“December 14–20. Moroni 10: ‘Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: Book of Mormon 2020 (2020)
“December 14–20. Moroni 10,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2020
That Ye May Know, by Gary L. Kapp
December 14–20
Moroni 10
“Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him”
Members of your class may have had meaningful experiences reading the Book of Mormon this year. Draw on these experiences to encourage everyone in the class to study the scriptures.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
You could invite class members to imagine that Moroni is visiting the class. What would they say to him about what he wrote in Moroni 10? Are there any verses that are especially meaningful to them? Perhaps they could share experiences they have had with these verses.
Teach the Doctrine
I can know the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.
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Class members may gain new insights if they study Moroni 10:3–5 carefully. To help them, you could write important phrases from these verses on separate slips of paper and give one to each class member or to a group of class members. Invite them to ponder or discuss what their phrase means, including what they can do to apply it in their lives. Then you could read Moroni 10:3–5 together, stopping when you get to a phrase that someone studied so that the class member can share his or her thoughts.
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To encourage class members to share experiences they have had with acting on Moroni’s invitation in these verses, you could invite them to imagine they are trying to encourage a friend or family member to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. How might they use Moroni 10:3–7? What experiences could they share? How can we help others understand what it means to know something “by the power of the Holy Ghost”? (Moroni 10:5).
“Deny not the gifts of God.”
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Why is the admonition to “deny not the gifts of God” particularly important in these latter days? (Moroni 10:8). Encourage class members to ponder this question as they read Moroni 10:8–18. To help strengthen class members’ belief in spiritual gifts, you could invite them to share examples of people using each gift that is listed in Moroni 10:9–16. Examples could come from the scriptures, from Church history, or from their own lives. (Examples from the Book of Mormon are suggested in “Additional Resources.”) You could also discuss how some of the gifts described in these verses were manifested in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Why is it important for someone who is seeking a testimony of the Book of Mormon to believe in spiritual gifts? What do we sometimes do to “deny” these gifts in our lives? How do these gifts help us “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”? (see Moroni 10:30–33).
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Another way to explore the spiritual gifts described in these verses is to write on the board questions like What are spiritual gifts? Who are they given to? Why are they given? and How do we receive them? Then invite class members to search Moroni 10:8–25 to find answers. (The statements by President Brigham Young and President Dallin H. Oaks in “Additional Resources” can also help.) In addition to the spiritual gifts listed in verses 9–16, what other “gifts of God” have we received or been blessed by? (Moroni 10:8). You may want to share what Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Spiritual gifts are endless in number and infinite in variety. Those listed in the revealed word are simply illustrations of the boundless outpouring of divine grace that a gracious God gives those who love and serve him” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 371).
I can be perfected through the grace of Jesus Christ.
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What do you feel would help the members of your class accept Moroni’s invitation to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”? (Moroni 10:32). Perhaps beginning with a hymn on this subject, such as “Come, Follow Me” (Hymns, no. 116), could invite the Spirit into your discussion, and class members could share any connections they see between the hymn and the truths found in Moroni 10:30–33. What do we learn from these verses and this hymn about what it means to come unto Christ? What does it mean to be “perfect in Christ”? (see also Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–53, 69). Share your feelings about what it means to be “made perfect through Jesus” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:69), and encourage class members to share theirs.
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Because this is your class’s last discussion of the Book of Mormon this year, you may want to ask class members to share some of what they have felt and learned as they studied this book. To help class members do this, you could read Moroni 10:32–33 together and ask class members to spend a few minutes pondering how the Book of Mormon has helped them come unto Christ. You could ask: How has the Book of Mormon helped us have greater love for God? How has it helped us rely more completely on the grace of Christ? How has it helped us to “deny not” the Savior’s power? Invite class members to bear their testimonies of the Book of Mormon and its witness of Jesus Christ.
Encourage Learning at Home
To help class members look forward to studying the Doctrine and Covenants next year, you could review Moroni 10:9–16 and explain that these gifts are all evident in the Church today. As we read the Doctrine and Covenants, we will see how the gifts and power of God have been used to do His work in the latter days.
Additional Resources
Manifestations of spiritual gifts in the Book of Mormon.
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Teaching by the Spirit: Nephi and Lehi (Helaman 5:17–19)
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Exceedingly great faith: Alma, Amulek, Ammon, and others (Ether 12:13–22)
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Healing: Alma (Alma 15:5–11)
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Mighty miracles: The three disciples (3 Nephi 28:19–22)
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Prophecy: Lehi (2 Nephi 1:6–7)
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Beholding of angels: Amulek (Alma 10:7–10)
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Interpretation of languages: Mosiah (Mosiah 28:11–16)
President Brigham Young’s testimony of spiritual gifts.
“Faith. When you believe the principles of the Gospel and attain unto faith, which is a gift of God, he adds more faith, adding faith to faith. …
“The Gift of Healing. I am here to testify to hundreds of instances of men, women, and children being healed by the power of God, through the laying on of hands, and many I have seen raised from the gates of death, and brought back from the verge of eternity; and some whose spirits had actually left their bodies, returned again. I testify that I have seen the sick healed by the laying on of hands, according to the promise of the Savior. …
“Prophecy, Revelation, and Knowledge. Every man and woman may be a revelator, and have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, and foresee the mind and will of God concerning them, eschew evil, and choose that which is good” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 252–53).
“Lay hold upon every good gift.”
President Dallin H. Oaks told how seeking spiritual gifts blessed his mother: “Having lost her husband, my widowed mother was incomplete. How she prayed for what she needed to fulfill her responsibility to raise her three small children! She was seeking, she was worthy, and she was blessed! Her prayers were answered in many ways, including the receipt of spiritual gifts. She had many, but the ones that stand out in my memory are the gifts of faith, testimony, and wisdom” (“Spiritual Gifts,” Ensign, Sept. 1986, 72).
Improving Our Teaching
Reserve time for learners to share. “When learners share what they are learning, they not only feel the Spirit and strengthen their own testimonies, but they also encourage other class members to discover truths for themselves” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 30).