Alma — Chapter 45
Chapters 45–62: Helaman’s record.
1 The Nephites were very happy that the Lord had saved them from their enemies again, so they thanked him very much. Yes, and they also fasted and prayed a lot, and worshiped God with great joy.
2 During the nineteenth year of the judges, Alma came to his son Helaman and asked: “Do you believe what I have told you about the records which have been kept?”
3 Helaman said to him: “Yes, I believe.”
4 Then Alma asked: “Do believe in Jesus Christ who will come?”
5 And Helaman said: “Yes, I believe everything you have said.”
6 Then Alma asked him: “Will you keep my commandments?”
7 And Helaman said: “Yes, I will keep your commandments with all my heart.”
8 Then Alma said to him: “You are blessed, and the Lord will help you prosper in this land.
9 “But I need to prophesy to you something which I don’t want you tell anyone until after the prophecy comes true; so write down what I tell you.”
10 These are the words Helaman wrote down: “I see by the spirit of revelation in me that four hundred years after Jesus Christ comes and shows himself to the Nephites, they will no longer believe in him.
11 “Then they will see wars and diseases, and famines, and killing, until they are completely destroyed.
12 “This will happen because they will not believe in Christ and will do all kinds of evil things. Yes, this terrible and wicked thing will happen before all the fourth generation from that time dies, because they will sin after having such great light and knowledge.
13 “At that terrible day, the time will soon come when Nephi’s descendants will no longer be Nephites.
14 “Whoever is left will be counted with the Lamanites, and they will all be like them, except for a few who still believe in Christ. But the Lamanites will hunt them down and kill them until even they are destroyed. This prophecy will come true because of the people’s wickedness.”
15 After Alma said these things to Helaman, he blessed him and his other sons. Then he blessed the earth for the good of the righteous people.
16 He said: “This is what God has said: ‘This land will be cursed to the destruction of all people who do wicked things. They will be destroyed when the time is right. This will happen as I have said.’ This is the curse and the blessing of this land, because God cannot stand even a little wickedness.”
17 After Alma said this, he blessed the church and all the people who would be faithful in it from that time on.
18 After Alma did this, he left the land of Zarahemla and seemed to go towards the land of Melek. But he was never heard of again, and we don’t know anything about his death.
19 We do know that he was a righteous man. People in the church said he was taken up by the Spirit, or that the Lord buried him just as he buried Moses. But the scriptures say the Lord took Moses to himself, so we think the Lord took Alma to himself in the spirit. So this is why we don’t know anything about his death and burial.
20 Now in the beginning of the nineteenth year of the judges, Helaman went among the people to teach them the gospel.
21 He needed to teach them the gospel and to build up and set rules for the church because there had been so many wars with the Lamanites, and many little fights among the Nephites.
22 So Helaman and his brothers built up the church and set rules for it in every city in the land. They chose priests and teachers over the churches in all the land.
23 But after Helaman and his brothers chose priests and teachers over the churches, there was a fight among the people, and they would not listen to what Helaman and his brothers said.
24 Instead, they became proud because they were so rich. They were so rich and proud that they would not listen to Helaman and his brothers, nor would they keep God’s commandments.
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