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.