No Time For Dilly-Dallying

The Princess Bride movie is one of my favorites to quote! Near the climax when Westley wakes up from being “mostly dead,” he asks, “Who are you? Are we enemies? Why am I on this wall? Where is Buttercup?”

Inigo says, “Let me explain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up. Buttercup is marrying Humperdink in a little less than half an hour. So all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the princess, make our escape, after I kill Count Rugen.”

Westley responds, “That doesn’t leave much time for dilly-dallying.” 😆

Can you imagine the task Mormon had with multiple records of two great civilizations laid out before him? How could he possibly decide which parts to include and which parts to leave out? His abridgment would be for US, the last days, the climax!

There was too much to explain! He had to sum up.

“And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach the people.” (3 Ne. 26:6)

Luckily he had God to tell him what to include and what to leave out! He writes the “lesser part.” (8) He actually tried to write more, “but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people.” (11)

“I, Mormon, do write the things which have been commanded me of the Lord.” (12)

“Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.” (27:23)

It’s interesting that certain things are commanded NOT to be written— like the marvelous words spoken by the children, certain prayers, the names of the 3 Nephites, the greater plates— and some things ARE.

When Jesus reviewed the records with the Nephites, he lets them know which part they forgot to include- the fulfilled prophesy from Samuel the Lamanite concerning the saints rising from the dead. He also gives them scriptures “which ye had not with you... that they should be given unto future generations.” (26:2)

So even though the scriptures are only a “sum up,” we can be assured we have exactly what we need right now.

And more to come.

“If... they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.” (9)

“Search these things diligently.” (23:1)

There is no time for dilly-dallying. 😉