Redaction: We are seeing Mormon’s conclusion to this war and in Mormon’s concluding statements we have the opportunity to examine his reasons for including them. Here we see one of the overriding themes that Mormon wants us to see. Even though there were “murders, and contentions, and dissensions, and all manner of iniquity among the people of Nephi,” the eventual triumph came at the hands of faithful men. The stories of Helaman and his Ammonites were selected because they not only described victory, but described a people with firm faith in the Nephite religion.
The story of Pahoran is again the story of a faithful man beset by betrayal, but triumphing in the end through his continued faithfulness. Of course we also have the example of Moroni, who is given to us as the ultimate example of a righteous man fighting for the Nephite ideals. In this very short verse, Mormon tells us the reason he has selected these stories. They all tell us that in the midst of dire troubles and tribulations, there is protection in our faith in God, and in our acceptance of his laws and requirements. From our obedience and faith come God’s intervention and our ultimate protection, according to the promise he has made.