Gospel Essentials Class Notes November 12, 2000

Nephite decadence, Lamanite Spiritual Growth:  A Book of Mormon parallel for Latter Days

Prosperity of Nephitesàleads to destruction and wickedness

Wickedness of Lamanitesà leads to preaching of the word, repentance, and prosperity.

  Chapter Discussion

Chpt. 1:Verse 2:  Politics of having the voice of the people choose their leaders.

Verse 11:  Secret Covenants established proves downfall of people.  Murder and get gain was the root.  Established back in days of Cain

·        Genesis 5:16 And Cain said, Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan; and he gloried in his wickedness.

·        Helaman 1:44 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his object to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band, to murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their secret plan and their combination,) the servant of Helaman saith unto Kishkumen, Let us go forth unto the judgment seat.

·       Helaman 2:140 Yea, they began to seek to get gain, that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder that they might get gain.

Lamanites plunge into center of land, victory, then defeat.

 Chapter 2 

Here we see the plight of mankind. What was the cause? 

Verse 1:  Pride entered into the church

Verse 11:  Cement Illustration

Verse 13, 14:  Many Books mentioned.

Verse 18:  Righteous leaders

Verse 22:  Prosperity of the church so great, even the High priests were astonished.

Verse 24:  Tens of thousands of people Baptized

Verse  25 Promise to people:  Lord is merciful to Whoever will come to Him, by laying hold of the word of God, to lead one in the strait and narrow way.

Verse 27:  Continual Rejoicing

Verse 29:  Pride entered the church—not into the church of God but those professing to belong to the church of God.

 Verse 32:  Pride came because of their exceeding prosperity.

Verse 38:  Pride proves overthrow of capitol city, Zarahemla

 Verse 44-46:  Great slaughter among Nephites would not have happened without their wickedness.

 Verse 47-56:  Moronihah preaches and brings repentance, remembering words of Alma, Mosiah.  Had trampled them under their feet.

 Verse 57:  Their LAWS had become corrupted, making the church dwindle.  Judgements of God stared them in the face

Verse 58-59:  Left unto their own strength, weak like Lamanites,

 Verse 64:  Here is a key:  Good laws had become overturned by voice of wicked majority.

 Verse 68:  Remember names of Nephi, Lehi

 In midst of wickedness, where did they preach: to Lamanites--the 'lost remnant'.

 Example of the Power of the Holy Ghost:

 5 minutes prior, 300 men were wanting to murder Nephi & Lehi.  After experience with the power of the Holy Ghost, now the 300 are wanting to preach repentance to their wicked brethren, and re-convert the Nephites.

 Gospel Principle:

(ties back to mercy)

The Lord has power given unto him from the Father, to redeem them from their sins, BECAUSE OF REPENTANCE; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.

  What was the only real description we had of the people of Enoch’s city, other than they walked with God.  (No poor among them).

 (Riches of this world—all matter—is just transformed light.  Doesn’t really exist).

Helaman 2:-

Pride enters Church

2:1 And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the reign of the Judges, there was no contention among the people of Nephi, save it were a little pride which was in the church, which did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.

Cement used—pooh poohed by critics, proven by archeologists.

2:5 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.

2:6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber, etc.; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the people who had before inhabited the land, it was called desolate.

2:7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceeding expert in the working of cement: therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.

2:8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, an 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.

2:9 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.

2:10 And it came to pass as timber was exceeding scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping; and thus they did enable the people in the land northward, that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.

2:11 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.

2:12 And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large, concerning them;

2:13 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, can not be contained in this work;

2:14 But behold, there are many books and many records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites; and they have been handed down from one generation to another, by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression, and have been murdered, plundered and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites.

2:15 And now I return again to mine account; therefore what I have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions, and disturbances, and wars, and dissensions among the people of Nephi.

2:16 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the Judges ended.

2:17 And it came to pass that there was still great contentions in the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in the forty and eighth year;

2:18 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.

2:19 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.

2:20 And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began to cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi.

2:21 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the reign of the Judges, there was continual peace established in the land, all save it were the secret combinations which Gadianton the robber had established, in the more settled parts of the the land, which at that time were not known unto those who were at the head of the government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.

2:22 And it came to pass that in this same year, there was exceeding great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church, and were baptized unto repentance;  

(Note above:  Prosperity in a few years after contentions, but also baptisms—within 80 years of Christ’s visit)

2:23 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.

2:24 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.

Tens of Thousands baptized among the Nephites

2:25 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name; yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God;

2:26 Yea, we see that whosoever will lay hold upon the word of God which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning, and the snares, and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked, and land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God, in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

2:27 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.

2:28 And it came to pass that there were peace and exceeding great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and also there were continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the Judges.

2:29 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the Judges, there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church; not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God; and they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren.

2:30 Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction;

2:31 Nevertheless, 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.

2:32 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceeding great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceeding great riches, and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day.

2:33 And it came to pass in the fifty and third year of the reign of the Judges, Helaman died, and his eldest son Nephi began to reign in his stead.

2:34 And it came to pass that he did fill the judgment seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.

2:35 And it came to pass in the fifty and fourth year, there were many dissensions in the church, and there was also a contention among the people, insomuch that there was much bloodshed; and the rebellious part were slain and driven out of the land, and they did go unto the king of the Lamanites.

2:36 And it came to pass that they did endeavor to stir up the Lamanites to war against the Nephites; but behold, the Lamanites were exceeding fraid, insomuch that they would not hearken to the words of those dissenters.

2:37 But it came to pass in the fifty and sixth year of the reign of the Judges, there were dissenters who went up from the Nephites unto the Lamanites; and they succeeded with those others in stirring them up to anger against the Nephites; and they were all that year preparing for war.

Pride in the Church brings loss of capital city

2:38 And in the fifty and seventh year, they did come down against the Nephites to battle; and they did commence the work of death; yea, insomuch that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of the Judges, they succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of Zarahemla: yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful;

2:39 And the Nephites, and the armies of Moronihah, were driven even into the land of Bountiful; and there they did fortify against the Lamanites, from the west sea, even unto the east; it being a day's journey for a Nephite, on the line which they had fortified and stationed their armies to defend their north country.

2:40 And thus those dissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a numerous army of the Lamanites, had obtained all the possession of the Nephites which was in the land southward.

2:41 And all this was done in the fifty and eighth and ninth years of the reign of the Judges.

2:42 And it came to pass in the sixtieth year of the reign of the Judges, Moronihah did succeed with his armies, in obtaining many parts of the land; yea, they retained many cities which had fallen into the hands of the Lamanites.

2:43 And it came to pass in the sixty and first year of the reign of the Judges, they succeeded in retaining even the half of all their possessions.

2:44 Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened, had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God:

2:45 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;

2:46 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 possesion of almost all their lands.

2:47 But behold, 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;

2:48 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.

2:49 And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent, they did begin to prosper;

2:50 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 retained the one half of their property, and the one half of all their lands.

2:51 And thus ended the sixty and first year of the reign of the Judges.

2:52 And it came to pass in the sixty and second year of the reign of the Judges, that Moronihah could obtain no more possessions over the Lamanites;

2:53 Therefore they did abandon their design to obtain the remainder of their lands, for so numerous were the Lamanites that it became impossible for the Nephites to obtain more power over them; therefore Moronihah did employ all his armies in maintaining those parts which he had taken.

2:54 And it came to pass because of the greatness of the number of the Lamanites, the Nephites were in great fear, lest they should be overpowered, and trodden down, and slain, and destroyed;

2:55 Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a stiff-necked people, and that they had set at nought the commandments of God;

2:56 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;

2:57 And thus seeing that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites.

2:58 And because of their iniquity, the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy, and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.

2:59 And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them, because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples;

2:60 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were more exceeding numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God, they must unavoidably perish.

2:61 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man.