Nephi's People Leave His Wicked Brethren

Because my brothers were angry with me, I prayed to the Lord, asking Him to soften their hearts. But their anger continued to grow until they wanted to kill me. They openly said, “Nephi thinks he is our ruler, and we have endured many trials because of him. Let us kill him. Then we will no longer be troubled by his words. We do not have to tolerate him as our ruler. We are the oldest, so we have the right to rule over this people.”

I will not write everything my brothers said against me. It is enough to say that they plotted to take my life. The Lord warned me about their plans and told me to leave them—to go into the wilderness along with all who would go with me. So I took my family, Zoram and his family, my older brother Sam and his family, my younger brothers Jacob and Joseph, my sisters, and all else who believed in God’s warnings and revelations. We took our tents and whatever we could carry, and we traveled for many days before arriving at our new settlement.

My people decided to name our new home Nephi. They also called themselves the people of Nephi, or Nephites. We kept the Lord’s judgments, statutes, and commandments according to the law of Moses. The Lord was with us, and we were very prosperous, for we planted seeds and reaped plentiful harvests. We raised flocks and herds of every kind of animal.

I had brought the brass plates and the ball, or compass, made by the Lord. As we prospered, we began to grow in numbers in the promised land. I used Laban’s sword as a model to make many swords for protection from the people now called Lamanites, for I knew Laman had taught his followers to hate me, my children, and all who called themselves Nephites.

I also taught my people how to construct buildings, and how to work with all types of wood and metals, including iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, and silver, all of which we found in great abundance. We built a temple patterned after Solomon’s temple. It was very fine, but not built with as many precious materials as Solomon’s, for such materials are not found in this land.

I encouraged my people to work hard with their hands and to use their time wisely.

Soon my people wanted me to be their king. I did not want them to have a king, but I did what I could for them as their leader. The Lord’s words about my brothers were fulfilled, that I would be their ruler and teacher, for I had been their ruler and teacher before they had planned to kill me. When we left my brothers, the Lord also fulfilled His words to me, which said that if they would not listen to me, they would be cut off from His presence.

The Lord caused a sore curse to come upon Laman and his followers because of their wicked rebellion. Because their hearts had become as hard as flint, He caused their skin to become dark. This helped to keep Laman’s people from enticing and mixing with mine, who were white, fair, and delightful. The Lord said, “If they do not repent, I will make the Lamanites repulsive to your people. Those who mix with them will bring the same curse upon their children.” And this is what happened, just as the Lord said it would.

Also by this curse, the Lamanites became lazy, full of mischief and craftiness, and they hunted dangerous animals in the wilderness. Then the Lord said to me, “The Lamanites will be a trial to your people, reminding them to seek my favor and protection. And if your people do not remember me and keep my commandments, the Lamanites will be allowed to destroy them.”

I, Nephi, consecrated Jacob and Joseph to be priests and teachers over my people, and we lived the way of happiness (righteousness). The year was 570 BC, and thirty years had passed since we had left Jerusalem in 600 BC.

Since arriving in the promised land, I had kept a historical record of my people on large plates. Then the Lord said to me, “Make another set of plates for engraving things that are good in my sight—for the profit of your people.” Upon this second set—the smaller plates—I have engraved a more sacred record of my people. If my people are pleased with the things of God, they will also be pleased with the engravings on these small plates. If my people want to know more about their history, they can read it from the larger plates, which I keep updated.

And now, ten more years have passed, making it forty years since we left Jerusalem, and already we have had wars with our brethren, the Lamanites.