Helaman Teaches His Sons

And in that same year, 30 BC, Nephi gave up the judgment-seat to Cezoram.

The laws had been established by the voice of the people, but the majority of the people had chosen evil. Because of this, the Nephites were becoming ripe for destruction, having corrupted their laws.

This was not all. They had become too stubborn to be governed by just laws, which were written for a righteous people. In their fallen condition, just laws could only condemn them. Nephi had grown weary of the people’s sinfulness, so he gave up the judgment-seat to preach God’s word for the rest of his life. Nephi’s brother, Lehi, also went and did the same. They both remembered these words, which their father, Helaman, had spoken: “My sons, I hope you remember to keep God’s commandments and teach them to the people. I named you both after our forefathers who came out of Jerusalem, hoping you would remember their good works.

“I hope you will both do good so it may be said and written of you, as it has been said and written of our forefathers. Now, my sons, do not boast of your good works. Do them to have that precious gift of eternal life—a gift which we believe has been given to our forefathers. My sons, remember King Benjamin’s words—that there is no other way for anyone to be saved other than through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who will come to redeem the world. Also remember the words that Amulek spoke to Zeezrom while in the city of Ammonihah. Amulek said the Lord will surely come to redeem His people, not in their sins, but from their sins. The Father has given Jesus Christ the power to redeem us from our sins through our repentance. This is why He sends angels to us to teach us how to repent. Always remember, my sons, that you must build your foundation upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God. If you trust in Him, then you cannot fall, and the devil’s temptations will not overpower you and drag you down to a condition of endless torment.”

Helaman taught his sons many other things, some of which are written and some of which are not. Nephi and Lehi remembered their father’s words and kept God’s commandments. They went out to teach the Nephites, beginning in the city of Bountiful. From there they went to Gid, and from Gid to Mulek. They continued to go from city to city until they had gone into every Nephite city in the southern land. Then they went to the land of Zarahemla to teach the Lamanites. They taught with great power, confounding many Nephite dissenters, who came forward and confessed their sins. Those who repented were baptized, after which they immediately returned to the Nephites to try to repair the damage they had done.

As Nephi and Lehi preached, God gave them great power and authority and told them what to teach. While in Zarahemla, they astonished the Lamanites with their teaching, and convinced 8,000 of them to repent of their forefathers’ wicked traditions.

Then Nephi and Lehi went from Zarahemla to the land of Nephi. There they were captured by Lamanite soldiers and thrown into prison—the same prison that Ammon and his brethren had been put into by Limhi’s servants.

After they had been in prison for many days without food, the Lamanites went into the prison with the intention of taking them out and killing them. The Lamanites saw Nephi and Lehi surrounded with what appeared to be fire. Not a single Lamanite dared touch them, for they were afraid of being burned, yet Nephi and Lehi stood among the flames unharmed.

When they realized they were safe from the fire and from the Lamanites, Nephi and Lehi became courageous— for the Lamanites just stood there in complete amazement. Nephi and Lehi said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for it is God who shows you this marvelous thing. It is He who prevents you from harming us.”

Then a great earthquake began, and it seemed as if the prison walls would collapse at any moment, but they did not. Everyone was overshadowed by a dark cloud, and an awful, sobering fear came over the Lamanites and the Nephite dissenters. Then a voice was heard coming from above the dark cloud, saying, “Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants, whom I have sent to declare good tidings.” This voice was not loud, like thunder. It was a calm voice of perfect mildness, like a whisper. However, it pierced everyone to their very souls. Then another earthquake began and shook the prison walls, and the dark cloud remained. Again, the calm, whisper-like voice spoke from above, “Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Seek no more to destroy my servants.” Then the earth shook again and the prison walls trembled. A third time the voice came, saying such marvelous words that they cannot be uttered by man, and the earth shook as if it were about to split open and devour them!

The Lamanites were surrounded by darkness, and they were so afraid, they could not move. One of them, Aminadab, a Nephite by birth, had once belonged to God’s church, but had left it. Aminadab turned and saw Nephi and Lehi’s faces through the dark cloud. Their faces shone very brightly, like the faces of angels, and they were looking up into heaven, talking to some being. Then he shouted to the multitude, “Look over there!” And the people were given the power to turn and see Nephi and Lehi’s faces. They asked Aminadab, “What do all these things mean, and with whom are Nephi and Lehi speaking?”

Aminadab answered, “They are speaking with the angels of God.” Then the Lamanites asked, “What can we do to make this darkness go away?” Aminadab replied, “You must repent and cry to the voice until you have faith in Christ, of whom Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom spoke. After you do this, the darkness will leave.”

So they all cried out to the voice of Him who had shaken the earth, pleading with God until the dark cloud was taken away. When they looked around, they saw that the darkness was gone. But now they were surrounded by a pillar of fire. Nephi and Lehi stood in the middle of the people, also surrounded by fire. The fire did not burn anyone, nor did it burn the prison walls, but every soul was filled with glory and unspeakable joy. Then God’s Holy Spirit came down from heaven and entered their hearts, filling them with what seemed to be fire. It enabled them to speak marvelous words. Then a pleasant voice came to them, like a whisper, and said, “Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was prepared from the beginning of the world.”

Upon hearing this, they looked up to see where the voice was coming from. They saw the heavens open, and angels came down out of heaven and spoke to them. About 300 souls saw and heard these things. They were told to go their way, and not to wonder or doubt. These 300 Lamanites went and told other people what had happened, testifying throughout the entire land of what they had seen and heard. Most of the Lamanites who were told of this great event believed it, and all who believed put away their weapons and hatred of the Nephites. They gave up their forefathers’ false traditions, and they gave the Nephites back their land.