Mormon 3
Chapter 3

Mormon 3:1 1 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle
again until ten years more had passed away.  And behold, I had
employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and
their arms against the time of battle.

Mormon 3:2 2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me:  Cry unto
this people—­Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and
build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.

Mormon 3:3 3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they
did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and
granted unto them a chance for repentance.  And behold they did
harden their hearts against the Lord their God.

Mormon 3:4 4 And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again to battle against us.

Mormon 3:5 5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they
should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a
city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into
the land southward.

Mormon 3:6 6 And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the
armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of
any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all
our force.

Mormon 3:7 7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.

Mormon 3:8 8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did
come down again to battle.  And we did beat them again, and did
slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the
sea.

Mormon 3:9 9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the
Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength,
and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge
themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by
their enemies.

Mormon 3:10 10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of
God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and
would cut them off from the face of the land.

Mormon 3:11 11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from
this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people,
because of their wickedness and abomination.

Mormon 3:12 12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts.