Morm 1:1-2:29
Home > The Book of Mormon > Mormon > Chapter 1-2
Previous page: Mormon Next page: Chapter 3-4
This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.
Contents
Summary[edit]
This heading should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Relationship to Mormon. The relationship of Chapters 1-2 to the rest of Mormon is addressed at Mormon.
Story. Chapters 1-2 consists of ____ major sections:
Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 1-2 include:
Discussion[edit]
This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Morm 1:3-4. Ammaron is setting forth quite the daunting task here. First of all, he is calling Mormon, a 10 year old boy, to a sacred calling that will not be taking place for 14 years. In the mean time, he is asking Mormon to remember, starting at age 10, all the affairs of the people of Nephi. Being "quick to observe" (Morm. 1:2) is one thing, but being a 10 year old boy who is aware of and can remember the affairs of an entire people is quite another. Mormon's book reveals, however, that he did exactly what he was called to do, and was able to remember much. How? Well, for one thing, at a very young age he is asked to lead the Nephite armies. So, Mormon had first hand experience with the affairs of the people. He was in on it all. And second, we learn of the righteousness of Mormon (Morm. 1:15). Thus, although "the Holy Ghost did not come upon any" (Morm. 1:14) others, it clearly came upon him. Certainly Mormon relied on the gifts of the Spirit, in particular, in bringing "all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26]).
- Morm 1:11-15. Samuel The Lamanite had warned them because they procrastinated their repentance and because of their wickedness they lost gifts of the Lord and the Gifts of the spirit. How would that be to not have any gifts of the spirit or gifts of the Lord
- Morm 2:4-6. Mormon introduces the names of 3 cities and lands: Angola, David and Joshua. They are not mentioned prior to this time in the Book of Mormon. It is very logical that new cities had sprung up over the prior 300 years, but if I were making up the book, I think I would have just stuck to using some of the many names I had already used. Why add more complexity at this late a time in my project and risk tripping myself up and exposing a flaw in my fraud? It is a small evidence to me that Joseph Smith didn't write the book because of this.
- Morm 2:6-10. It is interesting to see his perspective on why the Nephites would lose in battle, it is similar to that of captain Moroni. When captain Moroni made preparations for battle he made the people prepare spiritually and physically. When the Nephites loss it was due to the fact that weren't prepared spiritually or were spiritually weak, the same perspective is seen here with Mormon.
- Morm 2:6-10: One complete revolution. See this comment and ensuing discussion at the Feast blog. Also compare the phrase "one continual round" in Morm 8:8.
- Morm 2:13. Mormon tells us that the sorrow the people felt was not leading them to repentance. As Paul puts it, it was not godly sorrow (see 2 Cor 7:10). At this time, the Nephites are consumed with wickedness, not hoping for any salvation in the future, instead cursing God and wishing to die because they would not repent of their sins. In order to repent properly we must feel godly sorrow for the misdeeds that we have committed, but from verse 13, we read that the Nephites sorrowing was that of the 'damned.' Let us always to remember to sorrow for our sins in a way that is acceptable to the Lord or we will be faced with ultimate destruction similar to that of the Nephites.
- Morm 2:21-25. It is interesting to note that the Nephites hadn't become so hardened yet that they didn't care just about their own lives. They were inspired only after Mormon made then aware of the danger their families lives were in. So at least they still cared for their families and were willing to die for them to stand out numbered and be willing to protect them.
Unanswered questions[edit]
This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Prompts for life application[edit]
This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- It's amazing that the Lord trusted a ten year old with the fate of the sacred records. Mormon must have been a very faithful person.
- Can you imagine being 16 yrs old and being the leader of about a 40,000 people army? I believe that even though he was of large stature it was much more than that--he had to be pretty bright. People noticed this even when he was young. The prophet Ammaron realized this when Mormon was just 10 years old. But to be the leader of an army at that age really says quite a lot.
- It is always interesting to see how people react to tribulation. Basically there are two ways people react when they recieve tribulation and both have to do with their testimony of Christ and a knowledge of God's plan for us. The first reaction is to blame and curse and God for the afflictions they experience in their lives. What a sad and lonely way to live your life. It truly represents misunderstanding of God and why we are here. It shows the depth that their testimony was rooted on. The second reaction to tribulation is that of understanding and repentance. When something goes wrong in these individuals lives they draw closer to the Lord and lean on him for support and comfort. It is sad when people dont have faith when faith is the thing that is needed the most. I know in times of hardship in my own life it is truly only because of God and his answers to my prayers have I gotten through those times.
Prompts for further study[edit]
This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Morm 1:5: Why does Mormon mention he is a descendant of Nephi and his father's name is Mormon here? What does that have to do with remembering Ammaron's commandments to him?
- Morm 1:13: Mormon mentions that the Lord took away His disciples from amnong them. Does this mean that the three Nephites were simply not allowed to preach to the people anymore or were they literally taken away? Where were they taken to?
- Morm 1:18: Mormon says that the Lamanites began to "hide up their treasure in the Earth". What does he mean by this?
- Morm 2:1-5: Why would the Nephite armies appoint Mormon to be their leader at 16 years old? Throughout the scriptures several men are appointed to be righteous leaders at fairly young ages. What is the significance of this?
Resources[edit]
This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Notes[edit]
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.
