1 Nephi 18
1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with
me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. $ And the Lord did
show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of
the ship.
2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was
learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did
build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it
was not after the manner of men.
3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord;
wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.
4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the
word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the
workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble
themselves again before the Lord.
5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that
we should arise and go down into the ship.
6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things,
much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and
provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go
down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing
we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did
all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.
7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was
called Jacob and the younger Joseph.
8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had
taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we
did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the
promised land.
9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many
days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began
to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing,
and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what
power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding
rudeness.
10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry
with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed
up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with
much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not
that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.
11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me
with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the
Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his
word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.
12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could
not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to
work.
13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch
that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were
driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be
frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless
they did not loose me.
14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest
began to be exceedingly sore.
15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths
of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space
of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon
them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their
iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were
upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine
ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.
16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day
long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.
17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the
sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against
anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being stricken in years, and
having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought
down, yea, even upon their sick-beds.
18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren,
they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God;
yea, their grey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust;
yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.
19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much
nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also
my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the
hearts of my brethren that they would loose me.
20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened
them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw
that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they
repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me.
21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the
compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I
prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the
storm did cease, and there was a great calm.
22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again
towards the promised land.
23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days
we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did
pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.
24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to
plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had
brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow
exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.
25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we
journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every
kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and
the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men.
And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.