will wither like a dry reed and I will defeat you.

	57 Do not complain about our father!

	58 Help me build this ship!

	59 Anything I set my mind to I can do! Including build this ship!"

60 My brothers dare not harm me after I said these things.

61 After some time my brothers apologized to me. They knew I was right.

62 They fell on the ground and begged for my forgiveness.

63 I said to them:

	64 "I am your younger brother. Of course, I forgive you.

	65 However, you must live moral lives. Do good things. Be kind to our mother and father. If you do this, we will live happy lives in the land that we will discover."

--------------------Chapter 18--------------------

1 My brothers helped me build my ship from that time forward.

2 We planned out how we would build the ship.

3 I, Nephi, was not a ship builder, and didn't know how to build a ship.

4 My brothers and I figured out on our own the best way to build a ship.

5 I, Nephi, went into the mountains often so that I could meditate on the best way to build our ship.

6 After we had finished our ship, my brothers and I were satisfied with our work. It was a good ship.

7 My brothers apologized again for doubting that the ship couldn't be built.

8 Our father told us that we should board the ship and sail to find our new home the next morning.

9 We prepared for our journey by gathering as much fruit, seeds, meat, and honey as we could so that we could eat while we were at sea.

10 We loaded all of our possessions and boarded the boat.

11 My father and mother had 2 sons in the wilderness, the elder was named Jacob, and the younger was named Joseph.

12 All of us set sail for our good land.

13 After we had sailed for many days, my brothers, the children of Ishmael, and their spouses became drunk.

14 They danced, sang, and were very rude and prideful.

15 During this time, I, Nephi, was scared we would be swallowed up in the depths of the sea by an approaching storm.

16 I spoke to them with soberness about our situation, but they said to me:

	17 "You are our younger brother, not our king!"

18 They took me and tied me up and beat me. I could not move. They took control of the ship.

19 My father and I were the only ones they knew how to use the liahona, and it was of no use to them

20 They didn't know which way to steer the ship.

21 When the storm came, it blew so hard that it drove us backwards 3 days.

22 They began to be scared they would drown in the sea, but they refused to free me.

23 On the 4th day the storm began to be even worse.

24 We were all about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea.

25 After we had been driven back 4 days, my brothers saw the consequences of their actions and that they would die unless they freed me.

26 When they freed me, my wrists and ankles were very sore because of the ropes they tied me with.

27 Regardless, I didn't complain to my brothers about this hardship.

28 My father chastised those that had bound me.

29 Those that had tied me threatened anyone who spoke to me.

30 My parents were old and had suffered a lot because of their children. The stress caused them to become sick, so sick we thought they would die.

31 Jacob and Joseph were still very young and needed their mother. They were scared they were going to lose her.

32 My wife and children cried because of how my brothers treated me. This crying helped persuade them to release me.

33 However, there was nothing but the threat of a watery death that would make them free me.

34 When they saw that they would die, they insincerely lamented their actions and freed me.

35 After I was freed, I used the liahona to sail us to safety.

36 The wind and storm ceased, and there was a great calmness.

37 I, Nephi, again was captain of the ship.

38 I sailed us towards a good land that would be ours.

39 After many days of sailing, we finally found our good land.

40 We went ashore and pitched our tents. We were home.

41 We began farming. We planted all the seeds we had brought with us.

42 Our crops grew, and we had a lot to eat.

43 As we explored our new home, we found every kind of animal, including cows, oxen, donkeys, horses, goats, and many more useful animals.

44 We also found ore of gold, silver, and copper.

--------------------Chapter 19--------------------

1 I made small plates out of the ore that we found to make a record of my people.

2 I wrote about my father, our journey in the wilderness, the thoughts of my father, and my own thoughts.

3 After I had made these plates, I, Nephi, gave a commandment that the more plain and precious parts of the history and thoughts of my people should be written on these plates.

4 We should keep our history so that our descendants can learn from our successes as well as our failures.

5 I also made a large set of plates to detail the wars, fights, and destructions of my people.

6 I have commanded my people that after I die that these plates should be handed down from father to son, or another trusted leader.

7 I have written only on the small plates, and I only write the things I think are extremely important to my people.

8 Know this: I am only a man. I make mistakes.

9 Some people think things are important, while others do not.

10 Some people trample over the things which others believe to be morality.

11 I, Nephi, have written what I have for my people so that I can teach them how to live good, honorable, and moral lives.

12 I write to all that would read what I have written, so that they can learn from these things.

13 I have worked my whole life. I have grown weary and my joints ache.

14 I am thankful that my father knew the history of our people and saw that The Great City was walking an immoral path to self-destruction.

15 I am thankful that we have the plates of brass so that we can know our ancestors' history.

16 I have read the plates of brass many times and know the history of my people and their lessons on morality.

17 We should all learn from our ancestors' history.

18 I told my family:

	19 "Hear the words of our ancestor Isaiah. He spoke to all and his lessons apply to everyone.

	20 Listen to them so that you can have hope and live in harmony with your family.

	21 This is what Isaiah taught:

--------------------Chapter 20--------------------

		1 'Listen to me, those of you who want to live moral lives, but do not do so.

		2 You cannot call yourself a moral people unless you live moral lives.

		3 You have been a stubborn people.

		4 I have taught you how to live moral lives in the past so that you could not say to me that you didn't know how.

		5 Do you not remember these lessons?

		6 I will now teach you new things, so you can't say that you have heard these things before.

		7 You have not listened to me. You have not understood me. I knew that you would live immoral lives because you have always done so.

		8 For the sake of my reputation, I won't say the true things I think about you. I refuse to have my name tarnished.

		9 Listen to me, my people!

		10 You have loved me your whole lives.

		11 I have never taught my lessons on morality secretly.

		12 I have taught you how to live a prosperous life.

		13 If you live a good, honorable, and moral life, prosperity will flow to you like a river, and your goodness as the waves of the sea.

		14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the sand and your children like the gravel in the sand.

		15 Stop living immoral lives! Be a good example for the people of the world!

		16 Be an oasis for those wandering in the desert.

		17 There is no peace for the immoral.

--------------------Chapter 21--------------------

		1 Those of you who have been hurt because of the immorality of my people, listen to me.

		2 I have always cared about my people.

		3 My words are like a sharp sword or a sharp arrow in a quiver waiting to be used.

		4 I use these gifts for moral purposes.

		5 From time to time I have thought my efforts were useless, but I want to leave a good legacy behind.

		6 I want my people to remember me as a moral man who did many good deeds.

		7 I lead an honorable life as an example to others.

		8 If we live moral lives, even royalty will bow when they greet us.

		9 To those in need we will say 'I will help you'

		10 To slaves say we will say ‘be free’

		11 To those that sit in darkness we will say ‘come to the light’.

		12 Those that needed our help will be happy we have helped them.

		13 Those that have mercy are leaders.

		14 People near and far should hear these lessons.

		15 Sing and be joyful! For these lessons will help many people.

		16 Many of our people believe that we have forsaken and forgotten them.

		17 We must not forget our own brothers and sisters.

		18 We have each others' names written on our hearts.

		19 Our children look to us for guidance on how they should live their lives, so live good lives.

		20 If we live good, honorable, and moral lives, many people will want to hear how we do.

		21 One day nearly everyone will want to hear the lessons we have to teach.

		22 Many of our people will ask themselves why they are so happy.

		23 We will realize that it is because we have lived a moral life.

		24 You could have all of your possessions stolen, but they cannot steal your happiness.

		25 You know the thieves will reap what they sow and justice will be served.'

--------------------Chapter 22--------------------

1 After I, Nephi, had read these things that were written in the brass plates, my brothers asked when these things should be practiced.

2 I told them

	3 "These things should be practiced as long as you are alive.

	4 Our people, sooner or later, may forget these lessons.

	4 The inhabitants of The Great City already had.

	5 This is why they hated our father when he taught these lessons again.

	6 If our people entirely forget these simple lessons, they will be hated.

	7 Having our people relearn these lessons and teach them to their kids would be a marvelous work.

	8 Having all people learn these lessons would be of great worth.

	9 However, people will only live by these lessons if they see the benefits that come from them.

	10 For that reason we should live by these lessons and love them.

	11 To those in need we will say 'I will help you'

	12 To slaves say we will say ‘be free’

	13 To those that sit in darkness we will say ‘come to the light’.

	14 Those that we help will see the benefits in our lessons.

	15 Those that live by immorality will answer to their own actions.

	16 They will cause wars and will kill one another.

	17 It is this way in every nation.

	18 Those that wage war are miserable.

	19 All those that fight against morality will destroy themselves.

	20 The immoral which pervert the ways of true morality will tumble to the dust.

	21 The world will be a better place without them.

	22 Moral people do not need to fear about their actions, because they act with morality.

	23 A time will come that those who immorally seek power over others and seek the praise of the world will become fearful over the acts they have committed.

	24 I know all of these things are true.

	25 Everyone who follows the counsels of our ancestors will be safe, even if they once did not but do now.

	26 My brothers, I want you to come to know these things for yourselves.

	27 I want you to know for yourselves that these are truly lessons on how to live good, honorable, and moral lives.

	28 It is not only our father and I that have taught these things.

	29 If you live a good, honorable, and moral life and endure to the end, you will be remembered for doing so."