Mother Stories from the Book of Mormon

By William A. Morton
Author of The Gospel Primer The Primary Helper A Child's Life of Our Savior, etc.
Published by William A. Morton Salt Lake City, Utah

So you want me to tell you a story, children. I will gladly do so, for when I was a child like one of you, I loved to listen to stories, too—stories about great and good men and women, and good boys and girls.
The story I am going to tell you this evening is about a good man named Lehi, and his family, who lived many, many years ago in a country far across the sea.
Lehi had a good wife. Her name was Sariah. They had four sons. Their names were Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi. Nephi and Sam were very good boys. They loved their father and mother and were always obedient to them.
But Laman and Lemuel were not at all like their brothers. They did not obey their parents, but often vexed them by doing things that were wrong.
That was displeasing to our Heavenly Father, and He did not love Laman and Lemuel as He loved Sam and Nephi.
The people who lived in the same place as Lehi were wicked. They would not do as the Lord wished, so He said He would have to punish them, to teach them to do better. He told Lehi to go out among them, and to tell them that if they did not stop doing wicked things, He would not bless them as He had done, but would let people from another country come and take them away to be their servants.
Lehi preached many times to the people, but not one of them would believe what he said. Then the Lord told Lehi to gather his family together, and He would lead them to a new and beautiful country, far across great waters. That was to this land in which we now live.
Lehi did as the Lord told him. He left his home and all his riches, and, with his wife and children, started out for the strange land which the Lord had told him about.