A Request to Exchange Prisoners
In the twenty-ninth year of the judges, Ammoron sent a message to Moroni asking to exchange prisoners. Moroni was thrilled. He wanted to free up the food being used to feed Lamanite prisoners so his own people could eat. He also needed to get his own soldiers back to strengthen his army. The Lamanites had captured many women and children. Moroni had only taken male soldiers prisoner. So he came up with a plan to get as many Nephite prisoners back as possible. He wrote a letter and sent it back with Ammoron’s messenger. This is what Moroni wrote:
Moroni’s Angry Letter
“Ammoron, I’m writing to you about this war you’re waging against my people—the war your brother started and you’ve decided to keep going even after his death. I want to tell you something about God’s justice and the sword of his wrath hanging over your head. Unless you repent and pull your armies back to your own lands—the land of Nephi. I would tell you all this if you were capable of listening. I would tell you about the terrible hell waiting to receive murderers like you and your brother—unless you repent, stop your murderous campaign, and take your armies home. But since you’ve already rejected these warnings and fought against the Lord’s people, I expect you’ll do it again. So here’s where we stand: we’re ready for you. Unless you back down, you’re going to pull down the wrath of the God you’ve rejected—and it will utterly destroy you. As the Lord lives, our armies will come after you if you don’t withdraw. You’ll be facing death soon, because we will hold our cities and our lands. We will defend our faith and our God.
But I’m probably wasting my breath. I think you’re a child of hell. So let me close by telling you this: I won’t exchange prisoners unless you agree to these terms—you hand over a man, his wife, and his children for each one of our prisoners. If you agree to that, I’ll make the exchange. And if you don’t agree, I’ll come against you with my armies. I’ll even arm my women and children, and we’ll chase you all the way back to your own land—the land that was once ours. It will be blood for blood, life for life. I’ll fight you until you’re wiped off the face of the earth. I’m angry, and so are my people. You’ve tried to murder us. We’ve only tried to defend ourselves. But if you keep trying to destroy us, we’ll seek to destroy you. And we will take back the lands that were ours first.
I close this letter. I am Moroni, leader of the Nephite people.“
Ammoron’s Defiant Reply
When Ammoron received the letter, he was furious. He wrote back to Moroni:
“I am Ammoron, king of the Lamanites. I’m the brother of Amalickiah, whom you murdered. I will avenge his blood. I’ll come against you with my armies. Your threats don’t scare me. Your ancestors wronged their brothers. They robbed them of their right to rule, when it rightfully belonged to them. So if you lay down your weapons and agree to be governed by those who rightfully should rule, then I’ll have my people lay down their weapons too. We’ll stop fighting. You’ve made plenty of threats against me and my people, but we’re not afraid of your threats.
Still, I’ll agree to exchange prisoners like you asked. I’d be glad to free up food for my fighting men. We’re going to wage an eternal war—either until the Nephites submit to our rule, or until they’re completely wiped out. As for this God you say we’ve rejected—we don’t know any such being. Neither do you. But if there is such a being, maybe he made us just like he made you. And if there’s a devil and a hell, won’t he send you there to be with my brother—the one you murdered? The one you’re hinting is in hell? But none of this matters.
I am Ammoron, descended from Zoram, whom your ancestors forced to leave Jerusalem. And I’m a proud Lamanite. This war has been fought to avenge the wrongs done to us, and to take back our right to rule. I close my letter to Moroni.“