Lehi's Focus on the Written Word

One of the themes that we see in the life of Lehi is the importance of books and the written word. This is evident in the first chapter when he beheld a vision of the Lord. Nephi recorded, “The first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read. And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. And he read…. And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty!” (1 Nephi 1:11-14) He was filled with wonder and the Spirit of the Lord through the things that he read in this book. Though surely an angelic messenger could have told him what he needed to know, for some reason the Lord felt it important for him to read, even while in the midst of a vision. Reading the words of the Liahona provided a similar powerful spiritual experience. At one point the voice of the Lord told him, “Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.” He then “beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly…. And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it” (1 Nephi 16:26-29). So even in the wilderness, when they were suffering and desperate for food, the Lord felt it important for Lehi to read words that He wrote through the Liahona. I believe these two experiences highlight the need for us to read the words the Lord has provided for us and other inspired writings.

                Lehi’s focus on the brass plates similarly highlights how important he considered the written word. When Nephi and his brothers returned with the plates of brass from Jerusalem, “Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.” He clearly was deeply moved by the contents as he searched and read them, and it led him to prophesy concerning the words of those plates that they would “go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.” Nephi summarized the great value of these plates for him and his father this way: “And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children” (1 Nephi 5:10, 18, 21). He read and cherished the plates; later when he taught Jacob the plan of salvation he mentioned “the things which I have read” and referred to what he had learned from the plates including “the words of the prophet” (2 Nephi 2:17, 30). When he taught Joseph he quoted a large portion of Joseph in Egypt’s words—using the words “for Joseph truly testified, saying”—that must have been on the brass plates. I love this summary statement he made to Joseph after quoting the ancient patriarch: “Thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book” (2 Nephi 3:6,23). That is the call of Lehi to all of us—to hearken unto the words of the book his people have left us.

                We also see Lehi’s focus on books and writing by the fact that he kept a detailed record himself of his own doings. We don’t have that record, but Nephi referred to it multiple times, telling us, “I have abridged the record of my father” and mentioning the “the record which has been kept by my father.” He told us of the work he did to preserve that record: “And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father” (1 Nephi 1:17,6:1,19:1). Clearly record keeping was important to Lehi, and Nephi sought to ensure that Lehi’s record would be preserved. Lehi’s focus on holy writ, even amidst the significant challenges he faced with his family, is an invitation for all of us to read more frequently and search more sincerely the abundant words of the Lord that He has given us today.