"And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites. (Mormon 6:1)
The people gather to one place for one final battle. Mormon explains that the Lamanites overrun the Nephites. He lists out that there were 23 groups of 10,000 each, all of whom were slaughtered, except 24 people, plus a few who just fled into the wilderness to get away.
Mormon laments about the loss and destruction:
"16 And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my people, and I cried:
17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss.
19 O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen!
20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.
21 And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you.
22 O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his justice and mercy." (Mormon 6:16-22)
You can just hear the disappointment and sorrow at their destruction. And it was deeper than the gargantuan loss of life. He saw their state of wickedness before they were destroyed, and he was worried for their eternal souls.
I just had the thought that the living prophets of all ages probably have probably had the same experience. They probably know better than anyone the true eternal consequence of peoples' wickedness. How difficult it must be to experience that. You spend your time declaring the truth and how to be righteous, only to watch so many people reject and ignore your words. This makes me want to be more particular about listening to and following the words of the prophets.
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