The next morning, the multitude gathered and heard their children utter great and wonderful things. “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matthew 11:25).
Once again, Mormon tells us he was forbidden to record their words. “Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden” (3 Nephi 27:23).
The twelve began to serve the people. “And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—and it came to pass that they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude” (3 Nephi 19:4).
They went forth and baptized the faithful and they were filled with the Holy Ghost. “And … an hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom he had chosen, had all gone to the paradise of God, save it were the three who should tarry; and there were other disciples ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had passed away” (4 Nephi 1:14).
“And it came to pass that … the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost” (4 Nephi 1:1).
And, once again, great and wonderful things were done, but Mormon was forbidden to write them in his record.
The Nephites came together and began living the law of consecration. “And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift” (4 Nephi 1:3).
“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another” (Mosiah 4:21).
“The Nephites began living the law of consecration, having all things in common (3 Nephi 26:19; 4 Nephi 1:3). They called themselves the Church of Christ, built up the Church, and did all things in the name of Christ.”[1]
“After the visit of Christ, the disciples in both the Old World and the New World had all things in common (3 Nephi 26:19). The result, of course, of this sharing of resources was that there were neither poor nor rich among the Nephites (4 Nephi 1:3). A similar condition existed among the members of the Church during the time of Alma, the son of Alma. Every man imparted of his substance to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted. And neither did they distinguish themselves by wearing costly apparel, but were neat and comely (Alma 1:27). In all of this they were simply following God's instruction delivered by his prophets…”[2]
The people became a righteous people, following all of Christ’s comandments.
The people became known as the church of Christ. “And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church” (Mosiah 18:17).
“And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma.
“And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time” (Alma 4:4-5).
[1] Seeing Third Nephi as the Holy of Holies of the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19/1 (2010): 52.
[2] Economic Insights from the Book of Mormon, Lindon J. Robison, Maxwell Institute website.
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