The Book of Enos

Enos 1

I am Enos. My father taught me the ways of the Lord and I thank God for it. I will tell you about the wrestle I had before God because of my sins. I went to hunt food in the forests, but it was my soul that was hungry. The words I often heard my father speak about eternal life and the joy of the saints sank deep in my heart.

I kneeled down and cried to God in mighty prayer for my soul. I prayed to him all day long. When the night came, I still cried my voice high to the heavens. At last, a voice said to me: Enos, your sins are forgiven and you will be blessed.

All my guilt and shame was swept away. I asked: Lord, how is this done? He said to me: Your faith in Christ whom you have neither heard nor seen has made you whole.

When I heard these words, I began to care for my brothers, the Nephites. I poured out my whole soul to God for them. While I was praying, the voice of the Lord came to my mind again, saying: I will visit your brothers. I have given them this land and it is a Holy Land, but their sins will bring sadness on their own heads.

After I heard these words, my faith in God began to be strong. I also prayed long hours for my brothers, the Lamanites. They had promised in anger they would kill us and destroy our books.

I knew the Lord God would be able to save our books. He said to me: Whatever you ask in faith in the name of Christ, you will have. God promised me He would save our books and bring them to the Lamanites in His own time.

I went among the Nephites, teaching them the things to come. My people tried to bring the Lamanites to true faith in God, but their hatred was strong. They were wild, cruel and bloodthirsty.

They ate lions and tigers. They lived in tents and wandered in the wilderness with a short skin around their waists. Their heads were shaved. Many of them ate only raw meat. Their skill was the bow and arrow and war ax. They always tried to kill us.

The Nephites farmed grains and fruits and raised herds of cattle, goats and horses. There were many prophets among us. But our people were also a stubborn people. The only thing that kept them in fear of the Lord was harsh preaching of wars and death and the length of eternity and God’s judgments and power.

One hundred and seventy nine years had passed from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem. I saw many wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in my life.

I saw I would soon die. I looked forward to the day when I would stand before my Savior. I will see His face with pleasure and He will say to me: Come to Me, there is a place prepared for you in the kingdom of My Father. Amen.