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What story does the Book of Mormon tell about Lehi's family?
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Mormon temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Book of Mormon recounts the history of a group of Hebrews who migrated from Jerusalem to America around 600 BCE, led by a prophet named Lehi.
After arriving in the Americas, the group multiplied and eventually divided into two distinct factions:
- The Nephites: This group developed culturally and constructed great cities. According to the text, Jesus appeared to and taught the Nephites following his Ascension. They were eventually destroyed by the Lamanites around 400 CE.1
- The Lamanites: This group is described as having abandoned their original beliefs. The text identifies them as the ancestors of the American Indians.1
The history of these groups and the teachings they received were recorded on gold plates by the prophet Mormon and his son, Moroni, before being revealed to Joseph Smith in the 19th century.1