Mormon

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Summary

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Relationship to Book of Mormon. The relationship of Mormon to the Book of Mormon as a whole is discussed at Book of Mormon: Unities.

Story. Mormon consists of four major sections:

• Chapter 1-2: Mormon commissioned. Mormon is given charge of Nephi's large plates and of the Nephites' armies.

• Chapter 3-4: Mormon preaches. Mormon refuses to lead the Nephite armies in a war of revenge aggression. As they begin to be swept away by the Lamanites, Mormon retrieves all of the Nephites' sacred records.

• Chapter 5-7: Mormon leads final retreat. Mormon again leads the Nephite armies as they retreat to make a final stand at Cumorah. They are destroyed. Mormon laments both their destruction and the conditions that led to that destruction.

• Chapter 8-9: Moroni's first farewell. Moroni writes a closing farewell and exhortation that he believes will complete the record of his father.

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Mormon include:

Historical setting

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Discussion

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Editorial comment

This list is NOT complete.

1. Morm 3:17-19:
2. Morm 5:10:
3. Morm 8:33-41:

Complete outline and page map

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● Mormon given charge of Nephi's large plates and Nephite armies (Chapter 1-2)

• Ammaron commissions Moroni to retrieve the plates of Nephi, 320 AD (1:1-5)

• Mormon moves to Zarahemla, battles with the Lamanites, 321 AD (1:6-12)

• Mormon prohibited from preaching among the general wickedness prophesied by Samuel, 325 AD (1:13-19)

• Mormon leads the Nephite armies, general retreat, 326-330 AD (2:1-9)

• Nephites mourn their situation but do not repent, 331-344 AD (2:10-15)

• Nephites again retreat, Mormon retrieves the plates of Nephi, 345 AD (2:16-21)

• Nephites recover their lands but not have strength of the Lord, truce, 346-350 AD (2:22-29)

● Mormon refuses to lead armies, preaches in vain (Chapter 3-4)

• Mormon prepares people for war and preaches in vain, 360 AD (3:1-6)

• Nephites twice repel Lamanite attacks, swear vengeance, Mormon refuses to lead armies, 361-362 AD (3:7-16)

• Mormon's purpose in writing: know you will be judged, so prepare by repenting (3:17-22)

• Nephites attack Lamanites, lose Desolation because attacked, retake Desolation, 363-366 AD (4:1-9)

• Nephite wickedness, lose Desolation and Teancum, then retake cities, 367 AD (4:10-15)

• Nephites begin to be swept away by Lamanites, Mormon retrieves all records, 375 AD (4:17-23)

● Mormon leads armies until final destruction (Chapter 5-7)

• Mormon leads Nephite defense, swept away, 375-79 AD (5:1-7)

• Mormon's purpose in writing: believe in Christ and learn of scatter-gather covenant (5:8-24)

• Nephites gather strength together at Cumorah, 384 AD (6:1-5)

• Nephite final destruction, 384 AD (6:6-15)

• Mormon's lament for his people (6:16-21)

• Mormon to Lehite remnant: repent, hold to the gospel of Christ, know that you are of the House of Israel (7:1-10)

● Moroni finishes the record of his father (Chapter 8-9)

• Moroni's witness of the Nephite destruction, will write a little and hide up the record, 400 AD (8:1-13a)

• the record will come forth to the House of Israel, do not oppose that work or condemn the record (8:13b-26a)

• description of the wicked time in which the record will come forth (8:26b-41)

• those who do not believe in Christ should come unto him before they see him at the final judgment (9:1-6)

• those who believe in God but not in miracles should recognize that he is unchanging and always works miracles (9:7-29)

• concluding summary: the record will come forth, do not condemn it, and it will bring Israel to a knowledge of Christ (9:30-37)

Unanswered questions

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Prompts for life application

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Prompts for further study

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Resources

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Previous editions.

• The original 1830 edition of Mormon was divided into only four chapters (I-IV). For the 1879 edition Parley Pratt further divided those four into the nine chapters (1-9) still used today. • I: 1-3 • II: 4-5 • III: 6-7 • IV: 8-9

Related passages that interpret or shed light on Mormon.

References cited on this page.

Other resources.

Notes

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.

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