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I love it when I read the scriptures and the characters come alive for me. Years ago, Moroni became one such character for me. His story, his absolute loneliness, his unshakable faith and determination to “not deny the Christ” has left an imprint on my life. He is one of my heroes! I cannot begin to imagine how he must have felt–everyone he loved had been killed, his own life was constantly sought after, he had to wander from place to place, and yet through it all his faith never wavered. His father had given him the plates to write and preserve their story. A lesser man, if forced to wander from place to place, might have given up on the plates, and called them a burden to carry around. He could have lost faith in God because he had lost everything. Thank goodness Moroni was not a “lesser man”! He knew, without a doubt, the importance of the plates and preserving their story. He knew Jesus Christ was his Savior and he would not deny him.
Let’s take a look at the verses that tell his story.
(Emphasis added)
The Words of Mormon 1:1-2
1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may profit them.
Mormon 8:1-5
Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.
2 And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed.
3 And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not.
4 Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not.
5 Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. My fatherhath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.
The Book of Moroni 1:1-4
Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.
2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.
3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.
4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.
These verses create a visual, like watching a movie, of this great man’s life. I am grateful for Moroni and for his effort and the effort of his father Mormon to keep and preserve the plates so that we could have their story today. Before Moroni died, he hid the records in the side of a mountain. That is where the young boy Joseph Smith, led by an angel, found them.
I love the Book of Mormon! I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ so much better as I have read and pondered it’s pages. It is a true record of the ancient people who lived here in America, (kind of like their journals). They knew and testified of Jesus Christ and his gospel. They wrote the record specially to draw all people unto Him.
Another great hero of mine from the Book of Mormon said it this way,
(Emphasis added)
Jacob 4:1-4
1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers–
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will recieve them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.
-Debbie
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