Blogging Through the Book of Mormon

8:1-7 - This is a pretty big chapter, so we’ll see. Moroni takes over the record here, and interestingly HN says that this is 15 years after the last battle, I’m not exactly sure where that number came from but ok. I can’t imagine very many existences that are worse than Moroni’s because he spent decades alone. My daughter is reading the Island of the Blue Dolphins in school and I remember reading that and just the thought of being completely isolated for years and years is just abhorrent to me, honestly, I think I’d kill myself. I think that I’m lonely and crushed with responsibility now? Just wait until I am the only person left, the only other people around want to murder me, and I’m bearing the weight of the prophetship, how is that for lonely and crushing responsibility? The IM gives some good insight on this when it says, “Moroni witnessed the death of his father, Mormon, and the destruction of the entire Nephite nation. Nevertheless, his life was preserved, and he faithfully f...

7:1- - This is a pretty short chapter, only 10 verses, but there's a decent amount on it in the IM, so let's see how it goes. The IM gives the introduction to this chapter by saying, "By studying the final testimony of Mormon and the initial writings of Moroni, you will better understand the role and purpose of the Book of Mormon. Moroni declared: 'I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus CHrist hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.' Moroni's prophetic vantage point allowed him to complete the Nephite record with total awareness of both the escalating wickedness and the great spiritual blessings of the dispensation of the fulness of times. In a day when some people might be inclined to abandon faith in the face of great difficulties, Moroni's words teach us to see miracles and revelations as evidence that 'God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.' Although the spiritual and social conditions in the...

I can't believe that this is my 400th post! That's incredible. I heard an Ensign article yesterday entitled " His Power in My Life ," that said, "Personal scripture study has the power to change and enrich our lives." I heard that and I thought, "you know what, that's really true because my deep study of the scriptures has changed my life." Who I am now is nothing like who I was when I started this blog. I know things and understand principles that have eluded me for years, it's been a miracle and I'm so grateful. This article was also for me personally, in that it spoke to my spirit about issues that I've been dealing with. Anyway, I'm grateful for this opportunity, it's been incredible and I highly recommend it. 6:1-8 - There are two missing discussion chapters in the HN collection and it's Mormon 6-7, so that's a bummer. The IM only has a little bit about this chapter so let's see how it goes. It's reall...

5:1-10 - After moving the plates to safety Mormon "did repent of the oath which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their afflictions." I find this to be the ultimate irony here, they look to Mormon to save them, but then they won't do what he says, which is to repent and turn to the Lord, they just know that he can do it, but only if he tells them to win the way that they want to, it's really ridiculous actually. And Mormon knew that he wasn't going to be able to turn the tides of the war because of his incredible military skill, he's still one man fighting against an innumerable host, and without God fighting along side of them, they're done. HN makes an astute comment, "Notice again, here is the essence of tragedy- the fact that there is no hope here. He does the heroic thing, but he's devoted to a lost cause. He dies for the cau...

4:1-13 - Now we a back and forth between the Nephites and the Lamanites, where one wins a battle and then the other wins a battle, there’s death and blood and craziness all around. There’s not a whole lot in the IM about this chapter, so we’ll see. Here we see that the Nephites are the aggressors, “And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, our of the land of Desolation. And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were drive back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them.” This is bad for the Nephites, and there’s a military lesson from Mormon here, “And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.” Again, in line with the Lord’s teaching that preemptive war is not allowed, yo...

3:12 - Mormon has refused to be the Nephite commander anymore because the people were going to war for vengeance and Mormon knew that that went against the laws of God. But it's interesting because Mormon has an amazing gift, he tells us, "I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts." I've had this conversation with some friends before, but for me, love is a difficult thing. Maybe it's just who I am, maybe I'm a cold, hard hearted person, but I have the ability to cut off my love for a person almost instantly, especially if they are close to me, and that's not a strength. I know when I first started this blog I prayed one day to be able to love other people, and I have grown ...

Before we get into the reading for today, there was some insight from yesterdays that I thought would be helpful. Speaking of the battles in the last chapter, HN comments, “The interesting thing is that the military situation is not desperate; it’s very much in their favor. They’re going to win three big victories in a row now. They’re going to take everything back, including the land of Desolation. They had no need for despair militarily, but that’s not the problem, is it? We’re properly armed and ready and marshalled for war; we’ve made out Cold War preparations on and on and on. That’s not the problem at all; that’s not going to solve a thing. That wasn’t the issue (in the Book of Mormon either.) Notice in verse 27 that they actually conquer everything. ‘We did go forth against the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of our inheritance’- the whole works. This certainly makes Mormon the greatest general in the Book of Mormon becaus...