The Book Of Helaman (Chap. 5)

Helaman 5:1
And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, Nephi
delivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram.

Helaman 5:2
For as their laws and their governments were established by
the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more
numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening
for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.

Helaman 5:3
Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people,
insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice,
save it were to their destruction.

Helaman 5:4
And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of
their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it
upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days,
and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;

Helaman 5:5
For they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake
unto them. And these are the words which he spake:

Helaman 5:6
Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the
commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the
people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of
our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this
I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember
them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and
when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and
also written, that they were good.

Helaman 5:7
Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is
good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it
has been said and written of them.

Helaman 5:8
And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you,
which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may
boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a
treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not
away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life,
which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.

Helaman 5:9
O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin
spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way
nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning
blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come, yea, remember that he
cometh to redeem the world.

Helaman 5:10
And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom,
in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord
surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not
come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their
sins.

Helaman 5:11
And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem
them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath
sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of
repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto
the salvation of their souls.

Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock
of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must
build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his
mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his
hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no
power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless
wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure
foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:13
And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman
taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are
not written, and also many things which are written.

Helaman 5:14
And they did remember his words; and therefore they went
forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God
among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;

Helaman 5:15
And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of
Gid to the city of Mulek;

Helaman 5:16
And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth
among all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and
from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.

Helaman 5:17
And it came to pass that they did preach with great power,
insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had
gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and
did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and
immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto
them the wrongs which they had done.

Helaman 5:18
And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the
Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power
and authority, given unto them that they might speak, and they
also had what they should speak given unto them—

Helaman 5:19
Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the
Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight
thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and
round about baptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the
wickedness of the traditions of their fathers.

Helaman 5:20
And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from
thence to go to the land of Nephi.

Helaman 5:21
And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the
Lamanites and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in
which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.

Helaman 5:22
And after they had been cast into prison many days without
food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that
they might slay them.

Helaman 5:23
And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about
as if by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands
upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless,
Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the
midst of fire and were not burned.

Helaman 5:24
And when they saw that they were encircled about with a
pillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did
take courage.

Helaman 5:25
For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands
upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as
if they were struck dumb with amazement.

Helaman 5:26
And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and
began to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God
that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is
shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.

Helaman 5:27
And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook
exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they
were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall.
And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and
Nephites who were dissenters.

Helaman 5:28
And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud
of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.

Helaman 5:29
And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were
above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and
seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to
declare good tidings.

Helaman 5:30
And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld
that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a
great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of
perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce
even to the very soul—

Helaman 5:31
And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the
earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled
again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the
cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not
disperse—

Helaman 5:32
And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent
ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to
destroy my servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook
again, and the walls trembled.

Helaman 5:33
And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak
unto them marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the
walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about
to divide asunder.

Helaman 5:34
And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because
of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also
they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.

Helaman 5:35
Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who
had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from
them.

Helaman 5:36
And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he
saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi;
and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of
angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven;
and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their
voices to some being whom they beheld.

Helaman 5:37
And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude,
that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given
unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the
faces of Nephi and Lehi.

Helaman 5:38
And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things
mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse?

Helaman 5:39
Now the man's name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto
them: They do converse with the angels of God.

Helaman 5:40
And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What
shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from
overshadowing us?

Helaman 5:41
And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto
the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was
taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye
shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from
overshadowing you.

Helaman 5:42
And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the
voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even
until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.

Helaman 5:43
And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and
saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing
them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every
soul, by a pillar of fire.

Helaman 5:44
And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were
encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming
fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the
walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is
unspeakable and full of glory.

Helaman 5:45
And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven,
and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with
fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.

Helaman 5:46
And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a
pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:

Helaman 5:47
Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well
Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

Helaman 5:48
And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if
to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the
heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered
unto them.

Helaman 5:49
And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard
these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not,
neither should they doubt.

Helaman 5:50
And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did ministerunt
o the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about
all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the
more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the
greatness of the evidences which they had received.

Helaman 5:51
And as many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of
war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.

Helaman 5:52
And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites
the lands of their possession.