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LESSON #1 OBTAINING A MIGHTY CHANGE OF HEART
OBJECT
For an object to this lesson, I just like to have something heart shaped with me. One of the things I use is one of those stress ball type squishy things that looks like a heart. I’ll put some links in the video description below to where you could get one of these if you like as well. In fact, if your class is small enough, you can purchase a bunch of them in bulk, for not that much on Amazon, and then give one to each student at the end of the lesson to help them remember the message of King Benjamin’s speech.
But really, anything that looks like a heart will do, even if it’s just a picture of one. But you don’t want to show your class that object quite yet in the lesson because. . .
ICEBREAKER
for an icebreaker, there’s something new that I want to try with you that I haven’t done before on this channel. Maybe some of you are familiar with the game WORDLE? It’s become quite popular over the past couple of years. And what you can do to begin your lesson is to play a class WORDLE. The goal of this challenge is to figure out the secret 5 letter word And the word has something to do with the lesson today. And how this works is you enter a 5-letter word into the top boxes. Then, if any of the letters in that word are a part of the actual word, they are highlighted in yellow. That way, they know that they have at least those letters correct. Now, if any of the letters are not only in the word, but in the right location, then they’re highlighted in green. Any letters that are shown in gray are not in the word at all. So you have six chances to try and figure out the word. And as they enter more and more words in the following boxes, they should get closer and closer to figuring out the correct word. So for example, let’s say that they enter the word ADIEU as their first word, which is a common first word to enter in this game, because it has so many vowels in it, and we see that there is an A and an E highlighted in yellow. So now they know that there is an A and an E in the word, but they are currently not in the correct positions in the word. They also know that the word does not have a D, I, or U in it. Now we try another word. And we’re going to enter the word BLIMP because B, L, M, and P are more commonly used letters in words, as opposed to say, X, Q, or Z. And does that help us? Hmmm, not so much that time. In fact, none of those letters are in our word. But, that wasn’t worthless because we’ve just eliminated those letters from our final word. So now, let’s try something else. We’re going to enter the word STARE, because S, T, and R are common letters in words. And what we see is that the word also has an R and a T in it, AND the A and the R are now in the correct positions. We’re getting somewhere! So now we know 4 letters of our five-letter word. It has a T, R, E and A. So let’s try another word that we know has each of those letters but maybe in different positions to give us some more clues as to where each of the letters go or don’t go. A word that comes to mind is EARTH. Let’s see what that does. Ah! I see that I now have all five letters, but they are all in the incorrect positions. So what other word could I make with those letters. How about HEART. I put that in and, lo and behold, that’s our word. So the goal, of course, is to try and figure out the word in as few guesses as possible but to at least to get it before you run out of chances. But that’s our word. HEART. And that word is going to be key today in understanding this second half of the talk that King Benjamin gives to his people. And at this point I would bring out my heart shaped object to display.
There’s a phrase that describes the effect that his talk had on the people who listened to him that day. In Mosiah chapter 5:2 it says:
2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, . . .
So what’s happened here? King Benjamin’s words have sunk deep and stirred in them a MIGHTY change in their hearts. Not a minor change of heart, or a slight change of heart, or a modest change of heart, but a MIGHTY one. This was a transformative moment for them. Now that’s saying something, because, you might remember from last week that we learned something about these people, about their character or their current state of spiritual development. I mean, if you didn’t know anything about these people, by reading that verse, you might assume that this is a group of wicked people, or a group of unenlightened people who are perhaps hearing the gospel for the first time. You might think that they’re converts! But that’s not the case here. Remember Mosiah 1:11? This people “have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.” Wow! They’re already disciples. And good ones! That’s one of the things that sets this sermon apart from many others in the Book of Mormon. We have a lot of examples of people going from bad to good or ignorant to enlightened in the Book of Mormon. But THIS isn’t a repentance story, really. I mean, in a way, they weren’t perfect people, and they did need repentance, like we all do. And neither is this a conversion story, this is not the first time they are hearing the doctrine of Christ. No this is a story of people that are already faithful people—already on the path of Christ. They’re members of the Church, and devoted members of the Church. And that’s the reason I feel that this such an excellent talk for us to study because it’s so relevant and applicable to us, you, and me. I mean, if you’re watching this video at all, I assume that that’s because you genuinely wish to learn more about the Book of Mormon and the gospel and that YOU are a devoted member of the Church or a believer in Christ. And teachers, the people that you are teaching in your classes probably fall into that category as well. We can relate to these people.
So how does a group of devoted disciples of Christ have a mighty change? What has happened here? What was the change, and more importantly, have WE experienced it? Because, apparently, we can be good, obedient members of the Church and not have experienced it. Let’s dig deep here.
SEARCH
Starting in chapter 4. King Benjamin has just taught them what we studied last week. We’ve seen him convince them of their eternal indebtedness to God. We’ve heard him warn them of the dangers of listing or withdrawing from the Spirit. We’ve heard him encourage them to put off the natural man and become Saints through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ and he’s impressed upon their hearts the beauty and power and depth of that atoning sacrifice. And then, here, he pauses to see how they’re responding. He even says, “Amen” at the end of the chapter, almost as if to suggest that, in his mind, he’s open to the possibility that this could be the end of his talk, based on how they react. And how do they react? They do something and they make some requests. What do they do, and what three things do they ask for in 4:1-2?
In 4:1 we see that they fall to the earth because the fear of the Lord (or deep, profound respect for the Lord) has come upon them. In verse 2 we see that they have been humbled, or have viewed themselves in their own carnal state (not meaning wicked, remember they’re diligent, obedient people, but mortal, fallen, human state) AND RIGHT THERE, the people express three requests or prayers to God. Can you see what they are?
2 . . . And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.
What are the three requests? “O have mercy,” is one, and “apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins,” is another. Now I think that we can lump those first two requests together, because, in my mind, they’re basically the same. Please be merciful to us, and forgive us, and apply the atonement to our sins. And I like that word, “apply” it, like you apply an ointment or salve to a wound. And I’m happy to tell you that their first requests are immediately granted, right there in the next verse. Verse 3.
3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.
Isn’t that sublime?! It comes immediately to them. And I believe that when we make that request, the forgiveness, the mercy, comes speedily to us, too. This is one of the prevailing themes of the Book of Mormon: God’s swift forgiveness when it’s sought for with sincerity. God loves to forgive, and offer mercy, and apply the atoning blood of his beloved son to humble, faithful believers in Christ. Now, remember, once again, these are diligently obedient people. Therefore, even diligently obedient people need to apply the atoning blood of Jesus Christ just as much as the wayward soul does, that’s turning back to Christ. We ALL need that mercy and forgiveness. And they need it because, well, Mosiah 4:29 . . .
29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.
I mean, there are sins of commission, and there are sins of omission, and we can sin in our deeds, and in our words, and even in our thoughts, as he says in the next verse. And that’s not meant to be discouraging, it’s just reality. Perfection is unattainable in this life. We ALL need the atoning blood of Christ to be saved. We ALL need to be forgiven. And thankfully, that forgiveness comes! Immediately. And with that forgiveness comes joy and a peace of conscience. But the people had another request as well, and this is what I really want to focus on with you here. They request that their HEARTS be purified. Ah ha, there’s our key word for the day. HEARTS. King Benjamin’s words have caused them to look inward and do a kind of spiritual cardiogram. And they recognize that, “Hey, our hearts need some help.” And “hearts” in scripture language often refers to feelings, or more importantly, desires. They’re saying, “Help our desires to be purified, help us to overcome the natural man inside of us.”
That second request isn’t going to be answered until exactly one chapter later in 5:2. And this is where they say that, “the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts . . .” They feel, at that point, that their request has been granted. Their hearts have been purified. A MIGHTY change, has taken place. And what is the indicator? The next phrase is key, in my mind. “That we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” That’s the mighty change. That’s having your heart purified. Which, to me, seems to suggest that you can do good things, you can be diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and still not have experienced the mighty change—still have a disposition to do evil. Now that sounds like a paradox, but, can you think of any examples in the scriptures of people who were doing the right things, keeping the commandments, basically, and still had a disposition to do evil? They hadn’t really undergone the mighty change of heart. Laman and Lemuel come to mind. They did leave Jerusalem, and go back for the plates, and built the boat, and traveled to the promised land. But all along their journey, their hearts never changed. Story after story indicates that they still had a disposition to do evil. The Pharisees at the time of Christ are another great illustration of this principle. They were considered to be the MOST righteous of all Jews because they were incredibly devoted and strict in their observance of the Mosaic Law. They were doing all the right things, but their hearts were far from God. That’s why Jesus goes after them so vehemently. They were “a diligent people in keeping the commandments of God” but they’re hearts weren’t pure. Remember Jesus’s nighttime conversation with Nicodemus the Pharisee. The first thing Jesus says to him is, “Nicodemus, you need to be born again”. You need to experience a mighty change, and you haven’t yet. And Nicodemus is a little shocked by that statement, because, in his mind, he thinks, “Hey, I’m doing everything I need to do. I keep the law, diligently. Shouldn’t you be saying that, Jesus, to all those sinners out there. The publicans, the Samaritans, the less dedicated Jews that don’t live as strictly as I do?” And Jesus says, “Marvel not that I said unto THEE—YE must be born again.” That’s where I would put the emphasis in that verse. Yes Nicodemus, even you need to experience a mighty change in YOUR HEART. And with this, I’m not suggesting that King Benjamin’s people, are like Laman and Lemuel, or the Pharisees. I just point to those examples to show that solely doing the right things is not really what God is after. He wants our hearts. Our desires. Our will. Now “right actions” ARE important, but they flow from “right desires”. They are the root and foundation.
So, maybe that’s prompting us to ask ourselves that key question. “How’s my heart? Have I experienced the mighty change?” Well, let me ask one simple question. “Do you want to be good?” I think that’s all we have to ask ourselves. Do we have a deep, abiding desire to do what’s right, and a resolve to strive not give in to the natural man? We’re not longingly looking over our shoulder back at Sodom or towards the Great and Spacious building with a yearning to check it out. That’s the mighty change. The desire to do what’s right, to have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. Not that you always do good, but that you want to do good. Notice how that description is worded. They don’t say we will no more do evil, but that they have no more disposition to do evil. Their hearts have been purified, like they requested back in 4:2. Perhaps Jesus described it best in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount where he said, “Blessed are those that do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” (Matthew 5:6) We can ask ourselves then, “Do I feel that hunger? Do I seek to quench that thirst?”
A great description of this attitude comes from Boyd K. Packer who describes the moment when he fully committed to the desire to be good. He said:
"I'm not ashamed to say that I want to be good. And I've found in my life that it has been critically important to establish this intention between me and the Lord so that I knew that HE knew which way I committed my agency. I went before Him and said, 'I'm not neutral, and you can do with me what you want. If you need my vote-it's there. I don't care what you do with me, and you don't have to take anything from me because I give it to you-everything. All I own. All I am.' And THAT has made all the difference."
Boyd K. Packer
Now that’s a mighty change of heart. That’s commitment. That’s a great description of what King Benjamin said back in Mosiah 3:19, “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him.” That’s having a disposition not to do evil anymore.
And perhaps we can understand this difference better in terms of the plan of salvation and the final judgment. Remember that there are three degrees of glory. Telestial, Terrestrial, and Celestial. And I think it’s easier for us to understand the difference between the kinds of people that inherit the Telestial kingdom, and those that inherit the Celestial. Telestial people are the truly wicked, and the Celestial are the truly righteous. But what about that middle group. What sets them apart? Doctrine and Covenants 76:79 says that those that inherit the Terrestrial glory are those who were not “valiant in the testimony of Jesus.” Now, I’m not exactly sure what that means or if what’s being described here with King Benjamin’s people is an illustration of this difference, but it possibly could be. The mighty change was a desire and committment to be valiant in their testimony of Jesus. To be valiant is to have “no more disposition to do evil”. They don’t just DO the right things; they ARE a certain kind of person. They have BECOME something. Valiant disciples of Christ.
Maybe another place in the scriptures that can enlighten our understanding here. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus introduced the “higher law” to his disciples. He taught them that the old law was not to kill anyone, but the higher law was to not even get angry. He taught that the old law was not to commit adultery, but the higher law was to not even think about it, or lust after another person. The old law was to love your neighbor, but the higher law was to love everyone, including your enemies. The higher law took things to the heart level, while the older law was more about actions. I believe that what King Benjamin was hoping to accomplish with his address, was to inspire his people to live that higher law. And it works. They do experience that change. They FEEL that fire of valiance rising up inside of themselves.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Now, let’s liken the scriptures here to ourselves. Have you ever felt that fire? Have you ever felt inspired like they were? Have you ever listened to a talk in Church, or General Conference, or a fireside, or been in a Sunday School lesson, or a session of personal scripture study where you just felt this overwhelming desire to be better! To change. Like, “I don’t want to ever do anything wrong again in my life!” I want to be good and commit myself with valiance to the covenant path and the doctrine of Christ. How’s your heart? Is it in the right place? King Benjamin’s words in chapter 4 and 5 help to give us a clearer understanding of what a “pure, valiant, mighty change of heart” disciple looks like. And that’s what we’ll study next.
SEARCH-A MIGHTY CHANGE OF HEART?
Now the best thing to do to understand the answer to that question would be to study those chapters verse by verse slowly and carefully. But in a class, we’ll just focus on a few key verses and ideas. As a study activity, you could give your students the following handout to fill in as many qualities from the selected verses as they can of “mighty change of heart” disciples. What qualities does a “mighty change of heart” disciple possess? And as an example, we can already fill in what we learned from 5:2. They have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. Now let’s see what else we can add. Fill in as many bubbles as you can feel free to add bubbles if you like, if there’s not enough with all the things that you find. But here are some possibilities.
4:9
4:13
4:14-15
4:16
4:9
9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
A mighty change of heart disciple is filled with faith. They believe in God. And not only do they believe that he exists, but they believe some very important things about him. They believe that he created all things. That he is the designer and author of the universe and the plan. They believe he is all knowing. They believe he is all powerful. Now there are probably a lot of questions we have about how God runs the universe. We may even struggle a little bit with the way he does things. But a “mighty change of heart” disciple understands a very vital principle. They believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. Interesting that that would be listed in the same breath with all those other important truths about the Father, foundational truths such as his existence and his role as creator. That emphasizes its importance. We’ve got to recognize that we don’t and won’t get it all—that there will be questions we have in this life that won’t get answers, yet at least. There will be things that confuse us, discourage us, frustrate us even. I know that sometimes students will ask me questions that I don’t know how to answer. Sometimes, though, we just have to recognize and have faith in the principle that God’s ways are higher than our ways. That’s just as important of a conviction to have, as believing that there IS a God. I might pair that verse with something Nephi said, when he was asked a tough question by an angel. In 1 Nephi 11:17. He said, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” There is such humility in that statement. Perhaps I would add that particular truth to King Benjamin’s list of things we absolutely must know and believe about our Father in Heaven. He is, he is our creator, he is all knowing, he is all powerful, he comprehends things that we cannot comprehend, and . . . he is all loving.
4:13
13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due.
A “mighty change of heart” disciple is a peacemaker. They don’t seek to injure anyone. They don’t even have a mind to do it. Like, I don’t want to hurt anyone, I want everyone to enjoy and live in peace.
4:14-15
14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
A “mighty change of heart” disciple, for those this applies to, seeks to be a good parent. They take care of their children temporally, and spiritually. Feed them nourishing food, and feed them the words of Christ. And I’ll tell you, this verse brings back some memories because my Dad used to quote this verse all the time to us whenever, me and my brothers and sisters were fighting. And he was like, “You guys know who you’re serving when you fight with each other, right? Is that the kind of spirit we want to invite into our home?”
4:16
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
A “mighty change of heart” disciple is charitable. They succor those that stand in need of succor. Succor means “to run to help” someone. Alma uses that word in Alma 7:12 to describe what the Savior does for us through the power of his atoning sacrifice. Therefore, as Christ succors us, we too should seek to succor others. To care for the poor and the needy. By the way, the verses that follow this one, from verse 16 all the way to verse 26 is an excellent place to see principles of charity and giving to those in need. What things should I consider when I see someone begging, or pleading for my help, or who is obviously in want? I’m not going to take the time to go into depth on those principles, but I encourage you to do so in your personal study and search those verses for the answer.
So there’s our diagram there of indicators of the mighty change of heart.
TAKING IT TO HEART
To help your students take the message of this lesson a bit more to heart. Encourage them to do the final two activities on the handout. One: Place a star next to one of the qualities that you feel you truly possess. And two: Circle one of the qualities that you feel you could strive to develop more deeply.
TRUTH
A valiant disciple of Christ seeks to cultivate a “Mighty Change of Heart”. And hopefully, King Benjamin’s words and our study today have helped us to understand what that means AND inspired us to feel like his people felt that day.
THE TAKEAWAY
So how’s your heart? Is it pure? Has it changed? Have you felt that deep desire to do what’s right and to be good? I pray that we have all undergone that transformation in our lives. King Benjamin’s words changed his people in a beautiful, significant way that day, hopefully, they’ve changed us as well. And at this point in the lesson, I might hand out one of those little squishy hearts to each of my students, and encourage them to put it in a place where it can remind them of this principle.
LESSON #2 RETAINING A MIGHTY CHANGE OF HEART
NEVER SIN AGAIN?
Now that’s only half the message of these chapters in my opinion. Because there may be some out there with a question on their minds now. Does this mean that someone who has experienced a mighty change of heart never struggles with the natural man again. They never sin? They only ever do good continually? And obviously, the answer to that question is no. Do we honestly believe that King Benjamin’s people never did anything wrong again after that day? I don’t think that’s realistic or even possible.
So, the second message we need to focus on here is, “Ok, I’ve felt that mighty change of heart. I do want to be good. Truly. Deeply. But now what?
OBJECT
So an object you could display for this lesson: A pair of running shoes.
ICEBREAKER
And for an icebreaker, you could ask: Have you ever competed in an endurance event or sport? And what was your experience like? You know, there are different categories of sports out there. There are team sports, such as basketball or soccer. There are skill sports, such as golf, archery, or gymnastics. But then, there is another category of sports that I would call endurance sports. The kind of sport where the test is most about pushing forward, exerting effort for long periods of time. Who can expend the most amount of effort over the longest period of time is the challenge. That’s the kind of sport that I tend to gravitate towards. Distance running, mountain climbing, backpacking, triathlon. I’ve never been any good at team sports—I guess I’ve just never had the coordination. But when it comes to dogged, one foot in front of the other, minute after minute, hour after hour, THAT I can handle, and surprisingly even enjoy.
You might also consider telling the story of Cliff Young, an Australian potato farmer who came out of nowhere to win the grueling 540-mile Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon at the age of 61. He competed against professional athletes, most of which were significantly younger and had more training. He was not the fastest runner. Nor did he have the most elegant of running styles. But he won, because he was willing to continue running while his competitors slept. With a slow, steady, plodding pace for hours and hours, enduring fatigue, and drowsiness, ultimately, he was able to finish the race almost two days faster than anyone before. He shattered the previous record. He won by enduring what no one else was willing to endure.
King Benjamin had something to say about enduring a different kind of race. And even if you don't enjoy running, climbing or endurance sports, we all need to master the principles of spiritual endurance. As important as experiencing a mighty change of heart is, it is equally, if not more, important to preserve that resolve, that fire, that devotion. And perhaps you’ve experienced times in your life when you began to feel a little spiritually weary? Or burnt out? If you know what I’m talking about, King Benjamin has some counsel that can help us. He’s going to teach us how to endure. Because, once we have obtained a mighty change of heart, we need to maintain the mighty change of heart.
ENDURANCE PHRASES
To help you see this theme, I’d like you to study a number of verses from Mosiah chapters 4 and 5 and challenge you to find the endurance phrase in each. Or, you could have your students do the following crossword puzzle that highlights the various phrases.
ACROSS
3. ____________ in the faith, even unto the end of his life (Mosiah 4:6) CONTINUE
4. Be _____________ in keeping his commandments (Mosiah 4:6) DILIGENT
7. I would that ye should be ______________ and immovable, always abounding in good words (Mosiah 5:15) STEADFAST
DOWN
1. Continue in the faith . . . even unto the ________ of your lives (Mosiah 4:30) END
2. Be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the _______________ of our days (Mosiah 5:5) REMAINDER
5. Be obedient unto the end of your ___________ (Mosiah 5:8) LIVES
6. I would that ye should remember, and always __________ in remembrance (Mosiah 4:11) RETAIN
8. Retain the name written ____________ in your hearts (Mosiah 5:12) ALWAYS
Do you see the endurance theme there spread throughout this part of his sermon.
You see, the “mighty change” is not just a one-time thing. We may feel the mighty change welling up inside at various times in our lives. Remember that King Benjamin’s people are good people. But what I believe is happening here is that their commitment to the gospel is being reinvigorated, like when you blow air onto an already burning campfire—the coals light up, the flames climb higher, the intensity increases, there is a mighty change in the fire. But it’s not that the fire has gone out and King Benjamin is relighting it, but his sermon has blown air onto the fire of their faith, and it has come roaring back with renewed energy and commitment. But that intensity is something that needs to be maintained and rekindled frequently throughout our lives. When I go running, or mountain climbing, or when I’ve competed in triathlon races, there are times when my motivation, my energy, my confidence in my ability to continue begins to diminish. But then, something keeps me going, I get a second wind, somebody cheers me on from the sidelines, or I get a glimpse of the peak or a fantastic view, and that flame is rekindled, and I keep going. The same is true of our spiritual journey. King Benjamin is going to teach us some things that can help us to keep moving forward when we begin to feel spiritually weary, burnt out, or weak.
HOW TO ENDURE
I’d like to focus on five things in particular here in chapters four and five. As a teacher, I would number my students off from 1-5 and invite them to study their verse or verses and be prepared to share how the teachings in their section can help us to endure.
1. Mosiah 4:11-12
2. Mosiah 4:27
3. Mosiah 5:5
4. Mosiah 5:7-12
5. Mosiah 5:12-13
Here are a few of my thoughts on these verses to help you be more prepared to engage with what your students share.
#1 Mosiah 4:11-12
At the beginning of verse 11, Benjamin recaps what has just happened to them. They’ve come to the knowledge of the glory and the goodness of God, they’ve tasted his love, they’ve received a remission of their sins. We saw all that back in verse 3. That’s the rebirth, the awakening, the mighty change. They want to be good. But that was just the beginning. He then says, “I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance” those truths. We can’t afford to forget the truths we’ve been taught or the things we’ve experienced. There’s a need for us to be reminded of God’s greatness and goodness. And then King Benjamin adds that we need to remember our own nothingness, and the importance of staying humble. And I have to admit, it seems like Benjamin really hammers the humility idea a lot in this talk—maybe a little harder than I would be comfortable with, with most audiences that I would be speaking to. You know, he says things like, unworthy creatures, less than the dust of the earth, your nothingness and your worthless and fallen state. I’m not sure a modern church audience would respond as well to that. But you know, King Benjamin knew his people best, and what they most needed to hear, so I’m going to chalk it up to that. Granted, though, we need to be humble and retain in remembrance that we are dependent on God for all that we have and are and that we do not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. Something else that will help us to retain a remembrance is calling on the name of the Lord daily. Continual prayer is a key element of remembering. And one of the coolest blessings for retaining him in remembrance, is the promise that he will retain something. This is a two-way street. What will He retain if we retain? The answer is in verse 12. We’ll retain a remission of our sins. Just because we’re good people, and we want to do good, doesn’t mean we still won’t need a large helping of forgiveness, often. So retain a remembrance, and you’ll retain your remission. That blessing of continuous forgiveness helps me to remember and to endure. So, retaining a remembrance will help us to endure.
I’m going to skip number 2 for the time being because it’s a nice truth to end on. So we’ll come back to that in a minute.
In that verse, what do the people say they are willing to do in 5:5? To enter into a covenant. What is the covenant? To be obedient to his commandments all the remainder of their days. Covenants reinforce resolve. No wonder they are a part of the doctrine of Christ, an essential part of God’s path. Covenants give us strength to endure when things get hard. If we’re not willing to make a promise of some sort when things are good, then what makes us think we’ll have the strength to continue on when things get tough. So we make a covenant, and our Heavenly Father has added ritual and symbol and physical experiences to those covenants to make them even more memorable to us. We call them ordinances. And they stand out as special and significant moments in our lives. Things like baptism, and initiatory, and garments, and the endowment, and sealings. It’s like when we get married to someone. First, we fall in love, and there’s that excitement and emotion, you almost can’t stand being away from that person. We experience a mighty change of heart. It’s intense. And in that enthusiasm, what do we do? We have a ceremony, promises are made, a commitment is entered into. And it’s very memorable. We have a reception, and rings, and special clothing that we wear, you know, wedding gowns and tuxedos, and music, and food, and guests. But part of the reason we do that, is because we know that that intensity won’t last forever. We know that there will be challenges in the future. Difficult obstacles to overcome. Times when we may not feel that same level of fire within in our hearts. And when those times come, we think back to that memorable moment when we were willing to make a commitment, a covenant to that person, and it gives us strength to endure. Can you see why God has ordinances and covenants on his path? In fact, renewing covenants is something that we do every week. Right. I want to show you something cool that I noticed about chapter 5. What are the specific promises that these people are being encouraged to make? Look at the following 3 verses and tell me if you see it: 5:5 again, 5:8, and 5:12
:5 be obedient to his commandments in all things
:8 take upon you the name of Christ
:12 remember to retain the name written always in your hearts
Now where do we see those commitments being made? Obedience to his commandments, taking upon ourselves his name, always remembering. The sacrament right? Isn’t that cool. Those are the sacrament covenants. I’m not saying that they are performing the sacrament here, they were living the Law of Moses at this time, but the covenants are the same. Can you see why we do that every week? Endurance. Also, can you see why we are invited to attend the temple frequently where we get a chance to hear and rehear the covenants we made when we first went. It’s not just for the benefit of those for whom we are vicariously doing the ordinance for, but for us as well as we are reminded of what we have promised to do. Committing with covenants will help us to endure.
4. Mosiah 5:7-12
In 5:7-12 Benjamin teaches that when we make that covenant, we are reborn. He says in vs. 7
7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
Well, when we’re born, we are born to parents. And in this rebirth, Jesus becomes your new father, and you take upon yourselves his name. We become children of Christ. Like Paul says in Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Abba is the Hebrew word for Daddy, or Papa. The word a little child uses to call their Father. That’s why Jesus is sometimes referred to as the father as well. He’s the father of our covenant and we become his sons and daughters by making it. Now, we’re all children of God, but not everyone is a child of Christ. I’m his little boy or his little girl. And as his little boys and girls, we want to grow up to be like Daddy. We can sing the primary song with sincerity “I’m trying to be like Jesus, I’m following in his ways, I’m trying to live as he did, in all that I do and say”. Verse 12 tells us to "remember to retain the name written always in your hearts.” In order to become like somebody, I need to always remember them. Why? So that I will do what they did. When I need to make a choice, I remember them, their example comes to mind, and I ask myself what they would do, and then I follow that example.
When we are born, our parents give us a name. Often, parents will give names to their children in the hopes that they will reflect that person, or become like them. My parents did that. In fact, coincidentally here, I was given the name Benjamin because my father wanted me to grow up to be like King Benjamin. My middle name is Michael, which is my father’s name, encouraging me to follow his example. And my last name is Wilcox, which connects me to a family, a heritage. Therefore when my wife married me, she made a covenant to me and I to her, and she took upon herself my name, and became a part of my family. The same thing happens symbolically when we make the baptismal or sacramental covenant, when we commit ourselves to Christ’s path. We become a part of Christ’s family. So really, in a sense, my full name is Benjamin Michael Wilcox Christ. Now that doesn’t appear on my driver’s license, but it should be written on the fleshy tables of my heart.
Then verse 9 describes what will happen at the second coming or the judgment, he’s going to call for his family, he’s going to call his little boys and girls to him. And If I have that name on me, I’ll be found on the right hand of God. Sometimes we put our names on things. I might take a black sharpie and write my name on my backpacking gear, or my tools, or my name is inscribed on my scriptures. What does that mean about those things when I do that? It means they belong to me. So if Jesus puts his name on me, what does that suggest about me? I’m his.
And I know it’s been shared many times, but I do love the story of George Albert Smith who had a dream that he met his grandfather who he was named after, George A. Smith, from early church history. And in the dream his grandfather asks him, “What have you done with my name?” And he thinks back over his life and all that he had done and answers “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed”. I’ll provide a link to a church produced short video retelling that story in the video description below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfjAPHIaLfA
My deepest desire and hope are that at the judgment, that I will be able to stand before King Benjamin, my father, my family, and my Savior, and be able to say to each one “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed”. The thought that I may have that opportunity gives me strength. Retaining the name can help us to endure.
5. Mosiah 5:12-13
Now, not only do we need to know the name by which we are called, but we also need to know the voice that calls out our name. Benjamin instructs us to:
12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.
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?
So if we want to be called to him at the last day and be found on his right hand, we’ve got to be able to recognize his voice. Now everybody’s voice is unique. No two voices in this world are the same. In fact, I think it’s kind of funny, but when somebody that you know well comes and knocks on your door, you call out “who is it?” And how do they usually respond? They say, “It’s me!” Which on the surface is really kind of a silly answer, isn’t it. It’s me. But it works, because the person knows and is counting on the fact that you will recognize their voice.
And how do you get to that point, the point where you recognize somebody’s voice? Well, you spend time with that person. You speak with that person often. You develop a relationship with them. So one of the most important things we can do in this life is to become familiar with the voice of the Savior. How do we do that? We speak with him frequently in prayer. We spend time in his home, the temple. We listen intently to him as he speaks through the scriptures, the prophets, and in church meetings and classes, because “whether by mine own voice, or by the voice of my servants, it is the same (D&C 1:38). And all throughout our lives, we’re getting to know that voice better and better.
Then one day, when Jesus calls out for his family, He’ll say “All those who have taken upon themselves my name, come out of the world”. And our ears will perk up and we’ll say one of two things. Either we’ll say “I don’t know that voice. That’s not familiar to me. I’m not going to run to a stranger. I think I’ll stay where I’m at.” My thoughts and intents are far from his heart. Or we’ll say “Ah, I know that voice, I’ve heard it many times before. I trust that voice. I’ve heard that voice in answers to my prayers, I’ve heard that voice echoed in the words of prophets, I've heard that voice in the temple, I’ve heard that voice in the scriptures, It’s the voice of my father, the voice of my Savior”. And we’ll come unto him and be found on his right hand.
So, getting to know the voice will help me to endure.
2. Mosiah 4:27
Finally, I know it’s a little out of order, but I’ve saved this one until last because I feel it really captures the essence of the entire lesson. It’s a great one to end on. Benjamin says:
27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.
So you see, this verse goes really well with our theme of endurance. What better metaphor can we have than a running race. And this isn't a sprint we’re talking about here, it's a marathon. Life is a marathon. Remember, the mighty change of heart is not a one-time event, it’s a state of desire. It’s what keeps you running. And running a marathon is a long-term process. So here he’s going to give us some running advice . He tells us to be wise in the way we run, and that we should not run faster than we have strength. That’s one of the first lessons you learn in distance running. Don’t go all out at the beginning, because eventually you’ll run out of steam before the race is over. I remember making that mistake in my first cross country race in high school. I took off really fast at the beginning of the race, and lo and behold I ended up at the front of the pack. I was feeling good, like Wow! I’m going to do awesome in this race. Well I could only maintain that pace for a limited amount of time and after the first mile I started to slow down, way down. I just couldn't maintain that pace long term. Then other runners started to pass me. Then more passed me, and more. And instead of finishing that race near the front, I finished way at the back. I learned a valuable lesson. Don’t run faster than you have strength. I should have run with more wisdom and order.
It’s the same with us spiritually. We need to be careful not to push ourselves too hard and end up giving up because we’re too tired or discouraged or disillusioned with the race. I know that many in the church find themselves discouraged with their progress and feel like they don’t measure up because of their weaknesses or their struggles or their imperfections. And sometimes they give up on the race. Don’t make that running mistake. Be patient with yourselves and your progress. We’re not going to be exactly like Christ all at once. We need patience, wisdom, and order, and time to get there. We may have experienced the mighty change, but we’re still going to make some mistakes. The race is a long one and we’re going to have some stumbles, and some side cramps. Sometimes we'll be ahead, and sometimes we’ll be behind. Sometimes we’ll be leaders, and sometimes we’ll be followers. Sometimes the sun will beat down on us, and other times we’ll feel the cool breeze blowing. But what’s most expedient, Benjamin says, is that we should be diligent that thereby we might win the prize. That’s the secret to this race. The key is endurance. And the wonderful thing about this race is that you don’t have to be the first across the finish line in order to obtain the prize. You just have to cross the finish line. In the end, the race is only with ourselves. And all that cross that finish line win the prize. And what’s the prize?
Mosiah 5:15 says it best, King Benjamin’s concluding statement:
15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.
TRUTH
God has given us many things that can help us to endure to the end. If I remember them and run diligently, I will win the prize of eternal life.
TAKING IT TO HEART
What things have most helped you to maintain your desire to be good?
CONCLUSION
One of my heroes is a man named Ernest Shackleton, the famous Antarctic explorer. His story of survival is an amazing one and his family had a motto which I find inspiration in and strive to live by myself. The Shackleton family motto: “By endurance, we conquer”. It’s not speed, it’s not talent, it’s not perfection, it’s not brute strength that will ultimately bring us the victory in this life. It’s endurance that matters most. So I encourage you to run, and run wisely, I encourage you to retain the mighty change, the “I want to be good” attitude. And when it starts to wane, to fan those flames again and again. I encourage you to endure, one spiritual footstep in front of the other, and if you will, running with patience and wisdom, not faster than you have strength, I can promise you that you will conquer, you will conquer the natural man or woman, you will conquer Satan, and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you will also conquer sin and death, and God will seal you his, not only as a son or daughter of God, which we all are, but as a son or daughter of Christ our Redeemer.
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