Mormon 1-9

Quotes of the Week:

“Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes--
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”

--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"In this crucible of wickedness the true greatness of Mormon shines like a star."

--Hugh Nibley, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 476

Further Reading:

Joe. J. Christensen, “Rearing Children in a Polluted Environment,” Ensign, 11/93
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Forgiveness,” Ensign, 11/05
Jeffrey R. Holland, "Mormon: The Man and the Book, Part 2", Ensign, Apr. 1978, 57
W. Cole Durham Jr., "Moroni", Ensign, June 1978, 56


Handouts:

Mormon

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 469
If you think it an inspiration that a 16-year-old boy could win the leadership of a great national army, what would you think of a man between the ages of 65 and 74 who was still the best man among his entire people for this top position of leadership, and in those days the general marched at the head and not in the rear of his troops.  It is one thing to shoot a guided missile at an enemy a thousand miles away, but it is quite another thing to meet the enemy face to face, and with a sword or a battle axe, take on all comers, old and young, on any basis they might choose to elect; and still be in there fighting at age 74.  No weakling or coward survives a test like that.  [Mormon’s] leadership and great skill in battle must have been an inspiration to those fortunate companions in arms who were privileged to fight at his side.

Jeffrey R. Holland, "Mormon: The Man and the Book, Part 2", Ensign, Apr. 1978, 57
If Mormon had merely obeyed that original instruction from Ammaron it would have been challenge enough for any historian, for the story Mormon had to write was the long, terrible tale of the destruction of his people.  But Mormon went beyond Ammaron’s admonition and prepared another record, abridging the entire history of his people. . . .
Through Isaiah the Lord said, “I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder.” (Isa. 29:14.) Today we can read the book that helps fulfill that prophecy; and in its pages, we can meet the great prophet Mormon, whom the Lord chose to write that marvelous work.

Book of Mormon Reference Companion, p. 548
It would be impossible to overstate Mormon’s achievements spiritually, physically, and intellectually.  He established a relationship with God in hie teenage years, and it sustained him throughout a life stamped by upheaval and grief.  What Mormon achieved militarily—leading a hopelessly corrupt people to a number of major victories—would have won him lasting fame in any society.  But to the modern reader, his military leadership is secondary to his spiritual and intellectual accomplishments.  Mormon understood perfectly how a record had to be prepared; he knew that he and his predecessors wrote for future peoples.  He knew the record was to contain the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.  When he spoke editorially, throughout his abridgement of the large plates of Nephi, as well as when he wrote as historian and prophet of his era, Mormon addressed latter-day peoples directly.  Mormon was more than an editor, more than an abridger.  Clearly, he effectively assimilated the writings of his predecessors.   He knew the scriptures and seemed to carry them in his mind; he was full of them and fed by them, and as such was fortified against the evils of his day, and strengthened in his work.  The entire Book of Mormon was shaped by Mormon’s sense of purpose.  His was a divine commission.  Mormon knew that the record he was preparing was to come forth in a day of apostasy and confusion.  He also knew that the record was intended to be a solution to these problems by restoring “the plain and precious things” that would be removed from the Bible, truths needed to dispel the spiriutal darkness engulfing the latter-day world.

Spencer W. Kimball, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 479
How [Mormon’s] heart must have pained and his whole being ached. . . . Then as he saw both armies at Cumorah, in their last bloody struggles, too late to reform, too hardened to repent, too stubborn to change, observing with terror their destroyers marching to the final battlefield where their bodies, too numerous to ever be buried, would rot in the sun: . . .
There was little else that the wounded general could do now but to weep and to write and to prophesy and warn.

Mormon 4:5--Wicked Punish the Wicked

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p.  475
How are the wicked punished?  The Lord withdraws and leaves the people to themselves.  At that point, the wicked punish—and eventually destroy—each other.

Mormon 7—Moroni

W. Cole Durham Jr., "Moroni", Ensign, June 1978, 56
Moroni was a prophet well prepared for the responsibility of bridging two worlds: from the beginning it seems that he was sensitized to the spiritual anguish and disintegration of modern society. He was born into a righteous home, but was surrounded by a world which, like much of contemporary society, was pervaded by violence and degradation. All the external influences of society were at war with his parents’ desire to raise a righteous son. His father, Mormon, described the tide of evil that was sweeping the land as a “complete revolution”—both social and spiritual—against the values which just two centuries earlier had created a civilization rivaling the City of Enoch in the perfection of its peace. (Morm. 2:8; cf. 4 Ne. 1:16.)

In a profound sense, then, Moroni was born into two worlds: one of decadence, in which the people were “without principle, and past feeling” (Moro. 9:20), and another of faith, in which parental righteousness ensured continued exposure to the gifts of the Spirit. Like the children of Noah, Lot, Lehi, and, in fact, of every active Church member, Moroni grew up at the frontier of decision between these two worlds.

The scriptures provide only a limited account of Moroni’s family relationships and focus solely on father and son, but the glimpses suggest a tie rich with natural affection, strengthened by mutual concern for the ministry. The very structure of Moroni’s writings reflects a profound respect for his father. His initial writings (Morm. 8 and Morm. 9) were intended to do no more than complete his father’s record. Later, when Moroni added his own book, approximately two-thirds of its space was devoted to a presentation of his father’s teachings and letters. . . .
With the loss of his father and his people, Moroni inherited a burden of loneliness virtually unparalleled in human history. By the time of his first entry on the plates, Moroni had already wandered alone for some sixteen years; and another twenty years were still to pass before he finally sealed up the records. (See Morm. 6:5, Morm. 8:6; and Moro. 10:1.) Perhaps only Ether before him had shared the experience of being left alone to record in scripture the total destruction of a people. (See Ether 15:33–34.)

Moroni’s opening words are suffused with an infinite sorrow. . . .
The years alone brought with them not only a profound understanding of the problem of loneliness, but also a deepened perception of the meaning, significance, and destiny of family bonds. Part of the little we know of his travels derives from an account of an incident that occurred on April 25, 1877, the day the Manti Temple site was dedicated. Early that morning, President Brigham Young is reported to have gone to the site and said, “Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can’t move it from this spot.” As is apparent when one considers Moroni’s work in the current dispensation, his years of isolation from the family of men must have deepened his appreciation for the eternal family and his awareness of the significance of temple work.

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 323, 24
Moroni’s experience was painful, for he observed in life, in history, and in vision the pollution and destruction of three glorious civilizations—his own Nephite world, the Jaredite nation, and our latter-day dispensation.  In this state of lonely witnessing, Moroni was shown the last days of another civilization—our own.  And Moroni saw they would be very much like his own.

 Mormon 8:1-6 Moroni

L. Tom Perry, Ensign, 11/92, 15-16
Let us take Brigham Young’s advice and imagine we are standing in the place where Moroni, the last of the great Nephite prophets, stood.  The assignment his father gave to him to complete the record, which was entrusted to his care, was very difficult.  He must have been in a state of shock as he described the total destruction of his people.

Mormon 8:26-41  They Saw our Day

Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah, 375
What was romance of the far away and long ago to our parents and grandparents has in our own generation become a grim reality.  Suddenly the Book of Mormon has become as modern as today’s newspaper.

Jeffrey R. Holland, CES Fireside for Young Adults, BYU,  9/12/04, 5
Those earlier brethren are over there [on the other side of the veil] still cheering us on! In a very real way, their chance to consider themselves fully successful depends on our faithfulness and our victory.  I love the idea of going into the battle of the last days representing Alma and Abinadi and what they pled for.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 11/05
Those of us who read and believe the scriptures are aware of the warnings of prophets concerning catastrophes that have come to pass and are yet to come to pass. . . . .  If anyone has any doubt concerning the terrible things that can and will afflict mankind, let him read the 24th chapter of Matthew. . . . . How portentous are the words of revelation found in the 88th section of the Doctrine and Covenants concerning the calamities that should befall after the testimonies of the elders. . . .  (D&C 88:89-91) How interesting are descriptions of the tsunami and the recent hurricanes in terms of the language of this revelation, which says, “The voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds” . . . .  What we have experienced in the past was all foretold, and the end is not yet.  Just as there have been calamities in the past, we expect more in the future.  What do we do?  Someone has said it was not raining when Noah built the ark.  But he built it, and the rains came.  The Lord has said, “if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” D&C 38:30) . . . .
We can so live that we can call upon the Lord for His protection and guidance.  This is a first priority.  We cannot expect His help if we are unwilling to keep His commandments.  We in this Church have evidence enough of the penalties of disobedience in the examples of both the Jaredite and the Nephite nations. Each went from glory to utter destruction because of wickedness.

Ezra Taft Benson, CR, 10/86, 5
The Nephites never had the book, neither did the Lamanites of ancient times.  It was meant for us.  Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization.  Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, he abridged centuries of records, choosing the stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us.  Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations [2 Ne 25:21; Jacob 1:3; Enos 1;15-16 Jarom 1:2 Mormon 7:1; Mormon 8:34-35, 9:30] . . . . If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon?  We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record?  What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?
And there are example after example of how that question will be answered.

Mormon 9:3-6 Consciousness of Your Guilt

Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 10/82, 4
Remember this, forgiveness can never come without repentance.  And repentance can never come until one has bared his soul and admitted his actions without excuses or rationalizations.  He must admit to himself that he has sinned, without the slightest minimization of the offense or rationalizing of its seriousness, or without soft-pedaling its gravity.  He must admit that his sin is as big as it really is and not call a pound an ounce. Those persons who choose to meet the issue ant transform their lives may find repentance the harder road at first, but they will find it the infinitely more desirable path as they taste of its fruits.

Mormon 9:10-26 Miracles

Daniel Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism
A miracle has been defined as a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.

Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 360-61
When we think of miracles, most of us think of healings under the power of the priesthood.  But there is another, even greater miracle—the miracle of forgiveness.  Indeed the day of miracles has not passed except for those who will not heed the call of the Lord and of his servants.  There is a glorious miracle awaiting every soul who is prepared to change.  When souls are reborn, when lives are changed—then comes the great miracle to beautify and warm and lift.  When spiritual death has threatened and now instead there is resuscitation, when life pushes out death—when this happens it is the miracle of miracles.  And such great miracles will never cease so long as there is one person who applies the redeeming power of the Savior and his own good works to bring about his rebirth.

There are two kinds of miracles, as there are two parts to life in every area.  There is the body and the spirit.  Thus there are two kinds of healings.  Of the two, spiritual sight is by far the more important.  Only those whose physical eyes do not see can know of the deprivation this entails, and it is a serious one.  But even this cannot be compared to the blindness of those who have eyes and will not see the glories of that spiritual life which has no end.

Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 4
In faith, we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming.  Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the process. They would have the harvest before the planting, the reward before the service, the miracle before the faith.  Even the most demanding labor unions would hardly ask the wages before the labor.  But many of us would have the vigor without the observance of the health laws, prosperity through the opened windows of heaven without the payment of our tithes.  We would have the close communion with our Father without fasting and praying; we would have rain in due season and peace in the land without observing the Sabbath and keeping the other commandments of the Lord.  We would pluck the rose before planting the roots; we would harvest the grain before sowing and cultivating.

Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 11-12
Remember that Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others could not see clearly the end from the beginning.  They also walked by faith and without sight.  Remember again that no gates were open; Laban was not drunk; and no earthly hope was justified at the moment Nephi exercised his faith and set out finally to get the plates. . . .
And remember that there were no heavenly beings in Palmyra, on the Susquehanna, or on Cumorah when the soul-hungry Joseph slipped quietly into the grove, knelt in prayer on the river bank, and climbed the slopes of the sacred hill.

But know this, that just as undaunted faith has stopped the mouths of lions, made ineffective fiery flames, opened dry corridors through rivers and seas, protected against deluge and drouth, and brought heavenly manifestations at the instance of prophets, so in each of our lives faith can heal the sick, bring comfort to those who mourn, strengthen resolve against temptation, relive from the bondage of harmful habits, lend the strength to repent and change our lives, and lead to a sure knowledge of the divinity of Jesus Christ.  Indomitable faith can help us live the commandments with a willing heart and thereby bring blessings unnumbered, with peace, perfection, and exaltation in the kingdom of God.