Spring Garden Relief Society

Have you ever considered the Lamanite side of the story? In Mosiah 10, Zeniff explains how the Lamanites were a “ferocious and a blood-thirsty people” because they had been taught by their fathers that they were wronged by the Nephi and his posterity.
First, they were led out of Jerusalem against their will, they were wronged in the wilderness, they were wronged in their journey across the sea, they were robbed of their right to rule, and they were robbed of the sacred brass plates.
When you put it that way, the story sounds completely different. In fact, most of the Book of Mormon stories are told through the eyes of Nephites, so are we really getting the full story? How would the Book of Mormon look different if it were written by the Lamanites? We get hints of the Lamanite perspective in other places of the Book of Mormon, but the information is thin.
Regardless of how the Lamanites felt they were wronged, they clearly spent the rest of their civilization’s existence embroiled in bitterness and seeking vengeance. As BYU Professor Mark Wright said, “Laman and his many descendants spent their entire lives focused on what they lost and paid little attention to the fact that they had been blessed with infinitely more than all the riches left in Jerusalem.”
I think there are 3 things we can learn from the Lamanite traditions:
If children are taught to hate others, it is difficult to change these views.
One passionate righteous or wicked leader can start traditions that last for generations.
Often we focus so much on what other people have that we forget what we have.

Learn more in ScripturePlus > Mosiah 10:12 > Insights > KnoWhy 558
Zerahemnah by Mark Parker, submitted to the 2019 Book of Mormon Central Art Contest.