Lehi's Legacy

by J. Dale Miller

In 598 B.C., Lehi learned from the prophet Jeremiah that Nebuchadnezzar's army would besiege Jerusalem. Horrified, Lehi made plans to protect his family and avoid captivity. Later, when his life was threatened for preaching, the Lord instructed Lehi to take his family and go into the wilderness.

This novel portrays Lehi's profession as a merchant caravaneer, his prophetic mission in Jerusalem, his long travels, his sons' brass plates episode, and his exquisite spiritual revelations.

Lehi's dangerous journey into the desert by camel caravan not only b rought dangers and physical hardships, but resulted in powerful heavenly manifestations. This novel relives that journey with warmth and candor.

About the Author

Born in Box Elder County, Utah, J. Dale Miller graduated from Bear River High School and attended Brigham Young University for two years before entering World War II. After three year's military service, he returned to BYU where he graduated in 1947.

Following graduation he spent 30 months as an LDS missionary in France, then attended the Sorbonne as part of his work for a master's degree in French, which was granted at the Univeristy of Utah. After teaching French, Russian and Seminary for several years, he attended the University of Michigan as part of his work on a doctoral program which he completed at the University of Utah in 1964. He then spent five years as Foreign Language Supervisor in the State School Office in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 1964 he and his wife and four children traveled to Mexico City, where Dr. Miller was employed as a Foreign Service officer in the US Department of State. There he supervised the learning of Spanish and French in 21 US embassies and consulates in Middle America. He also tested hundreds of Peace Corps volunteers in Central and South America for their language proficiency.

Returning to BYU as associate professor of French he spent seven years teaching French, Education and Sociolgy. During this time he published several books dealing with cultural comparisons that he called "culture capsules."

Dr. Miller spent the next several years in private business, mostly involving computerized translation of languages and then taught English as a second language for eight years. After a mission to San Diego with his wife, Geraldine, he has devoted much of his time writing and helping care for a large posterity; including (currently) 80 great-grandchildren.

Dr. Miller has had a life-long interest in the Book of Mormon. Two years ago he decided he wanted to make a contribution that would make this wonderful book come to life. That's when he began researching for Lehi's Legacy.

He feels that he often received much inspiration in its writing. "Many times," he says, "I felt I was listening to the story dictated by this wonderful family, telling of their trials and experiences as they were guided by their father, Lehi."

"Who knows?" the author said, "if this present volume is successful, I may continue serializing further into the lives of this influential and highly spiritual family through whose great instrumentality the sacred scripture of the Books of Mormon resulted."

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