“Unit 32: Day 4, Moroni 10:8–26, 30–34,” Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students (2012), 327–30
“Unit 32: Day 4,” Book of Mormon Study Guide, 327–30
Unit 32: Day 4
Moroni 10:8–26, 30–34
Introduction
After teaching how to obtain a witness of the truth of all things through the Holy Ghost, Moroni exhorted those who would read his words to recognize and receive spiritual gifts. Moroni concluded the Book of Mormon record by exhorting all people to come unto Jesus Christ, lay hold on every good gift He offers, and be perfected through Him.
Moroni 10:8–26
Moroni teaches about gifts of the Spirit and their purpose in the Lord’s work
Think of a time when Heavenly Father blessed you to be able to do something that you could not have done on your own. In his concluding chapter, Moroni testified of the help and strength the Lord can bestow upon us. Read Moroni 10:8, and look for the phrase that describes the spiritual abilities or blessings that Heavenly Father gives to His faithful children.
The “gifts of God” Moroni spoke of in Moroni 10:8 are also referred to as “gifts of the Spirit” or “spiritual gifts.” You may wish to mark the phrase “gifts of God” in your scriptures. Write the following truth in your scriptures next to Moroni 10:8: God grants gifts of the Spirit to profit His children. The phrase “profit His children” means to be of benefit or service to His children.
Read Moroni 10:9–16, and mark each spiritual gift Moroni mentioned. It is important to know that the spiritual gifts Moroni discussed are just a few examples of the many spiritual gifts that exist. Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “God has given each of us one or more special talents”:
“One of the great tragedies of life, it seems to me, is when a person classifies himself as someone who has no talents or gifts. … For us to conclude that we have no gifts when we judge ourselves by stature, intelligence, grade-point average, wealth, power, position, or external appearance is not only unfair but unreasonable. …
“… Taken at random, let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.
“Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.
“We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God [see D&C 46:11–12]. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us” (“There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20).
Read Moroni 10:17, and note Moroni’s teaching that every faithful member of the Church has at least one spiritual gift (see also D&C 46:11). Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “the gifts of the Spirit … will help each of us achieve our goal of eternal life.
“These gifts of the Spirit are encompassed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the eternal Godhead and is identified as the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is a gift from God to help us make the decisions that will allow us to find and fulfill our mission. …
“In these latter days, an understanding of the gifts of the Spirit has been given to us by revelation as recorded in section 46 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 46 identifies specific gifts of the Spirit as follows:
“‘For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God’ (v. 11).
“We are clearly instructed that each of us is given a gift or gifts. Do we know what gift we have been given? Are we seeking to find our gifts?” (“Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb. 2002, 12).
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Think about spiritual gifts you have received from God, and then answer two or all of the following questions in your scripture study journal:
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How have you profited from gifts of the Spirit you have received?
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What examples of spiritual gifts have you seen in the Church today?
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How can you use your spiritual gifts to bless the lives of others? How has your life been blessed by the gifts of others?
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Consider how spiritual gifts were apparent in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. In the spaces provided, identify the spiritual gifts that were noticeable in the life of Joseph Smith, as shown in each picture:
Moroni testified that we must have faith in order to receive spiritual gifts. He taught that God “worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever” (Moroni 10:7). Read Moroni 10:19, 24, and identify what prevents people from receiving and recognizing spiritual gifts.
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Write in your scripture study journal why you think people in a condition of unbelief cannot recognize or receive the power and gifts of God.
Read Moroni 10:20–23. Look for what Moroni taught about the important spiritual gifts of faith, hope, and charity. He testified that the spiritual gift of faith leads to a wonderful blessing. Look at verse 23 to find this blessing. Note that the word expedient means “desirable,” and the phrase “all things which are expedient unto me” can mean “all things that I desire you to do.” You may want to mark the sentence in Moroni 10:23 that teaches this principle: If we have faith, we will be able to do what Heavenly Father wants us to do.
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To help you recognize how this principle has been or could be fulfilled in your life, write a few sentences in your scripture study journal in response to one or both of the following statements:
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I experienced the promise in Moroni 10:23 when …
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The promise found in Moroni 10:23 can help me with …
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Think about the two principles you have learned in Moroni 10:8–26: God grants gifts of the Spirit to profit His children. If we have faith, we will be able to do what Heavenly Father wants us to do. In your scripture study journal, answer the following questions:
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How can knowing these two principles help you right now in your life?
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How can these principles help you with opportunities that may come in the future?
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Moroni 10:30–34
Moroni concludes His record by inviting all to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him
Do you think it is possible to be perfect in this life? President James E. Faust of the First Presidency explained the commandment to become perfect: “Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment, which ultimately, through the Atonement, we can keep” (“This Is Our Day,” Ensign, May 1999, 19).
As President Faust taught, perfection is a goal we can work toward now and achieve in the life to come, with the Savior’s help. Moroni concluded his testimony by teaching what we can do to invite the Savior’s purifying power into our lives now and ultimately become perfected through His Atonement.
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Make the following chart in your scripture study journal:
What I can do
What God promises
Search Moroni 10:30–33, looking for (a) what we must do to become pure and eventually perfect and (b) what God promises to do to help us. Record what you find in the appropriate column of your chart.
Write the following statement underneath the chart in your scripture study journal or in your scriptures next to Moroni 10:32–33: As we come unto Jesus Christ, we can be purified and perfected through His Atonement.
Coming unto Christ is a lifelong process that begins with believing in Him and then humbly seeking His influence in our lives. The process continues with accepting His gospel, accepting Him as our Savior, repenting, covenanting with Him through gospel ordinances, and enduring faithfully in obedience to His commandments throughout our lives. Ultimately we will have come unto Christ when we have become as He is; then we can dwell with Him in the eternities.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles summarized Moroni’s final invitation to come to Christ, found in Moroni 10:30–33:
“Moroni’s [final testimony emphasizes] faith in Christ, hope in Christ, the charity of Christ, with the prayer that these three great Christian virtues, these three consummate Christian principles, will lead us to purity. …
“That final, last, lonely appeal of the keystone of our religion and the most correct book ever written is to touch not the unclean thing; it is to be holy and without spot; it is to be pure. And that purity can come only through the blood of that Lamb who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, the Lamb who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, the Lamb who was despised and afflicted, but whom we esteemed not (see Mosiah 14). …
“Purity—through the blood of the Lamb. That is what [the Book of Mormon] pleads for” (“A Standard unto My People” [CES symposium on the Book of Mormon, Aug. 9, 1994], 15, si.lds.org).
Review Moroni 10:32–33, and mark phrases emphasizing that the only way we can be perfect is to be perfect “in Christ.” This means that we cannot reach perfection by ourselves; we must rely on the power and grace of the Savior’s Atonement. Ponder why we need the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become pure and perfect. You may want to mark phrases in Moroni 10:32–33 that you find encouraging as you strive for purity and the eternal goal of perfection.
Look back at what you wrote under “What I can do” in the chart in your scripture study journal. Select one action written there and ponder how you can be more diligent in that area in your life.
Read Moroni 10:34, and look for evidence of Moroni’s faith in Jesus Christ and hope of receiving eternal life. We too can have faith and hope as we make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit and apply the truths taught in its pages.
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In concluding this course of study on the Book of Mormon, answer the following questions in your scripture study journal, and be prepared to share your answers with your teacher:
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What difference has studying the Book of Mormon this year made in your life?
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What lessons or principles have helped you “come unto Christ” and strengthened your faith in the Savior?
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What is your testimony of the Book of Mormon?
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Write the following at the bottom of today’s assignments in your scripture study journal:
I have studied Moroni 10:8–26, 30–34 and completed this lesson on (date).
Additional questions, thoughts, and insights I would like to share with my teacher: