Yahweh tells Lehi to look upon the ball or director. The entire party does so and is astonished to discover that the ball is no longer a simple, though unusual, director. Even though it retains its spindles as the chief mechanism of functioning, it is now also an instrument of revelation. This is the first time they have seen words on the spindles, or at least have seen a change in the words on the spindles. Nephi’s explanation that this phenomenon continued to occur is an emendation based on his later experiences.
Nephi concludes that the ball operated according to their faith. This was an astute deduction on his part, if this is the first time that the Liahona had given such specific instructions. Apparently they had not consulted the Liahona about this particular problem, and this lack of consultation corresponded to their “murmuring.” Now, freshly humbled and repentant, they consult the Liahona as God directs and finds it functioning at a new level.
In verse 29, Nephi concludes: “And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.” Of all the lessons Nephi might have derived from this incident, he presents this one. He does not wax eloquent about faith or the dangers of pride. Rather, he understands that Yahweh uses—perhaps even prefers—small means to produce great effects.