Nephi and Lehi are in a Lamanite prison. They are surrounded
by what looks like fire, a divine protection and sign. The remainder of the
Lamanites are in a cloud of darkness. They can’t move because of their fear.
Among this group was a Nephite dissenter. He had belonged to
the church in the past. He turned around and saw, through the darkness their
faces glowed. This is one sign someone had been speaking with or on a special mission
for the Lord. “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with
the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount,
that Moses wist [OR knew] not that the skin of his face shone while he talked
with him” (Exodus 34:29).
“And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on [Stephen],
saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15).
“Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words
that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit
of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as
Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord” (Mosiah 13:5).
The dissenter, named Aminadab, spoke to the people, telling
them to look at Nephi and Lehi.
Seeing this, they turned to Aminadab, asking him to explain
what these things men. Who are these men?
In what is a key element of their
conversion, the Nephite dissenter Aminadab reminds his fellow Lamanites that
Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom had taught them faith in Christ nearly 45 years
earlier (Helaman 5:41), presumably during the mission to the Zoramites.[1]
Shortly after this mission, the Zoramites who remained unconverted “became
Lamanites” (Alma 43:4). Assuming that some of the dissenters in the prison had
heard these prophets preach to the Zoramites, several elements of the prison
narrative in Helaman 5 would have both recalled and graphically reinforced for them
those earlier prophetic teachings. Indeed, this possible connection between the
two events is strengthened by the parallel language in both narratives.[2]
The Lamanites asked Aminadab what they could do to remove
the cloud of darkness. He responded they must repent, have faith in Christ, and
cry unto the Lord. He reminded them this was taught to them by Alma, Amulek,
and Zeezrom. “Now when they heard this,
they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the
apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:37-39).
Hearing Amindab’s words, they people cried unto the Lord. Over
time, the cloud of darkness dispersed. They saw they were surrounded by fire.
In the center they saw Nephi and Lehi. The fire didn’t
consume anything. They hearts were filled with unspeakable joy and the glory of
God. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven and filled their hearts with fire. “And
ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And
whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize
with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their
faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with
the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not” (3 Nephi 9:20).
“And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had
come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were
filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire. And behold, they were encircled about
as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did
witness it, and did bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven and did
minister unto them” (3 Nephi 19:13-14).
“Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the
change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy
Ghost” (Ether 12:14).
Then a voice came from the heavens. It was a pleasant,
voice. It came to them like a whisper.
“Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well
Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world” (Helaman 5:47).
“[L]earn to hear the voice of the Lord. His is a still,
small, and whisper-like voice. It is one that is felt more than
it is heard. It comes in the form of thoughts, feelings, and impressions. To
hear such a voice, you must be still and quiet in your own soul, laying aside
your excess laughter and light-mindedness. While it may not
seem easy to so discipline your life, hearing the precious, loving voice of the
Lord will sustain you in every circumstance and is therefore worth every
effort.”[3]
Then, the heavens opened and angels came down and ministered
to the people.
All told, there was around three hundred people who were
converted that day. They were told to go out and tell the people what had
happened.
They went out and told the people what had happened. Through
their testimonies, a large part of the Lamanites were converted to the gospel. Those
who were converted, put away their weapons or war and their hatred and
traditions of their fathers.
Typically, when the scriptures
allude to "the traditions of men" or "the traditions of the fathers,"
they are speaking negatively about the false notions that hinder people from
recognizing and accepting the truth (e.g., at I Peter 1:18; D&C 74:4;
93:39). "Why do ye … transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
the Savior asked his audience (Matthew 15:3). "For laying aside the
commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men" (Mark 7:8). The
Lamanites, too, were misled by the false traditions of their fathers (Mosiah 1:5;
10:12-3; Alma 9:16; 60:32; Helaman 15:4). Salvation therefore consists, at
least partially, in overcoming false traditions (Alma 9:17; Helaman 5:5 1; 15:7-8;
D&C 74:6-7)…[4]
[1] The
only time when these three prophets are specifically said to have served
together was during the mission to the Zoramites (Alma 31:6), though it is
possible that they served together at other times as well.
[2] Was
Aminadab a Zoramite? Matthew Roper, Insights: A Window on the Ancient World
Volume 24, 2004, pg. 2.
[4] Editor’s
Introduction: Traditions of the Fathers, Daniel C. Peterson. FARMS Review
of Books 9/1 (1997): vi.
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