Helaman 11

In the 72nd year of elected judges, wars between the different Nephite factions spread across the land. Most of this war and destruction was instigated by the band of Gadianton Robbers. [20 BC]

In the 73rd year Nephi cried out to God saying, “Oh God, do not let my people be destroyed by warfare. Instead, bring them a famine to remind them of their God. Perhaps then they will repent and turn to you.” [19 BC]

And so a great famine came across the land for several years, and the widespread warfare ended. In the 75th year the land was dry and barren, and there was no harvest at all. Thousands died in the areas where the most wicked people lived. When the people saw that they were about to die from starvation they remembered God, and the words that Nephi had spoken. They pleaded with their judges and leaders to have Nephi intervene on their behalf. “We know that you are a man of God,” they said to him. “Won’t you please ask God to end this famine before all of your prophecies are fulfilled?” [17 BC]

When Nephi saw that the people had repented and humbled themselves, he cried out again to God. “Oh God, as you can see, the people have repented. They have swept the Gadianton Robbers away and put an end to the secret conspiracies. Please God, will you turn your anger away from them now because of their humility? Please be satisfied with the wicked men among them who have already perished. Please listen to my request and make my words manifest. Send us rain so that we can have harvests and food to eat again. You said that if the people repented, you would spare them. You can see now that they have repented due to the famine that you sent. Let them have another chance to show their devotion to you. I ask that you give them your blessing.”

In the 76th year of elected judges, God withdrew his anger from the Nephite people, and brought rain to the land. With the rain came abundant harvests once again. The people rejoiced and gave their thanks to God. They now knew that Nephi was a great prophet with profound authority and power given to him by God. [16 BC]

The people prospered and multiplied across the face of the land going to the north and the south, from the sea on the east to the sea on the west. In the peace that prevailed the church membership grew until more Nephite and Lamanite people belonged to it than didn’t.

In the 79th year the perennial conflicts between the people arose once again. As the conflicts developed Nephi and his brother Lehi received many revelations every day. Their diligent efforts and preaching successfully brought peace once again. [13 BC]

In the 80th year of elected judges, some Nephite rebels, who had previously united with and become Lamanites, conspired with another faction of Lamanites to start warring again. They hid themselves in the mountains and periodically raided, killed, and plundered, then retreated again to their mountain hideouts. As their successes grew so too did the numbers of people who joined them. When the bandits uncovered the secret plans of the Gadianton Robbers they became the next incarnation of robbing conspirators and were known by the same name. They raided and brought destruction to both the Nephites and the Lamanites. [12 BC]

The people organized an army to end the raiding, and sent this army into the mountains to search out and destroy the robbers. But the robbers had become so strong that they drove the people’s army out. In the 81st year the people’s army tried destroying the robbers once more. They succeeded in killing many of them, but suffered many losses and were driven from the mountains again. The robbers were so strong, numerous, and deeply rooted in the mountainous terrain that the Nephite army was unable to defeat them. The growing threat spread fear and trepidation across the land. [11 BC]

The robbers grew in numbers, became ever bolder with their successful raids and began stealing women and children, taking them as captives back to the wilderness. Because the people understood that this great evil was a direct consequence of their sinfulness, some became inspired to remember their God.

In the 82nd year of elected judges, the people began turning away from God, and in the 83rd year their apostasy was rampant. [9 BC]

In the 85 th year their pride and sinfulness made them ripe for destruction once again. [7 BC]