"...Thus we see..."

As Mormon was compiling the record of his people, it seems his greatest desire was to show us the good and bad that had befallen his people so, as his son, Moroni, stated, "that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." (Moro. 9:31). And so whenever he sees a lesson for us to learn, he comments on it using the phrase "thus we see".

Mormon wasn't the only one to use the phrase, however. Alma and others also used the phrase as they were teaching gospel truths. Looking at each of the times in the Book of Mormon where we find the phrase (or a variation thereof), we can put together a common theme: that of agency.

Joseph Smith once said "Before you joined this Church you stood on neutral ground. When the gospel was preached, good and evil were set before you. You could choose either or neither. There were two opposite masters inviting you to serve them. When you joined this Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can get back on to it." (Teachings of Joseph Smith, ch. 27)

Thus we see, that at first, we are on neutral ground. We have been given agency as part of the plan. From there, we can either choose evil or good. Each has its consequences, and the record of Mormon clearly demonstrates to us what those consequences are.

Neutral Ground: We begin with Alma demonstrating to the people of Ammonihah and to his wayward son, Corianton, how the fall came about and what is the purpose of this life.

• The Fall
• "Now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people." (Alma 12:22)
• "And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will." (Alma 42:7)
• "And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence." (Alma 42:14)
• Probation
• "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God." (Alma 42:4)

Evil: Next, we can see the consequences of choosing evil for our master. We can see this in stages, too.

• The devil's children - Individuals that seek to lead away from the truth.
• "And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell." (Alma 30:60)
• Inequality due to sin and transgression - What happens to society as individuals make wrong choices
• "And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men. .... and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, ... because of death and destruction among men" (Alma 28:13-14)
• Forgetting the Lord - Even after the people witness the power of God in delivering them, they quickly forget and return to sin like a dog to its vomit.
• "Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one." (Alma 46:8)
• "And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men." (Hel. 12:1)
• "And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him." (Hel. 12:3)
• Ripening for destruction - When the people refuse to repent and choose iniquity even after God has sent punishments, they become "past feeling"
• "And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations" (Hel. 6:34)
• "And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts." (Hel. 6:35)
• "And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction." because "the Nephites did build [the Gadianton robbers] up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites" (Hel. 6:40)
• Complete destruction - We can thus see that wickedness does eventually result in complete destruction when it has reached its fulness.
• "And thus we see that the Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their everlasting destruction. (Ether 14:25)

Good: Mormon also demonstrates to us the times that his people turned to God and chose to follow truth and righteousness.

• "By small means..." - Righteousness doesn't come immediately. It's by small and simple means that hearts change and individuals are saved.
• "And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things." (1 Nephi 16:29)
• The Lord "worketh in many ways" - The Lord knows how each of us can be brought to the truth - if we will let Him. 
• "And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth; thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people." (Alma 24:27)
• Preaching the Gospel - For those of us that have partaken of the truth, it becomes our responsibility to share that truth with others.
• "And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason ... of rejoicing ... and joy because of the light of Christ unto life." (Alma 28:14)
• Merciful - God is merciful. Even when we stumble and fall, he will not let us fail if we reach for him.
• "And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men;" (Alma 50:19)
• "Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name." (Hel. 3:27)
• Keep the Commandments - When we have chosen to follow God, we must keep his commandments. It is a common theme in the Book of Mormon.
• "And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them;" (1 Nephi 17:3)
• Pour out His Spirit - Those that keep his commandments will grow in knowledge and truth. God will pour out his spirit upon us.
• "And thus we see that...the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him." (Hel. 6:34)
• "And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words." (Hel. 6:36)
• "Bless and Prosper" - Ultimately, the Book of Mormon shows us that those who choose righteousness will be blessed and prospered.
• "And thus we can ... see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him." (Hel. 12:1)

"Thus we see" that the choice has been laid before us. Mormon and his fellow Nephites have shown us the end of each path. It is up to us to choose iniquity or righteousness; evil or good; death or life eternal.