Lehi’s family had riches and stature in Jerusalem, but when Lehi warned the people of Jerusalem that their bad choices would cause their city to be destroyed, the people threatened to kill him. Lehi prayed to the Lord about what to do and was told to take his family and leave Jerusalem. Lehi chose to obey the Lord.

Lehi’s oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel didn’t believe him. They wanted to stay in Jerusalem. They said their father was a ‘visionary man.’ They loved their home, their friends, and the things gold and silver could buy more than they loved the Lord. Their mother, Sariah, and younger brothers, Sam and Nephi, chose to pray to the Lord for answers themselves. They chose to follow Lehi’s directions and the Lord’s counsel willingly, even when the answers seemed hard.

Lehi took his family, tents, animals and other provisions into the wilderness. They left their comfortable home, their gold, silver and precious things behind.

1 Nephi 2:3 “And it came to pass that he (Lehi) was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.”

1 Nephi 1:20 ” . . . the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.”

1 Nephi 1:1 “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; . . . “

Mosiah 4:14-15 “And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil . . . But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another and to serve one another.”

Prov. 22:6 “Train up a chlid in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Isaiah 54:13 ” And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

Eph. 6:4 ” And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

2 Nephi 25:26 “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

Mosiah 4:15 “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.”

3 Nephi 18:21 “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.”

Tasks never end.

Missions can be accomplished.

“Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.” James 3:5

Jill Hawkley Peterson accomplishing her mission to bike from Washington state to mile 0, Florida Keys.