DAY 17 - I Nephi 5:17- 52

17 And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness, to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families, we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer.

18 And we did go forth again, in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea.

19 And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows, and our stones and our slings;

20 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

21 And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families.

22 And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel; and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with me, because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.

23 And it came to pass that we did return without food to our families.

24 And being much fatigued because of their journeying, they did suffer much for the want of food.

25 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceeding sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

26 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with my brethren, because of the loss of my bow; and their bows having lost their spring, it began to be exceeding difficult, yea, insomuch that we could obtain no food.

27 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their God.

28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling, and with stones.

29 And I said unto my father, Whither shall I go to obtain food?

30 And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of my word; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul.

31 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow.

32 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him, Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written!

33 And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly; and also my brethren, and the sons of Ishmael, and our wives.

34 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith, and diligence, and heed, which we did give unto them.

35 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.

36 And thus we see, that by small means, the Lord can bring about great things.

37 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.

38 And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.

39 And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain;

40 And now, when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy.

41 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him.

42 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey, traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning;

43 And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.

44 And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom.

45 And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of their afflictions in the wilderness;

46 And they did murmur against my father, because he had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, saying, Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings, we must perish in the wilderness with hunger.

47 And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

48 And Laman said unto Lemuel, and also unto the sons of Ishmael, Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are his elder brethren.

49 Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that angels have ministered unto him!

50 But behold, we know that he lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes, thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness;

51 And after he has led us away, he has thought to make himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us according to his will and pleasure.

52 And after this manner did my brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.

DAY 16 – I Nephi 4:41-5:16

41 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord;

42 Yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God, and remember to keep his commandments always, in all things.

43 And they said unto me, What meaneth the river of water which our father saw?

44 And I said unto them, that the water which my father saw, was filthiness;

45 And so much was his mind swallowed up in other things, that he beheld not the filthiness of the water;

46 And I said unto them, that it was an awful gulf, which separateth the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God.

47 And I said unto them, that it was a representation of that awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked.

48 And I said unto them that our father also saw, that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous;

49 And the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God for ever and ever, and hath no end.

50 And they said unto me, Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal?

51 And it came to pass that I said unto them, that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual;

52 For the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation;

53 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness, they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness;

54 Wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God to be judged of their works:

55 And if their works have been filthiness, they must needs be filthy:

56 And if they be filthy, it must needs be that they can not dwell in the kingdom of God:

57 If so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

58 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there can not any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God;

59 Wherefore, there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy.

60 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the foundation of it;

61 Wherefore, the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken;

62 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits:

63 Yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

64 And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.

CHAPTER 5

1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold, they said unto me, Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

2 And it came to pass that I said unto them, that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

3 And now, my brethren, if ye were righteous, and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say, Thou speakest hard things against us.

4 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.

5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.

6 Now, all these things were said and done, as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.

8 And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him.

9 And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

10 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my father, by night, and commanded him, that on the morrow, he should take his journey into the wilderness.

11 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment, he beheld upon the ground a round ball, of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass.

12 And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

13 And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us;

14 And we did take seed of every kind, that we might carry into the wilderness.

15 And it came to pass that we did take our tents, and depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman.

16 And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south, south-east direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

DAY 15 – I Nephi 4:1-40

CHAPTER 4

1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.

2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another, concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them;

3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord;

4 And they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.

5 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men.

6 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.

7 And it came to pass that after I had received strength, I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.

8 And they said, Behold, we can not understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.

9 And I said unto them, Have ye inquired of the Lord?

10 And they said unto me, We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.

11 Behold, I said unto them, How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord?

12 How is it that ye will perish because of the hardness of your hearts?

13 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said, If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely, these things shall be made known unto you?

14 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our fathers;

15 And behold, are we not broken off from the house of Israel; and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?

16 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fullness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years and many generations, after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed;

17 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord;

18 And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him;

19 Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.

20 And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation?

21 Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine?

22 Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God?

23 Behold, I say unto you, Yea: they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel;

24 They shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree;

25 And this is what our father meaneth;

26 And he meaneth that it will not come to pass, until after they are scattered by the Gentiles;

27 And he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may shew his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel:

28 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days;

29 Which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things;

31 Yea, I spake unto them concerning the restoration of the Jews, in the latter days;

32 And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel;

33 And after they were restored, they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again.

34 And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified, and did humble themselves before the Lord.

35 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying, What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream?

36 What meaneth the tree which he saw?

37 And I said unto them, It was a representation of the tree of life.

38 And they said unto me, What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?

39 And I said unto them, that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish;

40 Neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary, overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.