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The journeys to Bountiful & the promised land
(1 Nephi 16–22)
by Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)
Additional Reading
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Calvin D. Tolman, “Liahona: ‘Prepared of the Lord, a Compass,’” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 51 (2022): 211–52. Tolman reviews the various English interpretations of the term Liahona. He proposes that the translation of Liahona is “a vessel prepared of the Lord” and the interpretation is “a compass prepared of the Lord” (Alma 37:38).
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“Book of Mormon Evidence: Nahom,” Evidence Central, 9 March 2021. This page summarizes the current state of research regarding “the place which was called Nahom” (1 Nephi 16:34), where Ishmael₁ died. The location of this place in the Arabian desert is a “bullseye” for Latter-day Saint claims that the Book of Mormon is a historical work.
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On the recent archaeological discoveries in the Arabian Peninsula that validate the historicity story in 1 Nephi, see the articles in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15, no. 2 (2006) and also Book of Mormon Central’s KnoWhy #259, “Has the Location of Nephi’s Bountiful Been Discovered?”
Additional Videos
Portions of this lesson include segments from Journey of Faith, a 2005 documentary by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies at Brigham Young University. This documentary provides insights from Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint scholars into the route of Lehi₁’s journey through Arabia, including likely locations for Nahom, where Ishmael₁ died, and Bountiful₁, where Nephi₁ built the ship that took his family to the promised land.
In this follow-up to Journey of Faith, Latter-day Saint scholars delve into Mormon₂’s description of the Nephites’ land of promise and the religious history, culture, and traditions of its people.
How difficult would it be to make a functional bow and arrow using only primitive tools and materials on hand, as described in 1 Nephi 16:23? This Australian blogger did it with only a stone hatchet, a stone chisel, and stone blades and fire sticks. How much better would Nephi₁’s bow and arrow have been, considering that he almost certainly had more advanced tools?
