Mormon 8

1-11: I, Moroni, Alone
How does this relate to the atonement?
The atonement made all the difference for Moroni, who has just had all his family and friends violently killed, and could have been overcome by despair. Because of the atonement, he can hang on to hope, and his life still has meaning.

Lesson for me?
*It's good to remember the poignant circumstances under which the plates of the Book of Mormon were completed and hidden up: by a lone, surviving man with the bittersweet hope that future generations will lead better, happier lives. It lends a greater sense of worth to its teachings, and inspires me to work harder to live the kind of life that will make his pain and sacrifice worthwhile. Perhaps someday I can thank Moroni personally for finishing and preserving the record that has been the most important guiding star in my life.

12-25: His Purposes Roll On
Moroni foresees Joseph Smith's work to bring the record forth and those who will receive it, and he reminds us of the efforts and prayers of those who helped to keep and prepare the record.

How does this relate to the atonement?
It's more news of it. These records are a vital way of spreading the atonement's message so it can take effect in people's lives. The atonement's message is easier to accept when one hears the testimonies of others. So this section reinforces the importance of those testimonies by telling of the lengths being gone to in order to disperse them.

Lesson for me today?
*Heavenly Father always finds a way to carry out His purposes. All things are in His hands. Even after an entire civilization destroyed itself, the spiritual knowledge they attained is available to help convert us to the cause. Nothing was for naught. I can be a vital part of His purposes. By tuning in with Him, actively seeking revelation as to His will for me and acting on the impressions I receive, I can play for the team that changes the world for the best.

26-41: I Know Your Doing

What does this teach me about the atonement?
This is yet another testament to the atonement's matchless power. All of the wickedness described here is encompassed in it, and the full gospel message is coming forth during the thick of it to overpower it! To activate the enabling power in the lives of those who accept it, to reject this current of moral decay and rise above!

Lesson for me today?
*Moroni had to be a tough man to survive the carnage around him and then to experience the future in vision as more of the same and sometimes worse! His descriptions of our modern life are spot on. They are excellent to measure yourself against. If I don't stay conscious of where I'm headed and mindful of where each decision is taking me, I am completely vulnerable to becoming the type of person he describes, who's more interested in looking fashionable than relieving suffering. Many times I already am. That's why this section is so valuable and worthy of returning to again and again.