134 A Plain English Reference to I now give these plates to my brother The . The Plates are passed on Now I, Chemish, write a few things in See The Book of Omni this same book in which my brother Amaron wrote. I saw him engrave his My father commanded me, entry on these plates the same day he Omni, to continue writing our gave them to me. Our fathers have genealogy on these small plates of been commanded to keep this record in Nephi. this way. Most of my life has been spent as a Now I give these plates to my son. warrior, defending my people against the Lamanites. But I myself am a I, , am Chemish's son. I’ve wicked man and have not kept the seen many wars between my people Lord's statutes and commandments as I the and the Lamanites, in should have. which I have killed many Lamanites with my own sword while defending By the year 324 BC, we had gone my brethren. through many periods of war and peace. The history of this people is written on the large plates, which the kings keep It’s now 318 BC, and I have been and hand down from generation to guarding these plates 44 years. I now generation. give them to my son Amaron. Every revelation and prophecy I know Now I, Amaron, write a few things in of has been written, so I will not add to my father's book. this sacred record. By 280 BC, most of the wicked Now I, , am Abinadom's son. I Nephites had been destroyed by the will tell you a little about Mosiah, who Lamanites. After saving Lehi's family was made king over the land of from their enemies in Jerusalem, the . He had been warned by Lord verified His warning to Lehi's the Lord to get out of the land of posterity: Nephi and to go into the wilderness. "If you do not keep my commandments, He was told to take with him all those you will not prosper in the land.” who would listen to the Lord's voice. This is why the Lord has already Mosiah obeyed the Lord and went into visited the wicked Nephites with great the wilderness with as many as would judgments. But He has spared the listen. They were led by much righteous from being killed by their preaching and prophesying and were enemies. constantly warned by the word of God. 135

The Lord led them by the power of They had also lost the knowledge of His arm as they made their exodus their Creator. And so Mosiah had his through the wilderness and came to language taught to them. this land of Zarahemla. After they learned the language, their Here they discovered a people, led by leader Zarahemla recited his genealogy a man named Zarahemla. They were from memory. very happy when they understood the This genealogy is not written here, but Lord had sent Mosiah with the brass on other plates (not translated). plates containing the Jews' records. The people of Zarahemla and the Note: In addition to bringing the brass people of Mosiah united, and Mosiah plates out of the land of Nephi, Mosiah was appointed to be their king. and Amaleki's father Abinadom brought Nephi’s large and small plates and other During his reign, a large engraved sacred things (the Liahona, Laban’s stone was brought to Mosiah, and he sword, and the Interpreters). These things were passed down for 1,000 years interpreted the engravings by the gift until Mormon received them. (W of M and power of God. 1:10-11, Mosiah 1:15-16, 29:42, Alma 37:14) The engravings were the history of a man name Coriantumr, and of his The people of Zarahemla were happy people who had lived with them for to have the brass plates from nine lunar months. Jerusalem, for their ancestors had also come from Jerusalem when Zedekiah, The engravings on the stone also told king of Judah, was carried away of Coriantumr's forefathers --how they captive into Babylon. had come from the tower of Babel (2,200 B.C.) when the Lord confused Like Lehi, their ancestors had been their language. brought by the hand of the Lord across the ocean to the very place where They told of the Lord's severe yet fair Mosiah discovered them. This place judgments that had come upon had been settled for 320 years. Coriantumr's people, and that their bones were scattered on the ground in Mosiah noted that the people of the northern land. Zarahemla were very numerous, even though they had been having wars as I, Amaleki, was born in the days of well. Mosiah. He has since passed away, and now his son Benjamin reigns here in Because they had not brought any Zarahemla. records from Jerusalem, their language had become corrupted, and Mosiah During 's reign, I have could not understand their speech. seen a serious war and great 136 bloodshed between the Nephites and land of Nephi (the place from which the Lamanites. But the Nephites under our fathers had come with Mosiah). King Benjamin have driven the They believed the land of Nephi was Lamanites out of the land of rightfully theirs as an inheritance. Zarahemla. Their leader was a physically strong I am old now and have no children. man. He was also very stubborn, and Since I know King Benjamin is a just this caused fighting to break out among man before the Lord, I will soon give those making the quest. him these plates. Only fifty of his men survived the The messages on these plates invite all fighting in the wilderness, and those to come to God, the Holy One of men returned to the land of Zarahemla. Israel, and to believe in . . . Then these fifty men gathered another . . . prophesying large group and went into the . . . revelations wilderness a second time. . . . of angels I, Amaleki, had a brother who went with them. I have not seen nor heard . . . the gift of speaking in tongues from him since he and his group left. . . . the understanding of languages Now I’m old and will soon die. These . . . all good things small plates of Nephi are full, and I For good comes from the Lord and have finished engraving on them. evil comes from the devil. My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite you to come to Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and to partake of His salvation. Allow His power to redeem you. Come to Him and offer your whole soul to Him, continuing to fast, pray, and to stay righteous throughout your entire lives. If you do this, then as the Lord lives, you will be saved. Now I will tell you about a large number of Nephites who left Zarahemla and went through the wilderness on a quest to return to the