The Book of Mormon mentions many groups of people going off on their own, away from the main population. But, out of all those break-off groups, the Book of Mormon gives the story of only one with any amount of detail: The Nephite colonists that went to inherit the land of Nephi. In fact, the Book of Mormon gives a huge amount of details for this group (18 chapters) and that is a significant exception. The story of these colonists begins in Omni v. 27 where it says, “And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance.” As it turns out, the story of the Nephite colonists going to the land of Nephi and back again is the story of the Mormons. You will soon see that there are too many connections to ignore. Some of the connections I point out may seem self-congratulatory, but by the end you will see that there is a warning for all of us.
Zeniff typifies Joseph Smith. Both were zealous to inherit that which had been lost. In Mosiah 9:3, Zeniff described himself as “being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers”. Joseph Smith was certainly zealous to discover God’s true religion. In Joseph Smith—History 1:10 Joseph writes, “I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?”
Both obtained what they were seeking, by covenant with a king. Concerning Zeniff, Mosiah 9:6 says, “I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi”. Joseph Smith—History 1:17 says, “I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” According to D&C 109:68, during the dedication of the Kirtland temple, Joseph prayed, “O Lord, remember thy servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., and all his afflictions and persecutions—how he has covenanted with Jehovah, and vowed to thee, O Mighty God of Jacob—and the commandments which thou hast given unto him, and that he hath sincerely striven to do thy will.”
Both were meek while surrounded by pride. In Mosiah 9:1-2 Zeniff was “sent as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon them and destroy them—but when I saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they should not be destroyed. Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness, for I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he being an austere and a blood-thirsty man commanded that I should be slain”. Joseph Smith was similarly meek as he endured much and generally did not approve of the use of violence when occasion arose (Passing the Heavenly Gift, pp. 121-127).
Both sacrificed much by obtaining what they were looking for. Mosiah 9:11,13 says, “...after we had dwelt in the land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into bondage...Therefore it came to pass that king Laman began to stir up his people that they should contend with my people; therefore there began to be wars and contentions in the land.” If you replace “king Laman” with anti-Mormon mobs, it sounds just like Joseph Smith’s and the Church’s history.
Both were righteous leaders. Concerning Zeniff, Mosiah 9:17-18 says, “in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers. And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might…” Mosiah 10:19 says, “I did stimulate them to go to battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord…” Concerning Joseph Smith’s leadership, D&C 23:5 says, “Behold, I speak a few words unto you, Joseph; for thou also art under no condemnation, and thy calling also is to exhortation, and to strengthen the church; and this is thy duty from henceforth and forever. Amen.”
Both the Nephite colonists and the Mormons had to flee the places they thought they had inherited for themselves and for their posterity. Mosiah 22:2 says that the people “could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness”. The Mormons had to flee into the wilderness from their inheritances at Kirtland, Missouri, and Nauvoo.
Both groups obtained an ancient record on gold plates of a destroyed covenant people. Mosiah 8:8-9 says that Limhi’s men “discovered a land which was covered with bones of men...and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel. And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold.” Those plates contained the record of the Jaredites. In Joseph Smith—History 1:34 a heavenly being told Joseph Smith that “there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.” That book, of course, became the Book of Mormon.
Neither group really knew what to do with the ancient record. Mosiah 8:11 records Limhi’s lament that “there is no one in the land that is able to interpret the language or the engravings that are on the plates.” The Mormons similarly don’t know the proper way to treat the Book of Mormon. In D&C 84:54-57 the Lord tells the Mormons “you have treated lightly the things you have received—Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon”.
In each case a non-seer said he could not read the record. Mosiah 8:6 says, “the king inquired of him to know if he could interpret languages, and Ammon told him that he could not.” Joseph Smith—History 1:65 says that Martin Harris told Professor Anthon “that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a sealed book.’”
With both the Nephite colonists and the Mormons, the ancient record was, or is prophesied to be, delivered to another people, and the people who deliver the record were, or will be, numbered among those to whom they deliver it. Concerning Limhi’s people, Mosiah 22:13-14 says, “And after being many days in the wilderness they arrived in the land of Zarahemla, and joined Mosiah’s people, and became his subjects. And it came to pass that Mosiah received them with joy; and he also received their records, and also the records which had been found by the people of Limhi.” Concerning the latter days, 1 Nephi 14:1-2 says, “if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God...and harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel”. 1 Nephi 15:13 says, “then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed”. 2 Nephi 30:3-4 says, “after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed. And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us”.
Each group receives only a summary of what is in the record, with much of the record being kept back. In the days of the Nephites Mosiah 28:11,18 says that Mosiah “translated and caused to be written the records which were on the plates of gold which had been found by the people of Limhi...Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.” Ether 4:1 says, “And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen; and they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people.” For this generation Ether 1:1,5 says, “I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed...But behold, I give not the full account, but a part of the account I give”. In Ether 5:1 Moroni told Joseph Smith, “I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you”.
At least some members or descendants of each group end up knowing the fullness of the sealed record. Concerning the commandments that King Mosiah gave to the Nephites, Ether 4:2 says, “And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he [Mosiah] commanded that they [the things the brother of Jared had seen] should be made manifest.” Relevant to our dispensation, Ether 4:4-7 says, “Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw...Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up...For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord. And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.” Interestingly, each group needs to receive the exact same record: the things that the brother of Jared saw.
Zeniff's kingdom passed on to Noah and Joseph’s leadership passed on to other presidents. Both sets of new leaders and their inner circles practiced and taught polygamy even though both groups should have known the teachings of Jacob on the subject. Mosiah 11:2 says that Noah “had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.” Later in the same chapter we learn that Noah’s priests also had wives and concubines. In the LDS Church the polygamy of many church leaders, beginning with Brigham Young and the other early apostles, is beyond dispute (which cannot be said for Joseph Smith). Brigham Young taught, “It is the word of the Lord, and I wish to say to you, and all the world, that if you desire with all your hearts to obtain the blessings which Abraham obtained, you will be polygamists at least in your faith, or you will come short of enjoying the salvation and the glory which Abraham has obtained. This is as true as that God lives.” (Journal of Discourses, 11:268-9)
Both sets of leaders instituted unwarranted changes. Mosiah 11:4 says that Noah “had changed the affairs of the kingdom.” Denver Snuffer’s book, Passing the Heavenly Gift, and Robert Smith’s book, Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men: Tradition in Modern Mormonism, detail many unwarranted changes that have taken place within Mormonism.
Both sets of leaders enjoyed great power and privilege. Mosiah 11:3-4,6 says that Noah “laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed...And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines…and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.” We can see how Mormon leaders also enjoy the fruits of priestcraft at the expense of their followers.
Both sets of leaders taught and encouraged idolatry. Mosiah 11:7 says that the people “became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.” President Wilford Woodruff taught, “The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray.” (Sixty-first Semiannual General Conference of the Church, Monday, October 6, 1890, Salt Lake City, Utah. Reported in Deseret Evening News, October 11, 1890, p. 2) More recently, M. Russell Ballard taught that the leaders of the Church “will not and cannot lead you astray.” (Stay in the Boat and Hold On!, October 2014 General Conference) It is now accepted as truth within the LDS Church that one must “follow the prophet” in order to receive all of God’s blessings, which contrasts with what the scriptures and many leaders of the Church have said before.
Both sets of leaders taught a false form of religious observance. In Mosiah 12:28, Noah and his priests said, “We teach the law of Moses.” In the next verse Abinadi scolds them by asking, “If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it?” Similarly, Mormon leaders teach a Christian religion but fail to teach people to actually come unto Christ and, in fact, discourage people from coming unto Him. The Lectures on Faith are a series of lectures prepared by Joseph Smith explaining how one can exercise faith in God unto life and salvation. These lectures were included with, and placed in front of, the rest of Joseph Smith’s revelations as the Doctrine & Covenants and were voted on by the Church as “a law and a rule of faith and practice to the Church” during a general conference on August 17, 1835. In 1921 a Church committee, acting without the common consent of the Church, took the Lectures on Faith out of the scriptures, thus leaving the Church without its primary prophetic writings on how to exercise faith in God. More recently, in contrast to the message of the Book of Mormon that we must know God and enter His presence to gain eternal life, on June 13, 2015 in Boise, ID Dallin Oaks said, “Of course, all of the righteous desire to see the face of our Savior, but the suggestions that this must happen in mortality is a familiar tactic of the adversary.”
Both sets of leaders, in the time of the Nephite colonists and today, bolstered their religious claims with beautiful temples, spacious buildings, and marvelous projects. Mosiah 11:8-13 says, “And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things...And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with...precious things. And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of fine work within the walls of the temple...And the seats which were set apart for the high priests, which were above all the other seats, he did ornament with pure gold; and he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they should speak lying and vain words to his people. And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land...and he could even look over all the land round about. And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on the hill north of the land Shilom...and thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of his people.” There are too many comparisons to comment upon here, but one only needs to look around to see the unparalleled beauty of the many temples and the vast array of impressive businesses and projects of the LDS Church.
Both the colonists and the Mormons have needlessly bled members due to the mixed-up priorities of the leaders. Mosiah 11:16-17 says, “And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks. And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them”. For anyone that bothers to pay attention, it is clear that the LDS Church is losing members fast, often due to the mistakes of the past and a refusal to address them appropriately.
In the days of the Nephite colonists and in our generation a prophet of the Lord died for his testimony of Christ, due to the malice of those he tried to teach. Abinadi and Joseph Smith were killed through conspiracies and they were the first martyred prophets in their generations. Each prophet died because he preached hard doctrine and true religion from the scriptures. Each prophet foretold the day of Zion. In Mosiah 17:7-8, King Noah’s court tells Abinadi, “Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death”. Joseph Smith said, “the moment you teach [men] some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 309) After being accused of abandoning the saints to save his life, Joseph said, “If my life is of no value to my friends it is of none to myself.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 377)
Even after death, each of those prophets has been a witness against the wickedness of the people. In Mosiah 17:10, Abinadi says, “I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you.” Later in verse 20, Abinadi “fell, having suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death.” D&C 135:1 says, “To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet.” Verse 3 states that Joseph “has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood”.
Among each set of religious leaders listening to the prophet of God, there was one who hearkened to the truth of the message. Mosiah 17:2 says, “But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them; therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace.” Denver Snuffer was in his stake’s high council. D&C 107:36 says, “The standing high councils, at the stakes of Zion, form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the quorum of the presidency, or to the traveling high council.” Therefore, Denver was one of the church leaders of the highest order who accepted Joseph Smith’s message and, as he details in his Preserving the Restoration talk, defended it before all the leadership quorums of the church during his entire excommunication process (pp. 41-42).
Each religious leader who listened to the prophet of God was cast out. Mosiah 17:3 says, “the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them”. Denver was similarly cast out (Preserving the Restoration talk, pp. 41-42)
Each outcast then proceeded to get the message out by transmitting the teachings of the dead prophet. Mosiah 17:4 says that Alma “did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken.” Mosiah 18:1,3 says that Alma “went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi...And as many as would hear his word he did teach”. Denver has similarly preached the message of the restoration of Christ’s Gospel through Joseph Smith in his written works and talks.
In Alma’s time and in our time, many people, after having been reminded of the truth of Christ’s Gospel, spiritually seceded from the others, were rebaptized, and proceeded to seek Christ. Mosiah 18:4,7 says, “And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon...to hear the words of Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word, to hear him. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord”. In verses 10-11 Alma asks, “what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.” We see many people desiring and doing the same thing in our day.
In Alma’s time and in our own day, each teacher of truth refused to be a ruler. Mosiah 23:6-7 says, “And the people were desirous that Alma should be their king, for he was beloved by his people. But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king.” In the Zion talk in Grand Junction Denver taught, “Zion cannot be brought through a ‘Strongman.’” (p. 2) In the same talk he also said, “I've seen enough ‘Strongmen’ come and go for a lifetime. I am not anyone's ‘Strongman.’ I will never be anyone's ‘Strongman,’ period. It is repulsive to me. It is morally corrupt.” (p. 25) Denver has also strongly advocated for the principles found in 2 Nephi 10:11 which says, “And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.”
Here is a portion of what Alma taught the people of the church of God in Mosiah 18:19-29. It’s the same exact message we need to hear, and are hearing, today. “And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets. Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God. And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God. And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support. And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together. And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God. And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul. And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants.”
Now here we are. What does the future hold? If this story truly is a type for the Mormons, we only need to read the rest of the account to find out what happens next. Everyone can do that on their own but there are only a couple of things I wish to point out.
Mosiah 18:30 says that the people of the church of God “came to the knowledge of their Redeemer”. Can we say we have that same knowledge? Mosiah 18:22 says that “they became the children of God.” Can we say we have that same standing? If we can’t say we have that same knowledge or that same standing, which group do we really belong to? The people of the church of God or the people of King Noah?
All of the Nephite colonists, whether they went with Alma or stayed with King Noah, were all led into captivity. Concerning those that stayed behind, Mosiah 19:15 explains that the “Lamanites...took them captives and carried them back to the land of Nephi, and granted unto them that they might possess the land, under the conditions that they would deliver up king Noah into the hands of the Lamanites, and deliver up their property, even one half of all they possessed, one half of their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and thus they should pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites from year to year.” Mosiah 21:3-5 says that the Lamanites “would smite them on their cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass...And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.” Concerning those that were in the church of God with Alma, Mosiah 23:21 says “the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.” Verse 29 says that, when faced with the Lamanite threat, “Alma and his brethren went forth and delivered themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession of the land”. Mosiah 24:10 says that “so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.” While there were certainly many differences between the two groups (and I encourage everyone to study those differences), it would appear that we all have some very difficult times ahead of us, no matter what group we belong to.
The events in the record of the Nephite colonists are types and shadows of all the things that will prepare some number of Gentiles to be able to do the work the Lord has in mind for them. To apply it to us Mormons, I suppose that if we have earned anything, we have only earned additional chastisement from the Lord and the need to repent even further. For me, the story of the Nephite colonists is a story of hope and warning. I have hope for all of us Mormons who are so steeped in tradition to the point that we seem unable to fully wake up to our awful situation. God knows and loves us and will do what He can to teach and deliver us, as He delivered the Nephite colonists in one form or another. I am warned because I see the need to humble myself so that I may be personally delivered from captivity. No matter what traditions I have shed so far, I am still not free from the chains of hell. For practical purposes I must assume that I am still like those who were blinded by the “vain and flattering words” of King Noah and his priests. I pray that I can be delivered from my blindness and partake of the wonderful blessings the Lord offers. Through Christ I can.
