Moroni Receives Pahoran’s Letter
When Moroni received this letter, his heart was filled with courage and great joy. He was happy because Pahoran was faithful and was not a traitor to his country’s freedom. But he was also very sad because of the bad people who had forced Pahoran out of his judge’s seat. He was sad because they had turned against their country and God.
Gathering an Army
Moroni took a small number of men, just as Pahoran had asked. He gave Lehi and Teancum command over the rest of his army. Then he marched toward the land of Gideon. He raised the flag of freedom in every place he entered. He got as many soldiers as he could on his march toward the land of Gideon. Thousands of people came to join his flag. They picked up their swords to defend their freedom so they would not become slaves. Moroni got as many men as he could on his march. He came to the land of Gideon. He joined his forces with Pahoran’s forces. They became very strong. They were stronger than the men of Pachus. Pachus was the king of those who had forced the free people out of Zarahemla and had taken over the land.
Taking Back Zarahemla
Moroni and Pahoran went down with their armies into the land of Zarahemla. They went against the city. They met the men of Pachus and came to battle. Pachus was killed. His men were taken as prisoners. Pahoran got his judge’s seat back. The men of Pachus had a trial according to the law. The king-men who had been taken and put in prison also had a trial. They were killed according to the law. Those men of Pachus and those king-men who would not pick up weapons to defend their country were put to death. Those who would fight against their country were put to death. This law had to be followed closely for the safety of their country. Anyone who was found denying freedom was quickly killed according to the law. This ended the thirtieth year of the judges over the people of Nephi. Moroni and Pahoran had brought peace back to the land of Zarahemla among their own people. They had killed all those who were not true to the cause of freedom.
Sending Help to Other Armies
At the start of the thirty-first year of the judges over the people of Nephi, Moroni right away sent food and an army of six thousand men to Helaman. This was to help him keep that part of the land safe. He also sent an army of six thousand men with enough food to the armies of Lehi and Teancum. This was done to make the land stronger against the Lamanites.
Marching to Nephihah
Moroni and Pahoran left many soldiers in the land of Zarahemla. They took a large group of men and marched toward the land of Nephihah. They were going to defeat the Lamanites in that city. As they were marching toward the land, they found a large group of Lamanites. They killed many of them. They took their food and their weapons. After they took them, they made them make a promise that they would not fight against the Nephites again. When they had made this promise, they were sent to live with the people of Ammon. There were about four thousand who had not been killed. When they had sent them away, they kept marching toward the land of Nephihah. When they came to the city of Nephihah, they set up their tents on the plains near the city. Moroni wanted the Lamanites to come out and fight them on the plains. But the Lamanites knew about their great courage. They saw how many soldiers they had. So they did not dare come out against them. They did not come to battle that day.
Taking the City at Night
When night came, Moroni went out in the darkness of the night. He climbed on top of the wall to see where the Lamanites had set up their camp. They were on the east side by the entrance. They were all asleep. Moroni went back to his army. He told them to quickly prepare strong ropes and ladders. These would be let down from the top of the wall into the inner part of the wall. Moroni had his men march forward and climb on top of the wall. They let themselves down into the city on the west side, where the Lamanites did not have their camp. They were all let down into the city by night using their strong ropes and ladders. When morning came, they were all inside the walls of the city. When the Lamanites woke up and saw that Moroni’s armies were inside the walls, they were very scared. They ran out through the pass. When Moroni saw that they were running away, he had his men march against them. They killed many. They surrounded many others and took them as prisoners. The rest of them ran into the land of Moroni, which was near the seashore. Moroni and Pahoran had taken the city of Nephihah without losing one person. Many of the Lamanites were killed.
Prisoners Join the People of Ammon
Many of the Lamanite prisoners wanted to join the people of Ammon and become a free people. As many as wanted to were allowed to join, just as they had wanted. All the Lamanite prisoners joined the people of Ammon. They began to work very hard. They worked the ground. They grew all kinds of grain and raised flocks and herds of every kind. The Nephites were relieved from a great load. They were relieved from all the Lamanite prisoners.
Chasing the Lamanites
After Moroni had taken the city of Nephihah, he had taken many prisoners. This made the Lamanite armies much smaller. He had also got back many Nephites who had been taken as prisoners. This made Moroni’s army much stronger. So Moroni went from the land of Nephihah to the land of Lehi. When the Lamanites saw that Moroni was coming against them, they were scared again. They ran away from Moroni’s army. Moroni and his army chased them from city to city. They were met by Lehi and Teancum. The Lamanites ran from Lehi and Teancum down to the borders by the seashore. They came to the land of Moroni. The Lamanite armies all gathered together in one group in the land of Moroni. Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, was also with them. Moroni, Lehi, and Teancum set up their camps with their armies all around the borders of the land of Moroni. The Lamanites were circled in on the south by the wilderness and on the east by the wilderness.
Teancum’s Final Mission
They set up camp for the night. The Nephites and the Lamanites were both tired because of the long march. So they did not make any plans that night, except for Teancum. He was very angry with Ammoron. He thought that Ammoron and his brother Amalickiah had caused this great long war between them and the Lamanites. It had caused so much war and killing and so much hunger. In his anger, Teancum went into the camp of the Lamanites. He let himself down over the walls of the city. He went with a rope from place to place until he found the king. He threw a spear at him. It went into him near the heart. But the king woke his servant before he died. They chased Teancum and killed him.
When Lehi and Moroni found out that Teancum was dead, they were very sad. He had been a man who had fought bravely for his country. He was a true friend to freedom. He had suffered many very hard troubles. But he was dead and had died.
The Final Battle
The next morning, Moroni marched out and came upon the Lamanites. They killed them with a great killing. They drove them out of the land. They ran away and did not return against the Nephites at that time.
This ended the thirty-first year of the judges over the people of Nephi. They had had wars, killing, hunger, and trouble for many years. There had been murders, fighting, disagreements, and all kinds of bad things among the people of Nephi. But for the sake of the good people, because of the prayers of the good people, they were saved. Because the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites had been very long, many people had become hard. But many people were softened because of their troubles. They humbled themselves before God with deep humility.
Peace Returns
After Moroni had made the parts of the land most open to the Lamanites strong enough, he went back to the city of Zarahemla. Helaman also went back to his home. Peace was set up again among the people of Nephi. Moroni gave command of his armies to his son, whose name was Moronihah. He went home so he could spend the rest of his days in peace. Pahoran went back to his judge’s seat. Helaman began to preach the word of God to the people again. Because of so many wars and fights, rules needed to be made again in the church. So Helaman and his brothers went out and taught the word of God with much power. They convinced many people of their wrong ways. This made them sorry for their sins. They were baptized to the Lord their God.
They set up the church of God again throughout all the land. Rules were made about the law. Their judges and their chief judges were chosen. The people of Nephi began to do well again in the land. They began to grow in number and become very strong again in the land. They began to grow very rich. But even with their riches, their strength, and their success, they were not proud. They were not slow to remember the Lord their God. They humbled themselves greatly before him. They remembered the great things the Lord had done for them. He had saved them from death, from chains, from prisons, and from all kinds of troubles. He had saved them from their enemies. They prayed to the Lord their God all the time. The Lord blessed them according to his word. They became strong and did well in the land. All these things happened. Helaman died in the thirty-fifth year of the judges over the people of Nephi.