Mormon

                My VIP for this week is Mormon, an ancient American historian, prophet, and warrior.  He was born a little more than 300 years before the birth of Jesus Christ and was only fifteen years old when he was visit by the Lord. He was in his sixteenth year when he was drafted to be the leader of the armies for his people. The records show that Mormon had only one son, Moroni, who joined his father in the army; they watched the destruction of their people together.

                The battles between the Nephites and the Lamanites continued for many years, and Mormon grew old. He knew the final battle of his people was soon approaching. He took part of the sacred records and hid them in the Hill Cumorah; the remaining records he gave to Moroni.

                Mormon gathered all his people together in the land of Cumorah and prepared them for another battle. When the fighting ended, there were only 24 Nephites remaining, including Mormon and Moroni. Mormon felt great sorrow when he saw the thousands of people who were killed; he lamented their deaths.

                “O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! … how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen” (Mormon 6:17-18).

                Mormon understood that the end for his people was close, but he wrote to the latter-day Lamanites.  He exhorted them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ; he encouraged them to stop their wars and killings; he invited them to be baptized and to receive the Holy Ghost. He told them that they would be okay if they would do those things. (See Mormon 7:1, 3-5, 8, 10.)

                The Lamanites hunted down the remaining Nephites and killed them, including Mormon. Moroni was somehow able to escape and lived many more years alone. (See Mormon 8:2-3.)

                Mormon was a great record keeper; he summarized some of the Nephite records, compiled other records, and wrote his own history. Moroni completed his father’s record, added the Book of Ether, and added a record of his own consisting of the teachings he felt were most sacred. He hid the record in the earth to await a future day. Moroni, a resurrected and glorified person, delivered the record to Joseph Smith, who translated and published it as the Book of Mormon.

                I know that Mormon and Moroni were true prophets of God. I also know that the record known as the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ is true.  I invite you to study it and gain your own testimony of its truthfulness.