Lehi, son of Helaman
Encyclopedia
According to the Book of Mormon
, Lehi was a son of Helaman and was a Nephite
missionary
. He and his elder brother Nephi
lived in the 1st century BC and had many missionary experiences together. The main events of their missions are recorded in the fifth chapter of The Book of Helaman
. Lehi was named after his ancestor, Lehi, whose family immigrated to the New World
from Jerusalem around 600 BC. Helaman taught his two sons to keep the commandments
and to walk uprightly before God, as their namesakes had done.
of the Nephites. After he resigned from the position, he joined Lehi in devoting the balance of their lives to the preaching of the Word of God. Their first missionary efforts were among the Nephites, where they found success in prophesies and calling them to repentance, as they traveled to various Nephite cities.
The next phase of their labors took them to the Lamanites in the land of Zarahemla
, where they also met Nephite dissenters who had joined the Lamanites. As they taught with great power, many dissenters were confounded, humbled themselves, and eventually were baptized unto repentance
. These Nephites returned to their people to try to repair the wrongs which they had done.
Lehi and Nephi then traveled to the Land of Nephi where a Lamanite army captured and cast them into prison – the same prison that once held Ammon
and his brethren.
and emboldened them to testify of God’s power and spoke marvelous words. As they did so, the earth and the walls of the prison shook exceedingly, a thick cloud of darkness and fear came over their captors, and a voice with perfect mildness call them to repentance
. The quake and the voice came a second and a third time, and spoke marvelous words that cannot be uttered by man. The Lamanites were immovable because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them and the fear that it struck within them. There was a dissenter among them, a Nephite by birth who belonged to the Church of God at one time, and whose name was Aminadab
. He told the Lamanites that he saw the faces of Lehi and Nephi, through the cloud of darkness; and their faces did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels; that they were conversing with angels, and that the Lamanites should repent. They all had a change of heart and each one was encircled about with a pillar of fire. The Holy Spirit
came down and filled their hearts. They heard the voice of the Father testify of His Well Beloved. As they looked to see from whence the voice came, they saw the heavens open and angels came down and ministered unto them. There were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things. These witness
es went forth in all the regions round about, ministering unto the people, and declaring what they saw and heard, insomuch that the majority of the Lamanites were convinced, laid down their weapons of war, and also their hatred. They gave back to the Nephites the lands of their possession.
, to mingle in fellowship
with the Church of God and to preach His Word, helping to cause great peace, prosperity, and joy among the Nephites.
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, Lehi was a son of Helaman and was a Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. He and his elder brother Nephi
Nephi, son of Helaman
According to the Book of Mormon Nephi , along with his brother Lehi, was a Nephite missionary. His father was Helaman, and his sons include two of the twelve Nephite disciples at the time that Christ visited the Americas. -Known genealogy:...
lived in the 1st century BC and had many missionary experiences together. The main events of their missions are recorded in the fifth chapter of The Book of Helaman
Book of Helaman
The Book of Helaman is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The book continues the history of the Nephites and the Lamanites "according to the records of Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, and also according to the records of his sons, even down to the coming of Christ"...
. Lehi was named after his ancestor, Lehi, whose family immigrated to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
from Jerusalem around 600 BC. Helaman taught his two sons to keep the commandments
Commandments
Commandments is a 1997 romantic comedy-drama which was written and directed by Daniel Taplitz and stars Aidan Quinn, Courteney Cox and Anthony LaPaglia. Its executive producer was Ivan Reitman.-Synopsis:...
and to walk uprightly before God, as their namesakes had done.
Known genealogy
Mission to the Nephites
Lehi's brother Nephi was the Chief JudgeChief judge
Chief Judge is a title that can refer to the highest-ranking judge of a court that has more than one judge. The meaning and usage of the term vary from one court system to another...
of the Nephites. After he resigned from the position, he joined Lehi in devoting the balance of their lives to the preaching of the Word of God. Their first missionary efforts were among the Nephites, where they found success in prophesies and calling them to repentance, as they traveled to various Nephite cities.
The next phase of their labors took them to the Lamanites in the land of Zarahemla
Zarahemla
Zarahemla is the name of a prominent land, a capital city, and a leader in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is revered by members of various Latter Day Saint churches as sacred scripture....
, where they also met Nephite dissenters who had joined the Lamanites. As they taught with great power, many dissenters were confounded, humbled themselves, and eventually were baptized unto repentance
Repentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
. These Nephites returned to their people to try to repair the wrongs which they had done.
Missions to the Lamanites
Lehi and Nephi then turned their attention to the Lamanites where the power and authority of their words came with great astonishment to the Lamanites, insomuch that 8,000 souls were convinced of the wickedness of the traditions of their fathers, and were baptized unto repentance.Lehi and Nephi then traveled to the Land of Nephi where a Lamanite army captured and cast them into prison – the same prison that once held Ammon
Ammon
Ammon , also referred to as the Ammonites and children of Ammon, was an ancient nation located east of the Jordan River, Gilead, and the Dead Sea, in present-day Jordan. The chief city of the country was Rabbah or Rabbath Ammon, site of the modern city of Amman, Jordan's capital...
and his brethren.
Miracles at the Lamanite prison
After many days of imprisonment without food, the Lamanites came to slay them. As they were approached, Lehi and Nephi were suddenly encircled about by a pillar of fire, which protected them from harm from their captors. Their hearts did take courage by this miracleMiracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
and emboldened them to testify of God’s power and spoke marvelous words. As they did so, the earth and the walls of the prison shook exceedingly, a thick cloud of darkness and fear came over their captors, and a voice with perfect mildness call them to repentance
Repentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
. The quake and the voice came a second and a third time, and spoke marvelous words that cannot be uttered by man. The Lamanites were immovable because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them and the fear that it struck within them. There was a dissenter among them, a Nephite by birth who belonged to the Church of God at one time, and whose name was Aminadab
Aminadab
Aminadab is mentioned in Helaman 5:34-41. He is said to have been a righteous Nephite. However, evidently he fell away from the Church, and became associated with the Lamanites, as a guard in their prisons....
. He told the Lamanites that he saw the faces of Lehi and Nephi, through the cloud of darkness; and their faces did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels; that they were conversing with angels, and that the Lamanites should repent. They all had a change of heart and each one was encircled about with a pillar of fire. The Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
came down and filled their hearts. They heard the voice of the Father testify of His Well Beloved. As they looked to see from whence the voice came, they saw the heavens open and angels came down and ministered unto them. There were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things. These witness
Witness
A witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about an event, or in the criminal justice systems usually a crime, through his or her senses and can help certify important considerations about the crime or event. A witness who has seen the event first hand is known as an eyewitness...
es went forth in all the regions round about, ministering unto the people, and declaring what they saw and heard, insomuch that the majority of the Lamanites were convinced, laid down their weapons of war, and also their hatred. They gave back to the Nephites the lands of their possession.
Second mission to the Nephites
Through these experiences, Lehi and Nephi became instrumental in causing the Lamanites to become more righteous than the Nephites, because of the peoples firmness and steadiness in the faith. The two brothers, along with many converted Lamanites, came down to the land of Zarahemla and to the land North, which was called MulekMulek
According to the Book of Mormon, Mulek was the only surviving son of Zedekiah, the last King of Judah, after the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem...
, to mingle in fellowship
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
with the Church of God and to preach His Word, helping to cause great peace, prosperity, and joy among the Nephites.