Liahona Compass

The Liahona was an object that God gave to Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, and his family as a guide. It is first mentioned in 1 Ne. 16: 10. The Liahona is described as a round ball, made of brass, with two pointers that gave directions, similar to a compass. However the Liahona differed from a compass because it only worked if Lehi and his family were being righteous (see 1 Ne. 16: 28-29, and Alma 37: 40) and exerted the proper faith. They also received instruction through the Liahona. In 1 Nephi 16:29 it says that there was a place on the outside of the Liahona where writing would appear and change from time to time. It is also mentioned that there was sometimes written on the pointers.

Lehi and his family finally reached the Promised Land (the American Continent), they lived in peace for a while, until Lehi died. His son Nephi was a good man and was chosen to be a prophet. His older brothers were angry with him because they thought he was trying to take away their power as head of the family. They wanted to kill Nephi, so Nephi and all who would follow him, fled into the wilderness. In 2 Nephi 5:12 Nephi mentions that he had taken the Liahona with him. After this it is assumed that the Liahona was passed down from generation to generation through the prophets. In Mosiah 1:16, it is learned that King Mosiah gave the Liahona, along with other important items such as the record they kept, to his son Benjamin when he was announced as the next king.

This process probably continued all the way through the Book of Mormon. In Doctrine and Covenants 17:1 it says that the three men who had been chosen to be witnesses of the Gold Plates would also see the Liahona. This means that the Liahona continued to be passed down through the prophets until it reached Moroni the last of the Nephite prophets. Moroni hid the plates, the Liahona, and other items in a stone box buried in a hill. Later, the prophet Joseph Smith was told by revelation where to find these items.

The word Liahona has taken on great symbolic meaning for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is often used to stand for the idea of being righteous, allowing Heavenly Father to be our guide, and any other figurative compass that points us to Christ. It is also the name given to the Church's international magazine. This symbolism stems from a lecture given by a Book of Mormon prophet named Alma to his son Helaman. Alma says:

I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness. And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day....

And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.... The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever (Alma 37:38-46).

For a more in-depth article about the Liahona read "The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle" by Robert L. Bunker