Before You Know It...

Helaman 3 reminds me of a situation I've seen many times with myself and friends. If we are not careful, we will end up far from where we want to be on the gospel path... before we know it.

In the beginning of Helaman chapter 3, it is mentioned that during the 43rd year of the reign of the judges there was NO CONTENTION among all of the people of Nephi, save it were a LITTLE pride which was in the church. This pride did cause some dissensions among the people, but was settled by the end of that same year.

Fast forward a few years and many Nephites started migrating north. They figured out how to work cement, built houses, and became prosperous in that part of the land. These people even kept many records of their proceedings in this land. That is, until they began to fall into transgression "...becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious..." (Helaman 3:16). What caused this big change from being righteous to wickedness in such a short amount of time?

I truly think that the key word is found in verse 1 of Helaman 3: PRIDE. Initially, the problems began when pride entered into their hearts. (To read an excellent discourse on PRIDE, see this talk written by President Ezra Taft Benson.) Sure, they may have "settled" the issue at one point. But they didn't keep their pride in check. They allowed themselves to fall.

We must be aware of the temptations of Satan. As Mosiah said, "...if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30).

These once righteous men and women (some of them a part of the people of Ammon and maybe even a part of Helaman's army) did not take heed to this counsel. They allowed themselves to make mistakes and to stay away from God's Spirit because they did not keep themselves in check. May we beware of pride. May we remmeber to keep our thoughts, actions, and deeds clean. May we perservere until the end of our days by trying to overcome pride and those temptations that befall us. That is my hope for myself and my loved ones.