- 61Soon after Moroni had sent his letter to the chief governor, he received a letter from Parhoron the chief governor. This is what it said: 2I Parhoron, the chief governor of this land, send this to Moroni, the chief captain over the army. I tell you, Moroni, I have no pleasure in your great difficulties; they distress me. 3But there are some who are pleased by your troubles. There is a rebellion underway against me and against all the freemen. Our opponents are very numerous. 4They have attempted to remove me from the judgment seat, and have caused all of the resulting difficulties by their iniquity. Their rhetoric and deceit have confused and misled many people to sympathize with them, resulting in our many difficulties. They have interfered with resupplying you, and have intimidated our freemen so that they haven’t joined you. 5I’ve been exiled and have fled to Gideon with as many men as I could. 6From here I’ve sent a proclamation throughout this part of the land. People are flocking to us daily, with their weapons, in defense of their country and their freedom and to pay back our wrongs. 7Indeed, so many have joined us that those insurrectionists now face stiff resistance; they’re now afraid of us and don’t dare start the battle against us. 8But they control the city of Zarahemla, and they have appointed a king to now rule. He has written to the Lamanite king and made an alliance with him. As part of their alliance, he has agreed to hold and defend the city of Zarahemla, expecting that will enable the Lamanites to conquer the rest of the land. He anticipates he will be appointed king over this people after they’re conquered by the Lamanites.
- 9Now in your letter you have criticized and judged me, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not angry, but am pleased by your patriotic heart. I don’t seek power, only to retain my judgment seat to protect my people’s rights and liberty. I stand firmly in the liberty that God has given us.
- 10Now we will oppose wickedness, even to the death. We wouldn’t kill the Lamanites if they would stay in their own land. 11We wouldn’t kill our fellow Nephites if they didn’t rise up in rebellion and lift their sword against us. 12We would submit to the burden of slavery if God’s justice demanded it, or if He commanded us to do so. 13But He doesn’t command us to put ourselves under the control of our enemies, but to put our trust in Him and He’ll rescue us. 14Therefore my dear brother Moroni, let us resist evil. And any evil we can’t resist with our words, including rebellions and defections, let us resist with our swords, to preserve our freedom, so we can have joy worshiping in our congregation and obeying our Redeemer and our God. 15Therefore come quickly to join me with a few of your men, and leave the rest in Lehi and Teancum’s charge. Give them orders to follow God’s Spirit in conducting the war in that part of the land, for that’s the very spirit of freedom within them. 16I’ve sent a few provisions to them, to feed them while you come to aid me. 17Recruit any force you can while on your march here; and we’ll immediately go against those defectors in God’s strength, directed by the faith we share. 18We’ll take Zarahemla, get control of provisions, and then relieve Lehi and Teancum. We’ll strike them with the Lord’s strength, and put an end to this sinful rebellion.
- 19Your letter made me rejoice, Moroni. Because I was a little worried about what to do, whether it was right for us to attack fellow Nephites. 20However, as you said: Unless they repent, the Lord has commanded you to go against them. 21See that you bless Lehi and Teancum in the Lord. Tell them not to be afraid, since God will protect them, and all those who stand firmly in the liberty God has given us. Now I end my letter to my dear brother Moroni.
Chapter 28