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Annotations |
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Chapter 3
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1 And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of
the reign of the judges, there was no contention among the people of Nephi
save it were a little pride which was in the church, which did cause some
little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending
of the forty and third year.
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2 And there was no contention among the people in the
forty and fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and
fifth year.
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3 And it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there
was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an
exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went
forth unto the land northward to inherit the land.
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4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance,
insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers.
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5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of
the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without
timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.
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6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were
for timber; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the people who
had before inhabited the land it was called desolate.
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7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the
land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the
working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which
they did dwell.
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Helaman 3:7-11
There seems to have been some construction in the Americas during this time
period that used cement in concrete or mortar. But, I was not able to
determine if houses were made with cement or not.
However, these verses are very clear that the people used cement because wood
was very scarce. The problem with this is that production of cement requires
extreme heating of certain chemicals over a period of time. If wood was
scarce, then other materials would have to be used for the fire. I’m not
aware of any other abundant material used for such fire in the Americas
during this time period except for wood. Therefore, though cement itself may
not be an anachronism, it makes no sense in the context described here.
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8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread,
and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did
spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from
the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:7-11 above
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9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell
in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should
spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they
might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their
temples, and their synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their
buildings.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:7-11 above
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10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in
the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:7-11 above
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11 And thus they did enable the people in the land
northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:7-11 above
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12 And it came to pass that there were many of the people
of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land.
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13 And now there are many records kept of the proceedings
of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large,
concerning them.
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Helaman 3:13-16
According to this, there were many records kept of these peoples and the
various aspects of their society down until the time the time the Nephites
were destroyed. This is a period of more than 400 years in which extensive
records are said to be kept, yet not one glyph suggests any of this is true.
Yes, the Maya had lots of writing, but they were here from about 2000 BCE,
and their societal collapse didn’t occur until the 800s CE. This doesn’t fit
the Lehite time frame (or the Jaredite time frame). In addition, the Mayan
writing is completely unrelated to Hebrew, Egyptian, or anything that one
would consider reformed Egyptian. Also, much of the Mayan writing has
recently been deciphered, and the information indicates no relationship to
the stories of the Book of Mormon.
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14 But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of this
people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their
wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their
prophecies, and their shipping and their building of ships, and their
building of temples, and of synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their
righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings,
and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be
contained in this work.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:13-16 above
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15 But behold, there are many books and many records of
every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:13-16 above
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16 And they have been handed down from one generation to
another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression and
have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and
scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they
are no more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious,
yea, even becoming Lamanites.
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Annotation for Helaman 3:13-16 above
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17 And now I return again to mine account; therefore, what
I have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions, and disturbances,
and wars, and dissensions, among the people of Nephi.
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18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges
ended;
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19 And it came to pass that there was still great
contention in the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in the
forty and eighth year.
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20 Nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat with
justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the
judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in
the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father,
insomuch that he did prosper in the land.
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Prosperity gospel.
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21 And it came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto
the eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the youngest, the name of Lehi. And
they began to grow up unto the Lord.
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22 And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began
to cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in the latter
end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people
of Nephi.
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23 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the
reign of the judges, there was continual peace established in the land, all
save it were the secret combinations which Gadianton the robber had
established in the more settled parts of the land, which at that time were
not known unto those who were at the head of government; therefore they were
not destroyed out of the land.
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24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was
exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands
who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.
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25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so
many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high
priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
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26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did
prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea,
even tens of thousands.
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27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who
will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.
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28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto
all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the
Son of God.
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29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the
word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the
cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ
in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is
prepared to engulf the wicked—
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30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the
right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and
Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.
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31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the
land of Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the land
which was possessed by the Nephites.
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32 And it came to pass that there was peace and
exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and
also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the
reign of the judges.
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33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the
judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into
the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who
professed to belong to the church of God—
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34 And they were lifted up in pride, even to the
persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did
cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to
wade through much affliction.
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35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax
stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith
of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even
to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification
cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
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36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year
ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had
gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly
great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from
day to day.
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37 And it came to pass in the fifty and third year of the
reign of the judges, Helaman died, and his eldest son Nephi began to reign in
his stead. And it came to pass that he did fill the judgment-seat with
justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in
the ways of his father.
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