My patriarchal blessing cites two significant blessings connected with my name. In the first instance it says my children will grow up to bless and honour my name and in the second it says that my name will always be known among the faithful. These two blessings are of course predicated upon my faithfulness. I desperately want both of them. The first one because it means my faithfulness will have an influence on my children and in some way be instrumental in their salvation and the second because I do truly desire to be known as a faithful follower of Christ. When I read The Book of Mormon and come across Mormon boldly proclaiming, "Behold I am Mormon and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ...", my heart yearns to say this of myself with the same confidence and boldness with which Mormon did. So when my patriarchal blessing tells me that I will be known as one of the 'faithful' I know that there will be evidence enough to that fact otherwise I would not be numbered among them.
Whilst attending our new ward recently, my daughter was introduced on a number of occasions with significant reference to her grandparents who are well known far and wide for their faithfulness and Church service. Her grandmother, who has passed away, is highly regarded in the Church in Sydney by many saints who knew her. I have heard her name mentioned often in different wards I have attended since her death. It makes me so grateful that my children are associated with her good name. I believe this is the greatest legacy she has left to her grandchildren. It is my desire that I will leave a good name to my children also. Adversely, I would be devastated if my name was an embarrassment to them in any way. So much is associated with the name we bear: our reputation, what kind of life we created, the caliber of the person we have been, our good works, people's perception of us, how loved we are, how much we have helped others and how well we have treated them. The influence, whether bad or good, is far reaching.
As Church members we are largely known by two significant names: Mormons and Christians. Some members of the Church resent being called Mormons because more often than not, this name overshadows the fact that we are Christians to the rest of the world. However, the rest of the world doesn't know Mormon like we know him. Mormon is my favourite prophet of the Book of Mormon. The obvious reason being is that he is a writer. The other reason is that in my opinion Mormon was one of the most Christ like people to have ever graced this earth. For that reason, being called Mormon to me is just about the same as being called a Christian.
Mormon was faithful to the latter in one of the most evil societies that have ever existed. A people who were so wicked that the Holy Ghost was entirely withheld from them (Mormon 1:14); who 'willfully rebelled against their God' (Mormon 1:16); who, in their extremities 'cursed God and wished to die' (Mormon 2:14); who were consumed with revenge (Mormon 3:9-10); who forcibly deprived women of their virtue, killed them, and 'devoured their flesh like unto wild beasts' (Moroni 9:10). After much unsuccessful effort to turn the society of such evil doers around to repent and trust in God you would think Mormon would be justified in wishing God's justice to come upon them. But this was not in Mormon's nature. Mormon knew God and how merciful He is and therefore he never stopped hoping that his people will repent and once again become a righteous people. Instead of smugly sitting on his housetop and recording their destruction, punctuated with frequent "I-told-you-so's", Mormon continued to urge the Nephites in their battles and inspired them to consider their wives and their children and their homes. (Todd A Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9) Not only did Mormon continue to love and serve the Nephites despite their lack of willingness to repent, he fought along side them knowing they were doomed and when the Nephites went down to complete destruction, he went down with them.
In writing The Book of Mormon, Mormon's one purpose was to bring us 'unto Christ'. If you asked a classroom of people who wrote The Book of Mormon, everybody would hesitate to answer trying to figure it out. This is so because when you read The Book of Mormon, you do not hear Mormon's voice, even though he occasionally offers editorial commentary. The voice we hear when we read The Book of Mormon, is the voice of God. Mormon makes himself transparent as the writer of this book and succeeds gloriously in helping us draw closer to God. (Todd A. Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9)
Mormon lived by an eternal perspective that enabled his life long service among his fellowmen. : "...for we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness...." (Moroni 9:6) I often quote this scripture during my lessons as a means of inspiration to help us be focused on winning the battle that we began so long ago. The more I know about Mormon, the more I want to be like him. It makes me feel good to say that I am a Mormon, to be associated with his name.
In Mosiah 5:7-12, the word 'name' occurs 11 times. These particular scriptures contain King Benjamin's address to his people who were willing to enter into a covenant with God 'to do his will and to be obedient to his commandments in all things....all the remainder of our days' (Mosiah 5:5). What is interesting is that King Benjamin responds to their willingness to enter into this covenant by talking about the importance of taking upon ourselves Christ's name. He specifically says that:
- our hearts are changed through faith on his name (verse 7)
- there is no other name given whereby salvation comes (verse 8)
- whosoever enters into this covenant shall be known and called by the name of Christ (verse 9)
- whosoever is not called by the name of Christ shall be found on the left hand of God (verse 10)
- His name will never be blotted out of our hearts except through transgression (verse 11)
By virtue of our covenant to be obedient to His commandments, we become Christ's, his sons and his daughters and thereby we take upon ourselves His name, much like we take upon ourselves our earthly father's name when we are born into mortality. In this instance however, Christ becomes our spiritual father and we thereby become Christ-ians. What we do with Christ's name speaks volumes about our integrity and character. Being Christian means being like Christ and behaving as He would behave. It reminds me of that saying: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
King Benjamin closes his address admonishing his people to be steadfast and immovable and always abounding in good works for the greatest of all blessings depends on this: "....that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life..." (Mosiah 5:15) The Saviour will hold us responsible for His name when we face Him at the judgment bar. As his children, it is our duty to bring honour and glory to his name through the life that we live. For this He will exalt us so that we can have all that He has and be all that He is. Alma spoke of being spiritually born and thereby receiving His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14). Let us live so that this image will be recognized by all we associate with and that we will be known by His name more readily than by our own. Does He not deserve this?
For "behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands...." (1 Nephi 21:16)
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