- Nephi returns to Zarahemla after his journey to the land northward, where his preaching had been rejected.
- The government in Zarahemla had become corrupt, and the whole society was decaying.
- Nephi laments the corrupt state of the people, and wishes he could have lived in the times of the early Lehite settlers.
- Nephi climbs up on his garden tower, and prays.
- Many people see him praying, and a crowd gathers around him.
- Noticing the crowd that has gathered, Nephi arises and openly condemns the people for their evil ways, and calls them to repentance.
- Some public officials among the crowd become offended, and order Nephi to be arrested.
- The corrupt officials try to rally the crowd, and turn them against Nephi.
- Some people in the crowd defend Nephi, and affirm that he is a prophet, who truly knows of the corrupt state of the people.
- Those trying to oppose Nephi become uneasy, seeing that Nephi has supporters.
- Nephi again addresses the crowd, reminding them of their heritage and the Messianic prophesies—he then shocks the crowd by telling them that their corruption has reached the highest ranks of their government, and that their chief judge has been murdered, and is dead in the judgment seat.