The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Kirtland, OH: P. P. Pratt and J. Goodson; printed by O. Cowdery & Co., 1837. iii–vi, 7–619 pp., plus two additional pp. The copy used herein is held at CHL. Includes signature marks.
tended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind; such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit. Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their father Mosiah, in the first year of the reign of the judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them; and also this was the minds of the people; nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might provide food for themselves while in the wilderness: and thus they departed into the wilderness, with their numbers which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto the Lamanites.
And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much, that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God, to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth; to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.
And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his spirit, and said unto them, be comforted; and they were comforted, And the Lord said unto them also, go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long suffering and afflictions, that ye may shew forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands, unto the salvation of many souls.
And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites, to declare unto them the word of God.
And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves, and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord, that they should meet again at the close of their harvest: for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken. And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild, and a hardened, and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the [p. 286]