1 Nephi

 1 Nephi 1

It all starts here, with parents dear 

Lehi and Sariah 

He’s called like Moses from above 

In a pillar of glorious fire

His soul rejoiced, his heart was filled

With visions of Christ the King 

Lord God Almighty, he declared 

Let earth and angels sing

A calling to declare this truth 

Jerusalem to Redeem 

Rejection, anger from the Jews

To take his life they scheme

But tender mercies of the Lord

Are over all of those

Whom he hath chosen, because of faith

Delivered from worldly foes

1 Nephi 2 

He dreamed a dream to flee the land 

With trust and faith he did obey

In wilderness of desert sand 

Dwelt in a tent, his head to lay

Laman and Lemuel knew not God 

Or of His dealings with man 

They lacked the faith to hold the rod 

Doubtful, thinking no one can

But Nephi cried unto the Lord 

Received a softened heart 

So he believed his fathers word

And holding fast, would not depart

A cursing for rebellions seed

A blessing given to those who heed

1 Nephi 3

Lehi dreamed another dream; commandment 

His sons must seek the plates of brass from Laban 

Needed for their spiritual advancement

The eldest sons had hesitant frustration

I will go and do what God has asked me 

Was Nephi’s answer to this anxious father 

The brothers went and tried, twice had to flee 

Anger; questioned, should we even bother?

An angel came, protection and a promise 

Deliver Laban to your hands who robbed us

1 Nephi 4

The sword of Laban, gold and steel, withdrawn

Its master, drunken off stolen spoils, sleeps

Nephi shrinks, is God's command not wrong?

The Spirit teaches, the Lords decree he keeps

God's sword of justice hangs over wicked men 

His righteous purposes he must fulfill 

Precious truths on plates of brass for them 

That diligently seek to do His will

Lehi's children are forever blessed 

When precious truths they tightly hold to breast

1 Nephi 5 - Chiasmic

A mothers anxious heart drawn out in fear

Her precious boys are gone, will they return? 

Raw questions for her husband as a seer

She mourned their loss, but faithfully she yearned

Rejoice exceedingly, she now has seen

Elated by the witness of his call 

These stripling men return from where they've been 

A mothers faith filled heart comforts them all

Great worth, the precious plates their hands have saved 

Commandments for posterity engraved

1 Nephi 6

Nephi's command unto his seed

The desire of his heart 

Is to record on timeless plates

And the things of God impart

The fullness of his just intent 

Persuade men now and then 

Believe the God of Israel

Please God, not worldly men

1 Nephi 7

Not meant to travel the desert sands alone 

The Lord sends Lehi’s sons to Ishmael 

His favour gained, the hand of God is shown

Together these great families lives are sealed

Rebellion turns these brothers ‘gainst each other

Tasting sand and bound he prays in faith

Nephi's bands are loosed, then plead the others

Frank forgiveness given in this case.

This family, though tested, was together 

The forming of a Nation, known forever

1 Nephi 8

A vision of the tree of life was given

A tree of light, midst darkness and a shroud 

With path and iron rod the way not hidden 

But many lost who heed the scornful proud

From vaulted heights the great and spacious host

Cast mocking words of vanity and hate 

Continually holding fast, the Saints not lost 

On bended knee they joyfully did taste

It fills our souls with hopeful light from One 

Beloved of the Father, Chosen Son

1 Nephi 9

Haiku

Plates of ministry 

A wise purpose I know not 

The Lord knows all things

or

                 PURPOSE

                 LORD

       PREPARE

       MINISTRY

          WISE

                 SPECIAL

1 Nephi 10

The Jews are carried captive to Babylon 

Returning in the due time of the Lord 

Six hundred years the coming of the Word 

The Saviour of the world, Redeeming One

Prepare the way, cries one before He's known

Whose latchet I’m unworthy to unloose 

Baptized in Bethabara for the truth 

The Lamb of God in glory is now shown

Diligently seeking ye shall find 

The mysteries of God then shall unfold 

Revealing power of the Holy Ghost 

Desirous shall know in heart and mind

Messiah, promised deliverer of the Jews  

Delivered them and will deliver you

1 Nephi 11

The tree of white like pure and driven snow

A symbol of the love of God for all 

The Lamb of God, in virgin arms, so small

Condescends from heaven that He may show

In power and great glory He did minister

Afflicted, sick, possessed were all made whole 

The Word of God an iron rod to hold

But darkness had its plans for Him, so sinister

The people of that great and spacious place 

Judged the everlasting Son of God

Lifted up upon that wicked rod

Slain, back to His Fathers warm embrace

In falling, His redemption now completed

Those that fight against Him are defeated

1 Nephi 12

Nephi’s vision continues and starts to darken 

Brothers fight, to the evil one they hearken

Posterity like sands of endless sea

From hell, the filthy water, will they plea?

The remnant cast their eyes toward the Light

The Lamb of God who ever wins the fight 

Twelve others He has chosen, minister 

The Holy Ghost descends to visit there

Three generations pass, their garments white

Whitened through the blood of the lamb

But mists of darkness blindeth mind and sight 

Dwindling in unbelief, their damned

That gulf of justice divides the unbelieving

From those with faith in Jesus’ redeeming

1 Nephi 13

The kingdoms and nations of Gentiles rise

Among them is formed a Great Church 

A church of the devil whe who slayeth the saints 

For gold, silver and harlots its search

A man among Gentiles is wrought on by God

Setting forth upon waters so wide 

The Gentiles come forth to the promised land 

The seed of his brethren can't hide

Scattered and smitten the remnant are cast

But endure with the hope of much more 

The words of the Jews in a book cometh forth 

The promise of God lay in Store

Though pure from the mouth of the Jews it comes

The great great and abdominal sham

Has taken away the precious and plain 

From the Gospel of Christ the Lamb

But the merciful arm of the Lord is revealed 

To the Jew and the Gentile as one 

A book from the dust rises forth with the truth 

His gospel and plan of salvation

The words of the Jews and the word's of his seed

Coming forth to enlighten the way 

Establishing truth of the first and the last 

Publish peace and glad tidings today

The time cometh forth that He'll show Himself 

Unto Jew and Gentile as well 

The last shall be first and the first shall be last

Beautiful upon the hill

1 Nephi 14

When Gentiles hearken unto the Lamb of God

The blessings of the fathers shall be theirs 

With Israel the chosen one joint heirs 

With righteousness and faith their feet are shod

The time will come when I will work a work 

One marvellous and great among the people

Convincing them of peace and life eternal 

But willful blind will not be saved from murk

Remember, then the covenants of the father?

Binding faithful Saints to God above

In power and great glory shows his love 

Amidst the anger, warring wrath and pother

A vision of the Revelator John

The book he writes of latter days upon

1 Nephi 15

A brother and a budding prophet seer

Nephi’s overcome with his affliction

The falling of his people is made clear 

In vision of their painful self destruction

His faithless brothers continue in their hardness

When asked, have ye inquired of the Lord? 

They say the Lord makes no thing known unto us

 We cannot by ourselves receive his word

Attempting to expound the visions meaning 

The tree, the rod, the gulf of water too 

Their eyes are blind, their ears are hard of hearing

They've not applied their hearts to heavens view

The wicked are rejected, not the righteous 

From the tree of life, whose fruit is precious.

February 9, 2025

1 Nephi 16

The desert sends are blowing in the face 

The trials of the plainly spoken word 

Compounded with the hunger and the space 

Are testing this small band of wanderers

But amidst the thals to faith and body too

Are bursts of joy as wife and husband vow 

The Liahona found, wondrous and new 

Guiding them despite the broken bow

The death of Ishmael tests them to the core 

Desires for the way things used to be 

How could the God of Love have brought us here? 

To face these fiery winds and misery

It came to pass the Lord was with us still

Chastening, imploring to do his will

February 8, 2025

1 Nephi 17

Eight years we travelled in the wilderness

Keeping the commandments He did nourish us

Found Bountiful the land of fruit and plenty

Exceedingly rejoiced in our days many

Go up unto the mount to hear my voice 

Thou shalt construct a ship that is choice 

Smite two stores to light and make a fire 

Billows blow, melt ore for tools desired

Nephi’s soul is rent with awful anguishing 

His brothers call him fool, his soul is languishing

Filled with Power of God his flesh consumed 

They touch him not for fear of being doomed

Like Moses and the parting of the sea 

A way prepared, who follow faithfully 

1 Nephi 18

Ascending oft unto the mount to pray

Instructed in the manner of the Lord

A ship is built, fine workmanship displayed 

Go down into the ship is heavens word

In rudeness and in merriment Some played 

Nephi feared the Lord and spoke his mind 

Hardened and in bitterness they stayed 

With Nephi bound, to pleading tears were blind

Nothing save the awful power of God 

That threatened them with death beneath the sea

Would soften heart and in their humbling awed 

Great calm on water and in family

Nephi guides the ship for many days 

A promised land is found to live His ways

1 Nephi 19

                 SACRED

                 COMMANDED

       RECORDED

            VISION OF CHRIST

                 PRECIOUS

                 TWO

       PERSUADE

                 READ

            LIKEN

     PURPOSE I KNOW NOT

1 Nephi 20

Hearken to my words O house of Jacob 

Come forth from Judah’s water sanctified 

Forget not Him to whom thou art now bound 

Soften they neck of iron sinews pride

Unplug thy ear and wash thine eyes to see 

Thou art chosen in a furnace of affliction 

To cleanse the inner vessel and be free 

From worldly pull and ripening addiction

Know you're Mine, and I will fight your fights 

I've shown myself to you from the beginning 

Go ye forth and flee from Babylon 

The Lord redeemed His servant, rejoice with singing

They thirsted not, He led them through the desert 

He cleaved the rock and water gusheth out

1 Nephi 21

Hearken O ye house of Israel

Broke off and driven out by sin 

People from afar and on the isles 

From birth I have been called, thy souls to win

Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One, Redeemer 

Go forth, to them that languish in the prison 

Shine forth, to those in darkness, I've redeemed her 

Your pastures and your houses shall be risen

Zion saith, the Lord forsaketh me

Can a woman forget her precious infant child? 

Yet they may, but I will not forget thee 

I have graven thee upon my palm and smiled

I will contend with him that fighteth fighteth thee 

Thy children will be saved, they will be free

1 Nephi 22

Scattered on the isles of the sea 

Hated of all nations and all men 

Nursed by Gentiles as a mother hen 

A mighty Gentile nation ye shall see

God, the Lord, makes bare His holy arm 

His gospel preached unto that broken branch

Gathered from captivity and given chance 

To hear the Word, the warning and alarm

Churches that are built up up to get gain 

And all those who are built up to get power 

Who seek the lusts of flesh this very hour 

Shall fall and be consumed as stubble, slain

All nations, kindreds, tongues and people shall

Dwell safely with the Holy the of Israel 

If it be that they will yet repent 

And find their place with God, for which they’re meant