Helaman 5
1 And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, Nephi delivered up the
judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram.
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.
4 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of their
iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach
the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all
the remainder of his days;
5 For they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake unto
them. And these are the words which he spake:
6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the
commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people
these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents
who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this 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.
7 Therefore, my sons, 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.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which
desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that 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.
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake
unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means
whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ,
who shall come, yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the
city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to
redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins,
but to redeem them from their sins.
11 And he hath 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.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our
Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your
foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his
shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat
upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of
misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is
a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman taught to
his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also
many things which are written.
14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping
the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the people
of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;
15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of Gid to the
city of Mulek;
16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth among all
the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and from thence into
the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.
17 And it came to pass that they did preach with great power, insomuch that
they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone over from the
Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were
baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to
endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done.
18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites
with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority, given
unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak
given unto them —
19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the Lamanites,
to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight thousand of the
Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round about baptized unto
repentance, and were convinced of the wickedness of the traditions of their
fathers.
20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to go
to the land of Nephi.
21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the Lamanites
and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his
brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.
22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold,
they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.
23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by
fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest
they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and
they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.
24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a pillar of fire,
and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.
25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon them;
neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were struck
dumb with amazement.
26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began to
speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God that has shown unto
you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you that ye cannot lay
your hands on us to slay us.
27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook
exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were about to
tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall.
And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who
were dissenters.
28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of
darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
29 And it came to pass that 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.
30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was
not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but
behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and
it did pierce even to the very soul —
31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook
exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to
tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had
overshadowed them, did not disperse —
32 And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants.
And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the walls trembled.
33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto them
marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the walls did tremble
again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide asunder.
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the
cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were
immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had
once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw
through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they
did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they
did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or
lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that they
might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they
did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi.
38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean, and
who is it with whom these men do converse?
39 Now the man's name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them:
They do converse with the angels of God.
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do,
that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?
41 And Aminadab said unto them: 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.
43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that
the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they
saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.
44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled
about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them
not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled
with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.
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.
46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant
voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who
was from the foundation of the world.
48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold
from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and
angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these
things; and 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.
51 And as many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of war, and
also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.
52 And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of
their possession.
