Nephi³, son of Nephi² and grandson of Helaman³, received charge of the plates of brass and all the sacred records when his father departed out of the land of Zarahemla, kept since the departure of Lehi from Jerusalem (3 Nephi 1:2).
In the year before Christ’s birth, when unbelievers set a day to put the believers to death unless Samuel the Lamanite’s sign came to pass, Nephi cried mightily to the Lord all that day on behalf of his people. The voice of the Lord came to him, promising that the sign would be given that night and that Christ would be born on the morrow (3 Nephi 1:11-14). His intercession came as those who held to the faith of their fathers were about to be destroyed (3 Nephi 1:11).
Nephi was visited by angels and by the voice of the Lord and was given power to know concerning the ministry of Christ (3 Nephi 7:15). He went among the people testifying of repentance and remission of sins through faith in Christ; angels ministered to him daily, and the people grew angry because his power was such that they could not disbelieve his words (3 Nephi 7:15-18). In the name of Jesus he cast out devils and unclean spirits, and raised his brother Timothy from the dead after Timothy had been stoned and killed by the people (3 Nephi 7:19; 3 Nephi 19:4). He ministered many things that were not written, because all of them could not be recorded (3 Nephi 7:17).
When the resurrected Christ appeared in the land, he called Nephi forth from the multitude and gave him power to baptize once Christ had ascended (3 Nephi 11:18-21). Afterward there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God that dwelt in the hearts of the people (4 Nephi 1:15).