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Nephi. that there was danger of an attack from the embittered adherents of Laman,he took the sword of Laban, and, using it as a pattern, fashioned other swords for their defense. Being thus prepared for the attacks of their enemies, the Nephites repulsed them every time they came to battle.

Nephi also taught his people to be industrious. They were a lonely people, cut off from communication with all the rest of the world, without excitements, and with very few amusements that are common to most peoples. He knew that nothing would be so dangerous to their spiritual welfare, as well as to their health, as to permit them to spend their days in idleness. He, therefore, taught them many kinds of work, the women to take the wool of the sheep and the hair of the llamas and make clothes thereof; while upon the men devolved the labor of building a temple. Holding the Holy Priesthood himself, he consecrated his brothers Jacob and Joseph to be priests also.

Shortly after the arrival of Lehi and his little party on this continent, Nephi received a commandment from the Lord to make certain plates of ore on which to engrave the doings of his people. And a few years later Nephi received further instructions, wherein he was commanded to make other plates upon which also were to be engraven the history of the Nephite people. By them, both these plates were called the plates of Nephi, but they were not used for identically the same purpose. Upon one set of plates was inscribed the religious history of the people, upon the other was given in greater detail the history of their wars, contentions, development and other secular matters.

Some years later, how long we are not told, Nephi anointed another man to be king over his people, and then, having grown old, he died.