The Mission to the Lamanites and the Translation of the Jaredite Record
Book of Mormon Notes - Saturday, August 5, 2023, Mosiah 28
This is such an important chapter in part because in this chapter we learn about the seer King Mosiah and his translation of the Jaredite plates. But it is also the chapter in which the sons of Mosiah begin their great mission to the Lamanites. Think about how much this parallels the work of Joseph Smith as the prophet and seer who translated the Book of Mormon and soon after sent missionaries to preach to the Lamanites. The Book of Mormon foreshadows the work of the Lord in the last days in so many ways.
The sons of Mosiah were eager to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, even with their enemies, because of their great conversion to the Lord. If we recall Lehi partaking of the fruit of the tree of life, and Enos after receiving forgiveness for his sins, we can catch a glimpse of what inspired these sons of Mosiah to undertake such a momentous mission.
So great was their faith in Christ and the power of the word of God that they desired to impart the word of God to the Lamanites in order to
bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God
convince them of the iniquity of their fathers
bring them to rejoice in the Lord their God
help them to become friendly to one another
and do away with contention
The word of God accomplishes all of these things.
The sons of Mosiah had such intense desire to declare salvation unto every creature because they knew from experience what the opposite of salvation was like. The mercy and the Spirit of the Lord worked so powerfully upon these once vilest of sinners that they could not be held back from sharing the word of God. The word of God overflowed from within them and moved them to undertake a great mission to their enemies the Lamanites.
But first they sought the blessing and approval of their father, the king, Mosiah. His first response to their request must have been no. But they persisted until after many days, King Mosiah inquired of the Lord regarding the matter. Imagine that. King Mosiah didn’t want to let his sons go on such a mission because he knew how dangerous it was. Especially after hearing the accounts of Lamanite oppression from Limhi, Gideon, Alma and many others, King Mosiah must have been very hesitant to send any Nephites out on any kind of an expedition again. But the sons of Mosiah persisted, and King Mosiah finally relented and sought the will of the Lord on the matter. He inquired of the Lord.
Can you imagine being so filled with the love and Spirit of God that you plead for the opportunity to plunge yourself into the very midst of your worst enemies? The Lord wrought an extraordinary change upon these young men who at one point were the worst enemies of the Church and their fellow citizens in Zarahemla. Like Saul who became the Apostle Paul, they knew what it was like to be a worst enemy, and then to be snatched, or saved. If the Lord rescued them, the vilest of sinners, surely the Lord could rescue the Lamanites who sins were primarily a consequence of the incorrect traditions of their fathers.
Remember, though, that this was the desire of the prophets since the time of Lehi. Lehi urgently and intensely desired the welfare and salvation of his sons Laman and Lemuel and their posterity. Nephi too. Jacob too. Enos makes this desire even more explicity. Enos’ mighty change of heart led him to plead especially on behalf of his brothers the Lamanites. Thus it is no surprise that this righteous desire of preceding prophets, along with their fervent prayers, continued to inspire succeeding generations of missionaries, and that it continues through the restoration to this very day. One of the main purposes of the Book of Mormon, a purpose that Joseph Smith pushed forward, is contained in Mormon’s title page:
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.
The Lamanites are a remnant of the House of Israel, and the main purpose of the Book of Mormon is the same as the main purpose that the sons of Mosiah had in their hearts, namely, to convince the Lamanites that Jesus is the Christ. The Jews and the Gentiles must also be convinced, but ever since the beginning of the Lehite civilization, the salvation of the Lamanites was a primary focus of every Book of Mormon prophet. King Mosiah may have lost sight of this purpose for a time, but his sons’ earnest pleadings caused him to inquire of the Lord regarding the matter. The Lord’s response was as much a welcome revelation to him as it was to his sons:
And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will adeliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites. (Mosiah 28:7)
As we shall see, and as is always the case, the word of the Lord is always fulfilled.
Mosiah granted his sons’ righteous desire, and they took atook their journey into the wilderness to go up to preach the word among the Lamanites. Mormon as narrator interjects an interesting comment at this point. He mentions that he will give an baccount of their proceedings hereafter. Mormon seems to have a well organized outline for his work. I don’t think that Mormon just abridged and inscribed as he went along. He had thoroughly studied the many records and he organized his outline for the Book of Mormon as any good author would, supporting his main purpose or thesis with carefully chosen testimonies, prophecies, stories, and events. I think that Mormon may have already been thinking of the missionary Ammon when he included the story of the original pioneer Ammon who left Zarahemla. I wonder if Mormon had constructed the basic structure and outline of the entire Book of Mormon in his mind for a long time. Remember that he was a sober child and began his mission with the records at a very early age because of the commission of Ammaron:
And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;
Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.
And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.
Mormon was ten years old when he learned that he would have the custody of the plates and the responsible for the Nephite record. As a sober child, and quick to observe, Mormon had fourteen years of preparation and observation before he obtained the records. His specific duty was to concentrate on the plates of Nephi, and to continue the process of engraving and keeping the record on the plates of Nephi. The rest of the plates Ammaron instructed him to leave in the land Antum, in the hill Shim. Can you imagine what it must have been like after fourteen years of sober observation of the downfall of the Nephites when Mormon entered that hall of records in the hill Shim? I don’t imagine that Mormon entered that wonderful place and simply snatched up the plates of Nephi and then went on his merry way. He must have poured over all of those records with a voracious appetite to learn the history of his people, especially when he understood that most in his own generation would not listen to him or heed the word of God.
In any case, Mormon certainly feasted upon the words of Christ that were contained in the record of the great missionary sons of Mosiah. And now it was almost time to record his own abridgment of that story. (see Alma 17-26)
None of Mosiah’s sons wanted to be king. They were more interested in serving and blessing their fellow men than they were in political power. Mosiah therefore conferred the records and sacred objects, including the recent translation of the Jaredite record, to Alma the Younger. What did Alma the Younger receive? The plates of brass, the plates of Nephi, the Liahona, the Sword of Laban, the interepreters or Urim and Thummim (“those two astones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow”), the Jaredite record on plates of gold and the translation thereof, and probably other sacred items. And what was written in this Jaredite record?
Now after Mosiah had finished atranslating these brecords, behold, it gave an account of the people who were cdestroyed, from the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the dgreat tower, at the time the Lord econfounded the language of the people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of Adam.
Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.
And this account shall be awritten hereafter; for behold, it is expedient that all people should know the things which are written in this account. (Mosiah 28:17-19)
Again, notice that Mormon has a specific plan in mind for the outline of the Book of Mormon, and particularly for this great Jaredite record that Mormon’s son Moroni would later abridge. I wonder if Moroni worked on the process of the abridgment of the Jaredite record while his father was still working on the abridgment of the plates of Nephi. That would have been a fascinating process to watch, father and son, abridging together the records of the rise and fall of two great civilizations. I am pretty sure that Moroni was already beginning to work on the abridgment of the Jaredite record, or at least that Mormon was very familiar with the complete Jaredite record, especially considering Mosiah’s next move as king. The creation of the system of judges must have been influenced in part by the realization that the reign of wicked kings among the Jaredites, like the reign of the wicked King Noah, was one of the primary causes of the downfall of the Jaredites.
If Mormon worked on the abridgment of the Nephite record while his son worked upon the abridgment of the Jaredite record, then we might see interesting parallels between the two records. But we also need to keep in mind that the Lord showed Moroni and his father many things regarding the last days, and that the abridgments of these two great records were meant specifically to lead souls unto Christ in the last days. Mormon and Moroni saw the rise and fall of our own great civilization, specifically the United States of America, and their two abridged records serve as a great warning to us, as well as a preparation manual for the Second Coming of Christ - both as the return of Jesus Christ to a large audience (3 Nephi), and the personal visit of Jesus Christ to a specific person (Ether - the Brother of Jared). Jesus visited with the Nephites in Bountiful and ministered unto them one by one, but the record of the Lord’s visit to the Brother of Jared contains even more marvelous details of the Lord’s concern for the one.