Alma 45
1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly
rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their
enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they
did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly
great joy.
2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto
him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those
records which have been kept?
3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?
5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.
6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper
thee in this land.
9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy
unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not
be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the
words which I shall say.
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the
Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred
years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall
dwindle in unbelief.
11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and
bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct —
12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the
works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say
unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge,
yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not
all pass away before this great iniquity shall come.
13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that
those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the
people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered among the people of Nephi.
14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful
day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto
them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and
them shall the Lamanites pursue even until they shall become extinct. And
now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to
Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the
earth for the righteous' sake.
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God — Cursed shall be the land, yea,
this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction,
which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be;
for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord
cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the church, yea, all
those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth.
18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla,
as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never
heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of.
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went
abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand
of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took
Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the
spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his
death and burial.
20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth
among the people to declare the word unto them.
21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the many little
dissensions and disturbances which had been among the people, it became
expedient that the word of God should be declared among them, yea, and
that a regulation should be made throughout the church.
22 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church
again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was
possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint
priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.
23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had
appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissension
among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his
brethren;
24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their
exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and
would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God.