December 2–8: “To Keep Them in the Right Way”
Moroni 1–6
After finishing his father’s record of the Nephites and abridging the record of the Jaredites, Moroni thought that his record-keeping work was done (see Moroni 1:1). What more was there to say about two nations that were utterly destroyed? But Moroni had seen our times (see Mormon 8:35), and he was inspired to “write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth … in some future day” (Moroni 1:4). He knew that widespread apostasy was coming, bringing with it confusion about priesthood ordinances and about religion in general. This may be why he gave clarifying details about the sacrament, baptism, conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the blessings of gathering with fellow believers to “keep [each other] in the right way, … relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of [our] faith” (Moroni 6:4). Precious insights like these give us reason to be thankful that the Lord preserved Moroni’s life so he could “write a few more things” (Moroni 1:4).