Behold, I Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. The Nephites were hunted by the Lamanites until they were all destroyed. My father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of destruction of my people. And whether they will slay me, I know not. Moroni was left alone to preserve the Nephite's sacred records. His father Mormon delivered them to him, to hide them away unto the Lord.

Imagine if Moroni had not been successful and if the Lamanites overtook him before he could accomplish his task.

Fortunately, we know that Moroni succeeded in preserving the records.

There are other important historical figures and events that could have had alternate endings, under different circumstances.

Centuries after Moroni, on a different continent, a pitiful figure was led from a dungeon in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, Belgium. Outside the castle wall the prisoner was fastened to a post...He had time to utter aloud his final prayer, "Lord!

Open the king of England's eyes," and then he was strangled. Immediately, his body was burned at the stake. ...His crime: translating and publishing the Bible in English.

How would our lives be different today, if all of William Tyndale's copies and his translations were destroyed by the king?

Thankfully, devoted followers of Christ continued to persevere and within three years of Tyndale's death, God did indeed open King Henry VIII's eyes, and with publication of what was called the "Great Bible," the scriptures in English began to be publicly available.

Tyndale's work became the foundation for almost all future English translations of the Bible.

We owe perhaps an even greater debt to those who faithfully recorded and preserved the word through the ages, often with painstaking labor and sacrifice.

And now I, Mormon, knowing that these things must surely be made known, And that a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people, and the Gentiles, I write a small abridgment, because of the commandment which I have received.

What did they know about the importance of scriptures that we also need to know?

King Benjamin teaches us of their importance in the Book of Mormon.

My sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, O remember that these records are true. Search them diligently, and keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land.

The scriptures remind us of what we knew in our premortal life. And they expand our memory in another sense by teaching us about people, and events that we did not experience personally. None of us were there in Jerusalem, so many years ago, to hear the Savior preach His gospel in person. Nor were we present with Him to witness how by His healing miracles, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, which caused the people to exclaim, it was never so seen in Israel.

We were not among the other sheep that Christ visited in America, and were not bidden to come forward, one by one, with the multitude at the Savior's invitation. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

We did not kneel beside Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove and gaze there upon the Father and the Son. Yet we know all these things and much, much more because we have the scriptural record to enlarge our memory, to teach us what we did not know and did not see. And as these things penetrate our minds and hearts, our faith in God and His Beloved Son takes root. Those who don't have the recorded word of God eventually cease to believe in Him and forget the purpose of their existence. The outcome is the same for those who have the sacred writings and never open them.

You will remember how important it was for Lehi's people to take the brass plates with them when they left Jerusalem.

These scriptures were key to their knowledge of God and the coming Redemption of Christ.

And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. God uses scripture to unmask erroneous thinking, false traditions, and sin with its devastating effects. Our Father in Heaven is a tender parent who would spare us needless suffering and grief and at the same time help us realize our divine potential.

It came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year, there came a man into the land of Zarahemla. And he was Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the prophecies which had ben spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ. The scriptures are laid before thee, and all things denote there is a God; even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, and its motion, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator. And yet ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? Yea, I will deny unless ye show me a sign.

I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart. That ye will still resist the spirit of truth. The scriptures discredit Korihor's ancient philosophy that seems to be coming back into vogue in our day the philosophy that there are no absolute moral standards, that "every man prosperprosper[s] according to his genius, and that every man conquerconquer[s] according to his strength; and whatsoever a man [does is] no crime" and "that when a man is dead, that [is] the end thereof. The scriptures are the touchstone for measuring correctness and truth, and they are clear that real happiness lies not in denying the justice of God or trying to circumvent the consequences of sin but in repentance and forgiveness through the atoning grace of the Son of God.

We have a powerful example in Alma who abruptly turned from sin, and after repenting nigh unto death as he said, experienced the exquisite sweetness of being redeemed of the Lord. Christ will come. I know he will come. Scripture tutors us in principles and moral values essential to maintaining civil society, including integrity, responsibility, selflessness, fidelity, and charity.

In scripture, we find vivid portrayals of the blessings that come from honoring true principles, ???As well as the tragedies that befall when individuals and civilizations discard them. In the end, the central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith that They exist; faith in the Father's plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nephi explains this perfectly in the Book of Mormon. I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as great worth, for it persuadeth to do good; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth to believe in Him, and endure to the end, which is life eternal. We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. Historical and scriptural accounts illustrating the faith of others serve to strengthen our own faith.

We hear and take courage from the determination of a tender boy prophet, hated and bitterly persecuted by so many adults. "I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it" Because they expound the doctrine of Christ, the scriptures are accompanied by the Holy Spirit, whose role it is to bear witness of the Father and the Son. Even in these latter-days there are examples of sacrifice to preserve the sacred revelations received by Joseph Smith.

In 1833, several members, including two young and faithful sisters, Mary and Caroline Rollins, bravely recovered unbound pages of the Book of Commandments that had been scattered by a mob.

These pages contained revelations now included in our Doctrine and Covenants.

So many people have sacrificed so much for us to have the scriptures today. I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language.

In addition, consider the importance of modern day prophets, and their words, spoken as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost, which the Lord calls scripture.

The scriptures and the words of modern-day apostles and prophets are the sources of wisdom, divine knowledge, and personal revelation to help us find answers to all challenges in life.

As we read and ponder the scriptures, we will experience the sweet whisperings of the Spirit to our souls. We can find answers to our questions. We learn of the blessings which come through keeping God???s commandments. We gain a sure testimony of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of Their love for us. When combined with our prayers, we can of a certainty know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.

I, Moroni, finish the record of my father, Mormon. Wherefore, I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.

I remain alone. Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; unto the Lord. And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, by the power of God. For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled. I'm so grateful for the prophets of old who were so diligent in preserving their sacred records.

Study the scriptures carefully, deliberately. Ponder and pray over them. Scriptures are revelation, and they will bring added revelation.

Consider the magnitude of our blessing to have the Holy Bible and some 900 additional pages of scripture, including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do.