A Study Guide Companion for The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
HELAMAN
CHAPTERS 1 - 5
CHAPTER 1
A new generation succeeded many valiant heroes. Moronihah led the Nephite army in place of his father, the great Captain Moroni. The mantle of Church authority fell on the younger Helaman. They were both righteous men, a credit to their fathers. But in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges, when Pahoran the Chief Judge died, trouble began. Pahoran had many sons, and three of them vied for the Chief Judgment-seat. The contenders were Pahoran (the younger), Paanchi, and Pacumeni. According to law, the people made their choice. Pahoran was voted in as Chief Judge.
Pacumeni supported his newly elected brother—conceding to the people’s choice. Paanchi, however, was not only extremely angry, he turned traitorous and stirred up a rebellion against the government, flattering his supporters to join with him.
It had only been ten years since rebels, led by a pretender king, Pachus, drove Paanchi’s father, Pahoran, the true Chief Judge, from his rightful place, forcing him to flee with his supporters to Gideon. Paanchi was caught, and by the voice of the people, condemned to death. Angry over the vote for Pahoran and the result of Paanchi’s trial and death, a murderous follower of Paanchi, Kishkumen, killed Pahoran.
This iniquity began to snowball into tragedy for the whole Nephite nation. Pahoran’s servants went after Kishkumen, but he escaped into the crowd so fast that no one could overtake him.
Pacumeni—who had supported his brother, Pahoran, when he was voted in as new Chief Judge—tried to find his brother’s murderer. Some of the conspirators were found and were put to death, but Kishkumen, who had disguised himself when he killed Pahoran, and many other wicked members of the combination, mingled secretly among the people and could not be found.
After ten years since the end of the great war, Ammoron’s son, Tubaloth, the successor as the Lamanite king, listened to a Nephite rebel, Coriantumr. This traitor set in motion a new assault against his fellow Nephite citizens. Coriantumr was a “mighty man,” a giant in size.
As long as the Nephites were living in peace, they were able to defend themselves against outside aggression, but internal problems sent the government into disarray. It was expected that any Lamanite attack would be in the border lands, so there were not enough guards posted for protection in the land of Zarahemla. Nephites never imagined the Lamanites would dare to flagrantly march into the inner part of the country to strike at the great capital city.
They did not reckon with Coriantumr’s self-confidence. Leading a huge Lamanite army, with great speed he marched them into the city, killing anyone who tried to stop him before unprepared Nephites had time to get a defense together and took possession of Zarahemla.
Pacumeni may have been a good peacetime judge, but when Coriantumr and his army entered the city, all Pacumeni could do was try to escape. He may have wanted to go to another part of the country to muster forces. As he attempted to get away, Coriantumr knocked Pacumeni against the city wall and killed him.
Pahoran’s three sons who sought to be Chief Judge were dead, and Coriantumr killed or captured and imprisoned Nephites who had either tried to escape or fight him. He was the undisputed ruler of the occupied capital city, the strongest of the strongholds throughout the land. He assumed if he could capture such a prize, he could soon have the whole country under his control.
Coriantumr marched north with the enormous Lamanite army, slashing his way toward Bountiful. He determined that Nephite security was strongest in the now captured center of the country, so he would quickly move to the outlying areas before they could reassemble. Marching northward, he slaughtered all small opposing forces.
When Moronihah received the intelligence of Coriantumr’s siege of Zarahmela and march toward Bountiful, he immediately sent Lehi with an army to head off Coriantumr’s army before they reached Bountiful, then circled around to cut off their rear retreat back to Zarahemla. The Lamanites were surrounded by Nephites. In that “exceedingly bloody battle,” Coriantumr was killed.
Since Coriantumr was dead and the rest of the Lamanite army could not retreat, they gave themselves up as prisoners. Moronihah took possession of Zarahemla and let the prisoners go back to their own lands.
CHAPTER 2
The people voted in Helaman, grandson of Alma the Younger, to fill the empty Chief Judgment seat after Coriantumr’s defeat.
Kishkumen (who had murdered Pahoran) resolved to kill Helaman. He selected a wicked man to head the band. His name, Gadianton, became notorious throughout the rest of Book of Mormon history. A specialist in persuasion and an expert in secret abominable acts, this evil man swayed the other band members to help him become Chief Judge and gain control over the Nephite nation. It likely was not hard to influence the evil and gullible murderer, Kishkumen.
Kishkumen was disguised when he murdered Pahoran and then blended himself back into the Nephite populace, continuing to do evil.
Helaman had a brave servant who apparently heard rumors about Gadianton and Kishkumen’s wicked band. At what must have been great personal risk, he disguised himself and infiltrated the wicked band. As a “member,” he learned of the conspiracy to overthrow the government—in fact, he was set up by the band to help.
The servant pretended to take part in the scheme—but it seems that he did not realize the extent of the plot. He must have agreed to help Kishkumen, deciding upon a sign of recognition, and then to wait for direction. Kishkumen reached the building housing the judgment-seat and told the servant the plan was to assassinate Helaman—and then the band would grasp control of the government. Kishkumen must have thought the servant would be glad to be part of the new order.
When the servant realized the scope of the plans, he quickly solidified plans of his own. First, he pretended to agree that he would escort Kishkumen to the judgment seat. Kishkumen followed him assuming the servant was part of the wicked plan to kill Helaman. Then the servant stabbed Kishkumen in the heart and ran and told Helaman the whole story.
As soon as Helaman learned of the wicked band of robbers and murderers, he sent troops after them—but Gadianton was craftier than Kishkumen. When Kishkumen did not return, Gadianton suspected that he had been caught. Cutting his losses, he rounded up his band and they fled into the wilderness.
CHAPTER 3
Following the attempt on Helaman’s life and then the unsuccessful attempt by the government to capture the evil Gadiantons, life seems to have been uneventful in Zarahemla, although there were some “dissentions” in the Church—but by the end of the 43rd year [of the reign of the judges], the problems were settled.
By the 46th year the people unfortunately broke out of even their “no contention” mode; they began to be contentious and dissentious. This led to many leaving Zarahemla and migrating north.
About thirteen years before (Alma 63), Hagoth built ships to carry many migrating families traveling north by sea; many others traveled by land. We do not know how many continued migrating during the years since—but the current relocation discussed in this chapter was wider-scaled than any yet recorded among the Nephites, probably covering much of what is now known as North America.
(We are cautioned against trying to pinpoint exact geographical locations. However, we are told some general directions and some physical features. This information helps us visualize these people and places and helps make their lives more personal to us.)
There was very little timber, so people built their houses out of cement.
As the population spread out from sea shore to sea shore, the people conserved precious trees. They had learned the importance of natural resources Because there was still timber in the south, a shipping industry grew. By this we are assured of much contact between Nephites in the south and in the north.
Although he was forced to deal with great contention during both the 47th and 48th years, as Chief Judge in the land, Helaman remained faithful to his duty, keeping the laws of the land as well as the laws of God—and God rewarded him with prosperity. But more important, God blessed him with two righteous sons, who he named Nephi and Lehi.
Thousands in the land of the Nephites repented and were baptized—and the blessings were so astounding that even the high priests and teachers were amazed.
In small stages, pride began to erode peace—starting with Church members! Satan often had much success among Nephites when he found chinks of pride in their hearts.
Adversity can bring forth the best in people. Humble Church members, in spite of the persecution by the prideful members:
Fasted and prayed often,
Waxed (grew) stronger and stronger in their humility,
Grew stronger in their faith of Christ,
Were filled with joy and consolation because of their strong faith in Christ, and because they yielded their hearts to God, the (Holy Ghost) sanctified their hearts.
During the next year, Helaman, the son of Helaman, died. His oldest son, Nephi, succeeded him as Chief Judge.
CHAPTER 4
Nephites who could not get enough power or majority of support among their own countrymen often defected to the Lamanites—and then they tried to stir the Lamanites up to attack the Nephites. Many of these former Nephites achieved in Lamanite government realms.
Ironically, often Nephite dissentions started in congregations of Churches. In the fifty-fourth year of the judges, rebels within the Church tried to force themselves into power by using violence. Their cause was defeated; some of them were killed and others were driven from the land. Disaffected, they tried to get the Lamanite king to move against the Nephites.
However, the Lamanite king had—not too many years before—been soundly defeated by the Nephite army, and he was reluctant at that time to risk another invasion.
With more Nephite rebels driven from the land, more dissenters joined with the first rebels and finally convinced the Lamanites to invade Nephite territory. Lamanites first took over Zarahemla, causing death and destruction. They gained all Nephite territory in the southern part of the land.
History should have taught the Nephites that God would protect them against the much larger Lamanite armies when they were living righteously, but that when they were wicked, they had no promise.
Cause (Behavior)
There was wickedness and abomination among [the Nephites], it was among those also who professed to belong to the Church of God.
There was pride in their hearts because of their great riches.
They oppressed the poor: they withheld food from the hungry; they withheld clothing from the naked.
They struck their humble brethren.
They made mock of sacred things.
They denied the Spirit of prophecy and the Spirit of revelation.
They committed murders.
They plundered.
They lied.
They stole.
They committed adultery.
They rose up in great contentions.
Many deserted to the Lamanites.
They boasted of their own strength.
Effect (Consequences)
In the fifty-sixth year, more dissenters joined those who dissented in the fifty-fourth year, finally talking the Lamanites into invading Nephite territory.
With the encouragement of the Nephite dissenters, the Lamanites began to prepare for war.
In the fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth years, dissenting Nephites, with the Lamanite army, killed many Nephites and took control of the land of Zarahemla.
The Lamanite army then moved northward toward Bountiful, capturing all the land and cities as they marched.
Nephites were left in their own strength, so they did not prosper.
Nephites were afflicted and smitten, and driven by the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all of their lands.
Moronihah, like his righteous father, Moroni, was reluctant to lead a Nephite army when so many Nephites had chosen wickedness.disgusted when the Nephites, after all their blessings, chose to live wickedly. Moronihah preached to the Nephites, letting them know of the consequences of their choices. He led the army.
In addition to Moronihah’s admonitions, Nephi and Lehi, sons of the younger Helaman, preached to the people. Nephi and Lehi were righteous men and, like their righteous progenitors, they were interested in winning the battle for souls much more than they were for the battle over land. They knew about cause and effect, and they reminded their fellow citizens, as they preached and prophesied, what would happen to them if they did not repent.
Eventually the people did repent and began to prosper once again. Moronihah and his army battled to take back much of the land. They regained half of the property and lands. Moronihah and his armies recovered all of the captured land that they could recover at that time, so they put their efforts into saving what they had.
Only a few years before, the Lamanites were afraid to invade the Nephite nation—but, because the Nephites were indulging in evil and had thus become weaker, it was the Nephites who were afraid.
Although stubborn, the Nephites finally realized they had caused their own predicament.
CHAPTER 5
The state of prosperity did not last for long. The people again became stiffnecked and changed good laws to bad. The Nephites elected corrupt leaders to office and voted to change good laws into corruption.
Nephi believed, like Alma the younger, that the saving of souls was his most vital calling, and “weary because of their iniquity” gave up his judgment seat to devote his life to preaching God’s word. Even though some people had repented and remained righteous, many more did not. Nephi’s righteous brother Lehi also committed himself to the work of the Lord for the rest of his life.
Their father, Helaman the younger, had told them before he died to keep the commandments and testify to the people. He had given them the names of Nephi and Lehi so that they would remember the righteousness of these ancestors and live their lives for good
Helaman, the younger, had carefully taught his family the Gospel and remember that Christ is their Foundation.
Nephi and Lehi started their mission in the land of Bountiful. From there they traveled to the city of Gid and then to the city of Mulek. They preached to the Nephites who lived in the south, and then they traveled to preach to Nephite dissenters who lived in the Lamanite community as well as to the Lamanites themselves.
Although dissenters had turned traitor to the Nephite nation, as they heard Nephi and Lehi bravely bear powerful testimonies, they repented and returned to live again among the rest of the Nephites; they worked to repair damage they had caused by their dissention.
Not only were the dissenting Nephites impressed by the Power of the Holy Spirit, but many Lamanites were also touched. Realizing the truthfulness of the Gospel, 8,000 of them were baptized.
After their great success in the land of Zarahemla, Nephi and Lehi continued southward into Lamanite-held territory, heading toward the land of Nephi. There they were captured by Lamanites and by Nephite dissenters and taken to prison.. After holding the missionaries without food and water for many days, the captors—Lamanites with Nephite dissenters—went to the prison, determined to kill them.
Yet Nephi and Lehi never gave up faith. In fact, their faith was so strong that the Lord encircled them with a protective fire.This miraculous protection gave Nephi and Lehi courage. Not only were Nephi and Lehi surrounded by holy fire, but they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they immediately began to speak through this Spirit.
While the captors were dumbfounded with fear, a quiet Voice, seeming to come from above the cloud and piercing in its intensity to reach the soul, began to speak.
…when they heard this Voice…not a voice of thunder,
neither a voice of great tumultuous noise,
it was a still Voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,
and it did pierce even the very soul—
(verse 30)
Although the Voice was mild, when it was heard. The Earth shook and the cloud of darkness yet hovered over and around them, even to the point that they could not see through it. This was the voice of the Savior—and Nephi and Lehi’s captors heard Him—although they did not see Him.
Repent ye, repent ye,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand;
and seek no more to destroy my servants.
(verse 32)
When the Savior spoke, His gentle but intense Voice came twice from beyond the cloud. He spoke a third time, but that time the things He said could not be spoken by men. Again the holy discourse was accompanied by a strong earthquake.
The Nephite dissenters had once belonged to the Church were overcome with fear as were the Lamanites.
One dissenter, named Abinadab, was then given Power to see through the cloud to Nephi and Lehi and saw “they did lift their eyes to Heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some Being whom they beheld”.
Aminadab turned to the multitude, calling out for them to look at Nephi and Lehi. The crowd was then given Power to do so.
The cloud of darkness dissolved with the sincere faith and repentance of the people, and they experienced a wonderful miracle. All of them were encircled about, by a pillar of fire with Nephi and Lehi in the midst of them as if in the midst of a flaming fire which didn’t hurt them or the prison walls. They were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.
Next, the Holy Spirit came into their hearts and they spoke wonderful words themselves
Next, the Voice of our Heavenly Father came to them:
Peace, peace be unto you,
because of your faith in my Well Beloved,
who was from the foundation of the world.
(verses 46 & 47)
Then Heavenly Father sent holy angels to come down and minister to the people.
There were about three hundred people in the blessed crowd. These repentant people, now full of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, were called to be missionaries. They went forth to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring others to the belief in Christ. They were successful: the majority of the Lamanites were converted to the true gospel. After their conversion by Nephi and Lehi and subsequent missionaries, through the Power of the Holy Ghost, this strong commitment proved again to be true.
Not only did the converted Lamanites lay down their weapons of war, but they moved south to give the Nephites the land and cities they had captured. What may have been most difficult—and what really proved their absolute sincerity—was giving up engrained traditions that had indoctrinated Lamanites for almost 600 years, and they filled their hearts—that had formerly been filled with hatred—with love toward the Nephites.