desirous to know the cause of their destruction.
Mosiah 8:13
13 Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king,
of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith
that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient
date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called
interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded,
lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish.
And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called
seer.
Mosiah 8:14
14 And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of
Zarahemla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and
who has this high gift from God.
Mosiah 8:15
15 And the king said that a seer is greater than a prophet.
Mosiah 8:16
16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also;
and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should
possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have
great power given him from God.
Mosiah 8:17
17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of
things which are to come, and by them shall all things be
revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and
hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known
shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known
by them which otherwise could not be known.
Mosiah 8:18
18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might
work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to
his fellow beings.
Mosiah 8:19
19 And now, when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words
the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying:
Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and
these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of
unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.
Mosiah 8:20
20 O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth
he suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable
are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not
seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over
them!
Mosiah 8:21
21 Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd,
and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of
the forest.
Mosiah 9 Chapter 9
Mosiah 9:1
1 I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the
Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of
the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and having been sent
as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces,
that our army might come upon them and destroy them—but when I
saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they
should not be destroyed.
Mosiah 9:2
2 Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness for
I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he
being an austere and a bloodthirsty man commanded that I should
be slain; but I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for
father fought against father, and brother against brother, until
the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness;
and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of
Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.
Mosiah 9:3
3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our
fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess
the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to
go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore
afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.
Mosiah 9:4
4 Nevertheless, after many days' wandering in the wilderness we
pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were slain,
which was near to the land of our fathers.
Mosiah 9:5
5 And it came to pass that I went again with four of my men into
the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition
of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my
people and possess the land in peace.
Mosiah 9:6
6 And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I
might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom.
Mosiah 9:7
7 And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the
land, and I and my people went into the land that we might
possess it.
Mosiah 9:8
8 And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of
the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the
city of Shilom.
Mosiah 9:9
9 And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of
seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with
neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and
we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.
Mosiah 9:10
10 Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to
bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we
might possess it.
Mosiah 9:11
11 Therefore it came to pass, that after we had dwelt in the
land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow
uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the
land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into
bondage.
Mosiah 9:12
12 Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people;