First, the people “truly” repented and were then baptized and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. What is the difference between repenting and “truly” repenting? True repentance requires a contrite heart and a desire to avoid committing the same sin again. It obliges one to develop a relationship with the Savior. Unless Jesus Christ is part of the process, the new behaviors, though practiced for a while, may not become fully internalized. The Nephites had developed such a relationship while the Savior was in their presence, which likely made it possible for them to repent with sincerity and depth. Without this sincere depth of repentance, they may not have been able to live the full 167 years before things unraveled. This was an amazing golden age, and the key to such an era was repentance.