Mosiah 22

The people of Limhi come together to decide how best to deliver themselves from bondage. They realize they only plan available is to flee in the night because the Lamenties are too strong to contend with. I love that the men who remained no longer wanted to flee without their women and children. It probably would have been much easier for just the warriors to escape. But they had learned that life wasn’t worth living without doing your duty and without those you love. All their trials had taught them what really mattered. I guess it’s always that way.

In verse 4 Gideon is an interesting example of humble and confident. He says he will be the kings servant and deliver the people out of bondage. He knows what to do, he knows he can do it, but it’s not for his own glory. It’s hard for me to be confident without also being prideful. What I get from this is that the key is to be working for God is the things you do, in His work and His glory. Then it’s okay to want to be a powerful tool in His hands.

Mosiah 21

When the Lamenites get angry with King Limhi’s people again, and just start harassing them, but not killing them, it sounds a lot like racism in modern times. How do we get so deceived as to think it’s okay to treat anyone as less important human beings than we are?

Verse 10 shows the power of women, and how they have to use it carefully and righteously. The men wouldn’t have gone to fight again if those mourning women hadn’t wanted them to. I bet they repented of that!

After all their affliction they finally completely humbled themselves before God, and turned to Him. It reminds me of a C.S. Lewis quote I read this morning:

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”

I’ve found that to be true for me. When things are the hardest, it’s when I remember best to draw close to Him. It’s when my prayers are more sincere, and when I am most ready to submit to His will. I think when we are doing things are own way, instead of relying on what He wants, sometimes it kind of works out, but it could be better if we trusted Him. Sometimes, it’s only when everything my way falls apart that I am humble enough to let Him take the lead. My prayer is to be more humble and follow Him all the time and not be satisfied by the “good enough” that is my plan, but get to the “best” that is His.

In verse 17 King Limhi assigns all the men to take care of widows and children so they wouldn’t starve because so many men had died. In modern time the women would be expected to provide for their own families. Is this because they want to, because God wants us to, or because we don’t value women’s work at home as much? Feminism in God’s plan is still such an complicated and unclear question in my brain.

I wonder if it was sad for Ammon when he felt unworthy to baptize all those people. It’s sometimes so hard when we experience the consequences of choices we’ve made that we had no idea would come. I guess that’s why it’s so important to always be ready to do the Lord’s work. Which make me feel I really need to get the stake president interview for my temple recommend.

Mosiah 20

What happened to the wives and daughters the priests of King Noah didn’t return to? They were ashamed, but I guess that isn’t the same as Godly sorrow. What is the difference between sorrow and shame? The dictionary says shame is a feeling of humiliation cause by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. I guess the difference is that sorrow comes from humility, where shame just hurts your pride. Their shame kept them away from people instead of sorrow that would have led them to try and make it right. I guess it comes down to worrying more about what God thinks than what people think.

Mosiah 2

I love that when the people came up to the temple it was with such a grateful outlook. I can
imagine my family being annoyed at having to go, unfortunately. I know that keeps us from
greater blessings and better experiences, but I'm not sure how to change it.

I see a lot of similarities between this experience and General Conference. The whole
Church was gathered together to be taught and learn of and sustain new leadership in their
kingdom (which at this point was mostly the same as the church). I am also struck by how
King Benjamin tells them they are not there to trifle with his words, but open their ears
and hearts that they may understand and know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. We
can't learn anything from God during Conference if we don't listen (open our ears). It's too
easy to not pay attention, or not attend at all, or get distracted, or fall asleep. But that is
not opening my ears, and it is trifling with the words of the prophets. Opening our heart is
listening with the Spirit, letting Him instruct us on what is meant for us, and the mysteries
of God. We always talk about how this was such a special time and amazing sermon for

these people, but we have that same opportunity twice a year, and I'm afraid I trifle with it.
I am amazed by King Benajamin's humility. Even when he was telling them he had served
them with all of his might, mind, and strength, it wasn't HIS that he said, it was all that
the Lord had given him. That is really the truth, but so easy to forget! I guess that's how
you can be a powerful king and still be righteous! I wonder how he has not kept them in
dungeons, though? What did they do when crimes were committed? How did they keep their
people safe? Was it still a small enough nation that you could work with sinners individually
and help them repent, rather than incarcerate them. Could we do that now?

When King Benjamin talks about how we are unprofitable servants no matter what we do,
it's one of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon. I know that God really does love us SO
much! I am so grateful for all of his tender mercies, and wish to be a better servant of Him
who has so greatly blessed me joy and peace and prosperity, and breath and life, and love,
and, and ....

Mosiah 19

When Gideon fought King Noah, where were King Noah's guards? When the rescue party from
Zarahemla came the king was surrounded by guards, did this come later? But even so, by modern
standards it's amazing that the king was left to sword fight a rebel himself.

Always before, when the Lamenite's came the people had gone to fight them with faith in the strength
of the Lord. It's interesting to see how sin takes away courage as the king commanded the people to flee
and they did. Did they feel the guilt of their choices and know they couldn't rely on the Lord for help? Or
was it just because they didn't have the Spirit offering that comfort.

It's also interesting that when they fled, instead of standing with courage with the Lord, that is the time
the Lamenites overtook them and started to slay them.

This society had to have fallen so far that men were willing to leave their wives and children to the
Lamenites and flee. Protecting those that are weaker or that we love is the most basic good instinct
even the worst people seem to have.

When the men that had ditched their wives and children went back to die getting revenge, I'm sure the
guilt made these men want to die. It's funny how we think revenge is the same thing as repentance. Or
that it matters at all.

I always thought it was interesting that Mormon says ended the ceremony in verse 24. In the Native
American cultures when the two groups met there would have been a ceremony to share information.
When he says that here, it's what I imagine and can see it being a precursor to those more modern
ceremonies. It's such a tiny detail, and I'm sure Mormon didn't think anything of writing it that way, but
it seems important to me.

Mosiah 18

In verse 5 Alma hides by the pure water in the wilderness. When thing get rough, you retreat to
pure water for safety. Without water there is no safety and with it you can hide and live. Interesting
comparison to Christ as the living water.

It was a sacrifice of the rest of their life for those people to gather to this far out, dangerous, hidden
location to hear the Word if God. That's a lot of faith, and a willingness I sometimes lack. I Want to want
it that badly.

I wonder if Alma's position of power helped people convert and want to hear. The Lord really did take
His bad decisions and, through his repentance, consecrated them to his good.

Alma sums up serving God and keeping His commandments basically as just loving others and always
standing as a witness. It us so basic and so complicated at the same time. But once you have felt the
Spirit you know it is a great blessing of the covenant to always feel it.

Verse 11 is how I pray my kids will feel about being baptized, filled with a love if God and a burning
desire to be His people and serve Him. I hope its not just ambivalent like it was for me.

After all the people were baptized they organized Christ’s church. These people were Nephites, had they
not had the Church before? Or had it just gotten so corrupted they had to start over.

The law of consecration is such a beautiful concept, and such a spiritual achievement for people. To all
lift each other up, by choice and desire, and no one free-load, and no one care whether or not someone
was.

It is interesting to note that by sending the king after them the Lord really protected His people from the
wars and danger to befall the rest if the people there.