Mormon was a master historian and at this point he found among the Nephite records a supplementary record of Alma that went back fourteen years. It described the experiences of the four sons of king Mosiah who had gone down to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. Alma wants us to know how the four sons of Mosiah recently returned to Zarahemla and then relates to us the exciting story of what had happened during the fourteen years they were gone. Their story comprises chapter 17 to 26 in the book of Alma.
It was an exciting encounter when Alma suddenly met his old friends whom he hadn't seen for fourteen years. There was a lot of fast talking as they tried to describe what had happened to them.