The Book Of Helaman (Chap. 3)

Helaman 3:1
And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the
reign of the judges, there was no contention among the people of
Nephi save it were a little pride which was in the church, which
did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs
were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.

Helaman 3:2
And there was no contention among the people in the forty and
fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and
fifth year.

Helaman 3:3
And it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there was
much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an
exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla,
and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land.

Helaman 3:4
And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch
that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers.

Helaman 3:5
Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the
land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and
without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before
inherited the land.

Helaman 3:6
And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for
timber; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the
people who had before inhabited the land it was called desolate.

Helaman 3:7
And there being but little timber upon the face of the land,
nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert
in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of
cement, in the which they did dwell.

Helaman 3:8
And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did
go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did
spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole
earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to
the sea east.

Helaman 3:9
And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in
tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever
tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should
grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their
houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their
synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their
buildings.

Helaman 3:10
And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the
land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.

Helaman 3:11
And thus they did enable the people in the land northward
that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.

Helaman 3:12
And it came to pass that there were many of the people of
Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this
land.

Helaman 3:13
And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of
this people, by many of this people, which are particular and
very large, concerning them.

Helaman 3:14
But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of this
people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites,
and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their
preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their
building of ships, and their building of temples, and of
synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and
their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and
their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms,
cannot be contained in this work.

Helaman 3:15
But behold, there are many books and many records of every
kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.

Helaman 3:16
And they have been handed down from one generation to another
by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression
and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth,
and slain, and scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed
with the Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites,
becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming
Lamanites.

Helaman 3:17
And now I return again to mine account; therefore, what I
have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions,
and disturbances, and wars, and dissensions, among the people of
Nephi.

Helaman 3:18
The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges ended;

Helaman 3:19
And it came to pass that there was still great contention in
the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in
the forty and eighth year.

Helaman 3:20
Nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice
and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the
judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which
was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after
the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land.

Helaman 3:21
And it came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto the
eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the youngest, the name of
Lehi. And they began to grow up unto the Lord.

Helaman 3:22
And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began to
cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in
the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 3:23
And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the reign
of the judges, there was continual peace established in the land,
all save it were the secret combinations which Gadianton the
robber had established in the more settled parts of the land,
which at that time were not known unto those who were at the head
of government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.

Helaman 3:24
And it came to pass that in this same year there was
exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there
were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were
baptized unto repentance.

Helaman 3:25
And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many
the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even
the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished
beyond measure.

Helaman 3:26
And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper
unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls,
yea, even tens of thousands.

Helaman 3:27
Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will,
in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

Helaman 3:28
Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all,
even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who
is the Son of God.

Helaman 3:29
Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of
God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all
the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead
the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that
everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the
wicked—

Helaman 3:30
And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right
hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham,
and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go
no more out.

Helaman 3:31
And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of
Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the
land which was possessed by the Nephites.

Helaman 3:32
And it came to pass that there was peace and exceedingly
great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and
also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year
of the reign of the judges.

Helaman 3:33
And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges
there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter
into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts
of the people who professed to belong to the church of God—

Helaman 3:34
And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of
many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did
cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great
persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.

Helaman 3:35
Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger
and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the
faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and
consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of
their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their
yielding their hearts unto God.

Helaman 3:36
And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in
peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had
gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their
exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it
did grow upon them from day to day.

Helaman 3:37
And it came to pass in the fifty and third year of the reign
of the judges, Helaman died, and his eldest son Nephi began to
reign in his stead. And it came to pass that he did fill the
judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the
commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.