Moroni

Moroni chapters 4 and 5 contain the sacrament prayers as does Doctrine and Covenants 20 verses 77 and 79.  I guess I have never thought through that perhaps Joseph Smith got the exact wording from there.  It made me think of the many gems contained in Moroni's writing and how much we now benefit from his words.  When I read Moroni chapter 1, it seems to me that his writings were the purpose for which he was alive.  I wonder if he ever wished for the misery to end.  I mean, I know he writes that he is avoiding being killed by the Lamanites, but I can't help but think that would be a crushingly hard trial.  He is alone and in peril from the Lamanites.  He watched his countrymen and family wiped out, and yet he writes for the benefit of the people who committed those deeds--or their descendants at least.

"Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord." Moroni 1:4

I don't think I can express in words the effect Moroni's example has on me, or I should say, that I hope I can always remember this feeling of awe and let Moroni's example strengthen my resolve to bear up under my trials a little better and to see the world and the future with a more hopeful heart.

They Slept on Their Swords

Ether 13-15 tells of the destruction of the Jaredite people.  Actually, when I write it that way, it doesn't seem correct.  It makes it sound as though the Jaredite people are destroyed by something other than themselves.  The fact is that they fought and fought through warnings and prophecies until there was only Coriantumr left alive.

These chapters tell of battles wherein victory is won by one side and then the other.  Back and forth.  The wars so destructive and constant that they stopped taking time to pause and bury the dead.  They simply gave chase and fought some more.

It occurs to me that this can be seen as a parallel of my life at times.  Of course I am not in a war or shedding blood, but Heavenly Father has given me instructions, commandments, and personal revelation about what I should be doing to stay close to Him.  Often my days are filled with busyness that does not include enough of those wonderful things which he expects me to do.  Those things would give me joy.  Those things would save me.  I hope that I am not as bad as the Jaradites I just read about in these chapters, but I think sometimes by pursuing the wrong things with too much haste and vigor I am hurrying towards unhappiness.  Those people became lost in all the destruction.  They didn't stop to think.  They fought, slept on their swords, and awoke to fight again.  Maybe one of the reasons I have been having trouble sleeping is because I am "sleeping on my sword" and not allowing my mind to calm and put my trust in my Father in Heaven.