"And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen."
I love Ether 12 in its entirety. To me, it is the greatest discourse on faith that we have in the scriptures. But I love this final verse the most. It's almost as if Moroni is saying to us: Okay, I've shown you what faith can do, but until you know the Saviour as I do, it means nothing.
During this Christmas season, this scripture also reminds me of the phrase, "Wise men still seek him." President Monson offered inspired words on this subject in the December 1990 Ensign entitled, "The Search for Jesus."
Before the craziness of the holidays over take us, we should heed Moroni's plea and seek for the Saviour. As the primary song promises, "He will be found."
Showing posts with label Moroni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moroni. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Fictional Story: Alma 60:23
"I just can't figure it out. How many tries is it supposed to take to quit smoking?" Nathaniel asked his son Preston.
Preston shifted uncomfortably on the couch, and combed his fingers through his hair. "There's no set number. You just keep trying until it works."
Nathaniel shook his head. A few locks of dark brown hair streaked with gray fell over his forehead. "I don't know." He sighed. "Maybe I'm just too old and set in my ways."
"Old? You're a walking time-bomb, Dad. If you don't quit, you're likely to die of a heart attack. You'll just have to prove that you can teach old dogs new tricks." Preston bit his lip. "I've got to get going; I'll look some stuff up on the Internet for you. Maybe I'll find something that will help you out."
"Thanks, Prez. I appreciate all the help and support you provide." Nathaniel escorted his son to the door and watched him drive away.
As soon as he rounded the corner, Preston opened his glove box and pulled out his stash of Marlboros. He felt the tension began to seep out of his body as soon as he placed the cigarette between his lips, even though he had yet to light it. He flicked the lighter and drew the flame into the cigarette; after several puffs, he held the cigarette between his first two fingers and let it dangle out the window.
Guilt engulfed him. His father thought he had quit smoking years ago, and now he was looking for help with his own addiction. You won't be able to help him until you conquer your own problem. Preston shoved the thought aside. He's older, and his heart is bad. He needs to quit or he could die. I'm still young--I have plenty of time to quit. I'm just not ready. He sucked in another lungful of tobacco and blew the smoke out slowly.
When he arrived home, Preston sat at his computer, staring at the black screen. After nearly ten minutes he finally reached into the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a thick file folder. The folder held every bit of information he had ever found on quitting smoking. He had it all--nicotine patches, gum, hypnosis, prescription drugs, quitting support groups and websites, hot lines, and testimonials. When I'm ready, I'll know exactly how to do it. Preston flipped through some of the pages until he found some information he thought might help his dad. Then he sent his father an e-mail. The stress of his hypocrisy forced him to light up again.
Preston walked to the backyard and retrieved his hidden pack from the tool box in the shed. He was grateful that his wife, Loren, who also believed he'd quit smoking, had an appointment, so he could smoke in the comfort of his backyard instead of finding a reason to drive somewhere. Flipping the lid back, Preston counted his remaining cigarettes. Five? Now I'll have to figure out how to get some more, soon. His brow furrowed when he noticed a folded piece of paper tucked inside the carton.
He pulled it out and read in his wife's handwriting, although she'd tried to disguise it: Alma 60:23 Cleanse the inner vessel. Apparently I haven't been as sly as I thought. But if she knew, why didn't she confront me and toss out the cigarettes like she did before? Preston started to remove a cigarette from the carton, but then stopped. He replaced the carton in its hiding place and returned to the house. When he found his scriptures, he looked up the scripture from the note.
He read the verse and then went back and started at the beginning of the chapter. As he read about Moroni's struggles against the Lamanite army and the lack of support and supplies from the government, Preston began to see that he could not provide support for his father as long as he was held prisoner by his own addiction. He also saw that, although Pahoran could not fight off the king-men on his own, when he and Moroni joined together, they were able to defeat them.
Preston called his wife, knowing she wouldn't answer because of her meeting. "I'm ready to cleanse the inner vessel," he told her voice mail. Then he called his father.
Preston shifted uncomfortably on the couch, and combed his fingers through his hair. "There's no set number. You just keep trying until it works."
Nathaniel shook his head. A few locks of dark brown hair streaked with gray fell over his forehead. "I don't know." He sighed. "Maybe I'm just too old and set in my ways."
"Old? You're a walking time-bomb, Dad. If you don't quit, you're likely to die of a heart attack. You'll just have to prove that you can teach old dogs new tricks." Preston bit his lip. "I've got to get going; I'll look some stuff up on the Internet for you. Maybe I'll find something that will help you out."
"Thanks, Prez. I appreciate all the help and support you provide." Nathaniel escorted his son to the door and watched him drive away.
As soon as he rounded the corner, Preston opened his glove box and pulled out his stash of Marlboros. He felt the tension began to seep out of his body as soon as he placed the cigarette between his lips, even though he had yet to light it. He flicked the lighter and drew the flame into the cigarette; after several puffs, he held the cigarette between his first two fingers and let it dangle out the window.
Guilt engulfed him. His father thought he had quit smoking years ago, and now he was looking for help with his own addiction. You won't be able to help him until you conquer your own problem. Preston shoved the thought aside. He's older, and his heart is bad. He needs to quit or he could die. I'm still young--I have plenty of time to quit. I'm just not ready. He sucked in another lungful of tobacco and blew the smoke out slowly.
When he arrived home, Preston sat at his computer, staring at the black screen. After nearly ten minutes he finally reached into the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a thick file folder. The folder held every bit of information he had ever found on quitting smoking. He had it all--nicotine patches, gum, hypnosis, prescription drugs, quitting support groups and websites, hot lines, and testimonials. When I'm ready, I'll know exactly how to do it. Preston flipped through some of the pages until he found some information he thought might help his dad. Then he sent his father an e-mail. The stress of his hypocrisy forced him to light up again.
Preston walked to the backyard and retrieved his hidden pack from the tool box in the shed. He was grateful that his wife, Loren, who also believed he'd quit smoking, had an appointment, so he could smoke in the comfort of his backyard instead of finding a reason to drive somewhere. Flipping the lid back, Preston counted his remaining cigarettes. Five? Now I'll have to figure out how to get some more, soon. His brow furrowed when he noticed a folded piece of paper tucked inside the carton.
He pulled it out and read in his wife's handwriting, although she'd tried to disguise it: Alma 60:23 Cleanse the inner vessel. Apparently I haven't been as sly as I thought. But if she knew, why didn't she confront me and toss out the cigarettes like she did before? Preston started to remove a cigarette from the carton, but then stopped. He replaced the carton in its hiding place and returned to the house. When he found his scriptures, he looked up the scripture from the note.
He read the verse and then went back and started at the beginning of the chapter. As he read about Moroni's struggles against the Lamanite army and the lack of support and supplies from the government, Preston began to see that he could not provide support for his father as long as he was held prisoner by his own addiction. He also saw that, although Pahoran could not fight off the king-men on his own, when he and Moroni joined together, they were able to defeat them.
Preston called his wife, knowing she wouldn't answer because of her meeting. "I'm ready to cleanse the inner vessel," he told her voice mail. Then he called his father.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Scripture Squiggle: Alma 60:23
"Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also."
In this scripture, Moroni is lecturing Pahoran about his lack of support for the armies. While he is referring to the government as the inward vessel and the attacking Lamanites as the outer vessel, his words can apply to individuals as well. When I was reading this verse, I thought about those of us who are so quick to find fault in others but can't see it in ourselves--the whole let me pull the mote out of your eye without first removing the beam from mine scenario. It's great to see others' struggles and to want to help them overcome them, but you can't really help others unless you've dealt with any issues you have in your own life. And we definitely shouldn't find pleasure in others' struggles as Moroni feared the government was doing to the armies.
Where do we begin to cleanse the inner vessel? I suppose it starts by looking inward. When we find ourselves judging others, we should ask ourselves if maybe we have a problem with this as well. As we consistently turn our thoughts back upon ourselves, we will criticize those around us less and be more aware of our own shortcomings--those things we need to cleanse.
In this scripture, Moroni is lecturing Pahoran about his lack of support for the armies. While he is referring to the government as the inward vessel and the attacking Lamanites as the outer vessel, his words can apply to individuals as well. When I was reading this verse, I thought about those of us who are so quick to find fault in others but can't see it in ourselves--the whole let me pull the mote out of your eye without first removing the beam from mine scenario. It's great to see others' struggles and to want to help them overcome them, but you can't really help others unless you've dealt with any issues you have in your own life. And we definitely shouldn't find pleasure in others' struggles as Moroni feared the government was doing to the armies.
Where do we begin to cleanse the inner vessel? I suppose it starts by looking inward. When we find ourselves judging others, we should ask ourselves if maybe we have a problem with this as well. As we consistently turn our thoughts back upon ourselves, we will criticize those around us less and be more aware of our own shortcomings--those things we need to cleanse.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Ficitional Story: Ether 15:34
Moroni looked up from his abridgment of the Jaredite record. The land was empty and barren around him, much as the land must have looked to Ether as he followed the Lord's command, slipping from his hiding place to view the bodies scattered everywhere, the complete destruction of his people. Moroni closed his eyes, seeing within his mind, his own scene of destruction--the men under his command, all slain, most of the other chief captains and their men, dead, his own father, lying wounded among them.
"Twenty-four." he whispered. "Twenty-four survivors, and of them, only I remain." He felt a great weight of loneliness settle over him, and he slumped forward with sadness. "My father," he sighed, "how you loved and served our people, trying with all your power to bring them back to the Lord. And for naught--the Nephites are no more."
Looking back at the plates on his knees, Moroni realized he now sat in shadows. He shifted positions to catch the last lingering rays of daylight so he could finish his work. As the sun sets on the day, so does the Lord to the wicked. He sighed again and began reading the last few lines of Ether's record. As he read, Moroni was filled with warmth, as if the sun had risen again, but this time within his soul. He recognized the Spirit of the Lord as it burned inside of him, bringing with it comfort, dispelling his loneliness. He let his eyes drift shut, savoring the glorious feeling. Although I am alone, through Ether's words, the Lord has reminded me that He is always with me. To complete his abridgment, Moroni added Ether's final words to the plates: "Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen."
Moroni set the plates carefully in between to large boulders within his hiding place, so they would not easily be found. He spread out his blankets and knelt upon them, thanking the Lord for his gift of comfort and the inspiration He had provided to help Moroni know what to include in his record. Now others who feel alone can also draw comfort as I did from Ether's words and know that they are never truly alone.
"Twenty-four." he whispered. "Twenty-four survivors, and of them, only I remain." He felt a great weight of loneliness settle over him, and he slumped forward with sadness. "My father," he sighed, "how you loved and served our people, trying with all your power to bring them back to the Lord. And for naught--the Nephites are no more."
Looking back at the plates on his knees, Moroni realized he now sat in shadows. He shifted positions to catch the last lingering rays of daylight so he could finish his work. As the sun sets on the day, so does the Lord to the wicked. He sighed again and began reading the last few lines of Ether's record. As he read, Moroni was filled with warmth, as if the sun had risen again, but this time within his soul. He recognized the Spirit of the Lord as it burned inside of him, bringing with it comfort, dispelling his loneliness. He let his eyes drift shut, savoring the glorious feeling. Although I am alone, through Ether's words, the Lord has reminded me that He is always with me. To complete his abridgment, Moroni added Ether's final words to the plates: "Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen."
Moroni set the plates carefully in between to large boulders within his hiding place, so they would not easily be found. He spread out his blankets and knelt upon them, thanking the Lord for his gift of comfort and the inspiration He had provided to help Moroni know what to include in his record. Now others who feel alone can also draw comfort as I did from Ether's words and know that they are never truly alone.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Scripture Squiggle: Ether 15:34
"Now the last words which are written by Ether are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if is so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen."
This is Moroni speaking. After bidding farewell at the end of his father's record, Moroni decided to abridge the Jaredite record. Moroni was alone at this time, without family or friends, hunted by the Lamanites. How these words of Ether's must of comforted his soul! He knew that he was not the only person who had wandered alone. Did he thrill to know that the Lord was aware of him and had guided him to these words of comfort? This scripture is only one verse, but it yields so much about Moroni, about his feelings and testimony. Study it--what do you find?
This is Moroni speaking. After bidding farewell at the end of his father's record, Moroni decided to abridge the Jaredite record. Moroni was alone at this time, without family or friends, hunted by the Lamanites. How these words of Ether's must of comforted his soul! He knew that he was not the only person who had wandered alone. Did he thrill to know that the Lord was aware of him and had guided him to these words of comfort? This scripture is only one verse, but it yields so much about Moroni, about his feelings and testimony. Study it--what do you find?
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