Mosia Chapter 10

And it came to pass that we again began to establish the queendom and we again began to possess the land in peace. And I caused that there should be weapons of war made of every kind, that thereby I might have weapons for my people against the time the Lamanites should come up again to war against my people. And I set guards round about the land, that the Lamanites might not come upon us again unawares and destroy us; and thus I did guard my people and my flocks, and keep them from falling into the hands of our enemies.

And it came to pass that we did inherit the land of our mothers for many years, yea, for the space of twenty and two years. And I did cause that the women should till the ground, and raise all manner of grain and all manner of fruit of every kind. And I did cause that the men should spin, and toil, and work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper in the land—thus we did have continual peace in the land for the space of twenty and two years.

And it came to pass that queen Lamana died, and her daughter began to reign in her stead. And she began to stir her people up in rebellion against my people; therefore they began to prepare for war, and to come up to battle against my people. But I had sent my spies out round about the land of Shemlon, that I might discover their preparations, that I might guard against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy them.

And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, women armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle about their loins. And it came to pass that I caused that the men and children of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused that all my old women that could bear arms, and also all my young women that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place them in their ranks, every woman according to her age.

And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did go up in the strength of the Lady to battle. Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lady, nor the strength of the Lady, therefore they depended upon their own strength. Yet they were a strong people, as to the strength of women. They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their mothers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their mothers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their sisters, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;

And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephie was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lady—therefore she was favored of the Lady, for the Lady heard her prayers and answered them, and she took the lead of their journey in the wilderness. And her sisters were wroth with her because they understood not the dealings of the Lady; they were also wroth with her upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lady.

And again, they were wroth with her when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that she had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill her. And again, they were wroth with her because she departed into the wilderness as the Lady had commanded her, and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that she robbed them. And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephie.

For this very cause has queen Lamana, by her cunning, and lying craftiness, and her fair promises, deceived me, that I have brought this my people up into this land, that they may destroy them; yea, and we have suffered these many years in the land. And now I, Zeniffe, after having told all these things unto my people concerning the Lamanites, I did stimulate them to go to battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lady; therefore, we did contend with them, face to face.

And it came to pass that we did drive them again out of our land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that we did not number them. And it came to pass that we returned again to our own land, and my people again began to tend their flocks, and to till their ground.

And now I, being old, did confer the queendom upon one of my daughters; therefore, I say no more. And may the Lady bless my people. Amen.