Covenants Fulfilled when Understood

Not a single Nephite doubted the words of all the holy prophets, but knew they would all be fulfilled. They knew that Christ must have come because of the many signs they had seen, and they gave up all their sins and served God diligently both day and night.

For the next three years, the Nephites preached God’s word to all the robbers they had taken as prisoners. The robbers who repented and made a covenant not to murder anymore were set free. Those who would not repent, who continued to desire secret murders and threaten their brethren, were condemned and punished according to the law. This is how the Nephites put an end to all those wicked, secret combinations. Twenty-five years went by.

Many things happened that were great and marvelous, but they cannot all be written in this book. Not even one percent of what took place during this twenty-five year period (from 1 to 26) was written by Nephi in his book. But there are other records which contain the history of everything the people did. From these records, Nephi made a shorter version, which is true. And I have made this record of these things by referring to Nephi’s shorter record.

I, Mormon, make this record on plates that I have made with my own hands. Like my father, I was named after the land of Mormon, the land where Alma first established the church among the Nephites after their transgressions under King Noah. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called by Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life.

Because the prayers of the holy ones who have gone before me must be fulfilled according to their faith, it has become necessary for me, according to God’s will, to make a record of the Nephites. This is a small record of what has taken place from the time Lehi left Jerusalem in 600 BC until the present time (about AD 380). I have begun making my record from the accounts of those who have lived before, and I will finish it with an account of what I have seen myself. I know this record is just and true, but there are many things that we cannot write because of the nature of our language.

Now I will review the history of my people:

I, Mormon, am a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and Savior Jesus Christ, who brought our forefathers out of the land of Jerusalem. He has given me and my people great knowledge unto the salvation of our souls.

Surely He has blessed the house of Jacob (Israel) and has been merciful to the descendants of Joseph of old. When Lehi’s descendants have kept His commandments, He has blessed and prospered them according to His word. As surely as the Lord lives, He will bring many of Joseph’s descendants to a knowledge of the Lord their God and gather them together from all over the earth. In His own due time, His covenant with all of Israel’s descendants will be fulfilled, as they come to understand the covenant itself.

When they understand this covenant, they will know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And after they come to know Christ they will be gathered in from all over the earth to their own lands, from where they have been dispersed. And as the Lord lives, so will it be. Amen.