Lehi taught his sons that they were free to make choices—including choices which would reduce that freedom. He urged them to choose liberty, not captivity (2 Nephi 2:26-29). About five years after King Mosiah abolished the monarchy and established a government "by the voice of the people" (Mosiah 29:26), a man named Amlici tried to... Continue Reading →
The Legacies of Limhi’s People and Alma’s People
Sometimes it's only in retrospect that we recognize the significance of our experiences, both in terms of our own spiritual growth and in terms of their influence on other people. We've been studying this week about two groups of people—the people of Limhi and the people of Alma—both of whom endured a difficult period of... Continue Reading →
The Arms of Mercy
All 26 verses of Psalm 136 end with the same phrase: "For his mercy endureth forever." Here is one of the verses from that psalm, which celebrates the Lord's power to deliver the children of Israel from captivity in Egypt: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Corruption?
King Benjamin set the standard for political leadership when he reported to his people at the end of his reign that he had conscientiously labored to serve them and avoided taking advantage of his role for personal gain (Mosiah 2:12-15). His son Mosiah followed his example (Mosiah 6:6-7). But when the people of King Limhi... Continue Reading →
What Is a High Priest?
After leading the children of Israel out of slavery, Moses consecrated his brother Aaron and Aaron's sons to serve as priests. They were given special clothing to wear, but Aaron's clothing was distinct from the others. He wore a vest or apron called the ephod (אֵפוֹד). He wore a breastplate which contained the Urim and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Impeachment?
King Mosiah, who followed his father's example of servant leadership, was eventually convinced by his friend Alma that monarchy is a dangerous form of government. Alma had served as a priest under king Noah and was painfully aware of the suffering caused by a wicked king. And so, near the end of his life, King... Continue Reading →
How Should I Deal with Anxiety?
Anxiety can be helpful or harmful. Multiple prophets in the Book of Mormon acknowledge feelings of anxiety, and those feelings are generally caused by their love for others. When Lehi spoke with his sons near the end of his life, he shared with them the confidence he felt: "The Lord hath redeemed my soul from... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Obedience?
Some form of the word "obey" appears 31 times in the Book of Mormon: Book # Occurences 1 Nephi 4 2 Nephi 6 Jacob 5 Mosiah 7 Alma 9 TOTAL 31 "I must obey." Obedience is a very important topic for Nephi, and he frames most of his story in terms of the response of... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Taxes?
The Book of Mormon speaks about the tax policies of five leaders. Two of them worked to minimize taxes on their people, while the other three imposed exorbitant taxes on their people, with predictably catastrophic results. King Benjamin reported to his people at the end of his life that he had labored with his own... Continue Reading →
By the Voice of the People – Mosiah 29:26
26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law--to do your business by the voice of... Continue Reading →