#197: Why Do We Have the Book of Ether?

The Book of Mormon would be complete with just the abridgment that Mormon penned. It properly gave a great summery of the thousand years that the Nephites struggled to survive, ultimately failing to do so. The work complied faithfully with the Lord's commandment to Mormon to record a compelling history of his people, the Nephites, and their often-intransigent brethren, the Lamanites. So, I ask you; Why do we have the Book of Ether thrown in there at the end? It is a completely different story...