These four chapters set the stage for three very significant political and church organizational changes in the Nephite world, namely:
Before this time, life had been fairly simple in the land of Zarahemla. There were only Mulekites and Nephites in the land, and by agreement "all of the people of Zarahemla were numbered among the Nephites," and only a descendant of Nephi could be king (25:13). They had been unified under King Benjamin (1:10).
Then occurred the return, baptism, and assimilation of the people of Zeniff under the leadership of his grandson King Limhi (Mosiah 22:13; 25:18). That was shortly followed by the arrival and independence of the covenant people of Alma, who had been treated badly by Amulon and the priests of Noah. Alma’s followers formed seven bodies and were called the church of God, the church of Christ, or the people of God (18:17; 25:23). Also in the mix were some of the children of the priests of Amulon who opted to become Nephites (25:12).
With these developments, things had gotten complicated, and the Benjamite generation of unity began to unravel. The younger generation, in particular, did not understand or feel bound by the words and covenant of Benjamin (26:1). Dissensions and transgressions occurred within Alma’s now urbanized church (26:5). Alma tried to get King Mosiah to judge cases involving crimes committed by members of his fledgling church (26:10), but Mosiah declined to take jurisdiction over any such cases (26:12).
This put Alma in a difficult position (26:13), which he took to the Lord and received prudent counsel (26:15—32). But still he had to blot out the names of some of his covenant people (26:36). This created pockets of dissidents who created disturbances and social tensions between the various religious groups.
Soon, persecutions began to arise (26:38; 27:1), and some priests and teachers began collecting payment for their services (27:5; Alma 1:3). Nehor, in particular, must have been attracting a following of believers (Alma 1:3, 7). The problems were severe enough that King Mosiah issued a proclamation with a "strict command" prohibiting persecutions and requiring "an equality among all men" (Mosiah 27:3).
Within a decade, as the people prospered, one of Alma’s own sons would come to reject his father’s church, its teachings and its baptismal ordinance from the Waters of Mormon (27:8). He and the four sons of King Mosiah began secretly working to destroy the church, contrary to the commandments of God and the order of King Mosiah (27:10).
But then, the sudden and unexpected intervention of the angel of the Lord changed this precarious course of personal destruction and national disintegration. That trajectory was halted as these five repented, were converted, and began serving as ambassadors of peace "throughout all the land of Zarahemla" (27:35), seeking to repair the damages they had caused and to bring many people "to the knowledge of their Redeemer" (27:35–37).
As a result, the four sons of Mosiah volunteered, and were given permission, to go south to the land of Nephi, where Zeniff, Noah, Limhi and Alma had been (28:8). They desired to help people on all sides to be "friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land" (28:2).
Mosiah himself then gathered together all the records and "all the things which he had kept" (28:20). Consolidating these records symbolized a virtual reunification of these groups. Each group of people was well-served. Using two stones that Coriantumr, the last of the Jaredites, or perhaps another Jaredite like Ether himself may have given to the Mulekites (Omni 1: 20–21), Mosiah translated the plates that had been found by the people of Limhi (28:11, 17). Mosiah also gathered "the plates of brass, and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things which he had kept and preserved" (28:11). He archived "the record of Zeniff" (headnote to Mosiah chapters 9–22), and he included the "account of Alma" (headnote to Mosiah chapters 23–24).
Mosiah then entrusted all these things to Alma the Younger and "commanded him that he should keep and preserve them, and also keep a record of the people" (28:20), and Alma was consecrated by his father to be the high priest (29:42). With the background of Mosiah 25–28 in mind, one can understand why various churches will continue to exist in the land of Zarahemla, the cities of Zarahemla, Gideon, Ammonihah, Jershon, and Antionum. For reasons that will be summarized by Mosiah in his abdication speech in Mosiah 29, the Nephites will relinquish their political right to kingship, and Alma will be appointed the first chief judge, having developed strong personal connections with insiders and outsiders, newcomers and old timers.