Helaman 6

As the 62nd year of elected judges, ended most of the Lamanites had converted, and were actually more righteous and strong in their faith than the Nephites. Many Nephites had become hard, unrepentant, and sinful. They had rejected the word of God, the preaching of the church leaders, and the holy prophecies. In the face of this apostasy among the Nephites the people of the church of God were overjoyed at the Lamanite conversions. [30 BC]

Many of these converted Lamanites came to Zarahemla as missionaries. They announced the nature of their conversion and urged the Nephites to repent. These Lamanite converts spoke with such power and authority that they induced humility in many to whom they spoke. Many stray Nephites became humble followers of God and Jesus Christ once again. In the 63rd year of elected judges, Nephi and Lehi continued their missionary work to the north, and the converted Lamanites spread out across the land, including into the lands of the Nephites. [29 BC]

It was a time of great peace and prosperity for both the Nephites and the Lamanites alike. Gold, silver, and finely crafted riches were abundant. The harvests were plentiful and the livestock thrived. The women spun threads and made many kinds of wonderful cloth.

In the 66th year of elected judges, the chief judge Cezoram was secretly murdered by an unknown culprit. When his son succeeded him as chief judge, he was also murdered. [26BC]

In the 67th year the people began to lapse back into sinfulness. God had blessed them with wealth and prosperity for so long that they began competing with one another to see who could become the richest. They murdered, stole, and plotted for material gain. Among these plunderers was the band formed by Gadianton who had infiltrated both the Nephites and the unconverted Lamanites. This group, known as the Gadianton Robbers, were the ones responsible for killing the chief judge, and his son who had succeeded him.

The Lamanites and the righteous Nephites were both unhappy to have the robbers operating amongst them, and used all possible means to expose and destroy them. At this time more Nephites than not were under the under the influence of Satan. These people made alliances and covenants with the robbers, using secret signs and secret words so that they could distinguish other conspirators. They helped one another evade injury from these crimes, and also helped them evade government prosecution for the crimes they committed. Under this diabolical conspiracy they murdered, stole, fornicated, and committed all sorts of wickedness that was contrary to the laws of their country and contrary to the laws of God. Betrayals within the conspiracy were punished harshly by the wicked justice of Gadianton.

These were the secret conspiracies, oaths, and covenants that Alma had warned his son about, that would destroy the people if they were ever known and used. Gadianton had not acquired this secret and diabolical knowledge through the records that Helaman had kept. Instead, they had been delivered straight to his heart from the same devil who enticed Adam and Eve to taste the forbidden fruit, from the same being who conspired with Cain to kill his brother Abel and who had been leading men astray ever since. These secrets came from the same devil who had provoked the people to build a great tower so high that they could climb to heaven, and who had conspired with the descendants of the great tower builders to spread the works of darkness and abominations in this new land until he dragged them down to destruction and everlasting hell. This same devil had now provoked Gadianton to carry on his works of darkness and secret murders as he had since the beginning of time. This same devil is author of all sin.

The devil had taken hold of the hearts of many Nephites who had become incredibly wicked. Most of them turned away from righteousness, defied the commandments of God, and worshipped the idols of gold and silver. It all happened very quickly.

In the 68th year of elected judges, the Nephites had become an overwhelmingly unrighteous people and grew even more so. While the Nephites’ belief in God had declined the Lamanites’ belief had grown. It was the Lamanites who now kept the commandments of God, and walked in righteousness and truth before God. As the Spirit of God withdrew from the Nephites God showered the Lamanites with his blessings because of their willingness to believe in his words.

The Lamanites hunted out the corrupt band of Gadianton Robbers amongst themselves and preached to the wicked in their midst. Because of this, the robbers were utterly destroyed within the Lamanite community.

On the other hand, the Nephites strengthened and supported the Gadianton Robbers until they spread their evil influence throughout the entire land of the Nephites. They seduced the righteous with a generous share of the spoils, and ensnared them in their secret conspiracy. They systematically took control of the government, overturned the laws, and turned their backs on the poor, the meek, and the humble followers of God. The Nephite people were now ripe for total destruction. [34 BC]