The three problems of no air, no steering or propulsion capability and no light challenged the Jaredite boat builders, but the Lord’s response provided the necessary solutions:

The Problem of Lack of Air within the Boats—The Lord’s remedy for no air was to direct the brother of Jared to “make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood” (Ether 2:20). It would stand to reason that these “holes” were hatches that could be opened or removed for air (unstopped) when necessary, and closed tight when necessary, to prevent the entry of water. The term “hole” does not imply that the opening had to be round. The top hatch most likely was positioned on the top deck of the boats and the bottom hatch was located on the bottom hull, not underneath the boat below the water surface, but on the side of the hull above the waterline. A hole in the bottom hull, but under the waterline, as sometimes suggested, would not allow the passage of air and would create a waterproofing problem and serve no useful purpose. A location on the side, but above the waterline, would still be “in the bottom” hull as implied by the scriptural text. This side position of the hatch would solve the problem of access to air without the attendant challenges of locations below the waterline. Note that the hull already had a larger door on the side or top for boarding people, animals and supplies, that “when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish” (Ether 2:17). Unlike the door, the two hatches could be smaller, say two feet by two feet, but still large enough for passage of air and for access to the exterior of the boat from the top or the side, without opening a sizable boarding door.

The Problem of No Steering or Propulsion for the Boats—The eight vessels were designed by the Lord to be “light upon the water” and to drift by movement of the winds and ocean currents across the “great deep” to the promised land, and to protect them when temporarily submerged by the waves. These were not submarines that could travel and maneuver below the level of the ocean. The Lord assured the brother of Jared that “the winds have gone forth out of my mouth” (Ether 2:24). And that he had prepared them “against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods [overflow] which shall come” (Ether 2:25). The Lord did cause the wind to “blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind” (Ether 6:5). The “wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind” (Ether 6:8). Maneuvering and navigation was accomplished by the Lord through the controlling of the winds and the ocean currents, with no need for the occupants to steer the boats as they drifted without the necessity of rudder control or the requirement of sails.

The Problem of No Light within the Boats—The Lord’s solution for no light required pondering, problem solving and work by the brother of Jared, coupled with instruction on gospel doctrine. The brother of Jared told the Lord: “I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?” (Ether 2:22). The Lord responded: “What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire. … Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths [dips] of the sea?” (Ether 2:23, 25).

The boats were to travel like a “whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you,” and sometimes they would be covered by the “waves of the sea” and would need light when “swallowed up in the depths [dips] of the seas” (Ether 2:24-25). It is when the waves came upon them that they would require light, but not necessarily at times when one or both of the two hatches could be opened. So the Lord asked the brother of Jared the vital question: “What will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths [dips] of the sea” and are covered by the waves (Ether 2:25)?

The brother of Jared, directed by the Lord to devise a solution, “went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount” (Ether 3:1). Note that the 16 “white and clear” stones were small enough to be carried in the brother of Jared’s hands, possibly smaller than the size of cherries. They were molten out of a single rock. “Molten” means the rock that produced the transparent-like stones (probably glass or silicon) had been heated to a high melting point.

Mount Shelem was not a hill nor an extended mountain range, but a tall mountain of “exceeding height,” positioned on the seacoast where they camped (Ether 3:1; 2:13). On the top of mount Shelem the brother of Jared importuned the Lord to “touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea” (Ether 3:3-4). Then “the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear” (Ether 3:6). He was then taught by the Lord of his redeeming power and the nature of the body of his Spirit and other relevant gospel teachings (Ether 3:9-28). The Lord told him: “Write these things and seal them up; and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children of men” (Ether 3:27). And these things would not “come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people” (Ether 4:1; see also chapters 4 and 5). The brother of Jared was given two stones—Interpreters or Urim and Thummim—which “shall magnify to the eyes of men” in the Lord’s “own due time,” the things which he wrote (Ether 3:24).

The brother of Jared “came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels. And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness” (Ether 6:2-3).