During a period of great distress among the Nephites, a severe famine ravaged the land, significantly affecting the population. This famine came as a result of iniquities that had spread among the people, leading the prophet Nephi to call upon the Lord to withhold rain as a means of bringing the Nephites to remember their God and turn away from their sins. As the famine deepened, causing widespread suffering, the people reached a point of desperation.
The famished Nephites, recognizing their dire situation and the role Nephi played as a prophet of God, pleaded with their leaders and chief judges to speak with Nephi. They acknowledged him as a man of God, expressing their belief that he had the power to invoke divine intervention. The people urged Nephi to cry unto the Lord on their behalf, requesting the end of the famine to prevent the fulfillment of their destruction as prophesied by Nephi (Helaman 11:8). This moment marked a turning point for the Nephites, as their suffering led them to seek repentance and restoration through the intercessory prayers of Nephi.