LEHI AND HIS PEOPLE IN THE PROMISED LAND.
Lehi and his people had been a long time upon the great ocean. They were very tired, for they had seen nothing but water for many days. Some of them had begun to murmur, and to wonder if they should ever set foot upon land again. Then something happened which brought joy to every heart.
It was early in the morning. All the company were asleep except Nephi and Sam. Nephi was steering the ship and Sam was standing in the fore part of the vessel looking over the great waters.
Suddenly Sam's quick eyes caught sight of a dark object. He stood still and held his breath. Could it be land? He looked again, and then he gave a shout for joy which startled the whole company. In a few moments men, women and children were by his side, asking what had happened. "Look!" he exclaimed, as he pointed across the waters. "See, yonder is the promised land!"
"It is, indeed!" they all shouted, and the children clapped their hands and cried, "Land! land! land!"
"The Lord's name be praised!" said Lehi when he heard the joyful news, although he could not see the land so far off, for he was old and his eyes had become dim.
After breakfast, all set to work making preparations for landing. The splendid little ship rode proudly as ever over the waves, and early in the afternoon Nephi steered the vessel safe to shore. When the company had landed they all knelt down upon the ground, and Lehi offered a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God for having brought them to the promised land.
It was a beautiful country. The sun shone in its glory. The birds welcomed the company with their sweet songs, and the flowers delighted all with their rich perfume. On the hillsides animals of different kinds were feeding. Among them were horses, donkeys, cows and goats. There were also a great many wild fowl.
After breakfast the next morning, Lehi called the men of the company to him and said, "My sons, the first thing for us to do is to clear some land and plant the seed we have brought with us. The soil is very rich, and I am sure we shall reap excellent crops."
"That is just what we were going to do, father," said Nephi. "Come, brethren," he said to the others, "let us turn our attention to farming for a while."
Day after day the men worked in the fields. Each evening all the people met together and Nephi read to them out of the good book. Lehi also told them many wonderful things which the Lord had done. They felt very happy.
At last the seed was planted. Then the men went up into the hills and caught a number of horses, donkeys, cows, and goats. The animals were wild, but through kind treatment they soon became tame. The cows and goats gave milk, the horses hauled wood and did other work, and the donkeys carried the boys and girls on merry rides over the rolling prairie.
The crops sprang up and grew rapidly, and when the time came for harvesting there was plenty of food for man and beast.
And now I am going to tell you, children, about the last days of the Prophet Lehi. He had become old and feeble, and the time was fast drawing near when his spirit would leave this world and go to dwell with the righteous in the Paradise of God.
Two baby boys had been born to him on the journey to the promised land. Their names were Jacob and Joseph. They were good children, always kind and obedient to their parents. On beautiful, warm days they would take their father by the hand and lead him gently to a comfortable seat under the shade of a large tree. Then they would sit down on the grass at his feet and listen while he told them stories of wonderful things which had happened many years before.
One day Lehi sent word to all the people to come to him, that he might bless them before he died. When they had assembled, he blessed them in turn. He promised them many good things from the Lord if they would keep the commandments of God and love and help each other.
When Joseph, Lehi's youngest son, went in to receive his blessing his father drew him close to him. He looked into his sweet, innocent face a few seconds; then he pressed him to his bosom and placed a loving kiss upon his lips.
While being blessed by his father, Joseph saw how good the Lord had been to him, and when he was told of the great blessings which would be bestowed upon him because of his faithfulness, he bowed his head on his father's neck and wept.
"And now, my son," said Lehi, "I am going to tell you of a wonderful thing which the Lord has told me will take place many years from now."
Joseph wondered what it could be. "You have seen the book which your brother Nephi is writing." Joseph answered that he had. "Well," said his father, "that is a history. It is an account of what has taken place among us since the day we left our home up to the present time. After Nephi has finished writing in it, he will deliver the book to another good man, who will continue the history. When the second writer has finished his part, he will give the book to a third, and in this manner the history of the people will be kept for hundreds and hundreds of years. When it is finished, it will be the most precious and wonderful book ever written.
"And what will become of the book, father?" asked Joseph.
"I was just going to tell you," said Lehi.
Joseph drew closer, and looked anxiously into his father's face.
"When the book is finished," continued Lehi, "the last writer will hide it in a deep hole in the ground. He will do that because wicked men might get it and destroy it. The book will be kept hid in the earth for thousands of years."
"At last the time will come for the book to be brought forth again. Then the Lord will send an angel to a boy named Joseph, the same name that you bear. The heavenly messenger will tell Joseph of the book and show him the place in which it will lie buried. A few years later the precious history will be taken from its hiding place and given to the boy Joseph. The Lord will help the boy to change the language of the book to suit the language of the people living at that time. Then the book will be published, men will carry it into all the world, and the people of every nation will learn of the great things which the Lord will have done for us and our children."
"That is really wonderful," said Joseph. "It is, indeed," said his father. Then Lehi kissed his boy again and said, "May the Lord bless you, my son, forever."
Can my children tell me how the words of Lehi were fulfilled concerning the book that was to be hid in the ground?