God told Abimelech that Abraham was a prophet and would pray for him. Prophets pray for the people they serve. When Abraham prayed for Abimelech’s household, God healed them. In that moment, the covenant promise began to unfold: through Abraham, all families of the earth would be blessed.
“I Have a Work for Thee”
We all want to be valued, not in the abstract, but for the genuine contributions we can make. God therefore increases our sense of self-worth by giving us assignments to help Him with His work.
Mahaleel and Our Times of Awakening
Doctrine and Covenants 107 reveals that Adam's posterity received the priesthood at widely different ages. We are all on different spiritual timelines. There is no prescribed time to find God. Some find Him early, some later. We can all afford to be patient and hopeful, supporting one another through every phase of our journey.
“The Harvest Is Past”
Dwelling excessively on missed opportunities can be unproductive, but a sense of regret can spur a sense of urgency. There is a time to harvest crops, and there is a time to hear and repent. You can't delay indefinitely. The window of opportunity is finite.
Home
Three lessons about our homes from the Book of Mormon: 1. We need a place of peace and security for ourselves and for our families. 2. We ought to invite other people into our homes. 3. Sometimes, we need to leave our homes and serve people where they are
Zeezrom and the Mob
Mob mentality means making decisions based on the expectations of a group. The mob in Ammonihah couldn't be convinced by a second witness (Amulek), a third witness (Zeezrom) or a miracle (deliverance from prison). We must make independent decisions.
Arraigned
There were many lawyers in Ammonihah, so it's not surprising that Amulek used legal terminology to describe our future state. When we can visualize ourselves as a defendant in court, we are motivated to seek and receive all the help we need.
Traps and Snares
Amulek explained to the lawyers in Ammonihah that they were laying "traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God." The devil lays snares for us, preying on our feelings of inadequacy, imperfection, and guilt. We escape those snares by relying on God.
Being an Amulek
It's relatively easy to discount a testimony from a stranger. When a friend or neighbor shares their personal experience, it can be more impactful. Like Amulek, we can help our friends open their hearts to God by sharing our experiences with the gospel.
A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions
Book of Mormon authors made it clear how much they were leaving out as they wrote this "abridgment" of their history. Here's a diagram showing how many words are dedicated to each of the 103 decades in the book.