Mormon and Moroni

One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon is Moroni 9. A loving letter from a loving father to his son. It describes in detail the cause for the fall of the great Nephite nation. The times and circumstances surrounding the events is so similar to the world that surrounds us today and how important it is for our own children to understand what is causing the world to be so wicked.
Well, Mormon describes the situation to his son and give him so important formula on how to survive a wicked and deteriorating society, in other words how to be " in the world and not of the world".
He stars describing the situation.

Mormon 9: The fall of a nation

1). ver. 3 - allow Satan to stir their hearts with anger against each other. ( the word anger is mentioned 3 time from verse 3 to 5) How are your anger?
2). ver.4- anger against those who have authority from God to teach us - to call repentance.. Prophets, leaders.
3). ver. 4 - harden their hearts against teachings...
4). ver.4 - lost the companionship of the spirit. (now that is hard, with out the spirit we are definitely no only lost, but on Satan's grasp.)
5). ver.5 - Anger again
6). ver.5 - no fear of death - disregard for life.
7). ver. 5 - lost love for one another ( not just their enemy)
8). ver.5 - thirst after revenge continually, Ver. 23 - obstinate ( what away to spend you days, thinking ways of cause suffering to others)
9). ver.7 - prisoners ( think of bad habits)
10). ver.9 - no regards for chastity or virtue, morally wicked..
11). ver.10 - murderers
12). ver.11 - no civilization
13) ver.13 - delight in abominations ( became a very part of whom they are, no conscience)
14). ver.16 - starvation ( apostasy is always compared to starvation)
15). ver. 18 - no order or mercy
16). ver. 19 - strong in their perversion. ( do anyone want to be known by this? so terrible)
17). ver.19 - brutal (abuse)
18). ver.19 - delight in everything that is not good ( this sums it all)
19). ver.20 - without principles, ( imagine that, no one has principle, pure chaos)
20). ver.20 - no past feelings ( no remorse, no regrets, no remembrance of anything) Remember in the Book of Mormon the word REMEMBER is mentioned many times, over and over. So no remembrance is very danger.
21). ver.10- token of bravery, (pride) recognition, doing it to being seen and feared by others.

Very scary! Think that this is also the world that surrounds us and our families, and them listen to the words of a Man of God, a loving father, who raised his son in righteousness in the middle of all of this. Raised a Prophet in the middle of all of this.

Mormon's counsel:
1). ver.4,6 - labor with them continually and diligently (not casual)
2). ver.15 - pray for them
3). ver.20,25 - don't dwell on it, don't let it weigh you down
4). ver.22 - focus on your family
5). ver.22- keep in mind that repentance is available to all
6). ver.24 - pass on what is sacred to you as a testimony to your children
7). ver25 - Be faithful (where have I heard this before?)
8). ver.25 - Be lifted up in Christ
9). ver.25 - keep hope on the glory of God in mind
10) . ver.26 - let the grace of God abide with you forever
11) . ver.25 Think of the atonement, ( mercy, long suffering)

So there is a lot to think about it. I know that the world around this two men where very similar to the world around me, great reason to listen and apply their consul in my life... A lot of things to talk about with our children. The most amazing thing to me is that in the middle of all of this, Mormon's great challenge to his son and all of us is - Don't take your eyes away fro the Savior, don't get distracted.

ver. 25 - My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

Hugs
Carmen