The Prophet Moroni

     The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ is an excellent place to find the history of people full of faith.  Many of these stories are centered around people willing to lay down their lives for their testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Some examples include the prophet Abinadi, Alma the Younger and Amulek, and the Lamanites converted to the gospel through the testimonies of Ammon and his brothers. 

      I view the history of these people as stories of courage.  They demonstrate that no sacrifice is too great when you truly know who Jesus Christ is.  It’s worth laying down our lives for a testimony of the Holy One of Israel.  But I believe it can take even more faith and courage to live the life God asks of us than it does to be willing to sacrifice life for Him.  An excellent example of this faith and courage can be found in the life of a man named Moroni.

     If you’re familiar with the history found in the pages of The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ, you know more than one righteous men who are excellent examples of faith carry the name Moroni.  An excellent example is Captain Moroni, who served as a leader of the Nephite armies and led them to several incredible victories over the Lamanites.  I love the lessons of faith that can be learned through his example.

     But the man I wish to speak of today is the prophet Moroni, who the scriptures record as the last disciple from among the people of the Nephites and as the last of his people.  His history can be found in two sections of The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ—The Book of Mormon and The Book of Moroni.  Let me give you a brief account.

     Approximately 400 years after the Resurrected Lord visited the American continents (see 3 Nephi in The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ), the Nephites became a very wicked people.  They rejected God and started pursuing riches, power, and glory.  God had warned the Nephites through the prophets that they would be destroyed as a people should this ever be the case.  It was into these circumstances that Mormon had his son, Moroni.  Both men were righteous disciples of Christ.

     Mormon served as the chief leader of the Nephite armies.  Moroni also became one of the leaders.  During their lives the Lamanites came against the Nephites in battle frequently.  So the two men quickly became seasoned warriors.  Unfortunately the Nephites kept rejecting God.  So His divine protection was taken from them, and the Lamanites became a very blood thirsty people.  They were not content with simply defeating the Nephites.  They started slaughtering and murdering the Nephites, particularly any who would not deny their testimonies of Jesus.

     Without the protection of God, the Nephites were overpowered by the Lamanites and their numbers began dwindling quickly.  The disciples of God were also quickly eliminated.  Mormon survived long enough to see the majority of his people killed in battle.  Moroni lived long enough to see all of them except himself slain.  So it was that Moroni witnessed the death of his family and the complete destruction of his people, while he was left alive to preserve the records of his people.

     Think about how devastating that would be!  I love my family and would hate to see them slain in war.  I also love my country and my people.  I can’t bring myself to think of a world where the United States of America doesn’t exist.  Yet Moroni witnessed the death of his entire family and his entire people!  I would think this would devastate him and leave him in a state of depression unable to function.

     Yet Moroni lived for several more years preserving the records entrusted to him.  He wandered across the American continents alone, evading the Lamanites who were now warring among themselves.  And he recorded wonderful pieces of history for us while he was at it.

     I can think of only one possible thing that could give Moroni the strength to do what he did after witnessing the destruction of his people—faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you read the words he recorded, you know this is true as well.  Moroni was a man of faith.  And he fulfilled the mission God gave him to the best of his ability.

     I love the history of Moroni.  It’s an excellent story of a man who had the courage to live the life God asked him to live, even though he undoubtedly felt the bitter pain of the loss of his people and his loved ones.  From the example of Moroni, we should learn faith should be more than being willing to die for our testimonies.  Faith should give us the strength to live difficult lives because of our testimony of Jesus.

Simon Peter

     One of the excellent examples of faith found in the scriptures is Simon Peter, who was named Cephas by Jesus.  (See the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for a large portion of the history of Peter.)    Peter was a fisherman who was living in Capernaum at the time Jesus started his ministry.  Jesus found Peter and his brother Andrew cleaning their nets.

     This is where we first see the faith of Peter.  Jesus, a complete stranger to the men, asked Peter to take him out a little from the land.  Peter did so, and Jesus was able to teach the people around while in the boat.  He then instructed Peter and his brother to fish at a certain location.  They had already done so, but exercised faith to throw in their nets.  They were rewarded with so many fish that two ships started to sink with the weight.

     Peter saw this miracle and fell at the Lord’s feet, calling Him Lord.  Jesus then called the two brothers and a couple other men to follow Him as His disciples.  They immediately left their livelihoods to follow Him.

     Think of the faith demonstrated in this story of Peter alone.  He didn’t know this stranger.  But he undoubtedly felt the strength of the Spirit testifying to him that he should do as Jesus asked.  So he took the Lord out in his ship as requested.  Then he exercised faith to throw his nets in a location he had already unsuccessfully fished for a long time because he was instructed to by this stranger.  And finally he forsook his employment to follow this stranger whom he had come to recognize as the Lord.

     The faith of Peter would continue to pull him along with the Lord, placing him at the heart of many of the most important events in the history of the world.  Peter would be present, though he couldn’t keep from falling asleep, when Jesus suffered in Gethsemane.  His faith compelled him to follow Jesus to prison even though it would be dangerous for him.  He would later be among the disciples who witnessed the coming of the resurrected Lord Jesus.  Because of his faith, Peter was called as the chief apostle to officiate over the church after Jesus was crucified.

     My favorite example of the faith of Peter is found in Matthew 14.  After Jesus miraculously fed a large host of people with bread and fish, he instructed his disciples to get in a ship and cross the sea.  He then retired to a mountain to pray.  While he was in the mountain praying, night descended and a storm came upon the sea where the disciples were crossing in the ship.  Jesus allowed the disciples to fight the stormy seas most of the night before he came to them in the fourth watch (between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m.). 

     When the disciples saw a man approaching on the stormy sea, they were naturally afraid.  But Jesus called to them, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”  The men wouldn’t have been able to recognize the Lord in the sea, but they could recognize His voice.  So Peter called back, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”  Jesus said to him, “Come.”

     Now here is one of the most amazing examples of faith I can think of.  Peter was in a ship on a stormy sea.  Waves were crashing all around the ship.  And Jesus had just instructed him to come to him by walking on the water.  What did Peter do?  He climbed out of the ship and onto the water!  Not only did he step out of the ship onto the water, but he began to walk on the water—stormy water full of waves!  How can anyone doubt the faith Peter had in Jesus Christ when he walked on water because Jesus told him to? 

     I see a large lesson for all of us to learn from this wonderful example.  That lesson is that, if we exercise faith in Jesus the Lord, we can do anything—quite literally anything.  Peter proved this by walking on water. 

     Peter’s lesson in faith didn’t end there on this occasion either.  After Peter briefly walked on water, his doubts got the better of him.  He could see he was on a stormy sea, and doubts crossed his mind.  He started to sink.  Rather than turning to the ship that he knew could pull him out of the water, Peter turned to the Lord.  He cried out, “Lord, save me.”  He turned to the One True Salvation, Jesus Christ, to rescue him from the sea.  I actually see a symbolic call in this as well.  His call, “Lord, save me,” was a call to save him from his doubts.  Jesus reached forth his hand and pulled Peter from the sea.

     You may want to criticize Peter for doubting.  He was walking on the water.  How could he start to doubt?  But let me ask you, would you have had the faith to get out of the boat in the first place?  I don’t know that I could have done it.  Let me ask another one.  When you started to sink, would you have thought to call on Jesus for help or would you have turned to the boat?  I have no way of knowing for sure, but I suspect I would have turned to the boat.

     Thinking of what I probably would have done in Peter’s circumstances helps me put Peter’s faith in perspective.  His faith truly was amazing.  And we can learn a great deal from it.  We can learn faith in Jesus can help us accomplish anything.  And we can learn that it doesn’t matter what trials, doubts, or dangers we face.  We should always turn to the Lord first and foremost.

     I love the example of Peter.  He was an incredible example of faith during his mortal life.  And I hope that I can show similar faith by the way I live my life.

The Afflictions of Job

    Another excellent lesson in faith found in the Old Testament portion of the Holy Bible is in the book of Job.  Many people think the story of Job is a metaphorical story.  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognize the story actually took place.  We recognize this because of the revelation received by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., while in Liberty Jail.

     Joseph Smith was imprisoned in Liberty Jail for a long time.  During this period, the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suffered severe persecution at the hands of their neighbors.  Joseph became very discouraged and cried out to God:

“O God, where art thou?  And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?  How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?  Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?”  (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1-3)

     The prophet continued his plea by asking the Lord to avenge the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Lord responded with words of comfort, explanation, and instruction.  Part of the response God gave to Joseph Smith stated, “Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.”  (Doctrine and Covenants 121:10)

     From these verses we can conclude Job is an actual person.  God’s character is such that He would not compare the life of Joseph Smith with that of a fictitious character.  He would use a living being to provide Joseph Smith with peace and comfort.  So it stands to reason that the history of Job actually took place.  I know I’ve read other modern day revelation that confirms this, but I can’t remember the reference. 

     I do, however, believe the narrative between God and Satan didn’t actually take place.  I believe this portion is a metaphorical section.  I think it was provided in order to help us better understand some of the possible purposes of affliction.

     To understand the incredible faith of Job, you need to know the struggles he faced.  Job was a righteous and wealthy man living in the land of Uz.  He had a wife, seven sons, and three daughters.  He also had a large homestead with an incredible number of sheep, camels, and other livestock. 

     There came a time when all of this was taken from Job.  He quickly lost all of his children and his livestock.  He then lost his health.  And soon those he knew and probably cared about most turned against him, accusing him of sin and transgression before God.

     The most amazing part in this whole story isn’t how he lost everything so quickly.  It’s his response to this loss.  He didn’t understand it.  He seems to grumble about it a little bit.  But in all of it he seems to maintain the same attitude he presents after finding he lost his children and herds.  It was then that he declares with faith, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither:  the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  (Job 1:21)

     Here he is, a man who has lost everything, and he is praising the Lord God Almighty.  Job recognized that everything he had was a result of the blessings of God.  He knew that God had every right to determine Job should lose everything.  Job didn’t know why he needed to lose everything.  He only knew that God had a purpose or it wouldn’t have happened.  So he trusted God and praised Him.  What tremendous faith!

     To me the greatest exclamation of faith Job could have given was provided in that first chapter when he loses everything and still proclaims the goodness of God.  But Job further affirms this faith in the Holy One of Israel when he declares, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…He also shall be my salvation…”  Job is declaring God could take away his very life and still he would trust in the Almighty God.  And why would he do so?  Because he knew that God was his salvation.  He knew how much he needed the Lord God.

     God heavily rewarded Job for his faith.  Job was given twice as much as he previously had.  He had herds that were double the size of the earlier herds.  He had seven more sons and three more daughters.  He lived another 140 years.  But the greatest blessing of all was that he saw God and received a witness that his life was pleasing to the Almighty.  (See Job chapters 38-42 for an account of these blessings.)

     I have had a lot of trials in my life.  But, if you compare what I’ve gone through to the life of Job, or even to the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., you will conclude my trials are incredible small.  I’m willing to bet you will come to the same conclusion if you compare your trials and afflictions to the life of Job. 

     Job recognized that all he had was given to him by God.  So he praised the righteousness of God when he started losing everything.  And he continued to have faith in the salvation brought about by God throughout his struggles.  If he can keep his faith in the face of the terrible adversity he went through, shouldn’t you be able to in the face of your struggles and adversities?  Shouldn’t I be able to?

     That’s the lesson of faith I find most dear in the story of Job.  And that’s the example from the life of Job that I strive to live up to.

Joseph Smith, Jr.

     As I consider lessons of faith we can learn from people closer to our day, I can’t help but consider the life of Joseph Smith, Jr.  At the beginning of the 19^th century, there were many churches that contained precious truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But none of the churches had the fullness of this gospel.  Every one of them was missing some parts that were necessary for the salvation of mankind.

     Because of his faith, Joseph Smith would be called in the early 1800s to serve God as the prophet to restore the fullness of Christ’s gospel.  He would demonstrate his faith throughout his life and teach us many precious lessons of faith. 

     For example he and the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would show us how to make sacrifices even in our poverty to help build the kingdom of God on earth.  The temples built in Kirtland and Nauvoo demonstrate this sacrifice.  Joseph Smith faced tremendous persecution but continues to trust in God throughout it.  This teaches us to rely on God even in the face of adversity.  An excellent example of this is when the prophet cries out to God for support while in Liberty Jail.  (See Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Section 121.)

     There are many other lessons of faith we can learn from the life of the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.  But one that stands out to me today is the tremendous faith he demonstrates in his youth.  Early in his life, Joseph witnessed a great spiritual movement among the people around him.  Several different sects of religion were heavily preaching among the people in Palmyra, seeking to convert the masses to their religion.  Young Joseph was confused by this religious upheaval and didn’t know which church was true.

     During this time, a particular scripture stood out in his mind.  In the Holy Bible, the Epistle of James, chapter one, verse five reads, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  Joseph knew he lacked wisdom because he didn’t know which church was true.  He pondered on this verse for some time, finally resolving to put his faith in the words of James.

     So, at fifteen years of age, Joseph retired to the woods near his home to ask of God in faith.  That alone teaches us lessons about trusting the Lord in our youth.  A teenage boy had enough faith in God to believe the words He has given us through scripture.  If a fifteen year old boy can devote his time to studying the scriptures and trusting in the words of God found therein, what about the rest of us?

     But the faith of this teenager didn’t stop there.  When he had arrived at the woods, Joseph knelt to pray only to be seized upon by an incredible force.  He couldn’t see it.  He had no idea what it was at that time.  But the force was real, carrying enough power to physically bind his tongue to prevent him from speaking.

     Joseph used every ounce of strength he had to do the one thing he could think of doing.  He called on God for help.  Here again is an incredible lesson of faith delivered by a fifteen year old teenager!  Imagine the faith in God it must take to call on him for help in our greatest hour of need!  Then imagine that this wasn’t the last resort for Joseph.  It was his natural response.  I can imagine he struggled for a few seconds.  But finding himself incapable of resisting, Joseph immediately turned to God.  How much better would our lives be if we had the faith in God it takes to naturally think to call upon him for help when we need it? 

     Joseph received the help from God.  Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph, delivering him from the evil force that had seized him.  He then had the opportunity to ask them which church was true, the very purpose for which he had come to the woods to pray.  And because of Joseph’s faith, God gave him the wisdom he sought.  He instructed Joseph not to join any church, for none were complete.  Joseph was then called to be the Lord’s servant in restoring the church that would have the fullness of the gospel at a later date.

     Joseph would be required to wait for a few years before he would receive further instruction or the tools with which to restore the church as God had instructed.  During these years he demonstrated faith in another manner.  He was persecuted heavily for the vision of God he had seen.  But Joseph, a teenage boy throughout the time, knew he had seen God.  Though he would face the ridicule and scorn of those who may have been his friends otherwise, Joseph would not turn his back on God.  So here again he teaches us that, even in our youth, we need to stand for God in faith even if we stand alone.

     Joseph Smith, Jr., teaches us several lessons about faith from his youth.  In the world we live in, people face difficult conflicts between the laws of God and the interests of the world at younger and younger ages.  It seems to me that very few kids even make it to the age of ten before they are faced with these difficult decisions at this point.  How wonderful it is to have the example of the young boy Joseph Smith, Jr., to show us we can trust in God even in our youth.

 

If you want to read a more complete rendition of the story of Joseph Smith, including the examples from his life found in this blog, you can find the story in the scriptures.  The Pearl of Great Price contains a section titled “Joseph Smith—History”, which carries an excellent rendition of Joseph’s life.  You can find this by clicking on the link “Scriptures” above (under the heading “LDS Church Websites in the upper left corner).  Then click on the link “Pearl of Great Price” in the left column.  It should be the eighth link down in the center of the webpage that populates.

Alma the Younger

     The Holy Bible is a precious book providing us with magnificent stories of faith.  We can learn so many valuable lessons from the lives of so many people found within the pages of this precious book.  A careful study of the Holy Bible will leave us with the knowledge that we simply must have faith in the Savior Jesus Christ. 

     In His infinite wisdom, God saw fit to provide us with another testament to this fact.  Through His divine power, He prepared The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ, sending it forth in our day to support the Holy Bible in teaching us faith in the Messiah.  Some of my favorite stories and lessons on faith are found within the pages of The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

     Since I was a young child, I have always held a special place in my heart for one particular prophet found in The Book of Mormon.  That prophet is Alma the Younger, whose story spreads across the books of Mosiah and Alma.  I have found his story alone teaches us many lessons on faith. 

     For example Alma was elected by the people of Nephi to serve as the chief judge of the land, which is the public office among the people of Nephi. (Alma 2)  At the time several people rejected the law of the land and civil war broke out.  Alma, as chief judge and upholder of the law, fought with the leader of the dissenters.  During the fight Alma called on God in the name of Christ for strength.  He received that strength and his people won the battle.  He teaches us that faith in Christ delivers us from those that seek to harm us.

     At another time Alma, who was also high priest over the church of God, knew the people needed to hear the word of God to call them back to Him. (Alma 4)  So Alma forsook his title of Chief Judge, passing it to another, so he could serve God as a missionary among the people.  He teaches us that faith in Christ requires us to seek after the needs of the kingdom of God rather than the wealth and riches of the world.

     While he was teaching, Alma was rejected by the people in the city of Ammonihah.  (Alma 8)  While he was leaving the city, an angel of God appeared and commanded Alma to return to the city of Ammonihah.  He promptly did so even though he had reason to believe it would be a waste of time.  He teaches us to follow the commandments of God in faith regardless of what we believe will be the results.

     But the lesson of faith that stands out to me from the life and teachings of Alma would be the lesson of faith unto repentance.  This lesson was the subject of his preaching in the cities of Zarahemla and Gideon.  (Alma 5-8)  It was also the lesson he and Amulek taught among the Zoramites and the people of Ammonihah. (Alma 11, 34)  And it was the lesson Alma taught to his son Corianton.  (Alma 39-42)

     This lesson was also the lesson that brought Alma to the church of Christ.  He tells his son Helaman about this lesson in Alma 36.  When Alma was in his youth, he and many of his friends went around seeking to destroy the church of God.  While he and his friends were traveling with this intent, an angel of God appeared unto them.  He said to Alma, “If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.”

     For the next three days, Alma was paralyzed with fear.  He found himself racked with eternal torment as he considered the sins he had committed in trying to destroy the church of God.  He knew he had rebelled against God, rejecting His commandments, and leading many people away from Him.  Alma states he was tormented with the pains of hell for it.  So great was his pain and anguish that he wished he could cease to exist so he wouldn’t have to face God for judgment for his sins.

     In the depths of his anguish, his darkest hour, Alma remembered his father teaching of Jesus Christ.  When Alma remembered the teachings of Christ, he cried out in hope and faith, “O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.”

     Here was a man who had gone about fighting Christ and seeking to destroy His church.  He had been the instrument of the devil in deceiving so many people.  Here he was, recognizing his great sins, truly tormented by them and wishing he had not done what he had done, and calling upon the very Being he had fought against hoping for mercy. 

     Because of his sins he probably felt little hope that Jesus would have mercy on him.  But he did have some hope.  He put his faith in that hope.  And he cried out to Jesus with that faith.  And the great miracle that happened because of his faith is that Jesus answered him.  His great anguish for his sins was removed, replaced by great joy in the salvation of Jesus Christ.  And he was forgiven because he was truly repentant of his sins.

     That’s the great miracle of having faith unto repentance.  Imagine how great, how forgiving, how loving Jesus Christ must be to forgive, instantly, this person who had fought against His church and tried to destroy it.  Alma had done such great harm to so many.  But when he truly turned to Christ in humility and repentance, the Forgiver forgave him immediately. 

     Alma spent the rest of his life working hard to correct his wrongs, it is true.  And we likewise will need to work to correct our mistakes.  We will most likely also need to endure some consequences of our choices as a part of correcting our wrongs, and it may take years to do so just as it did in Alma’s case.

     But in the moment, the very instant, Alma repented and called on Jesus he was forgiven.  It wasn’t ten years later.  It wasn’t a year later.  It wasn’t even an hour later.  It was immediate.  And we will be forgiven immediately when we repent of our sins and cry out with all our faith, “O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me…”

     I have a testimony of this forgiving nature of Jesus Christ.  I know He is waiting, intently, for us to ask Him for forgiveness in faith.  I know that when we place our hope in Him, and ask in faith, He will forgive us.  He wants to forgive us because He loves us.  I have had plenty of opportunities, because of my foolishness, to seek for this forgiveness.  And He has always given it to me when I truly repent in faith and hope.  I testify of this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.