Episode 51: Mormon introduces himself

3 Nephi 5-6

5 ^1-3 All of the Nephites believed everything they'd been told by all of the holy prophets. They saw the signs and wonders and heard the words of the prophets, and gave up their sins, abominations, and wickedness.

^4-6 The Nephites preached the word of God to the captured Gadianton robbers. Those who converted were set free. But those that continued to commit secret murders in their hearts were condemned (executed?). Thus they put an end to the wicked, secret, and abominable combinations. ⁷ This happened in 22-25 CE.

⁸ Many great and marvelous things transpired, but they can't all be included in this book. Less than 1% of the cool things that happened in the last 25 years can be included. ⁹ If you don't like this book much, you might try Nephi's shorter but true account.

^10-19 The author of this account is Mormon, and his source is the record of Nephi, which are also called the plates of Nephi. Mormon wrote this book with his own hands about things that he saw with his own eyes. He's a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Everything he writes is true and just, he just left a lot of stuff out on account of his language. But that's all he's going to say about himself. It's time to get back to the story.

^20-26 OK, well maybe he'll say a bit more about himself. As he said before, his name is Mormon. He's from the land of Mormon, the land where Alma established the church. He thanks God that God has blessed him and his ancestors so much, giving them so much knowledge unto the salvation of their souls. He's proud to be a pure descendant of Lehi, a seed of Joseph, in the house of Jacob, and to have covenanted with Jesus in his own due time. Amen.

Evil lawyers and their kindreds

6 ^1-3 A few chapters ago, the Nephites gathered in Zarahemla to defend themselves against the Gadianton robbers. Now that the robbers had been defeated, converted, or condemned, the Nephites returned to the land northward and the land southward. ^4-9 By 26 CE the Nephites prospered and waxed great, enjoying a couple three years of continuous peace. They built many new cities and roads and repaired the ones that were damaged in the robbers wars.

¹⁰ But then there was trouble again. There were disputings, and boastings, and great persecutions among merchants, lawyers, and many offices. The poor got poorer while the rich got richer. The inequality got so severe that the church broke apart, leaving only a few faithful Lamanites to keep the commandments of the Lord. ^15-18 And of course you know who was behind all this. That's right, Satan. Everyone was stirred up by him for the space of a long time to do all kinds of hellish things. He puffed them up with pride, led away their hearts, and carried them about to wherever he wanted to carry them, getting them to do whatever he wanted them to do. ^19-20 This all happened in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus. But luckily there began to be men inspired from heaven preaching and testifying to them about all kinds of things. In other words, the resurrection of Christ, and such like.

^21-23 Many of the people were exceedingly angry at the preachers, especially the judges and lawyers. All the lawyers were angry with the people who testified of the things pertaining to Christ. Some of the preachers were secretly killed by the judges. ^24-30 So the judges that secretly executed the preachers were brought before a judge. But those judges had many friends and kindreds, who covenanted with the devil to destroy the people of the Lord.