Now the armies of the Lamanites which had followed after the people of king Limhi had been lost in the wilderness for many days. ... And behold, they had found those priests of king Noah in a place which they called Amulon, and they had began to possess the land of Amulon and had began to till the ground.
And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over his people who were in the land of Helam; nevertheless, he should have no power to do anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites.
And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and the land of Shilom, and in the land of Amulon. ... For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands; therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all these lands. ... And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was Laman, being called after the name of his father; and therefore, he was called king Laman. ... And he was king over a numerous people.
For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of the king’s priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi and was driven out before the king; and therefore he was wroth with him. ... For he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised authority over them, and put tasks upon them, and put taskmasters over them.
And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days, they arrived to the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy.
And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together.
And it came to pass that after Alma had taught the people many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also.
And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.
Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.
Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. ... Therefore, Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king. ... And he said unto the king, Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren. ... But king Mosiah said unto Alma, Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.
And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah, and Mosiah consulted with his priests.
And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God.
And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God — for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church and to lead astray the people of the Lord contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king — and as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and he descended as it were in a cloud.
And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them.
Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with those whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi, that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren the Lamanites, that perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers, and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
King Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word.
Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for there were not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom.
And now as I said unto you that after king Mosiah had done these things, he took the plates of brass and all the things which he had kept, and conferred them upon Alma, who was the son of Alma — yea, all the records, and also the interpreters — and conferred them upon him, and commanded him that he should keep and preserve them, and also keep a record of the people, handing them down from one generation to another, even as they had been handed down from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.
Now when Mosiah had done this, he sent out through all the land, among all the people, desiring to know their will concerning who should be their king. ... And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying, We are desirous that Aaron thy son should be our king and our ruler. ... Now Aaron had gone up to the land of Nephi; therefore, the king could not confer the kingdom upon him. ... Therefore, king Mosiah sent again among the people — yea, even a written word sent he among the people. ... Therefore, I will be your king the remainder of my days.
Therefore, if it were possible that ye could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people, I say unto you, if this could always be the case, then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you.
Now I say unto you that because all men are not just, it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you. ... For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed; yea, and what great destruction. ... Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations, and also the wickedness and abominations of his people.
And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention and the shedding of much blood. ... And thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.
And I commanded you to do these things, and that ye have no king, that if these people commit sins and iniquities, they shall be answered upon their own heads. ... For behold, I say unto you, the sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings.
And many more things did king Mosiah write unto them, unfolding unto them all the trials and troubles of a righteous king, yea, all the travails of soul for their people, and also all the murmurings of the people to their king; and he explained it all unto them. ... And he also unfolded unto them all the disadvantages they labored under by having an unrighteous king to rule over them, yea, all his iniquities and abominations, and all the wars, and contentions, and bloodshed, and the stealing, and the plundering, and the committing of whoredoms, and all manner of iniquities which cannot be enumerated, telling them that these things ought not to be, that they were expressly repugnant to the commandments of God.
And now it came to pass, after king Mosiah had sent these things forth among the people, they were convinced of the truth of his words. ... Therefore, they relinquished their desires for a king and became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal chance throughout all the land; yea, and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins.