Helaman 4

In the fifty-fourth year, there were many arguments and bloodshed in the Church. Some people joined the Lamanites and stirred people up against the Nephites. They captured all of the Nephites’ land in the south.

This great loss and death would not have happened if the people had not sinned so much. It was because of pride and riches and because they hurt poor people.

The people did not share their food with the hungry or put clothes on the naked. They hit their humble brothers in their faces. They denied the spirit of prophecy. They lied and stole and murdered. These sins were done by those who claimed to belong to the Church of God. They did not prosper and lost almost all their land.

Moronihah, Nephi and Lehi preached to the people. The people did repent and began to prosper. Moronihah saw they were repenting. So he lead his armies from place to place and city to city until they got back half their lands.

But there were so many Lamanites, it seemed impossible for the Nephites to win back more land. The Nephites were afraid.

They began to remember they had been a stubborn people and had not kept the commandments of God. They lost the Spirit of the Lord. The Lord’s Spirit does not stay in unholy places.