Nephi’s small plates were nearly full, but he had commanded his descendants to continue writing about the spiritual experiences of his people. In the book of Omni, we see how the last five authors fulfilled that commandment. The final author, Amaleki, introduces two new civilizations: the Mulekites (led by Zarahemla) and the Jaredites. He urges us to come unto Christ and offer our whole souls as an offering to Him (Omni 1:26).
Chapter Outline
- Omni (v. 1-3)
- Amaron (v. 4-8)
- Chemish (v. 9)
- Abinadom (v. 10-11)
- Amaleki (v. 12-30)
- Nephites unite with the people of Zarahemla (v. 12-19)
- Mosiah interprets the Jaredite stone (v. 20-22)
- Amaleki delivers the plates to King Benjamin (v. 23-25)
- Come Unto Christ (v. 26)
- A group returns to the land of Nephi (v. 27-30)
My Takeaways
- Written records are important, particularly spiritual records.
- We can “come unto Christ” by trusting Him, by striving to emulate Him, and by hearing and heeding His voice.
- A consistent practice of fasting and prayer can help us over time to receive the redemptive and saving power of Jesus Christ.
- The greatest gift we can give to the Savior is our heart and our “whole soul.”
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Writings of Omni – Omni 1:1-3
I of Myself Am a Wicked Man – Omni 1:2
2 Wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nephites, from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But behold, I of myself am a wicked man, and I have not kept the statutes and the commandments of the…
How Were the Small Plates of Nephi Preserved for So Long?
Nephi created two sets of plates. One set contained a record of the history of his people (the large plates) and the other set contained a record of his ministry (the small plates) (1 Nephi 6:3-6, 1 Nephi 9:2-4). Before Nephi’s death, he delivered the small plates to his younger brother Jacob, with instructions to…
❖ Writings of Amaleki – Omni 1:12-30
Amaleki
Amaleki’s father knew “of no revelation.” How did Amaleki come to write such a powerful testimony? He had no children, and his brother was gone. Was he alone? Like Amaleki, we can contribute meaningfully, regardless of our background and circumstances.
❖ The People of Zarahemla – Omni 1:12-19
Their Language Had Become Corrupted – Omni 1:17-18
17 And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator;…
❖ The Jaredites – Omni 1:20-22
What Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates?
Like a play within a play, the Book of Mormon, an ancient record translated by the power of God, contains a story of another ancient record which was translated by the power of God. The first mention of this record appears in the Book of Omni, near the end of the Small Plates of Nephi.…
❖ “Come Unto Christ” – Omni 1:26
How to “Come unto Christ”
Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me. Doctrine and Covenants 88:63 The phrase “come unto Christ” only appears three times in the Book of Mormon. Jacob tells us that he labored diligently to persuade his people to come unto Christ (Jacob 1:7). Amaleki ends the small plates of Nephi…
Partake of His Salvation – Omni 1:26
26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to…
What Are the Purposes of Fasting?
Yesterday, I wrote about how the Savior’s sacrifice sanctifies us—makes us holy. I also wrote that we receive the blessings of that sacrifice by offering our own sacrifices to him in a spirit of humility and contrition. Today, I’ve studied a specific kind of sacrifice which both predated the Savior’s atonement and continues today: fasting.…
Old Testament Foundations
The Sons of Jacob
Jacob had twelve sons. Each of them was unique, with his own strengths and weaknesses. In the Genesis narrative, as each son is born, we learn not only their name but also the significance of the name to Rachel or Leah (Genesis 29:32-35, Genesis 30:1-24, Genesis 35:18). Some of these boys were their literal children,…
The Fast That I Have Chosen
“What’s the point of fasting?” ask the children of Israel in Isaiah 58. “Why are we torturing ourselves when God doesn’t even notice?” In response, Isaiah contrasts the way they are currently fasting with the way God wants them to fast: Current Expected The Book of Mormon emphasizes the importance of fasting: President Henry B.…
“Fasting and Praying” – Omni 1:26
I’ve been thinking about fasting today, partly because President Nelson has invited us to participate in a worldwide fast this weekend and to pray for “relief from the physical, emotional, and economic effects” of COVID-19. I was drawn to the following plea from Amaleki, the last writer in the small plates of Nephi: Come unto…
New Testament Parallels
“What Can I Give Him?”
The wise men gave Jesus the best they had to offer: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Our gifts may be different, but they can be just as meaningful. Christina Rosetti said she would give Him her heart. Amaleki urged us to offer Him our whole souls.
Church History Connections
How to “Come unto Christ”
Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me. Doctrine and Covenants 88:63 The phrase “come unto Christ” only appears three times in the Book of Mormon. Jacob tells us that he labored diligently to persuade his people to come unto Christ (Jacob 1:7). Amaleki ends the small plates of Nephi…
All Posts Referencing Omni
- Eulogy vs. Resume (11/28/2025)
- Seeing the Face of God (8/27/2025)
- Wickedness (2/13/2025)
- By the Gift and Power of God (1/3/2025)
- Good Tidings of Great Joy (12/24/2024)
- In the Wilderness (5/11/2024)
- Language and Understanding (4/27/2024)
- Amaleki (4/19/2024)
- “What Can I Give Him?” (12/22/2023)
- How to Love a Samaritan (4/23/2023)
- The Fast That I Have Chosen (10/6/2022)
- Fasting: How Long and How Often? (4/29/2022)
- The Sons of Jacob (3/5/2022)
- Endure in Faith (6/8/2021)
- Record-keeping (3/7/2021)
- How to “Come unto Christ” (12/22/2020)
- “They Had Given Themselves to Much Prayer and Fasting” – Alma 17:3 (6/24/2020)
- Ammon Was a Mulekite. (4/30/2020)
- King Benjamin and Contention (4/14/2020)
- “Their Language Had Become Corrupted” – Omni 1:17 (3/31/2020)
- How Were the Small Plates of Nephi Preserved for So Long? (3/29/2020)
- “Fasting and Praying” – Omni 1:26 (3/28/2020)
- What Are the Purposes of Fasting? (11/18/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Hand of the Lord in My Life? (10/27/2019)
- What Is the Ministering of Angels? (8/4/2019)
- What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi? (7/19/2019)
- Why Is Family History Important? (7/17/2019)
- What Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates? (5/26/2019)
- What Do Book of Mormon Prophets Teach Us About Coming Unto the Savior? (2/13/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Come Unto Christ?” (2/11/2019)
- What Is the Gift of Tongues? (1/16/2019)
- They Had Brought No Records with Them – Omni 1:17-19 (11/9/2018)
- Their Language Had Become Corrupted – Omni 1:17-18 (10/13/2017)
- Partake of His Salvation – Omni 1:26 (12/31/2016)
- Offer Your Whole Souls – Omni 1:26 (4/14/2015)
- I of Myself Am a Wicked Man – Omni 1:2 (4/12/2015)