1 Nephi 1:9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
These stories begin with a family. There was a mother, Sariah, and a father named Lehi. They lived together in a city called Jerusalem with their children a long, long time ago. And the family was happy. Lehi and Sariah loved each other. They loved their sons, Laman and Lemuel and Sam and Nephi. They loved their city and the people in it. But most of all, they loved God. They trusted God. And that love and trust filled their life with light and hope and beauty.
But this is not a happy story about a happy family living a happy life in a cozy suburb of a happy city. It is quite the opposite. The family is going to suffer. Their love will be tested. The city will be destroyed. The family will lose all their money. They will live in tents. They will cross the ocean. They will fight and argue with each other. They will sin and repent. And…
