Nephi Pleads for Famine to Humblepeople

Event 142

Reference: Hel. 11:1-20

AND now it came to pass in the seventy and second year ofthe reign of the judges that the contentions did increase,insomuch that there were wars throughout all the landamong all the people of Nephi. 2 And it was this secret bandof robbers who did carry on this work of destruction andwickedness. And this war did last all that year; and in theseventy and third year it did also last.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla20 to 19 B.C.3 And it came to pass that in this year Nephi did cry untothe Lord, saying:4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by thesword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stirthem up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps theywill repent and turn unto thee.Nephi5 And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. Andthere was a great famine upon the land, among all thepeople of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth yearthe famine did continue, and the work of destruction didcease by the sword but became sore by famine.Mormon18 B.C.6 And this work of destruction did also continue in theseventy and fifth year. For the earth was smitten that it wasdry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; andthe whole earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites aswell as among the Nephites, so that they were smitten thatthey did perish by thousands in the more wicked parts ofthe land.17 B.C.7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they wereabout to perish by famine, and they began to remember theLord their God; and they began to remember the words ofNephi. 8 And the people began to plead with their chiefjudges and their leaders, that they would say unto Nephi:Behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore cryunto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lestall the words which thou hast spoken concerning our destructionbe fulfilled.People9 And it came to pass that the judges did say unto Nephi,according to the words which had been desired.Mormon And it came to pass that when Nephi saw that the peoplehad repented and did humble themselves in sackcloth, hecried again unto the Lord, saying:MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla17 B.C.10 O Lord, behold this people repenteth; and they have sweptaway the band of Gadianton from amongst them insomuch thatthey have become extinct, and they have concealed their secretplans in the earth. 11 Now, O Lord, because of this their humilitywilt thou turn away thine anger, and let thine anger be appeased inthe destruction of those wicked men whom thou hast alreadydestroyed. 12 O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, yea, thyfierce anger, and cause that this famine may cease in this land. 13O Lord, wilt thou hearken unto me, and cause that it may be doneaccording to my words, and send forth rain upon the face of theearth, that she may bring forth her fruit, and her grain in the seasonof grain.Nephi14 O Lord, thou didst hearken unto my words when I said, Letthere be a famine, that the pestilence of the sword might cease; andI know that thou wilt, even at this time, hearken unto my words,for thou saidst that: If this people repent I will spare them. 15 Yea,O Lord, and thou seest that they have repented, because of thefamine and the pestilence and destruction which has come untothem. 16 And now, O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, andtry again if they will serve thee? And if so, O Lord, thou canstbless them according to thy words which thou hast said.17 And it came to pass that in the seventy and sixth year theLord did turn away his anger from the people, and causedthat rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it didbring forth her fruit in the season of her fruit.Mormon16 B.C.And it came to pass that it did bring forth her grain in theseason of her grain. 18 And behold, the people did rejoiceand glorify God, and the whole face of the land was filledwith rejoicing; and they did no more seek to destroy Nephi,but they did esteem him as a great prophet, and a man ofGod, having great power and authority given unto him fromGod. 19 And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a whitbehind him as to things pertaining to righteousness.20 And thus it did come to pass that the people of Nephibegan to prosper again in the land, and began to build uptheir waste places, and began to multiply and spread, evenuntil they did cover the whole face of the land, both on thenorthward and on the southward, from the sea west to thesea east.