Mormon Abridges the Nephite Records
- Mormon 6:6, 3 Nephi 5:10–11
- Having gathered his people to Cumorah, Mormon takes the records on plates of Nephi (of which he was a contributor), and creates is own set of plates, on which he begins to write a summarized version of the contents of the plates of Nephi.
- Words of Mormon 11
- The plates of Nephi were handed down through the generations, until they reached Mormon.
- 3 Nephi 5:9
- The plates of Nephi are not the only account of the Nephites, but they are preferred because of their brevity.
- Mormon 9:32–34
- Mormon writes in a script that he calls “Reformed Egyptian,” he explains that if he had more writing space, he would have written in Hebrew, but apparently using this “Reformed Egyptian” allowed the writer to express more information using fewer characters.
- Words of Mormon 3
- Mormon first makes an abridgment of the plates of Nephi covering the time period from Lehi to Benjamin.
- Words of Mormon 3
- After doing so, he digs around his records, presumably looking for the next section to abridge, and finds the small plates of Nephi which covered essentially the same time period, only with an emphasis on religious teachings.
- Words of Mormon 4
- Mormon is pleased to see that the small plates contain prophesies of Christ and other prophesies that have been fulfilled.
- Words of Mormon 5–6
- Mormon takes the small plates and includes them with his abridgment of the Lehi–Benjamin period.
- Words of Mormon 7–8
- Mormon is not sure why he is including them, but he feels inspired by the Holy Ghost to do so, and trusts in all–knowing God, despite his own ignorance.
- Words of Mormon 11
- Mormon prays that this record will be preserved because of the great things written on them.
- Words of Mormon 9
- Having completed the first part of his abridgement and included the additional plates from the same time period, Mormon goes on to abridge the remainder of the plates of Nephi.
- Alma 11:1
- When abridging the account of Alma’s mission in Ammonihah, Mormon tangentially explains the legal system under the law of Mosiah.
- Alma 11:2
- The Nephites had a just legal system in place.
- Alma 11:3
- Judges were paid based on the amount of time they worked: One senine per day, which is equal to a senum of silver.
- Alma 11:4
- The Nephites had created their own monetary system.
- Alma 11:5–6
- Units of their monetary system included measures of gold and silver. Gold measures had the following names: senine, seon, shum, and limnah. Silver units were: senum, amnor, ezrom, and onti.
- Alma 11:7–19
- The relative value of the units were as follows:
| Gold | | Silver | | Grain |
| | | leah | = | ⅛ measure |
| | | shiblum | = | ¼ measure |
| | | shiblon | = | ½ measure |
| senine | = | senum | = | 1 measure |
| antion | | = | | 1½ measures |
| seon | = | amnor | = | 2 measures |
| shum | = | ezrom | = | 4 measures |
| limnah | = | onti | = | 7 measures |
- Alma 22:27
- While abridging the account of Aaron’s mission among the Lamanites, Mormon digresses and begins to describe the geography of the land: the Nephite territory and Lamanite territory was separed by a narrow strip of wilderness that ran from the west sea to the east sea.
- Alma 22:28–29
- The Lamanites inhabited the land of Nephi, western coast, and the lands east of Nephite holdings.
- Alma 22:29
- Nephite holdings included the land of Zarahemla and stretched north towards the land of Bountiful.
- Alma 22:30
- Bountiful was near Desolation, which was the land where the Jaredites lived.
- Alma 22:31
- Desolation referred to the Northern land, and Bountiful was included in the Southern land.
- Alma 22:32
- Bountiful and Desolation were situated in a narrow neck of land; it would take a Nephite about a day and a half to travel from the west coast to the east cost at that point.
- Alma 22:33–34
- The Nephites had strategically established themselves at Bountiful, to prevent the Lamanites from progressing northward and obtaining additional territory.
- Alma 22:35
- Mormon goes back to writing about the Nephite missionaries.
- Helaman 3:13
- While abridging the record of Helaman, Mormon notes that there are indeed many various records of the Nephites.
- Helaman 3:14
- Mormon explains that he can’t even write a hundreth part of the Nephite saga.
- Helaman 3:15
- Mormon has access to myriad records, most of them written by Nephites.
- Helaman 3:16
- The Nephites passed their records down from generation to the next, until they fell into sin and corruption.
- Helaman 3:17
- Mormon goes back to abridging Helaman’s record.
- Helaman 12:1
- Mormon diverges from writing about the Gadianton period and points how fickle men are, but how blessed are those who trust in the Lord.
- Helaman 12:2
- At the times that the Lord blesses his people, they become prideful, and forget the Lord who blessed them.
- Helaman 12:3
- People only remember God again after terrible disasters and afflictions.
- Helaman 12:4
- Mankind is prone to follow evil tendencies.
- Helaman 12:5
- Mankind is stubborn, and seldom remembers ors give heed to the Lord.
- Helaman 12:6
- Mankind resents being subject to its merciful Creator, and thus ignores his counsels.
- Helaman 12:7–8
- Mankind is nothing—even dust obeys God, but not man.
- Helaman 12:9–13
- God is all powerful, and has control over the elements.
- Helaman 12:14–17
- The Lord can command the earth to rotate in rivers, can command the oceans to dry up, and can command mountains to move.
- Helaman 12:18–19
- The Lord can curse people’s possessions, and make them unfindable.
- Helaman 12:20–22
- The Lord can curse people, and deny them from his presence.
- Helaman 12:23–24
- The repentant are blessed and offered grace.
- Helaman 12:25
- Mormon hopes that all men will be saved, but knows that some will not be.
- Helaman 12:26
- The wicked will be endlessly miserable, in fulfillment of prophecy.
- 3 Nephi 5:7–8
- While abridging the record of Nephi (the son of Nephi), Mormon again laments that he can only write a fraction of the chronicles of the Nephites.
- 3 Nephi 5:12
- Mormon digresses, and states that he was named after the place of Mormon, where Alma established his church after leaving Noah’s ministry.
- 3 Nephi 5:13
- Mormon declares that he is a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- 3 Nephi 5:14–15
- Mormon knows it is his calling to fulfill the prayers and wishes of his forefathers by producing this record.
- 3 Nephi 5:16–17
- Mormon continues writing his record, based on the records from the past, and his own experiences.
- 3 Nephi 5:18–19
- Mormon’s record is just and true, as far as the limitations of his language will allow.
- 3 Nephi 5:20
- Mormon is a pure descendant of Lehi, and rejoices that he has received the gospel through his family.
- 3 Nephi 5:21–23
- The house of Jacob is blessed through Lehi’s posterity.
- 3 Nephi 5:24–25
- The house of Jacob will be restored in the gathering of Israel.
- 3 Nephi 5:26
- They will know that Jesus is their redeemer, and gatherer.
- 3 Nephi 10:14
- As Mormon writes of the terrible storm that preceded Christ’s arrival (which was prophesied of by Samuel), he implores the reader to search the scriptures, and be aware of the prophesies therein, because they will also be fulfilled.
- 3 Nephi 10:15
- The prophesies and testimonies in the scriptures cost the lives of many people.
- 3 Nephi 10:16
- Zenos and Zenock were among those who prophesied and testified.
- 3 Nephi 10:17
- Jacob (Nephi’s brother) wrote about the seed of Joseph, spoken of in the brass plates.
- 3 Nephi 10:18–19
- Mormon prepares the reader for the glorious blessing among the people of having Jesus Christ show himself to them.
- 3 Nephi 28:24–25
- As Mormon finishes writing the account the Jesus’ ministry among the people, he is about to write the names of the three disciples granted immortality, but the Lord forbids it.
- 3 Nephi 28:26–28
- Mormon states that the three disciples have visited him, and that they will go abroad, but will be unknown among the people.
- 3 Nephi 28:29
- In the Lord’s due time, they will minister to the lost tribes of Israel, and will bring many souls to Christ.
- 3 Nephi 28:30–32
- The disciples are like God’s angels, and many miracles will be performed by them.
- 3 Nephi 28:33
- If all the scriptures regarding Christ’ ministry were available, it would be clearly evident that these prophesies would indeed be fulfilled.
- 3 Nephi 28:34–35
- Those who reject Jesus would have been better off if they never were born.
- 3 Nephi 28:36–37
- Mormon explains that the disciples who were granted immortality had a physical change take place in their bodies.
- 3 Nephi 28:38
- This change prevented the death process, and made them incapable of feeling pain, except for sorrow for the sins of the world.
- 3 Nephi 28:39–40
- This change is not the same as the physical change which will take place at the resurrection, it is only a temporary state.
- 3 Nephi 29:1–3
- The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a signal of the gathering of Israel.
- 3 Nephi 29:4
- At that point, spurning the works of the Lord with yield serious consequences.
- 3 Nephi 29:5–7
- Woe unto those who deny Christ, or divine revelation, or prophesy, or miracles.
- 3 Nephi 29:8–9
- Once the Lord has begun his work, any attempt to stop him is futile.
- 3 Nephi 30:1–2
- The Lord commands Mormon to declare a cry of repentance to the Gentiles, and invite them to join the people of God.
- Mormon 3:17–19
- Mormon writes to the Gentiles, to Israel, and to all the earth.
- Mormon 3:20
- Every soul must stand and the judgment bar of God to be judged of their works.
- Mormon 3:21
- Believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, both Gentile and Jew.
- Mormon 3:22
- Mormon wishes he could prepare all men to repent and prepare for the judgement.
- Mormon 5:8
- As Mormon abridges the part of the plates of Nephi that he himself wrote, he writes that there are some things which must be known abroad.
- Mormon 5:9
- Mormon only writes a moderated version of his people’s story, not wanting to inflict too much sorrow on the reader.
- Mormon 5:10
- Mormon speaks to the Gentiles, reminding them to remember where their blessing come from.
- Mormon 5:11
- The lack of repentance and the destruction of the Nephites will cause many to sorrow.
- Mormon 5:12
- Mormon’s record will come forth it God’s own due time, and will be available to the remnant of house of Jacob.
- Mormon 5:13–14
- This record will come forth to Jew and Gentile, with the intent to persuade them that Jesus is the Christ.
- Mormon 5:15
- The Book of Mormon will help the Lamanites believe the gospel, which will come from the Gentiles; prior to its coming forth, they will be in a benighted state.
- Mormon 5:16
- The Spirit has withdrawn from the Lamanites.
- Mormon 5:17–18
- The Lamanites used to be a delightsome people, but now are shackled by Satan.
- Mormon 5:19–21
- The Lord reserves his blessing for the Gentiles, through whom the gospel will be again revealed.
- Mormon 5:22–23
- The Gentiles must likewise acknowledge and be aware of the power of God.
- Mormon 5:24
- Repent, or face the consequences.
- Mormon 7:1
- Mormon speaks to the future descendants of the Lamanites, so they may know of their heritage.
- Mormon 7:2–4
- They should know that they are part of Israel, they must repent to be saved, and should live peacefully.
- Mormon 7:5
- Jesus Christ is the key to their salvation.
- Mormon 7:6
- Jesus brings about the resurrection, which leads to the judgment.
- Mormon 7:7
- Jesus redeemed the world, so we may stand guiltless at the judgment day.
- Mormon 7:8
- Repent, be baptized, embrace the gospel, and receive both this record, and the record which will come from the Jews.
- Mormon 7:9
- The Bible and Book of Mormon were written to be mutually supportive.
- Mormon 7:10
- Remembrance and belief in Christ will yield favorable results at the judgment day.