Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 29; Alma 1-3

I wrote about Mosiah 29 and Alma 1 to 4 in 2016. This post is at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-21-alma-did-judge.html

Mosiah 29 is of importance as it marks the start of the Reign of the Judges. Many events in the Book of Mormon record time by referring to the start of the Reign of the Judges. It deals with kingship, governance, and democracy. The following Knowhy video focusses on the purpose of democracy in Book of Mormon history.

In my 2016 post, I wrote a lot about New Zealand’s leadership. I am grateful to be able to say that I am now quite happy with the quality of governance in New Zealand. We have a caring, energetic, sensible leader, who listens and acts in the interests of her people. Quite a change has taken place. And, my 2016 fears for the American people have been well substantiated. Brother John Bytheway in his weekly podcast (OurTurtleHouse), quoted a letter from John Adams (1798), to the Massachusetts Militia. He mentioned that “avarice, ambition, revenge…would break the strongest cords of our constitution”, and that the constitution was made for a “moral and religious people”. In the USA today we can see what happens when the constitution rests in the hands of a narcissist who is totally lacking in morality. In Mosiah 29:22 we read, “…he has his friends in iniquity…and he teareth up the laws…he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God”. Does that sound familiar? It is terrifying to think of the consequences of the choice of the people to elect iniquity over righteousness. In verse 27 we read, “then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.” I am so grateful to live in this little country with caring and competent government.

I listened to a rather lovely Scripture Power video on OurTurtleHouse (Sister Carmen Herbert). It centred on Mosiah 29:20, which states, “But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.” She mentioned how important this scripture was to her when she faced challenges and problems. It is important to remember to be humble and trusting. In all cases, the Lord will work with His power to bring assistance. She quoted Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (see below) who suggested an approach to overcoming challenges. Two statements she made are important to me. I need to face my problems and challenges with the attitude of “I can do it”, and I must look forward to challenges as opportunities.

Nehor is described in only 15 verses of Alma 1, yet his influence is felt in many subsequent chapters of the Book of Mormon. He proposed that lay ministry should be selected by popular vote and they should be paid by the people. In his book, ‘Living with Enthusiasm’, Elder L. Tom Perry said, “Nehor’s words appealed to many of the people; they were easy words because they required neither obedience nor sacrifice” (pp. 108-9). His 'easy' theology (see verse 4) appealed to people as it demanded no commandments and no accountability. He was brought to Alma the Judge as he had murdered Gideon. In verse 12, Alma described Nehor as priestcraft enforced by the sword. We know exactly what priestcraft refers to, as in 2 Nephi 26:29 it mentions, “priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion”. He felt justified in killing Gideon over a disagreement based on his 'easy' theological perspective.

Nehor before Chief Judge Alma

Brother John Bytheway mentioned a lesson he attended. The teacher, Joseph Fielding McConkie, asked them what they saw when he presented a picture of an eclipse. He suggested that a spiritual eclipse occurs when someone tries to block out the light of the Son of God. We know Jesus is the Light and we never want to attempt to eclipse that Light. Nehor did just that.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson (October 2017 General Conference) spoke about ‘Spiritual Eclipse’. (See the quote above). I spent time dwelling on how we can avoid spiritual eclipses, whether they arise in the form of a person such as Nehor, or in the form of media, groups, organisations, or events. We need to stand for the truth as Gideon did. We need to remain prayerful and rely on the promptings of the Spirit. The Prophet Joseph Smith recommended we “stand fast” (see quote below), and President Ezra Taft Benson suggested we “keep on, keeping on” (April 1988 General Conference).

Alma led his people in warfare. Amlici wanted to be king and he also wanted to destroy the church. A large group of people followed Amlici (called Amlicites) and they were joined by Lamanites. Alma and his people were able to defeat repeated attacks because “the Lord did strengthen the hand of the Nephites" (Alma 2:18); “the Lord did hear their cries and did strengthen them” (Alma 2:29). The Lord strengthens those who fight for a righteous cause. If we ‘stand fast’ and ‘keep on’, if we follow the Light of Christ, remain humble and seek the Spirit, the Lord will strengthen us, not just in times of trial but every day.

Alma fighting Amalici (Scott M. Snow)

In Alma 3:19 we read, “every man that is cursed bring[s] upon himself his own condemnation.” Then in Alma 3:26-27 we further learn, “And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey.” So, we are the ones who choose. We choose the blessings or the curses. If we ‘list to obey’ the Light of Christ, we reap rewards of eternal happiness. If we list to follow the enticing of Satan, we reap curses and eternal misery. I know which choice I want to make. In speaking of ‘wages’, President Ezra Taft Benson (April 1988 General Conference), quoted a poem about God’s pay. The last line is, “Who does God’s work will get God’s pay”. In Romans 6:23 it states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

There were so many challenges that Alma the Younger faced as the first chef judge of the Nephites. He dealt with Nehor and priestcraft (Alma 1). He led his people into battle against Amalici and the combined Amalacites and Lamanites (Alma 2 and Alma 3). He also faced religious apostasy and huge divisions and inequality within the Nephite people. He realised he needed to hand over the responsibility of Chief Judge, to focus on preaching and teaching the people (Alma 4). These challenges are discussed in the following Knowhy video.

On of the most memorable scriptures from this week’s readings is in Alma 4:18, which reads, “seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.” Alma believed in the power of pure testimony. I can understand this statement. There are numerous times where the General Authorities have closed their General Conference talks with their testimonies. These have touched my spirit and brought tears to my eyes. Who doesn’t feel like they want to strive for perfection when General Conference comes to an end? I have a strong testimony and I know I do not share it often enough. The following YouTube video is called ‘My Testimony’ by Fatai. Fatai is a singer/songwriter who comes from a Tongan lineage. She was born in Melbourne and currently lives in Chicago. This is her testimony and she shares it with the world.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 25-28

What an emotional day it has been today. I was sad and depressed and could not achieve anything productive. I kept thinking about all the jobs I had applied for and the fact no one wanted me. I pondered the reasons for gaining so many qualifications and working so hard only to be out of work and not earning money. So, what did I do? I started reading the Book of Mormon. I read Mosiah 25 to 28 and re-read passages, read footnotes, searched talks by the General Authorities, listened to Brother John Bytheway’s podcast, and I felt good. I wondered why I had let my feelings get so bad. I love the Book of Mormon. It has the power to heal the soul.

I first wrote about these scriptures in 2016. It was a long and rather emotional look at the scriptures, particularly Mosiah 27, dealing with the conversion of Alma the Younger and the four sons of King Mosiah. To access the post, click on this link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-20-my-soul-is-pained-no.html

The conversion of Alma the Younger (Gary Kapp)

There were some things I spent a lot of time on with my studying today: the immediate goodness of God, believing is seeing, conversion and being born again, power in the prayer of a parent, and the beauty of repentance. Let me start with Mosiah 25:10, “…when they thought of the immediate goodness of God…they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.” Freeman and Butler (2019, Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon) suggested sitting down with a paper and pen, setting a timer for two minutes, and writing down every ‘immediate goodness’ that comes to mind. I know I thank Heavenly Father daily, in my prayers, for my family, my home, my small part-time job, and being able to work, learn, and help people. But there are so many other things that I do not include on a regular basis. It was contemplating this very thing that helped me today to snap out of the dark mood that overwhelmed me. I went through my little video that I called, ‘I am grateful for…’ and I realised how the immediate goodness of God is all around me. At this time of Covid 19, I am grateful for being in New Zealand. Tonight, I am going to express my deep gratitude in my prayers.

President Russell M. Nelson & NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

In Mosiah 26, we read about the unbelief of the rising generation. These young people had been children at the time of King Benjamin’s great speech. In Mosiah 26:3 it reads, “because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.” Elder Boyd K. Packer in ‘The Candle of the Lord’ (1982, a talk to new mission presidents) spoke about spiritual believing as being different to the way the world believes. The expression ‘seeing is believing’ is heard frequently. But we know that spiritual belief operates in reverse, ‘spiritual believing is seeing’. Spiritual believing leads to knowledge and understanding. It is through the voice of the Spirit, a “voice that one feels, more than one hears” that there is confirmation of spiritual understanding. “Let it grow, help it grow, but do not force it.” If we do not have the companionship of the Holy Ghost that comes through belief and obedience, we cannot gain great spiritual knowledge.

I believe that Alma the Younger and the sons of King Mosiah persecuted the Church because of their unbelief. They could not feel the Spirit, therefore they could not understand the words of their fathers. The conversion of these young men is one of the greatest stories in the scriptures. In Mosiah 27:11 we are told, “the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood.” And, in verse 15, the angel asks, “And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.” Imagine what a shock this must have been to five young men who had been actively persecuting members and speaking out against God. The appearance of the angel was a direct result of the prayers of the people and parental prayer. Brother John Bytheway spoke about the painting shown below by Walter Rane. This shows the prostrate Alma the Younger being carried to his parents by the sons of Moroni. Brother Bytheway mentioned the mother’s expression of shock and the elder Alma looking towards heaven, probably thanking the Lord for his intervention.

Alma's Conversion (Walter Rane)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in ‘However long and hard the road’ (a speech at BYU when he was President of BYU, 1983), mentioned the “majestic power in the prayer of a parent”. Do we pray for our children? I know that most of the time I pray, I am praying for my children and my mother. In my previous post on these scriptures, I mentioned that I felt inadequate as a mother because of ‘wayward children’. But, one thing I can do is pray for them continually. I know the importance of this through the example of my mother. I only have one sister. She was not active for many, many years. Mum never gave up. She prayed for her for thirty years before she returned to the gospel and became a strong and faithful member. So, I will not give up. I love my children dearly. They are beautiful people who each have their own qualities and talents. I will pray that they may each find the knowledge of the truth in their own way.

Alma praying for his son

Alma the Younger was unconscious for two days and two nights. When he finally regained consciousness and stood up, his words were magnificent, “I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters” (Mosiah 27:24-25). The short YouTube video below from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) tells us clearly what it means to be born again.

The following chart, also from Book of Mormon Central (How can contrasts teach us about true conversion), shows us the description of Alma the Younger before his repentance and after repentance. The change was absolute. I can imagine the joy and pride his parents must have felt as they saw their son mending his errors and preaching the gospel. Mosiah must have been equally grateful for the change in heart of his four sons.

The last verse in Mosiah 27 is so comforting, “And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.” The process of repentance is illustrated in all its beauty, as the Lord forgave their sins and blessed their new efforts.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 18-24

I first wrote about Mosiah 18 to 24 in 2016. To read this post, just click on the following link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-19-none-could-deliver.html

In this post, I wrote a brief summary of all the action that took place. It goes as follows:

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.

Alma baptising in the Waters of Mormon (A. Larsen)

These chapters are truly remarkable accounts of how humility and obedience bring strength and the help of the Lord, while arrogance and sin cause the Lord to withdraw his protection.

In Mosiah 18 we read about Alma and his missionary work. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated, “[The] declaration by Alma at the Waters of Mormon still stands as the most complete scriptural statement on record as to what the newly baptized commit to do and be” (Christ and the New Covenant, 1997, p. 106). I put together the following graphic from the information in Mosiah 18. On the left side are the requirements and commitments for those who are entering baptism, and, on the right, are the blessings attached to fulfilling baptismal covenants.

Clearly, part of our responsibility as baptised Saints is to minister to others. In verses 8 and 9 we are told to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those in need of comfort. To me this means ministering. On OurTurtleHouse.com, I listened to a ‘Scripture Power’ video (Mosiah 18:9) by Sister Meg Johnson. Sister Meg Johnson was a brilliant, young dancer, when an accident left her a paraplegic in a wheelchair. She is an amazing and powerful speaker. She told a story that she associates with this scripture. Shortly after she was first paralysed, she was outside in a bad storm and her wheelchair overturned. Her little, two-year-old nephew came running out into the road to see if she was all right. He wanted to help, but being only two, he wasn’t strong enough to help her physically. He ran inside to try to get someone to come out to help her. However, he could not make himself understood. He went back outside to Meg. Despite the pouring rain and the wheelchair being in mud, he lay down next to Meg and put his head on her shoulder. He kept saying, “It’s okay”. Meg made the point that we can’t solve other people’s problems, but we can stand in the rain with them and let them know that everything will be okay.

All my life, I have been a “listening post” and people have confided their problems to me. I have loved being able to help and support. For a couple of years, during my first marriage, I worked as a crisis counsellor for Lifeline. I remember being on the phone for four hours with a man who was holding the barrel of a shotgun to his head. I was able to persuade him not to pull the trigger. The opportunity to listen and just be there, allowed him to think through all the reasons he had to continue to live. There is nothing more rewarding then helping.

In Mosiah 18, we read about Alma’s organisation of the priests. I found it fascinating in verse 24, which reads, “And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support”, and, in verse 26, which states, “And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support”. This made me think of the parallel today with the restored church. Our priests and church leaders are not paid clergy. Just today I read a wonderful article on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how tithing money is spent. Have a look at the following: A Mormon guy told me...

We learn more about the people of Limhi in Mosiah 21. Limhi succeeded his father as king. He was a better man and a better king. The Lamanites attacked Limhi’s people when 24 of the Lamanite girls were abducted. The Lamanites blamed Limhi’s people for the abduction. It was the wicked priests of King Noah who had abducted these women. The people of Limhi were angry and wanted revenge. In verses 10 and 11 we read, “Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them. And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the Lamanites.” The people of Limhi went to fight the Lamanites and, on three successive occasions, they were beaten badly. The pattern of mourning and vengeance occurs in several accounts in the Book of Mormon. This is discussed in the following short video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central).

I love the following quote from Book of Mormon Central, How can we stop the cycle of revenge? “The realization that all human beings are part of God’s family, reminds all of us that we can be part of stopping the cycle of violence in the world. When people remember that everyone is their neighbour, no matter how far away they might live, hatred disappears. This realisation makes it difficult to hate people based on their religion, culture, skin colour, or beliefs, and is yet another way in which the Book of Mormon shows us all a better way to live.” It seems that we have already had an answer to how we can escape the cycle of revenge. Remember the teaching of Alma? We need to love and serve one another, with no contention, being knit together in unity and love. There is no room for the cycle of revenge if we are following the Lord’s teachings and walking in His footsteps.

I remember as a child watching the movie, ‘The Great Escape’. In this week’s readings, we had two great escapes! We had the escape of King Limhi’s people and the escape of Alma’s people. It is important to note that the two great escapes would not have been possible without the help of the Lord. In speaking about King Limhi’s people, we read, “and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of [the Lamanites’] hands”. When talking about the people of Alma, we read, “none could deliver them but the Lord their God” (Mosiah 23:23), and, later, “none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God” (Mosiah 24:21). Our ability to humble ourselves in faith and obedience, will determine whether we are able to call on the Lord’s help when we need it the most.

Brother John Bytheway, in his weekly podcast on Moroni 18 to 24, mentioned Mosiah 23:8, “Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king.” He referred to ‘The James Madison Federalist Paper #51’, which stated, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” There is great truth in this statement. Bad kings in the Book of Mormon, like Noah, cause the people to sin. “King Noah and his priests had caused the people to commit so many sins and iniquities against God” (Mosiah 21:30). Later, Amulon, the leader of the wicked priests of King Noah, was made a puppet king over Alma’s people by the Lamanite King Laman. He refused to allow them to hear the words of Abinadi. He persecuted them, and “so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God” (Mosiah 24:10). He decreed anyone caught praying in public would be put to death, so the people prayed in their hearts. The Lord helped ease their burdens.

Two beautiful, powerful, remarkable scriptures are found in Mosiah 24:14-15. We read, “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter…it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Two important points stood out to me. Firstly, the Lord will ease our burdens if we are faithful and humble. Secondly, we must always fulfil our baptismal covenant to stand as witnesses of the Lord.

In his talk ‘Trust in the Lord’, Elder Richard G. Scott discussed adversity as punishment (‘penalty’ adversity, Brother John Bytheway) and testing and strengthening adversity (‘growth’ adversity, Brother John Bytheway). The questions we ask when we face adversity change when we know the Lord loves us. Instead of asking, “Why me, Lord?” we need to ask, “What am I to do/learn?” I face challenges and adversity as we all do. I pray that the Lord will bless us all to seek him in humility and obedience and ask Him for direction. I will include the entire quote from Elder Richard G. Scott below. I love the whole talk and recommend it to anyone facing adversity.

When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favour of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.

 

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 11-17

The scriptures from Mosiah 11 to Mosiah 17 have great power. They contain the story of Abinadi, the prophet. But they contain so much else as well. They provide a wonderful testimony of the importance of understanding the role of Jesus Christ and the Atonement. I first wrote about these chapters in 2016. To access this post, just click on: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-18-god-himself-shall.html

Abinadi teaching the people

In Mosiah 11, we read about the evil King Noah, who lived in idolatry and laziness, with his wicked priests. Noah’s father Zeniff had been a righteous man but was ‘over-zealous’ in returning to the Land of Nephi. This may have had unexpected repercussions such as the people not being taught the gospel fully or not understanding the scriptures. Noah and his priests led the people into sin. When Abinadi started preaching to the people he warned them repeatedly: “except they repent I will visit them in mine anger” (verse 20); “except they repent…I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies” (verse 21); “except this people repent…they shall be brought into bondage” (verse 23); “except they repent in sackcloth and ashes…I will not hear their prayers” (verse 25). The people were warned that if they did not repent, the natural consequences of their choices would lead to terrible suffering. The people rejected Abinadi and his prophecies through spiritual blindness. Under threat of death, Abinadi left but returned two years later in disguise, allowing him back into the city (Mosiah 12). It is interesting to note that, this time, the words ‘except they repent’ were no longer used. Abinadi told them the things that ‘shall’ and ‘will’ occur (Mosiah 12:2-8).

Abinadi

It is worth noting the meaning of the name ‘Abinadi’ which literally translates to ‘My Father is present with you’. Noah and his priests arrest Abinadi for blasphemy, justified by Abinadi claiming that God would walk among them. King Noah and his priests tried to trap Abinadi but he “answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions” (Mosiah 12:19). The priests asked him a question based on Isaiah. They used words from Isaiah that suggest a prophet should bring messages of peace and good tidings. Abinadi delivered messages of suffering and destruction. Abinadi’s response was perfect. He asked them what they taught the people and they answered, “the Law of Moses” (verse 28) and then he asked,” If ye teach the Law of Moses why do ye not keep it?” (verse 29). The question posed by Noah’s priests is discussed in this little video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central).

In Mosiah 13, the wicked priests attempted to stop Abinadi but he knew he had not finished delivering his message and the Lord protected him. Abinadi proceeded to outline the basics of the Law of Moses, citing the Ten Commandments. He stated clearly, “salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses” (Mosiah 13:28). Then, in Mosiah 14, Abinadi quoted an entire chapter, Isaiah 53, the ‘Song of the Suffering Servant’. The Messianic Chapter is so moving. Although some non-Christian religions argue that Isaiah 53 is not about Christ, I can identify my Lord and Saviour in every verse.

In a ‘Scripture Power’ talk by Hank Smith on Mosiah 11-17 (Our Turtle House), Hank Smith said something that touched my heart. He mentioned how he would use Mosiah 14:3-4, to talk to a child suffering from depression. “He is…a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows”. He understands grief and sorrow. He also referred to Matthew 26:38, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death”. Christ knows what it is to be subject to depression. He has overcome the greatest darkness imaginable. I love the video clip below from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, The Saviour Understands Me.

In Mosiah 15, Abinadi explained the words of Isaiah. I spent a bit of time pondering over the first four verses. I love this brief explanation from Brother John Bytheway (Gospel Doctrine Prep Lesson 18). “These verses should be understood to be explaining “How Christ is both the Father and the Son”… Jesus Christ is referred to as the Father because of his role as the Creator, (“Father of heaven and earth”), also as Father of our spiritual rebirth (We become the children of Christ), and when he acts and speaks as the Father by divine investiture of authority.” Jesus Christ was half God and half mortal. No mortal could have endured the Atonement. He has given me spiritual rebirth through the Atonement, thereby becoming the Father of my salvation. He was the Son as he had a physical body given to him by his Father.

Father of our spiritual rebirth

Brother Hank Smith in his ‘Scripture Power’ talk by on Mosiah 11-17 (Our Turtle House), suggested that Mosiah 16:7-11 is when Abinadi knew his mission was at an end, his message had been delivered, and not only was he finishing his address to Noah and the wicked priests, but he was reassuring himself as he faced the end of his own mortality. “…The grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” Brother Smith suggested that as we read verses 13 to 15, we should imagine Abinadi looking directly at the youngest priest Alma (Brother Bytheway used scriptural references to work out that Alma was only 25 years old at the time). Abinadi stated, “ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins?...Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father.” Alma was converted by the words of Abinadi. The prophet Abinadi was killed by fire and Alma had to flee for his life because he believed the words of Abinadi. Brother Bytheway’s illustration below shows the influence of Abinadi’s teachings. Even though only one person believed what Abinadi had to say, that single man influenced the lives of great prophets over 500 years of Book of Mormon history. We never know who we can influence, or the lives we can change, by standing up for truth and for our beliefs.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 7-10

In 2016, I wrote my first post about Mosiah 7 to 10. This can be accessed at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-of-mormon-17-seer-becometh-great.html

The book of Mosiah can become a little confusing regarding who is where and at what time. I found it much easier to follow these scriptures after seeing various versions of maps of the scriptures produced by different people. I will share some of the most useful resources that I found. Firstly, is a diagram created by Brother John Bytheway that accompanied his regular Gospel Doctrine podcast. I am sorry I cannot link to these podcasts. You have to be a paid member of https://ourturtlehouse.com to access all the wonderful contents of the site.

In Brother Bytheway’s diagram, you can see clearly that there were three areas where the Nephites lived. The Land of First Inheritance was where they arrived after their long sea journey. The Land of Nephi became their home after Nephi took those who would follow him out of the Land of First Inheritance, for reasons of safety. Later, King Mosiah 1 took the Nephites to a land already called Zarahemla, where they found the Mulekites (Omni 1:12-14). Zeniff led a group back from Zarahemla to the Land of Nephi. To make it clearer, I used the following two resources from Melanie’s Library (https://www.melanieslibrary.com/). The first shows the different kings in each area and the second shows the general direction in which the groups travelled.

Two different groups of people were sent to find the group that left Zarahemla during the reign of King Benjamin. The first group was unsuccessful, many were killed, and the remainder returned to Zarahemla. The second group, led by Ammon (the “explorer”, not the “missionary” and son of King Mosiah), wandered in the wilderness for 40 days before finding Limhi and his people (Zeniff’s grandson). Limhi was “exceedingly glad” to welcome the visitors from Zarahemla (Mosiah 7:14-15). He believed that they would help rescue his people from their bondage to the Lamanites, who were taxing them half of all they possessed (Mosiah 7:22). Limhi knew the reason why his people were in bondage, “For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon them” (Mosiah 7:25). In verse 31, Limhi continues, “If my people shall sow filthiness they shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction.” The east wind is a reference that occurs frequently in the Bible and describes Palestinian weather conditions. The west wind would be full of moisture from the Mediterranean, but the east wind would be dry and destructive arising from the Arabian desert. Elder Richard G. Scott stated (General Conference, October 1991), “We cannot count on help if we are immoral or otherwise deliberately disobedient unless we sincerely repent.”

The east wind

In Mosiah 7, we learn that Zeniff had tried to send a group of his people back to Zarahemla. They had been unsuccessful but had found a city of bones. They had returned with records that they could not translate. When Limhi asked Ammon if he could translate the records, he said that only a seer could do that but there was such a man in Zarahemla. In Mosiah 8:17 we read, “a seer is greater than a prophet.” The following video from Knowhy: Book of Mormon Central answers this question.

The differences between a seer and a prophet are made clear when we examine the definitions of these terms in the Guide to the Scriptures (see below). A prophet speaks the mind and will of the Lord while a seer is able to see with spiritual eyes and knows the past, present, and future.

When I watch the sessions from General Conference, there is no doubt in my mind that we are led by prophets, seers, and revelators. The quotes from Elder Ulisses Soares (General Conference, April 2018) below, touch my heart. I have complete faith in the leadership of the Church. I adore our Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. He is the mouthpiece of the Lord in our time. He is a man who walks with the Lord and we are blessed to be guided by him.

I found a few interesting things in these scriptures that further emphasise the antiquity of the writing in the Book of Mormon. In Mosiah 7:22 and in Mosiah 9:9, there is mention of the Nephites growing barley. It was believed that there was no barley in pre-Columbian America until 1983, when archaeologists uncovered evidence to support the farming practices described in the Book of Mormon. More about this can be seen in the Knowhy video below. Mosiah 9:9 states, “with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum”. I was curious about the last two crops, so I looked them up in the Book of Mormon Onomasticon. Apparently neus could be some sort of chili pepper, and sheum a type of barley or garlic.

In Mosiah 9:16 it reads, “I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings”. For much of the twentieth century, it was believed that cimeters or scimitars were not invented until after the rise of Islam (7^th century A.D.). It was after the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls that scholars discovered the Hebrew word ‘kidon’ refers to a scimitar. More about this can be seen in the Knowhy video below.

I found Mosiah 10:11-17 quite frightening. Verse 17 speaks about the Lamanites, “And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi.” The Lamanites taught their children to hate and kill. This arose from their lack of knowledge of the Lord (verse 11) and believing the words of their fathers (verse 12). What a dreadful and lasting effect of parents teaching things that are in opposition to truth. We know that as parents we cannot guarantee that our children will follow gospel principles, but it is our responsibility to try to influence them towards goodness and righteousness.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 4-6

My initial post on Mosiah 4 to 6 was written in 2016. If you would like to read this post, follow this link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-of-mormon-16-ye-shall-be-called.html

In Mosiah 4:1 

King Benjamin

King Benjamin looked around at the multitude and he saw that they “they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.” In many ancient cultures, prostration was a manifestation of reverence, respect, or awe. The Hebrew word ‘yarrah’ was translated as ‘fear’ but also indicated reverence or respect (McConkie & Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 1987). It appears that King Benjamin’s people were so overwhelmed by the Spirit that they fell to the earth. I can imagine this feeling. I recall attending a Young Adults testimony meeting 46 years ago, listening to the powerful testimony of a young Jewish convert, and the tears just streaming down my cheeks. The Stake President spoke to me and told me something I have never forgotten. He suggested that our spirits are liquid and when they are a little too full, they overflow! I think the same feeling with greater intensity would cause the knees to buckle and the ground to be a welcome support! 😊

Sister Barbara Thompson

In Mosiah 4 we read repeatedly that the people felt “less than the dust of the earth” (verse 2);understood their “nothingness” (verses 5 and 11). It was in this state of humility that the people were able to seek forgiveness through the atoning blood of Christ. King Benjamin told his people that the atoning blood of Christ would cleanse them and change them. It can have this same effect on each one of us. Sister Barbara Thompson (General Conference, October 2011) stated, "In the Book of Mormon we read King Benjamin's sermon. He taught the people about Jesus Christ, that He would come to the earth and suffer all manner of afflictions. He taught the people that Christ would atone for the sins of all mankind and that His name was the only name by which man could obtain salvation. After listening to these beautiful teachings, the people were humbled and desired with their whole hearts to be free of sin and to be purified. They repented and professed their faith in Jesus Christ. They made covenants with God that they would keep His commandments."

King Benjamin states that the remission of sins brings great joy (Mosiah 4:11-12). He then cautions his people and us that we need to remember the greatness of God, call on His name, be humble and steadfast. If we do these things, we are promised joy, to be filled with God’s love, to retain a remission of our sins, and to grow in spiritual knowledge. The idea that we need to retain the remission of our sins is important. Repentance is not something we do once or twice. We need to be faithful, obedient, and focus on repentance daily (see the quote from President Nelson below).

King Benjamin lists things we should and should not do to continue in the path to salvation. He advocates peaceful communication (verse 13); raising children in righteousness, avoiding contention (verses 14 and 15); and having charity and a non-judgemental attitude (verses 16 and 17).

The question, “are we not all beggars?” appears in Mosiah 4:19.

King Benjamin has already pointed out that we are all beggars when it comes to salvation and we cannot earn our own salvation. We rely on the Lord for everything spiritual and temporal. We are so blessed that we need to ask ourselves how we can help others. President Gordon B. Hinckley reiterated the words of King Benjamin in the beautiful and inspirational quote below.

The last verse in Mosiah 4 stood out in my mind. “But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not” (Mosiah 4:30). We need to work out our salvation piece-by-piece, step-by-step, and day-by-day. We need to be obedient and watch our thoughts, words, and deeds. All our actions count, and these are often determined by our thoughts. I will insert another great quote from President Nelson below.

In Mosiah 5:2 we read, “…the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” This is an amazing scripture, worthy of discussion. The Prophet Joseph Smith described what happens as a man approaches perfection and loses the desire to sin but adds that it is a state “no man ever arrived in a moment” (see below).

It seemed as if the people of King Benjamin arrived at this state in a moment. Brother John Bytheway, in his regular Gospel Doctrine podcast, suggested that King Benjamin’s people were ‘in the moment’. You can lose this feeling and you must keep going back to places where you know you will find the Spirit. It is like leaving the temple and feeling that glow that you never want to end. Then the next day, you are back to the grind of making a living. You need that next temple trip to take you back to that glorious feeling where you never want to sin, where you want to live righteously, and follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stories of dramatic conversion do not occur for everyone. For most of us, conversion is a process (see the diagram from Elder Bruce R. McConkie below). How does this apply to me? It means that I can overcome one sin today and tackle another one tomorrow. I can be perfect in small things and where I am not, I can challenge myself to improve on one thing each day. If I do not succeed that does not mean I fail. I can repent and try harder tomorrow.

In my first post on these scriptures (https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-of-mormon-16-ye-shall-be-called.html) I wrote about chiasmus in Mosiah. Chiasmus is a literary form illustrated by Mosiah 5:10-12. In my original post I explained chiasmus and attempted my own chiasmus, based on the doctrine in Kong Benjamin’s words. During my sessions on these scriptures, I gained a greater insight into chiasmus. Chiasmus provides evidence of the ancient roots of the Book of Mormon as well as showing that the book of Mormon was translated accurately. There are two video links below. The first is The Discovery of Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and the second is King Benjamin – Poetic Parallels. I will link to the YouTube versions, but you can also find them on Knowhy, Book of Mormon Central.