Neal A. Maxwell
“…we must always realize that in a perfect church filled with imperfect people, there are bound to be some miscommunications at times. A noteworthy example occurred in ancient American Israel. Moroni wrote two times to Pahoran complaining of neglect because much-needed reinforcements did not arrive. Moroni used harsh language, accusing the governor of the land, Pahoran, of sitting on his throne in a state of ’thoughtless stupor.’ (”Alma 60:7Alma 60:7.) Pahoran soon made a very patriotic reply, explaining why he could not do what Moroni wanted. Though censured, Pahoran was not angry; he even praised Moroni for ’the greatness of your heart.’ ("Alma 61:9Alma 61:9.) Given the intense, mutual devotion of disciples, discussions as to how best to move the Lord’s work along are bound to produce tactical differences on occasion. Just as in this episode, sometimes scolding occurs that is later shown to be unjustified.
"Parley P. Pratt recalled an episode when President Brigham Young chastened him and others for their management of the westward migration. In this instance also, there were two letters of a scolding nature, even alleging insubordination. Of this Elder Pratt wrote, ’I could not realize this at the time, and protested that in my own heart, so far as I was concerned, I had no such motive; that I had been actuated by the purest motives… .’ Later it became clear to Elder Pratt that some of those scolded had motives that were not as pure as his. He commented further, ’… yet I thank God for this timely chastisement; I profited by it, and it caused me to be more watchful and careful ever after.’ (Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt [Deseret Book, 1961], pp. 341-42.)
"It is worthy remembering that Elder Pratt protested in his heart, not publicly. He took it. Perhaps President Young, like Moroni, might have taken note of how Elder Pratt was even sick at the time—but, like Moroni, President Young did not know of the full conditions.
“The stuff out of which offense is made is all around us, if we wish to seize upon it. What we learn, however, from men like Pahoran and Elder Pratt should give us pause, especially when we may be inclined to take umbrage instead of following the Brethren.” (All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, p. 119-20)
Hugh Nibley
“The church is a training school in which everyone is there for the training. So don’t waste time criticizing the authorities. In that regard the Book of Mormon gives us another neat example. Moroni had very good reason to complain about the top men of the nation ’sitting upon [their] … thrones in a state of thoughtless stupor’ while the work of death was going on all around them (”Alma 60:7Alma 60:7). Many today are complaining of a like situation…But the moral of the story, as it turns out, is that Moroni in his criticism was wrong, completely out of order; he simply did not understand the situation. He was quite right about the crime, but it was not for him to apportion the guilt. So let us, when distressed by the inadequacies of others, remember the number-one instruction of the Book of Mormon: ’This is my doctrine … that the Father commandeth all men everywhere to repent and believe in me’ (“3 Ne. 11:323 Nephi 11:32). This life is ‘a state of probation’ (”2 Ne. 2:212 Nephi 2:21). ‘Be wise in the days of your probation’ (“Morm. 9:28Mormon 9:28).” (The Prophetic Book of Mormon, p. 564)