Conversion of the
House of Israel

So in the midst of the Lord pouring out his wrath on the those who fight against Zion, we can find comfort in knowing that the Lord is also "preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants...." (1 Ne. 14:17.)

Once the House of Israel's yoke has been miraculously broken, they will no longer be subjected to the oppressive Assyrian, but they "shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth." (2 Ne. 20:20 = Isa. 10:20; Isa. 14:24-27.) They "shall be [brought] to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them." (3 Ne. 20:13.) This will fulfill an integral part of the Abrahamic covenant. (20:12.)

Likewise, after the experience of the 300 Lamanites in prison, "because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received..., the more part of the Lamanites were convinced" of the truth. (Hel. 5:50.) They "began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep [God's] statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him." (Hel. 6:34.)

During this period of great transformation, "the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites...." (Hel. 6:36.) Likewise, concerning the latter days, the Lord said, "I [will not] hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel...." (Ezek. 39:29.)

The Nephite record also recounts, "...[The converted Lamanites] are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth; therefore there are many who do add to their numbers daily. Therefore, as many as have come to this [change of heart]...are firm and steadfast in the faith...." (Hel. 15:6,8.) It is likely that this foreshadows a magnificent missionary effort to come in our day. We know that an army of 144,000 will eventually be mustered "to administer the everlasting gospel..., to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn." (D&C 77:11.) These 144,000 will be "ordained...by angels" (77:11), reminiscent of how "angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto" the Lamanites in prison, bidding them to "go forth and marvel not" (Hel. 5:48,49).

What a marvel this unprecedented metamorphosis of the Lamanite nation must have been. For hundreds of years, the Lamanites, for the most part, had been blindly steeped in the traditions of their fathers. It is no wonder "the people of the church did have great joy because of the conversion of the Lamanites..., and they...did rejoice one with another...." (Hel. 6:3.) Perhaps now we can see better why we too will "break forth into joy" as the covenants of the Lord to the House of Israel begin to be fulfilled. (3 Ne. 16:20 = Isa. 52:10.)

Before the miraculous prison experience took place and virtually the entire Lamanite nation was converted, several thousand Lamanites joined the church. (Hel. 5:18,19.) Similarly, might we expect that before the Lord makes bare his arm in breaking their yoke, many of the House of Israel will be converted? Today we are seeing some incredible things as far as missionary work going to places where it was hitherto barred.

Another phenomenon took place in this era of Book of Mormon history that could be a foreshadowing of what we might expect to come in the days ahead. The converted Lamanites and the faithful Nephites "did fellowship one with another...." (Hel. 6:3.) Also, the barriers between the Nephites and Lamanites were broken down; and for the first time "the Lamanites did...go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites..., [and] the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would...." (6:7,8.)