Unto All His Household

Throughout the Book of Mormon, the most common family relationship that is described is that of father to son. There are many instances where we see the interaction between father and son, and in particular the teachings of a father to his son. These include Jacob and Enos, King Benjamin and his three sons, King Mosiah and his four sons, Alma (the elder) and his son Alma (the younger), Alma (the younger) and his three sons, Helaman and his sons Nephi and Lehi, and of course Mormon and Moroni. Through their stories we see the importance of fathers teaching their sons “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Enos 1:1). King Benjamin taught his sons and “caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding,” telling them of “a name, that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem” (Mosiah 1:2, 11). That name of course was Jesus Christ. Alma likewise taught each of his sons, and we read that “he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness” (Alma 35:16). Alma testified that “that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness” (Alma 38:9). Helaman taught his sons Nephi and Lehi about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to build their foundation on the rock of our Redeemer: “Remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world” (Helaman 5:9, 12). Mormon similarly taught his son Moroni, for we have letters that he wrote to encourage his son, encouraging him with these words: “My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever” (Moroni 9:25). In all of these examples, we see a father teaching his children about Jesus Christ. And surely these accounts are meant to be applied in all of our family relationships—we should teach and testify to one another of Jesus Christ in our families.

            In the story of Lehi and his family, we see examples of different family members teaching one another about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nephi taught his brother Sam: “And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words” (1 Nephi 2:17). He of course also taught his older brothers Laman and Lemuel on many occasions: “Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things…. And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah” (1 Nephi 19:22-23). Lehi taught his wife Sariah, for Nephi recorded, “And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying: I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of God…. And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah” (1 Nephi 5:4, 6). Nephi helped even to teach his father when Lehi was murmuring, for after teaching his brothers he went to his father asking, “Wither shall I go to obtain food?” causing his father to inquire of the Lord and humble himself. Lehi taught his children: “Our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem” (2 Nephi 1:1). He also taught his grandchildren: “He called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my firstborn, I would that ye should give ear unto my words. For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.” In fact, Nephi recorded that at the end of his life, Lehi did speak “unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him” (2 Nephi 4:3-4, 12). We see in this family the importance of teaching one another the gospel of Jesus Christ, from father to children, spouse to spouse, grandfather to grandfather, and sibling to sibling. Lehi and Nephi’s examples in particular remind us to “exhort [one another] with all the feeling of a tender parent” [or tender grandparent, son, daughter, brother, sister, or any other family member] (1 Nephi 8:37).