The Lamanites Destroy Ammonihah
In the eleventh year that judges ruled the Nephites, on the fifth day of the second month, there was much peace in Zarahemla. There had been no wars or fighting for many years. But on the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year, people heard the cry of war throughout the land. The Lamanite armies had come through the wilderness into the land. They came into the city of Ammonihah and started to kill the people and destroy the city. Before the Nephites could gather enough soldiers to force them out of the land, the Lamanites had destroyed the people in Ammonihah. They also destroyed some people around the borders of Noah. They took others as prisoners into the wilderness. The Nephites wanted to get back the people who had been taken as prisoners into the wilderness.
Alma Helps Zoram Find the Prisoners
Zoram was the Chief Captain over the Nephite armies. He had two sons, Lehi and Aha. Zoram and his two sons knew that Alma was High Priest over the Church. They had heard that he had the spirit of prophecy. So they went to him. They asked him to find out from the Lord if they should go into the wilderness to search for their brothers who had been taken prisoner by the Lamanites. Alma asked the Lord about this. Then Alma came back and said to them: “The Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness. They will go far beyond the borders of the land of Manti. There you will meet them on the east side of the river Sidon. There the Lord will give back to you your brothers who have been taken prisoner by the Lamanites.” Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon with their armies. They marched beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness on the east side of the river Sidon. They came upon the Lamanite armies. The Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness. The Nephites got back their brothers who had been taken prisoner by the Lamanites. Not one person who had been taken prisoner was lost. They were brought by their brothers back to their own lands.
The City Left Empty
The eleventh year of the judges ended. The Lamanites had been driven out of the land. The people of Ammonihah were destroyed. Every living person in Ammonihah was destroyed. Their great city was also destroyed. They had said God could not destroy it because it was so great. But in one day it was left empty. Their dead bodies were torn apart by dogs and wild animals of the wilderness. After many days, their dead bodies were piled up on the ground. They were covered with a thin layer of dirt. The smell was so bad that the people did not go in to take the land of Ammonihah for many years. It was called Desolation of Nehors. This was because the people who were killed followed the teachings of Nehor. Their lands stayed empty.
The Lamanites did not come again to fight against the Nephites until the fourteenth year that judges ruled the people of Nephi. For three years the people of Nephi had peace in all the land.
Alma and Amulek Preach Throughout the Land
Alma and Amulek went out preaching to the people to turn from their sins. They taught in temples, in holy places, and also in synagogues that were built like the Jewish ones. They shared the word of God with everyone who would listen. They treated all people the same. Alma and Amulek went out teaching. Many other people were also chosen for this work. They preached the word throughout all the land. The Church grew throughout the land. It grew in all the areas around them, among all the Nephites.
There was no unfairness among them. The Lord poured out his Spirit on all the land. He did this to prepare people’s minds and hearts to receive the word that would be taught among them when he came. He wanted their hearts not to be hard against the word. He did not want them to refuse to believe and be destroyed. Instead he wanted them to receive the word with joy. He wanted them to be like a branch attached to the true vine. Then they could enter into the rest of the Lord their God.
The priests who went out among the people preached against all lying, tricking, being jealous, fighting, being mean, insulting, stealing, robbing, taking by force, murdering, cheating on marriage, and all kinds of sexual sin. They cried out that these things should not be done. They taught about things that would happen soon. They taught about the coming of the Son of God, his suffering and death, and also the rising of the dead. Many of the people asked about the place where the Son of God would come. They were taught that he would appear to them after he rose from the dead. The people heard this with great joy and happiness. After the Church had been set up throughout all the land, having won the victory over the Devil, and the word of God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people, the fourteenth year of the judges over the people of Nephi ended.