Book of Mormon Lesson
# 44—Mormon 7–9
I Speak unto You As If Ye were Present
Introduction
Mormon chapter 7 ends
Mormon’s editing of the Book of Mormon with his words to the remnant of Lehi’s
posterity—the Lamanites who by now had completely abandoned their religious
heritage, nurtured from Nephi, revived by Ammon and the sons of Mosiah, led by
Samuel, and confirmed by Jesus Christ Himself. Moroni records Mormon’s last
words in chapter 7 and adds his pleading to us, you and me, in chapters 8 and
9. We do have two epistles from Mormon in Moroni 8 and 9, but effectively we
say goodbye to Mormon this week. Additionally, we effectively have Moroni’s
last words to us, you and me. With his statement in chapter 8 which forms this
week’s lesson heading, Moroni bundles up the entire Book of Mormon and puts it
squarely in front of our faces. This is for us, you and me. It’s purpose is to
bring us to Christ, and, as we learned two weeks ago, to have faith, repent, be
baptized and confirmed, and endure to the end.
Hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of
Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be
believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your
heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all
uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a
firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve
the true and living God.
See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the
sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness,
and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do
this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out (Mormon 9:27–29).
1. Mormon exhorts the
latter-day descendants of Lehi to repent, believe in Christ, and be baptized. Mormon 7
Elder Holland
eloquently describes Mormon’s plea:
In a soliloquy of death, Mormon
reached across time and space to all, especially to that “remnant of the house
of Israel” who would one day read his majestic record. Those of another time
and place must learn what those lying before him had forgotten—that all must “believe
in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God,” that following his crucifixion in
Jerusalem he had, “by the power of the Father … risen again, whereby he hath
gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death
swallowed up” [Mormon
7:2, 5]. … To “believe in Christ,” especially when measured
against such tragic but avoidable consequences, was Mormon’s last plea and his
only hope. It is the ultimate purpose of the entire book that would come to the
latter-day world bearing his name” (Christ
and the New Covenant [1997], 321–22).
I am reminded Elder
Bednar’s talk from the recent General Conference:
Is it possible to exercise faith in Him, follow Him, serve Him, but not
believe Him?
I am acquainted with Church members who accept as true the doctrine and
principles contained in the scriptures and proclaimed from this pulpit. And yet
they have a hard time believing those gospel truths apply specifically in their
lives and to their circumstances. They seem to have faith in the Savior, but
they do not believe His promised blessings are available to them or can operate
in their lives. I also encounter brothers and sisters who fulfill their
callings dutifully but for whom the restored gospel has not yet become a living
and transforming reality in their lives. We come to know the Lord as we not
only believe in Him but also believe Him and His assurances.[1]
Mormon 7:5 exhorts
the Lamanites to “come to the knowledge of your fathers.” Why do you think
Mormon said this, and what does it mean to us? My service missionary assignment
is with Familysearch. One of the more fun aspects is what is called Zoning where you comb through old
newspapers looking for details on births, marriages, and deaths. Sometimes
these are in strange places like the account of a robbery, or someone falling
into a vat of boiling water (they survived!). But while I am doing this, I
think that perhaps this will be of use to someone researching their ancestors,
and maybe this obscure reference that includes the fact that they were boarding
at the house of the victim will enable their descendants to have enough
information to do their work. So although Mormon’s exhortation was followed by
the admonition to repent and believe in Christ and His Resurrection, for me it
reminds me that my ancestors are waiting for me to seek them out so they can in
turn believe Christ.
Mormon 7:8–9 confirms
the truth of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Speaking of the scriptures,
Pres. Benson said:
I love the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments. It is a source of
great truth. … That sacred and holy book has been of inestimable worth to
the children of men. In fact, it was a passage from the Bible that inspired the
Prophet Joseph Smith to go to a grove of trees near his home and kneel in
prayer. What followed was the glorious vision that commenced the restoration of
the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. That vision also began
the process of bringing forth new scripture [the Book of Mormon] to stand
shoulder to shoulder with the Bible in bearing witness to a wicked world that
Jesus is the Christ and that God lives and loves His children and is still
intimately involved in their salvation and exaltation (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 78).
Regarding scriptural
witnesses, Elder Nelson said:
Scriptural witnesses authenticate each other. This concept was explained
long ago when a prophet wrote that the Book of Mormon was “written for the
intent that ye may believe [the Bible]; and if ye believe [the Bible] ye will
believe [the Book of Mormon] also.” Each book refers to the other.
Each book stands as evidence that God lives and speaks to His children by
revelation to His prophets.[2]
2. Moroni prophesies
that the Book of Mormon will come forth in a day of great wickedness. Mormon 8.
The Institute Manual
has a lovely tribute to Moroni:
Moroni witnessed the death of his father, Mormon, and the destruction of
the entire Nephite nation. Nevertheless, his life was preserved, and he
faithfully fulfilled his mission in mortality. The Lord appointed Moroni to
finish writing “the sad tale of the destruction” of the Nephites (Mormon 8:3).
Before his death Moroni wrote the last part of his father’s book (Mormon 8–9),
abridged the Jaredite record (the book of Ether), recorded the vision of the
brother of Jared in the sealed portion of the plates (see Ether 4:4–5),
and also wrote his own book (the book of Moroni). Yet Moroni’s mission
continues in our dispensation. In modern revelation we learn that Moroni holds
“the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim” (D&C
27:5). The resurrected Moroni ministered to the Prophet Joseph Smith and
tutored him several times on his role in restoring the fulness of the gospel,
including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (see Joseph
Smith—History 1:30–60; History of the Church, 1:9–19). Depicting Moroni’s
role in the Restoration, the Church has placed statues of Moroni atop most of
its temples.
We see these statues
every day, two of them in Provo alone, truly he is an ever-present witness that
the Gospel is restored. And thankfully so because these are the days Moroni
prophesies of, especially in verses 27–32. It doesn’t take much surfing to find
examples of all of this. An astonishing (to me) 24 years ago, Elder Joe J.
Christensen said:
We all hear and read a great deal these days about our polluted physical
environment—acid rain, smog, toxic wastes. But these parents recognize that
there is another kind of pollution that is much more dangerous—the moral and
spiritual. . . . Sadly, the effects of this great pollution are perhaps most
evident in the mass media, films, television, and popular music. Of this,
Senator Robert D. Byrd said, “If we in this nation continue to sow the images
of murder, violence, drug abuse, … perversion, [and] pornography … before the
eyes of millions of children, year after year and day after day, we should not
be surprised if the foundations of our society rot away as if from leprosy”
(Michael Medved, Hollywood vs. America, New York: Harper Perennial,
1992, p. 194).
Although there are some uplifting exceptions, in most areas of the mass
media there seems to be a declaration of war against almost everything the
majority treasures most: the family, religion, and patriotism. Marriage is
degraded, while premarital and extramarital relations are encouraged and
glamorized. Profanity and the foulest of vulgar gutter language bombard the
ears of all who listen. . . . Human life itself is trivialized by the constant
barrage of violence and killings. Remember that anything that is not good for
children is rarely good for adults.[3]
What is the antidote?
Well we find that in the next chapter when Moroni pleas with us to believe in
Christ. And one of the main conduits through which we can do that is the Book
of Mormon.
3. Moroni exhorts
people in the last days to believe in Christ. Mormon 9.
Moroni’s first words
are to those who do not believe in Christ. I know that as I get older, the
restraints on my tongue seem to weaken and I sometimes watch myself saying
things I would never have uttered when I was younger and more respectful and
shouldn’t utter now. But there is a time to be bold in defense of the truth and
in the recent General Conference, Elder Ballard powerfully demonstrated that.
If any one of you is faltering in your faith, I ask you the same
question that Peter asked: “To whom shall [you] go?” If you choose to become
inactive or to leave the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
where will you go? What will you do? The decision to “walk no more” with Church
members and the Lord’s chosen leaders will have a long-term impact that cannot
always be seen right now. There may be some doctrine, some policy, some bit of
history that puts you at odds with your faith, and you may feel that the only
way to resolve that inner turmoil right now is to “walk no more” with the
Saints. If you live as long as I have, you will come to know that things have a
way of resolving themselves. An inspired insight or revelation may shed new
light on an issue. Remember, the Restoration is not an event, but it continues
to unfold. Never abandon the great truths revealed through the Prophet Joseph
Smith. Never stop reading, pondering, and applying the doctrine of Christ
contained in the Book of Mormon.
Never fail to give equal time to the Lord through honest attempts to
understand what the Lord has revealed.[4]
Moroni’s last words
as a colloquy to Mormon’s own book contain the strong plea that we do not
doubt, but believe. Elder Uchtdorf has famously said, “Therefore, my dear
brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you
doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us
from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ.”[5]
Moroni teaches us
that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Elder McConkie illustrates
this for us:
Why do signs and miracles cease in certain ages? Why are they not found
at all times and among all peoples? Were those of old entitled to greater
blessings than those of us who now dwell on the same earth that once was
theirs? Moroni answers: “The reason why” a God of gifts and miracles “ceaseth
to do miracles among the children of men,” and to pour out his gifts upon them,
“is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and
know not the God in whom they should trust.” They worship false gods whom they
define in their creeds, and they no longer walk in the same paths pursued by
the saints of former days. It is men who have changed, not God; He is the same
everlastingly. All men who have the same faith and live the same law will reap
the same blessings” (A New Witness for
the Articles of Faith [1985], 367).
It is in our natural
man nature to seek imperfections in others in order to diminish those in us. To
that end, I finish with one of Moroni’s last verses in this chapter that shows
his humility at coming to the end (as he thought) of his life and his and his
father’s life’s work:
Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because
of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give
thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye
may learn to be more wise than we have been (Mormon 9:31)
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