Post by Limhi –
Helem has asked if I will share with you our history from the time my grandfather Zeniff left the land of Zarahemla and brought this people to the land of Nephi. Before I do however, I wish to tell you about 24 plates of pure gold which a group of our people recovered from an extinct civilization. I asked Ammon if he could translate the engravings. Though he cannot, gratefully he said there is a seer in Zarahemla who can.
Being grieved for the afflictions of my people, I caused that forty three of my people should take a journey into the wilderness, hoping they might find the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal to our brethren to deliver us out of bondage.
And they were lost in the wilderness for the space of many days, but they were diligent. They never found the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of every kind of buildings, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.
As a testimony that the things that they had said are true they brought twenty–four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold. They also brought breastplates, which are large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are perfectly sound. They also brought swords, the hilts thereof have perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust.
You can imagine our disappointment having not found Zarahemla but thinking that perhaps the ruins we found were Zarahemla and our brethren had been completely destroyed.
Now that we know our brethren in Zarahemla are alive and that soon we will be joining them, we rejoice. This rejoicing however does not still our curiosity about this great people who have been completely destroyed. We only hope the engravings will give us knowledge of a remnant of the people who were destroyed and the cause of their destruction.
Ammon tells me of a man that can translate the records, saying, “for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer.
Ammon says the man who is given this high gift from God and is commanded to translate these records is the very king of the people of Zarahemla. Ammon says the king is a seer and a seer is greater than a prophet because he not only is a prophet but is a revelator also. Except a person possesses the very power of God, he can have no greater gift than that of a seer.
A seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.
God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becomes a great benefit to his fellow beings.
After Ammon had taught us these truths we rejoiced and gave thanks to God. There is no doubt that there is a great mystery contained within these plates and this king will be able to unfold these mysteries to us.
How marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long does He suffer with His people; How blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for we will not seek wisdom, neither do we desire that the Lord should rule over us!
For all these years we have been like a wild flock which flees from the shepherd, are scattered, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of the forest. When will we learn.
(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 8:6 – 21)
