“Chapter 49: Mormon and His Teachings,” Book of Mormon Stories (1997), 138–42
“Chapter 49,” Book of Mormon Stories, 138–42
Chapter 49
Mormon and His Teachings
Many years after Jesus Christ visited the Nephites, a small group of people left the Church and called themselves Lamanites.
Eventually almost all the people became wicked, both Nephites and Lamanites.
A righteous man, Ammaron, had the sacred records. The Holy Ghost told him to hide them so they would be safe.
Ammaron told Mormon, a 10-year-old boy, where the records were hidden. Ammaron knew he could trust Mormon.
When he was 24, Mormon was to get the plates of Nephi and write on them about his people.
When Mormon was 11, a war started between the Nephites and Lamanites. The Nephites won, and there was peace again.
But the Nephites were so wicked that the Lord took away the three disciples, which ended the miracles and healings. The Holy Ghost no longer guided the people.
When Mormon was 15, Jesus Christ visited him. Mormon learned more about the Savior and his goodness.
Mormon wanted to preach to the people, but Jesus told him not to because the people were too wicked. Their hearts were set against God.
Soon another war began. Mormon was large and strong, and the Nephites chose him to lead their army.
The Nephites fought the Lamanites for many years. Mormon tried to encourage his people to fight for their families and homes.
The Nephites had become so wicked, though, that the Lord would not help them.
Mormon told the Nephites they would be spared only if they repented and were baptized. But the people refused.
They bragged about their strength, saying they would kill all the Lamanites. Because of the Nephites’ wickedness, Mormon refused to lead them any longer.
The Lamanites began defeating the Nephites in every battle. Mormon decided to lead the Nephite armies again.
He knew the wicked Nephites would not win the war. They did not repent or pray for the help they needed.
Mormon took all the records from the hill where Ammaron had hidden them and wrote to the people who would one day read the record.
He wanted everyone, including the Jews, to know about Jesus Christ, to repent and be baptized, and to live the gospel and be blessed.
The Spirit inspired Mormon to put the small plates of Nephi, which contained the prophecies of Christ’s coming, with the plates of Mormon.
Mormon led the Nephites to the land of Cumorah, where they got ready to fight the Lamanites again.
Mormon was getting old. He knew this would be the last battle. He did not want the Lamanites to find the sacred records and destroy them.
So he gave the plates of Mormon to his son, Moroni, and hid the rest of the plates in the Hill Cumorah.
The Lamanites attacked and killed all but 24 Nephites. Mormon had been wounded.
Mormon was sad that so many Nephites had died, but he knew they had died because they had rejected Jesus.
Mormon had tried to teach the Nephites the truth. He had told them how important it was to have faith in Jesus Christ.
He had tried to teach them to have hope through Jesus Christ’s Atonement and to have charity, which is the pure love of Christ.
And Mormon had written letters to his son, Moroni, who had also taught the gospel to the Nephites.
Mormon wrote about the terrible wickedness of the Nephites. He told Moroni to stay faithful in Jesus Christ.
The Lamanites killed Mormon and all the Nephites but Moroni, who finished writing the records.