2 Nephi 5

I would like to return to chapter 5 this morning that I failed to blog on. First, Mormon stops his abridgement to explain who he is and why he is doing so. Mormon declares -

"...I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:13)

We also learn of that which he personally was called to do for -

"...it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done—
15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:14 - 15)

And also -

"...I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:17)

Therefore Mormon testifies -

"...I know the record which I make to be a just and a true record; nevertheless there are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:18)

It becomes obvious that this process was not easy for -

"...behold there are records which do contain all the proceedings of this people; and a shorter but true account was given by Nephi.
10 Therefore I have made my record of these things according to the record of Nephi, which was engraven on the plates which were called the plates of Nephi.
11 And behold, I do make the record on plates which I have made with mine own hands." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:9 - 11)

This abridged record was not and easy thing to do. I can imagine not only what it took to prepare the plates and then to tediously engrave each word, but also what it took to be spiritually directed in what should be recorded of a 1000 years of religious and spiritual history.

I have come to love Mormon for his testimony and summary througout the record. He then not only speaks of himself declaring that he is a "pure descendant of Lehi", but then he speaks specifically of me and my ancestry writing the Lord -

"...hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:21)

I am a descendant of Joseph through his son Ephraim -

"And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word.
23 Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God.
24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:22 - 24)

It is from Mormon that I learn that the Lord -

"...hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them.
26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be..." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:25 - 26)

Like Mormon, I know that I am also a covenant person.