The Basics from Moroni

Our family scripture study for the last little bit has been in Moroni, at Allen's request. I haven't decided if this is because of Moroni on the tops of the temples or why, but Allen always wants to ready Moroni. So we started in Chapter 1 and have read through Chapter 6 now. We dissect the big words and often turn to the internet to define words I can't define, like supplicate, to the understanding of my children. It is in Chapter 6 that Moroni talks about baptism and church meetings. I had always wondered why we don't just have Sacrament. It is obviously the most important meeting we go to, so why have the others? It doesn't specifically address and give direction for something like Primary, but it has this great saying of why we go, " And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. (Moroni 6:5) While it may not seem like Primary addresses this concern, I think it does. Jennifer came home with thoughts on the temple and wanting to feel the peace there that's different than at church. Or Sunday school where we learned what an idiot Jeroboam was in the Old Testament (he got scared, didn't do what the Lord told him to, and then was overthrown by the people!). Both those examples have lessons, though I like to think perhaps I'm not as important as Jeroboam because I'd rather not be killed quite that way, but the lesson of obeying - sticks.

Other chapters in Moroni talk about the sacrament, including in them the sacrament prayers, Chapters 4 and 5. We haven't read beyond 6 yet, so I'll just share what stood out to me this morning. I've been thinking of it all day. So in verse 4 it says that when we choose to get baptized, that we are made clean and 'numbered' among the members of the Church of Christ and 'remembered and nourished by the word of God.' Nourished, now there's a thought. Of coarse our bodies need nourishment to stay healthy, and our minds need to be nourished to stay useful, but be nourished by the word of God? What a thought. It makes logical sense to assume that what we put in (good or bad) will also be what we get out, but to take time to be nourished by God - not by the universe, not by the power through mother earth or the movement of stars - but from God, himself. I don't think I've ever read more of a testimony of His ability to speak to me.

Then verse 7 talks about consequences (which were kind of a bummer so I don't want to dwell on them, but it'd be good for you to read them). And verse 8 says as many times as I seek forgiveness with real intent, I'll be forgiven. Being a parent, I can only imagine how much that's gotta stink for Heavenly Father. How many times do you think he goes, "Catherine! What were you thinking?!" And still He loves. And still He forgives. Amazing. Such a short chapter, only 9 verses. So much hope, so much love... for someone like ... me. And you.

A moment to discover

We were talking in family home evening on Monday night about the 4 books that as Latter Day Saints we use as our scriptures. We talked about what they cover, why we have them, what their purposes are, and why other religions don't have them. So we started with the Old Testament. The Old Testament is really rather large and therefore covers a lot of time from the creation until the birth of Jesus Christ. There are prophecies for the coming of Christ, for our day, a genealogical record, and a history of people long since passed on. The New Testament and Book of Mormon are of roughly the same size. The Book of Mormon has 531 pages and the New Testament is a bit shorter. The New Testament is basically a book about the life of Jesus Christ, His ministry, and his disciples and their teachings. There is some revelation about what will happen in the time after the death of Jesus. The Book of Mormon is a book similar to the Old Testament. It too provides prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ, prophecies for our day, a genealogical record, and a history of people long gone. Interestingly, there are two places where the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon Cross over, first with Laban in 1st Nephi and then again in Ether at the Tower of Babel. And finally the Doctrine and Covenants (and you could lump all the general conference talks in here too) which is DIRECT instruction, from the prophet, for our very SPECIFIC needs. But the thought that occurred to me as we were talking about it, came from a question from Allen.

Why are there so many places in each of the four different books that talk about the same thing?

Hmmm. Good question. Why are there? The answer is littered throughout the scriptures:
Deut. 17:6, Matt 18:16, 2 Cor 13:1, Ether 5:4, D&C 6:28, and D&C 128:3
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

They are all there to rely on each other and provide the witnesses that we have been told are there for us, so that we may know that they DO come from God.