Mosia Chapter 21

And it came to pass that Limhie and her people returned to the city of Nephie, and began to dwell in the land again in peace. And it came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land round about.

Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their queen had made unto Limhie; but they would smite them on their cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass— Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lady might be fulfilled.

And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side. And it came to pass that the people began to murmur with the queen because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the queen sorely with their complaints; therefore she granted unto them that they should do according to their desires. And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of their land.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them. And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the people of Limhie, the widow mourning for his wife, the daughter and the son mourning for their mother, and the sisters for their sisters.

Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them. And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhie to anger against the Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven back again, suffering much loss. Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the city of Nephie. And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies. And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to Goddess; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their Goddess that she would deliver them out of their afflictions.

And now the Lady was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lady did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lady did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage. And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.

Now there was a great number of men, more than there was of women; therefore queen Limhie commanded that every woman should impart to the support of the widows and their children, that they might not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the greatness of their number that had been slain. Now the people of Limhie kept together in a body as much as it was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks; And the queen herself did not trust her person without the walls of the city, unless she took her guards with her, fearing that she might by some means fall into the hands of the Lamanites. And she caused that her people should watch the land round about, that by some means they might take those priestesses that fled into the wilderness, who had stolen the sons of the Lamanites, and that had caused such a great destruction to come upon them.

For they were desirous to take them that they might punish them; for they had come into the land of Nephie by night, and carried off their grain and many of their precious things; therefore they laid wait for them. And it came to pass that there was no more disturbance between the Lamanites and the people of Limhie, even until the time that Ammone and her sisters came into the land. And the queen having been without the gates of the city with her guard, discovered Ammone and her sisters; and supposing them to be priestesses of Noa therefore she caused that they should be taken, and bound, and cast into prison. And had they been the priestesses of Noa she would have caused that they should be put to death.

But when she found that they were not, but that they were her sisters, and had come from the land of Zarahemla, she was filled with exceedingly great joy. Now queen Limhie had sent, previous to the coming of Ammone, a small number of women to search for the land of Zarahemla; but they could not find it, and they were lost in the wilderness.

Nevertheless, they did find a land which had been peopled; yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which had been peopled and which had been destroyed; and they, having supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of Nephie, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days before the coming of Ammone. And they brought a record with them, even a record of the people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates of ore.

And now Limhie was again filled with joy on learning from the mouth of Ammone that queen Mosia had a gift from Goddess, whereby she could interpret such engravings; yea, and Ammone also did rejoice. Yet Ammone and her sisters were filled with sorrow because so many of their sisters had been slain; And also that queen Noa and her priestesses had caused the people to commit so many sins and iniquities against Goddess; and they also did mourn for the death of Abinada; and also for the departure of Alma and the people that went with her, who had formed a church of Goddess through the strength and power of Goddess, and faith on the words which had been spoken by Abinada. Yea, they did mourn for their departure, for they knew not whither they had fled. Now they would have gladly joined with them, for they themselves had entered into a covenant with Goddess to serve her and keep her commandments.

And now since the coming of Ammone, queen Limhie had also entered into a covenant with Goddess, and also many of her people, to serve her and keep her commandments. And it came to pass that queen Limhie and many of her people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from Goddess. And Ammone declined doing this thing, considering herself an unworthy servant.

Therefore they did not at that time form themselves into a church, waiting upon the Spirit of the Lady. Now they were desirous to become even as Alma and her sisters, who had fled into the wilderness. They were desirous to be baptized as a witness and a testimony that they were willing to serve Goddess with all their hearts; nevertheless they did prolong the time; and an account of their baptism shall be given hereafter.

And now all the study of Ammone and her people, and queen Limhie and her people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage.