Post by Nephi –
I write to share a great heaviness I feel at the death and burial of my father Lehi. It has been many years since we left the land of Jerusalem and through all those years he and my mother Sariah gave everything they had to lead, encourage and love a somewhat wayward and rebellious family.
As I said in the very first post in this blog, they were goodly parents. My wife and I strive to emulate their example as we nurture and teach our children.
With the passing of my father, I share a few of his final words. As my brother Joseph mentioned, the Joseph who was carried into Egypt, was a favorite of ours. He truly prophesied concerning all of his seed and particularly he spoke of us and our future generations. We found all of Joseph’s prophesies contained on the brass plates. We can’t find many writings greater than those of Joseph.
After my father finished with the prophesies of Joseph, he called Laman’s sons and daughters together and encouraged them to listen carefully as he reiterated the promise of the Lord God where He said “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.” Then my father said: “Behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it. Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents. Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever.”
Quite a unique blessing. It was as if he knew Laman wasn’t going to teach his children very well and Laman and his wife would be held accountable for it. I don’t know if that is what he really meant or not, for I never got the chance to talk about it before he passed away.
After he was done with Laman’s family, he called Lemuel’s family together and gave them the same blessing, adding their seed would eventually be blessed.
He also spoke with the family of Ishmael and when he finished with their whole household he spoke to Sam telling Sam that he and his seed would be blessed and he would inherit the land just as I will. Sam’s seed will be numbered with my seed and together we will all be blessed all our days.
These final words of my father were shared with each of us from the deepest feelings of his heart and according to the spirit which was most constantly in him.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 4:1 – 12)
