Mormon 6

(All of my own thoughts are in blue ? red type 7/20 orange 7/21 brown 2022 -23) 

CHAPTER 6

The Nephites gather to the land of Cumorah for the final battles—Mormon hides the sacred records in the hill Cumorah—The Lamanites are victorious, and the Nephite nation is destroyed—Hundreds of thousands are slain with the sword. About A.D. 385.

  1 And now I finish my record concerning the ^adestruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites.
  2 And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather together our people unto the ^aland of ^bCumorah, I wonder why this coordinated battle? Why not just gather and wait for them to come? Why plan it? Just get it over? by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle.
  3 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired.
  4 And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of ^amany waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites. Maybe there  was some strategy to their plan...
  5 And when ^athree hundred and eighty and four years had passed away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah.
  6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; He started leading these people in their wars at age 16. I think he's about 64 according to the dates in the headings... and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were ^asacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would ^bdestroy them) therefore I made ^cthis record out of the plates of Nephi, and ^dhid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were ^ethese few plates which I gave unto my son ^fMoroni. There are different opinions about this hill where all the records are buried. Some say it is a hill in S. America and then Mormon walked to the hill in New York and buried the plates Joseph was given there. Others say it is the same hill where this final battle took place. I think there have been tons of arrowheads found in this area. Some say there would be skeletal remains, but others say if they weren't buried they would have    disintegrated over time. The hill was unnamed at the time Joseph was shown the plates. I think there is a record of someone being shown the records inside the hill, but they are hidden from any kind of detection from the outside.
  7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the ^aarmies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful ^bfear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them. Interesting phrase for a people who loved killing. You'd think they wouldn't fear death. But I think this fear he speaks of might be a spiritual fear as they fear finally meeting their maker.
  8 And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers. The Lamanites were probably happy to have them all gathered together in one place, knowing if they won, they would finally be rid of all the Nephites. I'm wondering if any Lamanites ever "defected" to the Nephite side through all these years. You hear of the other way around a lot...
  9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.
 10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ^aten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; Sometimes God's protection comes by him allowing you to be hurt a little...another paradox and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life. Interesting that Mormon was still able to fight with them, knowing what was coming...but since he wrote the letter, I guess he had to.
 11 And when they had gone through and hewn down ^aall my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) somewhere in these last 64 years Mormon married and had children, (or at least one son). This is the first mention we have of him, I think. This saving of Moroni would be a tender mercy for this father, Mormon  and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in the front by me. This is a true war hero/leader...going on in front.
 12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni. Also out front. Their leading wasn't just shouting orders from behind and watching...
 13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he also in the midst.
 14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each.
 15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even ^aall my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a ^bfew who had escaped into the south countries ok...I think I would want to be in this group who escaped... and a few who had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; I'm counting about 230,000 people! That is ALOT to gather to one place for a "final" battle! How terrifying for the women and children to be gathered for this battle too! and their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their mother earth. Here is language that suggests they weren't buried and there are no remains...
 16 And my soul was rent with ^aanguish, because of the slain of my people, and I cried:   Nephi saw this day and cried as well: 2 Nephi 26:7 O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are just. You have to believe that the Nephites had this prophecy before them and were continually warned AND they had the amazing history after Christ's visit. But...either the prophecies were not taught anymore or they didn't believe them. What do we do with our prophecies of our day that teach of our destructions? Isaiah says only a remnant repent! Make sure you are among the remnant.
 17 ^aO ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
 18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I ^amourn your loss.
 19 O ye ^afair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have ^bfallen!
 20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return. Mormon did all he could for his people, but ultimately each person must choose for themselves. 
 21 And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become ^aincorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you.
 22 O that ye had repented before this great ^adestruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven, ^bknoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his ^cjustice and ^dmercy.