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"Ye will... have a mind... to live peacably," Mosiah 4:13-15

Mosiah 4:13-15

There are indicators in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that allow us to gauge our spiritual progress. These verses from Mosiah are particularly useful for such measurement. What is difficult, however, is to find the motivation to change what doesn't line up with these standards.

The Savior's beatitude in Matthew 5:6 is a starting point.  "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Those that desire it, that hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are they that are filled and find even that which they were not looking for. As I have visited with those around me and as I consider my own exertions to change and repent, I realize that this is indeed very hard to do.

However, in the realization that most often we are naturally inclined to turn away from repentance and change, I am coming to realize how a young high councilor once was able to encourage me to make sure I was working as hard as I could. It seemed to me to be a very bold thing at the time, that someone I did hardly know, would have the audacity to encourage me to serve to the very best of my capacity.

Ironically, as I consider (in my current state as a father) the things that King Benjamin is asking us to do, they are hard things:
  • Don't hurt others. (Don't resort to techniques of force or physical coercion.)
  • Live peaceably. (Something that requires conscientious effort.)
  • Be honest with everyone. (The more engaged in this wicked world that we are, the harder that is.)
  • Feed your children. (This isn't merely the financial obligation. It many times has to do with the actually preparing of food.)
  • Cloth your children. (Here the work includes cleaning clothes, encouraging/helping them to get dressed in the mornings. )
  • Encourage/ direct them to keep the commandments. (Another never ending task...)
  • Don't allow children to fight or quarrel with each other. (The tendency to fight and quarrel is a natural response. But as we teach our children to do the hard things everyday, are we not preparing to live a lifetime of improvement as well? )
 Verse 15 then details the direction to go in our parenting:
But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
Paranthetically, this reminds me of when the prophet Mormon first received his instructions to take charge of the Nephite records. He was only 10 years old at the time when he received his commission from Ammaron. At that time Ammaron said, "I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe."(Mormon 1:2)


I am in need of taking time to understand how to teach the children to walk in the ways of truth and soberness.  This is an assignment that will require much more work on my part.

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