Question about Moroni - Chapter 10

[amtrak]

Hello all!

Firstly, I am in the process of hopefully converting soon, and I am meeting with some missionaries at my home.

I met with them the other day, and they asked that I read "Moroni Chapter 10" before our next meeting this evening.

I have read it, and I would like to gain a bit of understanding of it before our next meeting.

I am very new to the text, and would just like a brief overview of the most important aspects of this chapter.

Thanks so much to all! :)

Edited October 14, 2008 by pam
Link to a Waffle place?

[BenRaines]

The reason the missionaries asked you to read this chapter was related to Moroni's promise. That if you would read these things, having a desire to know if they are true, ask God if they are true and he will manifest the truthfulness by the power of the Holy Ghost and by the power of the Holy Ghost you can know the truth of all things.

That is the essence of the last verses.

Basically said. "Try it and ask God and if you are sincere he will let you know that it is true by the Holy Ghost.

Ben Raines

[Misshalfway]

I love this chapters. I love how Moroni invites everyone everywhere to come unto Christ and to be perfected in him. I always imagine this chapter as Moroni's final fairwell words to the world before he buries the record. There is something so profound in that for me.

[rameumptom]

It goes well in line with Moroni 7. The final prophet of the Nephites is teaching the most important things we can know: Gaining a witness of the Book of Mormon; Faith, Hope, Charity; the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; and an invitation to Come Unto Christ and be perfected in Him.

[jonathanncrm]

I am not sure of your name, but am glad that you have come here to associate. I read your post today and appreciate you asking about Moroni.

Moroni was the last Prophet whose words were included in the Book of Mormon. The plates or records that he was charged to keep were sought after by the wicked people who remained. his very life was at risk. He understood that the message found within the plates that he kept, would not be for his benefit; rather, they would benefit a future group who would find them.

With that stage set, what would you say to to a future group to help them understand just how precious the record is? What would convince them of that? If you new first hand how many lives were lost to protect it and how precious the truths found within what would you say to those who would read it to help them sense the worth of tremendous record?

The way in which Moroni invites us to ask God to know of its truthfulness was profound to me. I remember the many bible scriptures that I read wherein it stated that "what greater witness can you have than from God" Christ complimented Peter by saying "blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hat not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in Heaven." I loved that Moroni charged me to ask of God. It would be difficult for me to challenge someone to pray about a book, if it wasn't true.

I want you to know that I know that the words found in the Book of Mormon have brought me closer to my Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ. I know that I am not forgotten, rather am known by them. I know, having prayed as you have that the Book of Mormon is inspired and that the words found within are true. Application of its words define its truthfulness.

I wish you all the best and hope that you will continue to update.

Warm Wishes,

Jonathan

[Justice]

The key word here, amtrak, is if.

Moroni 10:

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

The ifs:

if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them

In other words, if you read these things to look for error, then there is no promise. If you read them for any other wisdom, other than to learn who God is and if this book is of God, then there is no promise.

if ye shall ask with a sincere heart

If you only claim to want to know but really have your mind made up before hand, then there is no promise.

if ye shall ask with real intent

If you are not asking to genuinely know if the book is true, then there is no promise.

if ye shall ask having faith in Christ

Knowing that the book claims to be another witness of Christ, if you doubt that He could have caused this book to be written and translated, then there is no proimise. If you don't think Christ is capable of making this truth known to you, then there is no promise.

Let me tell you what I know. I know there is power in this book. I know Christ's promise is in this book and I know He fulfills His promises. To fulfill your end in order to receive the blessing that is promised you have to meet the criteria He set forth, namely that your petition must be to know if God lives, with an honest and sincere heart having no decpetion or trickery in mind, and have faith in Christ.

If all these conditions are met then you will not be able to deny it's truth.

[Hemidakota]

Hello all!

Firstly, I am in the process of hopefully converting soon, and I am meeting with some missionaries at my home.

I met with them the other day, and they asked that I read "Moroni Chapter 10" before our next meeting this evening.

I have read it, and I would like to gain a bit of understanding of it before our next meeting.

I am very new to the text, and would just like a brief overview of the most important aspects of this chapter.

Thanks so much to all! :)

As Ben stated, but let you know, this statement was how I was converted to the church on November 08th many years ago. Believing it literally per verbatim, I kept on praying until it I received it 'literally'.

As stated in Moroni chapter 10, it reads:

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

Elder Ed J. Pinegar, wrote a quick explanation about Moroni 10:3-5 in a book called, 'Especially for Missionaries, vol. 1; it reads.

A Powerful Tool of Conversion

It's important that you and I develop an abiding faith in the Lord's promise that if people will ask with a sincere heart, having faith in Christ, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon will be given to them. (See Moro. 10:3-5.) Think about what it means to our investigators if they can accept the Book of Mormon in their lives: If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet. If Joseph Smith was a prophet, the First Vision really did take place. If the First Vision was reality, the priesthood was restored. If the priesthood was restored, the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and other scriptures are true. Not only that, but the Church, which was established by Joseph Smith, is true. And that's not all! We're led by true prophets of the Lord today. They will know all that when they accept the Book of Mormon.

This is what we must engrain in our very souls: The Book of Mormon is the tool that will retain converts better than any other thing. If we root the people to our sociality, or friendliness, or love, we root them to us instead of to Christ. That happens sometimes because missionaries are so loving and so good.

But that's exactly why we must put the Book of Mormon first. If we root them to that holy book of scripture, our converts will be retained long after we leave. I'm sure you've heard of converts who have left the Church as soon as "their" missionaries have been transferred. That doesn't happen when converts have come unto Christ, because coming unto Christ goes much deeper than simple friendship. You see, loving Christ is the essence of conversion. We are converted to Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is felt as we study and pray about the Book of Mormon, because the Book of Mormon is a sure witness and testament that Jesus is the Christ. Any other root will wither.

When we root our converts in the love of the people or the love of the Church or the love of the sociality and friendships they feel at church, what happens the first time they feel a lack of love? They fall away. Can you remember a time in your life when you didn't feel loved? You felt lonely, sorry for yourself, maybe even physically sick. But when we are rooted in Christ and his love, we are rooted in something solid and secure, because Christ's love never changes; it's always there. The love of our Heavenly Father is the same.

The Book of Mormon plays a crucial role in rooting people to Christ. Every aspect of a person's testimony is anchored in place by the Book of Mormon. Think of that: every aspect of a person's testimony is held in place by what is found in the pages of the Book of Mormon.

The degree to which we effectively help people understand how the Book of Mormon fulfills the Lord's divine purposes is the same degree to which we will see them become convinced that Joseph Smith was a prophet. That's the same degree to which they will be committed to continually praying and studying the Book of Mormon. And soon they will see that the Book of Mormon does lead them to Christ. So you can see the purpose and power of the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion.

Elder Gene R. Cook, wrote an article in the April 1994 Ensign magazine, called 'Moroni's Promise' that maybe aid for you.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Moroni Promise

[amtrak]

Thanks so much for all of the answers...

They are MUCH appreciated , and very good.

I really like the LDS community, and look forward to being apart of it!

[OtterPop]

amtrak,

I wish you luck in your search for truth. I want to add, respectfully, that not everyone who asks in faith, believing in Jesus Christ, having a genuine intent receives the same answer. If you don't get the witness people here speak of, I encourage you to examine why. If you believe that you haven't done the things that Moroni 10 asks you to do, by all means, clarify your preparation and intent and try again.

If you have done the things Moroni 10 asks and don't receive the witness spoken of here, do not conclude that there is something missing in you. Pray for clarification to know if Mormonism is the way for you.

[bytor2112]

Coming to a "sure" knowledge of whether or not the church is what it claims to be is different for everybody. For me........I didn't receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon until just three year ago, but I knew the Church was true and that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. The "feelings".....the presence of something Holy and Sacred and wonderful and warm and comforting and "familiar" is not something that can be denied after the experience. These "feelings" are indeed a member of the Godhead.....the Holy Ghost....communicating with our spirits....helping us to recognize....to remember and receive sacred truths. I have these feelings when I listen to or sing hymns....when I speak of the Savior and his glorious atonement....or when I am doing things that are right.....

I do not know why some do not receive the witness or don't recognize it......that is a mystery to me. I agree with Otterpop......just keep searching and if it feels right...if you like how your life is going when you are involved with the church....hang in there...it will come.....

[tubaloth]

I am very new to the text, and would just like a brief overview of the most important aspects of this chapter.

But even more, what did YOU get out of the chapter?