Modern students often get weary of the wars and continuous instability of the Nephites as they invite disaster through wickedness and apostasy. But these were days of the most desperate extremity insofar and Nephi and Lehi were concerned and we can't help agonizing with the valiant General Moronihah as he struggled to fight for every foot of ground until he finally recovered half of their homeland in the land southward by 31 B.C.
To gain some idea of the downfall of the Nephites, the record describes the circumstances which led to the loss of all the land southward and the gradual struggle to try and get half of it back.