I have been contemplating a lot on the chapters found in Mormon. This is a different blog for me this week, and one that I have struggled to write, because I haven't really grasped yet, what Mormon is trying to teach us. I feel that there is a lot more meaning to these chapters, but that it will take some more reflection, and pondering to understand them fully.  There are many questions that I am thinking on as I have read through these chapters this week. 

Mormon 2: 13  their asorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the bsorrowing of the cdamned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take dhappiness in sin. 

 14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken ahearts and contrite spirits, but they did bcurse God, and wish to die.  

Mormon 3:12  my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts. 

Mormon 5:2 But behold, I was awithout hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them. 

I am especially wrestling with this idea that the day of repentance had passed for these Nephite people. In less than 400 years, they had become the most wicked people on the earth. In Mormon 2: 15 he says, "I saw that the aday of bgrace cwas passed with them, both temporally and spiritually".  

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: Just over 300 years since they had been visited by the Son of God himself— Mormon realized the story was finished. In perhaps the most chilling line he ever wrote, Mormon asserted simply, ‘I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually.’ His people had learned that most fateful of all lessons—that the Spirit of God will not always strive with man; that it is possible, collectively as well as individually, to have time run out. The day of repentance can pass, and it had passed for the Nephites.” (Christ and the New Covenant, 319).

Mormon 5:  

16 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to astrive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as bchaff before the wind. 

 17 They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their ashepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father. 

 18 But now, behold, they are aled about by Satan 

President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) explained that the wicked people of Mormon’s time had lost not only the Holy Ghost, but the Spirit of Christ from their lives: “Mormon described some people, his people, from whom the spirit of the Lord had departed, and when I read that … it seems clear to me that what he was talking about was not merely the inability to have the companionship of or the gift of the Holy Ghost, but he was talking of that light of truth to which every one born into the world is entitled and will never cease to strive with the individual unless he loses it through his own sinning” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1956, 108). 

I have never really thought about these things before: The Spirit of God will not always strive with man; The day of repentance can pass; And, the light of truth that each individual is born into the world with, can be taken away due to and individual's sinning. That's a lot of information to absorb and take in. No wonder Mormon was sorrowing so much for his people. 

The last thing that I have been trying to understand is again found in Mormon 5: 

 8 And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be arevealed upon the house-tops—  

 9 And also that a knowledge of these things must acome unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should bscatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore cI write a dsmall abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people.  

 10 And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come.  

 11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus.  

It is interesting that Mormon says he makes an abridgement of the wickedness of his people because:  

It was a commandment not to give us a full record of the wickedness of his people. Why?        

He did not want us to sorrow greatly because of the wickedness of his people.  This Mormon continues on to explain that we will sorrow that these people did not repent, and been wrapped in the arms of Jesus. That imagery there, makes me want to repent of all my sins, so that I can feel my Savior's love.

2 Nephi 1:15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:20 I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.