Five major sets of plates are in the background of the present Book of Mormon:
The plates of Ether covered the history of numerous people for about 2,000 years. In the Book of Mormon, the book of Ether is a brief abridgment and summary of the people known as the Jaredites.2. The brass plates of Laban were primarily concerned with the descendants of Joseph who was sold into Egypt.
The large plates of Nephi were started shortly after Lehi left Jerusalem and contained a religious and secular history of Lehi and his descendants.
The small plates of Nephi contained a religious history of the Lehites for their first 470 years; some religious teachings of the brass plates of Laban were copied onto these plates.
The plates of Mormon were essentially an abridgment by Mormon of the books initially recorded on the large plates of Nephi, with some accounts that he wrote himself, including the Words of Mormon, and Moroni's works. A portion of the plates of Mormon was sealed and has not yet been translated.
Joseph Smith received two sets of plates: the small plates of Nephi and the plates of Mormon, on which were the work of 11 engravers.
Nine engravers worked on the small plates of Nephi: Nephi essentially provided information in the books of First and Second Nephi. Jacob, the brother of Nephi, provided information in the book that bears his name. Enos and Jarom engraved the books that bear their names. Five engravers worked on the book of Omni: Omni, Amaron, Chemish and Abinadom and Amaleki.
On the plates of Mormon, Mormon engraved the materials contained in the Words of Mormon, Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, the books presently known as 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi; and the first seven chapters of Mormon. Moroni engraved the 8th and 9th chapters of Mormon and the books of Ether and Moroni.
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'Hold to the rod of iron through the hardships and trials of life'
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Council of the Twelve focused on setting and achieving goals in his address at the October 1989 general conference. The ultimate goal, he emphasized, should be eternal life.
Elder Wirthlin counseled: "Determine to pay the price in effort, money, study, and prayer. Be sure you understand the course or path you will be taking. The ideal course of life is not always easy. Comparatively few will find it and complete it. It is not a well-marked freeway, but a narrow path with only one entrance. The way to eternal life is straight and narrow.
"When I think of staying on the right path, I am reminded of Lehi's dream about the tree of life. In it, the love of God was likened to a tree that bore delicious fruit, fruit that was desirable above all others. As Nephi recorded his father's words: `And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree. . . . And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree.' (1 Ne. 8:20-21.)
"Many of these people later `fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.' (1 Ne. 8:28.) But those who ignored the scoffing and ridicule of the world and held tightly to the rod of iron enjoyed the fruit of the tree. The rod of iron represents the word of God, that leads us to the love of God. (See 1 Ne. 11:25.)
"You must hold firmly to the rod of iron through the mists and darkness, the hardships and trials of life. If you relax your grip and slip from the path, the iron rod might become lost in the darkness for a time until you repent and regain your grasp of it."
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Applying the scriptures
Children's art captures spirit of noble leaders
In an address delivered in the October 1990 general conference, Ruth B. Wright, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, described pictures illustrating
events from the Book of Mormon. The pictures were drawn by children from around the world.
"As I look at [the picturesT, I feel the spirit of noble prophets and leaders who made choices to be obedient to the Lord in spite of earthly trials," she said. "The examples of their faith, courage, love, humility, service and endurance sustain me and give me strength to face challenges in my own life.
"The stories are familiar, yet the precepts we learn from them may be different each time we read them. The scriptures have the power to speak to our particular situations wherever we are in life. . . .
"The first picture is Lehi's journey. With complete faith that the Lord would guide him day by day, Lehi turned from the security and comfort of his home in Jerusalem and began his journey in the wilderness facing an unknown future.
"When the unknown looms ahead of me, I gain strength by remembering Lehi and exercising faith that the Lord will guide me.
"As I look at Nephi building a ship, I can imagine what might have gone through his mind. `How can I do that? I don't know anything about building a ship. I haven't had any training.' Instead, he faced his challenge with courage. He said:
" `If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.
" `And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?' (1 Ne. 17:50-51.)
"So Nephi built a ship.
"When tasks seem too great or even impossible, I think of courageous Nephi by the water's edge building a ship."
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Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.
Information compiled by Gerry Avant
Sources: October 1989 and October 1990 general conference reports.
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