For the Glory of My God

Alma 60 contains the letter from Moroni to the leaders of the Nephite government during a very difficult time of the war between the Lamanites and the Nephites. I fear that too often as we read it we dismiss it with the attitude that Moroni was wrong about Pahoran, using it only as an example of Pahoran’s power of forgiveness. But I think that is a short-sighted view, and there is indeed a lot to inspire us from his letter. If Moroni was wrong it was only in regards to Pahoran’s complicity with those who were indeed worthy of the condemnation. Bbut the letter—written to Pahoran and “to all those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war”—was entirely justified and a powerful display of Moroni’s unwavering commitment to the Lord and His people. Moroni did not hesitate to act when he saw the terrible suffering of his people. Nephihah had just been attacked by the Lamanites and they were slain “with an exceedingly great slaughter” (Alma 59:7). Moroni had been led to believe that the government was going to send men to help defend Nephihah, but the Nephite leaders had not and it caused the death and suffering of countless women and children in particular. That is what motivated the letter, and he spoke of it this way: “The Lamanites are coming upon us, taking possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king-men” (Alma 60:17). He was rightfully very angry seeing so many innocent lives shattered, and he was not about to sit around and let it happen any further. The passion he displayed for preserving the freedom of the people and protecting those in danger should inspire all of us to care more about the suffering of others and our responsibility to help them.

               The letter also displays Moroni’s unwavering commitment to staying true to the Lord and keeping His commandments. He questioned the leaders, “Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God?” (v20) He reminded them of “the judgments of God” and “the laws of God” and the words God had said “that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first” (v14, 23, 33). He declared to them, “Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country” (v28). He was committed wholly to doing what God wanted him to do, and he fought only because he knew it was the will of the Lord to defend the Nephites. He announced his motivations in unmistakable terms: “And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God,” and he urged them to “adhere to the word of God” (v34). He clearly had gone to the Lord asking what to do after the massacre at Nephihah and explained this to the leaders of the government: “Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them” (v33). He did not write the letter rashly or without merit—the Lord had told him that the leaders of the government needed to repent or be removed. Moroni was committed to performing what the Lord asked. Pahoran was not one worthy of this rebuke from the Lord, but there were many who were as Pahoran explained in his letter. Moroni was totally committed to doing the will of the Lord, and his fervor for keeping the commandments of God and bringing the “strength and the blessings of God” to others is a powerful example to us all. Moroni’s letter and example are a reminder to me that I cannot be passive when it concerns the things of the Lord—I must be assertive in defending His commandments and in doing His will. I hope that someday I can say in all honesty like Moroni, “I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country” (v36).