Moroni 6
Reading for Tuesday, May 15: Moroni 6
Learning Activities:
1) Introduction
As Moroni neared the completion of his writings on the plates, he explained some of the qualifications for individuals to be baptized into the Church. He then outlined the responsibilities of Church members to care for each other. He also explained the purposes of Church meetings and emphasized the need for Church meetings to be conducted by the influence of the Holy Ghost.
2) What does this chapter teach about baptism?
3) What can we learn about how to minister to each other from this chapter?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the importance of nourishing each other with the word of God: “Most people don’t come to church looking merely for a few new gospel facts or to see old friends, though all of that is important. They come seeking a spiritual experience. They want peace. They want their faith fortified and their hope renewed. They want, in short, to be nourished by the good word of God, to be strengthened by the powers of heaven. Those of us who are called upon to speak or teach or lead have an obligation to help provide that, as best we possibly can” (“A Teacher Come from God,” Ensign, May 1998, 26).
4) Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a portion of a letter from a friend expressing a change in attitude about church attendance:
“A wise friend wrote:
“‘Years ago, I changed my attitude about going to church. No longer do I go to church for my sake, but to think of others. I make a point of saying hello to people who sit alone, to welcome visitors, … to volunteer for an assignment. …
“‘In short, I go to church each week with the intent of being active, not passive, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Consequently, my attendance at Church meetings is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.’
“All of this illustrates the eternal principle that we are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give, not for what we get” (“Unselfish Service,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 96).
Want More?
Moroni 6:2. “A broken heart and a contrite spirit”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what it means to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit unto the Lord:
“As you seek the blessing of conversion, you can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming” (D. Todd Christofferson, “When Thou Art Converted,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 12).
Moroni 6:4. “Cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost”
We receive the sanctifying power of the Savior’s Atonement through the companionship of the Holy Ghost (see 3 Nephi 27:19–20; Moroni 6:4). Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
“Sins are remitted not in the waters of baptism, as we say in speaking figuratively, but when we receive the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and brings us into a state of righteousness. We become clean when we actually receive the fellowship and companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is then that sin and dross and evil are burned out of our souls as though by fire. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the baptism of fire” (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 290; see also page 239).
Moroni 6:4. Our duty to nourish one another
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency shared the following experience:
“I have seen many shepherds who feed their flocks. One was the president of a deacons quorum. One of his quorum members lived near my home. That neighbor boy had never attended a quorum meeting nor done anything with the members of his quorum. His stepfather was not a member, and his mother did not attend church.
“The presidency of his deacons quorum met in council one Sunday morning. … In their presidency meeting, those 13-year-old shepherds remembered the boy who never came. They talked about how much he needed what they received. The president assigned his counselor to go after that wandering sheep.
“I knew the counselor, and I knew he was shy, and I knew the difficulty of the assignment, so I watched with wonder through my front window as the counselor trudged by my house, going up the road to the home of the boy who never came to church. The shepherd had his hands in his pockets. His eyes were on the ground. He walked slowly, the way you would if you weren’t sure you wanted to get where you were headed. In 20 minutes or so, he came back down the road with the lost deacon walking by his side. That scene was repeated for a few more Sundays. Then the boy who had been lost and was found moved away.
“… Years later, I was in a stake conference, a continent away from the room in which that presidency had met in council. A gray-haired man came up to me and said quietly, ‘My grandson lived in your ward years ago.’ With tenderness, he told me of that boy’s life. And then he asked if I could find that deacon who walked slowly up that road. And he wondered if I could thank him and tell him that his grandson, now grown to be a man, still remembered” (Henry B. Eyring, “Watch with Me,” Ensign, May 2001, 38–39).
Moroni 6:4. Strengthening new converts
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) encouraged all Church members, including the youth, to nourish and strengthen those who join the Church:
“It is not an easy thing to become a member of this Church. In most cases it involves setting aside old habits, leaving old friends and associations, and stepping into a new society which is different and somewhat demanding.
“With the ever-increasing number of converts, we must make an increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way. Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with ‘the good word of God’ (Moro. 6:4). It is our duty and opportunity to provide these things. …
“This is a work for everyone. It is a work for home teachers and visiting teachers. It is a work for the bishopric, for the priesthood quorums, for the Relief Society, the young men and young women, even the Primary.
“I was in a fast and testimony meeting only last Sunday. A 15- or 16-year-old boy stood before the congregation and said that he had decided to be baptized.
“Then one by one, boys of the teachers quorum stepped to the microphone to express their love for him, to tell him that he was doing the right thing, and to assure him that they would stand with him and help him. It was a wonderful experience to hear those young men speak words of appreciation and encouragement to their friend” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Converts and Young Men,” Ensign, May 1997, 47, 48).