The beginning and the end

The beginning and ending of the Book of Mormon has an interesting symmetry and balance. 1 Nephi 1:1 starts out as a very quick overview of Nephi’s birth and growth, a good place to start a story and a good introduction the writer, before jumping into the important events.

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

By the time Nephi is writing his story, he has already left his comfortable life in Jerusalem behind, gone through the trials with his brothers, traveled to a distant land, and started a whole new life in that foreign land, which has to be frightening and stressful (new animals and climate, possibly going from desert to jungle). And yet he remains optimistic. He admits he’s seen “many afflictions”, but still knows he has “been highly favored of the Lord” and been blessed with “a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God”.

Jumping to Moroni, the Book of Mormon ends with a farewell before death, a nice balance to Nephi’s birth (Moroni 10:34).

And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead.

Moroni, with a tale filled with even more sadness, also remains hopeful and optimistic. He is alone. Anyone he loved is presumably dead, and he wanders where he can for safety, as his life is in danger because of his beliefs. And yet, as he finishes off the record, he has no doubt that it will come forth and that his brethren of the future will read. He is also optimistic about his own fate. Considering the life he led, looking forward to rest in death is not surprising, but he clearly knows his destiny (it is not just a hope) and knows it is a good thing (“rest in the paradise of God”, “brought for triumphant”, “the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah”).

The first and last chapters continue the balance of the first and last verses. Both step out of the story they are recording to talk about what this record – the Book of Mormon – is. In verses 2, 3, 16 and 17, Nephi tells us a bit about what he is recording and how. Though he is only talking about what he is writing, his precedent carries on to those who record after him. Moroni also steps out of the story in verses 2 through 4, but this time it is to tell us what to do with this record: read it, remember, pray.

The tones of the first and last chapters are very different, but they still provide an interesting aesthetic balance. Nephi jumps right into the story – what is happening and why – and the doctrine we learn is through the story itself. It is a perfect introduction so we understand why these people left their homes and ended up on a different continent. It is not rushed, and Nephi prepares us to understand the point of his story in verse 20 when he says, “I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” He’s just starting his record and he has the time to make his point.

Moroni completes the record with a similar theme of the mercy of the Lord and deliverance. Though Nephi was delivered in mortality, Moroni has faith of his deliverance in death. Moroni’s tone is also more urgent. The story is over – everyone who would keep the record besides Moroni is dead and he’s about to bury the plates – and Moroni is recording straight doctrine, saying what is most important. He spends the chapter exhorting the reader to do the right thing. The chapter provides an intense summary of the gospel, especially verses 32 and 33.

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

A perfect ending.