Nephi's Concern For His Children

John wrote in his third epistle, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3^rd John 1:4).  I think that this attitude of concern for the righteousness of one’s children is evident in Nephi’s writings.  He was constantly worried about the spiritual well-being of his children and posterity.  The things that he wrote on the plates were in large measure for his children: “My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children” (2 Nephi 4:15). 

In introducing the words of Isaiah that he quoted, Nephi emphasized that it was for his children that he was recording them: “I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children” (2 Nephi 11:2).  In particular he wanted to ensure that his children would follow the Savior and accept His teachings.  He said, “We labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God” (2 Nephi 25:23).  His labor was for his children and posterity, that they might believe in Christ.  “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26).  He was particularly concerned about those of his descendants who would actually see Christ when He came among the Nephites.  Nephi wanted to ensure that His children would accept Him, and he wrote this to his descendants: “And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do” (2 Nephi 26:1).  Concern for his children’s spiritual welfare was one of the driving forces behind Nephi’s record keeping.  His love for his children and future descendants also brought him great sorrow when he was shown by the Lord what would happen to them.  After seeing the destruction of many of his posterity, he said, “And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall” (1 Nephi 15:5).  He loved his unborn descendants so much that it pained him deeply to know of their wickedness and suffering, even if it was 1000 years in the future.  In Lehi’s words to Jacob he associated children with both joy and misery, and surely Nephi an example one who felt great happiness and sorrow for his children (2 Nephi 2:23).  His example should inspire us to seek more diligently to see that our children “walk in truth.”