2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
The sons of King Mosiah, together with a small group of friends, asked their father for permission to travel to the land of their enemies, the Lamanites, and preach the gospel to them. In this passage, Mormon tells us some of their reasons for wanting to do this:
- So that the Lamanites could overcome the fallacies they had been taught and could better understand the truth
- To help the Lamanites overcome hatred and contention and get along with each other better
- To help the Lamanites find joy in their lives
- To help them avoid a tragic outcome at the Final Judgment
Notice how unselfish their motives were. They cared about the happiness and well-being of all people, and their desire to share the gospel was a natural extension of their love for others.
Today, I will strive to love others as the sons of Mosiah loved their enemies. I will remember that effective missionary work and gospel teaching is motivated by a desire for the well-being of others and that I will be most effective as a missionary if I am motivated by love.
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