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Alma, are you ready?

I am.

King Limhi, thank you for being with us.

We look forward to your words today, King Mosiah.

My people, I have commanded that you should be gathered together today that I may read the records of the people of Zeniff, which are also the records of his grandson Limhi, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until they returned again.

And also to read the record of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.

I, Zeniff having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, being over-zealous to inherit the land, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land.

And after many days’ wandering in the wilderness, we pitched our tents near to the land of our fathers.

And I went in unto the king, that I might know if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace. Will you allow my people to possess the land in peace? And he covenanted with me that I might possess the land.

And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the land.

And we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.

Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring

my people into bondage.

And he began to stir up his people that they should contend with my people; therefore there began to be wars and contentions in the land.

And we did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth

in his might; even until we had driven them out of our land.

At the end of his days, Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons.

But he did not walk in the ways of his father.

For he did not keep the commandments of God.

Cast him into prison.

And Noah rejected the prophet Abinadi

and caused that he should suffer death by fire. ...so shall it come to pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire; And then ye

shall suffer, even as I suffer.

King Noah was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life.

And when the Lamanites attacked them again, the king commanded them that all the men should leave their wives and their children, and flee.

Now there were many that would not leave them.

Those who tarried with their wives and their children caused that their

fair daughters should stand forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them.

Then those who fled with Noah and his priests swore they would return to their wives and their children.

And they were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer, even unto death by fire.

And they were about to take the priests also and put them to death, and they fled before them.

After Noah’s death Limhi, being the son of the king, had the kingdom conferred upon him.

And Limhi began to establish the kingdom and to establish peace among his people for the space of two years.

In another part of the land, the priests of king Noah, who had fled at the command of their king, fearing that the people would slay them,

they durst not return to their wives and their children.

Having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they took them

and carried them into the wilderness.

This angered the Lamanites, for they thought it was the people of Limhi who took them and they sent their armies to attack Limhi and his people.

But King Limhi realized that it was Amulon and his fellow priests who were at fault, and was able to pacify the Lamanite king and fulfil the oath which they had made with him.

For they felt it was better that they should be in bondage than that they should lose their lives.

After many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land.

Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass.

Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled.

There was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

The people began to be desirous to go against them to battle.

And the Lamanites beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them.

And they went again to battle, but they were driven back again, suffering much loss.

Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the like

manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the city of Nephi.

And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage… Move!

...submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.

Please keep my son safe... And they did cry mightily to God, that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.

Now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities;

nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens.

And they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer hunger.

Now, I was desirous to know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi; for our people had heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of Zarahemla.

So, I granted that Ammon and some of our strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi, to inquire concerning our brethren.

They came to a hill, which is north of the land.

And Ammon took three of his brethren, and they went down into the land of Nephi.

And behold, they met King Limhi.

I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with my guards without the gate?

I suffered that ye should be preserved, that I might inquire of you, or else I should have caused that my guards should have put you to death.

Ye are permitted to speak.

O king, I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands.

I am Ammon, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that land.

Now, I know

of a surety that my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla

are yet alive.

We are in bondage to the Lamanites, and are taxed with a tax which is grievous to be borne.

And now, behold, our brethren will deliver us out of our bondage.

O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies.

Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God.

If ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in

him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.

We have consulted with the people how we should deliver ourselves out of bondage.

We can find no way, except to depart into the wilderness.

O king, if thou hast hitherto listened to my words in any degree, and they have been of service to thee, even so I desire that thou wouldst listen to my words at this time.

You may speak, Gideon.

Behold the back pass, on the back side of the city.

The guards of the Lamanites, by night are drunken.

Let us send a proclamation among all this people that they gather together

their flocks and herds, that they may drive them into the wilderness by night.

I will go and pay the last tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will be drunken; and we will pass through the secret pass on the left of their camp when they are drunken and asleep.

After being many days in the wilderness they arrived here in Zarahemla and joined our people.

We received them with joy.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I will now read the account of the people of Alma.

He testifies of our iniquity.

Now after hearing the words of the prophet, Alma believed the words which Abinadi had spoken.

Cast him out!

We should listen to this man!

He speaks the truth!

Slay him!

But he fled before them and hid himself,

and did write all the words that Abinadi had spoken.

Alma began to teach the words of Abinadi. He warned us to repent... Here are the Waters of Mormon...

And as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon.

And they were baptized in the waters of Mormon and were filled with the grace of God.

And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward.

Alma, having been warned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them, departed into the wilderness.

And the Lord did strengthen them, that king Noah could not overtake

them to destroy them.

They fled eight days into the wilderness.

And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground,

and began to build buildings;

yea, they were industrious, and did labor exceedingly.

Let us make Alma our King!

It is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not

think himself above another.

Every man should love his neighbor as himself,

that there should be no contention among you.

And watch over one another,

and nourish one another with things pertaining to righteousness.

And they began to prosper exceedingly in the land.

Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth

their patience and their faith.

While they were tilling the land, an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the land. The Lamanites are coming!

Do not be frightened!

Remember the Lord our God and he will deliver us!

Lord, soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they spare us, and our wives, and our children.

We do not desire any conflict—only peace.

We have been lost in the wilderness for many days. If you show us the way which leads to the land of Nephi, we will grant unto you your lives and your freedom.

Go in this direction for eight days, and you will reach the Land of Nephi.

Set guards round about the land!

Stop resting! Work!

The Lamanites also brought with them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left in the land.

Read this.

The king of the Lamanites has granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over this people.

And his brethren have been appointed teachers over this people.

Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren.

For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of the king’s priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi, and therefore he was wroth with him, and put tasks upon them, and put task-masters over them.

So great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.

And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he put

guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.

Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did

pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

And the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage;

This will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter,

that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

So great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

In the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites.

And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness.

And after twelve days they arrived here in the land of Zarahemla.

And we did also receive them with joy.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I exhort you, all of you that have been delivered out of bondage, that you should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver us.

I also give thanks to God because he has been merciful unto us, and eased our burdens, and none could deliver us except the Lord our God.

Limhi, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of

Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.

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