(June 25, 2017)
Sometimes,
for me, the best way for me to learn from reading the scriptures is to identify
the apparent contradictions that exist and then work to determine how they can
both still be true. It is by doing this
that I am able to be protected from going too far into the extremes in one
direction or another, because I am forced to confront those things that sit in
opposition to how I might see an issue at any particular time. Other times, it just helps me get a better
understanding of how two principles interact.
I had
that in this chapter today. On the one
hand, we had the statement that because of Nephi and Lehi’s faith, the
Lamanites were converted. On the other
hand, we have the statement from the Lord that if Moroni has been faithful, what happens to the
world around him shouldn’t matter to him.
On their face, these two things seem to contradict.
I think the resolution is that the
two statements aren’t from equivalent sources.
The first statement that it was because of the faith of Nephi and Lehi
that the Lamanites converted comes from Moroni ,
so it is not inerrant. There is some
indication that both Moroni is particularly concerned he didn’t measure up
because the world turned wicked on his watch and the Lord doesn’t agree with
Moroni’s assessment (indeed, the second statement from the Lord seems to in
part be given to contradict the first).