Redaction:Both verses 11 and 12 emphasize the records. Why are these records so important to the labels? First, Mormon is working with those records, summarizing them, drawing themes from them, and even copying large sections verbatim. The value he places on the records of the Nephites was obviously high. It is probably in this context that he testifies that they “are true.” He is drawing from “true” records and, in turn, creating a true record of his own.
Moreover, the very fact of possessing records apparently differentiates Nephites from Lamanites. The records prove the Nephites’ political legitimacy, their right to rule. The records also preserve history, language, and most importantly, religion (Mosiah 1:3–4). Reverence for antiquity was common in the ancient world. Tracing a current political line to an ancient past often validated what might have been seen as shaky contemporary claims.