3 Nephi 5:3

Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.

Despite their seesaw history, the Nephites were capable of outstanding righteousness. They needed miracles and signs on the one hand and near annihilation on the other to finally see the light. Nevertheless, the point is that they repented. An entire population -- every living soul -- repented and was converted. It was as if the Millennium had already begun for them. It may have been a Camelot -- one brief shining moment -- instead of a city of Enoch, but they proved to themselves that they could do it with faith, humility, and a genuine desire to follow the Lord. If it was not impossible for the Nephites, it is not impossible for us today. That is the testimony this chapter leaves for us. We can overcome the world with the power and gifts of God if we live for them.

3 Nephi 4:33

And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

Repentance and humility always qualify us for the saving grace of Christ's atonement. Just as the Nephites were delivered from the overwhelming odds of the Gadiantons, Christ will deliver us from the overwhelming odds of mortality and sin. Every story of rescue, protection and deliverance in the scriptures testifies of this truth. Our very lives can testify of it if we repent and humble ourselves.

3 Nephi 2:2

Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.

Deception turns the truth upside down. Satan would have us believe that the truth is a deception, and that his deception is the truth. He is not so much interested in getting us to believe his bold-faced lies  as he is in getting us to simply question God's truth and relinquish our commitment to it.

3 Nephi 1:22

And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord.

The sign of a night without darkness at the Savior's birth was dramatic enough to get people's attention so they would listen to the message of the gospel and the Messiah. Many were converted, or at least they joined the church. But conversion cannot be dependent on a sign. Just a few years later, this skin-deep conversion would slip away for many, and the people for the most part would return to apostasy. There are many ways to plant the seed of faith in people's hearts, but the seed must be nurtured and carefully cultivated, or it will not bear fruit.

3 Nephi 1:8

But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

The righteous believers did not need a sign to ignite their faith, but they needed the promised sign to confirm their faith. It is okay to ask for confirmation. That is not sign-seeking. It is like asking for a testimony of the Book of Mormon as you read it. It is not weakness to ask for validation of your faith as you exercise it. God wants us to ask, and he promises us marvelous answers.

Helaman 16:23

I Choose to Believe - Phillips, Craig and Dean

And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.

I repeat: we choose what we believe. It is as easy to believe in God as to believe in Satan, or evolution, or humanism, or shamanism, or atheism, or any other -ism. We can find "proof" for whatever we choose to believe. But ultimately only one truth exists independent and outside of all tangible evidence. Those who witness that truth know the difference between reality and everything else. We can accept their testimony and put it to the test. God is no respecter of persons, and if we do as his witnesses have done before us, we can have the same witness. Nevertheless, it always begins with our choice.

Helaman 16:20

But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.

Physical proof is always demanded by those who refuse faith. The thing is, when they get the proof they demand, they do not accept it. Signs, wonders, and miracles are happening all around these people, and they dismiss the prophecies as lucky guesses. This is a lesson for us to learn about the Book of Mormon. Many people claim they would believe the Book of Mormon if they could only see the gold plates. But the reality is that they would only try to prove that the plates are a fraud. We first choose to believe, and then we are strengthened by evidence. Evidence never produces faith. It may catch our attention, but sooner or later we must make a conscious choice regardless of the evidence.

Helaman 16:6

But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him.

Isn't it interesting that the unbelievers were willing to ascribe Samuel's miraculous protection to the power of the devil rather than believe it came from God. Apparently any ridiculous belief is better than the truth when the truth involves God. Today people would rather believe in the random chance of evolution than to admit an Intelligence in their own creation.

Helaman 15:7

And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them.

Note the sequence of events in this verse. We do not change our hearts and then repent. We repent first, and then our hearts are changed for us by God .

Helaman 15:3

Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

Because God loves us, he does all he can short of taking away our agency to get us to repent and come to him. Ideally he sends us specific correction through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost.  To get us to the point where we can hear his voice through the Spirit, he may send general correction through his servants the prophets. When we don't listen to the prophets, he may send us correction through personal and general trials and afflictions. As I have said many times, not every trial is the result of sin, but unrepented sins will surely bring affliction of one kind or another. As I have also said before, afflictions are not punishments. They may be tests, opportunities to grow, or wake-up calls, but God is generally not in the punishment business. Eternal justice will deliver punishment. God's whole work is to try to save us from justice, if we will let him.

Helaman 14:30

And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.

We can earn our punishment, but we cannot earn our redemption. Redemption comes as a gift for which we qualify through repentance. Justice, on the other hand, will come upon us if God does nothing to stop it. We choose justice or mercy. Mercy is the result of Christ's atonement, which we must choose to accept. If we do not choose mercy, we get justice by default.

Helaman 14:28-29

And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men—And this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation.

In the final day, everyone will have enough evidence that they cannot logically dispute the truth of God's existence. Nevertheless, they will still have the opportunity to choose to come to him in repentance or turn their backs on him in rebellion. He will leave no doubt of his reality, but he will never force us to follow him. Agency is absolutely fundamental to God's kingdom and an eternal principle he cannot and will not violate, even if it means losing some of his children.

Helaman 13:38

But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

Christ offers the grace of his atonement to all, but he does not offer it forever. It is free, but it is not without terms and conditions. A condition of redemption is that we must repent before it is too late. Only God knows the statute of limitations on repentance for each of us. We must repent before we find ourselves in the situation where a prophet tells us it is too late. If we repent continuously, we need not worry. But if we put off repentance when we know it is needed, we play a very dangerous game, a game with eternal consequences.

Helaman 13:19

For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be 
they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.

Many ways exist nowadays to hide up treasures. We don't bury our money anymore. We hide it in off shore accounts and shelter it in tax write-offs. We put it in stocks, bonds, and various investment instruments. Nevertheless, we have seen that, by depressions, recessions, and bursting bubbles, the Lord has many ways to separate us from our treasures. God is in charge of all things, including money. We may think we earn it and own it, but it is really the Lord's, just like everything else on this earth is his. He can give it, and he can take it away as suits his purpose. We ought to worry less about money and more about obedience to God. When we are faithful, we will have all we need.

Helaman 13:11

But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.

Because of Christ's atonement, we are not condemned for our sins directly. We all make mistakes and fall short of the mark. It us not our sins per se, but our attitude towards them and what we do about them, that make the difference. We are blessed when we repent, meaning we are in a state of blessedness. Christ forgives us, heals us, and strengths us to do better when we repent. But if we do not repent, he cannot help us. Then we are in a state of wretchedness, and we drink the gall of bitterness, which is a brew we manufacture for ourselves.

Helaman 13:8

Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brethren against them.

“Repentance means more than simply a reformation of behavior. Many men and women in the world demonstrate great will-power and self-discipline in overcoming bad habits and the weaknesses of the flesh. Yet at the same time they give no thought to the Master, sometimes even openly rejecting Him. Such changes of behavior, even if in a positive direction, do not constitute true repentance. …

“… True repentance is based on and flows from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way. True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior (see Alma 5:13)” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson 1988, 71).

Helaman 13:5

And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.

This is not exactly a prophecy of imminent destruction. Four hundred years is a long time. Unbelievers in Samuel's day scoffed at such a prophecy because it was impossible to substantiate. Yet the patience of history proved him right. The prophecies of the Second Coming do not include a specific time frame, nevertheless, we are told that the day fast approaches. It may seem to us to be as remote as Samuel's prophecy. But the prophesied day of destruction came for the Nephites, and the Second Coming will arrive one day for us or our posterity. We do not have the luxury of a fixed timetable, so we dare not procrastinate our preparation

Helaman 13:3

But behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart.

The Lord did not tell Samuel ahead of time what message he was to take to the people of Zarahemla. I'm sure Samuel had a pretty good idea, but he did not know exactly what to say when he started. He had to open his mouth in faith, and then the words came. Nephi was likewise tested when he was told to return to Jerusalem to get the brass plates, not knowing beforehand what he should do. We may be tested in the same way. We may get a prompting from the Holy Spirit without seeing the whole picture. We have to act without knowing the outcome. To one such as I who analyzes everything and plans meticulously, acting on faith is a particularly challenging test. Only when faith is stronger than fear do we receive the help and answers we need. Act first, and then come the miracles.

Helaman 12:8-23

For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God. Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake. And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley. Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake; Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center. Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved. Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done; And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun. And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done. Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done. And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed. And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed, that no man shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever—behold, no man getteth it henceforth and forever. And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Because of thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever—it shall be done. And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so. And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved; therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared. Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.

God has power over all physical creation and all the elements. Man also has limited power over physical elements,  but man's power is different from God's. Man's power depends on force and coercion.  Man can move a mountain,  but it takes time, physical exertion, tools, machinery, and explosives. God moves the mountain by his word alone. His voice is sufficient. He speaks his will and the elements obey. They move of their own accord without coercion or compulsion. Whatever man can do, God can do better, bigger, faster, easier, and he has done it first.

At the end of this long list of powers is the one power that man cannot emulate or usurp.  That is God's power to save us. God may delegate many powers to man through the priesthood, including the power to seal up into eternal life, but only God can grant eternal life. Only he can save our immortal souls through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Helaman 12:2

Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

Prosperity is a blessing and a curse at the same time. God tests us as much with prosperity as he does with afflictions. In fact, of the two, prosperity is the bigger test. Afflictions tend to humble us and drive us to feel after God. Prosperity, on the other hand, feeds our pride and gives us the confidence that we do not need God. To turn to God in afflictions is a natural, predictable response. To stay with God in times of prosperity is a rare feat that requires great dedication and faithfulness.

Helaman 11:17

And it came to pass that in the seventy and sixth year the Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it did bring forth her fruit in the season of her fruit. And it came to pass that it did bring forth her grain in the season of her grain.

Note that the relief of the drought was not instantaneous. The rain returned in the year following the people's repentance, and they still had to wait for the season of grain and harvest. Our sins may leave us with natural consequences that we have to endure even after we have sincerely repented and been forgiven. We still live in a natural world. We cannot expect instant fixes to all our problems. Guilt can be swept away quickly, but consequences may still have to take their natural course. Christ's atonement will eventually right every wrong and heal every wound, but in our natural, fallen world, some consequences are allowed temporarily to persist.

Helaman 11:15

Yea, O Lord, and thou seest that they have repented, because of the famine and the pestilence and destruction which has come unto them.

Repentance is not the same as conversion. Repentance is a prerequisite and a first step toward conversion, but conversion requires more. The people repented because they wanted the famine to end. They had enough faith to believe that God would stop the famine if they would stop their iniquities. They changed their actions, but they did not truly change their hearts. As we read on, we quickly see that it would not be long before they return to their old ways. As soon as the Lord lets up on them, they lose their humility and return to their former sins. When we change just to stop bad things from happening, we leave ourselves in a precarious position. We must go forward from our good start and deepen our conversion. True, lasting change must be more than skin deep. It is a gift, for which we need to work and pray. God will change our hearts if we sincerely desire it.

Helaman 10:4

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.

Nephi's most powerful trait was his "unwearyingness" in carrying out the will of the Lord. We often quote the Savior in Gethsemane, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Following the Savior, Nephi showed us that a willing spirit can overcome the weak flesh. He was magnificent because he made up his mind to be faithful regardless of the cost, and he persevered. He could trust himself, and God could trust him. We can receive the same blessings that Nephi received if we can develop the same "unwearyingness". It is not grit, however. It is a gift, like faith and charity. If we truly want to be strong, God will make us strong. If we ask with real intent, he will enable us to do whatever is necessary.