1 Nephi 1

In the 10th Chapter of Revelation, John is presented a book as instructed to eat the book or in other words, take the meaningful words of the book internally.  Later, by revelation, it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that of the book -

"We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance..."  (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 77:14)

As Nephi begins the record of his father, he relates that in a vision of Lehi, pre-mortal Messiah -

"...came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord."  (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:11 - 12)

After reading of the destruction of Jerusalem -

"...when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!"  (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:14)

Nephi records then after Lehi read the book or -

"...that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard."  (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:18) 

My thoughts then this morning is much like John, that this book was a mission and an ordinance or direction.  Lehi was taught the plan of salvation with an instruction of his mission and ordinance to do so.  I personally wonder with Lehi's words, "thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish", I wonder if he also learned that his mission was yet to establish his family and posterity in a land of promise.