Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/2 Nephi/Chapter 3
Lehi speaks to his son Joseph...
(compare 2 Nephi, chapter 3)
My youngest son, Joseph, born in the wilderness during our greatest sorrow. May the Lord consecrate this choice land as an inheritance for you, your brothers and your descendants, that it may be for your security forever as you keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
The Lord will bless you forever, Joseph, because He will not allow your descendants to be completely destroyed.
My son, I'm a descendant of Joseph of old, who was sold into Egypt, with whom the Lord made great covenants.
Joseph of old truly saw our day. The Lord promised him that through his descendants He would raise up a righteous branch of the house of Israel -- not the Messiah, but a branch that would be broken off and carried across the ocean.
The Lord promised Joseph of old that in the last days, in the spirit of power, the Messiah would be made known to this broken-off branch of Israel, and that this knowledge would bring them out of hidden darkness and captivity and into the light of freedom! The Lord said to Joseph of old,
"I will raise up one of your descendants to be a choice seer.
He will be honored among your descendants. I will command. This choice seer to do a great work for his brethren. This work will be of great worth to them, for it will bring them knowledge of the covenants I made with you and your fathers.
I will make this choice seer great in my eyes because he will obey me, doing only what I command him. He will be great like Moses, whom I said I will raise up to deliver my people -- your father's descendants -- out of Egypt.
And your descendant, this choice seer Joseph, will have power to bring my word to your other descendants, convincing them that my words (The Holy Bible), which they will already have among them, are true.”
The Lord continued speaking to Joseph of old:
"Your descendants, and the descendants of your brother, Judah, will write.
In the last days, their writings will grow together to...
- ...confound false doctrines
- ...end disputes
- ...establish peace among your descendants
- ...and bring them knowledge of the covenants
- I made with their forefathers.
From the choice seer's weakness, I will make him strong in the day when my work begins among all my people. A work that will gather in and restore the house of your father, Israel."
Then Joseph of old prophesied, "The Lord will bless that seer, and anyone who seeks to destroy his work will be frustrated, for I'm sure the Lord's promises about the great things he'll do will be fulfilled.
This seer will bear my name, Joseph.
His father will also be named Joseph.
This seer will be like me, for the things the Lord will bring through him will bring salvation to my people.
I'm just as sure that the latter-day Joseph will accomplish his work as I am that Moses will accomplish his, for the Lord promised to preserve my descendants forever."
The Lord then told Joseph of old,
"I will raise up Moses and give him power in a staff and judgment in writing.
Moses will not say much, for I will not make him a mighty speaker. But I will write my law with my finger and give it to him.
I will also give him a spokesman (Aaron).
In the last days, I will raise up your descendant, Joseph the seer, and give him power in translating your descendants' writings.
I will also give him a spokesman (Oliver Cowdery), who will write the translation for your latter-day descendants.
In my wisdom, the words the seer will translate will be the words I want your latter-day descendants to have.
I know the faith of those who will write to their descendants, whose words will be as if they were warning them from the grave.
Even from the dust, they'll be crying repentance to their descendants many generations later.
The words of their cries will be simple, yet because of their faith, I will make their simple, weak words strong.
These words will give their descendants knowledge of the covenants I made to your father Israel, to your grandfather Isaac, and to your great-grandfather, Abraham.”
After Lehi finished reading what the Lord had said to Joseph of old, he said,
"My youngest son, Joseph, this is how Joseph, our forefather of old, prophesied.
And because of the covenants the Lord made with him, you are blessed. Your descendants will not be destroyed, for they'll read and obey the warnings of their forefathers written in the book (The Book of Mormon). And among your descendants, a mighty one will rise up.
- Note: This same mighty one is also mentioned in D&C 113:5-6.
He'll say and do much good, and he'll be an instrument in God's hands. He'll have extremely great faith to work mighty wonders and to do great things in God's sight. He'll restore much of the house of Israel--gathering the tribes.
You're blessed, Joseph, yet still very young. Listen to your older brother, Nephi, and all the blessings I've mentioned will come to pass. Remember these words of your dying father. Amen."