“Two Hundred Years Had Passed Away”

Brant Gardner

Although this verse seems to be positive, it is actually the beginning of the end. The Nephites have only rarely survived prosperity with their religious values intact. Prosperity has always included contact with and influence from outside cultures whose values compete with Nephite ideals. While the capstone of the “perfect” two hundred years is prosperity and growth, it carries with it the seeds of the eventual Nephite end.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 6

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