28:1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all
these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their
father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that
they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of
Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that
they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites—
28:2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord
their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that
perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that
they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they
might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more
contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
28:3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every
creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish;
yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment
did cause them to quake and tremble.
28:4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were
the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy
to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because
of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be
cast off forever.
28:5 And it came to pass that they did plead with their father many
days that they might go up to the land of Nephi.
28:6 And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his
sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word.
28:7 And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall
believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will
deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites.
28:8 And it came to pass that Mosiah granted that they might go and do
according to their request.
28:9 And they took their journey into the wilderness to go up to preach
the word among the Lamanites; and I shall give an account of their
proceedings hereafter.
28:10 Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for there
was not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom.
28:11 Therefore he took the records which were engraven on the plates
of brass, and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things which he had
kept and preserved according to the commandments of God, after having
translated and caused to be written the records which were on the
plates of gold which had been found by the people of Limhi, which were
delivered to him by the hand of Limhi;
28:12 And this he did because of the great anxiety of his people; for
they were desirous beyond measure to know concerning those people who
had been destroyed.
28:13 And now he translated them by the means of those two stones which
were fastened into the two rims of a bow.
28:14 Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were
handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of
interpreting languages;
28:15 And they have been kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord,
that he should discover to every creature who should possess the land
the iniquities and abominations of his people;
28:16 And whosoever has these things is called seer, after the manner
of old times.
28:17 Now after Mosiah had finished translating these records, behold,
it gave an account of the people who were destroyed, from the time that
they were destroyed back to the building of the great tower, at the
time the Lord confounded the language of the people and they were
scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yea, and even from
that time back until the creation of Adam.
28:18 Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn
exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave
them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.
28:19 And this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it is
expedient that all people should know the things which are written in
this account.
28:20 And now, as I said unto you, that after king Mosiah had done
these things, he took the plates of brass, and all the things which he
had kept, and conferred them upon Alma, who was the son of Alma; yea,
all the records, and also the interpreters, and conferred them upon
him, and commanded him that he should keep and preserve them, and also
keep a record of the people, handing them down from one generation to
another, even as they had been handed down from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem.