Having come to the moment in his ministry where he must bring his sacred account on the small plates to a close, Nephi shares his innermost thoughts. He has been favored of the Lord to behold many grand and extraordinary things pertaining to the design of heaven for mankind. He has viewed the generations of time, witnessed the coming and going of nations, perceived the flow of history from the beginning even until the end, and watched in anguish the inevitable decline of the rebellious and with joy the spiritual prosperity of the covenant faithful.
After all these grand episodes and revelations what does Nephi, in his final remarks, choose to emphasize in his closing witness for future readers? It is the simple and pure doctrine of Christ. It is a solemn reminder of the efficacy of the principles of faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is an earnest plea to his readers to take upon themselves the name of Christ and endure to the end. Nephi places his seal of confirmation upon these final words of counsel central to the gospel of Jesus Christ.