3 Nephi 6

In the 26th year after the birth of Jesus Christ all of the Nephite people returned to their own lands, along with their flocks, herds, horses, cattle, possessions, gold, silver, and remaining food provisions. Some moved southward, while others moved northward. They gave the reformed robbers who wanted to remain among them, in peace, enough land for subsistence. In so doing, they established a state of peacefulness across the land. The Nephite people became prosperous again. They passed laws to establish equity and justice among everyone. The only thing that could prevent them from perpetual prosperity, was a relapse of their sinfulness.

Under the leadership of Gidgiddoni and the chief judge Lachoneus many new cities were built and many old cities were repaired. Highways and roads were constructed to connect the cities and the lands. Peace persisted through the 28th year.

In the 29 th year after the birth of Jesus Christ the people’s prosperity turned inexorably towards vanity and boastfulness. Class divisions arose according to the people’s possession of wealth. The wealthy became well educated while the poor were left in ignorance. The rich persecuted the poor, while the poor were humble and penitent before God. The inequality became so great that the church began to fracture.

In the 30th year the church fell apart except among a few of the converted Lamanites. These people were immovable in their faith and unshakable in their adherence to the laws of God.

It was Satan who caused the fall of the Nephite people into sinfulness. Through his great power he stirred the people up and caused them to act wrongly. He filled them with pride and vanity. He tempted them with power, authority, and wealth. Because of Satan’s intervention the period of peace was just a few, brief years. Through his temptations the devil incited the people to do whatever wickedness he desired. The people were in open and defiant rebellion against God, not out of ignorance, but out of willfulness.

In the midst of all this sinfulness inspired men stepped forward to preach and testify boldly about the awful state of the people. They reminded the people of the redemption that God would give them through the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his death and suffering. There were many renegade lawyers, priests, and judges who were angry with these inspired preachers for stirring the people up. Even though no one could be legally executed without signed orders from the governor, many of these inspired preachers were secretly condemned and killed by the renegade judges without the governor’s knowledge.

Complaints were eventually lodged against the renegade judges who violated the laws and put prophets of God to death. When they came before the governor to be judged, their friends, relatives, lawyers, and priests stood with them in dishonest denial of their violations. These people entered into an unholy conspiracy with the devil against all righteousness. They conspired to destroy people of God, and to deliver themselves from the clutches of justice. They sought to overthrow the laws and rights of their country, end freedom, destroy the governor, and replace him with a king to whom all the people would be subjects.