1 Nephi 9

As Nephi continues writing on the his new record some thirty years after leaving Jerusalem, he again comments of this particular record -

"...wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry..." (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 9:4)

And later he writes -

"...I, Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates; and that the things which were written should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which purposes are known unto the Lord." (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 19:3)

I sense Nephi's vision of what there plates were for is to record the revelations, sacred experiences, and prophetic teachings that may be used in "the ministry" and for "the instruction of my people". I can almost sense that in our day, it would considered a manual. Is it any wonder he included the teachings and experiences of his father, his own revelations, teachings, and testimony, and also the teachings of a recent prophet, Isaiah.

Nephi felt it was very important that his people understand that his father had prophecied -

"...concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness..." (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 10:7 - 8)

I think it is interesting that Lehi emphasized that this prophet would come forth teaching in the wilderness. We now know that -

"...John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey..." (New Testament | Matthew 3:4)

Luke wrote of an interesting event of -

"...the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple..." (New Testament | Luke 11:51)

I am no Bible historian and I don't know if this Zacharias referred to was an ancient prophet or maybe the father of John. But I wonder if this is true, that maybe Elizabeth was forced to flee into the so called wilderness for safety and raise John in the most humble of circumstances.

Again, it would be another testament of great prophets, even some in our day, that arose from the humblest of circustances. Another great lesson in Nephi's gospel manual.