Uncategorized

The Shortest Book of Mormon Summary

Here’s a challenge.

The Book of Mormon is 531 pages long. It has 239 chapters made up of over 6,000 verses.

That’s a lot. Especially if you just want to read the story.

So here’s the deal.

Who can you sum up the stories in the Book of Mormon in the fewest number of words? Please use complete sentences (subjects and verbs).

Published by

Kim Siever

Queer Mormon poet with radical political views. I have been married 27 years, and we have 6 children. Sunday school president. Served in the Utah Provo Mission.

21 thoughts on “The Shortest Book of Mormon Summary”

  5. Commanded by God, Lehi preaches in Jerusalem and leaves, rejected; his son Nephi and his brethren retrieve scriptures; and they build a ship and sail a small group to a new land where Lehi dies. Children are born. Nephi’s brethren rebel, but his own family separates from those “Lamanites” and builds a Temple. He quotes random bits of Isaiah, some about the Messiah. Brother Jacob writes of Nephi’s death, that polygamy is permitted only if God desires righteous seed, which he does, and prophecies of Israel. His son Enos is forgiven through Mighty Prayer while hunting, passes plates down to his son Jarom, and he to Omni. (Mormon has abridged all of this.) The record was preserved religion for generations until Mosiah, son of Benjamin becomes King. His father preaches obedience to God. Mosiah sends men including Ammon to preach to people of King Limhi, the grandson of Zeniff, a descendant of Lehi.

    Ammon studies Zeniff’s record which explains that his people had come out from Zarahemla, and suffered under wicked kings; that the prophet Abinadi had been among them, who had preached the generation of the Messiah and was killed; that his disciple Alma preached amongst them in private, baptized many, and caused them to flee; that they returned to live in peace but were attacked by Lamanites who killed many; that some survived and dwelt with the Lamanites in toleration; that the wicked king Noah was put to death; that Ammon arrived, converted them, and learned of the Jaredite record and seer stones; and that while the Lamanites were drunk, they had escaped and become subject to King Mosiah.

    Alma becomes High Priest. The Lamanites conquer, and Amulon servant of the late King Noah, persecutes the people, killing them if they Call Upon God. God delivers them back to Zarahemla, where they become Nephites, hear the record of Zeniff and are baptized, and form a Church, organized by Alma. Some are unrighteous, including Alma son of Alma. Repentance is preached. Mosiah translates the Jaredite record. Judges are set up chosen by the people, with Alma son of Alma as chief. He judges righteously. His father die, and Mosiah also.

    Nehor murders Gideon and seeks to corrupt the priests. He is executed. The priests do well. Amlici usurps the throne and makes war with the Nephites to no avail. The Lamanites join in the war against the Nephites, still to no avail. Alma slays Amlici. Nephites defeat the Lamanites again. Thousands are baptized and iniquity enters the Church. Nephihah becomes Chief Judge, leaving Alma as High Priest. Alma preaches, the church is cleansed, and he goes on a traveling ministry. Amulek joins him in Melek, and they travel and contend with Zeezrom. They are imprisoned. Many believers and books are burned, but Alma and Amulek are delivered. Zeezrom repents and joins the Church in Sidom. Alma and Amulek return to Zarahemla.

    Meanwhile, the sons of Mosiah declare the word of God to the Lamanites. Ammon becomes servant to King Lamoni. Ammon clears up Lamoni’s theological misunderstandings. Visions are beheld, and a church is established. They preach and the church expands.

    I end here at Alma 28 for lack of time. This is a challenge. I will try to finish it later, and maybe shorten up what I’ve done.

    1. As a study tool, I’m working on creating a diagram of the happenings of the Book of Mormon, so I can get the big picture clear in my head. I loved your summary! I know you wrote this a long time ago–did you ever go back and finish it?

  7. Fleeing wickedness and destruction, the escapees find and recreate the same problems all over again until they are destroyed, illustrating how to escape sin and how it catches up with one.

  8. I like Stephen’s. I was doing along those lines–people who think they’re good build a somewhat good society before annihilated by break-off groups of themselves.

  10. Jeff, for a new convert your summary was great. Please finish it when you get the time. Thanks so much for taking the time to make it understandable. CB

  11. Jesus loves everybody, we are all children of God.
    Moroni, brigham young, and joseph smith.
    dug up golden plates!

  12. good white lost tribe of Israel somehow beat the vikings and get to america, they get into to many glorious battles with the lamanites native americans, in the end they are destroyed by the evil indians and darkness fall upon the land until Broheim Smith appears.

  13. I can sum it up very succinctly: It’s complete and total BS. Whoever believes this stuff can’t think for themselves. It makes absolutely no sense. You’re welcome.

    1. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I have seen the light. Your arguments are so compelling and original, I have no choice but to completely change my mind. How could I have been so blind all these years? Don’t let the university who awarded me my degree know that I can’t think for myself.

      1. A family from 600 bc Jerusalem flee impending city destruction into the middle east wilderness only to build a boat and sail to the Americas. There they build a community of God-fearing, temple worshiping, law of Moses obeying, priesthood bearing citizens. Some of the people break away from the original community and there ensues battles and contention between contradicting belief systems thus resulting in frequent bloodshed over the next thousand years. Eventually the records of these peoples are abridged by a prophet/historian named Mormon. After the God-fearing people are nearly all destroyed Mormon gives the abridgement to his son Moroni who then buries them in a hill in hopes the record of his people will not be lost forever.

  14. Sorry, I’m not mormon… my dentist is, and we have talked about it a bit, where is the scripture that says God lives on another planet and that Jesus and satan are brothers? i would like to investigate this, not just stories of people coming to america… i’m just looking because i had a dream the other night that said the book of mormon was true… but if it’s just about a lost tribe coming to america, i’m not interested… just in a global description of doctrine… where can i find this? thanks for your help!

Comments are closed.