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THE BOOK OF MORMON
THE BOOK OF ENOS
The Lord's promise concerning a Nephite record to come forth to the
Lamanites--Character, condition, and wars of the two peoples.
CHAPTER 1
1. Behold it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he
was a just man--for he taught me in his language, and also in th
nurture and admonition of the Lord--and blessed be the name of my
God for it--
2. And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before
I received a remission of my sins.
3. Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which
I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the
joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
4. And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker and I
cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own
soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the
night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
5. And there came a voice unto me saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven
thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
6. And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was
swept away.
7. And I said: Lord, how is it done?
8. And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou
hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before
he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith
hath made thee whole.
9. Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to
feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore,
I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.
10. And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice
of the Lord came into my mind again saying: I will visit thy
brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments.
I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I
curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity wherefore, I
will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their
transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.
11. And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to
be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long
strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.
12. And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with
all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee
according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
13. And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him--
that if it should so be, that my people the Nephites, should
fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and
the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would
preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be
by the power of his holy arm that it might be brought forth at
some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might
be brought unto salvation--
14. For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them
to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it
were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also
all the traditions of our fathers.
15. Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our
records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me:
Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall
receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
16. And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve
the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them
forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.
17. And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he
had made; wherefore my soul did rest.
18. And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me
this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith
for their faith was like unto thine.
19. And now it came to pass that I Enos, went about among the people
of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the
things which I had heard and seen.
20. And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to
restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors
were vain; their hatred was fixed and they were led by their evil
nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty
people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of
prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness
with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven;
and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter and the ax.
And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat and they
were continually seeking to destroy us.
21. And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land
and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds,
and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and
wild goats, and also many horses.
22. And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people
were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.
23. And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching
and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and
continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity,
and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things
stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord.
I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly
great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily
to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.
24. And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course
of my days.
25. And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and
seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our
father Lehi left Jerusalem.
26. And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been
wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy
unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth
which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and
have rejoiced in it above that of the world.
27. And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer;
for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day
when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before
him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say
unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared
for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.
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