THE FIRST BOOK OF SHI-TUGO

Ammonite leaders are elected through councils, with nominations made by the Council of Mothers. In contrast, Nephite governance faces increasing corruption and instability.

1Now behold, from time to time, the People of Ammon do meet together to counsel one with another, to plan and prepare for the coming activities, and to hear the complaints of the people, or to hear and judge crimes. And this is the manner in which they do govern all their affairs:

2Yea, in the cities they have no judges or courts, but they elect a council of thirteen individuals. And one of them is elected by the council to be Chief over the council and have voice in the council, but the Chief has no vote.

3This council hears all grievances which might arise among the people of the city. And behold, they also take counsel together to determine the needs of the community, whether more corn is needed or more fish, or more stone, and so forth.

4Now behold, the councils of the Ammonites are made up of men and women whom the mothers of the community nominate. Wherefore, whenever a council is to be elected, all the mothers of the community meet together and they bring forth the names of those men and women most suited for the councils. And if the city is great, it is divided into several communities for the purpose of elections.

5And when the mothers have brought forth the names of those most suitable, all the people vote on those names and the thirteen who receive the most votes were invited to sit as the Council of the Community for one year. Now, the mothers bring forth the names and from them the people elect their leaders by vote, each person of the age of agency having one vote. And behold, the councils are made up of men and women nominated by the mothers of the community.

6And now, each community council sends one or two of their number up to serve, from time to time, in larger councils, and thus do the People of Ammon choose to govern and regulate their affairs.

7And behold, the people generally enjoy peace. But behold, when there does arise contention, the matter is brought before the community council to be heard of them. And when all sides of the matter have been heard, the council passes judgment and the matter is ended and the contention is resolved. And thus great equity is had among the People of Ammon.

8Behold, this manner of governance serves to unite the Ammonites and also to discourage evil men from gaining power among them. Yea, and it is preferable to them, more so than the system of lesser and greater judges as is had among the Nephites.

9For the Nephites judges are all men and are elected by men. Wherefore, the women have no say in any part of their system of governance. And behold, when one judge becomes corrupt, a city or region falls into the same corruption. Verily, there is much and constant strife among them and many wars and dissensions, as is written in their own records. Yea, and they do unite only when their pride and wickedness grow very great. For the Lord does bring upon them much calamity whenever they are ripened in pride. And this does cause the Nephites to remember their God and return unto Him.

10And this is according to the blessing and the curse which the Lord has placed upon this land – that insofar as those who possess the land remember Him, He does bless and prosper them. But if they forget the Lord their God, they are driven and destroyed by their enemies.

11Now, I would that you consider the history of the Nephites, how it is filled with war and strife. Yea, and they have always been driven by their enemies from one place to another. Yea, even in the days when I make my record, the Nephites must constantly defend themselves against the hostile Lamanites who come up to do battle against them from the Land of Nephi. Behold, this is because of the pride of the Nephites, and that they do often forget the Lord their God. Were it not so, they would prosper and continue in one place.

12But behold, this is not all. From time to time, the Nephites are also assailed by enemies from within. Yea, these also do drive them from place to place.

13Thus it is at this time in all the lands of the Nephites. Even as righteous men such as Ammon, Helaman, and Shiblon, as well as righteous women such as Hementim, do strive to remind the people to keep the Lord in remembrance, nevertheless, many people see the pride and wickedness that abounds. Yea, and they do remember the curse the Lord placed upon this land even if they do not remember Him. Yea, and they look to the Land Northward as a place into which they must flee. covetousness.

16And behold, in latter years their fears have been fulfilled. For, the Gadiantons have all but destroy the Nephites in the Land Northward. Wherefore, we see that the Lord keeps His promises.

14Howbeit, many reading their histories shall say: It is because of their great prosperity that the people did migrate into the north. Verily I say, do not be deceived by them. For it is not because of prosperity but because of uncertainty that the people do look to the Land Northward. Yea, they fear lest the Lord should fulfill the curse upon the land because of the pride and wickedness, that does cause them to desire to leave the Land Northward.

15But behold, the Ammonites live in peace in the Land Northward and, although many of the Lamanites who join the People of Ammon because of wars, such as myself, do also look to the north countries, the People of Ammon are content to stay. Yea, they know that the Lord will preserve them wherever they do sojourn. For they remain faithful and fall not into pride, nor into lusting after the things of the world. Wherefore, they fear not that they might be destroyed from off the face of the land, but only that the Nephites might bring in unto them such strife and contention as is always the consequence of pride and