Mormon 2:10

And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity,

and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet;

for behold no man could keep that which was his own,

for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers,

and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.

Mormon 2:11

Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land

because of these things,

and more especially among the people of Nephi.

Mormon 2:12

And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation

and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord,

my heart did begin to rejoice within me,

knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord,

therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them

that they would again become a righteous people.

Mormon 2:13

But behold this my joy was vain,

for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God;

but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned,

because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.

Mormon 2:14

And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits,

but they did curse God, and wish to die.

Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.

Mormon 2:15

And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again,

and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them,

both temporally and spiritually;

for I saw thousands of them hewn down

in open rebellion against their God,

and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land.

And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.

Mormon 2:16

And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and fifth year

the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites;

and they were pursued until they came even to the land of Jashon,

before it was possible to stop them in their retreat.