Now I, Moroni, will engrave some things that I feel will benefit my brethren, the Lamanites. I want them to know that more than four hundred and twenty years have passed since the sign was given of Christ’s coming.
I will hide these records after I write a few very direct words to you, my brethren and sisters (the latter-day Lamanites). When you read these records, if in God’s wisdom you should read them, I invite you to remember how merciful the Lord has been to His children, from the creation of Adam and Eve down until the time when you will read these records. I also invite you to think carefully about these words, and to trust the feelings of your heart.
After you do this, I urge you to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these records are true. If you ask with a sincere heart, having faith in Christ, then He will show you that they are true, by the power of the Holy Ghost. For by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things.
Whatever is good is also just and true, and nothing that is good denies Christ, but acknowledges that He lives! You may know that He lives, by the power of the Holy Ghost. I urge you not to deny God’s power, for He works by power according to the faith of His children, just as He always will.
Again, I urge you, my brothers and sisters (the latter-day Lamanites), not to deny God’s gifts, for they are many. They all come from the same God, who gives them to His children through His Spirit to profit them.
One person may be given wisdom by God’s Spirit so that he may teach wisdom. Another may be given knowledge by the same Spirit so that he may teach knowledge. By God’s Spirit, some are given very great faith. To others, gifts of healing are given. Another may be given the gift to work mighty miracles. To yet another, God’s Spirit gives the gift to prophesy of all things. Others are given the gift of seeing angels and spirits who are sent to teach them. Some are given the gift of speaking all types of languages, while others are given the gift of interpreting languages.
All these gifts come by Christ’s Spirit to different people according to His will. My beloved brethren, good gifts come by Christ. Remember, every good gift comes from Christ, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Remember, that all these spiritual gifts will never be taken away as long as the world exists, unless the people stop believing.
There must be faith, hope and charity, for unless you have these three things, you cannot be saved in God’s kingdom. If you have no hope, you are in despair, and despair is the result of sin. And Christ truly said to our fathers, “If you have faith, you can do anything necessary to further my work.”
Now I speak to all people from the ends of the earth: If the day comes that God’s power and gifts are not among you, it will be because of unbelief. If this is your condition, then you are cursed, for in such a condition, there will be no one that does good among you—not even one. And if there is even one among you who does good, he will do it by God’s power and gifts. Whoever does away with the gifts of God and then dies is cursed, for he dies in his sins and cannot be saved in God’s kingdom. I write according to Christ’s words, and I do not lie.
Remember these things, for the time will soon come when you will know that I have not lied. You will see me at the bar of God, and the Lord will say to you, “Did I not declare my words to you, written by this man, as one crying from the dead, even as one speaking out of the dust?” I write these things so that the prophecies will be fulfilled, for this book will go forth from the mouth of the everlasting God, and His word will call to all people from generation to generation. God will show you that what I have written is true. Again, I urge you to come to Christ and to hold on to every good gift. Do not touch the evil gift nor the unclean thing.
Awake, and arise from the dust, oh Jerusalem. Put on your beautiful robes, oh daughter of Zion. Strengthen yourselves and increase your influence forever, that you may no longer be confused—that the covenants of the Eternal Father, which He made to you, oh house of Israel, may be fulfilled. Come to Christ and be perfected in Him. Deny yourselves all ungodliness. If you deny yourselves all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then His grace is enough to make you perfect in Christ, after which you cannot deny God’s power.
And if you are made perfect in Christ, and do not deny His power, then you are sanctified in Christ by God’s grace. This is done because of the Father’s covenant—the shedding of Christ’s blood, which takes away your sins and makes you holy and spotless.
Now I bid farewell to all. Soon I will rest in God’s paradise, awaiting the resurrection, when my spirit and body will be reunited, and I will be brought triumphantly through the air to meet you before the pleasing bar of the Great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both the living and the dead. Amen.