An Introduction to Nephi

Around 550 B.C. a man wrote, "…the words which I have spoken are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ." Who was this man, boldly proclaiming his teachings would help men and women know the right way and draw closer to God? Where did he live, how did he see the world, and what did he experience? What can we gain by trying to learn of Nephi’s perspective?

Nephi left his family's estate near Jerusalem when they fled the Holy Land around 600 B.C., avoiding the destruction that had been prophesied. He became the group's leader as his family attracted more followers and grew into an industrious community.

By developing his faith, humility, and determination, he helped the community navigate and survive for years, eventually building a ship, crossing the ocean, and settling in the Americas—a journey that lasted well over a decade. He recorded the historical and spiritual high points of his family and community throughout his adult life, and those writings begin what is now known as the Book of Mormon.

Nephi had visions, including seeing the birth and atonement of Jesus Christ. He taught powerfully; his words are the introduction for many to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2500 years after he wrote them. 'Mormons' get their nickname from the ancient prophet-historian who compiled centuries' worth of writing into the volume that would bear his name, The Book of Mormon.

As a lifelong Latter-day Saint, or “Mormon” I have read the stories of Nephi’s extraordinary life countless times. I have a Bible and Book of Mormon that I have read in tandem for nearly 30 years. As you can imagine, these scriptures are well-marked and well-worn; lots of dog-eared pages, a few torn sheets, a little water damage here and there, with margins full of scribbled thoughts and many notes pasted in between pages. These volumes are like close friends—I can find favorite passages almost instinctively, through the color of the ink or a note pasted or scribbled on a sheet, or the way the books open to certain pages. A couple months ago, however, I had an impression that I should try studying the scriptures with a fresh approach.

For about four months, I’d traveled almost non-stop for my job. Most nights were spent in hotels, and I found myself with a bit of spare time, in spite of the increased hours I was putting into work. During this time, I fell in love with reading some old classics all over again—Shakespeare, poetry from Whitman, Thoreau, and others, and favorites from my youth, like Tolkien and Ray Bradbury. As I re-read a lot of this stuff—works I hadn’t touched in well over 20 or 30 years, as well as a few pieces I’d never read before, the beauty and complexity and depth of the language, not just the stories, struck me profoundly.

As I pored over these books, I recalled a high school English teacher talking about close reading almost thirty years ago. Close reading is just that—finding new depth and meaning by really exploring the wording, phrasing, syntax, etc. of an author. To me, it is like trying to discover how many new possible layers or meanings you can get out of a paragraph or line, or even the choice of one word. Reading some of these works with the desire to closely read and discover new meaning was a thrill.

Most thrilling, though was taking a similar approach to my study of the Book of Mormon, the 531 pages of which I have read dozens of times in 35 years or so of scripture-reading. I got a new, unmarked, cheap paperback copy of the Book, and started reading for thirty minutes a day or more, noting insights and discoveries in its margins and in a notebook.

The flood of knowledge and insight that filled my mind and heart is indescribable! Approaching the Book of Mormon with a fresh approach, and a newly rekindled desire to discover new direction and meaning within its pages became like a treasure hunt for me, and I found those hidden gems daily. Within just a few days, I gained a belief that I could study just the works of Nephi for months (or even years) and never stop learning from and loving his words. And for the past few months I have been re-reading the words of Nephi, and still finding new connections or insights every day! It's been fun trying to better understand Nephi’s perspective—what he wrote, why he wrote it, what he meant.

Reading with this perspective and a sense of discovery, and not simply reverting to the previous insights I've already had, I have tried to capture my thoughts and will share them with my friends and family. I hope you find a fraction of the pleasure, and the desire to further study, that I have been blessed with by more closely reading the words of the prophet Nephi.