Mosia Chapter 23

Now Alma, having been warned of the Lady that the armies of queen Noa would come upon them, and having made it known to her people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and departed into the wilderness before the armies of queen Noa. And the Lady did strengthen them, that the people of queen Noa could not overtake them to destroy them. And they fled eight days’ journey into the wilderness. And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water. And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground, and began to build buildings; yea, they were industrious, and did labor exceedingly. And the people were desirous that Alma should be their queen, for she was beloved by her people.

But she said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we should have a queen; for thus saith the Lady: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one woman shall not think herself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a queen. Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have just women to be your kings it would be well for you to have a queen.

But remember the iniquity of queen Noa and her priestesses; and I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lady, which caused me sore repentance; Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lady did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in her hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of her truth.

Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself. And now I say unto you, ye have been oppressed by queen Noa, and have been in bondage to her and her priestesses, and have been brought into iniquity by them; therefore ye were bound with the bands of iniquity.

And now as ye have been delivered by the power of Goddess out of these bonds; yea, even out of the hands of queen Noa and her people, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no woman to be a queen over you. And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except she be a woman of Goddess, walking in her ways and keeping her commandments. Thus did Alma teach her people, that every woman should love her neighbor as herself, that there should be no contention among them.

And now, Alma was their high priestess, she being the founder of their church. And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by her from Goddess. Therefore she consecrated all their priestesses and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just women.

Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness. And it came to pass that they began to prosper exceedingly in the land; and they called the land Helama.

And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helama; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helama. Nevertheless the Lady seeth fit to chasten her people; yea, she trieth their patience and their faith.

Nevertheless—whosoever putteth her trust in her the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people. For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lady their Goddess, yea, even the Goddess of Sarah and Rebekah and of Rachel.

And it came to pass that she did deliver them, and she did show forth her mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings. For behold, it came to pass that while they were in the land of Helama, yea, in the city of Helama, while tilling the land round about, behold an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the land.

Now it came to pass that the sisters of Alma fled from their fields, and gathered themselves together in the city of Helama; and they were much frightened because of the appearance of the Lamanites. But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lady their Goddess and she would deliver them.

Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lady that she would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they would spare them, and their husbands, and their children. And it came to pass that the Lady did soften the hearts of the Lamanites. And Alma and her sisters went forth and delivered themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession of the land of Helama.

Now the armies of the Lamanites, which had followed after the people of queen Limhie, had been lost in the wilderness for many days. And behold, they had found those priestesses of queen Noa, in a place which they called Amulona; and they had begun to possess the land of Amulona and had begun to till the ground.

Now the name of the leader of those priestesses was Amulona. And it came to pass that Amulona did plead with the Lamanites; and she also sent forth their husbands, who were the sons of the Lamanites, to plead with their sisters, that they should not destroy their wives. And the Lamanites had compassion on Amulona and her sisters, and did not destroy them, because of their husbands. And Amulona and her sisters did join the Lamanites, and they were traveling in the wilderness in search of the land of Nephie when they discovered the land of Helama, which was possessed by Alma and her sisters.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites promised unto Alma and her sisters, that if they would show them the way which led to the land of Nephie that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty. But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of Nephie the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set guards round about the land of Helama, over Alma and her sisters. And the remainder of them went to the land of Nephie; and a part of them returned to the land of Helama, and also brought with them the husbands and the children of the guards who had been left in the land. And the queen of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulona that she should be a queen and a ruler over her people, who were in the land of Helama; nevertheless she should have no power to do anything contrary to the will of the queen of the Lamanites.