Many Reject Nephi’S Call Forrepentance

Event 141

Reference: Hel. 10:1-19

AND it came to pass that there arose a division among thepeople, insomuch that they divided hither and thither andwent their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing inthe midst of them.MormonCity of Zarahemla23 to 21 B.C.2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards hisown house, pondering upon the things which the Lord hadshown unto him.3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—beingmuch cast down because of the wickedness of the people ofthe Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and theirmurderings, and their plunderings, and all manner ofiniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering inhis heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying:4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done;for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared theword, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thouhast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hastsought my will, and to keep my commandments. 5 And now,because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, Iwill bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and indeed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be doneunto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that whichis contrary to my will. 6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God.Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, thatye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth withfamine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to thewickedness of this people.The Lord7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal onearth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose onearth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have poweramong this people. 8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple itshall be rent in twain, it shall be done. 9 And if ye shall say untothis mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall bedone. 10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite thispeople, it shall come to pass. 11 And now behold, I command you,that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith theLord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall besmitten, even unto destruction.12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord hadspoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not goMormonLand ofZarahemla unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes whowere scattered about upon the face of the land, and began todeclare unto them the word of the Lord which had beenspoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they didnot repent. 13 Now behold, notwithstanding that greatmiracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerningthe death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts anddid not hearken unto the words of the Lord. 14 ThereforeNephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying:MormonLand ofZarahemla23 to 21 B.C.Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even untodestruction.Nephi15 And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared untothem the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts andwould not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revileagainst him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him thatthey might cast him into prison. 16 But behold, the power ofGod was with him, and they could not take him to cast himinto prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyedaway out of the midst of them.Mormon17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit,from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God,even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forthamong all the people.18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto hiswords; and there began to be contentions, insomuch thatthey were divided against themselves and began to slay oneanother with the sword. 19 And thus ended the seventy andfirst year of the reign of the judges over the people ofNephi.