- Mormon, now sixteen years old, is appointed to be military commander of the Nephites in a conflict against the Lamanites.
- 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 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.
- 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.

- The Nephites begin to repent and mourn for their sorrows and afflictions.
- Mormon takes hope in seeing their repentance, but is disheartened to realize it is not godly sorrow, only the sorrowing of the damned.