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ICEBREAKER
For an Icebreaker, I’d like to introduce you to a little activity that I often use in seminary that’s really effective and fun for beginning a lesson with the youth. Not that this wouldn’t work with adults but it’s definitely geared towards a younger crowd. You can basically use this idea for any lesson you want. It’s called “PYRAMID". And what you do is come up with 12 different words that have something to do with the lesson that day. Split your students up into pairs and you have one of them face the board or the screen while the other is facing the back or away from the front. Then you reveal the pyramid with the words on them. The person who can see the board gives clues to their partner to try and get them to say that word. Once they get that word, they move on to the next, and the next and on up to the top of the pyramid. The first pair to get all the words wins. A couple of rules with giving clues. You can’t do starts with, rhymes with, or use the word in any part of the clue. So, for example, if the word was dog, you couldn’t say, “It starts with a D”, or “It rhymes with log”. Or say, “they eat dog food”. But what you can do is give them clues like “They like to chase cats, they bark, small ones are called puppies” and so on. I usually like to do two round so that each person gets a chance to both give clues and make guesses. It’s really a fun way to break the ice and get them in the mood to be more talkative. Here are some of the words that I might use to introduce this particular lesson in Mormon 1-6. But you could choose your own.
ROUND 1
MORMON
WAR
REPENT
EDUCATION
SORROW
TASTE
ROUND 2
LOVE
WICKED
JESUS
YOUTH
VIOLENCE
CHANCE
TRANSITION
After you’ve played, to transition to the lesson you tell them that each of the words in the game will play a part in their study that day.
Now if you’re teaching adults and don’t want to do this activity, let me give you a good discussion question that you could ask as an Icebreaker. I would ask: Is it harder to live righteously nowadays than it was when you were younger? Why or why not?
Regardless of which icebreaker you use, you can then introduce them to the Book of Mormon, within the Book of Mormon. We have now come to the end of the historical narrative of the entire book. Yes, we still have Ether and Moroni, but Ether is a flashback, and Moroni simply sums up some of the teachings of his father and wraps up his own lonely story before burying the plates. So, what we are seeing in this first portion of Mormon are the final days of the Nephites. Now there are going to be some common themes running throughout all three of the final books. So, since we can’t cover all three books at once, the schedule has done its best to divide them up over the next two months. But be prepared. We are going to be covering these same two themes throughout the rest of our study this year. Now, gratefully, interspersed throughout these books are some lovely additional teachings on faith, prayer, charity, spiritual gifts, and more. And we will cover those, but ultimately, the major thrust are these two things. One, how societies and individuals spiritually self-destruct, AND how to live righteously in a wicked world. You’re going to see those two ideas over and over again until the end.
SEARCH
So the first thing I like to do is help my class gain an understanding of what Mormon’s world is like. You can do that with this little crossword puzzle activity (Download available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower). It’s a quick but effective means of helping them understand the setting of the final books. It will help them get an idea of what Mormon’s day to day was like.
Let’s go over the answers:
Across
4. In this year there began to be a ________ (1:8) WAR.
(Something that you’ll notice about the content of these chapters is that they recount much of the military maneuvers and war events that take place at this time. I’m not going to focus as much on that aspect of this section, but you’ll certainly notice it as you study here)
5. A continual scene of ___________ and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man. (2:18) WICKEDNESS
6. ___________ not to give a full account of the things which I have seen (5:9) DARING
7. It is impossible for tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the _____________ scene (4:11) HORRIBLE
Down
1. The work of ____________ and healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people. (1:13) MIRACLES
(This is one of the saddest aspects of their society. There just aren’t enough righteous people for the church to really survive intact. So with the breakup of the church, you also lose priesthood authority, and priesthood blessings, and then the following verse tells us that there were no spiritual gifts, or the Holy Ghost bestowed. Truly this was a spiritual wasteland of a society).
2. therefore there was ________ and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land (2:8). BLOOD
3. Every heart was ____________ (4:11). HARDENED
5. And there were sorceries, and ___________, and magics. (1:19) WITCHCRAFTS
So ouch. That’s a pretty grim portrayal of what Mormon had to live through. The one that gets me the most is from 2:18. A continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man. What a terrible way to have to live. War, blood, carnage, wickedness, hardened hearts, no miracles. Sounds like a rough way to live.
In 5:9 Mormon tells us that he is only including a small account of what he saw in his life, “daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen” . . .”that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people”. That’s how bad it got. So bad that he didn’t want to go into details because it would be too disturbing for us. I think at one point we get just a small taste of what Mormon may be referring to here. We have to go to Moroni 9:8-10 where we get to read a letter that Mormon had sent to his son, and I would have to say that these are some of the ugliest verses in the entire Book of Mormon. Quite disturbing really. I’m not even going to read them out loud they’re that bad, but sufficeth to say that both sides have really fallen far in this conflict. There is no humanity between these groups anymore. Violence to innocent women and children, slaughter, rape, torture, cannibalism. All of these incredibly ugly things are happening in Mormon’s world. And he doesn’t want to disturb us too much. He wants us to get an idea but doesn’t feel the need to rub our noses in it, either. For me, it’s kind of like watching movies or documentaries about the Holocaust. I think it’s important that we as people understand what took place there, and we should be revolted by it, but by the same token, there is only so much of that kind of material and human cruelty that I can handle and I just turn away and say. Ok, that’s enough, I think I understand what I need to, I don’t want to dwell on it too long.
This kind of society is given a special name by Mormon, but we have to go to the Book of Ether to see it. As the Jaredites are preparing themselves to cross the ocean to the promised land, Mormon reviews the promise of the promised land. If your nation and people serve God, they will be protected on this land. Ether 2:10
10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other
lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall
be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is
not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land,
that they are swept off.
What kind of society have the Nephites become by the end of the Book of Mormon? They have reached the fulness of iniquity, they are a fulness of iniquity socie1ty, therefore, they are swept off the face of the earth. There are other examples of "fullness of iniquity” societies in the scriptures as well. The people at the time of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, the people of Ammonihah back in Alma, the Jaredites (which Moroni is going to include in the Book of Ether as a comparison to his own, and the Israelites around the time of Lehi. Interestingly enough, the Book of Mormon both begins and ends with the destruction of a fulness of iniquity people. Let’s take a closer look at what defines a society as reaching the fullness of iniquity.
QUALITIES OF A FULLNESS OF INIQUITY SOCIETY
What are some of the qualities of a fullness of iniquity society or individual? Study the following verses to discover them
4:11
2:11,14
2:12-13
2:26
2:8, 3:13, 3:15, 4:10, 5:2, 5:11
5:16-19
4:11 We've already covered one of those qualities in our opening activity. A fullness of iniquity society is a violent society. A warlike, glory in bloodshed and carnage, hatred filled, kind of society. Can we relate? Turn on the nightly news or your local news even and what you'll see is a continual scene of wickedness and abominations and violence and disturbing things. War, violent crime, terrorism, human trafficking, and murder are pervasive. And then, if that weren’t enough, I shudder at what passes as entertainment these days. Maybe the majority of people in this world aren’t personally engaged in incredibly violent or sexually perverse or torturous and gruesome kinds of things, but a great majority are entertained by it. My wife and I commonly search for things to watch and we look into what are considered the most popular shows of the day to see if we want to watch them. And as I read the descriptions of some of these shows, about what’s portrayed, I’m appalled and think "This is what people are watching?” These are the most popular shows of the day? I’m just reading the description and I’m disgusted. And I hear my young students talking about these shows and I think “Do your parents know you’re watching that?” “Why would you subject yourself to that kind of material, especially at your age”. In my opinion, I believe that we are, in a lot of ways, a very violent society.
2:11, 14
Their lives are filled with misery and sorrow. They hate their lives. We’ve already learned in the Book of Mormon that wickedness never was happiness. So you would have to expect that a people this depraved and removed from God would be very unhappy. And that holds true. Verse 14 tells us that they did curse God and wish to die. Probably because a life of deep sin and misery isn’t much of a life after all. The only thing that seems to keep them going, and motivating them, is their hatred and desire for revenge. You see this in 3:9 and 14. I also find 2:23 interesting. Mormon obviously looked to Captain Moroni as a hero. He even named his own son after him. In that verse you see him try to motivate his people to fight for the same things that Captain Moroni had written on the Title of Liberty. But what’s missing? It doesn’t include God, or religion. He knows those things won’t motivate them, but maybe he thinks he can at least get them to fight for their wives and children. That’s at least a good thing. But even that doesn’t seem to work. Revenge, the most worthless of causes, is what drives them to fight.
2:12-13
Verses 12-13 give us some additional detail about that sorrow and misery that they feel. Sorrow is a natural result of sin. So Mormon initially is hopeful that this will lead them to repentance. But his hope is vain. They are not feeling the “godly sorrow” that Paul teaches us about in 2 Corinthians 7. Their sorrowing is not unto repentance. It’s worldly sorrow. The sorrowing of the damned. It stems from their utter frustration with the undeniable laws of God and the universe. They can’t come to terms with the fact that sin does not lead to happiness. The Lord will not suffer them to take happiness in sin. And they can’t stand that truth. They want to separate consequences from their actions. You’ve perhaps heard of the statement “when you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other”. They think they should be able to break the stick in half, take the pleasure of sin, but then receive the blessing of the righteous. But when they find the stick is not made of brittle wood, but indestructible iron, they get angry. It’s like fighting the law of gravity. You’re not going to win that battle.
2:26
A fulness of iniquity society loses the strength of the Lord. They are left to themselves when they turn away from God. I have no doubt that the Nephites could have beaten back the Lamanites, as innumerable as they were, had they been righteous. There is no doubt in my mind. There are so many precedents in the scriptures where a weaker or smaller group won out in the end against a bigger foe because they were righteous and had God on their side. A man or nation with God on their side will always be in the majority. But they had abandoned God, not the other way around. So God leaves them to themselves in their own strength, or weakness in this case. In Helaman 7:23, God says that “I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other”. He just steps back and allows events to occur naturally without his intervention. I think that’s interesting. God usually doesn’t have to destroy a people. Maybe in the case of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. But in most cases, guess who destroys them? Not God. Look at 4:5 for that answer. It is by the wicked that the wicked are punished. He can usually just let things happen of their own accord. In the end of the Book of Mormon we know that it’s not a fight between good and evil. It’s a fight between evil and evil. The two sides seem to deserve one another as they slaughter each other. And all God and the righteous can do is sit back and watch with horror and sadness at the devastation. Likewise, when we turn from God, we are left to ourselves and make ourselves vulnerable and unprotected from the wickedness around us.
2:8, 3:13, 3:15, 4:10, 5:2, 5:11
Possibly the greatest indicator of a fullness of iniquity society that we have in these chapters, one that is repeated over and over again is that they will not repent. No matter what. Even when their lives are miserable.
When the misery of sin doesn’t prompt us to change, when those natural terrible consequences can’t provide the motivation to alter our behavior, then nothing else will.
In 2:15 Mormon observes that "the day of grace was passed with them". I don’t think he’s saying that they couldn’t repent, or that God wouldn’t allow it, or that Christ’s grace wasn’t there for them to receive. He’s saying that they won’t take it. They’ve reached a fullness. They’ve allowed themselves to slip so far into the pit of sin and misery, that they wouldn’t even grab the rope of rescue offered them even it was dangled in front of their face. We know they still have the opportunity because later in 3:2-3 Mormon gives them that chance. He cries repentance unto the people.
3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they
did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and
granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did
harden their hearts against the Lord their God.
Well, there comes a point when offering another chance does absolutely no good.
Though not a prophet, I agree with C.S. Lewis’s conclusion about God offering chances. He said,
"I believe that if a million chances were likely to do good, they would be given.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
You see, there comes a point, where it makes no difference to give another chance. The day of grace is passed. It’s not that the grace isn’t there, it’s that it won’t be received. The question is not whether his hand is outstretched, the question is whether they are willing to take it. Mormon’s people will not.
5:16-19
More qualities of a fullness of iniquity society. They lose the Spirit. They don’t have Christ and God in their lives. They are aimless and purposeless, out of control, and manipulated by the adversary. They have no anchor; we’ll talk about that image in more detail when we get to Ether 12. And they lose their blessings. All the things that God intended to bless them with, all the things that they might have received, are now reserved.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Before moving on, it may be helpful to draw a comparison between Mormon’s world and our own. You could ask:
What aspects of a “fullness of iniquity” society do you see in your own nation?
Whose world is worse? Mormon’s or ours? How?
Why do you think Mormon wants us to understand what happened to his people?
In response to that last question. Allow me to provide one additional thought here. Mormon actually tells us why he wants us to understand what happened to his people. Ether 2:11
11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the
decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your
iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the
fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the
land have hitherto done.
These are warning chapters. Mormon says, “don’t let what happened to us or to the Jaredites happen to you!” We’ll speak a little more particularly about that message in next week’s lesson which includes Mormon 7, where Mormon directly addresses us. Now I know that we as individuals don’t really have the power to control our entire society. But we can also heed these as personal warnings as well. If we see any of these qualities within ourselves, let that serve as a warning to us, as individuals, because we can control our own actions, and avoid the consequences of reaching a fullness of iniquity ourselves. It’s almost as if Mormon is saying to us “My people wouldn’t listen to me, but perhaps you will!”
CONCLUSION
The major message for me here. Heed the warnings! Don’t become like Mormon’s people! Don’t continue until the fullness. If you notice any of these qualities, in any degree, within yourself, please course correct. How tragic it would be for any of us to suffer the same fate as the Nephites of old.
THE BEST OF MEN, BE A “MORMON"
Well I don’t like to dwell too much on the horribleness of Mormon’s world. Rather, I love focusing on the silver lining of these chapters. And that silver lining is Mormon himself. He is a shining example of how it's possible to maintain righteousness in the midst of an incredibly wicked world. He was the best of men, in the worst of worlds. You would think that a person who had only witnessed the ugliest and the worst of human nature his entire life would eventually become jaded, bitter, or just give up on being good. But not Mormon. We too live in a pretty crummy spiritual environment right now, but Mormon gives us hope and inspiration. Though our worlds are similar and share a number of the same characteristics, I do believe that his is worse. If he can stay good in his circumstances, then hopefully so can we.
SEARCH
I invite you to study Mormon himself. Sometimes I like to give my students what I call a thinking map like this one. You can either make the diagram on the board or have them fill it out on a handout. I’ll make that available for download. They are encouraged to look up the identified references and list all the qualities of Mormon they can find. To find all the things that helped him to maintain his righteousness even though everything around him opposed it. You can have your students do this as individuals, in pairs, or in small groups. However you do it, have them share what they found when done.
Here are some of my thoughts on these verses.
1:2 Mormon chapter 1 is so good for the youth. Just look at how old Mormon is when Ammaron approaches him with the future responsibility of caring for the plates. He’s just 10! And yet, Ammaron sees his potential and his goodness already manifesting itself in him. If you want to live righteously in a wicked world, start young. Like Alma said to his son Helaman in Alma 37:35 “O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. Our youth is often the time that sets our trajectory throughout the rest of our lives. How significant it is for us to focus seriously on our development during these critical years. I believe our modern prophets have recognized the importance of youth as well. I love the inspired nature of the new youth program revealed just this past year. Mormon fits beautifully into its framework. See if you can find evidence of Mormon developing himself intellectually, spiritually, physically, and socially in these chapters. Preparing ourselves in our youth will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
In that same verse we see that he began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people. So he’s developing himself mentally and intellectually. It’s important for our young women and young men to take their education seriously. The “For the Strength of Youth pamphlet reminds us that:
"Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come”. Having an educated mind will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
Mormon was a sober child. What does it mean to be sober? In modern terms we would say sober is the opposite of being drunk. If you’ve ever seen somebody drunk, the first thing you will notice is how out of control they are. They do silly and often dangerous things when they’re drunk. To be sober, is to be in control. Mormon was in control, of his thoughts, his words, his deeds, his desires, his natural man. I also like the biblical definition of the word sober which is probably the same context that it is being used here. It means to be calm and collected, to have good sense, good judgement, wisdom, and to be level-headed in times of stress. You certainly see those qualities displayed in Mormon’s leadership throughout these chapters. Being sober, will help us to live righteous in a wicked world.
Also, Ammaron says that he is quick to observe. Again, a sign of Mormon’s intellectual and spiritual abilities. "To observe" here could mean a number of things. It could be that he was observant and aware. He noticed things and understood their significance. He had his priorities in place. How many youth can you think of that are aware of what’s going on in the world around them and have a grasp of what’s really important. Or are they too wrapped up in the trivial? The sports scores, whose dating who, or what celebrities are up to. The quick to observe focus on their personal development, their future, and the things which matter most. “To observe” could also mean that he was discerning. He understood the motivations and desires of his fellow man. He relied on the help of the spirit to discern whether those around him were a good or poor influence on him. “To observe" could mean that he was obedient. We speak of observing the laws of the land or the commandments. Perhaps he was quick to be obedient to the things that he noticed and discerned. Whatever way we take the meaning of that phrase, being quick to observe will help us to live righteous in a wicked world.
1:4 In 1:4 we learn that Ammaron gave Mormon the future responsibility of taking care of the plates of Nephi. Mormon was trustworthy even at an early age. What future responsibilities do our youth hold? Full time missionary service? Temple worthiness? Temple marriage? Motherhood and fatherhood? Future church callings? Representing the name of Christ? Being trustworthy of these great responsibilities and not taking them for granted will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
1:15
At age 15, once again we hear that has a sober mind. But here he adds that he had been visited of the Lord. Here was a young man who had also developed himself spiritually. He had lived his life in such a way that he was worthy of the presence of the Lord. I don’t know if that means that he had personally been visited by Jesus or that he had had experiences in his life that had borne witness to him of the reality of the Redeemer. I tend to lean to that latter meaning. I believe that those who are quick to observe, will often have experiences in their life that testify of the presence of God in their lives. I can think of a number of times in my youth where I had simple but profound experiences with the Spirit. Nothing grandiose or visionary, but subtle and plain manifestations of a heavenly presence that was aware of me and cared about my progress. Seeking that relationship with deity will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
Also, in that verse, he had tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus. If we want to survive the bitter, unappetizing, nauseating things of the world, we need to taste the sweetness, and the deliciousness of the gospel and righteous action. We need to surround ourselves with it as much as possible. How can we know the bitter, if we’ve never tasted the sweet? This is a critical point here. Especially for the youth. Sometimes to make this point I’ll bring out a little cup of vinegar and a strawberry and ask if they think they could taste the difference between the two with their eyes closed. Certainly, they will say yes. But then imagine if you had only ever tasted vinegar in your life. One of the most important ways I feel we can live righteously in a wicked world is to be sure that we taste of the goodness of Jesus. This is a crucial thing for parents to understand. Have you helped your children to taste of the goodness? Do you show them good movies, so that they know the difference between a good movie and the crummy ones? Do you have them listen to good music, so they know bad music when they hear it. Do you involve them in good activities, so that they will naturally know to reject the bad ones when they come along? Have you helped them to feel the happiness of worship, the joy of righteousness, and the delight of truth? What attitude do you display when it’s time to go to church, or study the scriptures, or pray, or pay your tithing, or watch general conference? Is it a sweet or bitter attitude? We’ve got to fill our lives with the strawberries of the gospel and the good, positive, uplifting things of this world, especially when we’re young. Then, when Satan comes along with his bitter counterfeits and empty calorie temptations, we will instinctively reject them, because we know the difference. I love the example of the vision of Moses in Moses chapter 1 in the Pearl of Great Price. After visiting Moses and demonstrating his power to him, God leaves him and allows Satan to appear before him and tempt him. I love Moses’s response:
13 And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
14 For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?
15 Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.
See. Moses knew to reject the darkness because he had tasted of the light and glory of God.
Knowing and tasting the goodness of Jesus and filling your life with it will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
2:1
Is there any evidence of Mormon developing himself physically? Yeah. Look at 2:1. When the Nephites need to choose a leader of their armies, they choose Mormon. A 16-year-old teenager to do it. Why? He says that he was large in stature. So he must have also been impressive physically to be chosen for such a task. He knew how to fight and be a warrior. In 6:11 we see him out at the front of his army entering the field of battle. He certainly must have been an impressive physical presence. However, I’m not quite willing to just take Mormon at his word here. This also may be an example of his humility. He tells us that they chose him because he was large in stature, but surely, there must have been other large men amongst the Nephites. I like to cross reference this verse to 3 Nephi 3:19 where we learn a Nephite military tradition. It says.
19 Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for
their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness)
some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy;
therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as
also was the chief judge.
Hmmm. So maybe that’s the more likely reason they chose him. It’s because he had the spirit of revelation and prophecy. Evidence here of both Mormon’s physical and spiritual development. But certainly, how we take care of our physical bodies is important to the Lord. I mean, half of the space of most of our church buildings is a basketball court. Developing ourselves physically, taking good care of our bodies, obeying the Word of Wisdom, being deliberate about our diets, physical activity, and sleep will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
1:17/ 2:19/3:12/ 6:16-22
Well, we’ve hit 3 of the 4 areas of development in the new youth program. What about the social aspect? Any evidence of Mormon’s social development. I see this one all over these chapters in the relationship between Mormon and his people. He was chosen as their commander at a young age. That speaks to his ability to inspire the loyalty and trust of his fellow man. I’m also impressed by his attitude towards them. You would think that somebody as righteous as Mormon might be repelled and disdainful to the wicked people that surround him. Certainly he hates what they are doing, but he doesn’t hate them. You never get the sense of self-righteousness in Mormon, do you? He’s not judgmental either. He loves them, sincerely and demonstrates real charity towards them.
In 1:17 he remains among them even though they are hard of heart. He doesn’t abandon them. He does what he can for them. Yes, in the future he refuses to lead them into battle when they decide to go on the offensive, but he still doesn’t walk away from them completely.
In 2:19 he sorrows because of their wickedness.
In 3:12 we learn that he had loved them, according to the love of God which was in him. He poured out his soul in prayer all the day long for them. Mormon is teaching us the proper way of working with those who stray. He never justifies what they do; in fact, he strongly condemns it. But he doesn’t condemn them. He doesn’t excuse them, justify their actions, or tolerate their wickedness. He just loves them and prays for them. The whole “love the sinner, hate the sin” dynamic that we’ve heard of.
And then, at the end of Mormon 6 we get what is sometimes referred to as “Mormon’s Lament”. This takes place after the great final battle between the Lamanites and Nephites at Cumorah. At this point, Mormon says that there are really only 24 Nephites left alive. The rest are moldering in heaps upon the land. As you read this, notice the tone of his lament? How would you describe it?
16 And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my
people, and I cried:
17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of
the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus,
who stood with open arms to receive you!
18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen.
But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss.
19 O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye
husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have
fallen!
20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your
return.
21 And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on
immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in
corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye
must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged
according to your works and if it so be that ye are righteous,
then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you.
22 O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come
upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the
Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with
you according to his justice and mercy.
Do you sense the tone here? Is it dismissive or vengeful? A “serves them right”, “good riddance to this evil people” kind of attitude? No. There is real charity and regret and mourning in there. Is it self-righteous? No. There is only one “I” in the entire section. And it’s when he says, “I mourn your loss”. It’s not about him at all. Is it judgmental? No, in the very last two verses he leaves the judgment to God. God will do with you according to his justice and mercy. Interesting that the last word in that chapter is “mercy”.
A really good foil to Mormon’s attitude would be Jonah in the Old Testament. Do you remember what he did after he had reluctantly taught repentance to the people of Nineveh? He goes outside of town, sits on a hill, and gleefully waits to watch God destroy them. Finally, these wicked people that I hate are going to be destroyed. I can’t wait to watch the fireworks begin! Contrast that with Mormon. His people have given him nothing but grief, ignored his teachings and counsel, lived wickedly and murderously, and blasphemed everything that he held sacred. And yet, he weeps for them. Mormon certainly loved his fellow man. He is a shining example of the balance of the two great commandments. To love God, and love his fellow man. He’s even willing to die with them. We learn that he is wounded in that final battle and probably unable to flee with Moroni. He stays loyal to his people right to the bitter end. The mature and Christlike love displayed by Mormon in these circumstances is evidence of his social development. Developing this Christlike love for our fellow man regardless of their actions, will help us to live righteously in a wicked world.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Which quality of Mormon do you admire most? Why?
Which of the four areas of development do you need to focus on most?
What will you do to improve there?
CONCLUSION
I know that we have been instructed to call the church by its inspired name: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And that we are not to refer to ourselves as “Mormons”, but as members of the Church of Jesus Christ. However, in this instance, I feel that it’s ok for me to encourage you all to be “Mormons”; or people like Mormon. Of all the monikers for us to go by for the past nearly 200 years, “Mormon” isn’t a bad one. I truly hope that we all can be “Mormons”. Individuals who are capable of living righteously in a wicked world. Just like the original Mormon. If we wish to survive the last days of this earths terrestrial existence, we’re going to need to be “Mormons”, or else we won’t stand a chance. If we are following Mormon’s example, we are also following Christ’s. It is possible to live righteously in a wicked world, just like the original “Mormon”. May we all be “Mormons” and in the end be “clasped in the arms of Jesus”, just as I’m sure he was when he completed his mortal journey.
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