11 And after I, Enos,
had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed
unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.
12 And it came to pass
that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me:
I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
13 And now behold,
this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my
people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed,
and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a
record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy
arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites,
that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—
Enos 1:11-13
Having been assured by the Lord that, if the Nephites kept
His commandments, they would be preserved, Enos began to pray “for my brethren, the Lamanites.” Here we see a sign that, even though the
Lamanites were enemies and there had been wars with them, Enos still considers
them his brethren.[1]
After Enos had “prayed
and labored with all diligence,” the Lord told Enos he would grant his
desires because of his faith.
Mormon reminds us, “the
Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto
him for them” (Mormon 5:21). Moroni,
writing his final words in his father’s book, wrote:
And
behold, these things which we have desired concerning our brethren, yea, even
their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of
all the saints who have dwelt in the land.
And
may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to
their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made
with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the
name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Mormon 9:36-37
“The experience of Enos is a parable for the later
conversion of many of these ferocious Lamanites … [I]n contrast with the
idleness suggested in Enos's description of the Lamanites, he prays and labors
"with all diligence" on behalf of the Lamanites, ‘that, perhaps, they
might be brought unto salvation’ (Enos 1:12–13).”[2]
Enos tells us what he desired of the Lord. In expressing his desire, he was following David’s
counsel, “Delight thyself also in the
LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalms 37:4). Should the Nephites be destroyed, he desired
the Lamanites would not be destroyed. He
was most likely away of his uncle Nephi’s vision where he say the future of his
people. “And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for
I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction
of my people, for I had beheld their fall” (1 Nephi 15:5). Mormon also knew he was leading his people to
their destruction because of their wickedness.
“AND now I finish my record
concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth
before the Lamanites” (Mormon 6:1).
He prayed for the day the record of the Nephites would go
forth to the Lamanites. Mormon wrote
about the purpose of the record.
6
But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and
revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice
unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.
7
And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the
workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the
Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do
according to his will.
8
And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come
to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once
again be a delightsome people.
9
And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the
plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding
which God has given me.
10
Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates
into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other
plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from
generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.
11
And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation
until they have fallen into my hands.
And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time
henceforth. And I know that they will be
preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people
and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the
word of God which is written.
Words of Mormon 1:6-11
We have Mormon’s final words. They deal with the Lamanites.
8
Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel
of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in
the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall
come from the Gentiles unto you.
9
For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye
believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know
concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the
power of God among them.
10
And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye
are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye
believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with
the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he
hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.
Mormon 7:8-10
Alma2 emphasized the Lamanites when he gave Helaman
counsel about the importance of the records. “And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the restoration
of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and he hath
shown forth his power in them, and he will also still show forth his power in
them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved” (Alma 37:19).
The Lord promised the day would come when the Nephite record
would be brought forth and go to the Lamanites.
When preaching to the Nephites, Samuel, the Lamanite prophesied, “Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not
utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return
again unto me, saith the Lord” (Helaman 15:16). Alma2 told the people of
Ammonihah, “And at some period of time
they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness
of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the
Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name” (Alma 9:17).
The basis for the hatred of the Nephites was the traditions
of the fathers of the Lamanites. Because
of these traditions, the Lord is more understanding and tolerant of the
Lamanites. They do not have the promises
and covenants that were made with the Nephites.
The Nephites were held to a higher standard. They were not able to meet these standards
and paid the price.
[1]
The
Charge of "Racism" in the Book of Mormon, John A. Tvedtnes,
Maxwell Institute, accessed May 22, 2014.
[2]
"Not
Cast Off Forever" – Imagery, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 22, 2014.
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