Mormon 8:12

And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you.

The scriptures are a gateway to revelation. By the power of the Holy Ghost we can learn more than the words on the printed page. Moroni knows far more than he has written in the plates. It is not, however, his place to teach us all things. Some teachings God reserves for himself to give to us individually as we are ready to receive them.

Helaman 3:27-30

Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

If I were marooned on a desert island and could have only one small section of scripture to keep me company, I might choose these four short verses. Mormon sums up a series of lessons learned by the Nephites during a period of relative peace following many years of war. These are truths about how God works with his children in all ages of the world. This brief discourse sums up the whole Gospel of Christ:

1. God is merciful when we sincerely repent.
2. Everyone who repents is welcome in the church and kingdom of God.
3. True members of God's kingdom believe in Christ.
4. We choose belief and faith. 
5. The word of God is not just the written scriptures. It is also revelation, both through the prophet and personally to each of us.  We must choose to receive and obey revelation.
6. Revelation from God is life-giving and powerful to change our lives. 
7. When we live the gospel, we can avoid and overcome the temptations of Satan. The gospel leads on a strict path back to God.
8. To live with God permanently is our ultimate goal and destination.
9. We can look forward to the same exaltation as the patriarchs and prophets. 

Alma 51:21

And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.

Before we can do battle without, we must win the battle within. We must conquer ourselves and put down the natural man and his pride. Satan doesn't usually have to mount an all-out attack from the outside because he knows he has a strong and treacherous ally already on the inside. He just needs to stir up the natural man from time to time. Our internal enemy makes enough commotion to keep us occupied, distracted, and off balance almost all the time. He is well ensconced within us, and we lack sufficient power on our own to dislodge him from his strongholds. We may be able to harass him, but we cannot win without a strategy and additional power. Christ and his atonement are the reinforcements we need, and the Holy Ghost conveys the strategy from headquarters. The battle plans are in the scriptures. If we obey our captains, the living prophets, we can overcome and force the natural man to surrender. But we must be diligent and faithful.

Alma 49:4

But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.

In another war metaphor, the ridges of earth we dig up to shield ourselves from the stones and arrows of temptation vary depending based on our need. We barricade ourselves against impure thoughts by filling our minds with good things. We put up fences of humility to protect us from pride. We cut the supply line of pornography. We build walls of daily service to ward off selfishness. We prepare resorts of prayer to keep the communication line open with headquarters. We stockpile scriptures to ensure we have sustenance to withstand a siege. We make sure we have a good supply of the living water of revelation. If we are prepared, we need not fear.

Alma 44:5

And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us.

Power is found in faith, in worship, in true religion, in faithful activity in church, in doing our duty towards our families, in support of righteous causes, and in the study of the scriptures. We don't need superheroes, we need super faith.

Alma 37:8

And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

The purposes of the scriptures are to enlarge our memories and broaden our understandings. They help us keep the details straight about the history of God's dealings with people, both believers and unbelievers, the faithful and the unfaithful. They help us avoid superstitions and deceptions. Many find their faith first in God's written word, and many are strengthened continually by it. The scriptures are one way we can come to know God. They are like a Urim and Thummim to us if we search them in faith, for they can open our minds and hearts to great truths that are deeper and more expansive than just the words on the page.

Alma 17:2

Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

Keys to the complete and steadfast conversion of the sons of Mosiah were diligently searching the scriptures, fasting and praying for knowledge. It came not from seeing an angel but from doing the work. We gain testimonies the same way. And since God is no respecter of persons, he will bless our diligent efforts just as he blessed theirs.

Mosiah 26:15

Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

We are blessed when we choose to believe God's word without physical evidence or proof. He is pleased when we take his word on faith and give it a chance to work in us. The Spirit will deliver all the evidence we need once we demonstrate our willingness to try the word.

Mosiah 9:17

Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

The history of the Lord's people is recorded in the scriptures so we can see how God has worked in people's lives in the past. The implication is that what he has done for others, he will do for us. This is why the Mormon pioneer stories are so important. The same God who strengthened the Nephites and the pioneers will strengthen us today.

Mosiah 4:29

And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

Ultimately we must be guided by personal revelation through the Holy Ghost in our lives and in our repentance. This is why it is important that we feast on the words of Christ, not just in the scriptures, but the living words of the living Christ. For the Holy Ghost will tell us all things which we should do.

Mosiah 1:2

And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.

Education is not only valuable but critical, not only to gain secular knowledge, but more importantly to be able to read and understand the scriptures. Adam started the process by writing his book of remembrance for his children. Since that earliest beginning, God has depended on his prophets' ability to write and the rest of us to read. The Dark Ages were dark because the masses forgot how to read. True religion cannot prosper among an illiterate and ignorant people.

Jacob 7:23

And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man.

We protect ourselves from deception by immersing ourselves in the scriptures, the Living Water.

Jacob 4:14

But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

The pure gospel is not complex or obscure. Truths are not hidden in footnotes of long-forgotten talks. We do not find truth by speculating. It is not locked up in scholarly texts. It is in plain sight. It is in every scripture and every conference talk. All we need are eyes to see and ears to hear. If we read the scriptures, and not just books about the scriptures, we will find what we need. The commentary and explanations we need will be given to us, not by religion teachers, but by the Holy Ghost. The first four principles of the gospel plus enduring well to the end takes a lifetime to master. All other questions are superfluous.

Jacob 4:3

Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

This is also the hope of my heart as I write many things to my children, that they will receive them and appreciate them and learn from them. What I failed to teach them as youngsters I hope they profit from as adults.

Jacob 2:23

But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

Satan loves to use the scriptures to get people sidetracked. When Jesus defended himself against the temptations of Satan, he quoted scripture. Satan countered by quoting scriptures as well.  If the devil can get us to justify poor behavior through the misuse of scripture, we will never be able to trust the word of God or our ability to comprehend it. He will have turned us away from one of our greatest sources of understanding and power. We must be guided by the Spirit and not by the philosophies of men if we are to hold fast to the iron rod.

Second Nephi 33:15

For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen.

Joseph Smith did not say that he had written a good book with good ideas, which he is willing to debate and discuss. He said God would judge the world by this book. No other book before or after has ever made such a claim except the Bible. His testimony, expressed in the words of Nephi, stands unassailed and unrefuted. We either buy it or we don't. We are either in or out. There is no middle ground on which we can stand, and no fence on which we can sit. I choose Christ, the Book of Mormon, Nephi and Joseph. Let God at the judgment bar tell me I'm wrong. I will be in good company.

Second Nephi 28:14

They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.

We are all susceptible to being led into error. Thus we must be ever vigilant and test everything we hear by the scriptures and the words of the living prophet. If we don't know the scriptures and the prophets, it is easy to be led astray. Thus Satan is anxious for us to stop studying the scriptures and stop attending church. Once we lose our compass, he can turn us in any direction he chooses, and we won't be able to detect the misdirection.

Second Nephi 11:2

And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.

A key to understanding the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon is to remember that they brought delight to Nephi's soul. They gave him hope and encouragement when he applied them to the future of his people. They are not dreadful, they are delightful. We need to look for the aspects of Isaiah that brought such joy to another prophet. Nephi copied Isaiah's words into his record to make sure that his people and we in the latter day would have them. We can therefore assume these chapters are important. Rather than skip over them, we should study them carefully and deeply and with the same spirit of revelation that inspired Nephi to copy them in the first place.

Second Nephi 6:5

And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.

Just as the Nephites were commanded to study Isaiah because they were of the house of Israel, we likewise are under the same commandment, for we too are of the house of Israel. We can liken his words to ourselves, meaning that we can relate to them. Isaiah wrote to us as well as to the ancient Israelites.

Second Nephi 4:2

For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass.

The day will surely come when the brass plates of Lehi will be given to us. The word of God is never lost. The Lord knows where all his words are hidden, and he knows when we are ready to receive them. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Article of Faith 9)