The chapters had been separated at the division of the years, and these events took place in the nineteenth year. Alma comes to his son and prepares to commission Helaman to take the records. Therefore, the first question is whether Helaman believed what he had been told about the records when Alma gave him his specific counsel and blessing (see Alma 37).
Helaman does believe what he was told. The next question is equally important for a Nephite recordkeeper: “Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?” This is one of the pillars of Nephite belief. In part, the records are kept in order to continually testify of that coming Messiah.
Next, the question is whether Helaman will keep Alma’s commandments. These commandments were the instructions for keeping and caring for the records. Helaman will. As a result of Helaman’s faithfulness, “the Lord shall prosper [him] in this land.” That was one of the subjects of the blessing recorded in Alma 36.