Day 40 - Moroni 6-10; Summary and thoughts during Challenge

[pam]

I just wanted to thank those that took part. While each of us had our own "style" as to how to respond it's those differences that helped me learn and understand much more this time.

[Seanette]

The challenge is completed! We’ve spent 40 days feasting on the Scriptures that were given to us as a result of the Restoration. Praise to the man, indeed! How can we not praise and love the Prophet for bringing us so much more depth and richness of the Word of God?
Moroni 5 – The manner in which the Sacrament wine is to be administered is set forth. Please note that changing times and circumstances resulted in the update in D&C 27, approving the change to water.
Moroni 6 – The repentant non-members are baptized into the Church and fellowshipped, while repentant Church members are forgiven. Meetings are conducted by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Moroni 7 – Moroni records in this chapter his father’s teaching. Mormon invites his hearers to enter into the rest of the Lord. For prayer or good deeds to be counted for righteousness, they must be done with real intent. The Spirit of Christ enables us to distinguish good from evil. Anything that persuades men to do evil, deny Christ, and/or not serve God is of the devil. The prophets declare the coming of Christ. Miracles occur and angels minister by faith. We need to have faith, hope, and charity, and pray for these things.
Moroni 8 – An epistle from Mormon to Moroni. He declares that infant baptism is an abomination, since children under the age of accountability are innocent through Christ’s Atonement. He speaks of the things that lead to salvation: faith, repentance, meekness and lowliness of heart, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
Moroni 9 – Another epistle from Mormon to Moroni. Both the Nephites and the Lamanites are depraved and degenerate. He speaks of the tortures and murders each group commits against the other. He prays for Moroni’s well-being, that grace and goodness may rest upon him forever.
Moroni 10 – Moroni exhorts his readers to pray to the Father in the name of Christ, asking to know the truth of the Book of Mormon, and that knowledge will be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. The gifts of the Spirit are given to the faithful, and always accompany faith. Moroni says his words will speak from the dust. He exhorts his readers to come unto Christ, be perfected in Him, and sanctify our souls.

[KeithLBrown]

Our 40-day journey through the pages of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price have come to an end. I wanted to especially thank Seanette for her revised schedule which allowed me to read the Pearl of Great Price 5 times in this 40-day period. I also want to thank everyone who accepted the challenge and actively participated in sharing their thoughts on the readings with us that we all might be edified and gain an increase in our understanding.

For those who joined us and perhaps for one reason or another were not able to complete all of the reading, please don't be discouraged. Though we had a goal in mind to read the three Standard Works in their entirety in a 40-day period, for me at least, the greater goal was to get people motivated and interested in reading the Scriptures on a more regular, consistent basis. The Scriptures are there for our learning and the only way we can achieve that learning is through reading and studying them faithfully. Leaving the Scriptures sitting on the shelf and never opening them except maybe on Sunday at Church, really and truly profiteth us nothing. In a sense the book becomes a sealed book, and we cannot learn from a sealed book.

With this reading I have now read the Book of Mormon 8 times in its entirety, the Doctrine and Covenants 9 times, and the Pearl of Great Price 13 times. Each time I read the pages of these blessed volumes I learn more and more. As I grow older and apply what I read to my own personal life, these Scriptures become alive and take on a whole new meaning depending on where I am in my progression in life's journey at the time of reading. I look forward to reading these pages many more times in the days ahead.

Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! May his name ever be had for the good that he did as a humble servant in the Lord's vineyard to bring forth the fullness of the everlasting Gospel for us to learn and prosper from in these the latter days.