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Discover the unification of four diverse groups in Zarahemla under King Mosiah's leadership as they navigate challenges and spiritual growth. Explore the impact of sacrifice, traditional beliefs, and the influence of the rising generation. Witness divine teachings and blessings that uphold unity and righteousness for generations to come.
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Zarahemla • 4 Groups of People now in Zarahemla Land of Lehi-Nephi Land of FirstInheritance
Four Groups in Zarahemla united under King Mosiah • a. Limhi’s people, who were descended from Zeniff and the others who returned from Zarahemla to the land of Nephi. • b. Alma’s people, who had broken away from the group descended from Zeniff during the reign of Noah. • c. The Nephites who had remained in Zarahemla. • d. The Mulekites, the original residents of Zarahemla.
General ConferenceTwo Speakers – How did the people of Zarahemla respond? • Vs 5-6 Speaker? • Vs 7-11 How did people respond? • Vs 14 Second speaker • Vs 15-16 Topic, • Why was that important? • Vs 17-18 How did the people respond? • Vs 19-20 What did Mosiah authorize Alma to do, why? • Vs 21-24 How were the people able to remain “one church”
Mosiah 25Gather together • “I was assigned to preside over a regional conference in La Paz, Bolivia. Some members came from small towns and villages far away, showing great sacrifice and commitment to attend the meetings. Prior to the priesthood leadership training session, I greeted the brethren as they gathered. I noticed that one older brother’s shirt was a different color from the middle of his chest down; the upper portion was white, while the lower part was brownish-red. He and three of his companions, all Melchizedek Priesthood holders, had traveled for many hours, walking most of the way and fording two rivers where the brownish-red water came up to their chests. They had flagged down a truck and stood in the back of it for the last two hours of their journey. • “Their sacrifice and their attitude about it made me feel extremely humble. One of these faithful men said to me: ‘Elder Ballard, you are one of the Lord’s Apostles. My brethren and I would do whatever was required to be taught by you.’” • M Russell Ballard, (“The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct. 1998, 11–12).
Mosiah 26:1-4What happened? Why? They did not believe the tradition of their fathers, the resurrection or the coming of Christ They remained separate and would not call upon the Lord
The rising generation Note the influence on little children during two phenomenal conversions of large groups of people King Benjamin (Mosiah 2-6) Jesus Christ (3 Ne 9-27) He commanded that their little children should be brought…and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them…and said unto them: Behold your little ones…angels descend[ed]…and encircled those little ones about and did minister unto them…he did teach and minister unto the children…and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people…yea, even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things. (3 Ne 18:11, 21, 23-24; 26:14,16) “And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and taken upon them the name of Christ” (Mosiah 6:2) “Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of King Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers” (Mosiah 26:1)
Statement to Samuel Taylor Coleridge:We should leave the educating of children in religious matters until the children themselves arrive at years of accountability "I took him and showed him my garden, and told him it was my botanical garden." "How so," said he, "it is covered with weeds." "O," I replied, "that is only because it has not yet come to its age of discretion and choice. The weeds you see have taken the liberty to grow and I thought it unfair in me to prejudice the soil toward roses and strawberries." (as quoted by David O. McKay in Conference Report, April 1928, pg. 102-106.)
Little Children When the Lord instructed the Nephites to behold their little ones, I believe he told them to give attention to their children, to contemplate them, to look beyond the present and see their eternal possibilities…It’s significant to me that later the Savior gave the most sacred teachings only to the children, then loosed their tongues so they could teach the multitude. (See 3 Ne:26:14). Is it any wonder that following the Savior’s visit to the Nephites, they lived in peace and righteousness for two hundred years? Because of miraculous instructions, blessings, and attention they and their children received, righteousness was perpetuated by their children’s children for many generations. Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential power of today’s children to perpetuate righteousness. No group of people in the Church is as receptive to the truth. (Michaelene P. Grassli, Ensign, Nov. 1992)
Important Key If I Could Just Understand or See I Would Believe! Then Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, … and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. Could not Understand Unbelief Hearts were Hardened
Important Key Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, … and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. What, exactly, did they not believe?
Mosiah 26:6, 29-32What is a leader’s responsibility help the rising generation to be believers instead of unbelivers?
How? • President Clark understood that a person in whom faith is an ember won’t receive even great teaching unless his heart is softened. And so he said that we must touch the person with the spirit of righteousness, with love, and with tenderness. Now, you and I might rightly feel that what he asks is nearly superhuman. In our efforts to invite others back, we have felt rejection and even ridicule. We may feel fatigue, frustration, and sometimes guilt. How then can we keep reaching out in a spirit of righteousness, with love and tenderness? • Henry B. Eyring, “The Spark of Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 74
Question: If we want our children to “believe” what is one thing, specifically, we must teach them? Answer How to Repent- and to know they’ve been forgiven…
Steps… Reminder: As parents and church leaders, we’ve always been quick to try to reduce their pain (heal their owees.) However, we limit their learning process if we try to short-circuit their natural experience They feel peace and identify where that peace came from They seek forgiveness from the Lord and work with Church authorities if needed They feel remorse They recognize they’ve sinned
Mosiah 26:13-39Pour out your whole soul to God If you want the blessing, don’t just kneel down and pray about it. Prepare yourselves in every conceivable way you can in order to make yourselves worthy to receive the blessings you seek. The most important thing you can do is to learn to talk to God. Talk to Him as you would talk to your father, for He is your Father, and He want you to talk to Him He want you to cultivate ears to listen, when He gives you the impressions of the Spirit to tell you what to do. If you learn to give heed to the sudden ideas which come to your minds, you will find those things coming through in the very hour of your need. If you will cultivate an ear to hear these promptings, you will have learned to walk by the spirit of revelation. Harold B Lee, THBL, 129-130
Mosiah 27:3-4No Persecution No Persecution = Equality
There was a farmer who annually grew corn that won top honors at the state fair. One year in a newspaper interview the farmer admitted that he shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they will enter corn in the same competition as you?” the reporter asked. “Why Sir,” the farmer responded, “don’t you know that the wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field? If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross pollination from their fields to mine will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. So if I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.” It is the same with each of us. Those who wish to live worthy, consecrated lives must help those closest to them do the same. Those who wish to live well must help those with whom they live also strive to live well. Those who want to be happy and feel joy must help others find happiness for the welfare of each of us is connected to the welfare of us all. Sheri Dew, No Doubt About It, 226
Who was Alma the Younger? • (27:8) “very wicked” • (27:8) “an idolatrous man” • (27:8) “he led many of the people to do after the manner of his • iniquities” • (27:9) “he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church” • (27:9) he was guilty of “stealing away the hearts of the people” • (27:9) he caused “much dissension among the people” • (27:9) he provided “a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his • power over [the people]” • (27:10) “he was going about to destroy the church of God” • (27:10) he was “seeking to lead astray the people of the Lord” • (27:11) he was “going about rebelling against God” • (28:4) he and his companions were “the very vilest of sinners” • (Alma 36:14) he had “murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction”
Mosiah 27:14Prayer • Perhaps no anguish of the human spirit matches the anguish of a mother or father who fears for the soul of a child…(But) parents can never give up hoping or caring or believing. Surely they can never give up praying. At times prayers may be the only course of action remaining – but it is the most powerful of them all. • Jeffrey R Holland, Ensign, March 1977
Mosiah 27:15-17What did the angel tell Alma? Remember how great things He has done for your fathers
Alma 36:2,3,29,30 Can our children learn from our trials and deliverance? XAlma 36:2,3,29,30
Racked • The prophets chose very graphic words. • Racked means “tortured.” Anciently a rack was a framework on which the victim was laid with each ankle and wrist tied to a spindle which could then be turned to cause unbearable pain. • Boyd K Packer, Ensign, Many 2001,23
Harrow • A harrow is a frame with spikes through it. When pulled across the ground, it rips and tears into the soil. The scriptures frequently speak of souls and minds being “harrowed up” with guilt. • Boyd K Packer, Ensign, May 2001,23
You need not know everything before the power of the atonement will work for you. Have faith in Christ. It begins to work the day you ask. • Boyd K Packer, Ensign, May 1997, 10
What is the difference between the Savior’s suffering for our sins and our own suffering for our sins? • The sinner suffers as he faces the natural consequences of sin. He also suffers as he changes from his sinful state. Further, a sinner suffers the consequences of sin for which he has not repented. The Savior’s suffering paid the price for our sins if we repent.
Alma 36:20-22Doctrinal point concerning repentance Story of tree, Oaks
Mosiah 27:32;28:1-5Alma 36:24 Desire to serve a mission “After conversion comes the desire to share—not so much out of a sense of duty, even though that responsibility falls on the priesthood, but out of a sincere love and appreciation for that which has been received. When such a ‘pearl of great price’ comes into our lives, we cannot be content just to admire it by ourselves. It must be shared!” L Tom Perry,Ensign, May 1984, 79).
Snatched from sin I remember reading about a fire fighter in the eastern United States who ran into a burning house to rescue several children from an arson-induced fire. While his colleagues battled the blaze to keep it from spreading to other structures in the neighboyhood, this man dashed into the building again and again, each time emerging with a child in his arms. After rescuing a fifth child, he started into the inferno once more. Neighbors shouted that there were no more children in the family. But he insisted that he had seen a baby in a cradle, and he dove into the intensifying heat. Moments after he disappeared into the fire and smoke, a horrifying explosion shook the building and the entire structure collapsed. It was several hours before fire fighters were able to locate their colleague’s body. They found him in the nursery near the crib, huddled protectively over a life-sized—and practically unscratched— doll. I’m overwhelmed by that story. I’m touched by the fire fighter’s courageous and selfless devotion to duty, and I’m thankful that there are men and women in the world who are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of others. As I think about such heroism, however, I’m reminded that the most heroic act of all time ever was performed in behalf of all mankind by the Son of God. In a very real sense, all of humanity— past, present, and future—was trapped behind a wall of flame that was fueled and fanned by our own faithlessness. Sin separated mortals from God (see Romans 6:23), and would do so forever unless a way was found to put out the fires of sin and rescue us from ourselves. Russell M Nelson, (Our Search for Happiness, p. 11)
President Ezra Taft Benson gave the following caution: • “We must be careful, as we seek to become more and more godlike, that we do not become discouraged and lose hope. Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road to Damascus, Enos praying far into the night, King Lamoni. Such astonishing examples of the power to change even those steeped in sin give confidence that the Atonement can reach even those deepest in despair.
“But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. . . . • “We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender. But we must not lose hope. The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him. Though we may see that we have far to go on the road to perfection, we must not give up hope” (“A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Oct. 1989, 5).
Question Some critics, and atheists, jump to the conclusion that if they don’t understand something, no one can know. (Korihor Principle). As Latter Day Saints, we’ve been spoiled to have a great deal revealed to us. And it is important that we know what we know. However, we must also clearly understand what we do not know. What are some examples of things we do not know?
D&C 3 And this testimony [of the Savior] shall come to the knowledge of the Lamanites… And for this very purpose are these plates preserved, which contain these records—that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to his people; And that the Lamanites might 1) come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that 2) they might know the promises of the Lord, and that 3) they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved. Amen.
Alma And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
Bro. Robert Millet I had been on a mission only two days when my senior companion and I began to discuss repentance and forgiveness as a part of our companion study that day. We talked about how to repent and how to know when we are forgiven. My companion—who had been in the field nine months longer than I and whose word I thus received as if it were silver and gold—said this: "Always keep this in mind, Elder Millet: If you can still remember your sins, the Lord has not forgiven you." I asked him to repeat this grand principle, which he did. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yes," he came back, "that's what the scriptures teach." For several days I was in a deep depression. I could remember my sins with vividness, in living color. My memory was terrific. In looking back on this event, I recognize that there was really only one thing wrong with my companion's doctrine—it wasn't true! He meant well, of course, but he seemed to have missed an important distinction: the Lord indicates to us that if we truly confess and forsake our sins, he will remember them no more…
(From the Church News, Oct. 9, 1993) • “In words of one syllable, we need to turn to God. We need to reaffirm our faith and we need to reassert our hope. Where necessary we need to repent, and certainly we need to pray. It is the absence of spiritual fidelity that has led us to the moral disarray in the twilight of the Twentieth Century. We have sown the wind of religious skepticism and we are reaping the whirlwind of existential despair.” • “My testimony today is of the angels and ministers of grace who will always defend us if . . . we ‘take care of . . . sacred things,’ we ‘look to God and live.’ (Alma 38:47.)” • He related how Alma entreated Helaman to put his trust in God, testifying that God had supported him [Alma] in trials, troubles and afflictions of every kind, and had delivered him. (Alma 36:27.) Elder Holland testified that the Lord “will deliver all the rest of us, too . . . if we will but ‘take care of sacred things,’ if we will ‘look to God and live.’ ” • A hush fell over the Tabernacle congregation as Elder Holland spoke of the faith and insight of Katie Lewis, a 4-year-old neighbor. Katie’s older brother is battling leukemia. Katie’s parents fasted and prayed, and repeatedly went to the temple. As her mother returned home one day from the temple, weary and worried, Katie handed her a crumpled sheaf of papers. The child said, “They are the scriptures, and do you know what they say?…They say ‘Trust Jesus.’ ” • Elder Holland related that the mother said she felt near-tangible arms of peace encircle her weary soul and a divine stillness calm her troubled heart. • “In a world of discouragement, sorrow and over much sin, in times when fear and despair seem to prevail, when humanity is feverish with no worldly physicians in sight, I too say, ‘Trust Jesus,’ ” Elder Holland said. “Let Him still the tempest and ride upon the storm. Believe that He can lift mankind from its bed of affliction, in time and in eternity.”
