THE IMPERATIVE BOOK OF MORMON

 

 

A friend who was distancing herself from the Church  asked me: "why would Moroni lug around heavy gold plates for 20 years, hide them in the earth and have them discovered when they were hardly necessary?" I was shocked by this question because I presumed that everyone in the Church understood just how necessary the gold plates were that Joseph translated into the Book of Mormon.                                                                  

One has only to read the book of Enos to understand the 'why'. Enos prayed earnestly for preservation of the records that were handed down to him by his father Jacob (Jacob 7:27). So much did he cry to God about it that God COVENANTED with him that He would bring them forth in His own due time (Enos 1:16). Not only did Enos ask this of the Lord but his fathers also (Enos 1:18). So it goes without saying that everyone who wrote on the plates was desperate to have them preserved. Now this is the interesting bit. The Lamanites knew of these records and swore that they would destroy them and "all the traditions of the fathers" (Enos 1:14). And what were these traditions? In Nephi's words: "...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ.."(2 Nephi 25:26). So what then was the purpose of the preservation? Jacob says so that their posterity would know that they believed in Christ (Jacob 4:1-5). Enos went one step further and pleaded with the Lord to preserve the records so that the Lamanites would one day, because of them, be brought unto salvation (Enos 1:13). Why? Because they testify of Christ.

Mormon was 10 years old when he was told of the plates by Ammaron (Mormon 1:1-3). Imagine being 10 years old and given such a charge to preserve the second testament of Christ that would prepare the world for the Second Coming. I am thinking that both Mormon and Moroni understood Jacob's admonition that all who reject Christ and the power of His redemption would one day 'stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God' (Jacob 6:8-10). I am convinced both of these men read this and took it to heart.  Being men of God who themselves testified of Christ and having seen our day in visions, it was imperative to them that the Book of Mormon saw the light of day, at all cost. And I'm thinking this is why Moroni lugged the gold plates around for 20 years. Did he care how heavy they were? Did he care how long he had to do it? I am convinced his testimony of Christ far outweighed the gold that was in his hands:

"Behold.....I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have no friends nor whither to go...therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not." (Mormon 8:4,5)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Moroni Travels by Katie Payne)

HIS HOLY WORD

 

 

The most exhilarating part of the Saviour's earthly life would have to be post resurrection. One can only imagine the hope and speculation that would have circulated in the midst of His followers as the news spread that He lived again. My favourite of the events recorded of that time is His walk with two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). It is of great marvel to me that when the two men recounted the story of His crucifixion and resurrection with dubious narration, the Saviour did not reveal himself to them to prove the story was true. Instead He chose to expound all the scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24:27) because they testify of Him as the Messiah and the Saviour of the world (John 5:39). It was not until after the scriptures were expounded to them and the Saviour had departed, that the two disciples understood who He was. I have often wondered what the lesson in this was. What was the Saviour trying to teach them? Perhaps that having the scriptures is the same as having Him in their midst as with the scriptures comes the power of the Holy Ghost which testifies of His divinity. This is attested by the two disciples who proclaimed upon His departure from them, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he........opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32).

Who do you see when you study the scriptures? The brave Jeremiah, the poetic Isaiah, the obedient Nephi, the repentant Alma? It is hard not to see these prominent and prolific figures. The challenge is and always will be, however, to see Christ on every page; whether in prophecies, in doctrine, in His dealings with humanity or valuable lessons learnt through the characters enshrined in the holy writ. I will tell you what I see: in the Old Testament I see the merciful Jehovah; in the New Testament I see the loving Saviour; in the Book of Mormon, I see the promised Messiah;  in the Doctrine and Covenants I see the majestic Christ; and in The Pearl of Great Price, I see the pre-mortal God and the author of our salvation. We might not have Him with us still…..but really we have Him with us still….

 

 

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast on Thy holy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest;

To entreat a peaceful heart

To renew my might,

To dare to endure.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Road to Emmaus by Liz Lemon Swindle)