Now it came to pass that after the ^asons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had ^bselected, go up to the land of ^cNephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites—