John and Gregory Welch note that Mormon, the chief abridger and editor of the full Book of Mormon, also added comments of his own to many of the books in that record, besides writing two books within the Book of Mormon that also bear his name (the Words of Mormon and the book of Mormon. The chart below demonstrates his editorial commentaries, skillfully woven into the text of the primary authors. [John W. Welch and J. Gregory Welch, Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching, F.A.R.M.S., commentary for Chart 20]
Words of Mormon 1:3 And now I speak concerning that which I have written (Illustration): Chart: Writings of Mormon. [Adapted from John W. Welch and J. Gregory Welch, Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching, F.A.R.M.S., Chart 20]
Writings of Mormon
Reference
Description of Text
A.D. Date
W of M 1:1-2
on delivering plates to Moroni
385
W of M 1:3-11
on abridging the plates of Nephi
385
W of M 1:12-18
account of Benjamin
385
Alma 22:27-35
geography
363-->
Helaman 3:13-17
on record keeping
363-->
Helaman 12
on human nature
363-->
3 Nephi 5:8-26
on record keeping
363-->
3 Nephi 10:11-19
on searching the scriptures
363-->
3 Nephi 26:8-21
on Christ’s visit to the Nephites
363-->
3 Nephi 28:24--30:2
on the Three Nephites & the gathering of Israel
363-->
4 Nephi
four generations of history
363-->
Mormon 1:1-6
autobiography
380-385
Mormon 6:16-7:10
lament over people and testimony to remnant
385-400
Moroni 7
sermon on good works
363-375
Moroni 8
epistle on baptism
375-376
Moroni 9
farewell epistle to Moroni
375-376
Words of Mormon 1:3 After I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi ([Illustration] Mormon Abridging the Plates. [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Art, #306]