pgs. 320 and 321...when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla...and was never heard of more...

20 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that the work of death should ^acease again among the people. And he took the weapons of war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a ^bcovenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the wilderness.

21 Now the number of their dead was not numbered because of the greatness of the number; yea, the number of their dead was exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites.

22 And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the depths of the ^asea.

23 And the armies of the Nephites, or of Moroni, returned and came to their houses and their lands.

24 And thus *ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. And thus ended the record of Alma, which was written upon the plates of Nephi.

* VERSE 24 (73 B.C.).

THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA

The account of the people of Nephi, and their wars and dissensions, in the days of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman, which he kept in his days. Comprising chapters 45 to 62 inclusive.

CHAPTER 45

Helaman believes the words of Alma—Alma prophesies the destruction of the Nephites—He blesses and curses the land—Alma is taken up by the Spirit, even as Moses—Dissension grows in the Church. 73 B.C.

1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again ^adelivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did ^bfast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.

2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those ^arecords which have been kept?

3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I ^abelieve.

4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?

5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.

6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye ^akeep my commandments?

7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.

8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall ^aprosper thee in this land.

9 But behold, I have somewhat to ^aprophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.

10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in ^afour hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in ^bunbelief.

11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become ^aextinct—

12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and ^alasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the ^bfourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come.

13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall ^ano more be numbered among the people of Nephi.

14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be ^anumbered among the ^bLamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue even ^cuntil they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.

15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he ^ablessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the ^brighteous’ sake.

16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—^aCursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do ^bwickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the ^cblessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the ^dleast degree of allowance.

17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the ^achurch, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth.

18 And when Alma had done this he ^adeparted out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of ^bMelek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of.

19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the ^aSpirit, or ^bburied by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.

20 And now it came to pass in the *commencement of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth among the people to declare the ^aword unto them.

21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the people, it became expedient that the ^aword of God should be declared among them, yea, and that a ^bregulation should be made throughout the church.

22 Therefore, ^aHelaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint ^bpriests and ^cteachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.

23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a ^adissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren;

24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great ^ariches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to ^bwalk uprightly before God.

* VERSE 20 (73 B.C.).

In this chapter we bid farewell to Alma. When we first met him in the Book of Mormon he was a rebellious young man causing his father all sorts of problems. Now, all these years later, he has shown his devotion to the Lord in countless ways and his faithfulness is truly remarkable. It seems to me like he must have known that he was about to leave his people because he made sure Helaman understood his duties and recorded his last prophecy. He also cursed and blessed the land that it would be destroyed when wickedness became "fully ripe." I am so curious about where he went and what happened to him. Wherever he is now I hope he knows how much he is appreciated for his amazing contribution to humanity as recorded in the Book of Mormon.