“An Abridgment of the Record of My Father”

Monte S. Nyman

As stated previously, Lehi kept a record of his ministry. It includes accounts of other visions and dreams. In the Preface of the first edition of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again.” In the smaller plates, Nephi gave only a brief account of his father’s record. Nephi used his father’s record through the first eight chapters of these plates. He comments upon the two sets of plates in chapter nine, and begins to record his own proceedings in chapter ten (see 1 Nephi 9:1, 10:1). However, he still refers to his father’s teachings as he proceeds with his own account.

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Nephi Wrote This Record

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