This week's scripture study was Mormon 1-6.
Mormon is one of the few prophets in the Book of Mormon where we learn a little about what he was like in his youth and hear from his perspective the world he grew up in starting as a child. We learn that he moved to Zarahemla at age 11, and immediately there was a war around him. We also learn that except for one period of 4 years and one period of 10 years, the world he was living in was at war his entire life, the likes of which were so awful that Mormon refrains from describing many of these scenes. We also learn that Mormon was a man of God his whole life, and never wavered in his faith and trust in the Lord.
In the October 2020 General Conference talk "God Will Do Something Unimaginable," Dieter F. Uchtdorf said "Every dispensation has faced its times fo trial and hardship." He also said, "We must walk through difficult times, for it is in these times of adversity that we learn principles that fortify our characters and cause us to draw closer to God. our Heavenly Father knows that we suffer, and because we are His children, He will not abandon us."
However, if we choose not to fortify our characters and draw closer to God, then these hardships are for naught. There is a sharp contrast between how Mormon lived his life, starting at age 10 when we are first introduced to him as a "sober child" and "quick to observe" versus almost all of the rest of the Nephites who allowed wickedness to "prevail upon the face of the whole land insomuch that he Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease of their iniquity of the people." (Mormon 1:13).
In Mormon 2:10-12, when the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, Mormon's heart rejoiced because he knew the Lord "would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people." However, his joy turned to sorrow "for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin." (Mormon 2:13). Unfortunately, for this generation of Nephites, this never changed. By the end of Mormon 6, a total of 23 armies of 10,000 per army have been destroyed by the Lamanites. Only about 24 people remain. Not 24,000. TWENTY-FOUR.
Mormon reminds us that he writes this record for the descendants, for us to learn from. He calls this record, "my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites." (Mormon 6:1). He reminds us in Mormon 3:20-22 that he writes: "for this cause ... that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ. ... that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ ... that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgement-seat of Christ."
Interestingly, despite basically living in a war zone his entire life, Mormon mentions a son (Mormon 6:6, 12). From this, we can assume that most likely as an adult, he at some point married. I draw this distinction because Mormon is not a fictional character in a fictional war zone where war is the only story. He was a man trying to live a full life and follow Jesus Christ during a time of great conflict, just as we have over the years during different times of conflict. Mormon's son Moroni takes up the records after him so we will hear his words soon after but I wanted to call out that distinction that though he spent nearly his entire life leading armies into battle, he (and his wife I assume) also raised a righteous son.
You can click on this image to see an outline I put together showing a timeline of the years since Christ came, and what happened to the Nephite people, alongside Mormon's age at the time. I've also summarized it below the chart.
At age 10, when Ammaron approached him:
1. He was a sober child (Mormon 1:2)
2. He was quick to observe (Mormon 1:2)
3. Ammaron approached him and told him that Mormon would need to observe his whole life and record his observations by somewhere around age 24.
At age 11:
3. He moved to Zarahemla and saw a land in ward, followed by 4 years of peace, before pretty much the rest of Mormon's life was lived in war. (He experienced 10 years of relative peace from battle from age 40-50 as described in Mormon 2:28.) (Mormon 1:6-12)
At age 15:
4. He was visited by the Lord "and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus." (Mormon 1:15)
At age 16:
5. He was large in stature (Mormon 2:2)
6. He was appointed the leader of the Nephite armies (Mormon 2:2)
At age 20:
7. He was leading armies as large as 42,000 against the Lamanites 44,000 (Mormon 2:9)
8. He continued to feel great sorrow for his people that they would not repent and turn to the Lord
At approximately age 33:
9. As their battles and fleeing from the Lamanites led them to Jashon, which was near the land where Ammaron had deposited the records, Mormon took the plates of Nephi and did make a record as he was guided to by Ammaron at age 10.
At age 52:
10. Mormon refused to continue to lead a wicked, ungrateful people to war.
"And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come." (Mormon 3:16).
11. Mormon continued to be guided by the Lord and by his desire to help his people and their descendants to be a repentant, God-loving people. He wrote:
"... And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil." (Mormon 3:20).
At age ~65:
12. Mormon once again led the Nephite army but "without hope ... for they repented not of their iniquities." (Mormon 5:2). I think this shows a great love for his people despite their wickedness.
At age ~74):
13. 23 Nephites armies of 10,000 men are wiped out. Only 24 people remain.
Mormon says in despair, "O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his justice and mercy." (Mormon 6:22).
One final thought. Mormon was described by Ammaron as being "sober" and "quick to observe." David A. Bednar gave a talk about this in a May 10, 2005 devotional, "Quick to Observe." He said,
Please consider the significance of this important spiritual gift. As used in the scriptures, the word observe has two primary uses. One use denotes “to look” or “to see” or “to notice”—as we learn in Isaiah 42:20: “Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not” (emphasis added).
The second use of the word observe suggests “to obey” or “to keep”—as is evident in the Doctrine and Covenants: “But blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy” (D&C 54:6; emphasis added).
Thus when we are quick to observe, we promptly look or notice and obey. Both of these fundamental elements—looking and obeying—are essential to being quick to observe. And the prophet Mormon is an impressive example of this gift in action.
Mormon is one of my greatest heroes. I think there's a reason we get to hear about his from such a young age, as we do with the likes of the Savior, Moses, and Joseph Smith. The Savior was the ultimate example but there were men on earth that experienced a type of what the Savior experienced, and we can learn through them. Our trials may feel big and deep and burdensome but we all face trials and it's how we handle them that determines our path in life.
As President Russell M. Nelson said, "We are here on earth to be tested, to see if we will choose to follow Jesus Christ, to repent regularly, to learn, and to progress. Our spirts long to press. And we do that best by staying firmly on the covenant path." (October 2020 General Conference, "Moving Forward")
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