Nephi’s Wife

Chapter 1: Out Of Jerusalem "Didi! Didi, where are you?" The echoes of my next older sister's voice reached me from the courtyard outside. I went to the window of the upper room I was sweeping and opened the shutters. "Naola! I'm in here!" I called back. She picked up her skirts and ran to the window where I stood. "Didi," she gasped. "You'd never believe who is here talking to Papa! And when we least expected it! He wants us all to come right away, so hurry!" Before I had a chance to say a word she turned, rushed back across the courtyard to one of the doors of the house and disappeared inside. I couldn't help smiling as I closed the shutters. How characteristic of Naola to forget to tell me who the visitors were! I coaxed my stubborn dark hair back into place under my head shawl, and headed toward the large common room where Papa liked to receive visitors. The first person I saw when I entered the room was indeed someone I was not expecting to see. It was my old playmate of years ago now grown tall, muscular and strong, but unexpectedly handsome and...mature. This Nephi, fourth son of Lehi, had a look in his eye that spoke of the same idealism and energy I had seen before, but with something different... I suddenly noticed he was watching me. With heart pounding furiously, I lowered my eyes and quickly found a place to sit down. Oh, why did Naola have to choose this of all times to forget to tell me who the visitors were? Then I would have known to put on a fresh dress or at least my second best head shawl! "We welcome you, four sons of the house of Lehi," my father's deep resonant voice carried across the room. A hush fell, except for the babbling of a small child. It was then I realized my older brothers, Mori and Gid, were also here with their families. This visit from the sons of Lehi must be no small matter, not just a visit to their sisters. I noticed that even Eli and Elizabeth, our house help, had joined us. Papa continued. "You have come and desired that I gather my entire household together so that you might speak with us." Papa looked proudly around the room. "We are all gathered. I invite you now to speak." The sons of Lehi all looked at each other, eyes conveying messages we could not understand, until finally Laman, the oldest of the four stood forward. "O Ishmael, and house of Ishmael, behold the gifts we bring you, complements of our father Lehi, from our most recent journeyings beyond Jerusalem." Laman indicated with his arm a polished wooden chest standing open by my father's chair, containing various cloths, spices and fruits not easily available in the city nor the land near Jerusalem. I wondered if they were from one of Lehi’s merchant trips to Egypt, or an exchange for his olive oil trade goods. “Friends and family," Laman continued. “It is our will and pleasure to invite you on the journey of a lifetime with us!” His voice trailed off, and he stood gazing at my sister Riddah. My family looked around at each other, confused. Nephi stood up and laid his hand on his brother’s arm. Laman sat down. Nephi continued, in the formality of guest speaking to host. "Ishmael and house of Ishmael, hearken to the words which I we now speak, for they are words given in truth and soberness. Our father Lehi, in the name of the Lord God, sends us to you with an important message and a request. But first there is something I must tell you of our family's recent journeyings.” He cleared his throat. "You are aware, I am sure, of the recent uprising of the people of this city against the preachings of my father, and others like him. Most recently this took the form of threats against his very life." Nephi paused to search the eyes of his audience. "I believe you are also aware, house of Ishmael, that these threats came as a result of his urging them to repent of their evil ways, or the Lord would destroy them and the city of Jerusalem." Papa nodded his head slowly. I had not heard Lehi preach directly, but Papa had, and he had several times returned home and related to us the words of this "great teacher", who was also his lifelong friend and business trading associate. Nephi continued as if driven. "Naturally Father was also concerned for the welfare of his family in this uncertain situation. Some time ago, he envisioned in a dream that his work in this city was finished, and that it was time to take himself and his family from this land, far away from the destruction that is now inevitable. The Lord would lead us to a Land of Promise; he has blessed us already in obtaining a record of the genealogy of our fathers and the teachings of the great prophets." Nephi paused, the shadow of a painful memory briefly crossing his face. "Now we have been instructed, O Ishmael, to come before you, that you may accompany us to this chosen land with all your household, that you may escape the destructions that are imminent and partake of the blessings of the Lord, and that we might raise up a righteous posterity to His name.” Nephi paused and glanced in my direction, before continuing. “It is not merely a frivolous wish that you and your household accompany us on this journey, O Ishmael; it is the Lord's commandment if ye desire to obey." Nephi paused once more as he looked around the room. "This is the message we bring you from our father Lehi. I am finished." “Where is this Promised Land?” my oldest brother, Mori, asked. “The lands of Ephraim and Manasseh to the North?” Nephi shook his head. “Even that land will not be safe. We are asked to go far into the wilderness to find the land that the Lord has prepared for us.” Everyone in the room remained in stunned silence as Nephi sat down. I couldn't help but ponder the meaning of one thing he had said. When he had mentioned posterity and glanced in my direction, I had dropped my gaze. Now my curiosity got the better of me and I looked up at him again. I had been right, he was still watching me. My heart started pounding all over again, but I kept my gaze steady. This time it was his eyes that shifted, but only when Papa's voice cut through the silence. "Nephi, son of Lehi, I am honored that I and my household have been chosen to come with you to this Land of Promise. I too have been concerned about what the destruction of Jerusalem would mean to my family. My heart is led to believe that you truly speak God's will, and my desire is to do as your father and the Lord bid, to come with you into the wilderness to this Promised Land." A murmur of voices began to rise, but Papa's raised hand stilled them. "How soon must we leave?" "As soon as you can gather together the necessary provisions," Nephi answered. "My brothers and I will help you in your preparations."