As a family, we just finished reading the first book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. The more if reflect back it is a powerful narrative of a family struggling to keep peace and spiritual harmony during a time of great change and hardship. What are some of the events that happen?

• The father, Lehi, receives a spiritual calling to preach repentance and foretell the destruction of Jerusalem–a very unpopular position that puts his life in peril.
• The family leaves all of their possessions behind and travels about two hundred miles south (so estimate scholars).
• Everyone in the family has to come to personal grips with the situation (Sariah, Nephi, Sam successfully do but, Laman and Lemuel never fully do causing a rift in the family).
• The brothers return in attempt to get sacred records. Their lives are threatened multiple times and they lose all their gold and silver in the process.
• They make the trip again from their father’s camp back to Jerusalem and convince another family to travel with them.
• An argument erupts on the way back and part of the family leaves one brother in the wilderness tied up to die.
• They travel through pretty harsh desert region, without the aid or warmth of fire, nor are they permitted to cook their meat
• The women bear children in these extreme circumstances
• Father-in-law dies, causing further strife, requiring divine intervention to settle
• Nephi breaks his bow, it becomes very difficult to find food for a period of time
• After years of travel, they arrive in coastal oasis with milk and honey but they’re not staying: as Nephi builds a boat an intense conflict arises in which the older brothers seek Nephi’s life.
• On the boat, as the older siblings start to get boisterous and irreverent, another fight breaks out, resulting in Nephi being tied up to the mast for many days. A storm arises and threatens the safety of all on board until Nephi is finally released.

Whew! That is a lot of stress and conflict for one family to cope with. And unfortunately its not over as shortly after Lehi’s death, Nephi and his side of the family will need to flee in the night from their brethren because their hate metastasized into an intent to kill. It will be hundreds of years before any semblance of peace between the two groups is reached.

Given all that Laman and Lemuel did in stirring up strife, threatening the lives of their family members and probably otherwise making life difficult for the rest of the family, it is all the more remarkable to me that the Lord fully intended to save and preserve their descendants. Not only that, but in the end bless them with all blessings of the Gospel.

It is very striking: Nephi, the righteous one, saw the destruction of his people because they would go on to reject the greater light, while he saw the descendants of his wicked brothers, who were kept from the full truth because of the misdeeds of their parents would take active part in being restored to full glory as members of the House of Israel in the last days.

So taking a step back, I’m led to ask what makes this all possible? How can this family make it thousands of miles under significant stress and hardship to the promised land still as a family unit? And even after that family unit dissolves, what made it possible for Laman and Lemuel’s descendants to eventually receive the fullness of the gospel?

As I pondered this question as we read, a thought entered my mind: The descendants of Laman and Lemuel are also the descendants of Lehi.

What tribute or honor could properly describe the righteous influence of a father like Lehi other than patriarch? This man, though relatively simple means, would not only provide for the temporal salvation of his family by following the Lord’s commandments, but provided the spiritual foundation for powerful civilizations on the American continent. The record thereof would then in turn bless millions of additional lives in the form of a divine witness and fruit by which men can recognize the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

And yet, when you read the account, what did Lehi do?

• He prayed for inspiration and did his best to follow it
• He bore testimony of the Savior to the people and more importantly to his family
• He shared his spiritual experiences with his family
• He valued the scriptures and encouraged his children to do the same
• He never appears to command or coerce his family, but speaks with deep love and persuasion, with ‘all the feeling of a tender parent’
• He repented when he needed to
• He left each member of his family a blessing

And with that he was able to successfully get his family to the promised land and secure for them amazing blessings, not the least of which is a personal visit from the Savior after his resurrection. Today, Lehi’s legacy is still felt as the record of his family helps us prepare for the second coming of the Savior. How great is the influence of a father!

Art by Chris White