Commentary for the Book of Mormon: Helaman 7-12

 

Chapter 7

7:4 -- Gadianton Robbers Gain More Power

As the Nephite and Lamanite society grows in wickedness, one of the causalties is the government and justice system. 

4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;

5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills

Through their secret oath and covenants, the Gadianton robbers have infiltrated themselves into positions of power, thereby giving themselves more power to do all manner of wickedness without any legal consequences. The righteous suffer, while the wicked run free. 

Here, we see the ultimate aim of secret combination -- to obtain positions of power so they can commit whatever wickedness they desire and have enjoy the pleasures of the world through their wealth. And they can do whatever they desire because they are removed from legal consequences. Since they control the judgement seats and are in a brotherhood with each other, they will help each other out, insulating each other from any legal actions.  

This is why it's important as Doctrine and Covenants section 98 states that vote for good and wise men to be our leaders. If we don't, then wicked gain more power and with more power are able to do what they desire at the expense of the good and noble people. 

7:21 -- Set Your Hearts 

In verse 21, we learn an important truth about what contributes to wickedness. One cause of wickedness is when a people set their hearts on riches and the things of the world. 

21 But behold, it is to get again, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity. (Helaman 7) 

When we set our hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world, we believe that the riches and the things of the world are what bring happiness and meaning. Because we believe this, we think that the more riches and things of the world we obtain (e.g., status, reputation, fame, material goods), the happier we'll be. This leads to obtaining these things in any way we can. This can manifest in unethical conduct in our jobs or profession pr even in to stealing and murder. 

Moreover, a society that places its value in riches and the things of the world is set up for judgment. 

22  And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.

7:23-24 -- Sinned Against the Greater Knowledge

When it comes to measuring wickedness, sometimes our standard is not the same as God's. Although there are many people who do horrible things, one aspect important to God is the knowledge the person had. God judges each of us based on the knowledge we have and what we did with it. 

Here, Nephi explains that while many of the Lamanites were wicked, their wickedness was different than that of the Nephites, who had received the greater knowledge

23 ... Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent.

24 For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent. (Helaman 7) 

Despite the knowledge the Nephites had about the gospel and God's mysteries, they had aligned themselves with the Gadianton Robbers

25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!

But just as the Nephites were giving greater knowledge, we, as LDS members, have also been more knowledge than others. Through the work of Joseph Smith, we have received additional revelation that other Christian denominations don't have. Moreover, the Book of Mormon (as we hopefully have seen) lays out the requirements for salvation in plainness. While the Bible contains these truths, it is not clear and requires in-depth study. This is different for the Book of Mormon. And God will hold us accountable for what we have done with those truths. 

Chapter 8

8:1 -- Judges Who Belonged to Gadianton

As we learned in Helaman 6, the Nephites, unlike the Lamanites, supported the Gadianton Robbers. Exactly how the Nephites supported the Gadianton Robbers is unclear. However, we do know that the Nephites treated the Gadianton robbers differently than the Lamanites.

37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations. (Helaman 6) 

I imagine that when it comes to supporting the Gadianton robbers, it could mean that the Nephites, as a whole, actively supported them. However, it could also mean that the Nephites didn't do anything about them. They allowed the Gadianton robbers into their society, they invited them to their feasts, to their church gatherings, to town events, they interacted with them. By treating the Gadianton robbers as any person in society, the Nephites in effect built up and supported them. Like a virus, they allowed the Gadianton Robbers to spread and take over its host. 

As a result (as we learned in chapter 7), the Gadianton Robbers began to take over the government, "filling the judgment seats". 

In chapter 8, we learn one of the consequences of the Gadianton Robbers usurpation of the government -- they had power over the power to influence them. 

1 ...judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?

...

5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.

6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us.

7 And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them;

Being placed in a position of authority, the Gadianton Robbers were able to stir up the people to turn against Nephi. 

Applied to Us

Through the works brought forth by Joseph Smith, we learn about the existence of secret combinations. And we learn that secret combinations have been with humanity since the time of Adam and Eve. Moreover, throughout the Book of Mormon, we learn that secret combination existed in both Jaredite and Nephite society. And from Doctrine and Covenants 89, we learn that they will exist in the last days, which is the reason why the Lord gave the word of wisdom. 

4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation.

I imagine that the "conspiring men" referred to in section 89 refers at least to the tobacco companies who sought to for ways to keep their customers addicted to their products. After all, if you have customers who are addicted, then you'll be able to make a profit at their expense and health. Moreover, this goal of addicting customers to make a profit aligns with the purpose of secret combination --- to get gain and power.  Moreover, in 1998, it was discovered that the major world tobacco companies conspired to create a program "to counter the increasing social unacceptability of smoking" by forming the International Committee on Smoking Issues and International Tobacco Information Centre." This conspiracy was known as Operation Berkshire. 

The point, however, of sharing this information about the tobacco companies is to show that conspiracies have existed to get gain and power. And just as there were conspiracies in the past, there are likely conspiracies today -- wherever power exists. Thus, this means that within our government, conspiracies exist to get gain and power. We saw this in the 1960s with the MKULTRA program, which sought to use psychedelics for mind control. We also saw this during the Bush administration, where Rumsfeld and Cheney manufactured a war in order to create profit. And there are likely others out there. 

Although it's unclear whether those conspiracies constitute secret combinations, they share many similarities -- conspiring with people to get gain and power. Given that these secret combinations likely exist, what can we do about it? 

Although we have to take the Holy Ghost as our guide in order to discern and be on the lookout, Helaman 8 also gives us a key to understanding how secret combination works: they stir up the emotions of the people. Secret combinations can win us over by playing to our fear -- e.g., weapons of mass destruction. Therefore as we listen to the information being disseminated, we should pay attention to how we are responding to it. If we are responding emotionally, then we might be misled.

8:7 -- "Let This Man Alone." 

Although the wicked judges sought to stir up the people's emotions so that they would reject Nephi, some interjected, yelling for the judges and the people to leave Nephi alone. 

7 ...there were some who did cry out: bLet this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent;

8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities; 

9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things. 

And by doing so, protected Nephi from the mob and also gave Nephi a change to continue speaking. 

10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.

Applied to Us

If good people stay silent, the wicked will have more power. If the good people refuse to stand up for what is right, the wicked gain more influence. Nephi was able to continue speaking because some of the good people in the crowd spoke up. We should do the same. In the coming years, being a Christian will be very unpopular. Many will be persecuted for their beliefs. But if we choose to remain silent out of fear of persecution, then we give more power to wickedness. 

Chapter 10

The fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood is Given to Nephi 

In our discussion of Alma 13, I explained that there are different stages when it comes to taking up the Melchizedek priesthood ("MPH"). There, I explained that one if ordained and called. Ordination and calling occurs both in heaven. Those who were righteous in the preexistence were ordained to the MPH and were given a calling, an assignment, that if fulfilled would lead to taking upon (being conferred the MPH). 

In the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14, we learn that one who receives (takes upon) the MPH is given power over the elements -- as was the case with Melchizedek. We also learn that MPH is received by oath and covenant from God's own voice to us. 

29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.

30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order [MPH] and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world. (JST Genesis 14) 

In previous posts, I shows that Joseph Smith and others in the early church did not receive the fullness of the MPH until the 1831 conference and Issac Morely's farm, where God, just has he did with Melchizedek) conferred the MPH to Joseph Smith and others. 

Here, in Helaman 10, we read of Nephi being given the MPH. This is evidence because as shown in JST of Genesis 14, the receiving of the MPH entails receiving the sealing power. In chapter 10, Nephi receives the sealing power. And he receives it from God's voice -- just like Melchizedek, Joseph Smith, and others. 

6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.

7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.

Why DID Nephi Received the MPH? 

It's interesting to note that the event that triggered God conferring the sealing power (MPH) to Nephi was when Nephi was pondering about the wickedness of his people. Thus Nephi's love and concern about his people was likely the mechanism that opened up God's communication. Given that God is love. Our love for others, draws us closer to God. As Nephi pondered upon the wickedness of his people, God spoke to him. 

In addition to having love for his people, Nephi also had love for God. And this was manifested by Nephi's "unwearyingness" in declaring the word, fearing no man except God. It was Nephi's love for God which was manifested by his unwearyingness to serve God that led to Nephi receiving the sealing power. 

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

Another component of why Nephi was able to receive the sealing power was because Nephi's will was subsumed into God's. Nephi only did the will of God and never departed from it. This meant that Nephi could be trusted with the sealing power -- that Nephi would only use the sealing power for good. Nephi's trials likely served as a way for Nephi to show his faithfulness to God. Although Mormon only records Nephi's trial in prison, it's likely that Nephi had others. And in each of those he showed his faithfulness to God by enduring faithfully through the trials. And because he did, God could trust him with greater power. 

The final explanation for why Nephi received the sealing power was his diligence. This component is not stated explicitly in the chapter, but can be inferred. After Nephi was given the sealing power, God commanded him to declare repentance unto the Nephites and Lamanites. Nephi's response is worthy of attention. 

12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent.

Instead of going to his house to rest, Nephi, upon hearing the command from the Lord to declare repentance "did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes" to declare repentance. 

Moreover, Nephi did not stop until he proclaimed repentance to the entire land

17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.

In addition to showing diligence, verse 17 goes back to Nephi's unwearyingness in declaring the word. Nephi did not stop until repentance was heard among all the people of the land.  

Applied to us, our lack of seeing God's hand in our lives is a result of our desires. As Alma declared in chapter 29

4 ...for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction. (Alma 29)

What we receive from the Lord is the product of what we desire. Nephi desired to serve the Lord at any hazard and any cost. As a consequence, he received the sealing power. What we desire is what we'll receive. 

Chapter 11

Nephi Cries Repentance and Calls for Famine 

The reason for Nephi's diligence in declaring repentance to all the people was to put every person on notice. In other words, before God could judge, all people had to be warned of the coming judgment. By declaring God's word to all the people, every person was put on notice that God's judgment was impending. Thus there was no excuse for their persistence in sin. 

As the Lord explained to the early saints: 

81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor. 

82 Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.           ... 

84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; 

85 That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation. (Doctrine and Covenants 88) 

Nevertheless, as we learned at the end of chapter 10, the declaring of repentance might not bring about peace. If people reject the words, then contention can arise. The reason is because people have rejected light and instead accepted darkens. Their hearts become hardened towards God and each other. 

As a result of not repenting from Nephi's declaration and seeing that wars increased throughout the land, Nephi uses his sealing power to petition the Lord to send a famine to humble the people. It's notable that although Nephi has the sealing power, he still prays to the Lord for permission and provides a reason for why he seeks for a famine. 

4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.

Nephi prayers for a famine to humble the people. And because Nephi had the sealing power, it was done. Moreover, the fact that Nephi had to pray for a famine shows that Nephites were becoming so hardened that wars and bloodshed was not enough to humble them. This is a shocking turn of events because earlier in the Book of Mormon we learned that the Lord used wars to humble the Nephites. Now instead of humbling the Nephites, wars harden them. This meant that Nephi had to resort to another trial to humble the Nephites. And that was causing a famine.

In verses 6-7, we learn that this famine was severe as the "whole earth" was "smitten" with famine that many did perish by the thousands in the more wicked parts of the land. It lasted for 72nd year until the 75th year. And if the famine would've continued, the Nephites would have perished. 

Nephi's Love

It's also important to point out that Nephi was likely not immune from the effects of the famine. In other words, Nephi likely suffered along with the Nephites. It's possible that he may have stored up food in anticipation. But even if he did, he still was affected. He had to ration food. Eat less. And his life was altered along with the Nephites and Lamanites. And this happened for three years. 

The fact that Nephi chose to put his own life and risk and suffering along with the Nephites and Lamanites further shows Nephi's heart and love for God and his people. It also shows the character of those in the celestial kingdom. Those who have received exaltation embody this kind of love. Thus to love (or, in other words, have charity) means that a person will do everything he/she is capable of, or could be capable of, to benefit the other person. 

Yet, one may respond that how could Nephi show love when the famine he prayed for led to thousands of deaths? 

First, death was already occurring from wars and contentions. Second, the majority of the deaths happened in the wicked areas. Third, getting the people repent by humbling them would allow God to bless them again and for the people to receive happiness. Fourth, Nephi prayed for the famine as a last resort, after he preached the word to all of them. 

Surely, if we saw a toddler playing with a sharp knife, we would not hesitate to take the knife away from him. The toddler may cry, scream and think we are cruel. But because of our perspective and knowledge, we know that the removal of the knife was out of love. 

This principle applies to Nephi. Having received greater knowledge of heaven, Nephi's perspective is larger than ours. Nephi has been surrounded by power and conversed with God and angels. Thus he knows what awaits those who repent and turn to God. He knows that their only happiness can be found in God. He also knows that if he can show others what he knows by connecting them to God through repentance, then others will be happy and experience great joy. 

What this means is that those who have love (charity), will do things for others that may seem offensive or callous. A person with love may be blunt to others who are stuck in sin. A person with love may present truths and information that challenges the other's understanding. Because their show of love may not seem like love, but harshness and meanness, we should remind ourselves of the toddler playing with the knife. What may seem like harshness is really love. But notice, I said may seem like harshness. This is because some people are mean and rude and don't care. My point, however, was to show that we should be careful to judge someone's love for us because of how they made us feel. 

Moreover, having this kind of love also means that those who have love will suffer for the sake of others. Love that doesn't involve sacrifice for the other individual is not love. Thus if we want to love like Christ loved, we must do what Christ did -- that is give ourselves up to the person we love. This is the secret to true happiness. As Christ taught, he that loses himself, will find himself. 

Remembering the Lord 

Despite the devastation caused by the famine, it served its purpose in stirring the people up unto remembering the Lord. 

7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi.

Seeing that the people had repented by humbling themselves and removing the wickedness of the land by ridding themselves of the Gadianton robbers, Nephi prays to the Lord to end the famine, bring peace and prosperity to the land again. 

Chapter 12

The Unsteadiness of the Hearts of Men 

In chapter 12, Mormon interjects to provide his commentary about what he has written so far. Here, Mormon points out how unsteady are the hearts of men. And he provides reason for why men's hearts are so unsteady. 

Mormon explains that once the Lord blesses a people, it is when he blesses them that they harden their hearts against Him and forget Him. And they do this because of the blessings the Lord has blessed the people with, which provide ease and prosperity. Given their ease and prosperity, they are "quick to do evil" but "slow" to hearken to God. And the only way for the Lord to get his people to remember him is to chasten them  (by exposing them to the consequence of their actions) and "visit" the people with terror, famine, and death. 

Commentary for the Book of Mormon: Helaman 1-6

 

Chapters 1 and 2 

Introduction of Secret Combination to Nephites 

Chapter 1 begins in the 40th year of the reign of the judges. It is here that we are introduced to the secret combinations. 

As a reminder, Alma, in giving instruction to his son Helaman concerning the 24 Jaredite Gold Plates, warned Helaman about revealing it recording of the secret combinations because it would lead to the destruction of the Nephite people.

Our introduction to secret combinations begins with Kishkumen, who was, in modern speak, a hitman. Kishkumen arrives on the scene during the appointment of Pahoran's son, Pahoran. We learn that this appointment created lots of contention among Pahoran's other sons -- Pacumeni and Paanchi. Pacumeni, when he saw the he "could not obtain the judgement-seat" united with the "voice of the people." Paanchi, however, instigated sedition against his brother. He has many followers. 

Paanchi's sedition failed and he was put to death. But this did not deter his followers and supporters from talking further measures to secure the judgement seat. Enter Kishkumen. Paanchi's followers hire Kishkumen to kill Pahoran. Kishkumen was successful and after words he and Paanchi's followers entered into a covenant. 

11 And he went unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran. (Helaman 1) 

The term secret combination is a LDS one. Many will use this term to refer to any evil group. However, this over-broad application of the term misses out on the real meaning of secret combinations. The central feature of secret combinations is the practice of covenant making. 

Turning to Ether, where secret combinations were prevalent, we learn that in Ether 8 that Akish is enticed by Jared's daughter (not the Brother of Jared, a different Jared) to kill Jared's father, Omner. Akish agrees. And before killing Omner, Akish enters into an oath and covenant. 

14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life.

15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. (Ether 8) 

We further learn in Ether 8 the feature of secret combinations. The first is from Jared's daughter who was aware of secret combinations of old. In describing their purpose, she remarks

9 ... Behold, is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory? 

Jared's daughter knew about these oaths and had Akish search them out ("...it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his [Akish's] heart to search up these things of old" (Ether 8:17)). The purpose of secret combination is not to simply commit evil. Instead, it's purpose is to obtain political power and great glory. Secret combinations although those to commit whatever evil they want. 

16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.

17 ... Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired. (Ether 8)

Returning to Kishkumen, the covenant he made with Paanchi's followers gave him power to whatever he wanted. This is because he was able to disguise himself with Nephite society: 

12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death. (Helaman 1) 

Later in Helaman 6, we learn 

22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant.

23 And thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God.  

In sum, secret combinations involve the making of oaths and covenants in order for its members to get gain and power, and to be able to commit whatever sin they desire. This group was known as the band of Kishkumen (see Helaman 2:4) 

Nephites Caught Off-Guard

Due to the "contention and so much difficulty in the government" the Nephites did not keep enough guards in Zarahemla. This made them an easy target for the Lamanites. 

Led by a Nephite dissenter, Coriantumr, who was a descendant of Zarahemla, the founder of the city of Zarahemla and a Mulekite, the Lamanites were able to conquer the city of Zarahemla. 

19 But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the city, and their march was with such exceedingly great speed that there was no time for the Nephites to gather together their armies.

20 Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city.  (Helaman 1) 

After capturing Zarahemla, the Lamanites (under Coriantumr's command) proceeded to capture Bountiful.  

23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the land. (Helaman 1) 

Fortunately, Coriantumr's decision left him vulnerable to the Nephite army. Having marched into the center of the land, the Lamanites had allowed themselves to be surrounded, which led to their surrendering of the land of Zarahemla. 

Formation of the Gadianton Robbers 

The formation of secret combinations started with Kishkumen and his band. It further continues under the direction of the Gadianton. Mormon explains: 

4 For there was one Gadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen.

5 Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the judgment-seat he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman. (Helaman 2) 

At this point, both Pahoran (Pahoran's son) and Pacumeni have been killed. Pahoran was killed by Kishkumen and Pacumeni was killed by Coriantumr when he invaded and conquered Zarahemla. Helaman (Helaman's son) is appointed Chief Judge. The Gadianton Robbers seek to kill him to take power. 

Fortunately one of Helaman's servants discovered the plan of the Gadianton Robbers and thus was able to trick Kishkumen and kill him. Helaman issued an order to capture the Gadianton Robbers, but they fled before Helaman could do so. We learn in chapter 3 (Helaman 3:23) that the Gadianton Robbers kept themselves in the "more settled parts of the land" and were not known to the government. 

Mormon's statement reveals something about the Gadianton Robbers. The Gadinaton Robbers preferred the "more settled parts of the land." And why might this be? My belief is that the more settled parts of the land were advantageous to them. 

Given that the Gadianton Robbers objective was for gain and power, this can be found in the more settled or established areas. I also imagine that the more settled areas were city-like -- that is, many people, enterprise, and were centers of political power. Given these things, the Robbers stayed in these areas in order to corrupt the political leaders. And thus gain power. Moreover, city-like areas were advantageous at this time because of the density of people, which allowed the Robbers to disguise themselves more easily.  

In any case, Mormon interjects and the end of chapter 2 to tell us that the Gadianton Robbers are responsible for the destruction of the Nephites: 

13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.

14 Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written. (Helaman 2) 

 Chapters 3 and 4

History of the Nephites From the 43rd year to 53rd

Much Contention in the Land and the Migration of the People 

After the events in chapter 2, we learn that except for a little pride "which did cause some little dissension among the people" the generally was no contention. It's notable that Mormon says no contention instead of saying there was peace. As explained in an earlier post, the meaning of peace in the scriptures refers to harmony and obedience to God (or at least respect for other people) Mormon doesn't use that word in chapter 3 because some of the Nephites were wicked. 

By the 46th year of the reign of the judges, contention had grown to cause much dissension. This dissension involved Nephites leaving the Nephite land to travel north, the same direction that Hagar and his people, as well as others, went. 

In addition to those who traveled northwards, other Nephites traveled to other lands. 

5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land. (Helaman 3) 

And those who migrated to the land of desolation, where there was not timber, began working with cement to build their houses. 

6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called desolate.

7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell. (Helaman 3) 

And others migrated to other lands 

8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east.

9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings. (Helaman 3) 

Some of these included the people of Ammon

12 And it came to pass that there were many of the people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land. (Helaman 3)  

Helaman Reigns as Chief Judge

20 Nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land.

21 And it came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto the eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the youngest, the name of Lehi. And they began to grow up unto the Lord.

War Ceases

Although Mormon does not go into much detail, it appears that during this period from the 43rd year to 53rd, there were wars. This is evidenced in Mormon's statement that the Book of Mormon does not contain a complete record of the Nephites

14 But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their building of ships, and their building of temples, and of synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work.

Church Prospers 

Eventually peace is able to be restored. Peace refers to people living in harmony -- not committing sins against each one another. This is finally established. And once it is, the church prospers "exceedingly." 

24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.

25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.

26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.

The word prosper is a loaded term. Although it can refer to progressing in wealth, in these versesMormon seems to use that word (at least its Nephite-Hebrew equivalent) to refer to the growth of the church in terms of converts and blessings -- such as knowledge or additional gifts of the spirit. 

As a reminder, Alma's statement to the people of Ammonihah reminds them how much the Lord has blessed them. In listing their blessings (being highly favored of the Lord), Alma focuses on three things: 1) the knowledge the Lord has given to them; 2) protection and deliverance; and 3) spiritual gifts. 

Thus the church prospering likely refers to the church growing in converts and the church growing in spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are given so that the church can grow in greater knowledge of the Lord and to be of serve to others.  A church that has all the spiritual gifts actualized will provide light and truth, while at the same time serving the needs of the members through the gift of healing, prophesy, and ministering of angels. 

Ultimately then, one sign of a prosperous church according to the Book of Mormon's definition is whether the gifts of the Spirit are manifested in the church. Note that I said "manifested" not proclaimed. A church can proclaim to have the gifts of the spirit. But that is very different than actually manifesting those gifts. Manifesting refers to actually seeing the gifts of the spirit of full display. 

For a sense of what this might look like, I turn to the early church's records of meetings: 

In the evening, a few of the brethren came in, and we conversed upon the things of the kingdom. He called upon me to pray; in my prayer I spoke in tongues. As soon as we arose from our knees, the brethren flocked around him, and asked his opinion concerning the gift of tongues that was upon me. He told them it was the pure Adamic language. Some said to him they expected he would condemn the gift Brother Brigham had, but he said, "No, it is of God."—Millennial Star, vol. 25, p. 439. 

Elders, were assembled in conference, on the 22nd day of January, I spoke to the conference in another tongue, and was followed in the same gift by Brother Zebedee Coltrin, and he by Brother William Smith, after which the Lord poured out His Spirit in a miraculous manner, until all the Elders spake in tongues, and several members, both male and female, exercised the same gift. Great and glorious were the divine manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Praises were sung to God and the Lamb; speaking and praying, all in tongues, occupied the conference until a late hour at night, so rejoiced were we at the return of these long absent blessings. -- History of the The Church, Volume 1, pg. 323

Here is also accounts of the Kirtland temple dedication: 

Sunday evening after joseph spoke opened & told them the day of penticost was continued the the [sic] Brethren began to to prophesy many prophesied in the name of the Lord then began speaking in tongues and it filled as it were the whole house, perhaps there were forty speaking at once cloven tongues of fire was seen to sit on many of them an hand was seen laid upon one when he spake in tongues to the lamanites many Visions seen, one saw a pillow or cloud rest down upon the house bright as when the sun shines on a cloud like as gold, two others saw three personages hovering in the room with bright keys in their hands, and also a bright chain in their hands... (Steven C. Harper, "Pentecost Continued: A Contemporaneous Account of the Kirtland Temple Dedication," Brigham Young University Studies 42 no. 2 (2003), 4–])

"In Kirtland we enjoyed many very great blessings, and often saw the power of God manifested. On one occasion I saw angels clothed in white walking upon the temple. It was during one of our monthly fast meetings, when the saints were in the temple worshiping. A little girl came to my door and in wonder called me out, exclaiming, 'The meeting is on the top of the meetinghouse!' I went to the door, and there I saw on the temple angels clothed in white covering the roof from end to end. They seemed to be walking to and fro; they appeared and disappeared. The third time they appeared and disappeared before I realized that they were not mortal men. Each time in a moment they vanished, and their reappearance was the same. This was in broad daylight, in the afternoon. A number of the children in Kirtland saw the same. When the brethren and sisters came home in the evening, they told of the power of God manifested in the temple that day, and of the prophesying and speaking in tongues. It was also said, in the interpretation of tongues, 'That the angels were resting down upon the house. " account by Prescinda Huntingon (http://www.moroni10.com/mormon_history/kirtland-temple-miracles.html)

"The summer of 1835, I traveled in the state of New York with Nathan Baldwin, baptized several, and the following winter went to school in Kirtland, and in the spring of 1836, I was in Kirtland at the dedication of the temple and the endowment of the elders that the Lord had promised as a reward for their offerings. The blessings of the Lord were poured out abundantly. There is one thing that I would here relate, that was a great joy to me, and that was when the Holy Ghost was poured out on the elders, I saw fire descend and rest on the heads of the elders, and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied." account by Milo Andrus (http://www.moroni10.com/mormon_history/kirtland-temple-miracles.html)

Because God does not change, if we are prospering as a church, we should expect to see similar manifestations of the Spirit. Do we? 

Pride Enters Into the Church

Despite the prosperity of the church, pride begins to "hearts of people who professed to belong to the church of God" (verse 33) in the 51st year of the reign of the judges. This pride caused many members to persecute other members (their brethren), thus causing the humble members to suffer at the hands of the prideful members. 

Nevertheless, the humble members were able to endure persecution

35 they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. 

The Lord used the persecution of the saints to further humble the already humble. And by becoming more humble, the people grew in their faith, which growing of faith filled "their souls with joy."  This increase of joy, led to sanctification of the people. Thus what serve as trials actually are used by the Lord for his glory. One purpose of trials is to humble us. As we learn from verse 35, the more humble we are, the greater faith. And the greater the faith, the more we are sanctified. 

As persecution increases towards Christians in our day, we ought to remember this verse. Despite the challenges we may face, the Lord will use it to strengthen our faith. For those of you who want to better understand the relationship between faith and humility, I recommend reading "Humility: The Beauty of Holiness" by Andrew Murray. There, Murray explains why humility is essential for followers of Christ. 

Pride of the Members Increases Leading to Bloodshed and Dissension 

As the 52nd year comes around, we learn that the pride of the members has increased because of their riches and prosperity in the land. 

In chapter 4, we learn that by the 54th year, the church had many dissensions which led to "much bloodshed." Thus the church experienced division and violence among its members, a consequence of pride.  Those who rebelled joined with the Lamanites and sought to "stir up the Lamanites to war against the Nephites." However, the Lamanites refused to fight until the 56th year when more dissenters came from the Nephites and succeeded in persuading the Lamanites to fight. 

Just as we learned with Zoramites or the Amilicites, oftentimes the greatest persecution the righteous face are those who are apostates. This was certainly true for the early saints -- especially Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith martyrdom was primarily brought about by apostates who rejected Jospeh Smith's teaching of polygamy. This same principle will likely be true for us. As the world grows more wicked and the line between righteous and wicked is drawn more starkly (that is, people will have to choose to be part of the world or separate), those of us who stand for righteousness should expect that we'll suffer persecution from the wicked and apostate members. In fact, I would imagine that the people vandalizing  the LDS building are former members (but this is only speculation). 

Returning to the Lamanites, we learn that the Lamanites were successful in capturing the land of Zarahemla and the land that was near Bountiful (which is near the west sea). 

Mormon explains the reason for the Nephites loss: 

12 And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—

13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands. (Helaman 4) 

Believing that their prosperity came from their own merit, the Lord gives them over to themselves. And without the Lord's hand, they receive no protection.  

Moronihah, Nephi and Lehi Call Nephites to Repentance  

14 Moronihah did preach many things unto the people because of their iniquity, and also Nephi and Lehi, who were the sons of Helaman, did preach many things unto the people, yea, and did prophesy many things unto them concerning their iniquities, and what should come unto them if they did not repent of their sins. (Helaman 4) 

Having repented, the people once again prosper and this prosperity leads to them regaining some of the lands and property that they lost. 

 16 For when Moronihah saw that they did repent he did venture to lead them forth from place to place, and from city to city, even until they had regained the one-half of their property and the one-half of all their lands. (Helaman 4) 

Although the Nephites were able to regain some of the land from the Lamanites, they were not able to regain all of it. And the Nephites were left to witness that their wickedness had caused them to be like the Lamanites. 

Chapter 5

Seeing what's happened to the Nephites because of their iniquity, and seeing that they would only obey the laws to avoid destruction, Nephi abdicates the judgment seat, and like his great-great-grandfather, Alma, dedicates the remainder of his life to preach the word. 

5:2 -- Corruption of the Laws

One sign of a society being ripe in iniquity is the corruption of the laws: 

2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.

3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction. (Helaman 5) 

The word corruption has many meanings. What Mormon likely means by saying that the laws "had become corrupted" is that the laws were beings used for evil. That is, the laws were being used to advance evil causes. This makes sense given the fact that the majority of the people had chosen evil over good. Because they had, it would make sense that the wicked enacted laws to further their evil purposes. Moreover, this understanding tracks with the definition set out in Webster's 1828 dictionary. 

Helaman 4 gives us further insight   

22 And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites. (Helaman 4) 

According to the 1828 Dictionary, one definition of trample is "To tread under foot; especially, to tread upon with pride, contempt, triumph or scorn. 

5: 6 -- Names of Nephi and Lehi to Remember

We learn the reason why Helaman (Helman's son) gave his sons the name of Nephi and Lehi. It was to serve as a way of remembering them. One theme in the Book of Mormon and even the Old Testament is how quick the people forgot God. 

At the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni exhorts to remember the mercy of God as read the Book of Mormon

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye receive these things, and ponder it in your heart.” (Mormon 10) 

I believe that our ability to love God is determined by how well we comprehend and understand God's mercy. If God was only just, we might respect him out of fear of being punished, but it may be hard to love Him. Mercy coupled with justice is a sign that God loves us. This means that if we remember God's mercy, we maintain our love of God. And by loving God we love others through our works. And like a magnet that bring metallic objects into it, God's love is a magnetic force to us -- pulling us in. 

Satan's objective is to disrupt this magnetic pull. If he can "put his hand" in between the magnetic force he can weaken God's pull, leaving us vulnerable. 

Satan has many tactics to disrupt God's "magnetic force" Satan can go after our knowledge by directly attacking our beliefs. However, because such an approach can cause the believer to become more entrenched in his belief, this can often backfire. Another tactic is to create fear and distress to the mind of the believer  but that also has a chance of backfiring as well, as the believer relies on Christ to ameliorate his fear. Likewise, he can create trials, but that can also backfire, as God uses those trials to refine and perfect his people. 

The last tactic Satan uses is distraction. In describing one of Satan’s common tacts, CS Lewis writes in his book The Screwtape Letters that,“...the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,...” The premise of the book involves the narrator, an evil spirit named Screwtape, teaching his “nephew”, Wormwood, how to tempt man. Much of the strategy suggested by the narrator to his nephew involves him employing small distractions to tempt the man (referred to as the patient) into sin. The focus then is not so much about bringing upon the complete moral corruption for the patient, but distracting him enough to not hear the voice or notice the workings of the Lord -- or to feel the love of God.

If Satan can get us to slowly forget the mercy of the Lord, he can remove our love. That is all he needs. Lehi’s vision serves as a perfect example of this concept. Satan’s main tactic of leading people away from God was to distract them. As consumers of the digital era, this tactic of distraction applies to us. Everyday there we are bombarded with "things" to do and look at. If we are not careful, we will be distracted, allowing Satan to lead us away. 

When we become distracted, we forget. And when we forget our love weakens. Helaman named his sons Nephi and Lehi so that their names would prevent them from forgetting. 

6 ...I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them;and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good. (Helaman 5) 

By remembering the names of their progenitors, Nephi and Lehi would remember them. And by remembering them, they would remember their good works. And be remembering the good works of their progenitors, Nephi and Lehi would also do good works

7 ...I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them. (Helaman 5) 

Which doing of good works leads to eternal life: 

8 ...ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers. (Helaman 5) 

And good works shows our love for God 

10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6: 10-12) 

5:23-50: Encircled By Fire

As Nephi and Lehi had much success in preaching the gospel, they journeyed to the land of Nephi. There, they were taken captive and went many days without food. However, as the prison guards were about to take Nephi and Lehi to execute them, Nephi and Lehi became encircled by fire. 

Baptism of Fire

The degradation and suffering Nephi and Lehi experienced served to humble them even more. And as we learned earlier, the greater the humility, the greater the faith. With this faith, Nephi and Lehi had greater access to heaven. Those remaining in the prison, however, became "overshadowed with a cloud of darkness" which caused "awful solemn fear to come upon them".

The darkness definitely represents the darkness that surrounds this fallen world. Those remaining in prison had chosen darkness over light. But the visibility of darkness could mean that the veil to the spiritual world was removed, thus revealing to them the state of their spirit -- it was surrounded by darkness. 

This people were fortunate because now they were able to witness and know the extent of the darkness they accepted into their life. They were fortunate because they were able to know their accurate state. The only way now to remove this darkness was to repent. They needed to be born again. This is the same for everyone else who has not repented -- unbeknownst to them, their spirits are surrounded by darkness. Conversely, the light surrounding Nephi and Lehi was the light they had acquired throughout their life.

29 ...there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.

This voice came three times. 

The people wanted to flee but they couldn't because they were afraid and surrounded by thick darkness. These people did not know how to repent until Aminadab, a dissenter, taught them how:

41 ...You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed. (Helaman 5) 

Their faith was shown by crying to the Lord, trusting that the Lord would remove the thick darkness. When the cloud dispersed, the people, like Nephi and Lehi, became encircled with fire and joy filled their hearts and the Holy Ghost entered their hearts -- filling them with fire. 

45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words. (Helaman 5) 

And angels ministered to them

48 ...they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them. (Helaman 5) 

As a result of being born again, they were commanded to go forth and share what they've seen. 

49 ... they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.

50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received.

This led to the Lamanites giving up the lands they had conquered and returning them to the Nephites. 

Chapter 6

62nd Year to 68th Year

Wickedness of the Nephites

Due the ministry of Nephi and Lehi, the more of the Lamanites are righteous than the Nephites, with many of the Nephites hardening their hearts and rejecting "the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them."

The Lamanites Preach to the Nephites

The converted Lamanites preached repentance to the Nephites. Many of the Lamanites preached with great power and authority causing many Nephites to repent. 

Wide Interchange Among Peoples

7 And behold, there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would, whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites.

8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to buy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their desire.

9 And it came to pass that they became exceedingly rich, both the Lamanites and the Nephites;

Growth of the Gadianton Robbers 

The growth of the Gadianton Robbers resulted from the people's desire for riches of the world. This desire led to greed which led to wars and bloodshed. The people sought for riches so that "they might be lifted up on above another" leading them to commit secret murders to get gain. And thus the Gadianton Robbers grew

18 "...it had come to pass that there were many, even among the Nephites, of Gadianton’s band. But behold, they were more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites. And they were called Gadianton’s robbers and murderers." 

The Lamanites used whatever was in their power to "destroy" them. The Nephites, however, were enticed by the devil to join. The widespread growth of the Gadianton robbers lead to the Nephites growing in great iniquity.

33 And they did grow in their iniquities in the sixty and eighth year also, to the great sorrow and lamentation of the righteous.

The Lamanites were successful in eliminating the Gadianton Robbers, but the Nephites were not and instead supported them, thus:  

34 ...the Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.

35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.

 And by not eradicating them, the Gadianton Robbers gained more influence over the Nephites. And like a parasite, attacked the righteous and infiltrated the government, leading the the corruption of their laws. 

38 ... [the Gadianton Robbers] had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.

The Parable of the High School Student

There was a high school student who desired to attend a top tier university. The student knew that admittance into the university was competitive and difficult. However, he heard many of his classmates and neighbors talk about how great an opportunity it would be to attend the school. In light of this, the student committed himself to getting accepted into the university. 

To reach his goal, the student made sure to attend all of his classes. Unlike some of his peers, who would regularly skip class, the student never did. In fact, he looked disapprovingly on his peers who did skip class. The student was also involved in school activities. He played and lettered in sport. He also ran for different study body positions, eventually becoming the class president. He was well liked by all his teachers and the school faculty, who always remarked how polite and helpful he was. 

Although the student completed the homework, he did not spend much time understanding the principles being taught. His teachers would return his homework to him, marking the incorrect answers. Still, he student rarely (if ever) reviewed what he got wrong. And because of this, his performance was very mediocre and his skills didn’t improve much. 

The student rarely studied for his tests. He figured since he attended class he was prepared for them. Because of this, he always did poorly on his tests. And although he became frustrated with his performance, he didn’t do much to change his circumstances and continued with the same behavior of being unprepared. 

As the date of college entrance exams grew nearer, the student did not change his behavior and habits. He had almost perfect attendance and was very involved in school activities, but he did not study for the college entrance exam. When other of his peers were studying intensely for the exam, the student enjoyed spending his time watching sports. Consequently, he didn’t do well on the exam. Moreover, instead of seeking out help and assistance, the student, although discouraged, was confident that he’d still get accepted to the prestigious university. He did not retake the test.  

As the application deadline for college neared, the student applied to the university only to discover to his surprise that he was not accepted. The student was heartbroken. Eventually the student applied to other universities. He did not get accepted to any of these. Heartbroken again, he applied to community colleges. He didn’t get accepted either. As his senior year ended, with many of his friends getting accepted to college, the student had no prospects. Upon graduation, the student was left without any acceptance to any university or community college. He wept bitterly. 

Commentary for the Book of Mormon: Alma 43 - 63

Note for this week: Given that the next two weeks involve the war chapters and include almost 20 chapters total, I've decided to focus on two themes: I Title of Liberty and and why it's significant for us; II. Standing Up for Righteousness  

Chapter 46

The Title of Liberty 

In Alma 46, we learn that one of the Nephites, Amalickiah, conspires to be king.  And he does this so that he can destroy the church and the liberty of the people 

4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power.

...

10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake.

Amalickiah's objective was to "destroy the foundation of liberty", which God had given to the Nephites. Amalickiah's influences the lower judges to side with him. He also influenced the church.

7 And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; 

This resulted in a "precarious and dangerous" situation for the Nephites

7 ... and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.

As a result of Amalickiah's influence, Captain Moroni does the following: 

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land.

...

16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.

In light of erecting the Title of Liberty, those who were Christians joined him. 

15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.

Besides serving as a reminder to the Christians of their cause, it also served as a covenant:

22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.

23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

Tucked away in Moroni's statement and recitation of the Lord's promise to Jacob is the fact that those who descend from Joseph of Egypt are given liberty. 

Moreover, Moroni in his prayer states that the land of Nephi is to be a land of liberty: 

17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.

18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.

In Ether we learn that the land that the Nephites and Jaredites occupied (which was the same land) was a land of promise. 

5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind 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. 

...

12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them. (Ether 6) 

In Ether 2, we learn that the land the Jaredites were led to was a choice land

7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

Additionally, we learn that there is a condition to possessing this land: 

8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off. (Ether 2) 

Those who possess the promised land can only possess it if they serve God. Those who do not honor this agreement will be destroyed when they are ripe in iniquity. This is why the Jaredites were killed off and this is why the Nephites and Lamanites were destroyed before Christ's coming, and why the Nephites were killed off as a nation. 

Moreover, because God does not rule by compulsion or force, the promised land is a land of liberty. 

12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

The idea that the promised land was a land that could be obtained by covenant is what Captain Moroni was tapping into. He understood the significance of the land and the conditions for possessing it. He raised the Title of Liberty to remind the Nephites. 

But the account of Captain Moroni is one piece to the larger puzzle. Turning back to verse 12 (immediately above) Moroni (Mormon's son) who is translating the 24 Gold Plates into the Book of Ether states that "whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land..." The phrase "whatsoever nation" indicates that other nations that are not the Jaredites or Nephites can possess the land. 

Moreover, in verse 11 of Ether 2, Moroni speaks to the Gentiles warning them: 

11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

Here, Moroni is speaking to the Gentiles who possess the promise land, warning them that if they don't repent and instead continue in their iniquities, then they will be destroyed also. 

Although it may not be apparent, Moroni's warning is to us--specifically those in live in the United States. In short, the Gentiles refer to the inhabitants of the United States except for those who are Latinos or Native American. The United States is the land of promise. 

Who are the Gentiles? 

The meaning of Gentiles is a loaded term, as it's used differently in the scriptures. However, in the Book of Mormon, the meaning of Gentiles refers to those who are not Jews or Lamanites. This is most evident from the title page, which was not written but translated by Joseph Smith. The title page tells us who the Book of Mormon was written for

"... it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile." 

Here, we learn that the Book of Mormon was written by the Nephites and Lamanites. And it was written for the Lamanite, as well as the Jew and Gentile. This statement reveals that the writers of the Book of Mormon had three categories of people. Either a person was a Lamanite, Jew, or Gentile. The majority of the US population is Gentile. Moreover, a person, according to Book of Mormon terms is either a Lamanite, Jew or Gentile. 

In addition to looking at the title page, we can look in 1 Nephi, where Nephi describes his vision of the latter days.

12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.

14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.

15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.

17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.

18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.

19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations. (1 Nephi 13) 

Here, Nephi sees a Gentile travel to the Americas, where the Lamanites are. He sees many Gentiles coming from "captivity" to the land where the Lamanites are. Simply put, Nephi sees Europeans immigrating to America. He also sees the revolutionary war (mother Gentiles against the immigrating Gentiles) 

To further clarify the meaning of the Gentiles, it helpful to look at the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland temple. There, the prayer identifies the early church as the Gentiles. 

60 Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.

61 But thou knowest that thou hast a great love for the children of Jacob, who have been scattered upon the mountains for a long time, in a cloudy and dark day. (D&C 89:60-61)

Thus in short:

1. According the Book of Mormon there are only three groups of people: Jew, Lamanite, and Gentile

2. Gentiles refer to Europeans

3. The LDS church is included with the Gentiles. 

Ultimately then, when Moroni speaks to the Gentiles in Ether 2:11, he is speaking not only to European descendants and Europeans, but also to the church -- which is identified/included with the Gentiles. Moroni, therefore, is warning us. He is telling us to read and study the Book of Mormon so we don't get destroyed like his people did. 

America (Specifically the United States) is the Promised Land 

Now that we see the term Gentiles includes us (members of the LDS church), the next step is understanding the "land" referred to in the Book of Mormon as Nephite and Jaredite land is the United States. It is not Central America, which is the predominant view.  

Although there are many evidences which indicate that the land in the Book of Mormon is the United States, I will look at just a few. 

The Early Church Understanding 

Joseph Smith along with others understood that the Book of Mormon took place in United States. During Zion's Camp Joseph Smith stated that the camp 

"passed through Huntsville, in Randolph County, which has been appointed as one of the stakes of Zion and is the ancient site of the City of Manti, and pitched tents at Dark Creek, Salt Licks, seventeen miles." -- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 3: 239

In a letter to Emma during Zion's Camp Expedition, Joseph Smith wrote: 

"The whole of our journey, in the midst of so large a company of social honest and sincere men, wandering over the plains of the Nephites, recounting occasionally the history of the Book of Mormon, roving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking up their skulls & their bones, as a proof of its divine authenticity… During our travels we visited several of the mounds which had been thrown up by the ancient inhabitants of this country-Nephites, Lamanites, etc." -- Joseph Smith Papers, Letter from Joseph to Emma. June 4, 1834

Joseph Smith also said that 

“the Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians . . . By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the land of America is a promised land unto them [the Indians]. --- Joseph Smith’s Letter to The American Revivalist Feb 2, 1833 (Quoted in Dean C. Jessee, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984), p. 273) (Annotations Added) 

In the Wentworth letter he stated, 

In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel at the confusion of languages to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era. We are informed by these records that America in ancient times has been inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites and came directly from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. The remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country… 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2002/07/the-wentworth-letter?lang=eng

 

In addition to comments made by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, in is letter the WW Phelps, indicated that final Nephite and Jaredite battle occurred at the Hill Cumorah

Here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed. By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the Book of Mormon, you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah.  In this valley fell the remaining strength and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon, with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope, or doubt.” Oliver Cowdery’s Letter VII Joseph Smith Papers “Letter VII,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, 1:155–159 .

As a note, Joseph Smith later published Oliver Cowdery's letter in the Time and Seasons without making any corrections. 

From these statements, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery understood that the Book of Mormon took place in the United States. 

Archeological 

Hopewell. Archeological evidence shows that the middle region of the United States was the site for a massive civilization known as the Hopewell, which civilization ended suddenly. The Hopewell Civilization is also known for being mound builders, many which have been excavated in Ohio. Archaeologists believe that many of these mounds were places of burial and rest. 

In addition to the mounds, archeological evidence indicates that the Hopewell was not a "single culture or society, but a widely dispersed set of related populations." They were connected by a "network of trade routes, known as the Hopewell Exchange System." 

"At its greatest extent, the Hopewell Exchange System ran from the Southeastern United States as far south as the Crystal River Indian Mounds into the southeastern Canadian shores of Lake Ontario up north. Within this area societies participated in a high degree of exchange with the highest amount of activity along waterways. The Hopewell Exchange System included copper from the Great Lakes, mica from the Carolinas, obsidian from the Rocky Mountains, and shells from the Gulf Coast. These people then converted the materials into products and exported them through local and regional exchange networks." -- The Book of Mormon in America’s Heartland page 102 by Rodney Meldrum 

Although James E Talmage in the book Jesus the Christ indicates that the Book of Mormon took place in Central America, he changes (or at least is open to changing) his opinion afterwards. His journal entry from May 20, 1917, notes his thoughts. 

This evening . . . I had a long and profitable consultation with Professor Wm. C. Mills, State Archeologist of Ohio...He has reached the following conclusions: 

(1) The area now included within the political boundaries defining the State of Ohio was once inhabited by two distinct peoples, representing two cultures, a higher and a lower.

(2) These two classes were contemporaries; in other words, the higher and the lower culture represented distinct phases of development existing at one time and in contiguous sections, and furnish in no sense an instance of evolution by which the lower culture was developed into the higher.

(3) These two cultural types or distinct peoples were generally in a state of hostility one toward the other, the lower culture being more commonly the aggressor and the higher the defender.

(4) During limited periods, however, the two types, classes, or cultures, lived in a state of neutrality, amounting in fact to friendly intercourse.

(5) The numerous exhumations of human bones demonstrate that the people of the lower type, if not indeed both cultures, were very generally affected by syphilis, indicating a prevalent condition of lasciviousness.

Metallurgy

The Book of Mormon states multiple times that the Nephites wore armor -- particularly breastplates and helmets.

16 And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle. (Mosiah 9) 

We also learn from Ether that the Jaredites smelted gold, silver, and copper

…they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper.” (Ether 10:23)

Archeological evidence of America, especially around the Midwest region has substantiated these statements made in the Book of Mormon. Archaeologists have discovered copper in the Michigan area. Additional archeological discoveries of the Hopewell civilization (a people who lived in the Midwest region) show evidence of smelting furnaces to smelt metal.  

Each of these evidences support the idea that the Book of Mormon occurred in the United States. Although this map is theory, it gives an idea of what the Nephite civilization would've looked like.

However, these are just a few pieces of the evidences. There are many more. For those interested, I recommend the website: bookofmormonevidence.org, where you can find numerous articles discussing evidence for the Book of Mormon taking place in North America. 

Why This Matters

Because the United States is the chosen land, this means that those who possess the land are bound by a covenant. This covenant entails serving God and standing up for liberty. The Declaration of Independence embodies these covenantal terms -- i.e., all men are endowed with inalienable rights, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

Although I have not read the book yet, Timothy Ballard, in his book "The American Covenant: One Nation Under God V1 and VII" details how the Founding Fathers understood that America was a covenant land. This was especially true for George Washington. In fact, during the army's stay at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78, George Washington received a vision about the destiny of America. 

America then is the choice land. And those who possess this land must abide by the covenant or else they will be wiped off when they are ripe in iniquity. Captain Moroni understood this, which is why he raised the title of liberty. We are to proclaim liberty as well. If we don't we'll also be swept off. 

II. Standing Up For Righteousness 

Another theme in the war chapters is standing up for what is right. Captain Moroni's actions to erect the Title of Liberty would have only been symbolic if it were not for those who supported his cause. After praying to the Lord for a blessing of liberty, the Moroni carried the title calling others to enter into a covenant of liberty. 

21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.

...

28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called Amalickiahites.

Although Moroni was not able to avert a war with Amalickiah, the support he received from the Nephites caused Amalickiah and his people to leave the land. 

29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi. (Alma 46) 

The exile of the Amalickiahites lead to peace in the land

35 And it came to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant of freedom.

36 And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites.

37 And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they did maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges. (Alma 46) 

If the majority of the Nephites would not have stood for liberty, then Amalickiah would've had more power and influence. And with this influence may have been able to achieve his goal of becoming king, seeing that he had sway over the hearts and minds of the Nephites. 

This principle of standing for righteousness is also seen later on in Helaman 6, where Nephi (Helaman's son) preaches to the wicked Nephites. At this time, we learn the secret combination of the Gadianton Robber's had infiltrated the government. Furthermore, Moroni (not to be confused with Captain Moroni) tells that the laws had become corrupted (see Helaman 6-7)

As Nephi tells the people of the corruption of their laws and their wickedness, some of the judges who were members of the Gadianton Robbers speak out against Nephi, saying that he has "reviled" against the people and the laws. The judges did this to "stir" the people to anger, so that they would reject Nephi. The judges would have succeeded in being able to silence Nephi if it were not for a few who spoke out in Nephi's favor

7 ... there were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent..10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear. (Helaman 8) 

 Nephi, seeing that he had "gained favor in the eyes of some" of the people, was able to speak more (verse 11 "therefore, [Nephi] was constrained to speak more unto them...). 

Just as Captain Moroni was able to drive the Amalickiahites out of town because he had support of the people, so too was Nephi able to teach and preach because he had support. But although these two accounts are similar, they are also different. Namely, Nephi did not have majority support. Those who stood up for him were in the minority. This fact tells us that our voices can change the tone even if we are in the minority. 

This principle is all the more relevant today. As I write this post, a great number of American cities are dealing with violent protests, who have injured people and caused much property damage. In addition, there is a growing movement to redefine the nature of this country -- a movement that seeks a revolutionary change. Although his change (at least for now) may not be violent, as change can occur with political will (e.g., Congress), it is still a radical change. If left unchecked, this movement will destroy the liberty of the people for the pursuit of an idealistic idea of equality. 

As Christians, we are responsible, wherever we are, to stand up for what is right. No matter how unpopular it is. By so doing, we give righteousness a change to come through. We give a chance for truth and light to be heard. Otherwise, if we remain silent, then righteousness loses its power.