Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Be ready to take notes and mark scriptures to help you preserve personal insights and the lessons you learn.
Begin your study with prayer.
There is a difference between serving someone out of love and serving someone out of obligation because an assignment was given. Listen to the following story shared by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf while he was serving in the First Presidency about a young mother who received loving service. What difference does it make to know that someone serves you because he or she cares and not just because he or she was assigned to serve you? You can read the text for this video here: “Living the Gospel Joyful,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 122.
If you have a bowl of water, ground pepper, and some liquid soap, consider gathering these items so that, as you study Moses 7, you can follow the steps described below.
Sprinkle pepper into the bowl of water. The ground black pepper sprinkled all over the water represents the wicked influences in the world. Like us, Enoch lived in a world full of wickedness. We read in Moses 7:1–12 that as Enoch preached the gospel, he testified that he had talked to the Lord “face to face” (verse 4). The Lord showed Enoch a vision of the groups of people he was called to teach. The Lord commanded Enoch to call these people to repentance.
Read Moses 7:11, looking for what else the Lord commanded Enoch to do.
Add a drop of liquid soap in the center of the water, and notice what happens to the pepper. The pepper instantly moves away from the center toward the edge of the bowl. This is like the influence of Enoch’s faith and righteousness amidst the wickedness that surrounded him: his faith allowed him to remain separated from the wickedness of the world.
Read Moses 7:13–15, looking for ways in which Enoch’s faith and the word of the Lord affected the people.
Because of Enoch’s great faith and “the power of the language which God had given him” (verse 13), the righteous were separated from the wicked in miraculous ways.
Read Moses 7:16–17, looking for the blessings the people of Enoch enjoyed.
A principle we can identify from Moses 7:18 is that the Lord will call His people Zion when they are of one heart and one mind, live righteously, and care for one another.
1. Answer at least two of the following questions. (You may want to write your answers in your Notes on LDS.org or in a study journal.) As you write, think about righteous actions you can take to be “of one heart and one mind” with your family, friends, and others.
What do you think it means to be “of one heart and one mind”?
When have you felt that the Lord was pleased with you because you were “of one heart and one mind” with others (such as your family or your peers at church)?
How have you been blessed because you received care from others or provided care for others?
We read in Moses 7:19–28 that Enoch built a city, which was called Zion. Enoch saw in a vision that Zion would eventually be “taken up into heaven” (verse 21) because of the people’s righteousness. This means that Enoch and his people were translated—in other words, their bodies were changed so they would not experience physical pain or death until they are resurrected to an immortal state. The righteous people described in Moses 7:27 were also translated and “caught up” to join those already in the city of Zion.
Enoch also saw in vision that Satan had great power “upon all the face of the earth” (verse 24). Satan and his followers “laughed” and “rejoiced” because of the widespread darkness on the earth (see verse 26). Enoch then saw God weep over those who remained on the earth.
Read Moses 7:29–31, looking for what Enoch asked the Lord when he saw the Lord weep.
As you read Moses 7:30, did you notice the phrase “and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there”? In the scriptures, the word bosom is often used to refer to a person’s chest, which covers the heart, where deep emotions are felt.
What truth can we identify from Moses 7:30 about God, who has created “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33)?
One truth we can identify from Moses 7:30 is that God has created worlds without number, yet He is aware of and cares about us.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
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Neal A. Maxwell
“A universal God is actually involved with our small, individual universes of experience! In the midst of His vast dominions, yet He numbers us, knows us, and loves us perfectly (see Moses 1:35; John 10:14)” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Yet Thou Art There,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 30).
2. Answer the first of these two questions. If you have an experience you can share, answer the second question as well:
Why is it important to understand that God cares about all of His children?
How have you come to know that God is aware of and cares about you? How does this knowledge strengthen your love for Him and your desire to follow Him?
We read in Moses 7:38–44 that Enoch was shown the “wickedness” and “misery” of the people on earth (verse 41). He specifically saw Noah and his family on the ark, as well as the wicked who perished in the Flood. As Enoch wept over what he witnessed, the Lord invited him to “lift up [his] heart, and be glad” (verse 44).
Read Moses 7:45–47, looking for what the Lord showed Enoch to comfort him.
Why do you think seeing a vision of the Savior would cause Enoch to rejoice?
We read in Moses 7:48–61 that Enoch wept again as he “heard the earth mourn” over the wickedness of the people (see verses 48–49). Enoch witnessed the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He also saw Jesus Christ “ascend up unto the Father” (verse 59). Enoch then asked whether the Lord would return to the earth. The Lord promised that He would come again after a time of “great tribulations” and darkness (see verses 60–61).
Read Moses 7:62, looking for how the Savior would prepare and gather His people during this challenging time before His coming.
Fulfillment of Prophecy
After quoting Moses 7:62, President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) explained what this scripture means.
After quoting Moses 7:62, President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) explained what this scripture means.
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President Ezra Taft Benson
“The Lord promised, therefore, that righteousness would come from heaven and truth out of the earth. We have seen the marvelous fulfillment of that prophecy in our generation. The Book of Mormon has come forth out of the earth, filled with truth, serving as the very ‘keystone of our religion’ (see Introduction to the Book of Mormon). God has also sent down righteousness from heaven. The Father Himself appeared with His Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The angel Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James, and numerous other angels were directed by heaven to restore the necessary powers to the kingdom. Further, the Prophet Joseph Smith received revelation after revelation from the heavens during those first critical years of the Church’s growth. These revelations have been preserved for us in the Doctrine and Covenants” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Gift of Modern Revelation,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 79–80).
How have you seen the Book of Mormon used to gather God’s elect throughout the earth? How does this gathering prepare them for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
We read in Moses 7:63–69 that Enoch was shown “all things, even unto the end of the world” (verse 67). When the Savior comes again, Enoch and his city will return to the earth. This return is part of the gathering of all of God’s children. Also, all wickedness will be removed from the earth.
The following truths were identified in this lesson:
The Lord will call His people Zion when they are of one heart and one mind, live righteously, and care for one another.
God has created worlds without number, yet He is aware of and cares about us.
Heavenly Father feels sorrow when we choose to commit sin.
Take time to ponder what these truths mean to you. Consider specific ways you can apply what you have learned. The Spirit can give you individual direction.
How will you apply the truths that were identified in this lesson?
