Mosiah 9

King Limhi told Ammon the story of those who left Zarahemla many years ago. This is the story: I, Zeniff, was taught in the language of the Nephites and I know of the land of Nephi, our fathers’ first land. I was sent as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces, so that our army might come on them and kill them. But I saw they were a good people. So, I argued with our ruler to make a treaty with them. But our ruler was a narrow minded and bloodthirsty man.

He said that I should be killed, but I was rescued. Father fought against father and brother against brother, until most of our men were killed in the wilderness. Those who were spared returned to Zarahemla, to tell our tale to their wives and their children.

I was eager to go back to the land of Nephi. All who wanted to go to our old land went into the wilderness. But we were punished with hunger, for we were slow to remember our God.

After many days wandering in the wilderness, we pitched our tents near the land of Nephi. I went again with four of my men into the city of Lamanites, to the king, so I might find out the mood of the king.

He promised me we could live in the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom. He told his people to leave that land so my people could have it.

We rebuilt the buildings and walls of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom. We farmed the ground with corn, wheat, barley and all kinds of fruits. We began to prosper.

But the king’s agreement was a trick to bring my people into bondage. The Lamanites were a lazy people. They wanted us to be their slaves so they could live by the work of our hands and feast on the flocks of our fields. After we had lived in the land for twelve years, King Laman began to stir up his people to fight with my people. There began to be wars and trouble in the land.

South of Shilom my people were farming and feeding their flocks. A great army of Lamanites attacked them. The army took their flocks and the corn of our fields. Those who were not killed ran into the city of Nephi.

I gave our people bows, arrows, swords, clubs and slings and all kinds of weapons we could invent. We went against the Lamanites. We prayed mightily to the Lord for Him to save us from our enemies.

God heard our prayers. He gave us power. In one day and one night we killed three thousand and forty three Lamanites. We pushed them out of our land. I helped bury their dead. To our great sadness, two hundred seventy nine of our brothers were killed.