Mormon does not provide us with very much information concerning his boyhood, but the scanty details he does provide indicate:
1. He was born probably in A.D. 310 or 311. (He was about ten years of age in A.D. 321 —see 4 Nephi 48 and Mormon 1:2.)2. He was a descendant of Nephi. (Mormon 1:5.)
3. His father’s name was Mormon, and he was named after the land of Mormon. (Mormon 1:5 and 3 Nephi 5:12.)
4. He was evidently born in the land northward. (Mormon 1:2, 6.)
5. At the age of fifteen he was “visited of the Lord.” (Mormon 1:15.)
6. Despite his testimony of the divinity of Christ, he was “forbidden” to preach repentance unto the wicked people. (Mormon 1:16.)
7. In his “sixteenth year” he was appointed leader of the Nephite armies, and he and his armies defended the Nephites from the Lamanites. (Mormon 2:2.)
Elder Sterling W. Sill has written concerning the boyhood and manhood of Mormon as follows:
Mormon has an interesting and remarkable history. At age 15, like Samuel at Shiloh, he received a personal visitation from the Lord. And at age 16 he was launched upon what so far as I can find was the greatest military career in history, stretching as it did over a period of 58 years. (Mormon 1:15, 2:16.)It is interesting to imagine the kind of qualities that a young man would need to have to attract a personal visit from the Lord at such a young age, and then when only sixteen years old to win for himself the leadership of a great national army.
Mormon possessed in great abundance the qualities that make a leader believed in, loved and followed, only one of these will be mentioned here and that was that Mormon had to be restrained in his desire to preach the gospel. If you would like to develop a good fault, here is one of the best I know of. Most of us have to be coaxed and begged and reminded to do our duty. Mormon had to be held back. (Mormon 1:16-17.)
… No one had to push Mormon, neither were his abilities confined to one field. He was a prophet, general, author, historian, and almost the last survivor of a great civilization… . If you think it an inspiration that a 16 year old boy could win the leadership of a great national army what would you think of a man between the ages of 65 and 74 who was still the best man among his entire people for this top position of leadership, and in those days the general marched at the head and not in the rear of his troops. (Mormon 6:11) It is one thing to shoot a guided missile at an enemy a thousand miles away, but it is quite another thing to meet the enemy face to face, and with a sword or a battle axe, take on all comers, old and young, on any basis they might choose to elect; and still be in there fighting at age 74. No weakling or coward survives a test like that. His leadership and great skill in battle must have been an inspiration to those fortunate companions in arms who were privileged to fight at his side …
Mormon impresses his greatness upon us in many ways. He was a greater general than Washington. Washington led a little Revolutionary army for just a few months, and the total American dead was 4,435… .
Mormon was a greater statesman than Lincoln. Lincoln undoubtedly received inspiration from God during the years that he was trying to hold the Union together, but Mormon talked with God directly over this long period.
Mormon was a greater author than Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote a great literature, much of which is good and much of which is bad. But Mormon wrote by direct command of God a literature which if followed would save the world. (The Upward Reach [Bookcraft, 1962], pp. 248-49, 252-54.)