#48 "Come unto Christ"

Moroni 7-8&10
Think about yourself at the beginning of the year have you come 1 step or more closer to your Savior? The title of this lesson from Moroni 10:30, reflects the whole purpose of the Book of Mormon. If you have read, studied and applied the teachings of this book there is no reason why you wouldn’t and shouldn’t be that much closer to Christ this year, as well as having more good gifts (or spiritual gifts) than you started with. If you don’t feel it, examine your life and attitude with specific questions. If you still don’t see a difference read this book again more seriously and deeply than you did this year as we study the D&C.
Moroni reminds us in these last Chapters a few things we should continue to do to come unto Christ. As always happens when I prepare a lesson the Lord points out to me, through scriptures what I need to work on and so I get to pass on that lesson to you. Therefore if you feel guilty, you got the same lesson I did j/k, in reality the Lord doesn’t want us to feel guilty He’s just hoping we will make some needed changes so that we can continue to come closer to Him.

The lesson I learned started with me buying a DVD for our family for Christmas, one I remember loving as a kid, perhaps you’ve heard of it, Goonies. It’s the classic story of a group of misfit friends who discover a pirate ship and buried treasure while being chased by bad guys. Well-pretty harmless story line. The rating is PG. Upon watching it the other night with our kids these main characters started out with a few cuss words that made us uncomfortable. Keith and I looked at each other but I justified to myself that I watched it as a kid and didn’t remember any of that so the worst was probably over, therefore we continued to watch. The language didn’t improve; in fact it got worse, even adding in some sexual innuendo. Well the movie ended and I thought perhaps we should throw that movie out, but then I thought “It’s new, I paid $ for that, $ that I don’t want to waste. Well it is with these thoughts on my mind, I went to bed then came to the scriptures with the next morning as I sat down to prepare this lesson & as soon as I read these scriptures that movie popped into my head.
Moroni 7:12-14 & 16-17
I tried to tell myself that this movie wasn’t the kind of evil that the scriptures were talking about, but the feelings of being uncomfortable I had while watching the movie came back as well as some of the scenes that disturbed me. I tried to justify, it’s just a movie for goodness sake, but when I read v16-17 I knew that the feelings I had, that we should throw that movie out was the Spirit of the Lord that is within me telling my that there is a reason I had an uncomfortable feeling with it, and my justification was the Devil trying to persuade me with the fact I spent the money and it was only PG.
Then, as if these scriptures weren’t enough to prick my conscience I read this story right after in the institute manual:p520-521.
President Reynolds, branch president of the student branch at the university, was driving by one of the community theaters late one evening. Hundreds of students were lined up waiting to get in. He noticed that the marquee displayed a title of a film that had been widely publicized as having a significant message for the older generation, but the movie also contained several erotic scenes. As President Reynolds scanned the crowd, he noticed that there were several members of his branch waiting to attend the film.
He reflected on the matter over the weekend, wondering how he should handle the problem. He felt certain that the film was inappropriate for a latter-day saint, but how could he approach this matter and really touch the hearts of his people?
That Sunday evening he felt impressed to call a special bishop’s fireside and speak to his branch members. He opened the discussion in the following manner: “I would like to discuss with you the massage of the film_______. How many of you have seen it?” Over fifty percent of the group had seen it. “What was your opinion of the film?’ Most of the group said that except for a few scenes, it had a good message. “Would you then judge the film to be good-one that perhaps all people ought to see?” the president further asked.
Many of the group felt that most people would greatly benefit by seeing it. “This raises an important question: How do you judge a message, a film, a book, or anything for that matter, to be good?” A free discussion ensued, with many varying opinions expressed. “What we have so far, “interjected President Reynolds, “are many opinions on how one can judge a matter to be good. Some of your comments reflect a great deal of insight, yet I still don’t have a criterion by which I can tell with certainty whether or not something is good.”
Members of the group suggested that such a criterion reduces itself to personal subjective judgment, tastes, and values. “What you’re saying is that we are left without a sure standard to guide us in making decisions about what is good,” replied Pres. Reynolds. “Are you suggesting,” asked a member that the church provide a ‘code of decency’ label to all films?” “No. What I am suggesting is that the Lord has already provided us with a definite means by which we can plainly judge whether or not a matter is good. Would you be interested in hearing it?” The nodding of the heads indicated that many would.

*They read the scriptures we just did, Let’s review them again.
What are the questions to judge our entertainment by?
1-Does ___________________invite me to love and serve God?
2-Is _________ inspired of God? 3-Does______ help me to serve God?
4- Does ________ persuade me to believe in or come unto Christ?

The story continues: “many of you seem convinced that the film_______ is good, that it has a message of impact for my generation. But what happens if we apply the Savior’s definite and sure criterion to that specific film? Does it lead you to Christ? “There wasn’t anything in the film that contained a theological message about Christ, if that is what you mean,” suggested one branch member. “What does the phrase ‘to believe in Christ’ mean?” asked Pres. Reynolds. “does it mean that everything has to have a theological message? I take it to mean what the Savior said to the Nephites: ‘Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.’ (3 Nephi 27:27) Does this film tend to make you as he is, Christ-like in your character? Does it inspire you to live a divine standard? The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil.’ (Teachings, p216) So I ask again, does this film tend toward the development of a Christ-like Character?
The group agreed that according to the criterion of good as explained in the BofM it did not.
“Can we therefore say it is good?” asked Pres. Reynolds.
“Not according to that criterion,” the group agreed. “If this film or any other activity is not good according to the Savior’s criteria, what ought Latter-day Saints do? And if we don’t follow this standard by which we can judge all things with a perfect knowledge, ‘what could be the result?”
“I don’t want any of you to leave with the impression that I am condemning you because you might have seen that film; nor so I want you to leave with the impression that I am intolerant and provincial. I want you to know, however, why I could not attend such a film and why I do not recommend that you see such films. A number of years ago I adopted that standard by which I could make righteous judgments. I have found that the Savior’s standard does work. Only recently I had a close friend come to me and ask if I had seen a certain film. The film had great scenery and beautiful music, but skillfully woven into the background of this scenery and music was a scene of adultery. ‘The beauty of the film almost seemed to make the adultery justified,’ reported my friend. Then he said a sobering thing, ‘Every time I hear the theme of that film, I recall to mind that scene of adultery.’
“It is for this reason, and because of the love and concern I have for you, that I wanted to share a principle that has brought more certainty to my life.”

Boy if that wasn’t straight forward huh? I have since thrown away that movie and told myself I need to go through the rest of the movies with those same questions and get rid of them.
I know what you are thinking, “Oh Lezette it’s just a movie” You don’t need to tell me I agree, but read what Moroni beseeches of us in 7:19 “search your hearts with the light of Christ that ye may know (or see and recognize) good from evil and if we want to lay hold upon every good thing and condemn it not then we will be a child of Christ meaning we will have access to all He has-every spiritual gift, the highest kingdom of Glory, access to angels ministering. You Name it.

But you ask what is the big deal, one movie can’t be all that harmful let’s read v.17 again anything that persuadeth us to believe not/ serve not Christ is working against us. I’d like to illustrate what this scripture is saying: (get rope or string)
Have 2 people hold ends and stretch across the front of the room. Connect a smaller jump rope in the middle, tie each of those ends to the long rope about a foot apart then have someone hold the small jump rope in the middle.

I walk along the long rope and explain the following. The long rope is the timeline for our lives. The start is our mortal life beginning. The end is Christ our purpose for life is to come unto Christ. Every step we take that goes with these questions brings us one step closer to Christ. FHE, Scripture study, callings, service, etc. Every good thing I do, not only brings me closer but gives me blessings, added gifts of the spirit. But then what if we watch a movie, read a book, or listen to music that takes us off the path for just a moment of our lives. (Go off onto the little jump rope path, now look am I closer or farther from Christ? Farther right? In order to get closer, back to the main rope I have to do more spiritual things to bring me back to the rope and I have lost that time, so I come back to the rope 2 hours or so short of the time I could’ve been gaining more good gifts.

That is what Moroni is describing to us will happen if we don’t heed his counsel.

So what could happen if we stay on the path of addiction or bad movies etc? The same thing that’s happened to the Nephite people all along, destruction of souls.
But what could happen if we stay on the path that leads to Christ and continually move closer? Moroni tells us some of the things.
7:25-26 If we exhibit faith- take the first step and get rid of bad movies or get rid of addictions then even before Christ comes we can get these things. What things? V 26 whatsoever we ask, which is Good.

He even tells us what things we could ask for 7:29 Miracles, 7:29 angels, He pauses for a minutes and tells us a little about angels and some of their duties, and by so doing tells us what angels can do for us.
7:30-31 1-minister to us 2-show themselves unto those of us with strong faith 3-call us unto repentance 4-fulfill jobs Lord give them for us- protect and directing us. 5-do the work of the Lord helping to send us blessings and promises made in covenants made to him. 6-prepares the way for us to learn 7-declares word to us through our thoughts and feelings.
Like the thought I had during the movie. While they were swearing again and I justified it’s not anything my kids don’t hear everyday at school and the thought came “but they shouldn’t have to be subjected to it in their home which should be a place of refuge from all that.” And finally 8-with those thoughts they help us to have courage to testify to each other of those things.

What other good things can we lay hold upon? V32 The Holy Ghost will have place in our hearts to help, guide, testify to us that He may help us make room for more faith, and what does faith give us? 7:37 more miracles and angles appearing to us as well as 7:38 faith to be healed through Christ’s atonement.

7:45 Also through those experiences we will gain Charity –Charity that will help us bear all things, endure, love others, and all the good things that come from Charity. Including 7:48 that all will be well at judgment for us because we will be like Christ.
In 10:8-17 He lists even more good things we have access to if we stay on the rope that leads to Christ, the more time spent on those pursuits, the more good gifts we can gain. Moroni exhorts us a lot in this chapter but is it in these 3 exhortations I end this lesson with. 1- 10:30 Come unto Christ and lay hold on every good gift
2-10:32-33 Come unto Christ and be perfected and last but definitely not least 3- 10:4 ask if these things we’ve learned are true and the truth will be made manifest-perhaps they already have been as we’ve discussed them to you. But we can know if everything-every teaching event and experience in this book is real. We have that promise that if we read, study, and apply these teachings we will come unto Christ and will continue to lay hold on all His good gifts of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ amen.