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]

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

 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;

 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.

 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.

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

 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.

 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.

 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.

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

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

 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.

 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.

 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.

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

 And I, *being ^afifteen^• years of age and being somewhat of a ^bsober mind, therefore I was ^cvisited^• of the Lord, and ^dtasted^• and knew of the goodness of Jesus.

 And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had ^awilfully^• rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were ^btaken^• away out of the land, because of their iniquity.

 But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to ^apreach^• unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was ^bcursed^• for their sake.

 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to ^ahide^• up their ^btreasures^• in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.

 And it came to pass that there were ^asorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also ^bSamuel^• the Lamanite.

* Verse 6  [About A.D. 322]; Verse 15  [About A.D. 326].