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,[ It appears that it is the pride within the church that causes the dissensions among the people(the citizens, whom I assume are both in and without the church). ] which did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.

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.

3 And it came to pass in the *forty and sixth, yea, there was much contention [ The contentions have continued to build each year v1(little contentions) v2(no contentions - and then no very much contention) v3(much contentions) ] 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.

4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers.

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.

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.

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.

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. [ These verses seem to indicate that the size of the group that has gone to the north is pretty large in size. We will see later that the size of the migration to the north will effect the welfare of the Nephites that are left as they will become smaller in number in relation to the Lamanites. ]

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.

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.

11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.

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.

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.

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.

15 But behold, there are many books and many records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.

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.

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.

18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges ended;

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.

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 [ Means to have God's presence with them. ] in the land.

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.

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.

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 [ The stuff that was going on in secret, the stuff that they did not know about. ] 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; [ It does not say that these secret combination stopped, just that the Gadianton's had become better at hiding what they were doing. ] therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.

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.

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. [ Or they are shocked at how well things appear to be going. ]

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.

27  Thus we may see [ Mormon is making sure that we take note of what is happening by specifically calling our attention to what he see's. ] that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. [ So the Lord shows mercy to those who call upon him. He is not a God of destruction, he wants us to return to him. He is teaching us about the character of God. ]

28 Yea, thus we see [ Again Mormon calls our attention to what he see's and wants us to see. ] that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, [ Everyone who will come unto Christ can receive all of the blessings of the Father, just like the Son does. ] who is the son of God.

29  Yea, we see [ One more thus we see. ] that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word [ "You can't lay hold upon a word per se, but you can if it's a rod". Hebrew for Moses' rod, is "matteh" some scholars think that's actually an Egyptian loan word. That it's the word rod out of Egyptian. As such the word has a dual meaning it's called the Matteh ha-elohim, the rod of God. What's interesting is that in Egyptian, a language that Nephi tells us at the very beginning of his record that he knew, and he's proud of it because it's a second language, and not everybody had that kind of an education. He grew up speaking Hebrew in the area of Jerusalem, as all ancient Judaites and those of Israelite ancestry who were there learned. But his father taught him. And in Egyptian, the word for rod and word, and the verb to speak, are the same thing. The Egyptian word medu, which means a rod or a staff, it's also the verb for to speak. And in fact, when it's written in Egyptian, not only middle Egyptian, but later in the Egyptian of Lehi's time, they're still writing it with a rod hieroglyph as a part of the writing. So to Nephi, word and rod are one in the same, because he knows Egyptian. Here Mormon is using the same language as well in reference to the imagery of Lehi's dream as well as the account in Exodus. ] 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—

30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down [ They will be invited to the table where they will enjoy the same blessing given to Abraham. Isaac and Jacob. ] with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

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.

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.

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 [ What is he trying to say here? That you might have membership in the church but true membership, or discipleship comes from the heart - you cannot pray a lie! ] to the church of God—

34 And they were lifted up [ Who lifted them up? They did they think that they are better for some reason, they then feel that they are not on the same playing field then as such they are not subject to the same laws - and thus it begins. ] in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. [ Why does pride lead to persecution of others? It usually involves a good deal of judgement, it suggests that people need to be viewed differently, to be classified into groups thos that have and those that have not. The ones that have then are somehow better than those that have not. ] 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.

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 [ Justification acquits man from sin but it does not cleanse him from the effects of sin. The process of cleansing man from the effects of sin is known as sanctification. To sanctify means to be made free from the effects of sin, to be purified (Webster's New World Dictionary). Sanctification is the process by which one is cleansed and purified from sin. The following example will serve to illustrate the difference between justification and sanctification. Suppose a man, who had smoked for twenty years, finally realized the error of his ways and repented of his actions. He quite smoking, cold turkey, and never picked up another cigarette the rest of his life. He could be justified or acquitted of his sin and allowed to join the Church and participate in the blessings of the gospel. Though he quite smoking, he nevertheless would still suffer the effects of his sinful habit. His lungs would remain blackened because of the continually inhalation of smoke filled with tar and nicotine. What can he do about the effects of his sin? Nothing! The same is true with any sin. Though we may repent of our sins and never do them again, nonetheless, we cannot do away with the effects of our sins. We need divine help in order to become clean. This cleansing comes through the sanctifying powers of the Holy Ghost. Sanctification comes through the gift of the Holy Ghost which is often called the baptism of fire. One of the primary missions of the Holy Ghost, and one not often spoken of, is his power to sanctify man from sin. Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written: "To be sanctified is to be saved; to fall short of sanctification is to fail to gain full salvation. Only the sanctified gain eternal life. To be sanctified is to be clean; it is a state of purity and spotlessness in which no taint of sin is found. Only those who die as to sin and are born again to righteousness, becoming thus new creatures of the Holy Ghost, are numbered with the sanctified. ] of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

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.

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. [ Helaman tried to be a good king as well. ]