12 And the Lamanites
did not come again to war against the Nephites until the fourteenth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did the
people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.
13 And Alma and Amulek
went forth preaching repentance to the people in their temples, and in their
sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues, which were built after the manner of
the Jews.
14 And as many as
would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any
respect of persons, continually.
15 And thus did Alma
and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the work, to
preach the word throughout all the land. And the establishment of the church
became general throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all
the people of the Nephites.
16 And there was no
inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the
land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to
receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—
17 That they might not
be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to
destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be
grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord
their God.
18 Now those priests
who did go forth among the people did preach against all lyings, and
deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing,
robbing, plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of
lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be—
19 Holding forth
things which must shortly come; yea, holding forth the coming of the Son of
God, his sufferings and death, and also the resurrection of the dead.
20 And many of the
people did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God should come; and
they were taught that he would appear unto them after his resurrection; and
this the people did hear with great joy and gladness.
21 And now after the
church had been established throughout all the land—having got the victory over
the devil, and the word of God being preached in its purity in all the land,
and the Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people—thus ended the fourteenth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. (Alma 16:12-21)
Having been defeated, the Lamanites retreated and there was
peace for three years.
Alma and Amulek preached to the people. They preached in
their temples.
Temples were an important part of Nephite life. One of the
first things Nephi did after arriving in the new world was to build a temple. “And
I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the
temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they
were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto
Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple
of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine” (2 Nephi
5:16).
They also taught in the sanctuaries and synagogues. “Therefore,
after Alma having established the church at Sidom, seeing a great check, yea,
seeing that the people were checked as to the pride of their hearts, and began
to humble themselves before God, and began to assemble themselves together at
their sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying
continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from
destruction” (Alma 15:17).
“But [King Lamoni] caused that there should be synagogues
built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who
were under his reign, should assemble themselves together” (Alma 21:20).
They taught the word to all who were willing to listen to
their preaching, regardless of who they were and their position in society. “For
the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and
a terrible, which regardeth not [OR who is not partial] persons, nor taketh
reward [OR bribes]” (Deuteronomy 10:17).
“And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not
send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or
that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their
hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young,
both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the
church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need” (Alma
1:30).
Alma and Amulek, along with others who had been called to serve,
taught the gospel throughout the land, establishing the Nephite church.
There was no inequality among church members.
“And again Alma1 commanded that the people of the
church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he
had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him
that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not
should be given.
“And thus they should impart of their substance of their own
free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in
need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.
“And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God;
and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both
temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants” (Mosiah
18:27-29).
The Lord poured His Spirit throughout the land. The people
were prepared to hear the gospel. Their hearts were no longer hardened and were
willing to listen to the promptings of the Spirit. They were be grafted into
the church. “And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto
his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted;
behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit” (Jacob
5:24).
“While Nephi spoke of his people being grafted into
"the true olive tree," Alma compared the believing Nephites to
"a branch . . . grafted into the true vine" (Alma 16:17), which is
Jesus Christ. Other allusions to the scattered branch are found in 1 Nephi
19:24; 2 Nephi 3:5; 9:53; 10:1; and Jacob 2:25. Ammon, speaking of the
Lamanites, said, "God . . . has been mindful of this people, who are a
branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange
land" (Alma 26:36).”[1]
Priests went throughout the land. “And Alma established a
church in the land of Sidom, and consecrated priests and teachers in the land,
to baptize unto the Lord whosoever were desirous to be baptized” (Alma 15:13).
They preached against all manner of sin.
They taught about things which would soon come to pass. They
taught about the coming of the Savior, His sufferings, death, and resurrection.
When the Son of God should come was a topic of interest.
They knew he would appear to them someday. “But the Son of Righteousness shall
appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him,
until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth
generation shall have passed away in righteousness” (2 Nephi 26:9).
They also understood he would appear to them after His
mortal ministry.
“And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the
vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and behold, I
saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great and terrible judgments
of the Lord.
“And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending
out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.
“And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell
upon twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.
“And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve
disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed” (1 Nephi
12:5-8).
The church was established throughout the land. The gospel
was preached in its purity. Blessings were poured out upon the people. They achieved
a victory over the devil.
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