February 27 2018 Mosiah 18-24 by Cynthia Haller

MOSIAH 18-24—THE LORD WILL KEEP HIS COVENANTS WITH US AND DELIVER US IF WE LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

Women’s conference – Mariama

3 major lessons:
1) God always keeps His promises and delivers His people physically and spiritually I Nephi 1:2— mission statement of
B of M “But behold, I Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” 1st Nephi 1:20

2) God’s purposes may not be known to us, but He can turn trials, hardships into something better and beneficial to us

3) God will always honor His covenants with us—can trust Him—His promises are sure & the word of the prophets will always be fulfilled in His time and in His way

Mosiah 18: great chapter/full of great scriptures

—Mormon means: more good
v. 8 read and then find 8 things you covenant after baptism
read during sacrament to REMEMBER covenants

1) desire to come into the fold of God
2) be called His people
3) are willing to bear one another’s burdens
4) are willing to mourn with those that mourn
5) comfort those that stand in need of comfort
6) stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all thins, and in all places that ye may be in
7) that ye will serve Him
8) keep His commandments

Lord gives four blessings to us in return:
1) redeemed of God
2) numbered with those in the first resurrection
3) have eternal life
4) pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon you

Greatest blessing in this Lord—HG to be with you
Read Parley P Pratt quote:

“The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.”

God knows us individually, what we’re struggling with, and wants to bless us—missionary story of Ben Knight read by Carol

MOSIAH 19:

King Noah has had his run of wickedness—wicked excesses have weakened his kingdom, many of his subjects are fed up with him as they are now easier prey for the Lamanites.
Manky wicked dictators, terrorists, tyrants, et. today show no mercy toward women, children, and other innocent victims when it comes to accomplishing their wicked schemes. This is Satan’s way. King Noah fits this evil pattern, sponsored by Lucifer.

Tell about Gideon—forces of the soldiers reduced—Lamanites coming to attack
Tell story
v. 20—prophecy in Mosiah 12:3 fulfilled –Lord keeps promises

MOSIAH 20:

v. 3—priests ashamed to return to wives and children
priests cause so much trouble –wickedness
read along—v 11—fought like dragons
finish story—better than a real movie

MOSIAH 21-22 FINISH ACCOUNT OF LIMHI AND HIS PEOPLE—FLASHBACK TO HISTORY OF PEOPLE –
79 years of Zeniff, Noah, and Limhi who built up a Nephite colony in Lamanite territory

Limhi and his people are now righteous but there’s no way they can deliver themselves out of bondage without God’s help.
v. 3— direct fulfillment of Abinadi’s prophecy

Major message: All the prophet’s word will be fulfilled.
Other major message:
We must ultimately turn to the Lord for deliverance which will happen in His time and His way
READ commentary

Mariama Kallon experience—turned to God to deliver
Mariama said: “We all have challenges and trials; what makes the difference is the source we look to for help. The Lord wants us to come to Him and ask.
Mariama’s quote: “Joy and hope can come when we lay all our burdens in the Savior’s care and hold nothing back.”

3 times they went to battle in their own strength and failed
lost many of their people
CHOICE OF: to grow more bitter, angry during severe circumstances or are humble and seek to draw closer to God and seek His help.
Seen it with people during trials—one way or another—weaken or strengthen—
Q Which will you choose during your own personal trials?

V 13-16 read through
v. 27 brought record -24 gold plates Book of Ether
v 33-35 wait for baptism
v. 36 main goal to be free from bondage

MOSIAH 22:
Bring us full circle back to Mosiah (chapters 7 and 8, in which Ammon and his small band of men finally discover Limhi and his people.
We will see in the next three chapters that both Limhi and Alma’s people will ultimately escape from captivity and end up in Zarahelma. There are two different ways they escape.
Limhi and his people will have to figure out a way to distract their Lamanite guards whereas the Lord will put Alma’s captors to sleep while he and his people escape.

Q. Why is this? Why does the Lord respond differently when both end up being free from bondage?
One lesson we could learn is there are some situations in our lives in which we need to use our own initiative and come up with a solution and work to carry it out, and with the Lord’s help. In my experience, the Lord usually works this way—natural means, according to our desire, work, and faith, and then He comes through and makes the miracle.

(D&C 58:26-28) read it
“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all thins, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.”

Other times, other situations, the Lord takes over and we are set free by His power over our enemies/or He intervenes and works His “tender mercies” in our behalf.
Sometimes this happens—miracles occur, don’t know why but the Lord has His reasons—“I’m the Gardener Here, I Know What I Want You to Be.” Talk by Hugh B. Brown.

Again, here are two different examples:
Example of the seagulls and the early saints
Worked all year to prepare ground, plant, tend to, then crickets came with a great plague and threatened to destroy the crop. He sent the seagulls to devour the crickets—spit them out in the Great Salt Lake—that’s a miracle but faith to endure.

Other one was Mariama—stepped in and stopped the slaughter as she prayed mightily to Him to intervene. Saved her “for such a time as this” testify of Him and his gospel to thousands of people across the world (Time Out For Women).

Lauren tells her story of Lincoln—pure miracle
(“My ways are not your ways,” for a wise purpose—don’t understand ‘
Nephi: “I know He loveth His children, nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”
Tell story of path to freedom/Zarahelma w 24 plates/records

Mosiah 23:
Read story–Alma and his people live in the pleasant land of Helam (first baptism
V 7 no king—“ when the wicked rule the people mourn”—D& CS 98: 9-10 read

V 13: “stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free” –guard your liberty
V. 14: “trust no man to be your teacher except he be a man of God”
Who do we idolize and admire? Who are we influenced by? Are those who have influence over us believers, and a good influence on us, or just popular and important.
Mormon message: “It nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.”

*Pay attention to the qualifications of the messenger before listening to the message. In whom do you put your trust?

Things were going well in Helam, they were prospering and happy.
V 21 22 34 read
Major message: Mormon speaks to us personally and points out what the Lord wants us to learn. Personal righteousness does not entirely eliminate lessons and trials which can lead to growth. He quickly points out that those who remain faithful to the Lord through trials and tribulations will be exalted.

MOSIAH 24:
Amulon is a type of Satan figure
Read beginning commentary
v. 4 Lamanites taught people the Nephite language—proved to be a blessing later when four sons of Mosiah taught them the gospel and so many Lamanites were converted—purpose known only to the Lord

Read V 12: “I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me (baptism); and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage (symbolic of the power of covenants, made and kept, to deliver us from the bondage of sin).

Lord will ease your burdens that ye cannot feel them—17 miracles—people looked back expecting to see angels pushing their carts with them

V 13-16 READ-commentary—gave thanks to God/deliver

Again 3 major lessons from this section:

1) God always keeps His promises and delivers His people physically and spiritually I Nephi 1:2— mission statement of
B of M “But behold, I Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” 1st Nephi 1:20
2) God’s purposes may not be known to us, but He can turn trials, hardships into something better and beneficial to us.

“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find He can make so much more of them than they can.” President Ezra Taft Benson

3) God will always honor His covenants with us—can trust Him. His promises are sure and the word of the prophets will always be fulfilled.