Mormon had a final message, and his son Moroni appended one of his own.
Mormon wanted the descendants of his enemies (the Lamanites) to know some things—that they are of the house of Israel, that they must lay down their weapons of war, and that they have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. He also wanted them to do some things—repent and be baptized.
Moroni described the turmoil in his world and in ours (which he saw by revelation). He then spoke to three groups of skeptics.
- To those who don’t believe in Christ, he said, you will eventually.
- To those who don’t believe in miracles, he testified that God is unchanging.
- Finally, he urged those who are overly critical of the Book of Mormon to look beyond the imperfections of its authors in order to understand its core message.
Here are some additional lessons I’ve learned from these chapters:
Outline
Key Themes
- Jesus Christ has risen, and more importantly He is risen, and is able to heal us.
- Our ability to receive additional spiritual knowledge is dependent on how we use the knowledge we have already received
- People are more important than things.
- God can perform miracles in your life.
- The Savior redeemed us, which means that He brings us back into the presence of God.
Connections
- At the end of the book of Revelation, an angel explains to the author, John, that at the final judgment, those who are righteous will be “righteous still” (Revelation 22:11). Moroni used similar terminology to describe that event and added that those who are happy will be “happy still” (Mormon 9:14).
- Paul encouraged church members at Philippi, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13). Moroni gave the same admonition to us, his modern readers. (See Mormon 9:27.)
Applications
- Replace patterns of thought which create animosity with patterns which build peace.
- Don’t judge rashly. Take time to gather information before making a decision.
- Learn to see past other people’s imperfections and to appreciate their contributions.
- Be open with God in prayer. He already knows everything about you.
Recommended Posts
Blog posts: November 5-10
“Therefore Repent”
Mormon lists a number of things he wants the Lamanites to know. Then, he tells them what he wants them to do with that knowledge: repent and be baptized. Many of the most important truths we know can and should be converted into practical action.
Moroni’s Excellent Hope
Moroni had every reason to despair. His people had been destroyed, and he was alone. Yet he wrote extensively about the hope that we receive through the Spirit of the Lord, which helps us endure challenges and which prepares us to return to God’s presence
Out of Darkness
Our challenges and constraints do not prevent us from uplifting and inspiring other people. We may bring them closer to God even as we pass through difficult experiences.
“O Ye Pollutions”
Moroni asked why we have “polluted to the holy church of God.” The church is a hospital for sinners, but as we participate, we are also doctors and nurses. We ought to approach that responsibility with care, recognizing our shortcomings as we help others.
“More Wise Than We”
When Moroni congratulates his critics on their wisdom, is he being ironic? After all, it’s easier to criticize than to create. I think he’s doing something else: modeling the humility and generosity which can help us respond productively to criticism.
No Variableness
Moroni and James both taught that there is no “variableness” in God. We can trust that what He has done in the past, He will continue to do today, and what He is doing today, He will continue to do in the future.
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