Mormon’s statement that the work undertaken by the sons of Mosiah “was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people” was no exaggeration (Alma 17:14). After Nephi and his people separated themselves from the people of Laman and Lemuel, the Lamanites fell deeper and deeper into darkness. Nephi reported that the Lamanites became “an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety” (2 Nephi 5:24). Enos reported that “they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness” (Enos 1:20), and his son Jarom wrote that the Lamanites “loved murder and would drink the blood of beasts” (Jarom 1:6).There are indications, however, that the Lord had begun to prepare the Lamanites to accept the gospel. They had interaction with various Nephite groups such as Zeniff’s colony, and even apostate groups like the Amulonites (the wicked priests of Noah), and were taught many things, including the Nephite language (see Mosiah 24:1–7). Such teachings may have provided an initial preparation for the Lamanites that later led the way to their conversion by the sons of Mosiah.
