Helaman 6 - 10

It is interesting during the days of Nephi and Lehi, the sons of Helaman, that -

"...there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would, whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites.
8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to buy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their desire." (Book of Mormon Helaman 6:7 - 8)

And -

"...the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith." (Book of Mormon Helaman 6:1)

While -

"...there were many of the Nephites who had become hardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them." (Book of Mormon Helaman 6:2)

And it is during this period that -

"...the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again...The Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain....there were many, even among the Nephites...[and] they were more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites. And they were called Gadianton's robbers and murderers.
...when the Lamanites found that there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful; and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth." (Book of Mormon Helaman 6:16 - 20)

It is interesting that -

"...the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites..." (Book of Mormon Helaman 6:37)

This truth was the same taught of Alma -

"...as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God." (Book of Mormon Alma 31:5)

Nephi continued to teach in the land northward, but -

"...they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity." (Book of Mormon Helaman 7:3)

He continues to prophesy and preach to the wicked in Zarahemla in all diligence. He prophecies of the murder of the chief judge and the murderer. A few are converted, but it doesn't appear to be many. And as he went to his house -

"...pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites..." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:3)

Came a voice saying -

"...Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word..." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:4 - 5)

Why would the Lord give such a great promise?

"...for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:5)

What a marvelous thing that Nephi had sought so diligently to do the will of the Lord, that the Lord knew he would do nothing contrary to his will, with the promise -

"...I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:7)

We recognize Nephi's desire to do the Lord's will for -

"...when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:12)

And so great was Nephi's desire to do the Lord's will that -

"...the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them... thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people." (Book of Mormon Helaman 10:16 - 17)

May we have such a great desire to do the Lord's will. "Thy will be done."