“Mormon’s narrative structure communicates his overarching purpose in these two original chapters. … [His] purpose is to explain that Nephite contentions lead to the Gadiantons and that the Gadiantons destroy at least some aspect of Nephite government. This pattern parallels events in Mormon’s day. Escalating contentions lead to the Gadiantons’ rise to power, which leads in turn to the Nephites’ total destruction. Mormon is telling us to look for the parallels between the events of his day and the events just preceding the Messiah’s arrival in the New World. Both have something to do with the land northward” (Gardner, Second Witness, 5:59).