Mosiah 29:41 - 29:47

Mosiah 29:41 And it came to pass that they did appoint judges to rule over them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did throughout all the land.

So the government with a system of judges was setup and put into place as Mosiah encouraged.

Mosiah 29:42 And it came to pass that Alma was appointed to be the first chief judge, he being also the high priest, his father having conferred the office upon him, and having given him the charge concerning all the affairs of the church.

Alma Jr. was elected and installed as the first chief judge. He seemed to be natural selection as he was the head of the Church and was appointed to that post by his father Alma Sr.
[So Alma Jr. now has control of both the Church and the government. What a responsibility.]

Mosiah 29:43 And now it came to pass that Alma did walk in the ways of the Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the land.

Alma did carry out his duties as assigned ruling in righteousness and there was peace throughout the land of Zarahemla.

Mosiah 29:44 And thus commenced the reign of the judges throughout all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who were called the Nephites; and Alma was the first and chief judge.

So now starts the era of the judges ruling in the land with Alma Jr. as chief judge.

Mosiah 29:45 And now it came to pass that his father died, being eighty and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.

Soon Alma Sr. died being 82 years old and having lived the commandments as commanded by the Lord.

Mosiah 29:46 And it came to pass that Mosiah died also, in the thirty and third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.

King Mosiah also died at the age of 63 having been king for 33 years. It was now 509 years since Lehi had left Jerusalem.

Mosiah 29:47 And thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of Nephi; and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of their church.

The era of the kings was now over and the death of Alma Sr. who was the founder of the Church.