Narrative: At verse 12 Moroni shifts his narrative from descriptive history to and admonition to the future readers. As he begins this section that looks forward, it is a generic statement. The “whoso receiveth” is non-specific and directed at anyone of the future readers of his father’s record. The message for those future readers is that they should receive this text and understand it for what it is. There is a conditional promise made:
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.
The promise is that receiving the Book of Mormon in faith will lead to the revelation of even greater things than are in the Book of Mormon. Moroni is declaring the Book of Mormon to be a beginning, not an end. The Book of Mormon does not contain all of the wonders of God. It is a directed message, and more is available. Moroni declares that if it were possible, he would explain all such things to us. It is not possible, and he does not.
In this verse he virtually declares that there are errors in the book, for he tells us that we are blessed if we believe in spite of those errors. What kinds of errors are there? Moroni will tell us in verse 17 that they are the “faults of men.” The restatement of the theme of errors is obviously part of his message to the future generations, but the two instances of this message are separated by other text. As Moroni’s addition to his father’s text develops he will alter the target lector of his father’s work. He will move from the opening generic statement, through specific references, to a final generic conclusion.
It is a meandering sequence, and tells us something both of what his father asked him to do, and the way in which it was done.
First, what did Mormon ask his son to do? There are two essential elements in this particular writing from Moroni. The very first is to be the keeper of the records, just as Mormon had been charged with records and recording. Thus one of the commands from his father was not simply to finish Mormon’s book, but to be the scribe for the record. Of course there is no people left for whom to make a record, but the fact of the scribe is such a strong and important tradition that Mormon charges Moroni with it anyway. Moroni fulfills that part of the task as he finished his father’s record by giving the final details of the end of the Nephites and the death of his father. He will also fulfill that task by adding the book of Ether, and then his own book. Mormon asked his son to be the keeper of the sacred records, and Moroni does this. Moroni writes in his father’s book, but gives his own identifying colophon in Mormon 8:13-14.
The second task, based on what Moroni does, is add his testimony in witness to his father’s work. This is the task that fills the majority of the message Moroni writes in his father’s book. However, inserted in the fulfillment of the task assigned by the father is a discernible personal task that he assumes that was likely not part of what his father commanded of him. That will be discussed after verse 14.
What of the way in which Moroni tackles his appointed tasks? Moroni differs stylistically from his father.
“Instead of the concise, objective style of the sober and observant Mormon, Moroni gives us glimpses into his own fears, sorrows, and misgivings… In his writing, Moroni also lacks the confident, concise, and detached style of Mormon.” (Gary Layne Hatch. “Mormon and Moroni.” Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Fourth Nephi through Moroni: From Zion to Destruction [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1995], 110.)
One of the discernable differences between the writings of father and son is the nature of the forethought and intent of their writings. Mormon was working from notes, and while he would insert asides as he filled in the text on his outline (or perhaps first draft), he is still guided by a structure that moves his intent forward.
Moroni, on the other hand, shows no signs of working from an outline. He begins speaking of the mistakes of men that might be in the record, and then meanders to a different topic. He returns to the mistakes of men. Moroni bears testimony, but the testimony is long and rambling, as opposed to Mormon’s brilliantly concise admonition to future readers (Mormon 7). Based on the text that we have from Moroni, it would appear that he had a charge to write, but no outlined and determined intent for his writing. He was to finish his father’s record, but that finishing touch shows none of the succinctness of which his father was capable. Moroni is writing more directly. He is probably writing on the plates in one sitting, with no previous outline or draft. He goes from mind to text, and the meanderings of his message, as well as the later unconnected collection of documents that comprises his book, is an indication of one who has charge to write, but no specific direction. This makes Moroni no less an important prophet or inspired man. It simply notes that his methodology in writing is demonstrably different from his father.