The First Book Of Nephi His Reign And Ministry (Chap. 1.16)

1 Nephi 16:1
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.

1 Nephi 16:2
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.

1 Nephi 16:3
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.

1 Nephi 16:4
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren,
with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 16:5
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.

1 Nephi 16:6
Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in
a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.

1 Nephi 16:7
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.

1 Nephi 16:8
And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the
Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been
blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

1 Nephi 16:9
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.

1 Nephi 16:10
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. And within the ball were two spindles; and
the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:11
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; and we did
take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:12
And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart
into the wilderness, across the river Laman.

1 Nephi 16:13
And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four
days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our
tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

1 Nephi 16:14
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. 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.

1 Nephi 16:15
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.

1 Nephi 16:16
And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in
the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:17
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.

1 Nephi 16:18
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.

1 Nephi 16:19
And it came to pass that we did return without food to our
families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying,
they did suffer much for the want of food.

1 Nephi 16:20
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
exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the
Lord.

1 Nephi 16:21
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 springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea,
insomuch that we could obtain no food.

1 Nephi 16:22
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.

1 Nephi 16:23
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.
And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?

1 Nephi 16:24
And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they
had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many
things unto them in the energy of my soul.

1 Nephi 16:25
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.

1 Nephi 16:26
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.

1 Nephi 16:27
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.

1 Nephi 16:28
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.

1 Nephi 16:29
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.
And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.

1 Nephi 16:30
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.

1 Nephi 16:31
And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch
that I did obtain food for our families.

1 Nephi 16:32
And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing
the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had
obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that
they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks
unto him.

1 Nephi 16:33
And it came to pass that we did again take our journey,
traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; 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.

1 Nephi 16:34
And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the
place which was called Nahom.

1 Nephi 16:35
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; 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.

1 Nephi 16:36
And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against
me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 16:37
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.

1 Nephi 16:38
Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that
angels have ministered unto him. 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; 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. And after this manner did my
brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.

1 Nephi 16:39
And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the
voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and
did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by
the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did
repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again
with food, that we did not perish.