Moroni Named Chief Captain of Armies

Event 104

Reference: Alma 43:15-26

And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites hadgathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, thearmies of the Nephites were prepared to meet them in theland of Jershon. 16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or theman who had been appointed to be the chief captain overthe Nephites—now the chief captain took the command ofall the armies of the Nephites—and his name was Moroni;17 And Moroni took all the command, and the governmentof their wars. And he was only twenty and five years oldwhen he was appointed chief captain over the armies of theNephites.MormonLand of Antionumand land ofJershon74 B.C.18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in theborders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords,and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war. 19And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the peopleof Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people withbreastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields todefend their heads, and also they were dressed with thickclothing— 20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was notprepared with any such thing; they had only their swordsand their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stonesand their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skinwhich was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked,save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites; 21 But theywere not armed with breastplates, nor shields—therefore,they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephitesbecause of their armor, notwithstanding their number beingso much greater than the Nephites.Borders of land ofJershon22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not comeagainst the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; thereforethey departed out of the land of Antionum into thewilderness, and took their journey round about in thewilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that theymight come into the land of Manti and take possession ofthe land; for they did not suppose that the armies of Moroniwould know whither they had gone.East wildernessnear head ofSidon23 But it came to pass, as soon as they had departed into thewilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watchtheir camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent certain men unto him, desiring him that heshould inquire of the Lord whither the armies of theNephites should go to defend themselves against theLamanites.MormonEast wildernessnear head ofSidon74 B.C.24 And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came untoAlma, and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, thatthe armies of the Lamanites were marching round about inthe wilderness, that they might come over into the land ofManti, that they might commence an attack upon theweaker part of the people. And those messengers went anddelivered the message unto Moroni.Land ofZarahemla25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land ofJershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites shouldcome into that land and take possession of the city, took theremaining part of his army and marched over into the landof Manti. 26 And he caused that all the people in that quarterof the land should gather themselves together to battleagainst the Lamanites, to defend their lands and theircountry, their rights and their liberties; therefore they wereprepared against the time of the coming of the Lamanites.Land of Manti