Moroni is a member of the elite circle of writers and archivists who have prayed earnestly throughout the generations that the words they have received and preserved will one day come unto their brethren through the care and nurture of the Gentiles. It is at the behest of the Abrahamic covenant that the servants of the Lord in the house of Israel become servants unto the world to bring the gospel to the four quarters of the earth, and it is by faith that these things are done. Let us come to realize that faith is a principle of power to do all things in righteousness. We can increase our faith (see Luke 17:5) through prayer (see Helaman 3:35), scripture study (see Romans 10:17), and by practicing the principles of the gospel in our lives. With our faith strengthened, we can more effectively act as missionaries through example and testimony bearing.
Memories: The Tree House
My friends and I, when we were young boys, constructed a makeshift tree house in a tall ash tree in the back of the yard. From that perch we could see in all directions and pretend that we had conquered the world. One spring day while we were idling away our time in the tree house, we happened to observe a neighbor man planting potatoes in his garden immediately adjacent to the tree. When he was finished with the work, we sneaked down and, in a shameful boyish prank, removed the potato eyes from several mounds closest to the tree. As the season progressed, we observed the neighbor tending his garden with care as his crop of potatoes came up and flourished abundantly—all except for the few mounds close to our tree house. I can recall seeing him from the tree house one day as he stood and looked intently at the mystery mounds, no doubt wondering why those plants had not come up. At that point, our amusement turned to shame, for our unkindness had interrupted the flow of growth and interfered with what we would one day come to understand as the operation of faith. Therein lies a lesson.
When the Savior taught the people the parable of the sower, He referred to four possible scenarios: seeds falling by the wayside where fouls devoured them up, seeds falling on stony ground where they could not take root, seeds falling among thorns that choked out the growth, and finally seeds that fell on fertile ground and flourished. In this He was teaching the celebrated lesson on faith as it pertains to the word of God planted in the hearts of individuals. Some, with shallow understanding, are susceptible to the incursions of the evil one who “catcheth away that which was sown” (Matthew 13:19); some, with hard hearts, fail to accept the word and allow it to take root with sufficient strength to prepare for future tribulation; and some, open to pride and worldliness, allow the word to be stifled altogether. Only those who receive the word in faith and cultivate it with sincere devotion, as Alma also taught (see Alma 32), receive the abundance of the spiritual harvest.
As Moroni comes to the end of his abridgement of the book of Ether, he includes a few passages from the words of the prophet Ether, who teaches “that by faith all things are fulfilled. Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God” (Ether 12:3–4). In his commentary on this statement, Moroni includes a reference to the Savior’s commandment that these things are to come forth to the children of men in the latter days according to a certain principle: “And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the promise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ” (Ether 12:22).
The commandment given to Moroni to preserve the word of God for future generations is the commission of the sower. Under the principles of the Abrahamic covenant, this same commission is given to the faithful to extend the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world so that the word of God may be sown and take root in the hearts of believers everywhere. What a dishonor it would be if we fell short in this sacred obligation through actions that would deprive our neighbors of the opportunity to receive the word of God in faith (much like the careless prank of young boys removing the potato eyes). On the other hand, what glorious blessings are reserved to those who discern from a higher perspective the myriad of opportunities for sharing the gospel every day, and who plant the seeds of the word of God in charity, and help others to cultivate the garden of salvation in all its abundance and verdure. (Richard J. Allen)