Mosiah 11-14

 

Mosiah 11:

Noah is worldly, walking after the desires of his heart.  He doesn’t keep the commandments.  He dismisses all the righteous priests and leaders and replaces them with those like himself and whom he can command.  He levies a burdensome tax on the people, He sinks into idolatry, He plans vineyards and starts making lots of wine…corrupting himself and his people with drunkenness.  Abinadi is sent to preach repentance to King Noah and his people.  The people try to kill him but the Lord delivers him out of their hands.  King Noah hardens his heart against the Lord. 

Application:  Do I say “all is well: just because the material part of my life is well?  Do I close my eyes to spiritual decay as Noah and his people did?

 

Mosiah 12:

Abinadi returns preaching repentance, and declaring a tierce destruction if they don’t turn back to the Lord as they are “ripe” and full of inequality.  King Noah imprisons Abinidi and has him brought before him to speak and that they may question him.  Abinidi confounds the King and his priests.  He states “Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding, therefore ye have not been wise”  also he states  “I know if ye keep the commandments of God, ye shall be saved.”

Application:  Do I study the Words of the Lord, ponder and pray that I might be wise? Do I keep the commandments that I may be saved?

 

Mosiah 13:

The King commands that Abinidi be seized and killed but Abinidi is filled with the spirit.  He warns them if they touch him they will be struck down and the guards are afraid to touch him.  Abinidi finishes his warning and testimony.  He explains the Law of Moses and the need for an atonement and the coming of the Messiah.

Application:  Keeping the commandments (works) are not sufficient to save us.  Only through the atonement of Christ can death and hell be overcome.

 

Mosiah 14:

Christ comes like “a root from dry ground”.  He is not handsome and doesn’t have a physical beauty that would cause us to desire Him.  He is despised and rejected of men.  A man of sorrow and grief.  Despite man’s rejection of him, both then and now, He took upon Him our transgressions and intercedes with the Father for us.  Since He was “cut off” (having no children), all of us who accept Him as their Savior shall be His children.

Application:  Do I reverence Christ for His great and merciful sacrifice; am I mindful of my position of dependence and have I truly taken His name upon me-- as a child takes her father’s name.

 

Mosiah 9-10

Mosiah 9:

The record of Zeniff--- Zeniff anxious to possess the lands of his fathers, enters into an agreement with King Laban to possess the land of Lehi -Nephi.  They move in, work hard, build houses, farms, grow crops, have herds of sheep and are prosperous.  The Lamanites , however, because of their Idolatrous laziness sat back and let them build and clear and improve the land with the intent of just moving in and taking it over when ever they wanted it.  After 12 years the Lamanites figured they had better take over now before Zeniff's people became too strong, too established, and too  numerous to easily conquer.  So they started a campaign to harrass, steal and plunder Zeniff's people, starting with the outlying farms and ranches.  The conflicts continued until Zeniff's people remembered the Lord and then went out to battle.  They stood and defeated the Lamanites with a much smaller army with casualties of 10 to 1.

Application:  Sometimes We want something so badly we may forget the Lord and just do what we want.  When we repent and remember the Lord he will uphold us.

Mosiah 10:

Chapter 10:  Explains why the Lamanites hate the Nephites--(ie the traditions of their fathers)  Zeniff being old, confers his kingdom on his son Noah.

Application:  Am I prepared and watchful--placing my trust in the Lord and his power to protect my "kingdom"  (my family)?

Mosiah 7-8

MOSIAH 7-8

Mosiah 7:16  Strong men leave Zarahemla to try and find those who had left years earlier in search of the land of Lehi-Nephi.  Tey finally find them and find them in bondage/servitude to the Lamanites.  The people rejoice and believe thay will now be greed from the Laminaties.  Their leader urges them to turn to the Lord, repenting and putting their trust and faith in Him that they will be delivered.

application:  These people ended up in bondage because their leader Zeniff was so passionate to reclaim the land he did not seek the Lord's help.  He trusted in his own "arm of flesh' in dealing with the Lamanite leader.  Zeniff was naive and the Lamanites were skilled in cunning and deceit.  So, seek the Lord in all decisions especially in major ones.  Let the Lord guide us and not pursue our own personal agendas.


Mosiah 8   King Limhi has possession of 24 gold plates and a breast plate of brass and copper which were found with the plates by and expedition of his people.  he desires to know if Ammon can read/translate them.  Ammon explains that the gift of being a seer is the greatest gift a man can possess--and at this time it is King Mosiah who has been blessed with this gift.  The king is excited for he feels a great mystery will be revealed.  and he thnks God for proparing the breastplate/translators and he wonders at the marvelous works of the Lord.  Then he makes his observations about mankind, that dispite the fact that the Lord stands ready to bless and fuide and is longsuffering still "the children of men.....will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them!"  "Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd, and scattereth and are driven--and are devoured bythe beasts of the forest.  King Limhi also has kept records of his people which he delivers unto Ammon.

application:  Am I a wild child--always wanting to go my own way --to run around sightseeing and shopping though life?  Or will I seek wisdom and find out want God's plan for me is and seek that.

Mosiah 5 and 6

Mosiah 5:  Faith brings us to a knowledge of the infinite goodness of God and our glorious future in the eternities with Him.  And that knowledge, born of faith, brings us overwhelming happiness and joy.  We are admonished to be "steadfast and immoveable, always abounding in good works" that we may be sealed up to salvation and eternal life with Christ.
APPLICATION: Have I felt the joy of the gospel and experienced the gift of revelation?  If not I must work to strengthen my faith for it is though faith that they are given.


Mosiah 6:  Everyone has his name officially recorded on the records of the church as having entered into a covenant with Christ.  Mosiah is made king, priests are appointed to teach and lead the people (wards made) Mosiah is a righteous man and king and there was no contentions among the people for 3 years.
APPLICATION:  If given a position of power and authority (ie king) would I remain humble and continue to labor alongside my fellow men?  Do I dream of or seek to move to a better neighborhood, bigger house, newer car in order to get involved with a "better class" of people? Or am I able to see each and all as a daughter or son of God no better or worse than myself?

Mosiah 2,3,&4

Mosiah 2: King Benjamin addresses his people: A few of his main points- "when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God" "If ye should serve Him (God) with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants"  "If ye keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you"  "Beware lest there be contentions among you and ye list to obey the evil spirit" "Consider the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God, for behold they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual: and if they hold out to the end they are received...into a state of never ending happiness."
APPLICATION: Do I acknowledge God's hand in all of my life?  Am I grateful and obedient?


Mosiah 3:  King Benjamin continues: Jesus will come down and do many miracles and he will suffer temptations, pain, hunger, thirst and fatigue.  Even after all the miracles many will still consider him just a man and will scourge and crucify him.  But he will rise on the third day! He can now stand in righteous judgment and also his blood will atone for Adam's transgression and for those who have never heard the gospel or those who have ignorantly sinned (also children).  Salvation comes to those who have knowingly sinned ONLY through repentance and faith in Christ.  "there is no other way or name given".  The natural man is an enemy to God.  There will be a time when the gospel will spread though out every nation, kindred, tongue and people and then those words will stand as a testimony at the judgment day.  Where the people will be judged by their works. Their own guilt is what separates them from God and creates their torment.
APPLICATION:  Have I put off the natural man becoming like a child--submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all thing which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon me.    Also if Christ was at my door today--would I shrink to invite him in...or would my heart soar with love and acceptance as I flew to the door to embrace him?


Mosiah 4:  More of King Benjamin's address:  The Lord provides all to us and we are mandated to give to the poor, sick,  and widowed both temporally and spiritually.  If we deny a petition we sin the sin of covetness.  We must continually watch our thoughts, word, and deeds continuing in forth and enduring to the end for the ways and means to fall into sin are many.  He gives advice on how to raise our children---Caring for them physically and teaching them to love one another and not to quarrel and fight.  We can't judge others or justify ourselves in rejecting someone's plea for assistance for we are all beggars and all dependent on God. 
APP:ICATION.: Do I turn my eyes from the poor or homeless?  Do I justify myself in not giving because "they'll just buy drugs/alcohol/cigarettes?

The Words of Mormon: Mosiah 1

The Words of Mormon:  The Book of Mormon up to this point has been taken/translated from the small plates of Nephi.  Only after Mormon had made his abridgement and had completed it did he discover these "small" plates of Nephi which he then translated in their entirety and preserved along with his abridgement of all the other records.  He did so because the Lord commanded him specifically to include this record. They became the FIRST 143 pages of the Book of Mormon because after Joseph Smith had translated the first portion of Momon's abridgement, Martin Harris begged/insisted/badgered Joseph Smith to let him take the translation to show to his wife.  Joseph Smith after being told no by the Lord a couple of times goes again to the Lord and gets qualified permission.  Joseph lets Martin take the pages and subsequently the portion of the manuscript that Martin Harris takes is either lost or stolen.  The Lord commands that the original translation NOT be retranslated because of the evil designs of men to alter/corrupt and challenge the authenticity of the manuscript if republished.  The small plates give a parallel account of those same years and are focused on the more spiritual part of their journey and are substituted for the lost record.

Application:  Sometimes we must obey the Lord even when his purposes are not clear.  Do I seek, listen and then obey??? Or do I rationalize, weigh, balance and then proceed only if I think it is right?  It is OK to study it out etc. but then one must return to the Lord for the confirmation that their decision is right BEFORE one acts upon it.



Mosiah 1:  King Benjamin was a righteous king and he labored tirelessly until he established peace in all of his land.  He educates his sons in the language of their fathers, their history and the prophesies regarding their people.  He teaches them of this that they may be "men of understanding".  It is the written record that keeps men civilized.  He tells them (and us) to search the scriptures diligently and to keep the commandments of God.  Benjamin is nearing the end of his life so he desires to speak to his people one last time.  He calls his people together to give them a name and a blessing.  He passes the records and sacred artifacts to his son Mosiah.

Application:  Do I honor the name I have been given>  Do I honor my parents? Do I honor the name of Christ which I took upon me at baptism.  Do I honor the new name given me in the temple>  Remember the George A Smith story where he sees his granfather in a vision/dream and his (namesake) grandfather asks him what he has done with his name.  Elder Smith relates he was relieved and glad  that he was able to report that he had never did anything to dishonor it.  Will I endure to the end like King Benjamin living a righteous life of service?