1 Nephi 1

I, Nephi, was born to good parents. I was taught about all the things my father knew. I have faced many troubles during my life, but the Lord has always done good things for me. Yes, I have known well how good God is and also about his mysteries. From this viewpoint, I am writing the story of my life. I write in my father's language which is based on Egyptian but consists of Jewish learning. My story is true. I am writing it by my own hand from my own knowledge.

My story begins in the kingdom of Judah and in the city Jerusalem, where my father Lehi had lived his whole life. The time was the first year of King Zedekiah's reign. That year, many prophets began telling the people to change their evil ways, or else Jerusalem would be destroyed. Because of this, one day while Lehi was out walking, he stopped to pray to God. He prayed with all his heart for his people. Then while he was praying, a pillar of fire came on a rock in front of him and stayed there. Lehi saw and heard many things that made him very afraid.

Afterward, he returned to his own house at Jerusalem. He threw himself on his bed, overcome by the Spirit and what he had seen.