pgs. 468 and 469...and there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.

38 And it came to pass that they who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in ^aunbelief, but they did ^bwilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle.

39 And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their fathers, even as it was in the beginning. And they were ^ataught to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to ^bhate the children of Nephi from the beginning.

40 And it came to pass that *two hundred and forty and four years had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the people. And the ^amore wicked part of the people did wax strong, and became exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God.

41 And they did still continue to build up churches unto themselves, and adorn them with all manner of precious things. And thus did two hundred and fifty years pass away, and also two hundred and sixty years.

42 And it came to pass that the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and ^acombinations of Gadianton.

43 And also the people who were called the people of Nephi began to be proud in their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, and become ^avain like unto their brethren, the Lamanites.

44 And from this time the disciples began to sorrow for the ^asins of the world.

45 And it came to pass that when three hundred years had passed away, both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like unto another.

46 And it came to pass that the robbers of ^aGadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did ^btraffic in all manner of traffic.

47 And it came to pass that after *three hundred and five years had passed away, (and the people did still remain in wickedness) ^aAmos died; and his brother, Ammaron, did keep the record in his stead.

48 And it came to pass that when *three hundred and twenty years had passed away, ^aAmmaron, being constrained by the Holy Ghost, did ^bhide up the ^crecords which were ^dsacred—yea, even all the sacred records which had been handed down from generation to generation, which were sacred—even until the three hundred and twentieth year from the coming of Christ.

49 And he did hide them up unto the Lord, that they might ^acome again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob, according to the prophecies and the promises of the Lord. And thus is the end of the record of Ammaron.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

CHAPTER 1

Ammaron instructs Mormon concerning the sacred records—War commences between the Nephites and the Lamanites—The Three Nephites are taken away—Wickedness, unbelief, sorceries, and witchcraft prevail. About A.D. 322—326

1 And now I, Mormon, make a ^arecord of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the ^bBook of Mormon.

2 And about the time that ^aAmmaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be ^blearned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a ^csober child, and art quick to observe;

3 Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the ^aland Antum, unto a hill which shall be called ^bShim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.

4 And behold, ye shall take the ^aplates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.

5 And I, Mormon, being a descendant of ^aNephi, (and my father’s name was Mormon) I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me.

6 And it came to pass that I, being *eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla.

7 The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.

8 And it came to pass in this year there began to be a war between the ^aNephites, who consisted of the Nephites and the Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and this war was between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites.

9 Now the ^aLamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, and the two parties were Nephites and Lamanites.

10 And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.

11 And it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men, even to exceed the number of thirty thousand. And it came to pass that they did have in this same year a number of ^abattles, in which the Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them.

12 And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace settled in the land; and peace did remain for the space of about four years, that there was no bloodshed.

13 But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his ^abeloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people.

14 And there were no ^agifts from the Lord, and the ^bHoly Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and ^cunbelief.

In the introduction to the first 5 chapters of Mormon in the Institute Manual it states, "these chapters repeat the message that prevails throughout the Book of Mormon - there is no weapon that can prevail against the righteous, except their own unrighteousness." If people only realized this so many could be saved from so much suffering. The Lord wants us to be happy but He is not going to force us. We must choose it for ourselves.