Mormon Witnesses Start of Final War

Event 181

Reference: Morm. 1:6-19

And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, wascarried by my father into the land southward, even to theland of Zarahemla. 7 The whole face of the land hadbecome covered with buildings, and the people were asnumerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.MormonLand ofZarahemlaA.D. 321 to 3248 And it came to pass in this year there began to be a warbetween the Nephites, who consisted of the Nephites andthe Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and thiswar was between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and theLemuelites and the Ishmaelites. 9 Now the Lamanites andthe Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites,and the two parties were Nephites and Lamanites.10 And it came to pass that the war began to be among themin the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.Waters of Sidon inborders of land ofZarahemla11 And it came to pass that the Nephites had gatheredtogether a great number of men, even to exceed the numberof thirty thousand. And it came to pass that they did have inthis same year a number of battles, in which the Nephitesdid beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them.12 And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew theirdesign, and there was peace settled in the land; and peacedid remain for the space of about four years, that there wasno bloodshed. 13 But wickedness did prevail upon the faceof the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away hisbeloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healingdid cease because of the iniquity of the people. 14 And therewere no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did notcome upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.Land northwardand landsouthward15 And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat ofa sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tastedand knew of the goodness of Jesus. 16 And I did endeavor topreach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I wasforbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold theyhad wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloveddisciples were taken away out of the land, because of theiriniquity. 17 But I did remain among them, but I wasA.D. 325 forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness oftheir hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts theland was cursed for their sake.MormonLand northwardand landsouthwardA.D. 32518 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among theLamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitantsthereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; andthey became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land,that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.19 And it came to pass that there were sorceries, andwitchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one waswrought upon all the face of the land, even unto thefulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel theLamanite.