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| Moroni buries the plates |
But of course, life is also seasoned with experiences and
moments that are unforgettable, right? Milestones, vacations, goals, family
time, you name it. Lots of great stuff, some of which will endure, literally,
forever. Some of my favorite, best remembered moments in life are conversations
I’ve had. Friends, family members, coworkers, bosses—those conversations can
come from anywhere, be shared with anyone.
Some of the conversations I cherish most? Discussions about
spiritual, important things, especially with close friends and family. I
remember discussions I had with teachers 35 years ago, with fellow missionaries
and Church members and curious investigators 25 years ago. I’ve had memorable
talks with friends and co-workers throughout my life. My favorites are those I
have with family—and some of the greatest are those I’ve had with my parents.
I remember great lessons they taught me when I was just a
little kid—for example the one about the spirit and body, in which Dad used a
pen and pen cap to illustrate. I remember talks about Joseph Smith’s life and
death. And of course, talking about Jesus; His life, parables, and the
atonement. Some great conversations—and the great thing is that we can still
have these conversations, and do, every time we get together.
I have been lately pondering the conversations Moroni might
have had with his father, Mormon. We have a few epistles and chapters in the
Book of Mormon to give us a pretty good idea of what they spoke about. With the
thought of those wonderful conversations as a backdrop, I’d like to ponder for
a moment the writings of Moroni.
Consider the lives that Moroni and Mormon led. They saw
their loved ones, their families and friends all killed. Mormon was finally
murdered by a civilization which delighted in wickedness as vile as you can
imagine—including human sacrifice and cannibalistic torture. Mormon’s life’s
work—compiling and editing the history of two great civilizations—was cut just
short, and his son Moroni was charged with its completion.
Mormon and Moroni spent years on the run, as two of the last
twenty-four living Nephites. Moroni spent at least two decades alone—the last
Nephite, in hiding after his father’s death. Etching carefully into metal
plates, abridging Ether’s record, adding his father’s epistles and teachings,
he avoided the hunting enemy. If anyone ever had reason to sorrow, it was
Moroni. He wrote of his father being slain in battle, of the death of his
friends and kinsfolk, of his not knowing whither to go or how long the Lord
would let him live.
We know he lived like this for at least another 20 years. I
can hardly think of a life more heartbreaking and traumatic. Five times, Moroni
seems to end his record, bidding us farewell, ending his writing with the
customary ‘amen.’ But five times, he continues that record, adding an epistle,
a thought, an invitation, or a warning. Moroni had decades—decades—to think, ponder, and pray, completely alone.
He was visited by Christ. He wrote of those whose faith was
so strong, things “could no longer be kept without the veil.” I imagine Moroni
had faith of that nature. His writings on faith, charity, spiritual gifts,
miracles, the atonement, the power of the Holy Ghost, and becoming perfected in
Christ are some of the greatest ever recorded. But to me, there is one topic he
and Mormon wrote about that might be most notable.
He wrote prolifically of hope.
In fact, more than two dozen times, Moroni speaks of hope.
Moroni’s writing (less than fifty pages), has about as much teaching about hope
as the other 480 pages of the Book of Mormon combined! A man who was left to
wander alone, his family and friends all murdered by those that pursued him,
gives us some of the most beautiful, uplifting, hope-filling words ever taught!
(It’s also worth mentioning that the hunted, forsaken Moroni also wrote beautifully
about hope’s close cousins, faith and charity).
Some examples:
“But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto
the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that
thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not
seen. Wherefore, ye may also have
hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith” (Ether
12:8-9).
“… I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that
have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter the rest of the Lord,
from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven” (Moroni 7:3).
“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for
without faith there cannot be any hope”
(Moroni 7:42).
“… pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that ye
may be filled with his love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true
followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that
when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be
purified even as he is pure. Amen” (Moroni 7:48).
“… because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the
visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter
filleth with hope and perfect love” (Moroni 8:26).
“… thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man
might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope” (Ether 12:32).
There are so many amazing doctrinal and inspirational truths
in the last fifty pages of the Book of Mormon. I believe it is even more
meaningful when you consider those pages also contain undoubtedly the most
harrowing descriptions of circumstances found in the Book of Mormon—these great
prophet-historians lived in the worst of times, yet had strong faith and the
sweetest of teachings.
The message of hope is even more significant when you
consider the definitions of the word itself. Currently, Merriam-Webster defines
hope as “to cherish a desire with anticipation” and “to desire with expectation
of obtainment” and “to expect with confidence.” However, looking at the meaning
in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary is probably more descriptive and accurate, as
these would have been closer to the meanings revealed to Joseph Smith as he
translated the work.
The 1828 dictionary adds “confidence in a future event; the
highest degree of well-founded expectation of good; a desire of some good,
accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief
that it is obtainable That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes
ground of expectation, or promises desired good. An opinion or belief not
amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence.”
That’s a lot deeper, isn’t it? There’s also another point
made in the 1828 version. “Hope differs
from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the
good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives
pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with
pain and anxiety.”
Read that last part one more time… Hope always gives pleasure or joy, whereas wish and desire may produce
pain and anxiety. One might imagine a woeful, depressed, broken Moroni,
clinging to life and sanity. Reading his writing, and considering the true
meaning of one of his favorite topics, we get the real picture. Moroni was full
of faith, hope, and charity, working on becoming perfected in Christ, loving
his brethren and inviting us all to come unto Christ. If Webster’s was right,
in 1828, Moroni was full of joy, not hate, fear, or self-pity. He was full of hope!
If you’re not quite convinced, take five minutes and read
the last two and a half pages of the Book of Mormon—Moroni’s last words to us.
Read about faith, hope, charity, despair, love, grace, spiritual gifts,
gratitude, good, truth, sanctification, and rest. While he exhorts and
challenges us, he does it with a sense of joy and love and hope for us as he
bids his final farewell.
A last note about the power of these last chapters of the
Book of Mormon. In late June, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, along
with a couple of Apostles of the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, were headed to yet another jail on yet another trumped up charge. As
they traveled, Joseph told his companions, “I am going like a lamb to the
slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning.”
That day, his brother Hyrum read to him from the Book of
Mormon, presumably to comfort his brother and their companions. Hyrum read from
Ether Chapter 12, in which Moroni is bidding farewell to the Gentiles, praying
to the Lord to give them grace and charity. Hyrum read the comforting,
ultimately prophetic verses, then turned down the corner of the page to mark
the verses which he read. Two or three days later, Joseph and Hyrum were
murdered by a mob of 150 to 200, shot to death in an Illinois jail (see
Doctrine and Covenants 135).
How inspiring and humbling it is to think about this amazing
cycle of spiritual connection. I imagine Joseph Smith, twenty years earlier,
laboring to translate the records, learning of men like Mormon and Moroni. I
see him reading their very prophecies of the coming forth of the Book of
Mormon, and I envision Mormon and Moroni learning of how the record and Christ’s
restored Church will come forth. I envision Joseph reading and preaching from
the scriptures, teaching others, seeing their conversions through the words of
this powerful book.
And then I imagine Joseph Smith, being torn yet again from
his family, and imprisoned yet again by conspirators and mobsters. I can see
Hyrum and Joseph reading in their last hours on Earth from the book they helped
bring forth, which would bless countless lives for eternity. And I expect they,
like Moroni and Momon, were once again filled with hope, comfort and joy.
Life is hard for us all, at some time or another. We face
challenges; some of us will even have trials similar to those faced by Moroni
and Mormon—losing family or friends, finding ourselves alone. Perhaps that is
why their message is so meaningful to so many—they endured the unthinkable. I’m
grateful for their sacrifice and their teaching. Even more, I appreciate the
sacrifice, teaching, and love of Christ, the source of all good gifts, who did endure all things so He could
comfort us. I appreciate His encouragement and belief in us. Through Him, we can experience that same comfort and joy… and
hope.
Moroni was right... Man must hope.
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