Captain Moroni

Last week I found out I have shingles.  I was optimistic that my case wouldn't be as bad as others I had heard about. Yet in weak moments I found myself thinking "my body is infected, decomposing, this is the end of me".   Dramatic I know, but still a lesson in how fast things can go wrong, and how grateful I am to be healthy.

I decided to take it easy for a few days and I would catch up on my Top Children's Picture Books post this weekend.  Friday night Daniel asked me if I was up for an adventure.  "What kind of an adventure?" I asked.    He said he just got a call about a rental house in Newport Beach that had fall through, and we could have it for a discount, but we had to pack up and leave for California right away.  Wow.  For years we have been vacationing at this beach and fantasizing about renting a house so close to the action.  More to follow later.

Today I wanted to write about Captain Moroni in honor of my brother'n law Luke's birthday.  Luke is tall, handsome, happy, yet I hear can be passionate, he has a testimony of Jesus Christ and is turning twenty five this year.  So this summer when I read in the Book of Mormon about Captain Moroni, I pictured someone like Luke.

"And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their wars.  And he was only twenty and five years when he was appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites."  Alma 43:17

The story of Moroni's career is found in chapters 43 through 62 of the book of Alma located within the Book of Mormon. In chapter 48 there is a great description of Moroni and his character which I would like to share.  Verses 7 through 18.

"Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God....And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christains.

And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and freedom of his country...

Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.

Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;

And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea and resisting iniquity.

Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."


Do you have a copy of the Book of Mormon?  Have I tempted you to read more?