Zeniff made a significant miscalculation: He unwisely trusted the king of the Lamanites and placed his people in danger as a result. Having seen "that which was good among [the Lamanites]" (Mosiah 9:1), he failed to recognize and manage the risks of living in their land, vastly outnumbered by them. Then, one day, everything changed.... Continue Reading →
How Does the Lord Strengthen Us?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi affirms that God will take care of the people who strive to obey Him. Nephi listed three ways that God does this: "He doth nourish them" - helps them maintain their physical and spiritual health "and strengthen them" - empowers them to do things they couldn't... 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 Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates?
Like a play within a play, the Book of Mormon, an ancient record translated by the power of God, contains a story of another ancient record which was translated by the power of God. The first mention of this record appears in the Book of Omni, near the end of the Small Plates of Nephi.... Continue Reading →
How Should We Respond When Others Threaten or Attack Us?
As I wrote yesterday, we need to forgive others in order to be forgiven by God. That's because an unforgiving heart is unable to receive God's healing power. But what should we do when we, or the people we are responsible for, are in danger? How can we protect and defend ourselves and them without... Continue Reading →
When I Saw That Which Was Good Among Them – Mosiah 9:1-3
1 I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of the land of our fathers’ first inheritance, and having been sent as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon... Continue Reading →
We Were Slow to Remember – Mosiah 9:3
3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to... Continue Reading →
Over-zealous – Mosiah 9:3
3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to... Continue Reading →
We Were Awakened to a Remembrance – Mosiah 9:17
17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers. (Mosiah 9:17) Earlier... Continue Reading →
