The scriptures in Lesson 19, Mosiah 18-24 would make such
an exciting movie. There are plots, political intrigue, religious upheavals, assassinations,
battles, peoples in bondage, great escapes, and so much more. It is amazing how
much took place in just one short reading! Some highlights for me included the
way Alma had to flee for his life and then converted hundreds of people and
baptised these converts in the Waters of Mormon. Noah’s people were not unified
and Gideon was about to kill Noah when the army of the Lamanites was seen
approaching the city. Noah commanded his people to flee from the Lamanites.
When the Lamanites closed in, he suggested that the men flee and leave the
women and children to the Lamanites. Some did as he suggested but others stayed
and were enslaved by the Lamanites. Those who agreed eventually burned Noah to
death. Limhi succeeded his father Noah as king. The Lamanites were angered when
they believed Limhi’s people had abducted the daughters of the Lamanites. These
daughters had, in fact, been abducted by the priests of Noah, who were too ashamed
to face the people of Limhi and lived in the wilderness away from their wives
and children. Limhi and his people fought the Lamanites three times and were
defeated. At the same time, a group of people under the leadership of Ammon,
travelled from Zarahemla and found the people of Limhi. As these people turned
to the Lord, they were able to escape from bondage when the Lamanite guards
were in a drunken stupor. Lamanites, sent out to search for the people of
Limhi, found Alma and his people at Helam. They had already found the priests
of Noah and taken possession of the land of Amulon. The priests’ new wives, the
daughters of the Lamanites, pleaded for their husbands to be spared. Alma and
his people showed the Lamanites the way to Nephi but the Lamanites did not give
them the promised rewards, their lives and their liberty. Amulon was made king
of his people who were in the land of Helam. He gained the favour of the
Lamanite King Laman and persecuted Alma and his people. Alma’s people were able
to escape when the Lord caused the Lamanite guards to fall into a deep sleep.
They fled into the wilderness and travelled to Zarahemla. What an incredibly
epic story!
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| Waters of Mormon by Walter Rane |
But, there is far more to these scriptures than an epic
adventure. There is gospel truth and lessons to be learned. There were three
lessons here for me: firstly, even one soul is worth a great missionary effort;
secondly, the Lord’s people must be united in building up the kingdom; and, thirdly,
miracles are possible with the Lord on your side and this only comes with
obedience.
The importance of standing up for the truth, of being a
missionary and sharing what we have with others, is so important. In a week, my
daughter’s best friend leaves for the mission field, so the importance of
missionary effort is constantly on my mind. Abinadi may not have recognised how
successful he had been in Noah’s court, but Alma believed. Alma baptised
hundreds of people. I recall two amazing accounts of missionaries who felt they
had not succeeded because they only baptised a single convert.
The very first missionary
called after the restoration was Joseph Smith’s brother, Samuel Smith. A short
animated account of his mission can be found at lds.org.
Although Samuel returned from his mission discouraged and disappointed, future
church leaders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball came in contact with copies
of the Book of Mormon left by Samuel and were later baptised.
President Gordon B. Hinckley recalled a story told to him
by the Southern States Missionary President Charles A. Callis. President Callis
interviewed a missionary just prior to his release. The missionary stated, “I
haven’t had any results from my work. I have wasted my time and my father’s
money. It’s been a waste of time.” This missionary had baptised only one
convert in his two-year mission. This was a 12-year-old boy in the back hollows
of Tennessee. Brother Callis decided to find out what had happened to that
single convert. The next time he was in the area, he found the boy now wore
shoes and a shirt and was the clerk of a little branch Sunday School. Brother
Callis continued to follow his progress. He became the Sunday School Superintendent
and eventually the Branch President. He married and established his own
successful farm. He then moved his family to Idaho and bought a larger farm
where his family prospered. His children grew and went on missions. They
returned home, had children of their own who also went on missions. Brother
Callis stated, “I’ve just spent a week up in Idaho looking up every member of
that family that I could find and talking to them about their missionary
service. I discovered that, as the result of the baptism of that one little boy
in the back hollows of Tennessee by a missionary who thought he had failed,
more than 1,100 people have come into the Church.” (From
the Teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 360-361).
When I was a teenager I was an enthusiastic missionary. I
loved telling people about the gospel. At a single Open House in Auckland 13th
Ward, I was responsible for 24 investigators! I used to send out letters and
Books of Mormon. On one occasion I was prompted to write to a Swiss “penfriend”
who never returned my letters. This was not something I would usually do! I
wrote many letters and then sent my testimony in a Book of Mormon. Although I
never received a letter at that stage, I did hear from this penfriend many
years later, when she first attended the temple in Switzerland. That was the
most exciting experience! Over the years, my missionary zeal has waned. Now I
am embarrassingly anti-social, yet I still speak up about the church when
discussion with my students and work colleagues turns to religion. I must work
out how to renew the zeal I felt so strongly in my youth!
The second lesson I learned this week was about the
importance of those who have been baptised to be united. In Mosiah 18:21,
we read: “And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with
another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and
one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards
another.” A ward is only as strong as the members. In my experience, a ward
where the Saints are one, is a strong ward with love, caring, and great
spirituality.
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| Limhi and His People Escape to Zarahemla by Steven Lloyd Neal |
The third lesson from these scriptures that stood out for
me was that when people are obedient, when they humble themselves before the
Lord and ask His help, He is always there. He always leads and guides His
people. In Mosiah 21 we learn more about the people of Limhi. They were persecuted
by the Lamanites. Three times the Lamanites defeated them in battle. Lamanite
persecutions increased. In verse 14 we read: “And they did humble themselves
even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all
the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of
their afflictions.” It was only when they started to be humble and turn to the
Lord that their burdens were eased and they started to prosper. The people were
kept in bondage until the arrival of Ammon, when Limhi and many of his people
desired to be baptised. They were prepared to serve the Lord with all their
hearts. It was only at this point that their escape from the Lamanites was made
possible. If we are obedient, the Lord will listen. He hears the earnest
prayers of our hearts. I know this. I have experienced this many times in my
life. I want to so live my life, that I deserve His love, His compassion, so
that I can turn to Him with the righteous desires of my heart.
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