Famous last words

*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. Amen.

So perhaps this would only be considered famous to a select demographic, but everytime I read this, I get so excited. Of all the people I want to meet in life, Moroni is high up in my top 10. (Does anybody else have a top 10?) What an amazing life-before and after.

I love the personal insights he gives of his own life. Some of them just make me anxious to read more. For example:

An epistle of my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni; and it was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry. And on this wise did he write unto me, saying:

Think about it. He is completely alone. The only people around want to kill him and anyone like him. He saw his entire civilization self destruct. His father was killed and any other family/friends he may have had. He has the incredible, heavy responsibility to care for and protect this sacred record and there are definitely forces that oppose that charge. Certainly he had the help and companionship of the Holy Ghost, and he had the writings of the prophets for his friends. And he has us. Us.

He knows us. He's seen us. He cares about us. He's worried about us. And so he writes to us. And this is what he shares. "This is a letter from my Dad that he wrote to me. He wrote it soon after I was called. This is what he said."

A letter from his dad. Probably one he read over and over again. It was certainly sacred to him. And he wants us to have it, too. A voice from the dust. More than any other author in The Book of Mormon-or any other book-when I read his words I have the impression that I'm reading letters from my friend, and I can't wait to shake his hand. 

'Til we meet again!