The Book Of Mosiah (Chap. 21)

Mosiah 21:1
And it came to pass that Limhi and his people returned to the
city of Nephi, and began to dwell in the land again in peace.

Mosiah 21:2
And it came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began
again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they
began to come into the borders of the land round about.

Mosiah 21:3
Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their
king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them on their
cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy
burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb
ass—

Mosiah 21:4
Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be
fulfilled.

Mosiah 21:5
And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there
was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands,
for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

Mosiah 21:6
And it came to pass that the people began to murmur with the
king because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous
to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the king
sorely with their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that
they should do according to their desires.

Mosiah 21:7
And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their
armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of
their land.

Mosiah 21:8
And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and
drove them back, and slew many of them.

Mosiah 21:9
And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the
people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and
the daughter mourning for their father, and the brothers for
their brethren.

Mosiah 21:10
Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did
cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites
had come upon them.

Mosiah 21:11
And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up
the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the
Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven
back again, suffering much loss.

Mosiah 21:12
Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the
like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the
city of Nephi.

Mosiah 21:13
And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting
themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be
smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to
the desires of their enemies.

Mosiah 21:14
And they did humble themselves even in the depths of
humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day
long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out
of their afflictions.

Mosiah 21:15
And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their
iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began
to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease
their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out
of bondage.

Mosiah 21:16
And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in
the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks,
and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.

Mosiah 21:17
Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of
men; therefore king Limhi commanded that every man should impart
to the support of the widows and their children, that they might
not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the
greatness of their number that had been slain.

Mosiah 21:18
Now the people of Limhi kept together in a body as much as it
was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks;

Mosiah 21:19
And the king himself did not trust his person without the
walls of the city, unless he took his guards with him, fearing
that he might by some means fall into the hands of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 21:20
And he caused that his people should watch the land round
about, that by some means they might take those priests that fled
into the wilderness, who had stolen the daughters of the
Lamanites, and that had caused such a great destruction to come
upon them.

Mosiah 21:21
For they were desirous to take them that they might punish
them; for they had come into the land of Nephi by night, and
carried off their grain and many of their precious things;
therefore they laid wait for them.

Mosiah 21:22
And it came to pass that there was no more disturbance
between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi, even until the
time that Ammon and his brethren came into the land.

Mosiah 21:23
And the king having been without the gates of the city with
his guard, discovered Ammon and his brethren; and supposing them
to be priests of Noah therefore he caused that they should be
taken, and bound, and cast into prison. And had they been the
priests of Noah he would have caused that they should be put to
death.

Mosiah 21:24
But when he found that they were not, but that they were his
brethren, and had come from the land of Zarahemla, he was filled
with exceedingly great joy.

Mosiah 21:25
Now king Limhi had sent, previous to the coming of Ammon, a
small number of men to search for the land of Zarahemla; but they
could not find it, and they were lost in the wilderness.

Mosiah 21:26
Nevertheless, they did find a land which had been peopled;
yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which
had been peopled and which had been destroyed; and they, having
supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of
Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days
before the coming of Ammon.

Mosiah 21:27
And they brought a record with them, even a record of the
people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates
of ore.

Mosiah 21:28
And now Limhi was again filled with joy in learning from the
mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby he
could interpret such engravings; yea, and Ammon also did rejoice.

Mosiah 21:29
Yet Ammon and his brethren were filled with sorrow because so
many of their brethren had been slain;

Mosiah 21:30
And also that king Noah and his priests had caused the people
to commit so many sins and iniquities against God; and they also
did mourn for the death of Abinadi; and also for the departure of
Alma and the people that went with him, who had formed a church
of God through the strength and power of God, and faith on the
words which had been spoken by Abinadi.

Mosiah 21:31
Yea, they did mourn for their departure, for they knew not
whither they had fled. Now they would have gladly joined with
them, for they themselves had entered into a covenant with God to
serve him and keep his commandments.

Mosiah 21:32
And now since the coming of Ammon, king Limhi had also
entered into a covenant with God, and also many of his people, to
serve him and keep his commandments.

Mosiah 21:33
And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people
were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that
had authority from God. And Ammon declined doing this thing,
considering himself an unworthy servant.

Mosiah 21:34
Therefore they did not at that time form themselves into a
church, waiting upon the Spirit of the Lord. Now they were
desirous to become even as Alma and his brethren, who had fled
into the wilderness.

Mosiah 21:35
They were desirous to be baptized as a witness and a
testimony that they were willing to serve God with all their
hearts; nevertheless they did prolong the time; and an account of
their baptism shall be given hereafter.

Mosiah 21:36
And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi
and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the
Lamanites and from bondage.