LEHI's DREAM: the Indispensable Foundation of the Book of Mormon

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

LEHI's DREAM: the Indispensable Foundation of the Book of Mormon --Rough Draft and Incomplete-- LEHI’S DREAM: The Indispensable Foundation of the Book of Mormon Bruce Satterfield Brigham Young University - Idaho For many, the Book of Mormon may seem like a mere collection of stories edited from the records of the Nephites by Mormon for his latter-day readers. To them, Mormon is simply recounting in chronological order the rise and fall of the Nephite nation. Yet, Mormon’s masterful work is far more than this. A careful study of the book will reveal that Mormon had a well established agenda. At least in part, his objective seems to include the following. From the outset of the book to its conclusion, Mormon makes it clear that while in mortality men are “free to choose liberty and eternal life” or “captivity and death” (2 Nephi 2:27). No where is this more clearly shown than in Lehi’s dream. Lehi’s Dream Sometime after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem and while camping in a valley they called Lemuel, Lehi “dreamed a dream” which caused a great deal of controversy among the family members. In the dream, the duel between liberty/eternal life and captivity/destruction is graphically portrayed in allegorical style. Lehi saw “a large and spacious field” in which he “beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:9-11). Upon eating the fruit, he was filled “with exceedingly great joy.” He then turned to look for his family that they also might come and eat (1 Nephi 8:12). As he began to search, he discovered a “river of water” flowing near the tree. He found his wife, Sariah, and two of his sons, Sam and Nephi, standing at the head of the river “as if they knew not whither they should go” (1 Nephi 8:11-14). Having successfully persuaded them to come and eat of the fruit, he then looked for and found Laman and Lemuel, his other two sons. However, they would not come to the tree (1 Nephi 8:9-18). After this Lehi saw a “rod of iron” and “strait and narrow path” that “extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree” (1 Nephi 8:19-20). Beyond the path he saw “numberless concourses of people” many of whom “were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree.” After entering the path “there arose a mist of darkness” which covered the path. Those “who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:21-23). Then Lehi saw “others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron.” However, when the mist of darkness obscured their vision, they clung “to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree” (1 Nephi 8:24). 1 This must have given Lehi great satisfaction. If it did it was short lived for while he watched those who had been faithful, “they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed” (1 Nephi 8:25). Alarmed, Lehi turned to see what was the cause of this sudden change. He saw “on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building.” The ominous structure hovered “in the air, high above the earth.” Those in the building were “both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine.” While pointing their fingers, they ridiculed and mocked those who were eating the fruit of the tree causing them to wander “into forbidden paths and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:26-28). Lehi saw many others who came forward and “caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” Although they too were mocked by those in the great and spacious building, they did not heed the persecution but happily ate of the fruit (1 Nephi 8:30,33). Lehi also saw many others who were “feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.” In so doing, “many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads” (1 Nephi 8:31- 32). A few additional insights can be gleaned from Nephi’s comments about the dream. We are told that the great and spacious building which hovered in the air “fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great” (1 Nephi 11:36). Nephi also informs us that the river of water was “filthy” (1 Nephi 12:16; 15:27) and flowed through a “great and terrible gulf” (1 Nephi 12:18; 15:28). Finally, there was a “fountain of living waters” which flowed from or near the base of the tree (1 Nephi 11:25). From the dream, Lehi must have been able to see that everything the Lord established had its opposite. The tree which brought eternal life to all who endured in partaking of the fruit was opposed by the great and spacious building which brought destruction to all who dwelt therein. The living waters which brought the sweetness of life was opposed by the river of filthy water which brought the depths of hell. The rod of iron and the strait and narrow path which led those who entered therein to the tree was opposed by the mist of darkness which caused those who let go of the rod to wander off the path to their destruction. Lehi’s Dream as the Stage and Backdrop of the Book of Mormon Many aspects of the dream (including Nephi’s interpretation in 1 Nephi 11-15) can be found scattered throughout the Book of Mormon. For instance, in Alma 5:34,62, reference to the tree, fruit and living waters is made by Alma while speaking to the saints in Zarahemla. Also, Alma clearly has the tree and fruit in mind when he talked to the apostate people of Zoram in Alma 32:27-43; 33:1,23. Reference to the strait and narrow path can be found in 2 Nephi 31:18-20; 33:9, Jacob 6:11; Helaman 3:29; 3 Nephi 14:13,14; 27:33; 3 Nephi 14:13- 14. The river of filthy waters is behind 2 Nephi 1:13; 2:29; 28:21-23 Alma 5:57; 7:21; 11:37; 26:20; 40:26 Helaman 3:27-30; 5:12; 8:25; 3 Nephi 20:41. The great and spacious building is referred to in 1 Nephi 22:12-17; 2 Nephi 6:12; 10:15,16; 3 Nephi 27:11. These are but a 2 few examples. The frequent references to the various aspects of Lehi’s dream throughout the Book of Mormon seem to indicate that the premise of the dream is fundamental to the theology of the Book of Mormon. If the Book of Mormon was a dramatic play, Lehi’s dream may be thought of as the stage and backdrop. The whole of the Book of Mormon presents real life examples of the allegorical representation found in the dream. Mormon shows in every book of the Book of Mormon that mankind can either hold to the rod and follow the strait and narrow path that leads to liberty and eternal life or they can follow the ways of the world which lead to captivity and destruction. Consider the following examples from 1 Nephi, the Book of Mosiah, and the Book of Alma. Nephi’s Vision The vision given to Nephi (1 Nephi 11-14) is an outgrowth of Lehi’s dream and an obvious correlative parallel. After relating the dream to his family, Lehi told them many other things by way of preaching and prophesying (1 Nephi 8:38). However, he never gave the family an interpretation of the dream. The family had to find that out for themselves. While some of the family were “disputing one with another concerning the things which (Lehi) had spoken” (1 Nephi 15:2), Nephi turned to the Lord to learn the meaning of the dream. Because of Nephi’s desire and belief as well as his ability to ponder, the Lord granted Nephi a vision in which he saw the things his father had seen and learned the interpretation thereof. This vision along with Nephi’s discussion of the dream with his brothers in 1 Nephi 15 is the basis for the interpretation of Lehi’s dream. In the vision, Nephi saw the tree of life. Through a process of discovery learning, he found that the tree symbolized the love of God expressed through the atonement of Christ which came by the shedding of his blood and makes possible eternal life (1 Nephi 11:1-23). With Lehi’s dream as the backdrop, Nephi saw that the strait and narrow path was the establishment of the kingdom of God including the ordinances of salvation. He saw that the rod of iron was the word of God revealed through Christ to his prophets and apostles (1 Nephi 11:24-25). This kingdom was first established by Christ, himself, during his mortal ministry (1 Nephi 11:24-31). As the vision progressed, Nephi saw that everyone who was not part of the kingdom of Christ were gathered together in “a large and spacious building, like unto the building which (Lehi) saw” in order to “fight against the apostles of the Lamb” and thus destroy the means by which the word of God or revelation comes (1 Nephi 11:34-35).
Recommended publications
  • The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi
    The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi “And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father.” (1 Nephi 19:1) In the preface to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith wrote that the lost 116 pages included his translation of “the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon.” However, in Doctrine and Covenants 10:44, the Lord told Joseph that the lost pages contained “an abridgment of the account of Nephi.” Some critics have argued that these statements are contradictory and therefore somehow provide evidence that Joseph Smith was not a prophet. However, a more careful reading of the Book of Mormon demonstrates that this criticism is invalid. The description of the lost pages as “an abridgment of the account of Nephi” is clearly accurate. Nephi wrote that he made his large plates so that he could “engraven upon them the record of [his] people” (1 Nephi 19:1). The phrase account of Nephi acknowledges Nephi as the principal author and copyist of this portion of the large plates, as well as the maker of those plates. This account of Nephi was later abridged by Mormon, whose abridgment was translated by Joseph Smith; the translation was ultimately lost. At rst, the reference to “the plates of Lehi” appears to be in error. However, although he may not have personally engraved his record upon Nephi’s large plates, Lehi was in a very real sense the rst author of those plates.
    [Show full text]
  • Mosiah the Lack of a Preface for the Book of Mosiah in the Present Book
    Book of Mormon Commentary Mosiah 1 Mosiah The lack of a preface for the book of Mosiah in the present Book of Mormon is probably because the text takes 1 up the Mosiah account some time after its original beginning. The original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, written in Oliver Cowdery’s hand, has no title for the Book of Mosiah. It was inked in later, prior to sending it to the printer for typesetting. The first part of Mormon’s abridgment of Mosiah’s record…was evidently on the 116 pages lost by Martin Harris. John A. Tvedtnes, Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. By John L. Sorenson and Melvin J. Thorne [Salt Lake City: 1991], 33 Note that the main story in the book of Mosiah is told in the third person rather than in the first person as was the 2 custom in the earlier books of the Book of Mormon. The reason for this is that someone else is now telling the story and that “someone else” is Mormon. With the beginning of the book of Mosiah we start our study of Mormon’s abridgment of various books that had been written on the large plates of Nephi (3 Nephi 5:8-12). The book of Mosiah and the five books that follow—Alma, Helaman, 3 Nephi, 4 Nephi, and Mormon—were all abridged or condensed by Mormon from the large plates of Nephi, and these abridged versions were written by Mormon on the plates that bear his name, the plates of Mormon. These are the same plates that were given to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni on September 22, 1827.
    [Show full text]
  • A Third Jaredite Record: the Sealed Portion of the Gold Plates
    Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Volume 11 Number 1 Article 10 7-31-2002 A Third Jaredite Record: The Sealed Portion of the Gold Plates Valentin Arts Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Arts, Valentin (2002) "A Third Jaredite Record: The Sealed Portion of the Gold Plates," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 11 : No. 1 , Article 10. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol11/iss1/10 This Feature Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title A Third Jaredite Record: The Sealed Portion of the Gold Plates Author(s) Valentin Arts Reference Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 11/1 (2002): 50–59, 110–11. ISSN 1065-9366 (print), 2168-3158 (online) Abstract In the Book of Mormon, two records (a large engraved stone and twenty-four gold plates) contain the story of an ancient civilization known as the Jaredites. There appears to be evidence of an unpublished third record that provides more information on this people and on the history of the world. When the brother of Jared received a vision of Jesus Christ, he was taught many things but was instructed not to share them with the world until the time of his death. The author proposes that the brother of Jared did, in fact, write those things down shortly before his death and then buried them, along with the interpreting stones, to be revealed to the world according to the timing of the Lord.
    [Show full text]
  • The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi
    Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Volume 6 Number 2 Article 18 7-31-1997 The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi David E. Sloan Van Cott, Bagley and Cornwall, Salt Lake City Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Sloan, David E. (1997) "The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 6 : No. 2 , Article 18. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol6/iss2/18 This Notes and Communications is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title Notes and Communications: The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi Author(s) David E. Sloan Reference Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 6/2 (1997): 269–72. ISSN 1065-9366 (print), 2168-3158 (online) Abstract Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon consistently use such phrases as “Book of Lehi,” “plates of Lehi,” and “account of Nephi” in distinct ways. NOTES AND COMMUNICATIONS The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi David E. Sloan In the preface to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith wrote that the lost 116 pages included his translation of "the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon." However, in Doctrine and Covenants 10:44, the Lord told Joseph that the lost pages contained "an abridgment of the account of Nephi." Some critics have argued that these statements are contradictory and therefore somehow provide evidence that Joseph Smith was not a prophet.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual
    Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah Comments and corrections are appreciated. Please send them, including errors, to: Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Curriculum Services 50 East North Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-0008 USA Email: [email protected] Please list your complete name, address, ward, and stake. Be sure to give the title of the manual when you offer your comments. © 2017 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America Version 2, 11/17 English approval: 10/16 Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual English 14419 000 Contents Introduction to the Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual . xi Our Purpose . xi Lesson Preparation . xii Using the Daily Teacher Manual . xiii Daily Seminary Program (Released-Time and Early-Morning) . xiv Using the Home-Study Lessons . xvi Home-Study Seminary Program . xvi Other Resources . xviii Daily and Home-Study Lessons 1 Title Page, Introduction, and Testimonies of the Three and Eight Witnesses . 1 2 Studying the Scriptures . 6 3 The Role of the Learner . 11 4 The Plan of Salvation . 16 5 Overview of the Book of Mormon . 21 Home-Study Lesson: Studying the Scriptures—Overview of the Book of Mormon (Unit 1) . 26 Introduction to the First Book of Nephi . 30 6 1 Nephi 1 . 33 7 1 Nephi 2 . 37 8 1 Nephi 3–4 . 41 9 1 Nephi 5 . 46 10 1 Nephi 6; 9 . 50 Home-Study Lesson: 1 Nephi 1–6; 9 (Unit 2) .
    [Show full text]
  • C.001 C., JE “Dr. Duncan and the Book of Mormon.”
    C. C.001 C., J. E. “Dr. Duncan and the Book of Mormon.” MS 52 (1 September 1890): 552-56. A defense of the Book of Mormon against the criticism of Dr. Duncan in the Islington Gazette of August 18th. Dr. Duncan, evidently a literary critic, concluded that the Book of Mormon was either a clumsy or barefaced forgery or a pious fraud. The author writes that the Book of Mormon makes clear many doctrines that are difcult to understand in the Bible. Also, the history and gospel taught by the Bible and the Book of Mormon are similar because both were inspired of God. [B. D.] C.002 C., M. J. “Mormonism.” Plainsville Telegraph (March 3, 1831): 4. Tells of the conversion of Sidney Rigdon who read the Book of Mormon and “partly condemned it” but after two days accepted it as truthful. He asked for a sign though he knew it was wrong and saw the devil appearing as an angel of light. The author of this article warns against the Book of Mormon and against the deception of the Mormons. [J.W.M.] C.003 Cadman, Sadie B., and Sara Cadman Vancik. A Concordance of the Book of Mormon. Monongahela, PA: Church of Jesus Christ, 1986. A complete but not exhaustive concordance, listing words alphabetically. Contains also a historical chronology of the events in the Book of Mormon. [D.W.P.] C.004 Caine, Frederick Augustus. Morumon Kei To Wa Nanzo Ya? Tokyo: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1909. A two-page tract. English title is “What is the Book of Mormon?” [D.W.P.] C.005 Cake, Lu B.
    [Show full text]
  • Rel a 122H: INTRODUCTION to the BOOK of MORMON (Alma 30–Moroni 10) Winter 2009, Section 45 MW 10–10:50 A.M., 178 JSB
    Dr. Eric D. Huntsman Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture 316-L JSB, ext. 2-3359, [email protected] Consultations: MW 11–11:50 a.m.; TTh 9–9:50 a.m. TA: Chris Dawe, [email protected] Rel A 122H: INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MORMON (Alma 30–Moroni 10) Winter 2009, section 45 MW 10–10:50 a.m., 178 JSB Course Description: Rel 122 is a sequential study of the doctrines, principles, and narrative of the Book of Mormon, beginning with Alma 30 where Rel 121 ended. As “the most correct book,” the Book of Mormon demands our attention both as scripture and as an ancient text, particularly regarding matters of faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Accordingly, we will study the Book of Mormon both as another witness of the Savior and as a source for the foundational doctrines regarding the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation. As a text, we will work to appreciate the literary artistry of its authors and abridgers, identifying its structures, imagery, and themes. Above all, this paramount book of scripture will be studied as a testament of the Lord Jesus Christ with the intent to understand his divine mission more fully and to understand and appreciate the Atonement. Rel 122 is taught in harmony with university and course standards (see Appendix A). Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes: This section of Rel 122 has three major objectives, which are in harmony with the College of Religious Education’s Learning Outcomes (see Appendix B): • First, to increase the student’s knowledge of the Book of Mormon—that is, to familiarize him or her with the basic storylines, characters, and concepts in this book of scripture (a factual learning outcome).
    [Show full text]
  • Lead Student Lesson Plan L05: Helaman 1-9 Main Purposes
    Lead Student Lesson Plan L05: Helaman 1-9 Main Purposes • Learn a study skill and decide how to use it to better understand the scriptures. • Learn from and teach others gospel principles found in the Book of Mormon through a selected directed study activity. • Take deliberate action to develop Christ-like attributes. Student Preparation Students were asked to prepare for gathering by completing specific activities and/or pondering certain questions. Please refer to the gathering instructions in this week’s unit or lesson in the course. Lesson Outline As the Lead Student this week you will facilitate the Thursday Gathering. The times given for each activity are suggested times. The Gathering should not last more than 60 minutes. Try to make sure that the main purposes of the gathering are met each week. OPENING LED BY MISSIONARIES Announcements, Announcements Hymn, and Prayer Opening Hymn: Chosen by missionaries (10 minutes) Opening Prayer: By Invitation CLASS ACTIVITIES LED BY LEAD STUDENT Review and Lead Student to Class Introduction Follow-up from previous week: Begin with asking the following (10 minutes) question: Is there anyone who would like to share their successes or challenges in applying principles/concepts discussed during last week's gathering? Discuss this week's content: Next, share with the group what you learned this week as you studied and pondered the week's reading assignment in the scriptures and/or how you applied principles and concepts from the previous week. Ask questions: Prepare a few thoughtful questions which will encourage students to share new insights and thoughts that they gained through their scripture study this week.
    [Show full text]
  • Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Book of Mormon Plates and Records
    Section 2 The Structure of the Book of Mormon Charts 13–25 Structure Chart 13 Book of Mormon Plates and Records Key Scripture Words of Mormon 1:3–11 Explanation Many ancient documents such as King Benjamin’s speech or the plates of brass were quoted or abridged by the ancient authors who compiled the books found on the small and large plates of Nephi. The abridgments, quotations, and original writings of those Book of Mormon historians are displayed on the left-hand and middle columns of this chart and are then shown in relation to the new set of plates produced by Mormon and Moroni that was delivered to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni. Joseph dictated the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the plates of Mormon. Copying that original manuscript, parts of which survive today, Oliver Cowdery prepared a printer’s manuscript (owned by the RLDS Church). The first edition of the Book of Mormon was typeset from that printer’s manuscript. Source Grant R. Hardy and Robert E. Parsons, “Book of Mormon Plates and Records,” in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. (1992), 1:196. Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Book of Mormon Plates and Records Quotation Abridgment Record of Lehi Small Plates of Nephi Plates 1 & 2 Nephi, Jacob, of Brass Enos, Jarom, Omni Benjamin’s Words of Speech Mormon Book of Lehi Record (lost 116 pages) of Zeniff Large Plates of Nephi Records Lehi, Mosiah, Alma, of Alma Helaman, 3 & 4 Nephi Plates of Records of Sons Mormon Mormon of Mosiah Sealed Plates Epistles of (not translated) Helaman, Pahoran, Moroni Ether Records of Nephi3 Records of Moroni the Jaredites Documents Title Page from Mormon The Book Printer’s Original of Mormon Manuscript Manuscript 1830 1829–30 1829 Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Chart 13 Structure Chart 14 Contents of the Plates of Brass Key Scripture 1 Nephi 5:11–14 Explanation The plates of brass contained a copy of the Law (five books of Moses), a history of the Jews, Lehi’s genealogy, and the writings of many prophets.
    [Show full text]
  • Mosiah Like the Lamanites, Who Know Nothing King Benjamin Teaches Sons About God's Commandments and See Mosiah, Chapter 1 Mysteries
    !139 A Plain English Reference to have faltered in unbelief. We would be The Book of Mosiah like the Lamanites, who know nothing King Benjamin teaches sons about God's commandments and See Mosiah, Chapter 1 mysteries. They don't believe these things because they are misguided by This peace among all the people in the their forefathers' false traditions. land of Zarahemla lasted for the rest of Remember this, for these records are King Benjamin's days. He had three true. sons, Mosiah, Helorum and Helaman, and taught them the writing language of And these plates Nephi made, which their forefathers — modified Egyptian. contain our forefathers' words from the time they left Jerusalem until now, are He did this so they would become men also true. Remember to search them of understanding, knowing the diligently so you may profit from them. prophecies the Lord had given their forefathers (engraved on Nephi's I want you to obey God’s commands plates). so you will prosper in the land, according to the promises He made to Benjamin also taught his sons our forefathers." concerning the records engraved on the brass plates, saying, King Benjamin taught many more things to his sons not written here. "My sons, I want you to remember, if it were not for these plates containing As he grew old and realized he would records and commandments, we would soon die, he felt it necessary to confer now be in ignorance, not knowing the the kingdom upon one of his sons. And mysteries of God. It would have been so he called for Mosiah, named after impossible for our forefather Lehi to his grandfather, and said to him, have remembered all these things, and "My son, I want you to make a to have taught them to his children proclamation throughout all the land of without these plates.
    [Show full text]
  • Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Life Spans of Lehi’S Lineage
    Section 3 Chronology of the Book of Mormon Charts 26–40 Chronology Chart 26 Life Spans of Lehi’s Lineage Key Scripture 1 Nephi–Omni Explanation This chart shows the lineage of Lehi and approximate life spans of him and his descendants, from Nephi to Amaleki, who were re- sponsible for keeping the historical and doctrinal records of their people. Each bar on the chart represents an individual record keeper’s life. Although the Book of Mormon does not give the date of Nephi’s death, it makes good sense to assume that he was approximately seventy-five years old when he died. Source John W. Welch, “Longevity of Book of Mormon People and the ‘Age of Man,’” Journal of Collegium Aesculapium 3 (1985): 34–45. Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Life Spans of Lehi’s Lineage Life span Lehi Life span with unknown date of death Nephi Jacob Enos Jarom Omni Amaron Chemish Abinadom Amaleki 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 YEARS B.C. Charting the Book of Mormon, © 1999 Welch, Welch, FARMS Chart 26 Chronology Chart 27 Life Spans of Mosiah’s Lineage Key Scripture Omni–Alma 27 Explanation Mosiah and his lineage did much to bring people to Jesus Christ. After being instructed by the Lord to lead the people of Nephi out of the land of Nephi, Mosiah preserved their lives and brought to the people of Zarahemla the brass plates and the Nephite records. He also taught the people of Zarahemla the gospel and the lan- guage of the Nephites, and he was made king over both Nephites and Mulekites.
    [Show full text]
  • Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual
    Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah Comments and Suggestions Your comments and suggestions about this manual would be appreciated. Please submit them to: Curriculum Planning 50 E. North Temple St., Rm. 2420 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220 USA E-mail: [email protected] Please list your name, address, ward, and stake. Be sure to give the title of the manual. Then offer your comments and suggestions about the manual’s strengths and areas of potential improvement. Cover: Christ with Three Nephite Disciples, by Gary L. Kapp © 1999 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved Updated 2003 Printed in the United States of America English approval: 4/03 Contents Lesson Number and Title Page Helps for the Teacher v 1 “The Keystone of Our Religion” 1 2 “All Things According to His Will” (1 Nephi 1–7) 6 3 The Vision of the Tree of Life (1 Nephi 8–11; 12:16–18; 15) 11 4 “The Things Which I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit” (1 Nephi 12–14) 16 5 “Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It” (1 Nephi 16–22) 20 6 “Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life” (2 Nephi 1–2) 25 7 “I Know in Whom I Have Trusted” (2 Nephi 3–5) 29 8 “O How Great the Goodness of Our God” (2 Nephi 6–10) 33 9 “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah” (2 Nephi 11–25) 37 10 “He Inviteth All to Come unto Him” (2 Nephi 26–30) 42 11 “Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31–33) 47 12 “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God” (Jacob 1–4) 51 13 The Allegory of the Olive Trees (Jacob 5–7) 56 14 “For a Wise Purpose” (Enos, Jarom, Omni, Words of Mormon) 61 15 “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father” (Mosiah 1–3) 66 16 “Ye Shall Be Called the Children of Christ” (Mosiah 4–6) 71 17 “A Seer .
    [Show full text]