Peace and Growing Tensions
In the forty-third year of the judges, there was peace among Nephi’s people—except for a little pride creeping into the church. It caused some arguments, but they sorted it out by year’s end.
The forty-fourth year passed without conflict. The same was true for the forty-fifth.
The Great Migration North
But in the forty-sixth year, tensions flared. Arguments broke out everywhere. A huge number of people left Zarahemla and headed north to settle new territory. They traveled incredible distances, reaching vast lakes and countless rivers. They spread into every region that wasn’t already stripped bare of trees by earlier inhabitants.
The land wasn’t actually desolate—it just lacked timber. It got that name because of the destruction suffered by the people who’d lived there before. With so little timber available, the settlers became experts at working with cement. They built cement houses and lived in them. They multiplied and expanded, moving from the southern lands to the northern territories, spreading until they covered the entire face of the earth—from the southern sea to the northern sea, from the western sea to the eastern sea.
The people in the north lived in tents and cement houses. They let any tree that sprouted grow undisturbed, knowing that eventually they’d have timber to build proper cities—temples, synagogues, sanctuaries, and all kinds of buildings. Since timber was so scarce in the north, they shipped large quantities by sea. This allowed the northern settlements to build many cities, both from wood and cement.
Many of Ammon’s people—Lamanites by birth—also moved into this territory.
A Note on the Records
Detailed records were kept of all these events by many people. The accounts are extensive and specific.
But I can’t fit even a hundredth of it into this record—the full story of the Lamanites and Nephites, their wars and conflicts, their divisions, their preaching and prophecies, their shipping and shipbuilding, their construction of temples and synagogues and sanctuaries, their goodness and wickedness, their murders and robberies and plundering, and every kind of corruption and sexual immorality.
There are many books and many records of all kinds, kept mostly by the Nephites. They passed these records down from one generation to the next—until the Nephites fell into sin and were murdered, plundered, hunted, driven out, killed, and scattered across the earth. They mixed with the Lamanites until they were no longer called Nephites. They became wicked, wild, and violent—indistinguishable from Lamanites.
Helaman’s Faithful Leadership
But now I’m returning to my main story. What I’ve just described happened after major conflicts, upheavals, wars, and divisions among Nephi’s people.
The forty-sixth year of the judges came to an end.
Conflict continued in the land through the forty-seventh year and into the forty-eighth. But through it all, Helaman ruled with justice and fairness. He kept God’s laws and commandments. He did what was right in God’s eyes, continually following in his father’s footsteps. Because of this, he thrived in the land. He had two sons. He named the older one Nephi and the younger one Lehi. They both grew up devoted to the Lord. Near the end of the forty-eighth year, the wars and conflicts among the Nephites began to die down a little.
The Church Flourishes
In the forty-ninth year, lasting peace finally settled over the land—except for the secret conspiracies that Gadianton the robber had established in the more populated areas. The government leaders didn’t know about them yet, so they couldn’t be rooted out.
That same year, the church experienced incredible growth. Thousands joined and were baptized as they turned from their sins. The church thrived so dramatically, and God poured out so many blessings on the people, that even the high priests and teachers were stunned.
God’s work flourished. Tens of thousands were baptized and joined the church.
Heaven’s Gate Is Open
This shows us that the Lord is merciful to everyone who sincerely calls on his holy name. Heaven’s gate stands open to all who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Anyone who grabs hold of God’s word—which is alive and powerful, cutting through every trick, trap, and scheme of the devil—will be led in a straight, narrow path across that endless gulf of misery meant to swallow the wicked. God’s word brings our souls—our immortal souls—safely to his right hand in heaven, where we sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all our holy ancestors. And we’ll never leave.
Joy and Peace in the Land
That year, there was constant celebration throughout Zarahemla and the surrounding regions—everywhere the Nephites lived.
Peace and tremendous joy lasted through the rest of the forty-ninth year and continued through the fiftieth year of the judges.
Pride Creeps In
In the fifty-first year, there was peace as well—except for the pride beginning to creep into the church. Not into God’s church itself, but into the hearts of people who claimed to belong to it.
They became so arrogant that they persecuted many of their fellow believers. This was a terrible evil. The humble believers suffered greatly and endured much hardship.
But they fasted and prayed constantly. Their humility deepened, and their faith in Christ grew stronger and stronger. Their souls filled with joy and comfort. Their hearts were purified and made holy—a holiness that came from surrendering themselves completely to God.
The fifty-second year also ended peacefully—though extreme pride had taken root in people’s hearts. It came from their vast wealth and prosperity. Day by day, it grew worse.
In the fifty-third year, Helaman died. His oldest son, Nephi, took his place as chief judge. He ruled with justice and fairness, kept God’s commandments, and followed in his father’s footsteps.