It’s all about heroes (and villains), in the book of Helaman, which
we studied during the month of August.
This book chronicles the vast
divide between those who follow Christ, and those who completely turn
away. We have great
leader/teachers in men like Helaman, Nephi, Lehi, and
Samuel the Lamanite, as well as their polar opposites in Kishkumen and
Gadianton. We see the famous Nephite “pride cycle” in
full action as
the Nephites, through righteousness, come to fully realize wealth,
comfort
and ease, then become prideful, and as the chart below illustrates,
become completely apostate.:
We learn from Mormon, who made commentary during these chapters, that
Kiskumen and Gadianton, because of their secret works of darkness and
pure evil, would “prove
the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction
of the people of
Nephi.”
We also see the
miraculous strides that men can make through repentance.
In a complete
turn of the tables, the Lamanites become more righteous than the
Nephites, and
seek diligently to bring the Nephites back into the light.
A Lamanite prophet named Samuel
prophesied at Zarahemla. He condemned
the decadence of Nephite
society, warning of destruction of both individuals
and society. He also prophesied that signs to be seen in
the Western Hemisphere
would accompany both the birth
and death of Jesus. He declared the
power of the
Atonement in redeeming mankind
from the Fall of Adam and in bringing
about the Resurrection. Finally,
he spoke of the Lamanites' righteousness
and the promises of God to them
in the latter days.
Reading the Book of Helaman is
actually like reading a current newspaper!!
