Jarom Preaches and Deals With War

Now, I, Jarom, will obey my father, Enos, who gave me these plates before he died. I will write a few words so that this record and genealogy, begun by my great-grandfather, Lehi, will continue. There is not much room left to engrave upon these plates, and since they are kept for the spiritual benefit of our brethren, the Lamanites, I will not engrave much, for I do not need to repeat the plan of salvation that my fathers have already revealed in their writings. It is more important for much to be done among the Nephites because they are so hard-hearted and blinded with pride. In spite of this, God is very merciful to them and has not yet swept them off the land.

Many Nephites have many revelations, for not all of us resist the Holy Spirit. Those who do not resist have communion with Him according to their faith.

In the year 400 BC, twenty-one years after my father, Enos, gave me these plates, we, the Nephites, had become strong in the land. We were protected because we kept the law of Moses and the Sabbath day holy. We did not profane or blaspheme, and the laws of the land were very strict.

We and the Lamanites have populated much of the land, but the Lamanites are much more populous than we. They are a wild people who love murder, and they drink the blood of animals. They have come to battle against us for years, but our kings and leaders have been mighty men in the faith of the Lord, who have taught the people His ways. This is why we have been able to repel the Lamanites and force them out of our lands. We have also fortified our cities and lands of inheritance against their attacks. We have multiplied greatly and have become rich with great amounts of gold, silver and precious things. We’ve had many fine craftsmen, who have worked with wood, and who have built fine buildings and machinery. Others are skilled in metalwork, using copper, brass and steel to make all types of farming tools and weapons. Our fine tools and weapons have kept the Lamanites from prevailing against us. The Lord’s word has been verified that He spoke to our forefathers: “As you keep my commandments, you will prosper in the land.”

Our prophets have threatened the Nephites according to God’s word, telling them that if they did not keep the commandments, and fell into transgression, they would be destroyed off the face of the land. Because of this great warning from the Lord, the prophets, priests and teachers work hard, patiently preaching to their people, the Nephites. They teach them the law of Moses, that it was given to persuade us to look forward to the Messiah, and to believe in Him as if He had already come. These righteous men keep us, the Nephites, from being swept off the land of promise by constantly urging us to repent.

By the year 362 BC, for most of the time since Lehi had arrived in the promised land, there has been warfare between the us and the Lamanites. I, Jarom, finish my writing because there is not much room left to engrave on these small plates. Refer to Nephi’s larger plates to find a record of our wars, as the Nephite kings have written, or have ordered to be written. I now give these plates to my son Omni, to keep according to my fathers’ command.