Helaman 7

In the 69th year of elected judges, Nephi returned to Zarahemla from his mission in the north, where the people had rejected his words. [23 BC]

Upon his return he was shocked by the state of affairs at home. Gadianton Robbers were seated as judges and had hijacked the power and authority of the land. Wickedness prevailed. The commandments of God were not being observed anymore. There was no longer any justice. The righteous were condemned for their righteousness, while the guilty and wicked had plenty of money, went unpunished, and now ran the government for their own personal profit. The leaders used their offices to more easily fornicate, steal, and kill as they pleased. The change had happened so quickly that Nephi was struck with sorrow and agony of the soul.

“How I wish I could have lived when Nephi1 first came out of Jerusalem,” he exclaimed. “When he first arrived in this promised land, his people could be persuaded to keep the commandments of God. They were slow to sin and quick to listen to God. If I had lived then, I could have known joy at the righteousness of my people. But I must accept that these are my days, and accept the sorrow that comes from these sinful people.”

Nephi stood on a tower in his garden along the highway to the market in the city of Zarahemla, and bowed down. Men passing by saw him pour out his grief from the top of the tower, and ran to tell other people what they’d seen. Soon a multitude gathered, wondering what caused such mourning. When Nephi arose he saw the people gathered before him.

“Why have you gathered?” he asked. “So that I can tell you about your sinfulness? I stand on this tower so that I can pour my soul out to God and lament the sinfulness I have found here. You marvel at my mourning when you should be marveling at how easily the devil has captured your hearts. How could you have yielded to the enticements of the devil who is only trying to consign your souls to everlasting misery? Repent and turn towards the Lord God. Why has he forsaken you? This has happened because you have hardened your hearts and not listened to the good shepherd. You have provoked him to anger against you. Unless you repent you will be scattered as meat for dogs and wild beasts, instead of being gathered up.”

“How could you have forgotten your God who has delivered you? You do this to receive the empty praise of your fellow men, and to receive gold and silver. You’ve set your hearts on accumulating wealth and inflating your vanity. For these things you murder, plunder, steal, and bring false witness against your neighbor. Unless you repent, you are going to suffer. Unless you repent, this great city and all the great cities of our land will be taken away, and you will have no place in them. Unless you repent, God will withdraw his strength that protects you from your enemies.”

“God has said,” continued Nephi, “ ‘I will not give my strength to help the wicked. I will help only those who repent and listen to my words.’ ”

“Unless you repent, the Lamanites will be better off than you. They are more righteous than you are. They have not betrayed the great knowledge that you’ve received. Because of this, God will give them longer lives and greater fertility, while those of you who don’t repent will be destroyed. Shame on you for letting this great abomination become established among you. You have united yourselves with that secret conspiracy led by Gadianton. You will find that the reward for your pride and pursuit of wealth will only be misery. Your wickedness and abominations will only bring you misery. Unless you repent you will destroyed, and your lands will be taken away from you. I know these things are true because the Lord God has made them known to me. I hereby testify that these prophecies will be fulfilled.”