LEHI AND HIS SONS THEY CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY.

When Lehi moved into the wilderness he went as the Lord guided him. He was told that he would be led to a choice land, and he trusted in the Lord to be guided in the right direction.

Lehi and his company had been camping by the shore of the Red Sea for some time, when one night the Lord told Lehi to start again on his journey the next morning. He did not know which way to go, but he knew the Lord would show him, as He had done before.

The next morning when Lehi arose he saw lying on the ground near his tent door a ball made of fine brass. It was curiously formed. Inside the ball were two spindles, or needles. One of these needles pointed in the direction the people were to travel. The Lord had placed this ball by Lehi's tent door that he might use it as a guide on his journey. Lehi called this ball liahona.

As the Lord commanded, Lehi's company gathered up their property, their tents, provisions and seeds of all kinds, and started in the direction that was pointed out by the liahona, or brass ball. The reason they took seeds with them was that they might plant them in the country to which they were going. As they traveled along they camped from time to time in order to get food. While stopping at camp the men would take their bows and arrows and hunt animals, which they killed for food. In those days they did not have guns, as people have now. They used bows and arrows, and sometimes slings with which they would throw stones. They did not make fires to cook their food, but ate the meat raw. The Lord blessed the food for their sakes and it made them strong and healthy.

LEHI FINDS THE LIAHONA.

Sometimes it was hard for the men to get enough food for all the company. The animals were not very plentiful, although the road they took was through the best part of the country, along the side of the Red Sea. But much of the country through which they traveled was rocky and barren. There was but little water to be found.

At one time when the company stopped Nephi broke his bow while he and his brethren were hunting. His brothers' bows about the same time lost their springs and were not as good as they had been. On this account they returned to camp without killing any animals, and so they were left without food.

Their bows were made of steel, and they had no way of mending them when broken. As they depended on these weapons for food they felt very sorrowful when Nephi's bow was broken. The people were hungry, and they did not know what to do to get food. Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael began to complain very much. Even Lehi complained at this time, for they were all suffering for food, and it was a very hard trial to them.

At last Nephi made a bow of wood, and out of a straight stick made an arrow. He then asked his father where he should go to get food. Lehi, not knowing where to direct him, inquired of the Lord. The Lord told Lehi to look at the ball of brass which he had found near his tent door. He did so, and there on the ball was writing which told just where he should go.

Lehi and Nephi found that the ball or liahona directed them according to their faith. When they lost faith it would not direct them, but when their faith was strong it would show them where to go or what to do.

According to the directions on the ball Nephi went into the tops of the mountains to find wild animals. There he killed enough to furnish food for all the company, and when he returned with it they were all glad.

After this they traveled on for several days. At the next stopping place Ishmael died, and was buried there. His daughters mourned very much over his loss, and they complained of Lehi for bringing them from Jerusalem. Laman and Lemuel were still not satisfied, and they found fault with their father, and wanted to kill him and Nephi and then go back to their old home.

But the Lord was with Nephi. His Holy Spirit rested upon him when he spoke to his brothers, and by reasoning with them he persuaded them to obey their father Lehi.

The next stopping place for this little colony or company of people was near the shore of the Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean, a long, long way from Jerusalem. Here was a beautiful country in which there was to be found plenty of food of different kinds. They named this place Bountiful, because so much fruit and honey was found there. They had spent eight years in the wilderness traveling between Jerusalem and this place near the great ocean.

From this story we can learn some good lessons. It shows us that the Lord is ever watching over His children. When Lehi and his company were in want of food He knew of their suffering, but He wanted to try them. When they had been tried enough He showed them how to obtain the food they needed. On this journey the company learned that it was necessary to trust in the Lord and have faith in Him, for they saw that the brass ball which was given them by the Lord to direct them would work only according to their faith.

Points to be remembered in this story: Lehi instructed by the Lord to continue on his journey—He finds a brass ball by his tent door—It points out the direction in which the company should travel—The colony start again on their journey—They stop at times to catch wild animals to eat—Use bows and arrows to shoot with—Nephi breaks his bow, and the company are without food—Nephi makes a wooden bow and goes to the tops of the mountain, where he finds plenty of animals—At another stopping place Ishmael dies, Laman and Lemuel want to kill Lehi and Nephi—Nephi by the power of the Lord gets them to obey their father—The company continue their travels and come to the great sea, now called the Arabian Sea, or Indian Ocean—Here they find plenty of food—The Lord always watches over His children—He lets them suffer in order to try them—It is necessary to trust in the Lord always.