# Mormon 4

*Simple English*

### The Nephites Are Defeated

In the year 363, the Nephites went with their armies to fight the Lamanites out of the land Desolation. The Nephite armies were pushed back to the land of Desolation. While they were still tired, a new Lamanite army came and attacked them. They had a hard battle. The Lamanites took over the city Desolation. They killed many Nephites and took many prisoners. The rest ran away and joined the people of the city Teancum. The city Teancum was on the coast by the sea. It was also near the city Desolation.

The Nephite armies were beaten because they attacked the Lamanites. If they had not attacked, the Lamanites could not have beaten them. But God will judge the wicked. The wicked are punished by the wicked. It is the wicked who stir up people’s hearts to kill.

The Lamanites got ready to come against the city Teancum. In the year 364, the Lamanites came against the city Teancum. They wanted to take over the city Teancum also. The Nephites pushed them back and drove them away. When the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites away, they bragged about their strength again. They went forward in their own strength and took back the city Desolation. All these things had happened. Thousands were killed on both sides, both Nephites and Lamanites.

### The People Become Very Wicked

By the year 366, the Lamanites came again to fight the Nephites. But the Nephites did not turn from the evil things they had done. They kept doing wicked things. No one can describe or write a full picture of the terrible killing that happened among the people. Both the Nephites and the Lamanites had hard hearts. They loved to kill. There had never been such great wickedness among all the children of Lehi. There had never been such wickedness among all the people of Israel. The Lord said this was the most wicked people ever.

The Lamanites took over the city Desolation. This happened because there were more Lamanites than Nephites. They also marched against the city Teancum. They forced the people out of the city. They took many women and children as prisoners. They killed them as gifts to their false gods.

### The Nephites Fight Back

In the year 367, the Nephites were angry because the Lamanites had killed their women and children. They went against the Lamanites with great anger. They beat the Lamanites again and drove them out of their lands. The Lamanites did not come against the Nephites again until the year 375.

### The Lamanites Return with Power

In that year they came down against the Nephites with all their power. There were too many to count. From this time on, the Nephites had no power over the Lamanites. They began to be wiped out like dew in the sun.

The Lamanites came down against the city Desolation. There was a hard battle fought in the land Desolation. They beat the Nephites. The Nephites ran away from them again. They came to the city Boaz. There they fought against the Lamanites with great courage. The Lamanites did not beat them until they came a second time. When they came the second time, the Nephites were driven back. Many were killed. Their women and children were killed again as gifts to false gods. The Nephites ran away from them again. They took all the people with them from the towns and villages.

### Mormon Saves the Records

I, Mormon, saw that the Lamanites were about to take over the land. So I went to the hill Shim. I took up all the records that Ammaron had hidden for the Lord.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/simple/mormon/4)*
