Jeffrey R. Holland wrote, “As Mormon increasingly looked beyond the tragedy before him to a generation he hoped would profit from their mistakes, the destruction continued unabated. Mormon was torn not only by what he saw but also by what he must—and must not—write.” (Christ And The New Covenant, p. 320) The harrowing scenes of Mormon’s life, if depicted, would have to be rated “R” for graphic violence. Yet, amidst such carnage, he had the spiritual sensitivity to be concerned about how his descriptions would affect us. He was concerned that we might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of [his] people (v. 9). Accordingly, he does not go into much detail about their wickedness.
However, in an epistle to his son Moroni, he tells it like it is. The Nephite women and children are fed the flesh of their husbands and fathers, and the Lamanite women are raped, tortured, murdered, and eaten for a token of bravery (Moroni 9:7-20). These are just some of the atrocities that Mormon wanted to spare us. His concern for us, again, shows his great charity, for he knew that at the last day, we would watch these scenes on the Lord’s big-screen TV, when all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops.