Mormon extends a fatherly blessing to his son, praying to God that the Lord will spare his life and allow him to see the return of his people to righteousness, but he fears their fate will be like that of the Jaredites who refused to repent. To modern readers, the message is clear: The Nephites did, indeed, follow in the pathway of the Jaredites to annihilation. The same will happen to those of our day who refuse to repent and instead deny the power of God and His word of truth and salvation.