Amaleki and Moroni

The last author in the small plates of Nephi, Amaleki, urges his future readers to do several things. It’s remarkable to me how many of these exhortations are reemphasized by Moroni at the end of the Book of Mormon:

Amaleki (Omni 1:25-26)	Moroni
“Come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good.”	“I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues” (Mormon 9:7; see also Moroni 10:8-18).
“For there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord: and that which is evil cometh from the devil.”	[Quoting his father]: “Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil” (Moroni 7:12).
“I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.	“Come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing…. “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:30, 32).

Here are the main points which Moroni repeated from Amaleki’s exhortation:

• God gives many gifts, including prophecy, revelations, and the ability to speak and understand. We must believe in these gifts and not deny them.
• Remember that everything good comes from God.
• As we draw closer to Jesus, we receive the gifts He offers us.
• Drawing closer to Him involves complete commitment, including setting aside anything which would distance us from Him. As we make this sacrifice, He saves us by His grace.

It’s a powerful invitation, and it begins with belief. We’ve got to set aside our skepticism and open our hearts to the amazing gifts God offers us. We would never “offer [our] whole souls” to Him or “deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness” if we didn’t believe in the supernal gifts we can receive by His grace.

Today, I will believe in the gifts of God. As I strive to come unto Christ and to lay aside every unworthy thing, I will trust in His power to replace those temporary things with His heavenly gifts and ultimately with His salvation.