Alma’S People Flee to Land of Helam

Event 65

Reference: Mosiah 23:1-19

An account of Alma and the people of the Lord, who weredriven into the wilderness by the people of King Noah.NOW Alma, having been warned of the Lord that the armiesof king Noah would come upon them, and having made itknown to his people, therefore they gathered together theirflocks, and took of their grain, and departed into thewilderness before the armies of king Noah. 2 And the Lorddid strengthen them, that the people of king Noah could notovertake them to destroy them. 3 And they fled eight days’journey into the wilderness.MormonWilderness280 to 121 B.C.4 And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful andpleasant land, a land of pure water. 5 And they pitched theirtents, and began to till the ground, and began to buildbuildings; yea, they were industrious, and did laborexceedingly. 6 And the people were desirous that Almashould be their king, for he was beloved by his people. 7But he said unto them:Land of HelamBehold, it is not expedient that we should have a king; for thussaith the Lord:AlmaYe shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shallnot think himself above another;The Lordtherefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have aking. 8 Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always havejust men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king.9 But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and Imyself was caught in a snare, and did many things which wereabominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sorerepentance; 10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord didhear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me aninstrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledgeof his truth. 11 Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I amunworthy to glory of myself. 12 And now I say unto you, ye havebeen oppressed by king Noah, and have been in bondage to himand his priests, and have been brought into iniquity by them;therefore ye were bound with the bands of iniquity. 13 And now asye have been delivered by the power of God out of these bonds;yea, even out of the hands of king Noah and his people, and alsofrom the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should standfast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that yetrust no man to be a king over you. 14 And also trust no one to beyour teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God,walking in his ways and keeping his commandments.Alma 15 Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man shouldlove his neighbor as himself, that there should be nocontention among them. 16 And now, Alma was their highpriest, he being the founder of their church.MormonLand of Helam280 to 121 B.C.17 And it came to pass that none received authority topreach or to teach except it were by him from God.Therefore he consecrated all their priests and all theirteachers; and none were consecrated except they were justmen. 18 Therefore they did watch over their people, and didnourish them with things pertaining to righteousness.19 And it came to pass that they began to prosperexceedingly in the land; and they called the land Helam.