Several hundred years after Nephi fled from his brothers "into the wilderness, with all those who would go with [him]" (2 Nephi 5:5), a man named Mosiah was warned by God to do the same. We don't have a lot of details about him, but he lived in the land of Nephi, which had been... Continue Reading →
“I Will Cause That My People Shall Rejoice” – Mosiah 7:14
When King Limhi learned who Ammon was and why he had come, he immediately recognized the significance of Ammon's arrival. Limhi and his people had been in bondage for years and had made multiple attempts to regain their freedom, with no success. But Limhi saw in Ammon's arrival a ray of hope, an indication that... Continue Reading →
What Should I Be Thankful For?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States. In preparation for that holiday, I have been thinking about some of the things I am thankful for. Here are some ideas that occurred to me as I studied the Book of Mormon today: I'm grateful to be alive (Mosiah 2:20-21, Mosiah 7:12). I'm grateful for food and... Continue Reading →
How Can I Follow the Savior with “Full Purpose of Heart?”
Nephi tells us near the end of his writings that we can receive the Holy Ghost by following the Son "with full purpose of heart." He goes on to clarify his meaning: "acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent" (2 Nephi 31:13). In subsequent passages, Jacob and Limhi use the... Continue Reading →
Why Is It Important to Lift Up Our Heads?
As he looked forward to the temple which his son would build, King David wrote a psalm about the joy of welcoming God's presence into that holy house. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" he wrote; "and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in" (Psalm 24:7,... Continue Reading →
How Can I Be a More Effective Leader?
We are all leaders, whether we have a formal position of authority or not. We all have the opportunity to influence others and to inspire them to positive action. Here are some principles of effective leadership I have learned from the Book of Mormon: "I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made." Great... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Crossing of the Red Sea?
The imagery of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea must have been particularly vivid for Nephi and his brothers as they traveled to their promised land. Shortly after leaving Jerusalem, their family set up camp "by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea." Thereafter, they traveled "in the wilderness in the borders which are... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Lehi's sons risk their lives in order to obtain a set of brass plates which contains, among other things, the five books of Moses. A central character in those books is the prophet Abraham. Even though he had lived nearly 2,000 years earlier, his influence is felt... Continue Reading →
How Can I Avoid Overzealousness?
zeal - Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective (Oxford English Dictionary) When the Nephites welcomed a large number of Lamanite refugees into their land, they not only had to give them a place to live; they also had to provide protection for them. That's because these Lamanites had taken... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Serve God “with All Diligence of Mind?”
The people of King Limhi had every reason to feel hopeless. Their enemies, the Lamanites, had conquered their city. They were required to pay half of all they possessed as tribute to the Lamanite king (Mosiah 19:26). Three times, they had attacked the Lamanite armies, hoping to regain their freedom. Three times, they had been... Continue Reading →