1 AND it came to pass that thus passed away the *ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders [ In 4 short years they forget. On our time line it could be 2003. How could they forget such activities especially when they were a fulfillment of prophecy? They did not continue to ponder upon the fulfillment of prophecy - but rather just went on their marry old way. Lesson for us? Which of these tactics have you seen the adversary use today? What can we do to remember and preserve our spiritual experiences? ] which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, [ Hardness of heart is… -lacking genuine sorrow over sin. -continuing to go back again and again into temptation, lies and deceit. -choosing to think of yourself as most important. -choosing what’s best for you and not the other. -the small lies and huge lies that you convince yourself are not a big deal. -being unteachable. -tearing down with words. -comparing and contrasting your wrongs against the other and making the judgement that “theirs is worse. -responding with defensiveness. -the need to always be in control. -waiting for the other to say sorry first. -demanding the other change first. -thinking more of what you deserve instead of what you can give. -focusing more on being right than on becoming righteous. -what you can get out of someone instead of how you can invest in them. -the refusal to forgive. -the refusal to humble yourself to ask for forgiveness. -saying you forgive, but never letting go. -asking for forgiveness and then going back to do the same thing again. -magnifying the weaknesses and minimizing the strengths of the other, while magnifying the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses of yourself. -justifying wrongful actions because they “started it first.” -spending more time trying to find an official clinical diagnosis to explain away their issues than looking in the mirror to address your own. -preserving your own well-being at the expense of the other. -reading this list and thinking someone else should be reading this… ] and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, [ Why would they do that? So that they could now rationalize and justify their other activities - if the event was not really a sign then the prophecy was not true, and if the prophecy was not true - then in a way I am free do do as I WANT! ] that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes [ Satan had lead them down a path where they had lost the light enough that they could no longer see. What is the warning here for us? ] and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.

3 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land. [ The implication is that if we are not diligently trying to be righteous then Satan will work on us and we will gradually become more wicked, we will lower our tolerance levels, will will raise the level of how much evil is still acceptable behavior, and slowly we become that which we never would have thought that we might become. ]

4 And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth year; and also the ninety and seventh year; and also the ninety and eighth year; and also the ninety and ninth year;

5 And also an hundred years had passed away since the days of Mosiah, who was king over the people of the Nephites.

6 And *six hundred and nine years had passed away since Lehi left Jerusalem.

7 And nine years had passed away from the time when the sign was given, which was spoken of by the prophets, that Christ should come into the world.

8 Now the Nephites began to reckon their time from this period when the sign was given, or from the coming of Christ; [ They changed the way the counted time from the time Lehi left Jerusalem, two reign of the judges, now to the years since the birth of Christ (or the sign). Pretty amazing to think that Joseph Smith could put together such a story line that has multiple time lines running thru the book and keep track of them all - without a spreadsheet, no notes - just straight forward dictation - now where did I leave off - or how long ago did I say such and such happened?. ONE MORE WITNESS THAT JOSEPH WAS WHO AND WHAT HE SAYS HE WAS - A PROPHET. ] therefore, nine years had passed away.

9 And Nephi, who was the father of Nephi, who had the charge of the records, did not return to the land of Zarahemla, and could nowhere be found in all the land.

10 And it came to pass that the people did still remain in wickedness, notwithstanding the much preaching and prophesying which was sent among them; and thus passed away the tenth year also; and the eleventh year also passed away in iniquity.

11 And it came to pass in the *thirteenth year there began to be wars and contentions throughout all the land; for the Gadianton robbers had become so numerous, and did slay so many of the people, and did lay waste so many cities, and did spread so much death and carnage throughout the land, that it became expedient that all the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, should take up arms against them. [ Will this be a direction for us in this country in this country? Will the gangs get so bad, will militant groups spring up such that we will end up having to fight with arms to protect what is left? Will the saints provide a place of refuge from and for the world? ]

12 Therefore, all the Lamanites who had become converted unto the Lord did unite with their brethren, the Nephites, and were compelled, for the safety of their lives and their women and their children, to take up arms against those Gadianton robbers, yea, and also to maintain their rights, and the privileges of their church and of their worship, and their freedom and their liberty. [ Will our day look like this before the Lord returns? I suppose that we are headed in this direction it is really only a matter of time as divided as the world is becoming. ]

13 And it came to pass that before this thirteenth year had passed away the Nephites were threatened with utter destruction because of this war, which had become exceedingly sore.

14 And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites; [ So the Nephites and Lamanites become one people against the Gadianton robbers. ]

15 And their curse was taken from them, [2 Ne 5:20-21 What specifically was the curse? They were cut of from the presence of God. How was this done? Took away the records from them. ] and their skin became white like unto the Nephites;

16 And their [ The Lamanites that had become united with the Nephites. ] young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites. And thus ended the thirteenth year.

17 And it came to pass in the commencement of the fourteenth year, the war between the robbers and the people of Nephi did continue and did become exceedingly sore; nevertheless, the people of Nephi did gain some advantage of the robbers, insomuch that they did drive them back out of their lands into the mountains and into their secret places.

18 And thus ended the fourteenth year. And in the *fifteenth year they did come forth against the people of Nephi; and because of the wickedness of the people of Nephi, and their many contentions and dissensions, the Gadianton robbers did gain many advantages over them.

19 And thus ended the fifteenth year, and thus were the people in a state of many afflictions; [ To strike down or cast down - being downcast  or brought low humbled in body~ mind~ or spirit  including tribulation~ adversity~ calamity~ distress~ grief~ trouble~ trial or sorrow- evidence of divine chastisement] and the sword of destruction did hang over them, insomuch that they were about to be smitten down by it, and this because of their iniquity.