Lehi and Prayer

Nephi’s account shows us that his father Lehi was a man of prayer.  In only the fifth verse of the Book of Mormon Nephi recorded, “Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people” (1 Nephi 1:5).  These fervent prayers led to revelation from the Lord, and he was soon commanded to take his family and depart into the wilderness.  When they had gone the initial distance down near the Red Sea, Nephi recorded, “And it came to pass that [Lehi] built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God” (1 Nephi 2:7).  His first instinct when they had safely left Jerusalem was to pray and thank the Lord through sacrifice.  This led to more revelation as the Lord spoke to him in a dream and commanded that the boys should go back to obtain the plates of brass.  When the four sons returned safely, Lehi again gave thanks unto the Lord through prayer and sacrifice: “And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel” (1 Nephi 5:9).  This was repeated again after the sons returned with Ishmael’s family: “And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him” (1 Nephi 7:22).  Lehi’s natural instinct it seems was to pray and thank the Lord as he saw divine blessings come to them.  Prayer was such an important part of him that even when he dreamed he turned to prayer; in the vision of the tree of life when he felt lost Lehi recounted, “And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies” (1 Nephi 8:8).  Later Nephi also recorded that on their journey after his bow broke, he went to Lehi and “it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord…. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father” (1 Nephi 16:24-25).  Even then when the prophet had murmured he still went to the Lord in prayer and received an answer.  Lehi was indeed a man of prayer. 

               Surely Lehi also taught his children to pray and to follow his example.  It seems to me that the fundamental difference between Nephi and his two oldest brothers was prayer.  Nephi recorded at the beginning that it was prayer that enabled him to believe his father: “I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers” (1 Nephi 2:16).  Nephi prayed and learned how to communicate with the Lord, but his brothers did not.  Lehi lamented that Laman and Lemuel couldn’t understand how to communicate with the Lord saying to Nephi: “Thy brothers 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 Lord.”  Nephi, on the other hand, had prayed to the Lord and knew for himself that Lehi’s instructions were indeed “the things which the Lord hath commanded” (1 Nephi 3:5-7).  Nephi tried, though, the help his brothers learn pray.  After they tied him up and left him for dead, they finally felt guilty for their actions and asked his forgiveness.  Nephi recorded, “I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that they did so” (1 Nephi 7:21).  Later after his brethren didn’t understand the things that Lehi taught, Nephi asked them, “Have ye inquired of the Lord?” Their answer shows their attitude towards prayer: “We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us” (1 Nephi 15:8-9).  Their unwillingness to turn to the Lord ultimately led to their complete rejection of Him and the commandments.