Enos
27 verses
I, Enos, knew my father was a just man, for he taught me in his language and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and I bless the name of my God for it.
Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—
I will tell you about the struggle I had before God, before I received forgiveness for my sins.
And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.
I went to hunt animals in the forests, and the words my father often spoke about eternal life and the joy of the saints sank deep into my heart.
Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
My soul was hungry, so I knelt down before my Maker and cried out to Him in powerful prayer and pleading for my own soul. I prayed to Him all day long, and even when night came, I continued to raise my voice so it reached the heavens.
And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
A voice spoke to me, saying, “Enos, your sins are forgiven, and you will be blessed. ”
And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God cannot lie, so my guilt was taken away.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said, “Lord, how is it done? ”
And I said: Lord, how is it done?
He said to me, “Because of your faith in Christ, whom you have never before heard or seen. Many years will pass before he reveals himself in the flesh. Your faith has made you whole. ”
And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.
When I heard these words, I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brothers, the Nephites, so I poured out my whole soul to God for them.
Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.
And while I was struggling in the spirit, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit your brothers according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given them this land, and it is a holy land; and I will not curse it unless it is because of iniquity. I will visit your brothers as I have said, and I will bring their transgressions down with sorrow upon their own heads.
And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.
After I, Enos, heard these words, my faith in the Lord became unshakable, and I prayed to Him with many long struggles for my brothers, the Lamanites.
And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.
After I had prayed and worked diligently, the Lord said to me, "I will grant your desires because of your faith.
And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
This is what I asked of Him—that if my people, the Nephites, were to fall into sin and be destroyed in any way, while the Lamanites were not destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it had to be by the power of His holy arm, so that it could be brought out at some future time to the Lamanites, so that maybe they could be brought to salvation.
And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—
Right now, our efforts to bring them back to the true faith were useless. In their anger, they swore that, if possible, they would destroy our records, us, and all the traditions of our fathers.
For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.
I knew that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, so I prayed to him continually, because he had told me: Whatever you ask in faith, believing that you will receive in the name of Christ, you will receive it.
Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
I had faith and prayed to God that he would preserve the records, and he promised me that he would bring them to the Lamanites in his own time.
And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.
And I, Enos, knew it would happen according to the covenant he had made, so my soul was at peace.
And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.
And the Lord said to me, "Your fathers have also asked me for this, and it will be done for them according to their faith, because their faith was like yours.
And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith; for their faith was like unto thine.
Now I, Enos, went among the people of Nephi, prophesying about things to come and testifying of the things I had heard and seen.
And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.
I testify that the people of Nephi worked hard to bring the Lamanites back to faith in God. But our efforts were unsuccessful; their hatred was strong, and they were driven by their evil nature, becoming wild, fierce, and bloodthirsty, full of idolatry and corruption. They ate wild animals, lived in tents, and wandered in the wilderness wearing only a short skin girdle around their waists, with their heads shaved. They were skilled with the bow, scimitar, and ax. Many of them ate only raw meat, and they were always trying to destroy us.
And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.
The people of Nephi worked the land and grew all kinds of grain and fruit. They raised herds and all kinds of cattle, as well as goats, wild goats, and many horses.
And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.
There were many prophets among us. The people were stubborn and difficult to teach.
And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.
There was nothing except extreme harshness, preaching and prophesying about wars, conflicts, and destruction, and constantly reminding them about death, the eternity of existence, and the judgments and power of God. All these things continually stirred them up to keep them in reverence for the Lord. I say that nothing less than these things, and very clear speech, would keep them from quickly falling into destruction. This is how I write about them.
And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.
I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites during my lifetime.
And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course of my days.
I began to grow old, and one hundred seventy-nine years had passed since our father Lehi left Jerusalem.
And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.
I saw that I would soon die, having been influenced by the power of God to preach and prophesy to this people, and to declare the word according to the truth that is in Christ. I have declared it all my days and have found more joy in it than in anything of the world.
And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.
And I will soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer, because I know that I will rest in him. I rejoice in the day when my mortal body will become immortal, and I will stand before him. Then I will see his face with joy, and he will say to me, "Come to me, you blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. " Amen.
And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.