Mosiah 13 Touch Me Not

Abinadi warns his captors that they are not to touch him until his mission and message are completed. But he also warns that whatever they do to them will be a “type and shadow” of what will happen to them. This was in harmony with the laws the Nephites used to govern themselves. If you accuse someone of a crime and he is proven guilty then he will be punished by the law. But if you bring someone to trial and the charges are false, then the prescribed punishment falls upon the accusers. In this case it is going to be death by fire. I found it interesting that Abinadi brought accusations of his own to the trial. He tells the king and his wicked priests that they have “studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives.” So King Noah, who was attending Sunday school with his father Zeniff, was obviously doing some outside studying on his own. Whatever it was, it was as poisonous to him as the pornography of today. Noah and his buddies were all into it and it destroyed their spiritual awareness. So darkened had they become that they wouldn’t hear the words of a prophet and the scriptures had become meaningless. Abinadi reads to them the 10 commandments from their own scriptures. The Law of Moses had become an empty set of rituals in which the Atonement of Christ was not t be found. They had no desire to learn of Christ or to come unto Him and be saved.

Mosiah 12 Come Unto Christ

Abinadi’s questions and teachings given to the wicked priests fell on deaf ears, except one priest, Alma, believed his words. I wonder at what moment the Spirit penetrated Alma’s heart. Perhaps it was this question: “If ye teach the law of Moses why do you not keep it?” It pierces my heart as a religious educator to know that not everything I teach has fully taken hold in my own life. Yet, I need to not get discouraged because I know that I am on the correct path. I just need to keep going. I’m not perfect but I am striving. And I am making progress. And I’m not going to give up. I trust Jesus at his word that he can cleanse me and save me if I will repent and come unto him.

Mosiah 11 Repent and Turn to the Lord

The prophet, Abinadi, is sent to warn the people of Noah. They are told to repent and turn to the Lord. This commandment is loved and practiced daily by those who love the Lord; it is despised by those who love sin more than God.

Mosiah 10 Zeniff chooses Noah

Zeniff was a good king and protected his people. Why wasn’t he able to choose someone other than his son, Noah to take over for him? Don’t we know the hearts of our children?

Mosiah 9 Zeniff leads the lost expedition

Zeniff was a spy who went up to the land of Nephi from Zarahemla. He loved what he saw there much like one who has gone to the mountains for the first time and been overwhelmed by the beauty found there. He can’t get the place out his head and he also sees some good things about the people he was sent to spy on. He obtains permission from king Mosiah to go there with a group of fellow adventurers but can’t agree on whether to go to war with the inhabitants or form some sort of treaty. They fight among themselves and fail to settle. So they go back home to Zarahemla, regroup, and try again, this time successfully. Things go well for twelve years but then the Lamanites return and try to take back the land. Through mighty prayer the Nephites are able to defeat the Lamanites in this initial battle.

Mosiah 8 Prophets, Seers, and Revelators

The terms “prophet,” “seer,” and “revelator,” are frequently made reference to today because the Apostles are sustained as such in General Conference. They receive “keys” of authority when they are ordained. Basically, a prophet prophesies, as seer sees, and a revelator reveals. All of these spiritual gifts are given of the Lord for the purpose of blessing his children upon the earth. All of the Apostles hold all of the keys. However, only the Prophet is authorized to exercise all of the keys, or in other words, preside over and direct the church by revelation. When he dies, the authority to exercise all of the keys falls to the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He becomes the Prophet. Seniority is based on the time the individual is ordained an Apostle and not on his age. However, if two are ordained the same day, the older man is ordained first.

Mosiah 7 Trust in God

Ammon, from Zarahemla, finds Limhi and his people in bondage to the Lamanites. Limhi sees Ammon and his men as saviors. Through faith in God and Christ their deliverance came. They escaped the Lamanites and returned to Zarahemla. Limhi says this to his people (and I say the same to my children and grand children: “Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God….”

Mosiah 6 No Contention

Mosiah became king and his father lived three more years. During those three years there was no contention. I think that is remarkable. They went for three years with no contention. Maybe we could start with 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks, and go from there until there is no contention in our lives for 3 years. In fact, let’s try to illuminate contention from our lives completely.

Mosiah 5 Our 8 Births

Mosiah 5 Other than 3 Nephi 11, this chapter had the greatest impact on my life and my spirit. It is in verse 7 that King Benjamin tells me that I can become a son of Christ, thereby receiving his name, membership in his family, and claim to everything he is and everything he possesses. I do this through faith in him, repentance and the covenant of baptism. This birth is called “rebirth.” Prior to rebirth, I was born of Heavenly Parents. That was birth number one. There I was also given a name which I can’t remember for now. But I know that I am a child of God, meaning Heavenly Father and Mother. Then, I came to Earth and was born for the second time into a mortal body. I had a mortal mother and father: David Ray Stone and Beverlee Bee Brown. They gave me a new name: Walter James and I took my father’s name as well: Stone. As you can see, the process of birth is a big change in our existence where we receive names and covenants. Mortal birth was a cleansing ordinance. We had agency in our pre-mortal state and needed repentance. We made covenants with our Father in Heaven to obey his commandments and follow his plan and when we were born here in mortality, we were cleansed. Little children are free from sin because of Christ’s atonement. With rebirth, we have in place our first three births. Each birth is a necessary step in the Father’s Plan of Happiness. Birth number four is the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood. The new names associated with the two priesthoods are Aaron, Moses, and Abraham. These are received by convenant. The fifth birth is the temple. Boys and girls begin this birth by performing vicarious baptisms and confirmation ordinances for the dead. Later, prior to missions and/or marriage they receive their temple ordinances where covenants are once again received and names given. Women, take upon themselves the name of their husbands and with him receive all of the blessing pertaining to the priesthood. Birth number six is parenthood and grandparent hood. There is great joy in being given the new name of “mama” or “dada.” In my case I was dubbed “Bumpa” and Jean was named “Gigi.” These are sacred names and sacred experiences. Death is the seventh birth. Much mystery surrounds this life change. We don’t know if there are additional names and covenants given in the Spirit World. But we know how important it is to retain all of the names we have received so far. The final birth is the resurrection. This is the greatest of all the gifts of God. There I will remember and use my many names including my pre-mortal name, long forgotten. The final name is a title: godhood, which will eventually, after a millennia or two become God. Thank you dear King Benjamin for the doctrine of becoming the children of Christ.