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The Book of Helaman is not a work of fiction. It happened. The people, the places, and the events are real. Though those events occurred over 2000 years ago, and the exact locations are unknown, the joy these people shared and the pain they endured was no less real for them than the joy and pain we feel in our lives today.
The people in this book acted with faith. They struggled with the hollowness of grief after losing loved ones. They celebrated the return of prodigals. They faltered. And they arose from their failings. Some lived well. Others did not.
This book meticulously reports the choices these people made, both good and bad, with the relationship between cause and effect carefully documented. This allows us to learn from the lessons they lived. Because the events actually occurred and were accurately recorded, we can cut through the everchanging web of popular opinion and expert advice and clearly see the consequences of the choices made. Then equipped with these insights, we can better navigate our own uncertain futures with greater certainty.
The Book of Helaman was not written to entertain. It was designed to change lives and hearts, to clearly delineate
the benefits and joy tethered to a life well lived. It shares a message of our Father's love. It teaches the principles of growth and happiness, then models how to implement those principles in daily living. It speaks of God and heaven, of who we are, and what we might become.
The book also counts the costs of complacency, wealth, and a self-centered life. Though it reports the ease with which people slip into sin and the ruin left in sin’s wake, it repeatedly shows that people can and do change; and it documents the relief that comes as people rise from sin’s corrosive filth and turn again to a patient, loving Father.
Though packed with drama and intrigue, wars and assassinations, this book wasn't written to entertain. It was written to map the path of safety in times of fear and uncertainty—a way through life’s misery and grief. Its words “smash in pieces all the deception, traps, and tricks of the devil.” It marks the path through a sea of endless sorrow and calls it by name. That name can open a way through the darkness of shame and guilt. That name cuts through the blackness of death. That name heals. That name saves. That name is Jesus Christ.
A teenage girl boldly carries the flag of truth against the dragon and darkness. She looks ahead, timid but resolute, leaning forward into the fight, a simple, awkward, everyday girl, wearing hand-me-down clothes that don’t fit and carrying her hamster for comfort when she’s scared.
Yet, she is the chosen, a standard bearer for Christ, called to move the work forward—boldly and nobly. And so this work advances on the backs of the small and simple, the teased and rejected, to touch every soul and change the world.
The Battles for the Souls of Man - A Standard Bearer
In the beginning of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges, a serious crisis arose among the Nephites. For after Pahoran died, going the way of all the earth, there began to be an intense struggle, between three of his sons, for the judgment-seat. Now the names of his sons vying for his seat, causing the people to contend, were Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. And though these were not all of Pahoran’s sons (for he had many), these were those that fought for the judgment-seat.
Helaman 1:1-4
I tried to convey what it would have been like to be Pahoran’s wife stricken with grief. Broken by the death of her husband she lies on the floor weeping, unaware of the sorrows that await her; unaware that over the next year she will watch her sons bitterly fight for the judgment-seat, see one son murdered, another sentenced to death for treason, and a third brutally killed by an invading Lamanite army that overthrows her city.
We are all called to have our Job moments, to walk through darkness and misery seemingly alone and forgotten. At times we feel shattered by the first wave of sorrow. Yet, in quiet moments, the light of the Spirit, like the sun on our bare skin, will warm our soul. And while a complete knowledge of the trouble that lies before us might leave us crushed, the wings of the Spirit embroidered upon the fabric of our lives give us strength to move from grace to grace through our own personal Gethsemane.
THE BEGINNING OF SORROW
And they caused three divisions among the people, but Pahoran was appointed by the voice of the people to be the chief judge and governor over the Nephites. And when Pacumeni saw that he could not win, he united with the voice of the people. But Paanchi and those that wanted Paanchi to be their governor, were furious.
And Paanchi was about to flatter away his followers urging them to rise up and rebel against their brothers. But as he was about to do this, he was taken and tried according to the voice of the people. And Paanchi was condemned to death for raising up a rebellion and attempting to destroy the liberty of the people.
Helaman 1:4-8
Three brothers wrestle for power and influence that in the end eludes them all. Divided, their house falls and their conflict leaves their people distracted and ill-prepared for the battle before them.
A WAR BETWEEN
BROTHERS
Now when Paanchi’s supporters saw that he was sentenced to death, they were angry, and they sent a man named Kishkumen to the judgment-seat. And there he murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat. And Pahoran’s servants chased after Kishkumen, but he escaped so quickly that no one could catch him.
And he returned to those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no one of his murder. As a result, Kishkumen remained unknown among the Nephites for he was disguised when he killed Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, those who covenanted with him, mingled in with the people in a way that they all would not be discovered; though, those that were found were sentenced to death.
Helaman 1:9-12
A disguised Kishkumen flees the murder scene, hoping to remain unknown to the world, hoping to outrun the consequence of the crime he committed. But he can't. There is no flight fast enough to escape the effects of sin. With literally millions aware of his cowardly deed, his failed attempt to conceal his crime is a reminder that what is done in darkness will always come to light.
I placed Kishkumen in the air, leaping, because there is a certain excitement and thrill that comes with thinking we escaped consequence. While this thrill may feel like flight, in reality it is simply the beginning of a disastrous fall.
FLIGHT FROM SIN
The woman is a symbol of those on the other side of the veil who watch us and watch over us.
The edge of a window is a subtle reminder that we, too, are now witnesses of Kishkumen’s act.
Kishkumen’s mask is designed after Anubis, the Egyptian God that guided souls to the afterlife.
Bent on destroying the peace and happiness of the Nephites, Coriantumr prepares the Lamanite troops. The Nephites meanwhile, distracted by their leaders’ political play for power and fame, remain blind to the enemy’s impassioned preparations.
Similarly, with the increasing noise of the world today and our own push for progress, it is easy to forget that Satan desires our misery with furious intensity. He is not passive in this pursuit. He is not relaxing on the weekend or lounging in sweats bingeing his favorite show, rather he is fixed on our despair and focused on our destruction.
It is unsurprising then, that sometimes we may have a bad day, that sometimes we tumble into a mess of difficulty. We must remember that if we sit comfortably enthralled by the things of this world, we will be caught off guard, ill-prepared for the assault that will surely come.
And Pacumeni was appointed, according to the voice of the people, to be the chief judge and governor over the people, to reign in place of his brother Pahoran. And it was according to his right. And all this was done in the fortieth year of the judges' reign, and it ended.
And during the next year, the Lamanites gathered together an innumerable army of men and armed them with swords, cimeters, bows and arrows, with helmets, breastplates, and with every kind of shield. And they marched down again to attack the Nephites led by a man named Coriantumr, a descendant of Zarahemla, and a Nephite defector. And he was a large and powerful man.
Now the Lamanite king, the son of Ammoron, was named Tubaloth. And he believed that Coriantumr not only could stand against the Nephites with his strength and great wisdom, but that by sending him to attack, he could gain power over the Nephites. So Tubaloth roused the people’s anger, gathered together his armies, appointed Coriantumr to be their leader, and ordered them to march down to the land of Zarahemla to fight the Nephites.
Helaman 1:13-17
AN INNUMERABLE FORCE
Coriantumr’s armies storm Zarahemla and in a moment everything changes. For thousands, these weren’t just words on a page, this was life upended. Fortunate mothers clung to their children unseen by the advancing enemy. Unfortunate others were slaughtered in the streets or thrown in prison. Chaos and fear raged throughout.
As a young woman stares towards us, she asks us what we would do when confronted with unexpected tragedy. When things seem hopeless, where will we look?
The beauty of the gospel is that when we are thrown in the fire, we can then see miracles. When the way is shut and mountainous sand dunes surround us, when the Egyptian army closes in and a sea of red hedges our escape—when all is lost—the miracle is found.
But the true miracle is not unsinged skin or even a route across the ocean floor; it is that faith in our Father’s love makes us unafraid of the terror lying before us. In His perfect love, we fling all fear away.
And because there was so much internal strife, and so many problems in the government, the Nephites had not kept enough guards in the land of Zarahemla. For they assumed that the Lamanites would not dare come into the heart of their lands to attack the great city Zarahemla.
But Coriantumr marched at the head of his vast army, attacking the people in the city. And they struck with such incredible speed that there was no time for the Nephites to gather their armies together. And Coriantumr cut down the watch by the city’s entrance, and marched with his whole army into the city. And they killed everyone who opposed them, taking control of the entire city.
And Pacumeni, the chief judge, fled from Coriantumr, all the way to the city walls. And there Coriantumr struck him against the wall, killing him. Thus ended the days of Pacumeni.
Now when Coriantumr saw that he had taken Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites fled before them, and were killed, taken, and thrown into prison; when he saw that he had taken control of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage and he was about to go against all the land.
Helaman 1:18-22
THE HEART OF
THE CITY
8
So Coriantumr did not stay in the land of Zarahemla, but marched with a large force towards the city of Bountiful, determined to continue cutting his way through with the sword in order to take the northern regions. And assuming that the Nephites’ greatest strength was in the center of the land, he struck the center, giving them no time to assemble themselves together, except in small groups. In this way, the Lamanites attacked, cutting the Nephites down to the earth.
But Coriantumr’s march through the center of the land gave Moronihah a tremendous advantage, despite the great number of Nephite casualties. For Moronihah assumed that the Lamanites would not dare come into the heart of the land, but that they would attack the cities around the border, as they had previously done. Consequently, Moronihah arranged for the Nephites’ strongest forces to protect those borders.
Helaman 1:23-26
The painting depicts the aftermath of the fallen Zarahemla.
A group of Lamanites gather in the city center desecrating and decapitating a monument to Captain Moroni, the Nephite leader who rallied a nation behind the cause of freedom and repeatedly defeated the Lamanites in battle.
FALLEN MONUMENT
The stairs leading to the statue are inscribed with Moroni’s powerful words, “in memory of our God, our religion, and our freedom…”
At the base of the monument lay a pile of clothes, thrown down by those entering into a covenant to preserve the cause of freedom.
With Coriantumr and his men surrounded, Moronihah and Lehi end the conflict. The painting imagines Moronihah meeting Coriantumr on a battle-torn street surrounded by rubble and wreckage.
Coriantumr, this mighty man, praised for his incredible intellect and strength, in the end leaves a legacy of destruction, pain, and ruin for both sides of the conflict.
But the Lamanites were not frightened as he expected, but
they came into the heart of the land and took the capital city, Zarahemla. And they marched through the land’s most populated parts, massacring the people—men, women, and children—in a terrible slaughter, taking many cities and strongholds.
But when Moronihah discovered this, he immediately sent Lehi with an army to circle round and stop them before they reached the land Bountiful. So Lehi headed them off, overwhelming their forces, and causing the Lamanites to draw back towards the land of Zarahemla.
But Moronihah blocked their retreat, attacking until the battle became extremely bloody with many killed. And Coriantumr was found among those slain.
Now, the Lamanites had nowhere to retreat, not to the north, south, east, or west, for they were surrounded on every side by the Nephites. And because Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the middle of the Nephites, they were in the Nephites power. And Coriantumr was also killed.
Helaman 1:27-32
FALL OF THE MIGHTY
Moronihah stands before a pile of weapons taken from Lamanite soldiers. It amazes me that after suffering so much pain and destruction, the Nephites allow the Lamanites to return to their own land in peace. The Lamanites overthrew the capital city. They killed the chief judge and left a trail of blood through the heart of the land as they slaughtered men, women, and children.
Yet despite these atrocities, the scriptures don’t speak of military trials, executions of retribution, or reparations. They simply say that Moronihah, “caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in peace.”
And the Lamanites surrendered, placing themselves in the hands of the Nephites. And Moronihah took control of the city of Zarahemla again, and made the Lamanite prisoners depart out of the land in peace. And this ended the forty-first year of the reign of the judges.
And during the next year, after Moronihah again established peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, internal conflict arose again. For with the judgment-seat empty, the people began to argue and fight among themselves about who should fill the seat. And Helaman, the son of Helaman, was appointed chief judge by the voice of the people.
But Kishkumen, the man who murdered Pahoran, quietly waited to destroy Helaman as well. And he was supported by those who had entered into a covenant to keep his crimes hidden. For there was a man named Gadianton who was extremely persuasive, who had mastered the art of carrying out the secret work of murder and robbery. And he became the leader of Kishkumen’s band of followers.
Helaman 1:32-2:4
DEPART IN PEACE
I painted this painting as a tribute to Moronihah and his strength of character. He stands aglow, illuminated by the light behind him.
He also stands alone. With the government in shambles and as the leader of the military, I imagine that he could have, like scores of other military leaders, seized power and taken control for himself. Yet, he did not.
I've often wondered why this story was recorded. It leads us to probe our conceptions of right and wrong. Helaman’s unnamed servant watches for Kishkumen to approach as the future of a nation and the life of a prophet hang in the balance.
And Gadianton flattered Kishkumen and his followers, telling them that if they would put him in the judgment-seat, he in turn would place those who belonged to his organization in power and authority among the people. And so Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman.
Now while one of Helaman’s servants was out at night, he learned through a disguise about the plans which were set in motion to destroy Helaman. And as Kishkumen went to the judgment-seat to murder Helaman, the servant met Kishkumen and gave him a sign. And seeing the sign, Kishkumen revealed his designs, explaining that he wanted the servant to lead him to the judgment-seat where he could murder Helaman.
Now when Helaman’s servant understood Kishkumen's heart, that his goal was to murder, and when he knew that the designs of all those who belonged to his organization were to murder, rob, and to gain power (and this was their secret plan and alliance), Helaman’s servant said to Kishkumen, “Let’s go to the judgment-seat.” And believing he would accomplish his design, Kishkumen was very pleased. But as they were going to the judgment-seat, Helaman’s servant stabbed Kishkumen to the heart, and he fell dead without a groan.
Helaman 2:5-9
DEATH OF AN ASSASSIN
Gadianton flees with his followers. The painting becomes a metaphor for their path to sin as they descend into a sewer of darkness and filth.
There is a reason each person carries a backpack, why there are multiple fences along their journey, and why the current is strong. Each detail is a symbol exploring different aspects of one's descent to darkness.
And the servant ran and told Helaman all the things that he had seen, and heard, and done. And Helaman sent men to take this band of robbers and secret murderers, so they could be executed according to the law.
But when Gadianton found that Kishkumen did not return, he feared that he would be destroyed. And so he caused his gang to follow him, escaping by a secret route out of the land and into the wilderness. Thus by the time Helaman’s men arrived, they could not be found anywhere. And this ended the forty-second year of the judges' reign over the Nephites.
And more about Gadianton will be told later, for at the end of this book you will see that this Gadianton led to the overthrow and almost entire destruction of the people of Nephi. I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi from which I have taken this account.
Helaman 2:9-14
ESCAPE TO DARKNESS
In the forty-third year of the judges’ reign, there were no conflicts among the Nephites, except for minor disagreements caused by a little pride in the church; however, these affairs were settled before the year’s end. And there was no internal strife or major disputes among the people over the following two years.
But in the forty-sixth year there were many intense disagreements and much dissent during which a large number of people left Zarahemla and migrated north to claim their own land. And they traveled an incredibly great distance, coming to many rivers and large bodies of water. And they spread into every part of the land that was not without trees and ruined by the mass of people that previously occupied the land.
Now while lumber was unavailable in parts of the land, no part was completely barren, but, because of the immense destruction to the land’s previous inhabitants, the land was called Desolate. And because there was only a little timber throughout the land, the people who migrated there became extremely skilled in working with cement. And so they built and lived in cement houses.
Helaman 3:1-6
A couple begins a new life miles away from the world they knew. The painting tries to capture the nervous excitement of moving into the unknown. Two people, relying on each other and the Lord, look forward with hope for a better life. They stare off into the sunrise leaning into each other for support.
The painting on the van depicts faith personified—a woman with eyes closed boldly moves forward, holding a light to banish the darkness.
And their population grew and they spread out, moving northward from the south, And they spread so far that they began to cover the entire land, from the south sea to the north sea, and from the west sea to the east sea. And the people in the north lived in tents and in cement houses.
And whenever a tree sprang up in the land, they protected it, so it would grow, that in time they would have wood to build their houses, cities, temples, synagogues, their sanctuaries, and all of their different types of buildings. And because wood was extremely scarce in the north, they began to ship a great deal of it northward, enabling the people to build many cities, both of wood and cement.
And many of the people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, went up to this land. Now there are many records kept about the history of this people, and they are written primarily by their own people. And their accounts are specific to them and very extensive.
Helaman 3:8-13
A NEW BEGINNING
But a hundredth part of what happened among this people—the account of the Lamanites and Nephites—their wars, conflict, and defections; their preaching and their prophecies; their shipping and ship building; their building of temples, synagogues, and sanctuaries; their righteousness and wickedness; their murders, robberies, and looting, and all types of moral atrocities and sexual crimes cannot be contained in this work.
But there are many books and many records of every kind, kept primarily by the Nephites. And those accounts have been handed down from one generation to another by the Nephites, until those Nephites have fallen into transgression and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, driven, killed, and scattered across the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they are no longer called Nephites, becoming wicked, wild, and ferocious, even becoming Lamanites.
Now, returning to my account, what I have written happened after there had been many intense conflicts, disturbances, wars, and defections among the Nephites. And when the forty-sixth year of the reign of the judges ended, the deep conflict remained in the land, and it persisted over the next two years.
Helaman 3:14-19
As Mormon records the wars, political intrigue, and contention, he repeatedly reminds us that he reported only a tiny fraction of the events that transpired. As a result, the stories he chose describe more than surface level incidents. They teach the plan of salvation and the principles that will bring us back to our heavenly home.
A Hundredth Part reflects this insight. The painting captures a girl in a subway station choosing her destination. However, the map she studies isn't of New York, Hong Kong,
or some imaginary metropolis; rather it is the plan of salvation, beginning with premortal life, and ending with one of three degrees of glory. Scrawled over the map is Satan’s retort.
In this way station, a traveler far from home, she (and we) chart our course or reject the map altogether.
Hundredth Part
Her bag radiates the light of the Spirit.
She carries a worn symbol of love on her back.
She is alone because in the end, we each are accountable for the path we choose.
I tried to capture both life's magical beauty in the soft light and its mystery and danger in the deep shadows.
The river is a symbol of death and crossing to the other side.
Despite this, Helaman filled the judgment-seat with justice and equity. He observed to keep the statues, the judgments, and the commandments of God. And he continually did that which was right in the sight of God. And because he walked after the ways of his father, he prospered in the land.
And he had two sons. The oldest he named Nephi, and the youngest he named Lehi. And his sons began to grow up to the Lord. And the wars and conflict among the Nephites began to subside during the latter part of the forty-eighth year.
During the next year there was continual peace established in the land despite that Gadianton had set up a number of secret alliances and operatives in the more settled regions—which at that time were unknown to the leaders of government. As a result, they were not destroyed.
And in this same year there was stunning prosperity in the church. There were thousands who joined themselves to the church and were baptized to repentance.
Helaman 3:20-24
This painting is a metaphor for both Helaman and our own journey through life. Helaman looks to his father on the other side of the river. We, standing beside an unseen Nephi and Lehi, look at Helaman and his father both blurred by distance and the passage of time.
IN THEIR FATHER'S
FOOTSTEPS
And because the prosperity of the church was so great, and because there were so many blessings poured out upon the people, even the high priests and teachers were completely and utterly amazed. The work of the Lord thrived with many souls. Tens of thousands received baptism, uniting themselves with the church of God.
And so we see that the Lord is merciful to everyone who will, with a sincere heart, call on his holy name. And we see that heaven’s gate is open to everyone, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
And we see that whoever wants to, may take hold of the word of God which is alive and powerful, which will smash in pieces all the deception, traps, and tricks of the devil. And the word of God will lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery—which is prepared to engulf the wicked—and land their souls, even their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go out no more.
Helaman 3:25-30
I tried to capture the beauty and purity of baptism—the hope that accompanies the dawn and the grace that comes with a life begun anew.
Baptism
The lilies in the painting reference Monet's lilies, a grateful nod to both the first artist that inspired my love of art and painting, and the print of his painting that hung in my parents bedroom when I was a child.
The figure trudges through the snow, carrying her cross with frozen hands. Despite her circumstance, despite being betrayed by those of her faith who should lift her up as a sister, the light of her testimony still burns within her.
I struggled with her expression and in the end decided to make it firm with a hint of supplication, humble enough to wait on the Lord through this trial, yet quietly pleading for strength to see it through.
And in this year there was continual celebration throughout the land of Zarahemla and all the nearby regions, even throughout all the Nephite lands. And there was peace and immense joy the remainder of the forty-ninth year.
And those feelings extended over the next year, and then into the fifty-first year, though pride began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church.
And these people were lifted up with so much pride that they persecuted many of their brothers and sisters. Now this was a terrible evil that caused the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering.
Despite this, those humble fasted and prayed often, and grew stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, filling their souls with joy and consolation, purifying and sanctifying their hearts, which came because they yielded their hearts to God.
Helaman 3:31-35
STILL A FIRE
BURNED WITHIN
She is placed in an olive grove referencing Christ's suffering.
She is modeled after the sculpture Winged Victory because the crosses we carry become our greatest victory.
A girl relaxes while Satan's subtle strands imperceptibly entangle her. Sitting comfortably, she looks to the world, patterning herself after the things she sees—oblivious to the pride creeping into her heart and the danger in which she has placed herself.
And the fifty-second year also ended in peace, except for the extreme pride which crept into the hearts of the people. And it was because of their immense wealth and prosperity. And this pride grew upon them from day to day.
And in the fifty-third year, Helaman died, and his oldest son, Nephi, began to reign in his place. And he filled the judgment-seat with justice and equity. He kept the commandments of God, and walked in the ways of his father. But during the next year there were many serious disagreements and many left the church.
And there was an intense struggle among the people resulting in much death and violence. And the rebellious were killed or driven out of the land, and they went to the Lamanite king, endeavoring to incite the Lamanites to wage war against the Nephites; however the Lamanites were terrified and would not listen to the defectors’ words. But in the following year, there were Nephite dissidents that went to the Lamanites, who with the others, succeeded in rousing their anger and hatred towards the Nephites. And so the Lamanites prepared all that year for war.
Helaman 3:36-4:4
CORDS
And in the fifty-seventh year, the Lamanites came down to fight the Nephites, beginning the work of death. And over the next year they succeeded in taking not only the land of Zarahemla, but all the region south of the land Bountiful, driving the Nephites and the armies of Moronihah all the way back to the land Bountiful.
And they fortified themselves against the Lamanites, from the west sea all the way to the east. And this line which they fortified and stationed their armies to defend their north country was a day’s journey for a Nephite.
So those Nephite defectors, with the help of a massive army of Lamanites, gained control of all the Nephite territory in the southern region. And all this was done in the fifty-eighth and ninth years of the judges' reign. But during the next year, Moronihah with his armies successfully took back many parts of the land, regaining many cities that had fallen into the hands of the Lamanites. And in the sixty-first year they successfully regained half of all their territory.
Helaman 4:5-10
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