CHAPTER 7

1 And the night waned, and the eastern sky grew light, and the sun did rise. And it was morning, and we had not been discovered.

2 And it came to pass that as the light waxed stronger, we did observe that the cleft in which we had hidden ourselves continued its passage southward, deeper into the mountain. And we followed the hidden passage southward.

3 And it came to pass that same day, about three hours after the sun had fallen from noon in the heavens, that we did issue southward out of the cleft in the mountain into a land that did appear unto us as a garden of Eden. And this land was upon the shore of a very great southern sea.

4 And this new land was concealed unto itself, and there was none other way to arrive save by the cleft in the mountain, or by the sea. And no man dwelt there, and it seemed unto us as if it had been preserved by the hand of the LORD for our use.

5 And we blessed the land, and did rejoice in our deliverance, and gave thanks unto the LORD who had led us into this choice land. And we called the land Bountiful, and did name it unto ourselves and our posterity for ever.

6 Now Nephi said that it had been he who had first been led here by the spirit of the LORD, and that he should have the honor. And we rebuked him for his pride, and for his attempt to rise above us, and again was his anger kindled against us.

7 And Lemuel and I went with the sons of Ishmael, and did venture back into the cleft together, and we did seal up the hidden passage with heavy boulders, and did disguise the opening thereof, that none else could find this secret land nor disturb us therein.

8 And it had been one year from the time we had left Jerusalem unto the time we arrived in Bountiful.

9 And a year after our arrival in Bountiful did my mother give birth unto a son, and he was named Jacob. And two years later she gave birth unto another son, and he was named Joseph.

10 And it came to pass that we did tarry in the land Bountiful for the space of five years. And during that time did Ishmael pass away, and his wife Beulah; and we mourned for the loss of our friends, and their sons and daughters grieved.

11 Now because of the plenty and variety of the food in the land, we had become hale and robust in our bodies and spirits. And our lives continued well, save at times Nephi did attempt to claim a type of rulership over us, which claims were dismissed and mocked.


CHAPTER 8

1 And it came to pass that after those five years, we observed that our presence in the land could not continue for ever; for the land was hemmed in on all sides by impassable mountains, and there was no other place to go at need.

2 And children had been born unto us, and moreover our flocks and herds had multiplied; and we saw that we must in time wear out the land with our habitation, both on account of ourselves and our animals.

3 And we had separated ourselves from all other people, on account of the robbers and bandits in the desert. And our children were increasing in age, and must in time marry; but none were now among us save for close kin.

4 And we took counsel together to decide what we should do. And it was decided that we should build a ship and search for a new land.

5 Now my brethren and I had some knowledge of the learning of the Egyptians; and moreover Lemuel and I had journeyed to Joppa in our youth, and had observed the many ships on the waters of the great sea unto the west of the land of Judah, and had inquired much of the captains and mariners of those ships.

6 And the sons of Ishmael had some knowledge of the learning of the Phoenicians, who did build many of those ships on that great western sea of Judah. And Zoram had some knowledge of the learning of the Greeks, for which cause he had first entered into the service of Laban.

7 And it was decided that our ship should take of the best of the knowledge of each people, and thus would prove more seaworthy than the ships of any one people. And we brought our decision unto the LORD, and he blessed it.

8 And it came to pass that we commenced to build a ship that could carry us across the waters wheresoever we might go. And we discovered new knowledge as we built, and abandoned old knowledge at times when it did not serve our purposes.

9 But Nephi was loath to lend his aid in the building of the ship, rather he desired to direct us in all our doings. And he did this for the cause that he believed he was wiser than us all. And again we reproved him, and said, If thou dost not aid us in the building of this ship, thou alone shalt remain here when we depart.

10 And even our father and Sam also reproved Nephi, therefore Nephi did consent to do somewhat in the building of the ship. And Nephi’s countenance was darkened beyond what it had been heretofore.

11 And the men cut and fitted timber, and the women wove sails. And after three years of labor had thus passed, our ship was completed, and behold, it was built with the finest workmanship of our hands, and all the knowledge we possessed.

12 And nine years had passed since we left Jerusalem; and we began to prepare for our journey upon the open waters.

13 And it came to pass that we gathered provisions of all kinds according unto the food that grew in the land. And we took fruits and berries and dried them, and gathered honey. And when we had finished gathering, behold, the land was bare of nourishment.

14 And we did slaughter nearly all of our flocks and herds, and took the meat thereof and dried it. But fish we gathered not, for those would be found in the sea. And when we had finished, behold, we had sufficient for about eight months.

15 And it came to pass that we boarded our ship, and opened the sails, and waited; and the tide and wind bore us out into the southern sea.

Brilliant