Lesson 58 - The Arrival at the Land Bountiful

When the people of Lehi reached the sea shore they rejoiced greatly that their tedious wanderings were over; for they had not traveled in a straight line from coast to coast, but had wandered around and about as the Liahona directed them, which worked according to their faith and faithfulness. Eight years had been spent in taking a journey which, had they been as faithful as they should have been, would only have occupied a few weeks or months.

They pitched their tents by the sea shore, and after many days, the voice of the Lord came unto Nephi, saying, "Arise, and get thee into the mountain.” As ever, Nephi obeyed the heavenly word. He went up into the mountain, and there cried unto the Lord. Then the Lord commanded him to build a ship, after a manner and pattern that He would show him, that the colony might be carried across the great waters that lay before them.

Here a difficulty presented itself to the mind of Nephi. He had no tools, and how was it possible to build a ship without them? So he laid the matter before the Lord, who, in answer to his prayers, told him where he could find ore with which he might make the tools he needed.

Nephi at once proceeded to carry out the commands of the Lord. With the skins of beasts he made a bellows to blow the fire, but fire as yet he had none, as the Lord had not permitted fires to be lighted in the wilderness. So he smote two stones together, and a fire was lighted. When his forge was made and his fire was lit, Nephi began to melt the ore that he had obtained to make the tools which he needed.