Like his great-grandfather, Alma, Nephi gives up the judgment seat and dedicates himself to preaching the gospel. He and his brother Lehi remember the guidance they received from their father, Helaman. While preaching among the Lamanites, they are imprisoned, but they are surrounded by heavenly fire and defended by the voice of God. A Nephite dissenter named Aminadab instructs the Lamanites to cry to the voice. They do so and are filled with the Holy Ghost and surrounded by light.
Chapter Outline
- Nephi resigns as chief judge (v. 1-4)
- Helaman’s words to Nephi and Lehi (v. 5-13)
- Nephi and Lehi preach to the Nephites and the Lamanites (v. 14-19)
- They are imprisoned and miraculously protected by the power of God (v. 20-33)
- Aminadab instructs the Lamanites to repent, and they are filled with the Holy Ghost and delivered from darkness (v. 34-52)
My Takeaways
- Good government depends on the goodness of its citizens.
- We need to remind our children of the things that matter most.
- God’s voice is “a still voice of perfect mildness.”
- God loves us, is able to save us, and wants us to repent and turn to Him to access His power.
Featured Blog Posts
Helaman 5 and 3 Nephi
The miracle experienced by Nephi and Lehi in the Lamanite prison mirrors the experience of the Nephites and the Lamanites when the Savior visited. Both experiences teach us that we have access to divine power and help when we open our hearts to God.
❖ Nephi gives up the judgement seat – Helaman 5:1-4
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Corruption?
King Benjamin set the standard for political leadership when he reported to his people at the end of his reign that he had conscientiously labored to serve them and avoided taking advantage of his role for personal gain (Mosiah 2:12-15). His son Mosiah followed his example (Mosiah 6:6-7). But when the people of King Limhi…
They Could Not Be Governed by the Law – Helaman 5:2-3
2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. 3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that…
Helaman 5:2-3 Their Laws Had Become Corrupted
2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. 3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that…
❖ Helaman’s words to his sons – Helaman 5:5-13
The Spiritual Power of Remembering
Our brains are designed to forget. Every day, we forget far more than we remember. Our brains naturally select some knowledge for retention, but it is up to us to intentionally remember the most important things, especially the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
“Repentance…Bringeth Unto the Power of the Redeemer”
Only Jesus can save us. He doesn’t save us as we are; He saves us by changing us, making us holy. We indicate our willingness to be transformed by repenting. As we follow His “conditions of repentance,” we open the door to be transformed by His grace.
“My Sons [and My Daughters], Remember, Remember” – Helaman 5:6-12
This morning, I studied Helaman’s words to his sons, Nephi and Lehi. His message is that he wants them to remember some important truths. In fact, he uses the word “remember” thirteen times in just seven verses. I studied these words because I have several children going off to college this week, one of them…
I Have Given You the Names of Our First Parents – Helaman 5:6-7
6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when…
“The Rock of Our Redeemer” – Helaman 5:12
One of the scriptures most frequently referenced in general conference is Helaman 5:12: 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,…
What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?”
The Hebrew word “go’el” is sometimes translated “redeemer” and sometimes “near kinsman.” When we enter a covenant relationship with Jesus, He becomes the “near kinsman” who will deliver us from bondage, even bondage of our own making.
❖ Nephi and Lehi are miraculously protected – Helaman 5:20-33
“A Still Voice of Perfect Mildness” – Helaman 5:30
The voice which spoke to the Lamanites who had cast two missionaries into prison “was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise.” The earth and the walls of the prison shook as the voice spoke, indicating that the speaker had great power. But the voice itself “was a still voice…
❖ 300 Lamanites are converted – Helaman 5:34-52
There Was One Among Them…Who Had Once Belonged to the Church of God – Helaman 5:35-41
35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them. 36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold,…
Cry unto the Voice – Helaman 5:40-42
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us? 41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by…
The Cloud of Darkness – Helaman 5:40-42
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma,…
How Does the Savior Bring Us Peace?
The angels who appeared to the shepherds expressed their hopes for us with these words: “On earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). At the end of His life, the Savior said to His apostles: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto…
Old Testament Foundations
Being Governable
We all love freedom, but we also recognize that living and working with other people requires us to voluntarily curtail some of our desires. We can accomplish more together than alone, but only if we can adapt to the collective decisions of the group.
That Rock Was Christ
We expect rocks to be solid, reliable, and strong. We don’t expect them to quench our thirst. But the Savior provides both a firm foundation and “living water.” That’s why a rock which produces water is a meaningful symbol of Jesus.
Remember
Before the children of Israel were delivered, God taught them how to commemorate their deliverance. Before the Savior’s sacrifice, He taught His disciples how to remember the event. Remembering is intentionally retaining things of enduring value.
Quiet, but Piercing
As Elijah sat in a cave on Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai), he learned an important lesson about hearing God. Through the mouth of the cave, he witnessed three powerful and destructive natural forces: a “great and strong wind,” an earthquake, and a fire. Elijah’s observation was that the Lord was not in…
The Voice of the People
When the prophet Samuel was old, he tried to appoint his sons to succeed him as leaders over Israel. But the Israelites were not willing to follow his sons, and they requested that he appoint a king. Samuel was troubled. He didn’t think it wise to give one person that much power, and he thought…
Gross Darkness
Isaiah prophesied of a time when “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” But he promised that, in the midst of this darkness, “the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy…
New Testament Parallels
Rooted, Grounded, Settled
How can we find stability in the midst of chaos? When we are rooted in the faith of Jesus Christ, He helps us weather the storms in our lives without being shaken. As we strengthen our faith in Him, we will be prepared for difficult experiences.
Imprisoned
Many servants of God have accomplished great things while imprisoned. Elder Stevenson pointed out that these individuals “were defined more by what they were able to do with the Lord’s help than by what they could not do as a result of their confinement.”
From Their Sins
What does it mean to be saved by Jesus Christ? Is it like receiving a presidential pardon, with the consequences of our actions eliminated by a legal authority? Or like amnesty, where we get a clean slate and a chance to start over? Both of these descriptions tell part of the story. But Jesus doesn’t…
Church History Connections
Governed by the Law
“Let no man break the laws of the land,” said the Lord in an 1831 revelation to Joseph Smith, “for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:21). Jesus taught the same principle during His earthly ministry, “Render…unto Caesar the things which…
Governed by Law
I’ve been thinking today about the role of law in establishing a peaceful society and a happy life. In the Book of Mormon, happy times are associated with obedience and unhappy times with disobedience. Consider the following contrasting examples: “We did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in…
All Posts Referencing Helaman 5
- Settling Up My Business (10/12/2025)
- The Shield of Faith (3/25/2025)
- “Thou Hast Been Enlightened” (2/4/2025)
- Founded Upon a Rock (10/2/2024)
- “I Am Jesus Christ” (9/29/2024)
- Samuel the Lamanite on the Burden of Freedom (9/10/2024)
- Helaman 5 and 3 Nephi (8/30/2024)
- The Spiritual Power of Remembering (8/28/2024)
- “Repentance…Bringeth Unto the Power of the Redeemer” (8/27/2024)
- A Call from Arms (7/10/2024)
- Unshaken (11/12/2023)
- Faith Halls of Fame (11/11/2023)
- Rooted, Grounded, Settled (10/10/2023)
- Being Governable (10/5/2023)
- That Rock Was Christ (8/30/2023)
- Imprisoned (7/29/2023)
- Remember (5/30/2023)
- Baptized with Fire (1/29/2023)
- From Their Sins (1/6/2023)
- My Fortress (8/11/2022)
- Quiet, but Piercing (6/28/2022)
- The Voice of the People (6/15/2022)
- Glory (12/28/2021)
- Governed by the Law (12/10/2021)
- Mother Eve (12/4/2021)
- The Ancient of Days (10/13/2021)
- Gross Darkness (10/6/2021)
- “Prepare the Minds of Their Children” (8/26/2021)
- Governed by Law (8/14/2021)
- Confounded (6/29/2021)
- “The People That Walked in Darkness” – 2 Nephi 19:2 (2/5/2021)
- “The Least Degree of Allowance” – Alma 45:16 (1/1/2021)
- “Their Easiness and Willingness to Believe” – Helaman 6:36 (8/23/2020)
- “The Rock of Our Redeemer” – Helaman 5:12 (8/21/2020)
- “My Sons [and My Daughters], Remember, Remember” – Helaman 5:6-12 (8/20/2020)
- “A Still Voice of Perfect Mildness” – Helaman 5:30 (8/19/2020)
- How Does the Savior Bring Us Peace? (12/25/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Corruption? (12/10/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Ripe in Iniquity?” (11/23/2019)
- What Is the Sealing Power? (11/16/2019)
- What Is Authority? (10/15/2019)
- How Can I Manage Time More Effectively? (8/21/2019)
- What Should I Do When I’m Worn Out? (7/11/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Holy Ghost? (4/17/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?” (3/10/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Baptized Unto Repentance?” (2/22/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ?” (1/31/2019)
- They Could Not Be Governed by the Law – Helaman 5:2-3 (5/19/2018)
- Cry unto the Voice – Helaman 5:40-42 (3/24/2018)
- He Turned Him About – Helaman 5:36-37 (3/23/2018)
- There Was One Among Them…Who Had Once Belonged to the Church of God – Helaman 5:35-41 (1/22/2018)
- Peace, Peace Be unto You – Helaman 5:46-47 (4/12/2017)
- A Still Voice of Perfect Mildness – Helaman 5:30 (4/11/2017)
- I Would That Ye Should Do…Good – Helaman 5:6-7 (11/22/2016)
- Peace, Peace Be unto You – Helaman 5:46-47 (9/22/2016)
- The Cloud of Darkness – Helaman 5:40-42 (9/19/2016)
- I Have Given You the Names of Our First Parents – Helaman 5:6-7 (8/10/2016)
- Cry Unto the Voice, Even Until Ye Shall Have Faith in Christ – Helaman 5:40-42 (9/12/2015)
- To Redeem Them From Their Sins – Helaman 5:10 (9/11/2015)
- Lay Up For Yourselves a Treasure in Heaven – Helaman 5:8 (9/7/2015)
- Helaman 5:12 Upon the Rock of Our Redeemer (11/25/2014)
- Helaman 5:2-3 Their Laws Had Become Corrupted (11/25/2014)