CHAPTER 45
Alma prophesies to his son Helaman that 400 years after Jesus visits the Nephites, the Nephites will dwindle
in unbelief and will be killed by the Lamanites--After the prophecies, Alma mysteriously disappears--His son Helaman
becormes the leader of the Nephites--The Nephites do not obey Helaman, becoming proud and exceedingly rich. (74 BCE)
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1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced,
because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord
their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly
great joy.
2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the
people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto
thee concerning those records which have been kept?
3And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
Alma asked his son Helaman,
Do you believe everything that I've told you?
4And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?
5And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.
Do you believe Jesus Christ will come?
6And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
Will you keep all of my commandments?
7And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.
Helaman said,
Yes, I believe everything you've ever said.
9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make
known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore
write the words which I shall say.
Alma said,
Okay then, I have a prophecy for you.
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people,
the Nephites, according to
the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest
himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.
11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the
people of Nephi shall become extinct --
12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness,
and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against
so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not
all pass away before this great iniquity shall come.
13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now,
or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered among the
people of Nephi.
14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be numbered
among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of
the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity,
this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him,
and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the righteous' sake.
Four hundred years after Jesus appears to the Nephites, they will dwindle in unbelief and either join the
Lamanites or die by wars, diseases, and famines. [1]
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God -- Cursed shall be the
land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto
destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I
have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot
look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
The Lord said that the land will be cursed, and every nation, kindred, tongue, and people will be destroyed.
[2]
The end of Alma (The man, not the book)
45:17-24
17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the church, yea, all those who should stand
fast in the faith from that time henceforth.
Then Alma blessed everyone and left as if he was going to the land of Melek.
18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the
land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death
or burial we know not of.
But he was never heard from again.
No one knows what happened to him.
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church
that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the
scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the
spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.
20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto them.
21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the many little dissensions and
disturbances which had been among the people, it became expedient that the word of God should be declared
among them, yea, and that a regulation should be made throughout the church.
Some members of the church said that God buried Alma, like he did Moses. [3]
Or that his spirit was taken directly to heaven by God.
22 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land,
yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it
came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.
After Alma left, Helaman appointed priests and teachers throughout the land, and established churches in every city.
23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over
the churches that there arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his
brethren;
24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of
their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would
not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God.
But some of the people, who proud and rich, refused to obey him.
Favorite phrases:
And it came to pass: 45:1, 2, 15, 18, 20,
22, 23
Exceedingly: 45:1, 24
Behold: 45:1, 9, 10, 13, 19(2),
22
Yea: 45:1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
11(2), 12(3),
16, 17, 20, 21, 22
Dwindle in Unbelief: 45:10, 12
(45:16) every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people Revelation 14:6
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The Annotated Book of Mormon
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Alma 45