The Rock of Our Redeemer

The Book of Alma begins with this introduction: “The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma, the first and chief judge over the people of Nephi, and also the high priest over the Church. An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and contentions among the people. And also an account of a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record of Alma, the first and chief judge.” Those words were actually on the plates, presumably written by Mormon. At first glance the “war” referenced here would seem to be the one started by Amalickiah and recorded from Alma 46-62, but that is unlikely because Alma had died before that war started, and the above introduction suggested that the war was recorded “according to the record of Alma.” So instead, it could refer to the battle described in Alma 28 when “there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one as never had been known among all the people in the land from the time Lehi left Jerusalem” (v2). It also might refer to the battle described in Alma 43-44 when Zarahemnah and the Zoramite leaders led the Lamanites against the Nephites but were ultimately defeated by Moroni. It was right after this war that Alma disappeared and “was never heard of more” among the Nephites (Alma 45:18). So clearly Alma did not write a description of the subsequent war which was started by Amalickiah.

                At the beginning of Alma 45 we then have this introduction, again text that was actually on the plates: “The account of the people of Nephi, and their wars and dissensions, in the days of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman, which he kept in his days.” It is surprising to me that at this point we don’t have a new book called the Book of Helaman, covering Alma 45-62, for the remainder of our current book of Alma came from Helaman’s record (except the last chapter). The major theme of these chapters of course was the “wars and dissensions” caused by Amalickiah and Ammoron. That time period covers from the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges to the thirty-fifth year when Helaman passed away shortly after the war ended. The record was briefly held by Shiblon, Helaman’s brother, and then he passed it to Helaman the son of Helaman. So, the book of Helaman we have today was named after the second Helaman, and its scriptural introduction includes these words: “And also the prophecies of many holy prophets, before the coming of Christ, according to the records of Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, and also according to the records of his sons, even down to the coming of Christ.” The book of Helaman came from Mormon’s abridgement of Helaman’s record as well as the record of his sons, Nephi and Lehi. Interestingly, Helaman himself was only alive for the first three chapters of this book, and the remaining thirteen chapters focus on his son Nephi (and to some extent his brother Lehi). Helaman became the keeper of the records for about fourteen years, from “the thirty and ninth year of the reign of the judges” to the “fifty and third year of the reign of the judges” when he died (Alma 63:39, Helaman 3:37). The major event of his life that was recorded was being saved from being murdered by Kishkumen, and we have few other details about his actions besides this summary from Mormon: “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” (Helaman 3:20).

                We remember Helaman most for his powerful testimony of the Savior that guided his sons through their many difficulties: “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” Surely Nephi and Lehi thought often of the teachings of their faithful father, and Mormon recorded that “they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake unto them” (Helaman 5:5, 12). As parents that is our goal, that our testimony of the Savior and His gospel will stay with our children no matter what happens to them so that they can, like Nephi and Lehi, be built upon the sure rock of Christ.