The destruction of the Nephites was close at hand, and Mormon knew it. He called his people to fight the final battle at the Hill Cumorah, located in a land with unusual terrain: “many waters, rivers, and fountains.” One gets the sense that Mormon was not just older chronologically but feeling old. He had battled the Lamanites his whole life, but more to the point, he had battled the wickedness of his people. Who would not be weary? When his people saw the vast enemy army approaching, they waited with fearful resignation for the battle to begin. Fear is the absence of faith (Mark 4:40). The righteous need not take counsel from their fears. The wicked it seems have no choice but to do so. Thus, Mormon’s comment about his old age against the backdrop of knowing this battle “to be the last struggle of my people” is very telling. Mormon hid all the plates for which he had been custodian, except for the few that he passed on to his son Moroni.