“The great losses sustained by the Nephites in war, not of warriors alone, but of women and children, together with the vast amount of their property which was destroyed, had the effect of humbling them and softening their wayward hearts, so that many thousands during the next few years were added to the Church … .
“The Church, under the divinely inspired leadership of Alma, who was its Presiding High Priest, or the President of the Church, was more fully established in every Branch throughout the nation. Teachers, priests, and elders were consecrated to administer the sacred ordinances of the Church to all who believed and who took upon themselves the name of Christ” (Reynolds and Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 3:66) .