Gadianton’S Band Increases in Strength

Event 143

Reference: Hel. 11:21-38

And it came to pass that the seventy and sixth year did endin peace. And the seventy and seventh year began in peace;and the church did spread throughout the face of all theland; and the more part of the people, both the Nephites andthe Lamanites, did belong to the church; and they did haveexceedingly great peace in the land; and thus ended theseventy and seventh year.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla15 B.C.22 And also they had peace in the seventy and eighth year,save it were a few contentions concerning the points ofdoctrine which had been laid down by the prophets.14 B.C.23 And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be muchstrife.13 B.C.But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of theirbrethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine,having many revelations daily, therefore they did preachunto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to theirstrife in that same year.24 And it came to pass that in the eightieth year of the reignof the judges over the people of Nephi, there were a certainnumber of the dissenters from the people of Nephi, who hadsome years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and takenupon themselves the name of Lamanites, and also a certainnumber who were real descendants of the Lamanites, beingstirred up to anger by them, or by those dissenters, thereforethey commenced a war with their brethren.12 B.C.25 And they did commit murder and plunder; and then theywould retreat back into the mountains, and into thewilderness and secret places, hiding themselves that theycould not be discovered, receiving daily an addition to theirnumbers, inasmuch as there were dissenters that went forthunto them. 26 And thus in time, yea, even in the space of notmany years, they became an exceedingly great band ofrobbers; and they did search out all the secret plans ofGadianton; and thus they became robbers of Gadianton.Secret places inmountains andwilderness27 Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea,even great destruction among the people of Nephi, and alsoamong the people of the Lamanites.Lands aroundZarahemla 28 And it came to pass that it was expedient that thereshould be a stop put to this work of destruction; thereforethey sent an army of strong men into the wilderness andupon the mountains to search out this band of robbers, andto destroy them.MormonSecret places inmountains andwilderness12 B.C.29 But behold, it came to pass that in that same year theywere driven back even into their own lands. And thus endedthe eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the peopleof Nephi.Nephite landsnear land ofZarahemla30 And it came to pass in the commencement of the eightyand first year they did go forth again against this band ofrobbers, and did destroy many; and they were also visitedwith much destruction. 31 And they were again obliged toreturn out of the wilderness and out of the mountains untotheir own lands, because of the exceeding greatness of thenumbers of those robbers who infested the mountains andthe wilderness.Secret places inmountains andwilderness11 B.C.32 And it came to pass that thus ended this year. And therobbers did still increase and wax strong, insomuch thatthey did defy the whole armies of the Nephites, and also ofthe Lamanites; and they did cause great fear to come untothe people upon all the face of the land. 33 Yea, for they didvisit many parts of the land, and did do great destructionunto them; yea, did kill many, and did carry away otherscaptive into the wilderness, yea, and more especially theirwomen and their children. 34 Now this great evil, whichcame unto the people because of their iniquity, did stir themup again in remembrance of the Lord their God. 35 And thusended the eighty and first year of the reign of the judges.Lands aroundZarahemla36 And in the eighty and second year they began again toforget the Lord their God. And in the eighty and third yearthey began to wax strong in iniquity. And in the eighty andfourth year they did not mend their ways.10 to 8 B.C.37 And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year they didwax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in theirwickedness; and thus they were ripening again fordestruction. 38 And thus ended the eighty and fifth year.7 B.C.