Page:PlainBookOfMormon.pdf/682

 people as quickly as possible into one body. But the land was filled with robbers and Lamanites. In spite of the great destruction that hung over my people, they would not repent of their evil doings.

Blood and carnage spread through all the land, among the Nephites and Lamanites. All people were in a constant cycle of warfare.

The Lamanite king, Aaron, came against us with an army of 44,000. I withstood him with my army of 42,000, and their army ran before us. This three-year war ended in 330 AD.

At this time the Nephites began to repent and cry out, as Samuel prophesied they would. No one could keep his own property because of the thieves, robbers, murderers, magic arts and witchcraft in the land. This caused great mourning and lamentation all over the land, especially among the Nephites.

When I, Mormon, saw their sorrow before the Lord, my heart began to rejoice, for 1 knew of the Lord's mercy and long- suffering. I thought He would be merciful to them, that they would again become a righteous people.

But my joy was vain, for their sorrowing did not bring them to repentance. Theirs was the sorrowing of the damned, for the Lord no longer allowed them to take pleasure in sin.

They did not come to Jesus with broken hearts, for they were not truly sorry for their sins. They cursed God and wished to die, yet they fought with the sword for their lives.

My sorrow returned as I realized their day of grace had passed, both temporally and spiritually, for I saw thousands of them cut down in open rebellion against their God and heaped up like