Moroni's Examples of Faith

In Moroni’s powerful teachings about faith in Ether 12 he referenced the faith of earlier Nephite prophets who had worked mighty miracles.  He wrote, “Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth. Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost. Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites” (Ether 12:13-15).  These were all missionaries who accomplished amazing miracles through their faith. Alma and Amulek miraculously escaped from prison in Ammonihah when they prayed, “O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance” (Alma 14:26).  With their faith the walls came crashing down on their persecutors and they walked out unharmed.  Nephi and Lehi were instrumental in converting thousands of Lamanites who had taken over the city of Zarahemla, a conversion so deep that the Lamanites “did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession” of their own volition (Helaman 5:52).  Ammon and his brethren of course similarly taught and helped convert thousands of Lamanites who had been described beforehand as “stiffnecked” and “whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning.”  Their success as missionaries was truly miraculous, and it was because they had exercised faith that they brought “thousands of souls to repentance” (Alma 26:22,24). 

               As I consider these example of Nephite missionaries who had great faith and accomplished miraculous things in the work of the Lord, I’m struck by the fact that they all showed great humility and sacrifice beforehand.  Alma was the chief judge, the most important man among the Nephites and he gave that up to preach: “Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God” (Alma 4:20).  He had great power among his people, and yet he willingly gave that up so he could preach the word of God.  Amulek similarly was a man of means and position in Ammonihah before being converted and joining Alma as a missionary.  He stated, “I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry” (Alma 10:4).  And yet despite his wealth and status among the people, he forsook that and gave himself to the preaching of the word of God.  Mormon described, “Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred” (Alma 15:16).  The power of the faith of Alma and Amulek came at least in part because of the way they had forsaken the things of the world for the word of God. 

             The others mentioned by Moroni similarly gave up their positions in order to be devoted to the preaching of the word.  Like Alma, Nephi “delivered up the judgment-seat… and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days” (Helaman 5:1, 4).  Nephi gave up the most powerful position in their society, and Lehi gave up whatever he was doing, and they consecrated themselves to the message of the gospel.  Surely that sacrifice was part of the reason they were so powerful as missionaries.  And of course the sons of Mosiah did likewise.  They had the opportunity to be king over the Nephites, but they refused: “Neither would Aaron take upon him the kingdom; neither were any of the sons of Mosiah willing to take upon them the kingdom” (Mosiah 29:3).  They were devoted to the word of God and couldn’t be tempted by this great position of power and honor among the Nephites.  Instead they labored and suffered for fourteen years among the Lamanites, having experiences such as being “cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon [their] cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison” (Alma 26:29).  Surely the way that they refused the honors of men and sacrificed for the work of the Lord was a reason they had so much success and power through their faith.  These examples from Moroni show us that to work mighty miracles through faith we may need to first be willing to forsake the wealth and honors of the world.