There is reading scheduled each week, beginning on Sunday. Discussion can take place in the comments and should be kept moving by the 'discussion leader' for that week.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Week 15: Jan 10-16
Mosiah 1-5
An angel told King Benjamin that Christ would come to the earth and work "mighty miracles, such as healing the sick...and curing all manner of diseases."
These passages in Mosiah 1-5 are some of the richest in content and meaning in all of the BOM. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Mosiah 1:1 "AND now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days." My mission president always emphasized the need to reduce contention with those around us. I distinctly remember him having the missionaries send special cards to a Stake President in the mission who was being particularly hard on missionaries, and criticizing the work heavily. It is true that contention drains valuable energy from our emotional and spiritual lives. Since contention often breeds instability/anxiety, we'd be wise to reduce it in our lives.
Mosiah 1:7 "And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land." If I were to sum up the BOM in one phrase, this is how I'd do it: If you keep the commandments, you'll prosper in the land. Though this doesn't exempt us from hardship, the "net" effect is prosperity.
Mosiah 2:9 " I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view." King Benjamin isn't an entertainer. He asks the people to focus, and not take what he is saying lightly. I get the feeling that he knows that the natural man trifles with the things of God until he learns otherwise. We need to focus and assert ourselves to be worthy servants.
Mosiah 4:19"For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?" In my opinion, this is one of the best sentences in the BOM. Are we not all beggars? Yes we are. We will have a healthier perspective on life when we approach it this way. This is one more characteristic that ties humanity together. We are dependent on higher beings, i.e. Heavenly Father and the Savior.
Mosiah 5:13 "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" Obviously this is true for our spiritual lives. This scripture also comes to mind as I work here in my lab. Though I'm mostly autonomous, I do try and serve my mentor by incorporating his ideas into my work, and moving his research forward. The scriptures tell us that this is a sign of leadership, willingness to be the servant regardless of what position you are in.
Regarding contention: 3Nephi 11:29 says, “he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” So, if we find contention in our lives, we ought to take a moment and see what is behind the contention.
Mosiah 1:2 King Benjamin is concerned that his sons be “taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.” This seems to be a desire of righteous parents to teach their children the gospel to the end, as was mentioned above by Matt in his reference to verse 7 of this chapter.
Sorry I am so slow to post. I do love this part where Mosiah talks about the teachings of King Benjamin. Some of my favorites are the following: If we don't read the scriptures we are in the same position as those who don't have them. He warns us not to trifle with the word of the Lord. He talks about serving others, and that prosperity is is the spirit of happiness. In Ch 2:41 we are asked to consider the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. And maybe the hardest of all is to acquire no more disposition to do evil.( Or to keep all the commandments and do it willingly.) Keep up the good work those of you who are reading. And it's never to late to start for the rest!!
An angel told King Benjamin that Christ would come to the earth and work "mighty miracles, such as healing the sick...and curing all manner of diseases."
These passages in Mosiah 1-5 are some of the richest in content and meaning in all of the BOM. Here are a couple of my favorites:
ReplyDeleteMosiah 1:1 "AND now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days."
My mission president always emphasized the need to reduce contention with those around us. I distinctly remember him having the missionaries send special cards to a Stake President in the mission who was being particularly hard on missionaries, and criticizing the work heavily. It is true that contention drains valuable energy from our emotional and spiritual lives. Since contention often breeds instability/anxiety, we'd be wise to reduce it in our lives.
Mosiah 1:7 "And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land." If I were to sum up the BOM in one phrase, this is how I'd do it: If you keep the commandments, you'll prosper in the land. Though this doesn't exempt us from hardship, the "net" effect is prosperity.
Mosiah 2:9 " I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view." King Benjamin isn't an entertainer. He asks the people to focus, and not take what he is saying lightly. I get the feeling that he knows that the natural man trifles with the things of God until he learns otherwise. We need to focus and assert ourselves to be worthy servants.
Mosiah 4:19"For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?" In my opinion, this is one of the best sentences in the BOM. Are we not all beggars? Yes we are. We will have a healthier perspective on life when we approach it this way. This is one more characteristic that ties humanity together. We are dependent on higher beings, i.e. Heavenly Father and the Savior.
Mosiah 5:13 "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" Obviously this is true for our spiritual lives. This scripture also comes to mind as I work here in my lab. Though I'm mostly autonomous, I do try and serve my mentor by incorporating his ideas into my work, and moving his research forward. The scriptures tell us that this is a sign of leadership, willingness to be the servant regardless of what position you are in.
Gerry said:
ReplyDeleteRegarding contention: 3Nephi 11:29 says, “he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” So, if we find contention in our lives, we ought to take a moment and see what is behind the contention.
Mosiah 1:2 King Benjamin is concerned that his sons be “taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.” This seems to be a desire of righteous parents to teach their children the gospel to the end, as was mentioned above by Matt in his reference to verse 7 of this chapter.
Sorry I am so slow to post. I do love this part where Mosiah talks about the teachings of King Benjamin. Some of my favorites are the following: If we don't read the scriptures we are in the same position as those who don't have them. He warns us not to trifle with the word of the Lord. He talks about serving others, and that prosperity is is the spirit of happiness. In Ch 2:41 we are asked to consider the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. And maybe the hardest of all is to acquire no more disposition to do evil.( Or to keep all the commandments and do it willingly.) Keep up the good work those of you who are reading. And it's never to late to start for the rest!!
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