The Fertile Wilderness in the Book of Mormon refers to a region within the larger wilderness area traversed by Nephi and his family during their journey from Jerusalem to the promised land. After leaving the Valley of Lemuel, they moved in a southeasterly course along the borders near the Red Sea. This fertile wilderness contained areas rich enough to support their needs, as it provided hunting grounds from which they could obtain food for sustenance. The resources found in this wilderness were essential for their survival during a challenging leg of their exodus (1 Nephi 16:14).
The family's journey through this area was directed by a mysterious object called the Liahona, which operated based on their faith and diligence. The Liahona led them through more fertile parts, which would have been necessary to maintain the family and their flocks during their extended travel through a typically harsh and unforgiving wilderness. This demonstrates the significance the family placed on guidance they believed to be providential in finding their way through dangerous and potentially desolate regions (1 Nephi 16:16).
Within the fertile parts of the wilderness, Nephi faced a significant trial when his steel bow broke, leaving the family in a dire situation, as hunting was a singular means of obtaining food. However, with faith and resourcefulness, Nephi constructed a new bow out of wood and used it to obtain food, reaffirming the faith of his family in God’s guidance and provision (1 Nephi 16:23, 31).
In essence, the Fertile Wilderness presented a blend of challenge and providence, symbolizing the trials, faith, and reliance on divine help that characterized Nephi's family's journey to a new land and life.