Mosiah 27 – The Powerful Work of God

The story of Alma the Younger has always been a source of inspiration and comfort to me. It also reinforces something I've been feeling throughout these last few chapters: the Lord is in the business of gathering His children on both sides of the veil.

Can you imagine living in a society where there was no persecution, no pride, no haughtiness, where neighbors truly treated one another as equals, and leaders worked for their own support? What a remarkable place that would be. We strive for those ideals today, but our own weaknesses often get in the way.

For a time, Alma's people experienced much of that peace. "The Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became a large and wealthy people." Yet even among such a blessed people, there were sons and daughters who chose not to believe.

Isn't that still true today?

As parents and grandparents, it's hard not to wish an angel would appear to our wandering loved ones as one did to Alma and the sons of Mosiah. Wouldn't that make things easier?

I hesitate to make this story about me, but Mosiah 27 reminds me of one of the defining moments of my own life.

Before my conversion, I found myself in a situation that I knew would lead to my ruin. I was terrified and had no idea what to do. For the first time in eight years, I truly prayed. My prayer was simple:

"Heavenly Father, I can't keep going on. Please answer my parents' prayers for me. I'll do whatever You need me to do. If You need to wreck my car or even hurt me, I'm okay with that. I'm ready to change."

When I stood up and walked into the bathroom to change my clothes, the phone rang.

That phone call changed the course of my life.

I climbed back into bed and slept peacefully through the night. From that moment forward, I was different. I had been taught the truth in my youth, and I knew exactly where to go. I never looked back.

I didn't see an angel, and the earth didn't shake. But I have never doubted that I was rescued by a power beyond this world. Faithful parents and other earthly angels had prepared the way, and the Spirit called me back to the covenant path. Like Alma, I felt I had been born again. I knew I had been "snatched from an everlasting burning."

Verse 31 is a sober reminder that it is far better to experience that mighty change of heart during mortality than to wait until we stand before God.

How do we recognize true repentance? Verse 32 gives a beautiful answer. Those who have truly changed spend the rest of their lives bearing witness of Jesus Christ and helping others come unto Him. They become instruments in His hands.

That is exactly what Alma and the sons of Mosiah did. They dedicated the remainder of their lives to bringing souls to their Redeemer, and the Lord richly blessed them.

You can probably see why this chapter has always been so dear to me. In many ways, it tells my story too. And like Alma, I can only testify that the Lord has blessed me far beyond what I deserve.

 

Mosiah 26 - No Quota; Divine Providence

Mosiah 26:19 has certainly been my experience in prayer. Heavenly Father wants to communicate with us. He wants us to ask, to listen, and to seek Him diligently. The more earnestly I have tried to hear Him, the more I have recognized His answers.

Verse 22 stopped me in my tracks. "As often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me." Have we any idea of the power in that statement?

I testify that it is true. I was a mess before I turned my life over to my Savior. Looking back, I wonder if I emphasized that gift enough while raising my children. Never has the beauty of repentance been clearer to me than this year as I have served as a temple ordinance worker. Week after week I witness the Lord's work of redemption, and it fills me with hope.

Then I read the phrase, "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." I admit those words concern me. What does "everlasting" really mean? The footnotes didn't bring the reassurance I was looking for.

Then I remembered something I had read just this morning from Elder Orson F. Whitney:

"Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return."

He goes on to say there may be consequences, but they will return. Then comes his counsel to parents:

"Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God."

That phrase—"the tentacles of Divine Providence"—means something to me. It describes exactly how I felt as I found my way back to the Savior. I couldn't always see His hand, but I could feel Him reaching after me, gently and persistently drawing me home.

Do you know what those words mean to a parent with wandering children? They mean I can finally sleep at night instead of pacing the floor, wondering where they are or what they're doing. Before I truly embraced this doctrine, I carried a burden I was never meant to carry alone.

So what about "everlasting"? God's judgments are everlasting because He is everlasting. But this chapter also gives us an equally everlasting truth: "As often as my people repent will I forgive them." There is no quota. There is no point at which the Lord says, "You've used your last chance." As long as there is sincere repentance, there is forgiveness.

That promise comes with a responsibility. Once we have been forgiven, we are commanded to freely forgive others.

Repentance is beautiful. It is worth every effort it takes to reach that point because it leads us back to the Savior.

The final verse reminded me of a beautiful sacrament meeting yesterday. We need to gather our families, teach them, and lovingly admonish them. More than anything, they need to know how deeply they are loved—not only by us, but by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, who paid an infinite price for their souls.

Mosiah 25 – The Same God, Different Stories

As I began reading Mosiah 25, I realized I needed a refresher on Mulek. That led me to something I had forgotten. This chapter is one great gathering.

The Mulekites had been preserved from Jerusalem. The Nephites had been led away from Jerusalem and later from the land of Nephi. Limhi's people escaped Lamanite bondage through careful planning. Alma's people were delivered by miraculous intervention as the Lord literally lightened their burdens. Different journeys. The same God.

When everyone gathered and heard each other's stories, they marveled. Their response wasn't simply amazement—it was gratitude. They praised God.

That made me think about Fast and Testimony Meeting. As we hear one another's experiences, our own faith grows. We remember that the same God who delivered them delivered me and is still delivering His people today.

It also reminds me to look for the Lord's hand in my own life. Rescue doesn't always come in dramatic ways. Sometimes it's as simple as a neighbor asking for help, giving us the opportunity to be the Lord's hands. The miracle is having eyes to recognize His tender mercies.

I also found myself thinking about loved ones who aren't gathering. There is real heartache in watching children or grandchildren choose another path. Yet the doctrine gives hope. The Atonement is real, and the Lord's promises are sure. We can choose to gather now or later, but His work is to gather His children.

Alma's message to every group was remarkably simple: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance. Those same principles still gather us today.

As I read about Alma baptizing the people of Zarahemla, I wished that blessing for those I love. Then another thought came. Baptism isn't the only covenant that changes us. Every time a covenant member partakes of the sacrament with real intent, the renewing power of Christ is available. I've seen that power at work in my own live and in one of my daughters. It gives me hope for the others.

The chapter closes with these words:

"Whosoever were desirous to take upon them the name of Christ... they did join the churches of God; and they were called the people of God. And the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed." (Mosiah 25:23–24)

That's still how it works.

Faith. Repentance. Covenants. Gathering. And the Lord pours out His Spirit upon His people.

 

Mosiah 24 – Visited in our Afflictions

At this time, the name of the king was Laman. Having the king in charge being  named after Laman would hardly give me warm fuzzies. Even worse, imagine having one of King Noah's wicked priests appointed to teach you. Before long, the same wickedness that destroyed King Noah's people spread until it reached Alma's people.

This time, what caught my attention wasn't just the bondage—it was how gradually it happened.

First came influence. Amulon became their teacher.

Then came authority. Taskmasters were placed over Alma's people.

Then came persecution. I had never noticed this detail before: Amulon caused that his children should persecute the children of Alma. Hatred had become generational.

Finally, the burdens became so heavy the people could scarcely bear them.

What did they do?

They cried mightily unto God.

When Amulon discovered they were praying for deliverance, he commanded that anyone caught praying should be put to death. So they stopped praying aloud, but they did not stop praying. This is instructive: They poured out their hearts silently, and the Lord knew "the thoughts of their hearts."

I love that verse.

Some of my sweetest prayers have been silent ones—in the car, while walking, or during the ordinary moments of the day. The Lord hears those prayers the same.

The Lord didn't remove Alma's burdens immediately. Instead, He strengthened them so their burdens became light, and they "did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

Those are covenant blessings.

Then came His promise: He would deliver them from bondage. Before leading them safely to Zarahemla, He taught them why:

"That ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Mosiah 24:14)

I have lived that verse.

There was a season in my life when I felt trapped, simply putting one foot in front of the other. When my focus turned to the Lord, He didn't remove every difficulty, but He broke the chains that held me. I watched Him work in the details of my life. His hand was visible. It was tangible.

Since then I've learned that covenant blessings don't mean smooth roads. They mean the Lord strengthens us in our burdens, visits us in our afflictions, and delivers us according to His wisdom.

Why?

So we can stand as witnesses of Him.

That is why I keep serving, even when life feels busy or my schedule seems impossible. My children tease me that I create my own stress, and they're probably right. But everything I do is because I love the Savior. He delivered me through His mercy and grace. I saw it. I know it.

Every chance I get, I want to bear witness that He truly does visit His children in their afflictions.

 

Mosiah 23 – Loving Our Neighbor When It's Hard

Alma taught his people "that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them" (Mosiah 23:15).

 

Those words hit me like a rock this morning.

 

Last night ended with an unfortunate conversation. After spending the day trying to help an elderly neighbor when no one else was available, another neighbor questioned our decisions and was convinced she would have handled the situation differently. We had simply done the best we knew how to do under the circumstances.

 

Unfortunately, our neighbor didn't have all the facts and was convinced we had handled it poorly. The conversation remained civil, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. Walking away, I found myself replaying it in my mind, wishing I could start over.

 

Then I opened Mosiah 23.

 

Isn't that how the Lord teaches us? He allows us to live the lesson before we read it.

 

A few verses later came another reminder I needed:

 

"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."

 

I wrote in my scriptures, Just because we're trying to do good doesn't mean only good will come our way.

 

We're here to become like Jesus Christ. Patience, humility, charity, and forgiveness aren't learned in peaceful moments. They're developed when someone misunderstands us, criticizes us, or treats us unfairly.

 

It also occurred to me that helping people who are aging brings its own set of challenges. Good intentions don't always produce grateful responses. Sometimes they produce misunderstandings instead. Perhaps those moments are part of the Lord's curriculum too.

 

As I read the rest of the chapter, I noticed something else. Alma's people had escaped King Noah. They found a beautiful land. They worked hard. They prospered. They built a city.

 

Then came verse 21.

 

Their trials weren't over.

 

The Lord hadn't abandoned them; He was preparing them.

 

I think we sometimes believe that if we're doing the right things, life should become easier. Mosiah 23 teaches otherwise. The Lord can lead us to a good place and still allow experiences that stretch our patience and our faith.

 

The real danger wasn't the Lamanites.

 

It was contention.

 

Satan loves contention because it captures our thoughts and if we let it, our very souls. We replay conversations. We rehearse arguments. We build entire wars in our minds. Before long, we're in emotional bondage even when the disagreement itself has long since ended.

 

Perhaps my takeaway from Mosiah 23 is simply this:

 

Do the best you know how to do. Love your neighbor anyway. Learn what you can. Then leave the contention behind.

 

The Lord didn't bring us this far just to leave us where we are. Every difficult encounter is another invitation to become a little more like Him.

Mosiah 21–22: Delivered by Degrees

One phrase stopped me today: "They did humble themselves even in the depths of humility." (Mosiah 21:14)

Humility isn't always something we choose. Sometimes life chooses it for us. Illness, family struggles, financial problems, disappointment, or consequences of poor choices eventually bring us to the place where we realize, "I can't fix this myself."

I've been there.

Years ago, I spent nearly a decade trying to solve a difficult problem on my own. I'd make a fresh start, only to find myself right back where I'd begun. Everything changed when I finally admitted I couldn't do it alone. I turned to the Lord, but I also reached out to those who loved me—my parents, siblings, friends, and ward family. They became the hands of the Lord in my life. Their support, combined with the Savior's strength, carried me until I could stand on my own feet again.

I love what happens next in Mosiah's account. The people "began to prosper by degrees." Deliverance wasn't immediate. It came one step at a time. First their burdens became lighter. Then hope returned. Eventually came complete deliverance.

Sometimes we pray for miracles when the Lord intends to change us a little at a time. He often delivers us by degrees because those small victories teach us to keep depending on Him.

If you're in the middle of something that feels impossible, don't mistake gradual progress for unanswered prayers. The Lord may already be delivering you—even if you haven't reached the end of the journey yet.

Once the Lord opened the way, the people still had to work together. They counseled together, made a plan, and each person did his part. Faith didn't replace effort; faith united their efforts. The Lord provided the way, but the people still had to walk it.

Fighting Like Lions - Mosiah 20

As I read Mosiah 20, I couldn't help but wonder what this story looks like today.

Twenty-four daughters of the Lamanites were carried away into the wilderness. While human trafficking is a heartbreaking reality in our day, I also see another kind of abduction—one that is quieter and often harder to recognize. Satan rarely drags people away by force. More often, he lures them with acceptance, flattery, pleasure, and the attractions of the world. His methods are subtle, and that is what makes them so dangerous.

I've watched this happen up close. Good people don't usually wake up one morning and decide to abandon their faith. It happens one small compromise at a time until they hardly recognize how far they've drifted.

The Lamanites reacted exactly as many of us would have. They assumed Limhi's people had taken their daughters and immediately prepared for war. Mormon says they "fought like lions for their prey" and "like dragons did they fight" for their wives and children.

Those words slowed me down!

Have I fought like a lion for my family?

There have been seasons when I believe I had to. For a time, one of my daughters consumed my every waking thought as she battled a life-threatening eating disorder. We fought using professionals, prayers, tears, and hope simply to keep her alive. Today she still struggles, but she fiercely loves her husband and son. Her story isn't finished, and it isn't mine to tell. I continue to trust the Savior with the chapters that are still being written.

Before King Limhi rushed into battle, Gideon urged him to slow down. Don't assume. Search first. Think carefully. His wise counsel uncovered the truth: the guilty ones weren't Limhi's people at all. It was King Noah's wicked priests—men who had already abandoned their own wives and children to save themselves.

Selfishness had created the conflict.

I see that pattern today. Whenever people choose themselves over their covenants, marriages suffer, children suffer, and families suffer. Satan has always known that if he can weaken the family, he weakens society.

So what is the answer?

It is always Jesus Christ.

When our greatest desire is to please Him instead of protecting ourselves, our priorities change. We become more willing to sacrifice, forgive, teach, and stay faithful to our covenants. We become watchmen over our homes rather than spectators. We are present at the crossroads of our children's lives, offering love, counsel, and the steady influence of the gospel.

It didn't take me long to move from a story about a battle between wicked men to the greater war Satan wages against every disciple of Christ. Mosiah 20 reminds me that some things are worth fighting for—not with anger or contention, but with faith, steadfastness, and unwavering devotion to the Savior and to those we love.