Introduction

At this point in the Book of Mormon, we are introduced to the continuing lineage of a marvelous family who comprise the backbone of so much of the latter part of the Book of Mormon. This is a good place to look again at the family of Alma in a multi-generational context.

• Alma the elder was converted by Abinadi, who probably died before he knew the extent of his success with this convert.
• Alma the younger (Alma₂), son of Alma, gave up his position as chief judge to focus all of his energy as chief high priest. He served a long and honorable mission.
• Helaman₁, Alma the younger’s son, was the chief high priest who led the army of young Ammonite warriors.
• Helaman₂, son of Helaman₁, became chief high priest after the death of his father and also became the chief judge after the disaster of Pahoran’s sons.
• Nephi₂, Helaman₂’s son, was named after Nephi₁, the son of Lehi who came from Jerusalem.
• Nephi₃, son of Nephi₂, was one of the twelve Nephite disciples chosen by the resurrected Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon (3 Ne. 1:2–3; 19:4). This prophet prayed mightily to the Lord in behalf of his people

The righteous traditions of this remarkable family continued throughout many generations. It is unusual in the scriptures to have so many generations of one family through which the records were passed, and in which the memory of their ancestors meant so much.

What was the relationship of Nephi₂ to Alma the younger? How many generations were there between them? Nephi₂ was Alma2’s great-grandson. There was Alma the younger, then his son Helaman₁, Helaman₂ the grandson, and thus Nephi₂ was the great-grandson. Nephi₂, the son of Helaman₂, the great-grandson of Alma the Younger, and he never knew Alma or even his grandfather Helaman₁. He did not even know his father for very long, as Helaman₂ died when Nephi was quite young. You might wonder how that affected Nephi and his younger brother Lehi as they were growing up.

Fortunately, Nephi₂ was able to know quite a lot about his great-grandfather, although not by personal experience, but through the records his family had kept. Alma the Elder and Alma the Younger, Nephi₂’s ancestors, not only had great experiences and wonderful thoughts, they wrote them down. They made sure that their descendants had these records and preserved them. Nephi₂ had knowledge of the story of Alma, Zeezrom and Amulek because he had been taught from the records. He probably knew many of his ancestors’ speeches by heart.

Not only did this family make records, they read and used the records—they learned and were taught what was on the records. It is possible that they begot a righteous posterity because they left their words and made sure that they were taught. The righteous posterity also took responsibility to learn and use those very records. The scriptures were a living thing for them—we can see that as they quote them and use them.