Br. Martins' Lecture Notes for Book of Mormon

Helaman 5-9

At this point the storyline undergoes another major change. For about 570 years of the narrative in the Book of Mormon most or all of the Lamanites have been the antagonists (i.e. "the bad guys".) From this point on, most of the Lamanites will become a very righteous people, while the Nephites as a society will start to go "down the drain."
Don't miss the beautiful account of the Lamanites' powerful conversion contained in Helaman chapter 5. For me this is one of the most beautiful chapters in all of the Book of Mormon.

Questions for Review:

1. How did Gadianton gain supporters to his murderous secret combination? (Helaman 2:4-5)

2. Why did those Nephites in the land northward use cement? (Helaman 3:6-7,9)

3. Mormon wrote: "The gate of heaven is unto , even unto those who will believe on " (Helaman 3:28)

4. What is the result of building the foundation of one’s life upon Christ, the Rock? (Helaman 5:12)

5. List the miracles that the Lamanite rulers witnessed in prison. (Helaman 5:23,36, 29-32, 46-48)

Helaman 5

The precarious situation of the Nephites (2-3)

Nephi does the same thing his great-grandfather had done 53 years before (1,4)

. At that time Alma paired with Amulek; now, Nephi paired with his own brother, Lehi

Do the right things for the right reasons (8)

One must build upon the rock of our Redeemer (12)

Notice that Helaman said "when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds," instead of "if the devil sends forth his mighty winds" Why did he choose "when" instead of "if"?
Do not trust the world's glitter and deceit: "the gulf of misery and endless wo" is real and it isn't easy to live in. Remember what Alma told his son Corianton: "Wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10; also 40:26) Trash in a nice gift package is still trash.
In our modern (mainly in the western) world there are many "missionaries" proselyting for this "gulf of misery and endless wo." They try to convince people that they are happy, when in reality all they have is a chemically-induced illusion of joy. They don't have what they appear to have, and they can never have it in the type of life they live. They live in this illusion of joy and have only faint dreams of happiness-no wonder so many of these "missionaries' have such gloomy opinions about life, love, and families.

Nephi and Lehi's powerful ministry among the Nephites (17-19)

. Notice that that power was not derived from eloquence alone

A group of 300 people witness heavenly manifestations: transfigurations, a cloud of darkness, the voice of God, ministering of angels, the Holy Spirit of God (21-49)

Who were those 300 people? Do you see anything "strange" in this picture? What insights can we gain on missionary work, repentance, conversion, and forgiveness?

"Words that cannot be uttered": read 3 Nephi 19:32; 26:14; 28:13-14; Ether 12:24-25)

The effects of the conversion of the Lamanite leaders (50-52)

Helaman 6

For the first time in history the Lamanites become more faithful than the Nephites (1-2)

The Lamanites send preachers to reconvert the Nephites (4-5)

Free trade and interaction between the two nations-widespread wealth (8-13)

Political assassinations (15)

Pursuit of wealth for the wrong reasons lead people to commit murders (17)

After Nephites and Lamanites finally reached peace, out of the bowels of their society rises a "monster:" a secret combination called "the Gadianton Robbers" (18-19)

Secret combinations are most abominable in the sight of God. The Lord never works by those means (read Ether 8:18-19)
All those who belong or uphold such works of darkness will be destroyed (read Ether 8:22-24)

Purpose and "modus operandi" of a secret combination (21-32)

Protect and support one another in their secret criminal acts: adulteries, stealing, and murders-all to obtain power and wealth (read Ether 8:16)
Administer oaths; recognize "brothers" by secret signs
Convict the righteous; acquit the wicked for money (7:5)
Govern by the "rule of will" instead of the "rule of law" (7:5)
Overthrow the freedom of all lands (read Ether 8:25)

Satan is the author of these secret combinations; he inspires men to fall into the trap of committing works of darkness (26-31)

Lamanites hunt the robbers, while the Nephites support them (37-38)

Notice what the Lamanites did to the captured robbers. Isn't that unusual?
Why do you think the Nephites went along with the robbers?

Gadianton robbers take control of the Nephite government (39)

Helaman 7-8
The Prophecies of Nephi,
Great-grandson of Alma

Nephi returns home after 6 years preaching in the northern land to find the country he once governed in a dismal situation (1,4)

Lamanites will be treated by the Lord with more leniency than the Nephites (23-27)

"We are powerful, and our cities are great" (8:6)

How powerful are we? What is the basis of this "power"?

How "great" are our cities? Imagine a large urban center like New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, São Paulo, or Paris. How reliable are the systems that make urban life possible?

Helaman 9
The Prophecies of Nephi (cont.)

Nephi prophesies the assassination of the chief judge (8:27-28)

He operates a great miracle through the spirit of prophecy and revelation (1-38)

Some believe that Nephi is a prophet (39-41)

. The state of apostasy of the Nephites becomes quite apparent when some say that Nephi was a "god"