Book of Mormon Feast
A Library Tour through Mosiah 24-25
Mosiah 24
1. And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land of Amulon.
2. For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands; therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all these lands.
3. And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was Laman, being called after the name of his father; and therefore he was called king Laman. And he was king over a numerous people.
4. And he appointed teachers of the brethren of Amulon in every land which was possessed by his people; and thus the language of Nephi began to be taught among all the people of the Lamanites.
5. And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses; nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi;
6. But they taught them that they should keep their record, and that they might write one to another.
7. And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began to trade one with another and wax great, and began to be a cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and plunder, except it were among their own brethren.
8. And now it came to pass that Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children.
9. For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of the king's priests, and that it
was he that believed the words of Abinadi and was driven out before the king, and
therefore he was wroth with him; for he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised
authority over them, and put tasks upon them, and put task-
10. And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
11. And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.
12. And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
13. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
Life Lessons from the Book of Mormon.
Jack B. Christianson & K. Douglas Bassett
This is a great book to help readers discover major themes in the Book of Mormon, themes that are important for us to apply in our lives today. The Book of Mormon is a compilation of stories, anecdotes, and teachings, and this book mirrors that content. You’ll find many interesting incidents which elucidate teachings of the Book of Mormon. Beginning with the very strong introduction, the authors offer story upon story which can bring the Spirit into your reading, and encourage you to live and love the Book of Mormon.
The authors conclude this book with chapter 14 – The Book of Mormon: Bringing Us Closer to God.
From the book:
There was a young college student who felt that his burden was much more than he could bear. In desperation, he decided the best alternative to his dilemma was to end hi own life. He closed all the doors and windows of his garage with the intent of sitting in his car with the engine running. He had concluded that the result of such deliberate action would separate him from his troubles. After starting the vehicle, he settled into the front seat, waiting to expire.
For some reason, he looked down to his right between himself and the passenger seat. As he did so, his eyes fell upon a Book of Mormon that had been left there by one of his parents. He picked up this book that had been a stranger to him for so long. While it had always been around him, he had never been hungry enough to “sup” from its pages. He held it in his hands, letting it fall open without any textual destination in mind.
His eyes happened to fall upon one verse, which read, “And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs.” His desire to end his life was replaced with a hunger to find out if this promise was true. He recognized that this verse presented a divine alternative to his problems.
Quickly he pressed the button on the garage door opener and backed the car out of the driveway. After cleaning out his lungs, he followed in impression to drive to the office of a good man who had been his teacher. As he walked into the building, his youthful strides took him through the doorway of this teacher’s office unannounced. Lying the book on the teacher’s desk, he exposed the scripture that had caught his own eyes just minutes before. Pointing to Mosiah 24:14 he said, “Will Jesus do that for me?”
Hesitating long enough to read the verse, the teacher looked up from his desk, and proclaimed, “He certainly will.”
To which the young man responded, “Can you tell me how?”
Thus began a change of heart and lifestyle that connected this young man to Christ. The months and years that have followed in his life bear witness to the change that is brought about for those who avail themselves to the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Book of Mormon.
It is not hard to imagine what may have happened if that Book of Mormon had not been in the right place at the right time, and if he had not been willing to read just a single verse. What began with just a nibble of the text at a critical time in his life turned into a feast that saved his soul.
This story bears witness to the words of President Heber J. Grant: “There is a mark of divinity on this book, and I maintain that no man can read [it] . . . without receiving an impression of this kind.” Such was the experience of this young man. But what of those times he had read words from the book earlier in his life? The answer may be connected to the fact that this time he came to the table hungry. The Book of Mormon is a feast to those who hunger and thirst after the truthy. For the first time in his life he was truly willing to do as Alma suggested: “Because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.” (Alma 32:33) In the most unlikely place and the most precarious time in his life, he “tried the experiment” with the seed explained by Alma.
15. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren 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.
16. And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
17. And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.
18. Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the night-
19. And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea,
and all their task-
20. And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness.
21. Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.
22. And they gave thanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God.
23. And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in pursuit of this people.
24. And it came to pass that they departed out of the valley, and took their journey into the wilderness.
25. And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days they arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy.
Mosiah 25
1. And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together.
2. Now there were not so many of the children of Nephi, or so many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek, and those who came with him into the wilderness.
3. And there were not so many of the people of Nephi and of the people of Zarahemla as there were of the Lamanites; yea, they were not half so numerous.
4. And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together in two bodies.
5. And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until they returned again.
6. And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.
7. And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement.
8. For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.
9. And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.
10. And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.
11. And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.
12. And it came to pass that those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites.
13. And now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon none but those who were descendants of Nephi.
14. And now it came to pass that when Mosiah had made an end of speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should also speak to the people.
15. And Alma did speak unto them, when they were assembled together in large bodies, and he went from one body to another, preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord.
16. And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them.
17. And it came to pass that after Alma had taught the people many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also.
18. Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did baptize them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his brethren in the waters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did baptize did belong to the church of God; and this because of their belief on the words of Alma.
19. And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.
20. Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of God in one assembly;
21. Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.
22. And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God.
23. And now there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla. And it came to pass that whosoever were desirous to take upon them the name of Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of God;
24. And they were called the people of God. And the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and prospered in the land.