We placed all our armies in Desolation to stop the Lamanite army from taking possession of our lands.
In 361 AD the Lamanites came to Desolation to battle against us, but we beat them, and they returned to their own lands.
The following year they came again, and we beat them again, killing a great number of them, and we threw their bodies into the sea. Because of this victory, my people began to boast of their own strength. They swore by the heavens and by the throne of God that they would avenge the blood of their brethren who had been killed, that they would go to battle against their enemies and cut them off the face of the land.
When they had done this, I, Mormon, utterly refused to continue being their commander and leader. Before this, I had led them to battle many times, in spite of their wickedness. I had loved them with all my heart because of God's love in me. My soul had been poured out in prayer to my God all day long for them, but I prayed without faith in them, for their hearts were hard.
The Lord had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies three times, and they still would not repent. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had forbidden them to swear by heaven or by the throne of God. And because they did this, swearing that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, the Lord's voice said to me,
- "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay. Because this people will not repent after I have delivered them, they will be cut off the face of the earth.”
This is why I refused to go against my enemies again. I did what the Lord commanded me, and I became a witness to the world of
