The Voice of the People

Helaman 11 is a fascinating chapter in the Book of Mormon.  In a very short period – 7 years, the people experienced serious famine, humility and repentance, and then turned right around and started rebelling against the Lord thus making their land vulnerable to the Gadianton robbers once more.  One really wonders:  Did they not remember how painful it was to experience the famine?  Why is remembering such a difficult thing?

I’ve been told (and I do believe it to be true), that when things hurt enough, it will effectuate a change.  This was true in my own life.  It was true with the Nephites.  So what is it that will insure that the change is solid?  They’re called Primary answers, or Sunday School answers; but they are what works.  It is Prayer (remember the Lord in all things), scriptures (remembering why we remember), serving others (helping them come to the knowledge of the truth).  This is something that feels so good, you want more and more to have it each day.  Temple attendance helps me remember what it is I’ve been promised, and keeps me strong.

I have a reference to Mosiah 29:27 at the end of the chapter: “And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.”  This verse alone makes me fear for the future of this land.  Have the voice of the people forgotten?  I guess we’ll find out this November.  Then again, maybe it doesn’t hurt bad enough for us to remember.  Will it be too late when enough do remember?  That is the real question.