Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/Mormon/Chapter 6
Mormon’s last battle...
(compare Mormon, chapter 6)
Now I, Mormon, will finish engraving the record of the destruction of my people, for the Nephite people fought one last battle with the Lamanites.
I wrote a letter to the Lamanite king, asking him to allow us to gather our people to the land of Cumorah, near Cumorah Hill, where we could battle them. The Lamanite king allowed this, so we marched to the land of Cumorah and pitched our tents around Cumorah Hill.
This land was full of lakes, rivers and springs, and here we hoped to gain advantage over the Lamanites.
We gathered all our people to Cumorah in 384 AD.
At age 74 I knew this was my people's last struggle. The Lord had commanded me not to allow the sacred records that had been handed down by our forefathers to fall into Lamanite hands, for they would destroy them.
This is why I made this record from Nephi's plates. I hid all the other plates in Cumorah Hill. The only plates I have not hidden are these ones, which I have given to my son Moroni.
My people, along with their wives and children, watched the great Lamanite army marching toward them, and waited to receive them with that awful fear of death that fills the hearts of the wicked.
As the Lamanites came, every one of us was terrified because of their great numbers. They attacked my people with their swords, bows and arrows, axes and all other types of weapons.
My 10,000 men were cut down, and I fell wounded among them, so the Lamanites passed over me and did not kill me.
The next morning, from the top of Cumorah Hill, my son Moroni and I, and 23 other survivors, saw my 10,000 soldiers that I had led into battle, all dead.
We also saw Moroni's 10,000 dead. We saw Gidgiddonah's 10,000 dead, and he had fallen among them. We saw Lamah, Gilgal, Limhah, Jeneum, Cumenihah, Moronihah, Antionum, Shiblom, Shem and Josh, who had each fallen with their 10,000.
There were ten more leaders who had fallen by the sword, each with their 10,000. In addition to these men (230,000 dead), all my people (probably more than a million, not including the dead of the Lamanites) had been killed, except for the 24 who were with me, a few who had escaped to the south, and a few who had deserted to the Lamanites.
Everywhere lay the flesh, bones and blood of the dead, who had been left by the Lamanites to decompose and return to their mother earth. My soul was torn with anguish over my people, and I cried, "Oh you fair ones, how could have you departed from the Lord's ways, rejecting Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
If only you had not rejected Him, then you would not have fallen. But you have fallen, and I mourn your loss. Oh you fair sons, daughters, fathers and mothers, how could you have fallen! But you are gone and my sorrow cannot bring you back.
Soon the day will come when your mortal bodies will be made immortal. Then you will stand before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged according to your works. If you are somehow found righteous, you will be blessed with your forefathers.
Oh that you had repented before this great destruction came upon you. But you are gone, and knowing your condition, the Eternal Father of heaven will deal with you according to His justice and mercy."