1 Nephie Chapter 3

And it came to pass that I, Nephie, returned from speaking with the Lady, to the tent of my mother. And it came to pass that she spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lady hath commanded me that thou and thy sisters shall return to Jerusalem.

For behold, Labana hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass. Wherefore, the Lady hath commanded me that thou and thy sisters should go unto the house of Labana, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

And now, behold thy sisters murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lady. Therefore go, my daughter, and thou shalt be favored of the Lady, because thou hast not murmured.

And it came to pass that I, Nephie, said unto my mother: I will go and do the things which the Lady hath commanded, for I know that the Lady giveth no commandments unto the children of women, save she shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which she commandeth them. And it came to pass that when my mother had heard these words she was exceedingly glad, for she knew that I had been blessed of the Lady.

And I, Nephie, and my sisters took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my sisters did consult one with another. And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Labana. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Lamana; and Lamana went in unto the house of Labana, and she talked with her as she sat in her house. And she desired of Labana the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my mother.

And behold, it came to pass that Labana was angry, and thrust her out from her presence; and she would not that she should have the records. Wherefore, she said unto her: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee. But Lamana fled out of her presence, and told the things which Labana had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my sisters were about to return unto my mother in the wilderness.

But behold I said unto them that: As the Lady liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our mother in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lady hath commanded us. Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lady; therefore let us go down to the land of our mother’s inheritance, for behold she left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this she hath done because of the commandments of the Lady.

For she knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the wickedness of the people. For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophetesses. Wherefore, if my mother should dwell in the land after she hath been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, she would also perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that she flee out of the land. And behold, it is wisdom in Goddess that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our mothers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophetesses, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of Goddess, since the world began, even down unto this present time.

And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I persuade my sisters, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of Goddess. And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things. And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Labana.

And it came to pass that we went in unto Labana, and desired her that she would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto her our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things. And it came to pass that when Labana saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, she did lust after it, insomuch that she thrust us out, and sent her servants to slay us, that she might obtain our property. And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Labana, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Labana. And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Labana did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

And it came to pass that Lamana was angry with me, and also with my mother; and also was Lemuelle, for she hearkened unto the words of Lamana. Wherefore Lamana and Lemuelle did speak many hard words unto us, their younger sisters, and they did smite us even with a rod. And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lady came and stood before them, and she spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger sister with a rod? Know ye not that the Lady hath chosen her to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lady will deliver Labana into your hands. And after the angel had spoken unto us, she departed. And after the angel had departed, Lamana and Lemuelle again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lady will deliver Labana into our hands? Behold, she is a mighty woman, and she can command fifty, yea, even she can slay fifty; then why not us?