The thirty-second passed away as did the former year, but nevertheless Nephi and the faithful ones did not cease their entreaties in the hope that some few at least might forsake their sins and unite themselves with the Saints of God. Their labors were rewarded, for near the beginning of the thirty-third year many were baptized unto repentance.
Mormon makes it clear that remission of sins is an important and integral part of the Gospel Plan, and that all men who did repent thereof, and did forswear evil, were baptized with water. Men need repent of their sins, and then follows as logical and reasonable, a remission of their sins. He wants the reader to always keep in mind that none save those who had been baptized with water were admitted into communion with the Saints and numbered among the people of God's Church.))
Speaking of the errant one, listen to the words of Jesus Christ: "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and pray for him unto the Father in My Name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in My Name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of My flesh and blood. And if he repent not he shall not be numbered among My people, for behold I know My sheep, and they are numbered. Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto Me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing Salvation unto them." (III Nephi 30-32)
To the end that the terms of the prayer many years later expressed by Moroni (See, footnote 4) be fulfilled, and that as a testimony to God and His children with whom they in the future should be in communion, Nephi ordained; Alma, the elder, ordained one priest to every fifty members, Alma 6:1; Manner in which the Disciples ordained priests and teachers, Moroni, Chapter 3.5 male members of the Church to perform the sacred ordinance of baptism unto all who had repented of their sins, and who resolved to do them no more, their baptism being a witness to all that "they had repented and received a remission of their sins." (v. 25)