#BOMTC Mosiah 22-25: Divine Daily Deliverance

“And now it came to pass that [their] burdens … were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” —Mosiah 24:15

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21) and were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (see Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). In contrast, Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (see Mosiah 24:17–25). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways. (See also Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for daily divine deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.

Trust in the Lord

It is so hard when sincere prayer about something we desire very much is not answered the way we want. It is especially difficult when the Lord answers no to that which is worthy and would give us great joy and happiness. Whether it be overcoming illness or loneliness, recovery of a wayward child, coping with a handicap, or seeking continuing life for a dear one who is slipping away, it seems so reasonable and so consistent with our happiness to have a favorable answer. It is hard to understand why our exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not bring the desired result.

No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different.

If you are suffering the disheartening effects of transgression, please recognize that the only path to permanent relief from sadness is sincere repentance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Realize your full dependence upon the Lord and your need to align your life with His teachings. There is really no other way to get lasting healing and peace. Postponing humble repentance will delay or prevent your receiving relief. Admit to yourself your mistakes and seek help now. Your bishop is a friend with keys of authority to help you find peace of mind and contentment. The way will be opened for you to have strength to repent and be forgiven.

Now may I share some suggestions with you who face the second source of adversity, the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments.

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.

When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.

This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5–7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.

To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love.

As in all things, the Master is our perfect example. Who could have asked with more perfect faith, greater obedience, or more complete understanding than did He when He asked His Father in Gethsemane: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39). Later He pled twice again: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42; see also Matt. 26:44).

How grateful I am personally that our Savior taught we should conclude our most urgent, deeply felt prayers, when we ask for that which is of utmost importance to us, with “Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42). Your willingness to accept the will of the Father will not change what in His wisdom He has chosen to do. However, it will certainly change the effect of those decisions on you personally. That evidence of the proper exercise of agency allows His decisions to produce far greater blessings in your life. I have found that because of our Father’s desire for us to grow, He may give us gentle, almost imperceptible promptings that, if we are willing to accept without complaint, He will enlarge to become a very clear indication of His will. This enlightenment comes because of our faith and our willingness to do what He asks even though we would desire something else.

Our Father in Heaven has invited you to express your needs, hopes, and desires unto Him. That should not be done in a spirit of negotiation, but rather as a willingness to obey His will no matter what direction that takes. His invitation, “Ask, and ye shall receive” (3 Ne. 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you.

I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith. He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way. They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father. They point the way to greater happiness, more understanding, and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will.

It is a singularly marvelous blessing to have faith in the Savior and a testimony of His teachings. So few in the world have that brilliant light to guide them. The fulness of the restored gospel gives perspective, purpose, and understanding. It allows us to face what otherwise appear to be unjust, unfair, unreasonable challenges in life. Learn those helpful truths by pondering the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Try to understand those teachings not only with your mind but also with your heart.

True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled.

Recently a great leader, suffering from physical handicaps that come with advancing age, said, “I am glad I have what I have.” It is wisdom to open the windows of happiness by recognizing your abundant blessings.

Don’t let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life. Try to understand what you can. Act where you are able; then let the matter rest with the Lord for a period while you give to others in worthy ways before you take on appropriate concern again.

Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing. Yes, pain, disappointment, frustration, and anguish can be temporary scenes played out on the stage of life. Behind them there can be a background of peace and the positive assurance that a loving Father will keep His promises. You can qualify for those promises by a determination to accept His will, by understanding the plan of happiness, by receiving all of the ordinances, and by keeping the covenants made to assure their fulfillment.

The Lord’s plan is to exalt you to live with Him and be greatly blessed. The rate at which you qualify is generally set by your capacity to mature, to grow, to love, and to give of yourself. He is preparing you to be a god. You cannot understand fully what that means, yet, He knows. As you trust Him, seek and follow His will, you will receive blessings that your finite mind cannot understand here on earth. Your Father in Heaven and His Holy Son know better than you what brings happiness. They have given you the plan of happiness. As you understand and follow it, happiness will be your blessing. As you willingly obey, receive, and honor the ordinances and covenants of that holy plan, you can have the greatest measure of satisfaction in this life. Yes, even times of overpowering happiness. You will prepare yourself for an eternity of glorious life with your loved ones who qualify for that kingdom.

I know the principles that we have discussed are true. They have been tested in the crucible of personal experience. To recognize the hand of the Lord in your life and to accept His will without complaint is a beginning. That decision does not immediately eliminate the struggles that will come for your growth. But I witness that it is the best way there is for you to find strength and understanding. It will free you from the dead ends of your own reasoning. It will allow your life to become a productive, meaningful experience, when otherwise you may not know how to go on (see D&C 24:8).

I testify that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. I witness that the Savior gave His life for your happiness. I know Him. He understands your every need. I positively know that as you accept Their will without complaint, They will bless and sustain you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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#BOMTC Mosiah 8-10: Fact or Fiction

After the servant leadership and stirring words of King Benjamin, his son, Mosiah, begins his reign. One of the first things that King Mosiah does is to  send a search party after a group of Nephites who had left many years earlier and were never heard from again. They had desired to inherit the land of Nephi, the land of their father’s inheritance. When they are located, we learn that they have their own records that they kept since their departure and that they have also found 24 ancient plates with writing in a language that they don’t understand.

What stood out to me in these chapters, is that this whole experience occurred because two individuals choose to believe stories that are not correct.  This led to many lives being lost over the course of three generations.

A simple model illustrates how we make this same mistake on a regular basis, and it helps us to discover what to do to avoid such mistakes.  It is best to write this model down before I explain it. Here it is:

Observe –> Story –> Emotions –> Actions.

Now I will try to briefly explain the model so that you can recognize how it works in your life.

1. As we observe something through our senses, we take in filtered information and begin to process it.
2. As we organize and process what we observe we begin to tell ourselves a story to make sense of what we observed. If we are not careful in our observations, we cause ourselves to create a story based on limited or false information.
3. The stories we tell ourselves elicit emotions.
4. Our emotions can cause us to take certain actions. This is one reason why when one watches a movie it can cause terror or tears even though they know it is “just a movie” and the people are “just acting”. One can tell themselves over and over that its “just a movie” and still act/respond in a way that they don’t want/expect.

This process is a constant in our lives, and can both help us and hurt us.  We must have the facts/truth for this model to help us. Without the truth we tell ourselves the wrong story, which creates the wrong emotions, which lead to the wrong actions, and eventually the wrong ending. So we have to be VERY careful about the stories we tell ourselves. And since this all originates with the observations we make, we must be EVEN MORE CAREFUL to evaluate the validity of our observations to determine the truth (D&C 93:24). We must be “quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2), and careful to make “righteous judgment” (John 7:24). This is just one of many reasons that we need the Gift of the Holy Ghost to help us discern between truth and error each day (Jacob 4:13; Moroni 10:5; see also Judgment). We need to slow down our “story” making process and evaluate our “observations” to make sure that they are correct and based in truth, otherwise we may become “overzealous” (Mosiah 7:21; 9:3) and make decisions that lead to tragedy.

Reflect on your life and how this process works. Can you remember a time when you were hurt because of limited or false observations?  Can you remember a time when you averted the wrong actions because  you took time to get all the information and make the correct observation of the situation or person?

When you understand this process you may understand these pages in the book of Mosiah with more clarity and discover a very important principle to help you avoid similar mistakes–even mistakes that could affect several generations. I will give you some verses that describe how Zeniff and King Laman were both hurt by this process. I will also share some verses that show how Zeniff averted making another bad mistake simply by taking enough time to make the proper observation.

Here are the verses that illustrate what limited/false observations can do: Mosiah 9:1-10; 10:12-18. It is well worth the time to study these verses with this model in mind. We constantly make bad choices for the same reasons.

Mosiah 7:6-14 is a great illustration of the importance of taking enough time and caution to make sure that your observations are based on TRUTH.  The Truth will cause you to create the correct story, which can lead to the appropriate emotions, which can then help you to choose the right  (CTR) actions/response. Right observations lead to creating right stories. Wrong observations lead to creating wrong stories. Choosing the right story leads to choosing the right actions, and choosing the right actions leads to the right ending!

To help you create the correct “story” of the next few readings (Mosiah 7-24), I will include some illustrations provided by the Church Educational System for you to “observe”.

Sometime after King Mosiah I (the father of King Benjamin) arrived in Zarahemla, a group of people wanted to go back to the land of Nephi. The first group that went failed because of contention (see Omni 1:27–28). A second group, led by Zeniff, succeeded in establishing a settlement in the land of Lehi-Nephi (see Omni 1:29–30; Mosiah 7:9, 21). About 50 years later, King Mosiah II sent a group under the leadership of Ammon to find out what happened to Zeniff’s people (see Mosiah 7:1–6).

It is helpful to remember that Mosiah 1–8 is Mormon’s abridgment of the record of Mosiah and contains the story of the Nephites in Zarahemla until the reign of Mosiah II. Mosiah 9–22 is taken from the record of Zeniff and tells the story of the Nephites who left Zarahemla at the time of Mosiah I and followed Zeniff back to the land of Lehi-Nephi.

In Mosiah 7–9 we read that Mosiah II sent an expedition, led by Ammon, to find out what happened to Zeniff’s colony, which had left Zarahemla over 50 years earlier. Ammon found Zeniff’s grandson, King Limhi, and his people in bondage to the Lamanites. In Mosiah 21, we read about the coming of Ammon and his men from Limhi’s point of view.

1. After Lehi’s death, the Lord commanded the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. The Nephites settled in a land that they called the land of Nephi (2 Nephi 5:5–8). The land was later also known as “the land of Lehi-Nephi” (Mosiah 7:1).
2. About 400 years later the Nephites were led by a king named Mosiah. The Lord commanded Mosiah to flee from the land of Nephi with “as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord.” Mosiah and his people discovered a group of people called the people of Zarahemla. The two groups of people united and called themselves Nephites. Mosiah was appointed to be their king (Omni 1:12–19).
3. A group of Nephites left the land of Zarahemla to regain part of the land of Nephi (Omni 1:27). They obtained land there under the leadership of a man named Zeniff, who became their king (Mosiah 9:1–7).
4. About 79 years later King Mosiah II, the grandson of the first King Mosiah, “was desirous to know concerning the people who went to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi.” He permitted a man named Ammon to lead an expedition for this purpose (note that this Ammon was not the son of Mosiah who later preached the gospel among the Lamanites). Ammon and his brethren found King Limhi and his people. Limhi was Zeniff’s grandson (Mosiah 7:1–11).

A less technical, but just as informational map can be found here: Mosiah map (from The Red Headed Hostess).

Want to know more? Check out these great links!

• KnoWhy: Mosiah 8:15, Why Is a Seer Greater Than a Prophet?
• KnoWhy: Mosiah 9:9, Why Can Barley in the Book of Mormon Feed Faith?

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

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#BOMTC Mosiah 22-25: Divine Daily Deliverance

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21) and were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways.

By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (see Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (see Mosiah 24:17–25). (See also Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for daily divine deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.

Trust in the Lord

Richard G. Scott

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

It is so hard when sincere prayer about something we desire very much is not answered the way we want. It is especially difficult when the Lord answers no to that which is worthy and would give us great joy and happiness. Whether it be overcoming illness or loneliness, recovery of a wayward child, coping with a handicap, or seeking continuing life for a dear one who is slipping away, it seems so reasonable and so consistent with our happiness to have a favorable answer. It is hard to understand why our exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not bring the desired result.

No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different.

If you are suffering the disheartening effects of transgression, please recognize that the only path to permanent relief from sadness is sincere repentance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Realize your full dependence upon the Lord and your need to align your life with His teachings. There is really no other way to get lasting healing and peace. Postponing humble repentance will delay or prevent your receiving relief. Admit to yourself your mistakes and seek help now. Your bishop is a friend with keys of authority to help you find peace of mind and contentment. The way will be opened for you to have strength to repent and be forgiven.

Now may I share some suggestions with you who face the second source of adversity, the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments.

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.

When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.

This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5–7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.

To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love.

As in all things, the Master is our perfect example. Who could have asked with more perfect faith, greater obedience, or more complete understanding than did He when He asked His Father in Gethsemane: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39). Later He pled twice again: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42; see also Matt. 26:44).

How grateful I am personally that our Savior taught we should conclude our most urgent, deeply felt prayers, when we ask for that which is of utmost importance to us, with “Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42). Your willingness to accept the will of the Father will not change what in His wisdom He has chosen to do. However, it will certainly change the effect of those decisions on you personally. That evidence of the proper exercise of agency allows His decisions to produce far greater blessings in your life. I have found that because of our Father’s desire for us to grow, He may give us gentle, almost imperceptible promptings that, if we are willing to accept without complaint, He will enlarge to become a very clear indication of His will. This enlightenment comes because of our faith and our willingness to do what He asks even though we would desire something else.

Our Father in Heaven has invited you to express your needs, hopes, and desires unto Him. That should not be done in a spirit of negotiation, but rather as a willingness to obey His will no matter what direction that takes. His invitation, “Ask, and ye shall receive” (3 Ne. 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you.

I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith. He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way. They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father. They point the way to greater happiness, more understanding, and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will.

It is a singularly marvelous blessing to have faith in the Savior and a testimony of His teachings. So few in the world have that brilliant light to guide them. The fulness of the restored gospel gives perspective, purpose, and understanding. It allows us to face what otherwise appear to be unjust, unfair, unreasonable challenges in life. Learn those helpful truths by pondering the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Try to understand those teachings not only with your mind but also with your heart.

True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled.

Recently a great leader, suffering from physical handicaps that come with advancing age, said, “I am glad I have what I have.” It is wisdom to open the windows of happiness by recognizing your abundant blessings.

Don’t let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life. Try to understand what you can. Act where you are able; then let the matter rest with the Lord for a period while you give to others in worthy ways before you take on appropriate concern again.

Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing. Yes, pain, disappointment, frustration, and anguish can be temporary scenes played out on the stage of life. Behind them there can be a background of peace and the positive assurance that a loving Father will keep His promises. You can qualify for those promises by a determination to accept His will, by understanding the plan of happiness, by receiving all of the ordinances, and by keeping the covenants made to assure their fulfillment.

The Lord’s plan is to exalt you to live with Him and be greatly blessed. The rate at which you qualify is generally set by your capacity to mature, to grow, to love, and to give of yourself. He is preparing you to be a god. You cannot understand fully what that means, yet, He knows. As you trust Him, seek and follow His will, you will receive blessings that your finite mind cannot understand here on earth. Your Father in Heaven and His Holy Son know better than you what brings happiness. They have given you the plan of happiness. As you understand and follow it, happiness will be your blessing. As you willingly obey, receive, and honor the ordinances and covenants of that holy plan, you can have the greatest measure of satisfaction in this life. Yes, even times of overpowering happiness. You will prepare yourself for an eternity of glorious life with your loved ones who qualify for that kingdom.

I know the principles that we have discussed are true. They have been tested in the crucible of personal experience. To recognize the hand of the Lord in your life and to accept His will without complaint is a beginning. That decision does not immediately eliminate the struggles that will come for your growth. But I witness that it is the best way there is for you to find strength and understanding. It will free you from the dead ends of your own reasoning. It will allow your life to become a productive, meaningful experience, when otherwise you may not know how to go on (see D&C 24:8).

I testify that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. I witness that the Savior gave His life for your happiness. I know Him. He understands your every need. I positively know that as you accept Their will without complaint, They will bless and sustain you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

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#BOMTC Mosiah 8-10: Fact or Fiction

After the servant leadership and stirring words of King Benjamin, his son, Mosiah, begins his reign. One of the first things that King Mosiah does is to  send a search party after a group of Nephites who had left many years earlier and were never heard from again. They had desired to inherit the land of Nephi, the land of their father’s inheritance. When they are located, we learn that they have their own records that they kept since their departure and that they have also found 24 ancient plates with writing in a language that they don’t understand.

What stood out to me in these chapters, is that this whole experience occurred because two individuals choose to believe stories that are not correct.  This led to many lives being lost over the course of three generations.

A simple model illustrates how we make this same mistake on a regular basis, and it helps us to discover what to do to avoid such mistakes.  It is best to write this model down before I explain it. Here it is:

Observe –> Story –> Emotions –> Actions.

Now I will try to briefly explain the model so that you can recognize how it works in your life. As we observe something through our senses, we take in filtered information and begin to process it. As we organize and process what we observe we begin to tell ourselves a story to make sense of what we observed. If we are not careful in our observations, we cause ourselves to create a story based on limited or false information.  The stories we tell ourselves create emotions. Our emotions can cause us to take certain actions. This is one reason why when one watches a movie it can cause terror or tears even though they know it is “just a movie” and the people are “just acting”. One can tell themselves over and over that its “just a movie” and still act/respond in a way that they don’t want/expect.

This process is a constant in our lives, and can both help us and hurt us.  We must have the facts/truth for this model to help us. Without the truth we tell ourselves the wrong story, which creates the wrong emotions, which lead to the wrong actions, and eventually the wrong ending. So we have to be VERY careful about the stories we tell ourselves. And since this all originates with the observations we make, we must be EVEN MORE CAREFUL to evaluate the validity of our observations to determine the truth (D&C 93:24). We must be “quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2), and careful to make “righteous judgment” (John 7:24). This is just one of many reasons that we need the Gift of the Holy Ghost to help us discern between truth and error each day (Jacob 4:13; Moroni 10:5; see also Judgment). We need to slow down our “story” making process and evaluate our “observations” to make sure that they are correct and based in truth, otherwise we may become “overzealous” (Mosiah 7:21; 9:3) and make decisions that lead to tragedy.

Reflect on your life and how this process works. Can you remember a time when you were hurt because of limited or false observations?  Can you remember a time when you averted the wrong actions because  you took time to get all the information and make the correct observation of the situation or person?

When you understand this process you may understand these pages in the book of Mosiah with more clarity and discover a very important principle to help you avoid similar mistakes–even mistakes that could affect several generations. I will give you some verses that describe how Zeniff and King Laman were both hurt by this process. I will also share some verses that show how Zeniff averted making another bad mistake simply by taking enough time to make the proper observation.

Here are the verses that illustrate what limited/false observations can do: Mosiah 9:1-10; 10:12-18. It is well worth the time to study these verses with this model in mind. We constantly make bad choices for the same reasons.

Mosiah 7:6-14 is a great illustration of the importance of taking enough time and caution to make sure that your observations are based on TRUTH.  The Truth will cause you to create the correct story, which can lead to the appropriate emotions, which can then help you to choose the right  (CTR) actions/response. Right observations lead to creating right stories. Wrong observations lead to creating wrong stories. Choosing the right story leads to choosing the right actions, and choosing the right actions leads to the right ending!

To help you create the correct “story” of the next few readings (Mosiah 7-24), I will include some illustrations provided by the Church Educational System for you to “observe”.

Sometime after King Mosiah I (the father of King Benjamin) arrived in Zarahemla, a group of people wanted to go back to the land of Nephi. The first group that went failed because of contention (see Omni 1:27–28). A second group, led by Zeniff, succeeded in establishing a settlement in the land of Lehi-Nephi (see Omni 1:29–30; Mosiah 7:9, 21). About 50 years later, King Mosiah II sent a group under the leadership of Ammon to find out what happened to Zeniff’s people (see Mosiah 7:1–6).

It is helpful to remember that Mosiah 1–8 is Mormon’s abridgment of the record of Mosiah and contains the story of the Nephites in Zarahemla until the reign of Mosiah II. Mosiah 9–22 is taken from the record of Zeniff and tells the story of the Nephites who left Zarahemla at the time of Mosiah I and followed Zeniff back to the land of Lehi-Nephi.

In Mosiah 7–9 we read that Mosiah II sent an expedition, led by Ammon, to find out what happened to Zeniff’s colony, which had left Zarahemla over 50 years earlier. Ammon found Zeniff’s grandson, King Limhi, and his people in bondage to the Lamanites. In Mosiah 21, we read about the coming of Ammon and his men from Limhi’s point of view.

1. After Lehi’s death, the Lord commanded the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. The Nephites settled in a land that they called the land of Nephi (2 Nephi 5:5–8). The land was later also known as “the land of Lehi-Nephi” (Mosiah 7:1).
2. About 400 years later the Nephites were led by a king named Mosiah. The Lord commanded Mosiah to flee from the land of Nephi with “as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord.” Mosiah and his people discovered a group of people called the people of Zarahemla. The two groups of people united and called themselves Nephites. Mosiah was appointed to be their king (Omni 1:12–19).
3. A group of Nephites left the land of Zarahemla to regain part of the land of Nephi (Omni 1:27). They obtained land there under the leadership of a man named Zeniff, who became their king (Mosiah 9:1–7).
4. About 79 years later King Mosiah II, the grandson of the first King Mosiah, “was desirous to know concerning the people who went to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi.” He permitted a man named Ammon to lead an expedition for this purpose (note that this Ammon was not the son of Mosiah who later preached the gospel among the Lamanites). Ammon and his brethren found King Limhi and his people. Limhi was Zeniff’s grandson (Mosiah 7:1–11).

A less technical, but just as informational map can be found here: Mosiah map (from The Red Headed Hostess).

Want to know more? Check out these great links!

• KnoWhy: Mosiah 8:15, Why Is a Seer Greater Than a Prophet?
• KnoWhy: Mosiah 9:9, Why Can Barley in the Book of Mormon Feed Faith?

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

REPLY at the bottom of each post at: bookofmormontranslationchallenge.wordpress.com
LIKE our Facebook page and post at: facebook.com/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
JOIN our Facebook group and share at: facebook.com/groups/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
TWITTER and INSTAGRAM users can use #bomtc for related posts: twitter.com/brosimonsays | instagram.com/brosimonsays

#BOMTC Day 32, May 8~Mosiah 22-25 or Pages 189-195: Divine Daily Deliverance

Click graphic to read Mosiah 22-25

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21), and they were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways.

By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (see Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (see Mosiah 24:17–25). (See also Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for daily divine deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.

Trust in the Lord

Richard G. Scott

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

It is so hard when sincere prayer about something we desire very much is not answered the way we want. It is especially difficult when the Lord answers no to that which is worthy and would give us great joy and happiness. Whether it be overcoming illness or loneliness, recovery of a wayward child, coping with a handicap, or seeking continuing life for a dear one who is slipping away, it seems so reasonable and so consistent with our happiness to have a favorable answer. It is hard to understand why our exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not bring the desired result.

No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different.

If you are suffering the disheartening effects of transgression, please recognize that the only path to permanent relief from sadness is sincere repentance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Realize your full dependence upon the Lord and your need to align your life with His teachings. There is really no other way to get lasting healing and peace. Postponing humble repentance will delay or prevent your receiving relief. Admit to yourself your mistakes and seek help now. Your bishop is a friend with keys of authority to help you find peace of mind and contentment. The way will be opened for you to have strength to repent and be forgiven.

Now may I share some suggestions with you who face the second source of adversity, the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments.

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.

When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.

This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5–7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.

To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love.

As in all things, the Master is our perfect example. Who could have asked with more perfect faith, greater obedience, or more complete understanding than did He when He asked His Father in Gethsemane: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39). Later He pled twice again: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42; see also Matt. 26:44).

How grateful I am personally that our Savior taught we should conclude our most urgent, deeply felt prayers, when we ask for that which is of utmost importance to us, with “Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42). Your willingness to accept the will of the Father will not change what in His wisdom He has chosen to do. However, it will certainly change the effect of those decisions on you personally. That evidence of the proper exercise of agency allows His decisions to produce far greater blessings in your life. I have found that because of our Father’s desire for us to grow, He may give us gentle, almost imperceptible promptings that, if we are willing to accept without complaint, He will enlarge to become a very clear indication of His will. This enlightenment comes because of our faith and our willingness to do what He asks even though we would desire something else.

Our Father in Heaven has invited you to express your needs, hopes, and desires unto Him. That should not be done in a spirit of negotiation, but rather as a willingness to obey His will no matter what direction that takes. His invitation, “Ask, and ye shall receive” (3 Ne. 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you.

I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith. He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way. They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father. They point the way to greater happiness, more understanding, and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will.

It is a singularly marvelous blessing to have faith in the Savior and a testimony of His teachings. So few in the world have that brilliant light to guide them. The fulness of the restored gospel gives perspective, purpose, and understanding. It allows us to face what otherwise appear to be unjust, unfair, unreasonable challenges in life. Learn those helpful truths by pondering the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Try to understand those teachings not only with your mind but also with your heart.

True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled.

Recently a great leader, suffering from physical handicaps that come with advancing age, said, “I am glad I have what I have.” It is wisdom to open the windows of happiness by recognizing your abundant blessings.

Don’t let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life. Try to understand what you can. Act where you are able; then let the matter rest with the Lord for a period while you give to others in worthy ways before you take on appropriate concern again.

Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing. Yes, pain, disappointment, frustration, and anguish can be temporary scenes played out on the stage of life. Behind them there can be a background of peace and the positive assurance that a loving Father will keep His promises. You can qualify for those promises by a determination to accept His will, by understanding the plan of happiness, by receiving all of the ordinances, and by keeping the covenants made to assure their fulfillment.

The Lord’s plan is to exalt you to live with Him and be greatly blessed. The rate at which you qualify is generally set by your capacity to mature, to grow, to love, and to give of yourself. He is preparing you to be a god. You cannot understand fully what that means, yet, He knows. As you trust Him, seek and follow His will, you will receive blessings that your finite mind cannot understand here on earth. Your Father in Heaven and His Holy Son know better than you what brings happiness. They have given you the plan of happiness. As you understand and follow it, happiness will be your blessing. As you willingly obey, receive, and honor the ordinances and covenants of that holy plan, you can have the greatest measure of satisfaction in this life. Yes, even times of overpowering happiness. You will prepare yourself for an eternity of glorious life with your loved ones who qualify for that kingdom.

I know the principles that we have discussed are true. They have been tested in the crucible of personal experience. To recognize the hand of the Lord in your life and to accept His will without complaint is a beginning. That decision does not immediately eliminate the struggles that will come for your growth. But I witness that it is the best way there is for you to find strength and understanding. It will free you from the dead ends of your own reasoning. It will allow your life to become a productive, meaningful experience, when otherwise you may not know how to go on (see D&C 24:8).

I testify that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. I witness that the Savior gave His life for your happiness. I know Him. He understands your every need. I positively know that as you accept Their will without complaint, They will bless and sustain you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

REPLY at the bottom of each post at: bookofmormontranslationchallenge.wordpress.com
LIKE our Facebook page and post at: facebook.com/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
JOIN our Facebook group and share at: facebook.com/groups/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
TWITTER and INSTAGRAM users can use #bomtc for related posts: twitter.com/brosimonsays | instagram.com/brosimonsays

#BOMTC Day 28, May 4~Mosiah 8-10 or Pages 162-167: Fact or Fiction

Click graphic to read Mosiah 8-10

After the stirring words of King Benjamin, his son, Mosiah, begins his reign. Mosiah sends a search party after a group of Nephites who had left many years earlier and were never heard from again. They had desired to inherit the land of Nephi, the land of their father’s inheritance. When they are located, we learn that they have their own records that they kept since their departure and that they have also found 24 plates written in a language they don’t understand.

What stood out to me, is that this whole experience occurs because two individuals choose to believe stories that are not correct.  This leads to many lives being lost over the course of three generations.

A simple model illustrates how we make this same mistake on a regular basis, and it helps us to discover what to do to avoid such mistakes.  It is best to write this model down before I explain it. Here it is:

Observe –> Story –> Emotions –> Actions.

Now I will try to briefly explain the model so that you can recognize how it works in your life. As we observe something through our senses, we take in filtered information and begin to process it. As we organize and process what we observe we begin to tell ourselves a story to make sense of what we observed. If we are not careful in our observations, we cause ourselves to create a story based on limited or false information.  The stories we tell ourselves create emotions. Our emotions can cause us to take certain actions. This is one reason why when one watches a movie it can cause terror or tears even though they know it is “just a movie” and the people are “just acting”. One can tell themselves over and over that its “just a movie” and still act/respond in a way that they don’t want/expect.

This process is a constant in our lives, and can both help us and hurt us.  We must have the facts/truth for this model to help us. Without the truth we tell ourselves the wrong story, which creates the wrong emotions, which lead to the wrong actions, and eventually the wrong ending. So we have to be VERY careful about the stories we tell ourselves. And since this all originates with the observations we make, we must be EVEN MORE CAREFUL to evaluate the validity of our observations to determine the truth (D&C 93:24). We must be “quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2), and careful to make “righteous judgment” (John 7:24). This is just one of many reasons that we need the Gift of the Holy Ghost to help us discern between truth and error each day (Jacob 4:13; Moroni 10:5; see also Judgment). We need to slow down our “story” making process and evaluate our “observations” to make sure that they are correct and based in truth, otherwise we may become “overzealous” (Mosiah 7:21; 9:3) and make decisions that lead to tragedy.

Reflect on your life and how this process works. Can you remember a time when you were hurt because of limited or false observations?  Can you remember a time when you averted the wrong actions because  you took time to get all the information and make the correct observation of the situation or person?

When you understand this process you may understand these pages in the book of Mosiah with more clarity and discover a very important principle to help you avoid similar mistakes–even mistakes that could affect several generations. I will give you some verses that describe how Zeniff and King Laman were both hurt by this process. I will also share some verses that show how Zeniff averted making another bad mistake simply by taking enough time to make the proper observation.

Here are the verses that illustrate what limited/false observations can do: Mosiah 9:1-10; 10:12-18. It is well worth the time to study these verses with this model in mind. We constantly make bad choices for the same reasons.

Mosiah 7:6-14 is a great illustration of the importance of taking enough time and caution to make sure that your observations are based on TRUTH.  The Truth will cause you to create the correct story, which can lead to the appropriate emotions, which can then help you to choose the right  (CTR) actions/response. Right observations lead to creating right stories. Wrong observations lead to creating wrong stories. Choosing the right story leads to choosing the right actions, and choosing the right actions leads to the right ending!

To help you create the correct “story” of the next few readings (Mosiah 7-24), I will include some illustrations provided by the Church Educational System for you to “observe”.

Sometime after King Mosiah I (the father of King Benjamin) arrived in Zarahemla, a group of people wanted to go back to the land of Nephi. The first group that went failed because of contention (see Omni 1:27–28). A second group, led by Zeniff, succeeded in establishing a settlement in the land of Lehi-Nephi (see Omni 1:29–30; Mosiah 7:9, 21). About 50 years later, King Mosiah II sent a group under the leadership of Ammon to find out what happened to Zeniff’s people (see Mosiah 7:1–6).

It is helpful to remember that Mosiah 1–8 is Mormon’s abridgment of the record of Mosiah and contains the story of the Nephites in Zarahemla until the reign of Mosiah II. Mosiah 9–22 is taken from the record of Zeniff and tells the story of the Nephites who left Zarahemla at the time of Mosiah I and followed Zeniff back to the land of Lehi-Nephi.

In Mosiah 7–9 we read that Mosiah II sent an expedition, led by Ammon, to find out what happened to Zeniff’s colony, which had left Zarahemla over 50 years earlier. Ammon found Zeniff’s grandson, King Limhi, and his people in bondage to the Lamanites. In Mosiah 21, we read about the coming of Ammon and his men from Limhi’s point of view.

1. After Lehi’s death, the Lord commanded the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. The Nephites settled in a land that they called the land of Nephi (2 Nephi 5:5–8). The land was later also known as “the land of Lehi-Nephi” (Mosiah 7:1).
2. About 400 years later the Nephites were led by a king named Mosiah. The Lord commanded Mosiah to flee from the land of Nephi with “as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord.” Mosiah and his people discovered a group of people called the people of Zarahemla. The two groups of people united and called themselves Nephites. Mosiah was appointed to be their king (Omni 1:12–19).
3. A group of Nephites left the land of Zarahemla to regain part of the land of Nephi (Omni 1:27). They obtained land there under the leadership of a man named Zeniff, who became their king (Mosiah 9:1–7).
4. About 79 years later King Mosiah II, the grandson of the first King Mosiah, “was desirous to know concerning the people who went to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi.” He permitted a man named Ammon to lead an expedition for this purpose (note that this Ammon was not the son of Mosiah who later preached the gospel among the Lamanites). Ammon and his brethren found King Limhi and his people. Limhi was Zeniff’s grandson (Mosiah 7:1–11).

A less technical, but just as informational map can be found here: Mosiah map (from The Red Headed Hostess)

Want to know more? Check out these great links!

• KnoWhy: Mosiah 8:15, Why Is a Seer Greater Than a Prophet?
• KnoWhy: Mosiah 9:9, Why CAn Barley in the Book of Mormon Feed Faith?

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

REPLY at the bottom of each post at: bookofmormontranslationchallenge.wordpress.com
LIKE our Facebook page and post at: facebook.com/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
JOIN our Facebook group and share at: facebook.com/groups/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
TWITTER and INSTAGRAM users can use #bomtc for related posts: twitter.com/brosimonsays | instagram.com/brosimonsays

#BOMTC Day 32, May 8~Mosiah 22-25 or Pages 189-195: Divine Daily Deliverance

Click graphic to read Mosiah 22-25

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21), and they were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways.

By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (Mosiah 24:17–25). (See Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for daily divine deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.

Elder Richard G. Scott delivers a message titled “Trust in the Lord.”

Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

REPLY at the bottom of each post at: bookofmormontranslationchallenge.wordpress.com
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#BOMTC Day 32, May 8~Mosiah 22-25 or Pages 189-195: Divine Daily Deliverance

Click graphic to read Mosiah 22-25

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21); they were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways. By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (Mosiah 24:17–25). (See Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for daily divine deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.

 Please leave your thoughts about a special verse, teaching, etc. that you enjoyed at one of the following:

REPLY at the bottom of each post at: bookofmormontranslationchallenge.wordpress.com
LIKE our Facebook page and post at: facebook.com/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
JOIN our Facebook group and share at: facebook.com/groups/BookOfMormonTranslationChallenge
TWITTER and INSTAGRAM users can use #bomtc for related posts: twitter.com/brosimonsays | instagram.com/brosimonsays

#BOMTC Day 32, May 8~Mosiah 22-25 or Pages 189-195: Divine Daily Deliverance

Click graphic to read Mosiah 22-25

Limhi’s people came into Lamanite bondage as a result of their wickedness (see Mosiah 20:21); they were humbled and turned to God as a result of their bondage. Alma’s people were brought into bondage as a trial of their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). Both groups prayed mightily to be released from bondage. While both groups of people were eventually delivered and arrived in Zarahemla, the Lord helped each group in different ways. By studying the trials and deliverance of Limhi’s group, we can see the Lord will answer our prayers in His own way and time as we humble ourselves (Mosiah 22:1–9, 13–14). By studying the trials and deliverance of Alma’s people, we can learn how to rely on the Lord for strength amid our own struggles and challenges (Mosiah 24:17–25). (See Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students, (2012), 131–33)

To be delivered usually means to be set free, helped, or brought through something. Studying these two accounts of divine deliverance can help us increase our faith to call upon the Lord for deliverance from whatever afflictions you are experiencing.

“No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995).

By comparing Limhi’s experience in Mosiah 21:16 with Alma’s experience in Mosiah 24:15 we can identify common ways that the Lord prepares His children for divine deliverance.

LIMHI’S PEOPLE	ALMA’S PEOPLE
They were placed in bondage after much bloodshed (see Mosiah 21:5–13).	They were placed in bondage with no bloodshed (see Mosiah 23:35–38).
The Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their iniquities (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord answered their prayers quickly (see Mosiah 23:10–13).
Their burdens were eased because the Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites (see Mosiah 21:15).	The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease (see Mosiah 24:14–15).
Gideon conceived a plan of escape (see Mosiah 21:36;22:1–9).	The Lord told them, “Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16).
They got the guards drunk (see Mosiah 22:10).	The Lord caused the guards to sleep (see Mosiah 24:19).

Instead of taking the time to read my thoughts on all of this, I feel it will be much more useful for you to use your time reviewing, “Trust in the Lord”, by Elder Scott.