Many Unite with Gadianton Robbers

Event 151

Reference: 3 Ne. 1:23-30; 2:1-19

And it came to pass that Nephi went forth among thepeople, and also many others, baptizing unto repentance, inthe which there was a great remission of sins. And thus thepeople began again to have peace in the land. 24 And therewere no contentions, save it were a few that began topreach, endeavoring to prove by the scriptures that it wasno more expedient to observe the law of Moses. Now in thisthing they did err, having not understood the scriptures.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemlaA.D. 125 But it came to pass that they soon became converted, andwere convinced of the error which they were in, for it wasmade known unto them that the law was not yet fulfilled,and that it must be fulfilled in every whit; yea, the wordcame unto them that it must be fulfilled; yea, that one jot ortittle should not pass away till it should all be fulfilled;therefore in this same year were they brought to aknowledge of their error and did confess their faults. 26 Andthus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringingglad tidings unto the people because of the signs which didcome to pass, according to the words of the prophecy of allthe holy prophets.27 And it came to pass that the ninety and third year did alsopass away in peace, save it were for the Gadianton robbers,who dwelt upon the mountains, who did infest the land; forso strong were their holds and their secret places that thepeople could not overpower them; therefore they didcommit many murders, and did do much slaughter amongthe people.A.D. 228 And it came to pass that in the ninety and fourth yearthey began to increase in a great degree, because there weremany dissenters of the Nephites who did flee unto them,which did cause much sorrow unto those Nephites who didremain in the land. 29 And there was also a cause of muchsorrow among the Lamanites; for behold, they had manychildren who did grow up and began to wax strong in years,that they became for themselves, and were led away bysome who were Zoramites, by their lyings and theirflattering words, to join those Gadianton robbers. 30 AndA.D. 3 thus were the Lamanites afflicted also, and began todecrease as to their faith and righteousness, because of thewickedness of the rising generation.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemlaA.D. 31 AND it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety andfifth year also, and the people began to forget those signsand wonders which they had heard, and began to be lessand less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven,insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, andblind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which theyhad heard and seen— 2 Imagining up some vain thing intheir hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the powerof the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of thepeople; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts ofthe people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes andlead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was afoolish and a vain thing.A.D. 43 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong inwickedness and abominations; and they did not believe thatthere should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satandid go about, leading away the hearts of the people,tempting them and causing them that they should do greatwickedness in the land.4 And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth year; and alsothe ninety and seventh year; and also the ninety and eighthyear; and also the ninety and ninth year;A.D. 5 to 85 And also an hundred years had passed away since the daysof Mosiah, who was king over the people of the Nephites. 6And six hundred and nine years had passed away since Lehileft Jerusalem. 7 And nine years had passed away from thetime when the sign was given, which was spoken of by theprophets, that Christ should come into the world.A.D. 98 Now the Nephites began to reckon their time from thisperiod when the sign was given, or from the coming ofChrist; therefore, nine years had passed away. 9 And Nephi,who was the father of Nephi, who had the charge of therecords, did not return to the land of Zarahemla, and couldnowhere be found in all the land.10 And it came to pass that the people did still remain inwickedness, notwithstanding the much preaching andA.D. 10 to 12 prophesying which was sent among them; and thus passedaway the tenth year also; and the eleventh year also passedaway in iniquity.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemlaA.D. 10 to 1211 And it came to pass in the thirteenth year there began tobe wars and contentions throughout all the land; for theGadianton robbers had become so numerous, and did slayso many of the people, and did lay waste so many cities,and did spread so much death and carnage throughout theland, that it became expedient that all the people, both theNephites and the Lamanites, should take up arms againstthem. 12 Therefore, all the Lamanites who had becomeconverted unto the Lord did unite with their brethren, theNephites, and were compelled, for the safety of their livesand their women and their children, to take up arms againstthose Gadianton robbers, yea, and also to maintain theirrights, and the privileges of their church and of theirworship, and their freedom and their liberty.A.D. 1313 And it came to pass that before this thirteenth year hadpassed away the Nephites were threatened with utterdestruction because of this war, which had becomeexceedingly sore.14 And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had unitedwith the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites; 15And their curse was taken from them, and their skin becamewhite like unto the Nephites; 16 And their young men andtheir daughters became exceedingly fair, and they werenumbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites.And thus ended the thirteenth year.17 And it came to pass in the commencement of thefourteenth year, the war between the robbers and the peopleof Nephi did continue and did become exceedingly sore;nevertheless, the people of Nephi did gain some advantageof the robbers, insomuch that they did drive them back outof their lands into the mountains and into their secretplaces.A.D. 1418 And thus ended the fourteenth year. And in the fifteenthyear they did come forth against the people of Nephi; andbecause of the wickedness of the people of Nephi, and theirmany contentions and dissensions, the Gadianton robbersdid gain many advantages over them. 19 And thus ended thefifteenth year, and thus were the people in a state of manyA.D. 15 afflictions; and the sword of destruction did hang overthem, insomuch that they were about to be smitten down byit, and this because of their iniquity.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemlaA.D. 15