Elder Quentine L. Cook - Be One with Christ

 Elder Cook began with - 

"...In the Savior’s petition to His Father, He pleaded “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” The Savior then continues, “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”5 Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion. Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement."

"It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic or social attainment is necessary. The poor and the rich have the same spiritual requirements.

There are no race, gender, or ethnicity requirements. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness, “black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.”10 “All men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.”"

"A fundamental doctrine of our faith is that we do have moral agency,18 which includes free will.19 Agency is the ability to choose and act. It is essential to the plan of salvation. Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress, or choose to be one with Christ. Because of moral agency, we “are free to choose liberty and eternal life.”20 In the premortal Council in Heaven, the Father’s plan included agency as an essential element. Lucifer rebelled and “sought to destroy the agency of man.”21 Accordingly, the privilege of having a mortal body was denied to Satan and those who followed him."

Though he specifically noted he was "not advocating less interest in education or occupation."  He did say - 

"The most significant choices can be made by almost everyone regardless of talents, abilities, opportunities, or economic circumstances. An emphasis on putting family choices first is essential. This is clear throughout the scriptures. Think of the account in 1 Nephi where Lehi “departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family.”"

Mosiah 25

 Mormon tells us - 

"...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."  (Mosiah 25:2–4)

If find it interesting that the Lamanites continued to be more numerous.  I also find it interesting that the people of Zarahemla continued to give all leadership to the people of Nephi.  Mormon never mentions a conflict between the two.

Mosiah 24

 I find it interesting 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."  (Mosiah 24:8)

Amulon taught his children to hate Alma's children.  We see this much in the world as different ethical and religious groups are taught to hate each other.

Elder George W. Gong - All Things for Our Good

 Elder Gong said - 

"This fickle world often feels tempest tossed, uncertain, sometimes fortunate, and—too often—unfortunate. Yet, in this world of tribulation,1 “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”2 Indeed, as we walk uprightly and remember our covenants, “all things shall work together for your good.”3

All things for our good.

A remarkable promise! Comforting assurance from God Himself! In a miraculous way, the purpose of Creation and the nature of God are to know beginning and end,4 to bring about all that is for our good, and to help us become sanctified and holy through Jesus Christ’s grace and Atonement."

"We increase faith and trust in the Lord that all things can work together for our good as we gain eternal perspective;12 understand our trials may be “but for a small moment”;13 recognize affliction can be consecrated for our gain;14 acknowledge accidents, untimely death, debilitating illness, and disease are part of mortality; and trust loving Heavenly Father does not give trials to punish or judge..."  

"As the Lord, through His living prophet, brings more houses of the Lord closer in more places, temple blessings work together for our good. We come by covenant and ordinance to God our Father and Jesus Christ and gain eternal perspective on mortality. One by one, name by name, we offer beloved family members—ancestors—sacred ordinances and covenant blessings in the Lord’s pattern of saviors on Mount Zion."

He closes with - 

"In time and eternity, the purpose of Creation and the nature of God Himself are to bring all things together for our good.

This is the Lord’s eternal purpose. It is His eternal perspective. It is His eternal promise."

Mosiah 23

 I just wanted to note that Alma and his people lived in Helam in righteousness for some 24 years.  Little is mentioned about that.  And after 24 years - 

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

22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people."  (Mosiah 23:21–22)

Reminds me of - 

"...we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them..."  (Abraham 3:25)

Mosiah 19

 I find it interesting how people may react under trying circumstances.  This was the case with the people of king Noah where - 

"...the king commanded them that all the men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before the Lamanites.

12 Now there were many that would not leave them, but had rather stay and perish with them. And the rest left their wives and their children and fled."  (Mosiah 19:11–12)

We might judge those that left their wives and children.  But even then, they seemed to regret their actions, and chose to repent and take responsibility for their actions.  Thank goodness for the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Mosiah 18

 Alma teaches the principles of the covenant of baptism to receive the Holy Ghost.  Of the gift of the Holy Ghost, Elder Parley P. Pratt taught - 

“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” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology/A Voice of Warning [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1965], 101).

Elder David A. Bednar - Be Still, and Know That I Am God

 One of the classes I enjoyed most in college was soil mechanics.  Elder Bednar taught - 

"Jesus Christ is our Redeemer,6 our Mediator,7 and our Advocate8 with the Eternal Father and the rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives.

Helaman explained, “Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”9

The symbolism of Christ as the “rock” upon whom we should build the foundation of our lives is most instructive. Please note in this verse that the Savior is not the foundation. Rather, we are admonished to build our personal spiritual foundation upon Him."

And that - 

"The foundation is the part of a building that connects it to the ground. A strong foundation provides protection from natural disasters and many other destructive forces. A proper foundation also distributes the weight of a structure over a large area to avoid overloading the underlying soil and provides a level surface for construction.

A strong and reliable connection between the ground and a foundation is essential if a structure is to remain sturdy and stable over time. And for particular types of construction, anchor pins and steel rods can be used to attach the foundation of a building to “bedrock,” the hard, solid rock beneath surface materials such as soil and gravel."

In my mind, the foundation is our ordinances and covenants.

“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.”

Mosiah 16

 Abinadi testifies of the Savior's victory over death - 

"Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil—

11 If they be good, to the resurrection of endless life and happiness; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation..."  (Mosiah 16:10–11)

Immortality is not necessarily happiness.  Eve testified "the joy of our redemption".  That is happiness.

Mosiah 13

 AfterAbinadi refers to the ten commandments and the law of Moses, he explains to Noah's wicked priests -

"...that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses."  (Mosiah 13:28)

"by the law alone" does not suggest that it is not a requirement.  It does the suggest that it alone will not bring salvation.  Both the atonement and obedience to eternal laws are required .

"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."  (Articles of Faith 1:3)

Mosiah 12

 When the wicked priests of Noah's court asked Abinadi - 

"...What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:

21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;

22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;

23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;

24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?"  (Mosiah 12:20–24)

Obviously, they consider what Abinadi was teaching was "hate speech". not being kind.  I couldn't help but think of the many arguments of laws and philosophies of today as many - 

"...call evil good, and good evil..."   (Isaiah 5:20)

President Henry B. Eyring - All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants

President Eyring taught - 

 “The safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!”

“Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple.”

“Each person who makes covenants … in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.”

He also taught that “once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy.”

We have been promised, “Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us.”

Mosiah 10

 After explaining that the Lamanites felt they wronged, which they weren't, and a victims, Zeniff states - 

"...thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi."  (Mosiah 10:17)

Sounds much like the attitude of today of oppressor/opressed where many hate the Jews of today.

Mosiah 9

 Zeniff confesses that he was "over-zealous" to inherit the land to the point that he made a deal with king Laman later admitting - 

"...it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we might possess it."  (Mosiah 9:10)

We have been warned by our Church leaders to avoid being over-zealous in acquiring our desires and possessions with overpowering debt being brought into much bondage.  Lesson learned.

Mosiah 8

 Ammon explains - 

"...that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God.

17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.

18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings."  (Mosiah 8:16–18)

We sustain the First Presidency and members of the Quorum of the Twelve as prophets, seers and revelators.

In my mind, "The Family - A Proclamation to the World" is evidence of seers in our day.

Elder Ulisses Soares - Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ

 Elder Soares taught - 

"Dear brothers and sisters, those who gain genuine confidence in the covenants made in the house of the Lord through Jesus Christ possess one of the most powerful forces that we can access in this life."

"Nephi beheld the influence of this type of confidence, writing, “I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, … and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”"

"...President Russell M. Nelson, reminds us about these vital principles by saying: “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.”

Mosiah 7

 Limhi taught his people - 

"For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them.

30 And again, he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they shall reap the chaff thereof in the whirlwind; and the effect thereof is poison.

31 And again he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction."  (Mosiah 7:29–31)

As we pray for our country and our safety, we should also remember this truth.