After establishing peace in the land, both by defending his people against their enemies and by preaching the gospel (see Words of Mormon 1:12-18), Benjamin was ready to hand off his responsibilities to his son, Mosiah. He had taught all of his sons from the scriptures, and he urged them to continue to study them. He asked Mosiah to gather the people together for his final sermon. And, he charged Mosiah with responsibility for the affairs of the kingdom and for their treasured artifacts, including the scriptural records.
Chapter Outline
- Benjamin teaches his sons about the importance of scripture (v. 1-8)
- Benjamin asks Mosiah to gather the people (v. 9-14)
- Benjamin gives Mosiah responsibility for the kingdom and the records (v. 15-18)
My Takeaways
- Parents need to educate their children, spiritually and temporally.
- Scripture helps us learn how to hear and recognize the voice of the Lord.
- We can retain the name of Jesus Christ written in our hearts by avoiding sinful behavior and repenting regularly.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Benjamin teaches his sons – Mosiah 1:1-8
He Caused That They Should Be Taught – Mosiah 1:2
2 And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been…
We Have Them Before Our Eyes – Mosiah 1:6-7
6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know…
Language and Understanding
Following in the footsteps of his father, King Benjamin taught his sons “in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding.” To understand people better, we need to notice how they convert thoughts into words.
❖ Benjamin asks Mosiah to gather the people – Mosiah 1:9-14
“Blotted Out” – Mosiah 1:12, Mosiah 5:11
King Benjamin told his son Mosiah that he was going to give his people “a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression” (Mosiah 1:12). When the people gathered, Benjamin shared some things he had learned from an angel. Among the teachings of the angel was the importance of the name…
Old Testament Foundations
A Book of Remembrance
Nephi opens the Book of Mormon by expressing gratitude to his parents for, among other things, the gift of literacy. He writes his record in his parents’ language, which consists of “the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 1:2). Nephi’s nephew, Enos, also expresses gratitude that his father taught…
“If They Pray Toward This Place…”
The Apostle Paul chided the Athenians for limiting God by thinking too narrowly about places of worship: God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath,…
Josiah and Benjamin
Today I’ve been thinking about the parallels between two kings: Josiah, who reigned over Judah just before the Babylonian captivity (640-609 BCE), and Benjamin, who reigned over the Nephites about 500 years later. Both kings led their people in a spiritual reawakening. Here are some of their common experiences: Experience Josiah Benjamin Inspired by the…
Church History Connections
“Prepare the Minds of Their Children”
In 1833, the Lord instructed several church leaders to pay more attention to their families. He told them to teach their children “light and truth,” to set in order their homes, and to be “more diligent and concerned at home” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:41-50). The prophet Alma explained to his son Corianton that one reason…
Duty
In the poem “The Theologian’s Tale; the Legend Beautiful,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow relates a story of a monk who experiences a supernal vision in which he sees the Savior. During this experience, he hears the poor outside the gate of the convent, and he wonders whether he dares to leave the divine presence in order…
All Posts Referencing Mosiah 1
- Recorded on Earth and in Heaven (11/4/2025)
- A Proclamation (10/31/2025)
- My Education Plan (8/14/2025)
- Tradition! (7/5/2025)
- What and How to Teach Your Children (6/27/2025)
- Devoted to Study (3/21/2025)
- Searching (10/16/2024)
- Retain the Name (5/5/2024)
- Language and Understanding (4/27/2024)
- Josiah and Benjamin (7/12/2022)
- “If They Pray Toward This Place…” (6/26/2022)
- Going to Egypt (2/11/2022)
- A Book of Remembrance (1/18/2022)
- Duty (9/21/2021)
- “Prepare the Minds of Their Children” (8/26/2021)
- Record-keeping (3/7/2021)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- “Blotted Out” – Mosiah 1:12, Mosiah 5:11 (4/25/2020)
- King Benjamin and Contention (4/14/2020)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- What Should I Be Thankful For? (11/28/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Hand of the Lord in My Life? (10/27/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Diligence? (9/22/2019)
- Why Is It Important for Us to Gather with Other Believers? (8/10/2019)
- What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi? (7/19/2019)
- Why Is the Book of Mormon Written in King James English? (1/18/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Search the Scriptures? (1/5/2019)
- We Have Them Before Our Eyes – Mosiah 1:6-7 (8/19/2018)
- He Caused That They Should Be Taught – Mosiah 1:2 (1/3/2017)
- Were It Not for These Plates – Mosiah 1:3-4 (4/15/2015)