Cover image by Tom Lovell. © 2002 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Who was the man Mormon? What qualities of character qualified him, among all God’s spirit children, to receive the stewardship of compiling and composing the Book of Mormon?
When I began editing Keith Schofield’s biography of this great man (Mormon, Divine Genius of the Book of Mormon), my grasp of the scope and importance of the prophet Mormon’s contributions in the creation of the Book of Mormon was minute. I soon wondered how my understanding of his central importance in the creation of my favorite book could have been so lacking. He was the one who either wrote or selected every word that is in the book that so appropriately is called the Book of Mormon.
Why Is Mormon’s Name So Aptly Used?
Even though the most correct book of any book ever written bears his name, I hadn’t realized how much of it he personally wrote. Perhaps the reason the Restored Gospel has been so often referred to as “Mormonism” and those who believe in it called “Mormons” is because of Mormon’s unique commission from the Lord — not to create a history of his people, but to “evaluate and select from the writings of a succession of incredibly perceptive Nephite prophets those teachings that best revealed every doctrine related to the fullness of the Lord’s gospel.”
Whenever he deemed necessary, Mormon elaborated on those doctrines. His spiritual teachings comprise 242 verses in the Book of Mormon! Some 76 of the verses authored by him were added by his son Moroni, and we can find them in chapters 7-9 of the book of Moroni. (Schofield took the time to count them.)
The author tells us that Mormon addressed himself 265 times across the centuries directly to readers of the Book of Mormon in the last days (3 Nephi 29:2-4) with phrases as intimate as “and ye need not imagine in your hearts” (3 Nephi 29:3), and “now behold, I will show unto you” (3 Nephi 7:1). What other ancient scripture does the same?”
In an exceptional way, Mormon serves as an exquisite teacher and mentor to us in our troubled times. He did not appoint himself to that task. He was chosen by the Lord because he was singularly qualified. Now that I know more about the man Mormon I have a greater appreciation of those amazing qualifications.
How Schofield’s Desire to Know More of Mormon Was Granted
Schofield said,
As one of an uncounted concourse of readers who cherish the book, I am inexpressibly grateful for the sublime and masterful Book of Mormon. For years I wanted to know the nature of the man who created this book. However, Mormon wrote so little about himself that I had only the dimmest perception of him as a man.
Miraculously, my wish to know more about Mormon finally resolved itself a few years ago during a period when I was teaching a class on the Book of Mormon. As I was ambling about at home meditating about Mormon, an unexpected personal revelation flashed into my mind. I saw that even though Mormon had written little about himself, his writings were so extensive that deductions and inferences could be drawn bit by bit from his writings that would reveal various aspects of his life.
That revelation was breathtaking! I saw that by making careful observations and conclusions I could take the few particulars which Mormon wrote about himself and expand on them. To my delight, I uncovered details about his family life, about his education, about his military skills, and about his approach to writing the Book of Mormon. In addition, discriminating inferences from his writings brought to light some fine points about his character and personality. I learned what kind of man he was, what was important to him, and what gave meaning to his life. In the Biblical sense, I “saw his face.” That is, I came to know Mormon as a person.
And so did I, as I read his book. Few things have ever expanded my appreciation and love for the Book as Mormon as much as coming to know Mormon better. Schofield, a Harvard-trained lawyer, had the perfect kind of mind to glean enlightening information about Mormon from the facts available.
For example, I find it curious that I have never, before reading Schofield’s book, heard much said about the amazing similarity of the Mormon’s young life to that of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s. At the age of fifteen Mormon “was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew the goodness of Jesus” (Mormon 1:15).
Schofield said, “Mormon and Joseph Smith Jr. would be inseparably linked by the colossal events of the last days of the planet earth.” But there is more: Like the Prophet Joseph Smith, Mormon was a sober child, interested early on in the things of God. I had often marveled at the early spiritual yearnings and desires of Joseph Smith, but how many times had I taken time to marvel that Mormon was called to be the Nephite historian at the tender age of ten? Truly the Lord knows from the beginning the hearts and potential greatness of his chosen leaders. Here is the story:
Ammaron, a descendant of Nephi, had been the official historian and keeper of all the treasured Nephite sacred records for some fifteen years until he hid them ‘unto the Lord’ (4 Nephi 1:47-49). A relatively short time later (Mormon 1:2) Ammaron went to see the ten-year-old Mormon, perhaps because Ammaron was getting along in years and did not have a son. Mormon was also a descendant of Nephi and perhaps a relative of Ammaron. Mormon described it this way:
He came unto me [probably at Mormons’ home] ... and Ammaron said unto me, I perceive that thou art a sober child, and quick to observe.
Therefore when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; And when ye are of that age go to the land of Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.
And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder ye shall leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people. (Mormon 1:2-4)
Schofield summarizes Mormon’s resolute response in language Mormon used later in his life when he referred to his call from Ammaron:
Being a descendant of Nephi ... I shall remember the things which thou, Ammaron, hast commanded me. For I know that the records have been handed down from generation to generation until they should fall into my hands ... and my writings shall be written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob ... to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time. I also have faith, my beloved Ammaron, that the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore he worketh in me to do according to his will. (Words of Mormon 1:7, 11; Mormon 1:4; 5:12)
At the age of ten Mormon was given the location of the plates and stewardship over the future of thousands of years of sacred records held by the Nephites — the most priceless treasure anywhere on the face of the earth. Centuries later Joseph Smith would be given a similar charge.
Before many years Mormon’s call as Nephite historian would be magnified by a stunning new commandment from the Lord. “According to the will of God” Mormon would be called to write “a small record” (3 Nephi 5:14-16) of the thousand-year history of the Nephites. To that “small record” Mormon would add his abridgement of his own contemporary history and together they would make up the Book of Mormon.
The Scope of Schofield’s Book
BYU Professor Richard H. Cracroft said, “Keith B. Schofield has written an inspiring and motivating biography of the prophet Mormon. Squarely based in the Book of Mormon and on reasonable inference ... this biography brings Mormon to life as a man of exceptional qualities, as a forceful military leader, yet endowed with great humility and spiritual sensitivity as one called to collect, edit, and add to ‘the greatest religious epic ever produced by one man.’”
This biography of Mormon is the first of its kind since the publication of the Book of Mormon. Not only does it paint a clear picture of Mormon’s character and personality, but also treats such topics as these:
- Why the Book of Mormon had to be written
- Why the Lord chose Mormon to compose the Book of Mormon.
- How did Mormon cope with the staggering challenge of composing the Book of Mormon from a massive number of Nephite records.
- How Mormon wrote an inspiring history of the Savior’s sojourn among the Nephites.
- How Mormon used the work of an awesome succession of prophets the Lord sent to the Nephites.
Inside Schofield’s book a half-title page declares: How to Increase Your Enjoyment of the Book of Mormon, a Dazzling Spiritual Treasure. Striking New Insights into the Life of Mormon and His Incomparable Work. That about says it.
My enjoyment and love for the Book of Mormon have definitely increased. My vision of both Mormon the man and the marvelous book he created has been enlarged. I continue to marvel at the striking new insights I have gained in regard to Mormon. I learned details of his life in this book that are not available anywhere else.
I love the man Mormon. I love his dedication to the Lord. I love his buoyancy of spirit in spite of adversities that I can barely imagine. Born into a degenerate society, he eventually witnessed the complete destruction of a people he loved. As witness to some of the worst carnage the world has ever seen, the trauma to his sensitive soul is impossible to measure.
During the last months of his life he was hunted by the Lamanites and fearful for his life, yet spent his time writing the word of God, advising the remnant of his people in our day that they are of the house of Israel and exhorting repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Most amazing, he had not lost heart, but had eternal perspective of the joys of eternity that awaited him.
Mormon, a sensitive and spiritual man, was known throughout his life for his justice and integrity. His people, although they ultimately refused to hearken to his call to repent, trusted him completely. Although famous for his imposing stature and great leadership skills, only a small part of his life was spent in military pursuits. The Nephites had no standing army and he was not a career military man. He was simply called to arms whenever his people faced some great crisis. The better part of his life was spent serving the Lord and his family — and leaving a record that would change the world.
That change happens one heart at a time. I’m grateful for a book that has drawn my heart closer to the Book of Mormon and opened my mind to more of its sublime truths.
Forwarded March 2008
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