Greater Things
As Moroni began writing in the Book of Mormon, he made this statement about the book as a whole: “And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these” (Mormon 8:12). This promise that those who would receive the record would know of “greater things” than were in the record itself is found in two other places as well. As Mormon was recording what the Savior did and said among the Nephites, he told us that he couldn’t write everything: “And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people.” He then said this about what would happen to his people when they received this “lesser part” (i.e. what is in the Book of Mormon as we have it): “And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation” (3 Nephi 26:9-10). So if we believe the Book of Mormon, and specifically the words of the Savior to the Nephites as recorded in 3 Nephi, then Mormon promised we could one day have more of the words of the Savior as He delivered them to this people. Thus we don’t see the Book of Mormon as complete; rather, it is only a part of what God wants to give us, but we have to learn to fully believe it and receive its message if we want more of the Savior’s words and deeds revealed to us.
The other place
where we find similar language about having to wait for “greater things” is in Moroni’s
account of the brother of Jared’s great revelation. Moroni wrote after
describing briefly what happened on Shelem: “Behold, I have written upon these
plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were
greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the
brother of Jared. Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I
have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also
hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I
have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord. For
the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day
that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.” So
the revelation received by the brother of Jared is sealed and will not be available
to us until we are clean. He further described when we could have this
additional sealed part of the book: “And in that day that they shall exercise
faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may
become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the
brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and
all things that in them are.” We must exercise faith even as the brother of Jared
and become sanctified before the Lord. The Lord then suggested that those who,
on the other hand, “deny these things” to them will He “show no greater things.”
He left this invitation to believe and receive this knowledge: “Come unto me, O
ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which
is hid up because of unbelief” (Ether 4:4-13). So if we will purify ourselves
and truly believe in the Savior and the words He has given us already in the
Book of Mormon, we can receive these “greater things” that were revealed to the
brother of Jared.
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