Mormon 8

I, Moroni, will now finish my father’s record.

The Nephites who escaped to the south after the great battle of Cumorah were all hunted down by the Lamanites and killed. My father, Mormon, was also killed, and I am now left alone to complete the sad story of my people’s destruction. Whether or not I will also be found and killed I cannot know. So I will finish this account and return it to the hidden place with the rest of the buried records.

Four-hundred years have now passed since the birth of Jesus Christ. The Lamanites have hunted my people down from city to city, and place to place, until they are all gone except for me. This great fall was done by the hand of God. Now I see that the Lamanites are at war with one another, and the land bears witness to continual murder and bloodshed. No one sees an end to this warfare. Only Lamanites and robbers still exist in the land.

There are none now left who know the true God except for perhaps the three immortal disciples of Jesus Christ. The wickedness that is now left is so great that I’m not even sure God would want them to remain. My father and I saw them once, and they ministered to us. Whether or not they’re still around, no one knows.

I ask that whoever receives this record does not condemn it for its imperfections, especially in relation to things they know that are greater than these words. If it were possible, I would make everything known to you. Like my father, Mormon, I am a descendant of Nephi.

I am the person who has hidden this record on behalf of God. The plates themselves are of no value because God has commanded that no one may have them for material gain. But the record is of immense value, and whoever brings it to light will be blessed by God. No one can bring it to light except by the power given to him by God, and God will only allow this to happen in tribute to his glory and the welfare of the dispersed descendants of the people with whom he’s made his promises. According to the word and power of God, these records will be brought out of the darkness of earth and into the light to shine forth as a history of our people. If there are faults in these records, they are the faults of men. I know of no faults, but only God knows everything. Accordingly, anyone who condemns this record is in grave danger of hell fire.

Should anyone say, “Show me the truth of these records or you will be struck down,” they should be aware that this is forbidden by God. Whoever judges these records harshly will be harshly judged by God. Remember what God says in the scriptures, “Men may not strike others down or judge, because judgment is mine. Vengeance is mine too, and I will repay.”

Those who speak out angrily and act against the work of God, and against the promises he’s made with the family of Israel, will pay the price. You cannot destroy the work of God or disregard his commands without danger of being cut down and thrown into the fire. The eternal purposes of God will prevail and his promises will be fulfilled.

Look at the prophecies of Isaiah and the saints who have come before me in this land. They cry out from the dust and they cry out to God, that as long as God lives, his promises will be kept. God will remember the prayers that were made on behalf of their descendants. God remembers the strength of their faith because in his name, they could move mountains, make the earth shake, and cause prisons to fall down. They couldn’t be harmed by fires, wild beasts, or poisonous snakes, all because of the power of God’s word. They prayed for the man who would bring these records into the world.

Nothing can stop these prophecies from being fulfilled. They will happen because God has said that they will happen. These things will happen at a time in the future when people believe that miracles no longer occur. Our words will be heard as if we were speaking out from death. These things will happen at a time when the blood of saints cries out to God because of secret conspiracies and works of darkness. They will happen at a time when the power of God is denied, when the churches are corrupted by pride, and when church leaders turn against their own members. They will happen at a time of fires, storms, wars, threats of wars, and earthquakes around the world. There will be pollution, murder, stealing, lying, deceptions, prostitution, and all kinds of abominations.

Many people will say, “Do this or do that, it doesn’t matter. God will be merciful on the last day.” But those who say things like this will be cursed for their sinfulness.

Our words will be heard when churches say, “Give me your money and your sins will be forgiven.” But churches should never be organized for financial gain. They will disfigure the holy word of God and bring damnation on their souls. When this day comes, it will be time for these words to be fulfilled.

God has shown me the great things that will happen when these words are revealed. So I speak to you as if you were now present, even though you are not. Jesus Christ has shown you to me, and I know what you are doing. Except for a few, I know that you are all full of pride, wear fine clothing, envy and fight with each other, are filled with malice, involved in persecutions and sinfulness, and that every one of your churches has become polluted with pride. I can see that you love your money, material wealth, and expensive church decorations more than you love the poor, the needy, and the sick.

Oh you polluters, you hypocrites, and teachers who sell yourselves cheaply, why have you polluted the holy church of God? Why are you ashamed to assume the name of Jesus Christ? Don’t you think there is greater worth in eternal happiness than in the endless misery that comes from your fascination with the material world? Why do you wear expensive clothing that has no life in it, while others go naked? Why do you allow hunger and sickness to pass you by without notice? Why do you build up your secret conspiracies for financial gain that cause widows and orphans to mourn for the death of their husbands and fathers? Their blood cries out for vengeance upon your heads, and the sword of vengeance hangs over you. The time will soon come when God will avenge the blood of his saints rather than listen to their cries any longer.