# Mormon 8

*Paraphrase*

### Moroni Alone

I, Moroni, am finishing the record my father Mormon started. I don’t have much left to write—just a few things my father asked me to include.

After the massive battle at Cumorah, the Nephites who escaped into the southern country were hunted down by the Lamanites until every last one was killed. My father was killed too. I’m the only one left to write this heartbreaking story of my people’s destruction. They’re all gone now, and I’m doing what my father commanded. I don’t know if the Lamanites will find and kill me. But I’ll write what I need to and hide these records in the earth. After that, it doesn’t matter where I go. My father made this record and explained its purpose. I’d add more if I had room on these plates, but I don’t. I have no friends—I’m completely alone. My father was killed in battle, along with all my relatives. I have no one and nowhere to go. I don’t know how long the Lord will let me live.

Four hundred years have passed since our Lord and Savior came. The Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, from city to city and place to place until there are none left. Their fall has been devastating—the destruction of my people is almost unbelievable. This is the Lord’s doing. And now the Lamanites are at war with each other. This whole land has become one endless cycle of murder and bloodshed. No one knows when the war will end.

I won’t say more about them. The only people left on this land are Lamanites and robbers. No one knows the true God except the disciples of Jesus, who stayed here until the people became so wicked that the Lord wouldn’t let them remain. Whether they’re still alive somewhere, no one knows. But my father and I saw them, and they ministered to us.

### A Message to Future Readers

Whoever receives this record and doesn’t reject it because of its flaws will learn even greater things than what’s written here. I am Moroni. If I could, I’d tell you everything.

I’m done speaking about this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi. I’m the one who’s hiding this record for the Lord. The metal plates themselves have no value—that’s what the Lord commanded. He made it clear: no one should seek them for profit. But the record on them is immensely valuable, and the Lord will bless whoever brings it to light. No one can bring it to light unless God grants them that power. God wants this done with pure motives—for his glory and for the benefit of his ancient covenant people who have been scattered for so long. Blessed is the person who brings this record to light. It will come out of darkness into light, just as God said. It will come out of the earth and shine through the darkness, reaching the knowledge of the people. This will happen by God’s power.

If there are mistakes in this record, they’re human mistakes. We don’t see any mistakes ourselves. But God knows everything, so anyone who condemns this record should be careful—they’re putting themselves in danger of hell. Anyone who demands, “Show me a sign, or I’ll attack you,” should be careful not to ask for something the Lord has forbidden. Whoever judges harshly will be judged harshly in return. You get what you give. If you strike, you’ll be struck again by the Lord. Here’s what Scripture says: Don’t strike others, and don’t judge them. Judgment belongs to me, says the Lord. Vengeance is mine too, and I will repay.

Anyone who rages against the Lord’s work and against his covenant people—the house of Israel—and says, “We’ll destroy the Lord’s work, and the Lord won’t remember his covenant with Israel,” is in danger of being cut down and thrown into the fire. The Lord’s eternal purposes will keep moving forward until all his promises are fulfilled.

Search Isaiah’s prophecies. I can’t write them all here. But I can tell you this: the faithful believers who lived on this land before me will cry out from the dust to the Lord. And as surely as the Lord lives, he will remember the covenant he made with them. He knows their prayers—they prayed for their brothers and sisters. He knows their faith. In his name they could move mountains. In his name they could shake the earth. By the power of his word they made prison walls crumble. Fire couldn’t burn them. Wild animals and poisonous snakes couldn’t harm them—all because of the power of his word. And they prayed for the person the Lord would allow to bring these things to light.

### A Vision of the Last Days

No one should say, “These things won’t happen,” because they absolutely will. The Lord has promised it. These records will come out of the earth by the Lord’s hand, and nothing can stop them. They’ll come at a time when people say miracles don’t happen anymore. It will be like a voice speaking from the dead.

They’ll come at a time when the blood of believers cries out to the Lord because of secret conspiracies and evil deeds done in darkness. They’ll come when people deny God’s power, when churches become corrupt and puffed up with pride—when church leaders and teachers are so proud they’re jealous of people in their own congregations. They’ll come when people hear reports of fires, storms, and clouds of smoke in distant lands. When people hear of wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in different places. They’ll come when the earth is deeply corrupted—full of murder, robbery, lying, deception, sexual sin, and every kind of evil. When many people say, “Do whatever you want—it doesn’t matter. The Lord will accept you in the end.” But those people are in terrible danger. They’re trapped in bitterness and bound by their sins. They’ll come when churches say, “Come to us, and for your money we’ll forgive your sins.”

You wicked, twisted, stubborn people! Why do you build churches to make money? Why have you distorted God’s holy word to bring damnation on yourselves? Look to God’s revelations! The time is coming when all these things will be fulfilled. The Lord has shown me incredible things about what will happen when this record comes to you.

### Speaking Across Time

I’m speaking to you as if you’re here with me, though you’re not yet born. Jesus Christ has shown me your world, and I know what you’re doing.

I know you walk around proud. Except for a few people, almost everyone is lifted up in pride—wearing expensive clothes, filled with envy, fighting, hatred, persecution, and every kind of sin. Your churches—every single one—have become corrupt because of pride. You love money, possessions, fancy clothes, and beautiful church buildings more than you love the poor, the needy, the sick, and the suffering. You corrupt hypocrites! You teachers who sell out for things that will rot away! Why have you polluted God’s holy church? Why are you ashamed to be called Christians? Why don’t you realize that endless happiness is worth more than endless misery—all because you care more about what people think of you? Why do you decorate yourselves with lifeless things while you let hungry, needy, naked, sick, and suffering people walk right past you without even noticing them? Why do you build up your secret evil schemes to get rich, making widows and orphans cry out to the Lord? Their husbands’ and fathers’ blood cries from the ground for vengeance against you. The sword of vengeance hangs over your heads. The time is coming soon when he will avenge the blood of his faithful people. He won’t ignore their cries any longer.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/mormon/8)*
