Mormon inserted some personal comments about his life and labors: he was named after a place, the land of Mormon, where Alma established the first church “after their transgression”—after their wicked living during the days of King Noah.
Mormon described his calling, using words that modern missionaries love to quote in reference to themselves: “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.” And he was called to make a written record by way of fulfilling the faith and prayers of all the holy ones who preceded him.
Mormon testified that his record is true, although “there are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write”—meaning either that the language in which they wrote didn’t have the capacity to express certain things adequately or that some things were too sacred to include in the written record (see 3 Nephi 19:32; Mormon 9:33; Ether 12:25; see also commentary at 3 Nephi 26:16–18).
Mormon defined himself as “a pure descendant of Lehi” who had been blessed with &ldq