Editor’s Note: Four years ago, Jonn Claybaugh began writing the Study and Teaching Helps series of articles for Interpreter. We now have these wonderful and useful posts for all four years of Come, Follow Me lessons. Beginning this year we will be reposting these articles, with dates, lesson numbers, and titles updated for the current year’s lessons. Jonn has graciously agreed to write new study aids for those lessons that do not directly correspond to 2020 lessons.
In these chapters Moroni records three glorious contributions from his father Mormon. They provide beautiful doctrine and clear counsel.
Moroni 7:3-19 “I Would Speak Unto You That Are of the Church”
Mormon’s teachings are so helpful for us today. Find the following:
- Verses 3-5: What are some of the characteristics of a faithful church member?
- Verses 6-11: Does it matter with what attitude we pay our tithing, or serve, or pray, or give forth other efforts? Do our motives and desires matter as much as our actions? (see also Matthew 6:1, 5, 16).
- Verses 12-19: How can we always judge correctly between good and evil? Is it easy or difficult?
President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “Let us use [Mormon’s] standard to judge what we read, the music we hear, the entertainment we watch, the thoughts we think. Let us be more Christlike” (Ensign, May 1986, p. 78). We can also use Moroni 7:12-19 to help us choose friends, activities, clothing, language, and so forth. According to verse 15, it is as easy as telling the difference between daylight and dark night.
Moroni 7:20-44 “I Will Tell You the Way”
The word faith is used twenty-five times in this chapter, and Christ is used twenty-eight times. Look for the following:
- Verses 22-25, 29-32: What are the various ways in which the Lord has sent forth His word?
- Verses 21, 25-26, 28, 32-34, 37-38, 41: What blessings can faith lead to?
- Verses 22-39: What is the role of Jesus Christ in our faith?
- Verses 34, 37, 39, 40, 43-44: What other gospel principles are closely tied to faith?
- Verses 40-42: What did Mormon teach about hope? What is the role of Christ in our hope?
- Verses 43-44: What did Mormon teach about being meek? What is the role of Christ in our meekness?
Moroni 7:44-48 “It Endureth Forever”
- Mormon said that a person without charity is “nothing” (see verses 44, 46). Why do you think this is so?
- What are the thirteen aspects of charity taught by Mormon in verse 45? (see also 8:16-17). How many of these facets of charity require us to exercise a measure of patience?
- According to verses 44-48, what is the role of Christ in our charity?
- What does verse 48 say about how we may be blessed with a greater measure of charity? (see also 8:26).
Moroni 8 “Little Children Are Whole”
Mormon was compelled to address a most unpleasant topic—the practice of infant baptism. Note the extreme terms Mormon used to describe this false belief:
- It “grieveth me exceedingly” (verse 4).
- “This gross error” (verse 6).
- “It is solemn mockery before God” (verses 9, 23).
- “He that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity [and] must go down to hell” (verse 14; see also verse 21).
- “Awful wickedness” (verses 15, 19).
- “Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner” (verse 16).
Consider:
- Why is the practice of infant baptism condemned so deeply and sharply by Mormon? Why is it not considered a simple methodological mistake? (see verses 8, 10, 12, 19, 22; and especially verse 20; see also Matthew 18:3; D&C 29:46-47).
- How would you re-write Moroni 8:20 in your own words?
- Why are those who believe in infant baptism without faith, hope, and charity? (see verses 19-20).
Moroni 9 “We Have a Labor to Perform”
Does the news in the world ever disturb or depress you? In verses 3-24 Mormon informed his son Moroni of the extreme wickedness and barbarism of the Lamanites and Nephites. But in the middle of this sad report, Mormon interjects a choice expression that applies to all of us in our own day of wickedness. Look for the three reasons we should press forward to “labor diligently,” even when it appears that there are no positive results of our labors: “And now my beloved son, notwithstanding all their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God” (verse 6).
We always hope and pray that our efforts to love and serve others will yield results in their lives, but when it doesn’t seem to work out, we can know that we are preparing to “rest our souls” with God (see also D&C 4:2, 4).
Note the additional touching communications from Mormon to Moroni in 8:2-3, 30; 9:22, 25-26. These verses represent the thoughtful, loving, godly feelings of all righteous parents toward their children, and are a delightful insight into the character and relationship of these father/son prophets. In verse 25 Mormon blessed his son not to be weighed down over the tragic attitudes and events of their day. What people or places or pursuits help lift you up when you are feeling “weighed down”? What other blessings did Mormon pronounce upon Moroni in verse 25?
