4 For they were men of a sound understanding, and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
5 But this is not all: they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting, therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority, even as with the power and authority of God.
6 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years, among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth;
7 Yea, by the power of their words, many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name, and confess their sins before him.
8 Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions;
9 They did suffer much, both in body and in mind; such as hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit.
10 Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their father Mosiah, in the first year of the reign of the Judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them; and also this was the mind of the people;
11 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their arrows, and their slings;
12 And this they did that they might provide food for themselves while in the wilderness:
13 And thus they departed into the wilderness, with their numbers which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto the Lamanites.
14 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much, and prayed much, that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them,
