Elder Ronald A. Rasband talks of the importance of serving. Just get in there!

Lesson 16: Ye Shall Be Called the Children of Christ

Welcome to an experiment. I want to go a little further than the hour we get to spend together every Sunday. I’ll recap some stuff from our lesson, give some alternate things we probably didn’t get to and assign some “homework” as well as preview next week’s lesson. Enjoy and post! Feel free to share with your friends and neighbors who didn’t make it to the awesome 26^th Ward on Sunday! Let’s work together to get the most out of the Book of Mormon!

- Bro. Ryan Hansen

Scriptures discussed in this week’s class:

• Mosiah 4:1–12. King Benjamin’s people respond to his words by humbly seeking and receiving a remission of their sins.
• Mosiah 4:13–30. King Benjamin exhorts his people to teach the gospel to their children, impart of their substance to the poor, and obey the commandments of God.
• Mosiah 5–6. All King Benjamin’s people experience a “mighty change” and enter into a covenant to keep the commandments of God and do His will in all things. King Benjamin tells the people that because of the covenant they have made they will be called the children of Christ.

 * If we don’t get to all these (and I won’t), feel free to read them on your own.

Quote(s) of the week:

• President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find their roots in the teaching of children by fathers and mothers” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 79; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 60).
• Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained: “Our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God’ (D&C 14:7)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1985, 105; or Ensign,May 1985, 83).

Stuff from class:

Today we discussed selected verses from Mosiah 4:13–30. We split into three groups read the passages together. We then summarized our verses to a single sentence. They are:

·         Mosiah 4:13–15: Teach the children.

o        Children are our future (see President Hinckley’s quote above). The things we do really is how we teach them. We need to watch our thoughts, words and deeds! (See below.) We also should teach our children to serve. I mentioned the Primary Sharing Time in November 2010 had great ideas to help kids learn the importance of service. We need to start in our homes! Here is the link to that article: http://www.lds.org/manual/2010-outline-for-sharing-time-and-the-childrens-sacrament-meeting-presentation/november-when-we-serve-others-we-serve-god?lang=eng&query=outline+sharing+time.

·         Mosiah 4:16–26: Share with the poor.

o         There is no single right approach to helping the needy. We should remember the principles taught by King Benjamin and (as Sister Parsons said), seek the guidance of the Spirit in each situation. The Lord has established ways in which we can help the needy. When we give fast offerings or donate money, goods, time, or other service to the Church, we can be confident that our contributions are being used wisely.

o        It’s not just the poor, but the poor in spirit, too. I spoke about Elder Rasband’s talk in April Conference about just “jumping in and serving.” You can watch that talk here: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/special-lessons?lang=eng. Click on the “Watch” link on the right-hand toolbar or you can just read it online. Or you can watch it above.

·         Mosiah 4:27–30: Watch your thoughts, words, and deeds.

o        King Benjamin taught his people that to avoid sin and maintain their commitment to God, they must watch their thoughts, words, and deeds. How are our thoughts, words, and deeds related? How will our words and deeds be affected when we watch our thoughts? Post your response below.

What we didn’t get to:

1. “Under this head ye are made free” (Mosiah 5:8)

·         In calling his people the children of Christ, King Benjamin said, “Under this head ye are made free” (Mosiah 5:8). How does obedience to the Lord bring freedom?

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “in obedience there is joy and peace unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness, … He never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 256–57).

HOMEWORK (RESPOND BELOW): How have you seen obedience to God’s commandments bring happiness to your life and the lives of those around you?

2. “How knoweth a man the master whom he has not served?” (Mosiah 5:13)

• King Benjamin asked, “How knoweth a man the master whom he has not served?” (Mosiah 5:13).

HOMEWORK (RESPOND BELOW): How have you come to know Christ better through serving Him?

Read Mosiah 5:15, the final words of King Benjamin’s address. These blessings are available to each of us. I encourage you to seek and maintain that “mighty change” of heart that will enable them to be children of Christ.

Wanna get a jump on next week’s class? Read, ponder and pray about the following scriptures:

1.      Mosiah 7–8. Ammon leads an expedition to learn of the people who years earlier had left Zarahemla to return to the land of Nephi. Ammon and his brethren find Limhi and his people. Ammon teaches the people of Limhi, receives a record of the people, and learns of 24 Jaredite plates discovered by the people. He explains that Mosiah, who is a seer, can translate the engravings on the plates.

2.      Mosiah 9–10. Part of the record of Zeniff, Limhi’s grandfather, recounts a brief history of how Zeniff’s people arrived in the land of Nephi. It also recounts how the Lord strengthened them in wars against the Lamanites.

3.      Mosiah 11. Zeniff’s son Noah rules in wickedness. Despite the warnings of the prophet Abinadi, the people are blind to the wickedness of Noah and his priests.

4.      Additional reading: Bible Dictionary, “Seer,” 771; “Urim and Thummim,” 786–87.