Read: Mormon 5-7
Mark: Mormon 6:16-20
"The tragedy of the Book of Mormon is not what became of the Nephites but what the Nephites became." --Hugh Nibley
To ponder:
What led to the fall of the Nephites? What things do you do each day to stay strong?
Mormon 5: I had wondered where the innocent people were - Mormon never talks of them, but there must have been some - Mormon married and had a son! Then Mormon speaks of the horrible things he doesn't write to keep from making us sorrow more than was needful. I wonder if he avoided recording the sins of the wicked against the innocent - that certainly would be more terrible. Wicked people sinning against other wicked people is bad enough!
ReplyDeleteAll these records of war, sorrow and destruction are, in fact, meant for us today. They are a firm warning that we can fall into the same trap if we do not heed Mormon's counsel in 22 and repent! We are in the hands of god - do we fight Him or aid Him?
Mormon 6: Imagine all that was endured physically and emotionally to record and keep safe the Book of Mormon and the records it is an abridgement of? We must know these words! Understand them and use them to aid in god's work!!
There is a time to sorrow and mourn for the temporal and spiritual loss of others. But that mourning does not benefit anyone if done for very long. Take peace and comfort that the Lord's judgement is just and merciful and move forward.
Mormon 7: Scriptures were written for us and to support (not compete) with other scriptures. He had laid a path for us - one of ordinances and covenants. These are protections and promised blessings that lead toward happiness!
It's so sad that Mormon is now old and weary, but I think he is weary not from being old but due to the wickedness of the people, and his struggles and desire to help them to be righteousness. I think as parents we can all understand this feeling.
ReplyDeleteI love in Mormon 5 that it talks about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and that this will happen in the Lord's time: "When He shall see fit, in His wisdom." We learn again the purpose of the Book of Mormon: to bring souls unto Christ. We see that the Nephites were once faithful followers of Christ, but no longer are. We must beware as this can happen to each one of us just as it did to the Nephite people. Our question today is on what do we do each day to stay strong--I try to do the little things each day to stay strong: to pray, to follow all of the commandments and to read the scripture. I believe that it is through the small and simple things that we do each day that we remain strong. The big things probably are not going to 'get' us, it is the little things.
In Mormon 7:8-9, we see that the Bible and the Book of Mormon testify of each other. To quote the authors of "The Book of Mormon: Verse by Verse": "No Latter-day Saint, no man or woman, can say the Book of Mormon is true, and at the same time say that the Bible is untrue. If one be true, both are."
Today's quote is quite poignant and really sums it up well. These chapters are just so sad. Seeing the great wickedness of the people is heartbreaking, and Sarah, you brought up some really good thoughts for today that I really couldn't put any better than you already have!
ReplyDeleteI would like to think I could never be this way, but then again, anything can happen. The thing is, *I* am the only one in control of that. I decide whether to read my scriptures or not. I decide whether to be angry or calm. I decide whether to believe in Christ or fight against him.
The Nephites "were once a delightsome people... [with] Christ for their shepherd." (Mormon 5:17) So how do we guard against turning out badly? Well, if we aren't improving, we're getting worse. Always strive for better!