Mormon quickly summarizes eleven years with a few key facts: (1) Many people migrated to the north countries. There weren’t many trees, so they built houses of cement. (2) The Nephites kept many books and records, and there isn’t enough space for him to share even a hundredth part of what they wrote. (3) Wars and contentions gradually decreased during Helaman’s term as chief judge. (4) The church thrived, to the degree that even church leaders were astonished.
Chapter Outline
- Many people migrate to the north and build houses and cities of wood and cement (v. 1-12)
- The people keep many books and records (v. 13-16)
- Wars and contentions decrease under Helaman’s leadership (v. 17-23)
- Astonishing prosperity of the church (v. 24-37)
My Takeaways
- You don’t have to work to create contention. It grows like weeds.
- We can’t possibly do all of the good things we want to, so we need to learn to prioritize.
- The prosperity of the church consists of both quantifiable and non-quantifiable blessings.
- The practice of stretching ourselves spiritually on a consistent basis enables us to develop spiritual strength, in the form of increased humility and faith.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Migration to the North – Helaman 3:1-12
Some Little Dissension – Helaman 3:1-2
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…
❖ Many records – Helaman 3:13-16
A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions
Book of Mormon authors made it clear how much they were leaving out as they wrote this “abridgment” of their history. Here’s a diagram showing how many words are dedicated to each of the 103 decades in the book.
❖ The church prospers – Helaman 3:24-37
The Prosperity of the Church
How can you tell when the church is doing well? Its members are growing closer to the Savior and therefore experiencing increased joy and becoming more holy. Other people want to be part of it. Growth in numbers is matched by individual spiritual growth.
The Work of the Lord Did Prosper – Helaman 3:24-27
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…
The Gate of Heaven Is Open unto All – Helaman 3:27-30
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. 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…
“Lay Hold upon the Word of God” – Helaman 3:29
In the opening session of the October 2020 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson extended an invitation, based on a passage from the Book of Mormon: As we gather to hear the words the Lord has inspired His servants to deliver, I invite you to ponder a promise the Lord made. He declared that “whosoever…
Helaman 3:36 It Did Grow Upon Them From Day to Day
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…
Stronger and Stronger in Their Humility – Helaman 3:35-36
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…
Old Testament Foundations
The Fast That I Have Chosen
“What’s the point of fasting?” ask the children of Israel in Isaiah 58. “Why are we torturing ourselves when God doesn’t even notice?” In response, Isaiah contrasts the way they are currently fasting with the way God wants them to fast: Current Expected The Book of Mormon emphasizes the importance of fasting: President Henry B.…
“They Followed Vanity, and Became Vain”
Among the sins committed by the northern ten tribes which led to the Assyrian captivity, one stands out to me. The author of 2 Kings writes, “They followed vanity, and became vain” (2 Kings 17:15). The Hebrew word hebel (הֶבֶל), which is translated “vanity” in this passage, means literally “vapor” or “breath.” The word habal…
Call Upon His Name
In Genesis 4 there is a potentially confusing passage. After reporting that Seth had a son named Enos, the author writes, “then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). Joseph Smith’s revision of this passage adds a critical word: “Then began these men to call upon the name of the Lord,” his version…
New Testament Parallels
“Quick and Powerful” – Helaman 3:29
When the Nephites experienced a miraculous conversion in a very short period of time, even the leaders of the church were “astonished beyond measure” (Helaman 3:25). The contentions which had recently plagued them vanished, and they began to live in peace and prosperity. Mormon explains this rapid change by reminding us that God loves all…
Church History Connections
The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer
In the first half of 1829, Joseph Smith received a number of revelations on behalf of other people. Four of those revelations begin almost identically, with a set of four biblical concepts, all of which also appear in the Book of Mormon. Why did those four concepts warrant such frequent repetition, and why did the…
All Posts Referencing Helaman 3
- Multiply and Replenish (12/18/2025)
- A Crown of Eternal Life (6/22/2025)
- Preface to Four Revelations, April-May 1829 (2/19/2025)
- Stronger and Stronger in Humility (or Pride) (9/7/2024)
- The Prosperity of the Church (8/29/2024)
- “Repentance…Bringeth Unto the Power of the Redeemer” (8/27/2024)
- “An Exceedingly Curious Man” (8/25/2024)
- Traps and Snares (6/21/2024)
- A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions (1/3/2024)
- The Fast That I Have Chosen (10/6/2022)
- “They Followed Vanity, and Became Vain” (7/17/2022)
- Fasting: How Long and How Often? (4/29/2022)
- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2/20/2022)
- Call Upon His Name (1/16/2022)
- Poured Out (10/3/2021)
- John Whitmer, Record-keeper (6/25/2021)
- “Are Ye Stripped of Pride?” – Alma 5:28 (3/11/2021)
- The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer (1/28/2021)
- “Hid up unto the Lord” – Mormon 1:2, 4:23, 5:12 (10/31/2020)
- “Lay Hold upon the Word of God” – Helaman 3:29 (10/4/2020)
- “Quick and Powerful” – Helaman 3:29 (8/18/2020)
- “They Had Given Themselves to Much Prayer and Fasting” – Alma 17:3 (6/24/2020)
- The “Hundredth Part” – Mormon’s Prioritization of Events in the Book of Alma (6/7/2020)
- What Are the Purposes of Fasting? (11/18/2019)
- What Is Pride? (9/2/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham? (7/20/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Baptized Unto Repentance?” (2/22/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between Baptism and Membership in the Church? (2/21/2019)
- The Work of the Lord Did Prosper – Helaman 3:24-27 (11/22/2018)
- The Gate of Heaven Is Open unto All – Helaman 3:27-30 (4/8/2017)
- It Did Grow upon Them from Day to Day – Helaman 3:33-34, 36 (4/7/2017)
- Some Little Dissension – Helaman 3:1-2 (4/6/2017)
- Stronger and Stronger in Their Humility – Helaman 3:35 (3/22/2016)
- The Sanctification of Their Hearts – Helaman 3:35 (2/12/2016)
- Stronger and Stronger in Their Humility – Helaman 3:35-36 (9/10/2015)
- “The Gate of Heaven Is Open unto All” – Helaman 3:27-30 (9/9/2015)
- Helaman 3:36 It Did Grow Upon Them From Day to Day (11/22/2014)