Alma 45

After their victory the Nephites celebrated their joy, because God had once again delivered them from destruction or enslavement to their enemies. They gave thanks to God by praying, fasting, and worshipping.

In the 19th year of elected judges, Alma spoke with his son Helaman, and asked “Do you believe everything I said regarding the sacred records of our people?”

“Yes,” said Helaman. “I believe.”

“Do you believe that Jesus Christ will come?” asked Alma.

“Yes,” answered Helaman. “I believe all the words that have been spoken.”

“Will you honor my commandments?” Alma asked.

“I will do so with all my heart,” Helaman responded.

“You are blessed,” said Alma. “God will help you to prosper in the land. But now, I want to give you a private prophecy that I want you to write down. This prophecy must not be made known until the time it is fulfilled. Four hundred years after the time that Jesus Christ appears to the Nephite people, they will decline because of their failure to believe. Wars, epidemic diseases, and starvation will cause the Nephites to go extinct. This will occur because of their fall into darkness, promiscuity, and all forms of sinfulness. Within four generations after Jesus Christ appears to the Nephites, the people will begin their fall. When the Nephites become extinct only the Lamanites will survive, and any Nephites who survive will also become Lamanites. At that time, any believers in God who refuse to join the Lamanites will be hunted down and destroyed. Because of the Nephite’s future sinfulness, this prophecy will be fulfilled.”

After saying these things to Helaman, Alma blessed him. He then blessed his other sons, and blessed the earth for the sake of the righteous.

“God has said,” declared Alma, “ ‘That every land, nation, and race of people are cursed who behave wickedly. When they are ripe, they will be destroyed.’ This is both a curse and a blessing of God upon the land, because God cannot tolerate the smallest degree of sin.”

Having said this Alma blessed the church and all of those who maintained their faith from that time forward. After giving his blessings Alma left Zarahemla again to go out preaching, but he disappeared, and was never heard from again.

Because he was a righteous man rumors spread that he had been taken up by the Spirit, or buried personally by God. The scriptures say that God took Moses up to join him, and people imagined that something similar had happened to Alma. But no one knew.

In the 19th year of elected judges, Helaman went out to preach among the people. Because of the Lamanite wars and the continuous petty dissensions among the people, the word of God needed to be declared and the church strengthened again. Throughout all of the Nephite lands, priests and teachers were appointed to support Helaman and re-establish the church. But the people had grown proud with their victory over the Lamanites, and sought riches over righteousness. They ignored the words of Helaman and his appointed priests. [72 BC]