A History of Zeniff ’s People, Engraved by Him (chapters 9–11)

Now I, Mormon, will transcribe some of Zeniff’s own writings:

I, Zeniff, was taught both of the Nephite languages (Hebrew for speaking and reformed Egyptian for engraving). I also knew of our forefather, Nephi, and of the land that he and his people had settled. I was sent out to spy on the Lamanites that had taken over the land of Nephi—to see how our army could destroy them. But when I saw the good things they were doing, I did not want them to die. I returned to our camp, requesting of our leader to make a treaty with the Lamanites. But our leader, a strict and bloodthirsty man, ordered our men to kill me. I was spared because many disagreed with our leader, and a battle broke out between fellow Nephites. Father fought against father and brother against brother. Only fifty of us survived the battle, and we returned to Zarahemla to tell the sad tale to the wives and children of those who had been killed.

And yet I, being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, gathered many who also wanted to regain the land of our forefathers. We started out again on our journey into the wilderness. We suffered with hunger and fatigue because we were slow to remember the Lord our God. After many days of wandering, we camped in the place where our brethren had killed one another, near the land of Nephi. Then I went into the city with four of my men. We went to ask the Lamanite king if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace.

Laman, the king, covenanted with me that I could possess the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom. He even commanded his people to leave the land so that my people could take possession of it. After coming into the land, we began to construct buildings and to repair the city walls of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom. We farmed the land and raised corn, wheat, barley, and other crops. We also planted all types of fruit from seeds, and began to multiply and prosper in the land. But from the beginning, King Laman was craftily planning to bring my people into bondage. This is why he gave us the lands so easily.

After we had lived in the land for twelve years, King Laman started getting restless, for he saw that we were growing stronger. He knew that if he did not overpower us soon and bring us into bondage, that it would be too late.

The Lamanites were lazy and idolatrous. They wanted to bring us into bondage to glut themselves with the labors of our hands and to feast upon our flocks. So King Laman began to stir up his people to fight with mine, and we began to have wars in the land.

During the thirteenth year of my reign, in the southern part of Shilom, my people were watering and feeding their flocks and working their lands. Then a very large Lamanite army attacked them and began to kill them in their fields, taking their flocks and corn. My people ran from the army. Those who were not overtaken ran to the city of Nephi and called upon me for protection. I armed them with bows and arrows, swords, scimitars, clubs, slings, and with all the weapons we could invent. Then I went with my people to battle against the Lamanites.

We went with the strength of the Lord against them, for we all cried mightily to Him to deliver us from our enemies, remembering how our forefathers had been delivered.

God heard our cries and answered our prayers. We went forth in His might against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we killed 3,043 of them and drove the rest out of our land. I, myself, with my own hands, helped bury them. And to our great sorrow, 279 of our brethren had been killed.