Introduction
Although I study the scriptures by topic, I always make an effort to additionally read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end. Once finished, I begin again. The reason for this is that my mind seems to gather new insights about the way the Lord works with people and “what great things he has done for [our] fathers.”1 And I believe that Mormon, who told us so little about himself, has told us all we need to know about getting “nearer to God by abiding by its precepts.”2 The most important lesson to be learned is that this is the Lord's doing, and he has guided the hand of Mormon with every word and every story. "...the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will."3 Consider the following pieces of the Lord's puzzle, which, when encountered in our day-to-day reading, become testimonies to us of “his hand in all things.”4
Lost Pages
The first thing that the Lord had Mormon do was write things we would never see. We all know about the lost 116 manuscript pages. These were replaced by the Lord, in his wisdom, with Nephi's record which certainly does justice to that which was lost. Of those things which remain of Mormon's record, the books from Alma to 4 Nephi have a synopsis or description of what follows. But the Book of Mosiah starts abruptly because its original synopsis and the first few verses describing Benjamin's father, Mosiah, were lost. Despite the loss, we have been given a great treasure in what was preserved.
Synopsis – The End from the Beginning
As the scripture says above, the Lord knows all things, but there is another way to know “the end from the beginning”5. That is to be at the end of the story, retelling it, as Mormon does. And the retelling makes possible one of the major witnesses that the Book of Mormon is an abridgment of other records. If Joseph Smith were the author of the Book of Mormon he would not have been able, while dictating to Oliver Cowdery, to successfully predict the direction that the record would take. To create synopses would have been impossible, but as a translator, he was able to simply tell the story before him. Mormon, on the other hand, had already those things that the Lord wanted him to copy for us. And he created an introductory synopsis for each addition with phrases like, “The Record of Zeniff—An account of his people” and “The words of Alma which he delivered to the people in Gideon, according to his own record.”6 He then put in place each piece of the record. The words of the synopses in my copy of the scriptures are italicized which might give the false impression that they are modern additions.7 The chapter synopses, which are also in italics, were added in modern times. But Mormon's words are followed by an interesting tag: “Comprising Chapters x-xx”. These words were added after the chapter divisions were created in 18798.
Retelling the Stories
No doubt Mormon, as a child, was told many stories from the history of his people. But as he was compiling the record, the Lord saw to it that it would be composed of stories that would make a difference in our lives, just as they had in Mormon's life.
There were other stories that were not as significant, from Mormon's perspective. Consider the story of Amulek's ancestor, Aminadi, who read the handwriting on the temple wall.9 If it weren't for the fact that Mormon was copying this story intact from Alma's record we would not have known it exists. King Mosiah had a brother named Helaman10, and we will never know to what extent Alma the younger was influenced to name his own son, Helaman, after him. Another minor fact that Mormon glosses over is that there were all kinds of trouble in King Benjamin's time, and these troubles were overcome by Benjamin with the help of holy men.11 Also consider how many lands and cities are given names for their principle founders and yet very few are the subjects of Mormon's narrative. Helam is mentioned in passing as being the first baptized by Alma in the waters of Mormon, “he being one of the first”12 converts. And later a land and a city are named after him.13 But to tell his story more completely would be to leave the outline that the Lord had planned.
On the other hand, Mormon chose other stories because of their impact on him and on us. Consider the story of Abinadi; he preached to King Noah's people and was rejected. He returned in disguise and when taken before the King he preached boldly, but only one person was prepared to hear his words directly, Alma. And that one person has made a difference in the lives of all who came after.
I will show unto you
Equally important to the Lord's purpose, besides having Mormon tell stories of great worth, is to liken these stories to us. And Mormon injects himself into the middle of his narrative to clarify the point. He tells us how the people of Alma settled in the land of Helam and began to prosper. Mormon says, “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. ... For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God...”14 He then tells of the burdens that were made light, and the Lord visiting them in their afflictions. Lastly comes the miraculous deliverance.
The importance of repeating this tale comes into focus when Alma's son, Alma, is going about to destroy the Church. And when an angel is sent to stop him in the way he tells Alma to stop or be destroyed. But before that, the angel says, “Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam,”15 which becomes a theme through many pages to follow.
This theme is repeated in the words of King Mosiah when explaining why he wanted a system of judges.16 And when Alma, the younger, is made the high priest and sets the Church in order he recounts this story while preaching to the people of Zarahemla. He likens the physical bondage of his fathers to the spiritual bondage of his listeners.17 Lastly Alma, in giving counsel to his son, Helaman, recalls the visit of the angel18, and proclaims his own deliverance from physical and spiritual bondage just as the people in the land of Helam were delivered.19
Following the Lord's outline, Mormon has taken us on the same journey as Alma and his son, Alma. We are reminded of our own spiritual bondage before coming to an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And we are blessed in times of trouble to see others in trouble who were delivered by the hand of the Lord.
Like unto Moroni
One of the purposes of the Lord was to have Mormon present the lives of righteous people, spiritual heroes, and their examples of success in the midst of trials and tribulations. We have the example of the sons of Mosiah-- missionaries, of Alma and his sons-- keepers of the Church, and of Helaman and Moroni-- warriors for righteousness' sake. Of all these, Mormon's personal hero was Moroni; he even named his son after him. In Mormon's description of the opposition he talks about cunning and deceit, and he contrasts that with Moroni's methods of preparing the people, not for war, but to be faithful.20 He stops the narrative to pay tribute to this inspired leader with these words, “Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”21 Then Mormon lists other spiritual heroes,“no less serviceable”22, because they are like unto Moroni. And we wish to one day be counted worthy to stand with such. Although Moroni wasn't one of a kind, he was, in Mormon's eyes, and ours, the model for all men and women of faith.
Another witness of Jesus Christ
What greater purpose could Mormon have than to testify of the risen Lord? And what better way to testify than to lead us through his people's history to the point that all the prophets have spoken of? He found Nephi's record and began to copy it for us, “an account of [Christ's] ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings.”23 Having previously noted that the record is true24, Mormon allows Nephi's record to do the talking. And the Savior's own words make us wish we had been there too. Some are not even recorded, but the message is clear. ”And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.”25
According to His will
Finally, as Mormon concludes the story of his people, we listen in as he speaks to the remnant of them which would survive, "...if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them."26 And is not this same power in our own lives?
Before passing the record to his son, Moroni, Mormon concluded where we began, attaching the small plates of Nephi to his record. And with a hint at the future he completed the assembly of all the pieces that Joseph Smith would need to bring it forth to the world. “I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me...”27 And Mormon thus had his hand in the entire book from beginning to end. And in its accomplishment we see not only the hand of Mormon, but also the hand of the Lord.
Conclusion
Every time I read the Book of Mormon the Holy Ghost brings the affirming witness that it is the word of God for our day. And I find new insights that are not to be had by reading scholarly commentaries, the footnotes, or the Topical Guide. These insights are the transforming elements that the Lord has placed there for each of us to find. These are the things that more fully make us followers of Jesus Christ, his sons and his daughters. May we abide by the precepts in the Lord's book, written by the hand of Mormon, and thereby be found “no less serviceable.”28
1 The Book of Mormon, title page, second paragraph.
2 The Book of Mormon, introduction, sixth paragraph.
6 Mormon's synopses appear before the chapters in Mosiah 9 and 23, in Alma 5, 7, 9, 17, 21, 36, 39, and 45, in Helaman 7 and 13, and in 3 Nephi 11.
7 In the internet version of the Book of Mormon, Mormon's synopses are not italicized. See http://lds.org/scriptures
8 Orson Pratt's addition of chapters and verses as we have them now began with the 1879 edition of the Book of Mormon.
10 See Mosiah 1:2.
13 See Mosiah 23:19-20.
16 See Mosiah 29:18-20.
17 See Alma 5:5-14; 29:11-12.
18 See Alma 36:2-5.
19 See Alma 36:27-29.
24 See 3 Nephi 8:1.
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