A Study of the Book of Mormon

Mosiah 25:14-24 Churches are form of organization. They exist for a government of spiritual matters. Being that God is a God of order, it naturally follows that as man draws nearer to God that there would be a tendency to organize oneself into a church or an organized body of the followers of Christ. This selection details how it was that Alma organized a church (or seven churches) in the land of Zarahemla after their return. As a part of this organization, the people of Limhi, who had also returned to Zarahemla, are instructed and received into the kingdom of God by baptism. As Alma is instructing the people of Limhi, the scriptures here point out that Alma did teach them that "they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them." ( vs. 16 ) Upon being taught, Limhi and his people are desirous to be baptized. Baptism was both a matter of organizational procedure as a gateway into the kingdom of God, but also a matter of personal covenant and a witness of the indi...

Mosiah 25:1-13 Upon the arrival of the people of Alma to the land of Zarahemla, king Mosiah caused that the records that had been kept by the people of  Zeniff, and also the account of Alma, should be read among all the people of Zarahemla, which at this point in time now consisted of Nephites, Mulekites, and the newly joined people of Limhi and Alma (though they too were also descendants of Nephi). As I've contemplated the purposes for which king Mosiah would cause to read this history, there are a couple of thoughts that impress me about this. I am reminded also of President Hinckley's emphasis on our own pioneer history. Strategically, here king Mosiah had received a notable influx of new citizens among their own, the natural human tendency, without understanding of where they were coming from and what hardships they had endured, would probably have given way to gossiping and other forms of potentially harmful misunderstandings. To completely eradicate such a tendency, and t...

Mosiah 24:17 See also Exodus 3:12 and Alma 38:4 As the Lord is explaining how He will deliver the people of Alma, He says "I will go with thee." One of the footnotes on the word "with" in that statement is from Exodus. There the Lord reminds Moses to serve God in the mountain upon your deliverance. This is a reminder to not forget the temple. In Alma, it reads: For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that... thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.  There is a great deal of personal significance in these verses this morning, which any good scripture study should have. I do not go into details here though, except to point out that the Lord does from time to time require His saints to endure hardships and trials beyond what would appear to be normal and acceptable.

Mosiah 24:16-25 After a period of oppression under the rule of Amulon, the people of Alma hear the voice of the Lord say to them: "Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." (vs.16) Subsequently, they work through the night to prepare for a morning departure. In the morning, their oppressors are asleep. Without conflict, the people of Alma are delivered from bondage.  After having traveled a substantial distance, they arrive at a certain valley where the people of Alma pause to give thanks. Every member of their company, both adult and child -- anyone that could speak -- raised up their voices in praise of their God. They knew that God had delivered them.

Mosiah 24:8-15 This group of verses deals with the captivity of the people of Alma under the rule of Amulon in the land of Helam. For context, Alma and Amulon at one point in history where fellow high priest under the wicked reign of King Noah. Alma repented of his wickedness, fled from the king, and eventually moved on with a group of believers to establish the land of Helam where they were found presently. Amulon, on the other hand, narrowly escaped his own death by running deeper into the wilderness when King Noah was burned at the stake. He and the remainder of those wicked priests went on to kidnap a group of Lamanite daughters, causing war between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi (King Noah's righteous son), and now in a cruel twist of events, Amulon has won favor with the Lamanites so that upon discovering the land of Helam, Amulon is made to rule over the people of Alma. Bondage would have been hard enough under the Lamanites, but to have their appointed ruler hold a p...

Mosiah 24:1-7 This is to me a very interesting group of verses. We have here the account of Amulon and the other former priests of King Noah and their subsequent rise in power among the Lamanite people. What is interesting about this situation is not the quest for power among these wicked men, but rather how it is that the Lord was able to use them as instruments of preparation without them knowing it. In saying this, what we might be tempted to conclude is that there needed to be this wickedness in order for righteousness to move forward. I would have to say that is not so. In no way, shape, or form was the salvation of God obtained by these wicked priest through their wickedness. Nor, interestingly enough, was it obtained for their children or their children's children.( Alma 24:14 ) However, what does come to mind here is that scripture that states: " Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men;" ( Doctrine and Covenants 3:...

Mosiah 23:25-39 The purpose of these verses was summarized in the title of the previous post, "the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people," which is found in verse 21 . In these group of verses we find the details of what is in my mind an extraordinary trial of faith on the part of Alma and also his people. I find myself this morning also asking: What is it about the order or economy of heaven that makes this this particular episode so noteworthy? For after a period of establishment in the land of Helam where the people of Alma had been exceedingly prosperous in their daily affairs, suddenly the appearance of the Lamanites within th borders of the land cause a great fear to arise in the hearts of the people of Alma. I appreciate how it points out that Alma "went forth and stood among them" to quiet their fears by reminding them to place their faith in the Lord. ( see vs. 27 ) The people of Alma respond to this invitation of faith by exercising the power of prayer. The...