Nephite Decline and Downfall
- 4 Nephi 1
- Time passes, and all those that repent, are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost are welcome in the church founded by Jesus’ disciples.
- 4 Nephi 2
- Soon after, everyone is converted, and all live together peacefully.
- 4 Nephi 3
- The people live in freedom and equality.
- 4 Nephi 4–5
- Peace abounds as Jesus’ disciples perform an abundance of miracles in Jesus’ name.
- 4 Nephi 6–9
- Many more years go by in prosperity, and the people rebuild the city of Zarahemla along with many other cities.
- 4 Nephi 10–12
- The Nephites multiply, receive the Lord’s blessings, and accept the new, higher of law of Christ instead of the old law of Moses.
- 4 Nephi 13
- There is no contention among the people, only miracles.
- 4 Nephi 14
- One hundred years pass from the visit of Christ; the original disciples have all died and been replaced (except for the three who were granted immortality) and the majority of the first generation that witnessed Christ’s visit firsthand have died.
- 4 Nephi 15–17
- The people continue to live in peace and harmony—there are no distinctions into Nephites or Lamanites, but they are all accounted for as children of Christ.
- 4 Nephi 18
- Ten years later, the first generation has all died, and the Lord continues to bless the people in all things.
- 4 Nephi 19–20
- All this while, Nephi (the disciple Nephi’s son) was keeping the Nephite record, and he hands it over to his son Amos, who notes that a small number of people have left the Nephite body and assumed a Lamanite identity.
- 4 Nephi 21
- Amos makes his record, and passes it on to his son, also named Amos.
- 4 Nephi 22–23
- Two hundred years have passed, and the Nephites have multiplied, and live in prosperous wealth.
- 4 Nephi 24–26
- The economic affluence of the people causes them to be prideful, and social classes begin to develop, causing the church to struggle.
- 4 Nephi 27–28
- Within ten years, other churches begin to sprout up; they deny many points of the gospel all while claiming to know Christ.
- 4 Nephi 29–30
- One church denies Christ, and begins to persecute the original church; some disciples are thrown into prisons, but they are able to miraculously escape.
- 4 Nephi 31–34
- Just as the Jews sought to kill Jesus, the competing churches try to destroy the original believers.
- 4 Nephi 35–37
- The people begin to divide into groups labeled like the societies of previous centuries; the beilevers assume the identiy of Nephites, Lamanites, Jacobites, Josephites, and Zoramites.
- 4 Nephi 38–39
- The unbelievers assume the labels of Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishamelites; they rebel against the gospel, and are taught to hate the believers.
- 4 Nephi 40–41
- The unbelieving population soon grows larger than the group of believers.
- 4 Nephi 42–44
- The secret Gadianton organizations are revived, and pride corrupts the people’s hearts—Jesus’ three disciples begin to sorrow for the sins of the world.
- 4 Nephi 45–46
- The Gadianton influence spreads to the point that all groups become equally evil and corrupt.
- 4 Nephi 47
- Amos dies, and his brother Ammaron becomes the custodian of the Nephites records.
- 4 Nephi 48
- Ammaron is prompted by the Holy Ghost to hide the Nephite records.
- 4 Nephi 49, Mormon 1:3
- Ammaron obeys, and hides the records in the hill Shim.
- Mormon 1:1–4
- Ammaron goes to a ten year old boy named Mormon, and tells him that when he is twenty four years old, he needs to go to the hill Shim, get the Nephite records, and add to them the chronicles of the contemporary Nephites.
- Mormon 1:5–7
- The next year, Mormon’s father (also named Mormon) takes Mormon south, to the land of Zarahemla, which has become a densely populated urban hub.
- Mormon 1:8–10
- A war breaks out near Zarahemla between the Nephite allies and Lamanites allies.
- Mormon 1:11–12
- The Nephites, assemble an army of 30,000 soldiers, are able to repel the Lamanites and restore peace.
- Mormon 1:13–14
- Widespread wickedness causes the Holy Ghost to withdraw, and the disciples to be taken away.
- Mormon 1:15–17
- Mormon, now 15, matures spiritually, and comes to know of the goodness of Jesus; he wishes to preach to the people, but is forbidden.
- Mormon 1:18–19
- The Gadianton influence continues to spread, people’s objects and belongings begin to dissapear; witchcraft, sorcery and satanism abounds in the land.
- Mormon 2:1–2
- Mormon, now sixteen years old, is appointed to be military commander of the Nephites in a conflict against the Lamanites.
- Mormon 2:3–6
- Mormon, now seventeen, leads the Nephite army against the Lamanites; the Lamanites gain the advantage, and the Nephites retreat to a city called Angola, then are driven to the land of David, then the land of Joshua.
- Mormon 2:7–8
- Mormon tries to gather his people together, but is hindered by the robbers and Lamanites infesting the land; despite the looming conflict, and Nephites refuse to repent.
- Mormon 2:9
- A Lamanite army of 44,000 , led by a king named Aaron, come against Mormon’s army of 42,000; Mormon manages to beat Aaron’s army.
- Mormon 2:10–11
- The Nephites begin to repent and mourn for their sorrows and afflictions.
- Mormon 2:12–15
- Mormon takes hope in seeing their repentance, but is disheartened to realize it is not godly sorrow, only the sorrowing of the damned.
- Mormon 2:17–19
- According to Ammaron’s request, Mormon, age 24, goes to hill Shim, the place of records, and adds to the plates of Nephi the account of his people—the tale of their wickedness and sin.
- Mormon 2:16–17
- In Mormon’s 34th year, the Lamanites attack the Nephites and drive them north to a land called Jashon.
- Mormon 2:20–22
- The Nephites retreat to a land called Shem, and try to centralize themselves; two years later, the Lamanites begin to advance.
- Mormon 2:23–24
- Mormon inspires his people by urging them to stand by their women and children, and boldly face the Lamanites.
- Mormon 2:25–26
- The Nephite army of 30,000 takes on the Lamanite army of 50,000, and the Nephites win; but it was not in consequence of divine providence.
- Mormon 2:27–28
- Mormon, while sorrowing for the people’s wickedness, leads the Nephites against the Lamanites and the Gadianton Robbers and they are able to regain much of their territory.
- Mormon 2:28–29
- The Nephites, Lamanites, and Gadianton robbers make a treaty in which the land is divided: the Nephites get the northern land, the land of Zarahemla, and the Lamanites get the southern land, the land of Nephi.
- Mormon 3:1
- A decade passes in peace, but Mormon, now 50, again prepares his people for an upcoming battle.
- Mormon 3:2
- The Lord commands Mormon to preach to the people, instructing them to repent, be baptized, and build up the church.
- Moroni 7:1
- Mormon’s son Moroni makes and keeps a record of his father’s teachings.
- Mormon 3:3
- Mormon’s preaching is largely ignored because the people do not recognize the hand of God in their lives, and instead, reject him.
- Moroni 8:1–30
- Possibly around this time of religious endeavors, Mormon’s son Moroni is called to the ministry, and Mormon writes him a letter condemning false doctrines, in particular the practice of infant baptism.
- Mormon 3:4
- The Lamanite King sends a letter to Mormon, and informs him that they are coming to war.
- Mormon 3:5–6
- Mormon gathers all his people together at Desolation; the Nephites fortify their land as much as possible.
- Mormon 3:7
- The Lamanites arrive, a battle breaks out, and Nephites are victorious—the Lamanites retreat and go back to their own land.
- Mormon 3:8
- Two years later, the Lamanites attack again, and again are defeated.
- Mormon 3:9–10
- The Nephites, proud of their victories, begin to boast in their own strength, and swear to avenge those Nephites who died in the battle.
- Mormon 3:11–13
- Mormon, anguished because of the people’s sins, resigns as Nephite commander, and lovingly prays for his people—but his prayer is without faith, because he knows how hard his people’s hearts are.
- Mormon 3:14–15
- As the Nephites go to attack the Lamanites in vengeance of their losses, the Lord notifies Mormon that they will not prosper.
- Mormon 3:16
- Mormon does not participate as the Nephites go against the Lamanites.
- Mormon 4:1–3
- The Nephite strike on the Lamanites is a failure, the Nephites are driven back to the land of Desolation, where a fresh army of Lamanites meets them—the Nephites lose possession of Desolation, and those Nephites who survive the invasion retreat to a nearby city called Teancum.
- Mormon 4:4–5
- Had the Nephites not engaged in an offensive grudge war, they would not have been defeated as they were—the Lord often uses the wicked to punish the wicked.
- Mormon 4:6–9
- In Mormon’s 54th year, the Lamanites attack the city of Teancum, but the Nephites are able to hold their ground, advance upon the Lamanites, and even regain Desolation.
- Mormon 4:10–12
- Two years later, the Lamanites strike back on the Nephites, and an indescribably horrific battle ensues, all while both the Lamanites and Nephites wallow in wickedness.
- Mormon 4:13–14
- The Lamanites obtain the edge over the Nephites, conquer Desolation, and advance upon Teancum, where they take prisoners, and sacrifice the women and children to idols.
- Moroni 9:1–26
- Mormon writes a letter to his son Moroni, telling him about the terrible conquest of the Lamanites, the corruption of both people, and prays for the grace of God.
- Mormon 4:15
- The Nephites, furious that their women and children had been sacrificed, attack the Lamanites, and successfully drive them out Nephite lands.
- Mormon 4:16–18
- After a decade of peace, the Lamanites gather a gargantuan army, advance towards the northern land, and begin to wipe out the Nephites.
- Mormon 4:19–20
- The Lamanites march to Desolation, where a terrible battle ensues; the Nephites are driven out of Desolation, and retreat to a city called Boaz, where despite Lamanite attacks, they are successful in holding their ground.
- Mormon 4:21–22
- The Lamanites make a second strike on Boaz, where they overtake the Nephites, and again sacrifice women and children to idols.
- Mormon 4:23
- Mormon, now 65 years old and seeing that the Nephite nation is on the brink of collapse, goes to the hill Shim, where he takes all the Nephite records.
- Mormon 5:1–2
- Mormon goes back among the Nephites, and agrees to once again be their military leader—even so, Mormon feels hopeless about the fate of the Nephites.
- Mormon 5:3
- The Nephites had relocated to a city called Jordan; the Lamanites attack, but the Nephites successfully repel them.
- Mormon 5:4
- The Lamanites attack again, but the Nephites are again able to maintain the city of Jordan, as well as other cities they are occupying.
- Mormon 5:5
- Many other cities are destroyed and burned by the Lamanites.
- Mormon 5:6
- Five years later, the Lamanites attack again, and despite Nephite efforts, the Lamanites massacre them.
- Mormon 5:7
- The Nephites begin to retreat, but the slower ones are ransacked by the Lamanites.
- Mormon 6:1–3
- Mormon writes a letter to the Lamanite King suggesting that the two armies meet in battle near the hill Cumorah—the Lamanite King agrees.
- Mormon 6:4–5
- Mormon, now 74 years old, gathers all his people to the land of Cumorah, where he hopes he can gain an advantage over the Lamanites.
- Mormon 6:6
- Having done this, he buries all the old Nephite records in the hill Cumorah, but keeps his own gold plates to give to his son Moroni.
- Mormon 6:7–8
- The Nephites watch in horror as they see the massive Lamanite army approach.
- Mormon 6:9–10
- A monstrous battle begins, and tens of thousands of people die; Mormon falls to the ground, wounded, and the Lamanites mistake him for one of the dead.
- Mormon 6:11
- After the battle, on twenty four Nephites have survived, two of which are Mormon and his son Moroni.
- Mormon 6:12–15
- Mormon sees the tens of thousands of his men who have died; he notes that the survivors include (in addition to the 24 standing soldiers) some Nephites who had escaped to the south, and some Nephites who had changed allegiance and joined the Lamanites.
- Mormon 6:16–22
- Mormon looks out on the awful scene in front of him, and laments the loss of his people—he wishes that they could have come unto Jesus and been saved.
- Words of Mormon 1–2, Ether 1:2
- Mormon delivers his gold plates, along with the plates of Ether, to his son Moroni.
- Mormon 8:2
- The surviving Nephites are hunted down and killed by the Lamanites.
- Mormon 8:3
- The Lamanites chase down Mormon, and kill him; Moroni is left alone to finish the sad tale of his people.
- Mormon 8:5
- Moroni realizes the grim predicament he is in, but wants to complete the record.
- Mormon 8:6–7
- Four centuries have passed since the visit of Christ, and now, all the Nephites are dead.
- Mormon 8:8
- The Lamanites now begin to fight each other; the whole face of the land is a deathly war zone.
- Mormon 8:9–11
- Apart from Moroni, only Lamanites and Gadianton robbers remain, and they to not have a knowledge of the gospel.
- Moroni 10:2, Ether 4:5, Title Page, Mormon 8:4, 14
- Having added his comments, Moroni takes the record and hides it along with “interpreters”, in hopes that the day will come that it will be brought forth.