Helaman — Chapter 5
1 During that same year Nephi gave up the judgment-seat to a man named Cezoram,
2 Because the people voted for their laws, and more chose evil rather than good. They were getting ready to be destroyed, because their laws had become wicked.
3 But this was not all. They were a stubborn people, so they could not be ruled by the law nor by justice, except by being destroyed.
4 Nephi had gotten tired because of their sins, so he gave up the judgment-seat and chose to teach God’s word for the rest of his life. His brother Lehi did the same thing for the rest of his life, too.
5 They remembered what their father, Helaman, had said to them:
6 “My sons, I want you to remember to keep God’s commandments, and I want you to teach the people these things. I have named you after our first fathers who came from the land of Jerusalem. I did this so that when you remembered your names, you would remember our first fathers and their works, and how it is said and written that they were good.
7 “So, my sons, I want you to do what is good, so the same thing may be said and written about you, just as it is said and written about them.
8 “And now, my sons, I also want you to do these things — not so you would boast, but so you would save up eternal riches in heaven for yourselves. Yes, so you will have eternal life, which we believe was given to our ancestors.
9 “O remember, remember, my sons, the things King Benjamin said to his people. Yes, remember that the only way for people to be saved is through the saving blood of Jesus Christ, who will come. Yes, remember that he will come to save the world.
10 “Remember what Amulek said to Zeezrom in the city of Ammonihah. He told him that the Lord would truly come to save his people, but he would not save them in their sins, only from their sins.
11 “The Father has given Christ power to save people from their sins because of repentance. That is why he has sent his angels to tell about repentance, which brings to people the Savior’s power to save their souls.
12 “Remember, remember, my sons, to build yourselves on the rock of our Savior, who is Christ, the Son of God, so when the devil sends his strong winds, and his arrows in the tornado, and when his hail and great storms come on you, they will not have power to drag you down to hell because of the rock on which you are built. If people build on this rock, they cannot fall.”
13 This was what Helaman taught his sons. He also taught them many things which are and are not written.
14 They remembered what he said, so they kept God’s commandment to preach God’s word among all the Nephites, beginning at the city of Bountiful.
15 From there they went to Gid, and from there they went to Mulek.
16 They went from one city to another until they had gone among all the Nephites in the south lands, and from there they went to Zarahemla among the Lamanites.
17 They taught with such great power that even the Nephite rebels believed, and confessed their sins, and repented and were baptized. Then the Lamanites went back to the Nephites right away to try to fix the bad things they had done to them.
18 Nephi and Lehi taught with great power which had been given to them, and they were also given the words they should say.
19 So they talked to the Lamanites, who were amazed and believed their words. Eight thousand Lamanites in Zarahemla and the lands nearby repented and were baptized. They learned about the wickedness of their ancestors’ false teachings.
20 Then Nephi and Lehi went to the land of Nephi.
21 A Lamanite army took them and threw them into the same prison into which Limhi’s servants had thrown Ammon and his brothers.
22 After they had been in prison for many days without food, the Lamanites went into the prison to take them and kill them.
23 But there was a circle of fire around Nephi and Lehi. The Lamanites were afraid they would be burned if they touched them. But Nephi and Lehi were not burned, even though they seemed to be standing in the middle of a fire.
24 When Nephi and Lehi saw a circle of fire around themselves, and that they were not burned, their hearts became brave.
25 They saw that the Lamanites were afraid to touch them or to even come near them. Instead, they stood as if they were too amazed to say anything.
26 Then Nephi and Lehi said to them: “Don’t be afraid. God has shown you this wonderful thing so you would see that you cannot kill us.”
27 When they said this, the earth shook a lot, and the prison walls shook as if they were going to fall down, but they did not fall down. Those who were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephite rebels.
28 A dark cloud and a great quiet fear came over them.
29 Then a voice which seemed to come from above the dark cloud said to them: “Repent, repent. Don’t try anymore to kill the servants I sent to tell you good news.”
30 They heard this voice. It was not like thunder nor a loud noise, but it was a very quiet voice like a whisper, and it went right into their souls.
31 Even though the voice was quiet, it made the earth shake, and the walls shook as though the prison would fall down, and the dark cloud did not go away.
32 Then the voice came again and said: “Repent, repent, because the kingdom of heaven will soon be here. Don’t try to destroy my servants anymore.” Then the earth and the walls shook again.
33 The third time the voice came, it told them wonderful things for which people have no words. The walls shook, and the earth shook as if it would divide in two.
34 The Lamanites could not run away because of the dark cloud, but they were also so afraid that they could not move.
35 One among them had been born a Nephite. He had been part of God’s church, but had rebelled.
36 He turned around and saw Nephi and Lehi’s faces through the dark cloud. Their faces were shining brightly, just like angels’ faces. He saw that they were looking up to heaven, and they seemed to be talking to someone only they could see.
37 Then this man shouted to the people to turn around and look. They were given power to turn around and look, and they saw Nephi and Lehi’s faces.
38 And they said to the man: “What do these things mean, and who are these men talking with?”
39 The man’s name was Aminadab, and he said to them: “They are talking with God’s angels.”
40 Then the Lamanites said to him: “What can we do to get rid of this dark cloud over us?”
41 And Aminadab said to them: “You must repent, and pray to the voice until you have faith in Christ, whom you learned about from Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom. When you do this, the dark cloud over you will go away.”
42 So they all began to pray to the voice which had shaken the earth, and they prayed until the dark cloud went away.
43 As the dark cloud went away, they looked around and saw a circle of fire around every one of them.
44 Nephi and Lehi were in the middle of them. There was fire all around them, but it did not hurt them, nor did it burn up the prison walls. They were filled with joy for which there are no words, but which is full of glory.
45 And God’s Holy Spirit came down from heaven into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could say wonderful words.
46 Then a voice came to them — a nice voice like a whisper, and it said to them:
47 “Peace, peace to you because of your faith in my Dear Son, who was from the beginning of the world.”
48 When they heard this, they looked up where the voice was coming from. They saw the heavens open, and angels came down out of heaven and blessed them.
49 There were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things. They were told to go, and not wonder nor doubt.
50 So they taught all the people, telling everyone in all the land the things that they had seen. Most of the Lamanites believed them, because of all the witnesses and signs they were given.
51 All who believed put down their war weapons, and got rid of the hate and false teachings of their ancestors.
52 And then they gave the Nephites their lands back.
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