Mormon 2

Atonement

Jesus — Jehovah is salvation

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 2:13–14

Sorrow alone does not save; it has to lead a person to Jesus. A broken heart and contrite spirit is the offering Christ asks for instead of animal sacrifice, and these Nephites would not bring it.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• alludes to 3 Nephi 9:20 — Christ asks for a broken heart and a contrite spirit as the new sacrifice.
• alludes to 2 Nephi 2:7 — Christ offers Himself for those with broken hearts and contrite spirits.
• alludes to 2 Corinthians 7:10 — Godly sorrow works repentance; the sorrow of the world works death.

Grace

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 2:15

Grace is Christ's power to save. Mormon sees that these people rejected it so fully that the time to receive it had passed for them.

• alludes to Helaman 13:38 — Samuel warned that the days of probation would be past.

Resurrection

And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day. Mormon 2:19

In the middle of lifelong sorrow, Mormon is sure he will be raised and exalted at the last day. That is the promise Christ makes to those who follow Him.

• alludes to 3 Nephi 27:22 — Christ promises that those who do His works 'shall be lifted up at the last day.'
• alludes to John 6:40 — Jesus: 'I will raise him up at the last day.'