Alma Warns Against Having a King

Now, back to Alma. He had left the place called Mormon with his people after being warned by the Lord that Noah’s army was coming after them. The Lord gave them the endurance to outmarch King Noah’s army, which could not catch them. They continued their exodus for eight days in the wilderness. Then Alma and his people came to a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water. They settled in this beautiful land, and worked very hard to farm it and construct buildings. The people asked Alma to be their king because they loved him. But Alma said, “It is not necessary for us to have a king, for the Lord has said, ‘You will not put one man above another or allow one man to put himself above you.’ If it were possible for kings to always be just men, then it would be well for you to have a king. But remember the sinfulness of King Noah and his priests.

“I myself was caught in that snare, doing many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance. But after I had experienced great suffering, the Lord heard my cries and answered my prayers. He has made me an instrument in His hands to bring many of you to a knowledge of the truth. But I do not glory in this, for I am not worthy to glory in myself. You were oppressed by King Noah, in bondage to him and his priests. Because of them, you were brought into sin. And now that you have been delivered by God’s power out of that condition, I want you to hold onto this liberty and remain free, trusting no man to be your king. Also, trust no one to be your teacher or minister unless he is of God—walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.”

Alma taught everyone to love their neighbors as themselves, and never to fight or argue with one another. He was their high priest, being the founder of their church. No one received the authority to preach or teach unless it was given to him from God through Alma, who consecrated all the priests and teachers, and only just men were consecrated. The priests and teachers watched over their people, and nourished them with things having to do with righteousness.

Alma and his people began to prosper greatly in the land, which they called Helam (named after the first man Alma baptized). As they populated and prospered in the land, they built the city of Helam. Still, the Lord saw fit to chastise His people in Helam, and He truly tested their patience and faith. But we will see that all who put their trust in the Lord are supported by Him, for the people of Helam were given trials and blessings by the Lord. I, Mormon, will show you that they were brought into bondage, and no one but the Lord their God, even the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, could deliver them. And He did deliver them, showing His mighty power, after which they rejoiced greatly.

As Alma’s people were farming the land of Helam near their city, a Lamanite army came into their borders. Terrified by the army, Alma’s people ran from their fields and into the city. Alma told them not to be afraid, but to remember that their God would deliver them.

They calmed down and asked the Lord to soften the hearts of the Lamanites so that they would spare them. And the Lord did soften the hearts of the Lamanites as Alma and his people went out and surrendered to them. Then the Lamanites took possession of the land of Helam.

This Lamanite army, which had followed King Limhi’s people, had been lost in the wilderness for many days after losing the trail. But they had found those priests of King Noah in a place they had called Amulon. The priests had settled down with the Lamanite daughters they had stolen, and had begun to raise crops. The leader of the priests was Amulon. He pled with the Lamanites, and also sent out his men’s wives, the Lamanites’ daughters, to plead with their people not to kill their husbands. Because of their wives, the Lamanites had compassion on Amulon and his men, and did not kill them. Then Amulon and his men joined the Lamanites.

The Lamanites were looking for the way back to the land of Nephi when they found Alma and his people in the land of Helam. Now the Lamanites promised to spare Alma and his people and give them their liberty if they would show them how to get back to the land of Nephi. But after Alma had shown them the way back to Nephi, the Lamanites did not keep their promise. Before returning to the land of Nephi, they set guards around the land of Helam to watch Alma and his people.

The rest of the Lamanite army went back to the land of Nephi. Soon after that, part of the Lamanite army returned to Helam, bringing the guards’ wives and children.