The First Book of Nephi: Chapter 1

I'm not yet sure who that is, but apparently he's important. My understanding is that Nephi is a relatively young man or boy, the youngest of four brothers, living in Jerusalem. He decided to write in the "language of my father", consisting on "The learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians". He says he won't write the stuff his dad has already documented, because it wouldn't do to repeat works already written. (Which is a little ironic, in places.)

His diary starts 576BC, telling of a great many prophets calling for the repentance of the people of Jerusalem.

His father, Lehi, encountered a pillar of fire in town one day and saw doom within it. This shook him badly enough to take to bed,`where he had another vision of angels bringing him a book. It described God, heaven and the fact that switching to HIS faith would not "perish".

Of course, Lehi took this somewhat to heart, and wrote it all on plates before setting out into the city to preach. He started going round telling the Jews that they were all sinners, wicked people doing abominable things, and that they would bring the destruction of Jerusalem.

The Jewish, being the sort of people they are, were a bit uncomfortable but laughed it off at first, so he upped his game - really getting in people's faces and preaching of the coming of the Messiah and redemption.

By this time, the Jews were getting really hacked off with this man telling them what to do and threatening them with hell when they chose to stick with their own religion.