Alma 35

After Amulek finished, he and his colleagues headed for Jershon. Then the Zoramite majority party caucused about the preaching they’d heard. Their resolve? To get angrier than they already were. This new imported righteousness was carving into their profits. They got the aristocracy and priestly class to poll the people at large, without disclosing their intent or biases. Everyone who spoke up in favor of the preachers got deported. Those expatriates headed for Jershon, where Alma and his colleagues consoled them.

This ticked off the Zoramites, whose chieftain sent messengers to Jershon telling the Ammonites to stiff the new immigrants. Despite his threats, the Ammonites bucked, giving even more goods and services to the immigrants—including land deeds and new wardrobes.

This further upset the Zoramites, who made new alliances with Lamanites to assault not only the Ammonites, but their perennial default target, the Nephites.

Thus ended the seventeenth year. (Same as how many other years?)

The Ammonites emigrated to Melek so that the Nephites—better fighters—could build bases in their homes and fields. The ex-Zoramites also armed themselves: they had property to defend, which included their wives and children. I’ll tell you more about what happened later. I need a break.

Alma was jaded and spent, not only because of the renewal of gore but because he knew most of his converts would soon, as most converts do, backslide. The devil’s in the details, as they say.

When you’re feeling that way, the best answer is to enact some fresh patriarchy. In this case, that meant Alma calling his sons together to judge them and give them unsolicited advice.

Here is what he said, based on eyewitness testimony collated by your fearless editor.