“The Nephites Could Have Slain Them but Behold This Was Not the Desire of Moroni”

“Moroni makes good on his promise to Ammoron when, summoned by Laman, he and his men surround the sleeping Lamanites and arm the Nephite women and children who are prisoners in the city of Gid (see Alma 54:12). They do not use their weapons, but their arms help persuade the Lamanites to surrender…Not one person is killed; no one is ’destroyed.’ Thus, though in his letter Moroni unleashes his anger in words, afterwards he shows mercy in deeds.” (Richard Dilworth Rust, Feasting on the Word: The Literary Testimony of the Book of Mormon, p.154.)