The Lord said, "Unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return." He wasn't threatening to reinstate a penalty He had erased; He was cautioning against sliding back into harmful habits. Sin brings sorrow, and the Savior can help us not only eliminate sin but also keep it away permanently.
Captivity and Deliverance: Limhi and Alma
Both Alma's and Limhi's people fell captive to the Lamanites and were both delivered by God. From their examples, we can learn to pray humbly, to recognize the blessings God provides immediately, and to look forward to the deliverance He will provide.
Gideon
Lessons from Limhi's servant Gideon: 1. You don't have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. 2. Speak up when you have a good idea or when something isn't right. 3. Give people the benefit of the doubt. 4. Defend the truth, and defend freedom.
That Space Between Naïveté and Paranoia
Zeniff trusted people, and the king of the Lamanites exploited that trust. His grandson Limhi was far more cautious. We need to find a balance: set appropriate boundaries and mitigate risks, but remember that trust is the lifeblood of relationships.
Mordecai
After receiving poor advice from Memucan and dealing with a power-hungry prince named Haman, King Ahasuerus must have been relieved to find Mordecai, a humble man of integrity. Even though the main character in the book of Esther is the queen herself, her cousin and mentor Mordecai is a constant presence throughout the book, acting... Continue Reading →
The Book of Judges and the Book of Mormon
Did the authors of the Book of Mormon have access to the book of Judges? They did have the brass plates, which contained "the five books of Moses...and also a record of the Jews...and also the prophecies of the holy prophets" (1 Nephi 5:10-13). It seems reasonable to assume that some version of the book... Continue Reading →
“Ye Shall Not Slay Him” – Mosiah 20:14
Mosiah 20 can be read as a series of case studies about the importance of trust in relationships. Multiple times, key characters have to make decisions based on limited information. The stories illustrate the danger of jumping to conclusions and the value of giving other people the benefit of the doubt. When a group of... Continue Reading →
Like Dragons Did They Fight – Mosiah 20:11
11 And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight.(Mosiah 20:11)When your motives... Continue Reading →
“Like Dragons Did They Fight” – Mosiah 20:11
11 And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight.(Mosiah 20:11)We can accomplish... Continue Reading →
Mosiah 20:17 Lay Not This Thing to Their Charge
Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king’s captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge. (Mosiah 20:17)There is an important lesson in Gideon's counsel about trust and privacy. A leader might easily... Continue Reading →