2 December 2013 Seminary Lesson 56: Mosiah 7-8

1. 2 December 2013 Seminary Lesson 56: Mosiah 7-8 Opening Hymn: Opening Prayer Scripture Mastery: 2 Nephi 2:25 David First Reader: Anna

2. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

3. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 A__ now, my b______ brethren, I p_______ that ye p_____ still in y___ hearts; and i_ grieveth me t___ I must s____ concerning this t____. For if y_ would hearken u___ the Spirit w____ teacheth a m__ to pray y_ would know t___ ye must p___; for the e___ spirit teacheth n__ a man t_ pray, but t_______ him that h_ must not p___ But behold, I s__ unto you t___ ye must p___ always, and n__ faint; that y_ must not p______ any thing u___ the Lord s___ in the f____ place ye s____ pray unto t__ Father in t__ name of C_____, that he w___ consecrate thy p__________ unto thee, t___ thy performance m__ be for t__ welfare of t__ soul.

4. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 A__ now, m_ b______ brethren, I p_______ that y_ p_____ still i_ y___ hearts; a_ i_ grieveth m_ t___ I m_ s____ concerning t___ t____. For i_ y_ would h______ u___ the S_____ w____ teacheth a m__ to p___ y_ would k___ t___ ye m___ p___; for t__ e___ spirit t_______ n__ a m__ t_ pray, b__ t_______ him t___ h_ must n__ p___ But b_____, I s__ unto y__ t___ ye m___ p___ always, a__ n__ faint; t___ y_ must n__ p______ any t____ u___ the L___ s___ in t__ f____ place y_ s____ pray u___ t__ Father i_ t__ name o_ C_____, that h_ w___ consecrate t__ p__________ unto t___, t___ thy p__________ m__ be f__ t__ welfare o_ t__ soul.

5. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 A__ n__, m_ b______ b_______, I p_______ t___ y_ p_____ s____ i_ y___ h_____; a_ i_ g_______ m_ t___ I m_ s____ c_________ t___ t____. F__ i_ y_ w____ h______ u___ t__ S_____ w____ t_______ a m__ t_p___ y_ w____ k___ t___ y_ m___ p___; f__ t__ e___ s_____ t_______ n__ a m__ t_ p___, b__ t_______ h__ t___ h_ m___ n__ p___ B__ b_____, I s__ u___ y__ t___ y_ m___ p___ a_____, a__ n__ f____; t___ y_ m___ n__ p______ a__ t____ u___ t__ L___ s___ i_ t__ f____ p____ y_ s____ p___ u___ t__ F_____ i_ t__ n___ o_ C_____, t___ h_ w___ c_________ t__ p__________ u___ t___, t___ t__ p__________ m__ b_ f__ t__ w______ o_ t__ s___.

6. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 A n, m b b, I p t y p s i y h; a i g m t I m s c t t. F i y w h u t S w t a m t p y w k t y m p; f t e s t n a m t p, b t h t h m n p B b, I s u y t y m p a, a n f; t y m n p a t u t L s i t f p y s p u t F i t n o C, t h w c t p u t, t t p m b f t w o t s.

7. Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

8. Introduction Mosiah 7-8 Approximately 80 years before King Benjamin’s son Mosiah became king, a man named Zeniff led a group of Nephites from Zarahemla to live in the land of Nephi, which they considered “the land of their inheritance” (see Omni 1:27–30). King Mosiah authorized a man named Ammon to lead a small group to the land of Nephi to learn the fate of Zeniff’s group. Ammon and his companions found the descendants of Zeniff’s group living in bondage to the Lamanites. Zeniff’s grandson Limhi was their king. Ammon’s arrival brought hope to Limhi and his people. Limhi asked Ammon if he could translate the engravings on 24 gold plates his people had discovered. Ammon explained that the king in Zarahemla, King Mosiah, was a seer who could translate those ancient records.

9. mourn: to feel regret or sadness • What are some reasons people might mourn? ReadMosiah 7:24. Notice the phrase “all because of iniquity.” Explain that this verse refers to circumstances that came about because of the unrighteous choices of a group of people. Ponder whether you have ever mourned regarding a situation that happened “because of iniquity.” Today we will study Mosiah 7–8 to learn about a king named Limhi and the causes of his people’s regret. Look for what Limhi encouraged his people to do to overcome their sadness.

10. ReadMosiah 7:1. Identify the two locations mentioned in this verse. Copy this diagram in your scripture study journals or class notebooks. Leave lots of space For more to be added later… NOTE: The Church has no official position about Book of Mormon geography except that the events occurred in the Americas.

11. When Lehi’sfamily arrived in the promised land, they established themselves in the land of Nephi (sometimes referred to as the land of Lehi-Nephi or the land of first inheritance). Shortly after Lehi died, the Lord commanded Nephi to flee into the wilderness, taking all those who would go with him. Nephi’s people continued to live in the land of Nephi but were separated from those who followed Laman and Lemuel. Many years later, the Lord commanded a group of Nephitesto flee from the land of Nephi. This group eventually settled in a land called Zarahemla, which was north of the land of Nephi.

12. Several generations later, a man named Zeniff led a group of Nephites to the land of Nephi to “possess the land of their inheritance” (see Omni 1:27–30). Zeniff had been part of another group that had failed to secure land in that area (see Mosiah 9:1–2). Draw an arrow from Zarahemla to the land of Nephi and label it “Nephite group led by Zeniff.” This group left Zarahemla about 80 years before Mosiah became King.

13. ScanMosiah 7:1 again, looking for what Mosiah wanted to know. ReadMosiah 7:2–3 to find out what Mosiah did to get an answer to his question. Draw a second arrow from Zarahemlato the land of Nephi, representing the journey of the search party led by Ammon, and label it accordingly.

14. ReadMosiah 7:4–11 Limhisaw Ammon’s group outside the walls of the city. Thinking they were some of the wicked priests of his deceased father, Noah, he had his guards arrest them and imprison them (see Mosiah 21:23). He questioned them two days later. ReadMosiah 7:12–15, looking for Limhi’s reaction when he learned who Ammon was and where he was from. • Why was Limhi so happy to learn that Ammon was from the land of Zarahemla?

15. Read Mosiah 7:20–28. Find actions that Limhi identified as the causes for his people’s trials and sorrow. (It may be helpful to inform students that the prophet mentioned in Mosiah 7:26 is Abinadi, who was burned to death during the reign of Limhi’s father, Noah.) • What seems to have been the main cause of this people’s sorrow? (Iniquity, or sin.) ReadMosiah 7:29–32. Choose a phrase that shows Limhi’s understanding of the connection between the people’s sins and the people’s sorrow. (You may need to explain that the word chaff refers to the leftover debris after the grain has been separated from wheat stalks. InMosiah 7:30, “reap the chaff” means to get something useless.)

16. ReadMosiah 7:33. Look for what Limhi exhorted his people to do. • What principles can we learn from Limhi and his people about the effect of recognizing and feeling sorrow for our sins? (Do you see that recognizing and feeling sorrow for our sins can lead us to turn to the Lord for deliverance. You may want to write this principle in your journal.) Imagine that you have a loved one who feels remorse for his or her sins and who desires to repent and turn to the Lord but isn’t sure how to do so. Limhi’scounsel to his people in Mosiah 7:33 contains keys to overcoming the sorrow and regret that accompany sin. Please searchMosiah 7:33 silently, searching for phrases that would help someone know how to “turn to the Lord.” (You might want to mark these phrases.)

17. Please share phrases that stand out to you. Please explain the meaning of the phrase you have chosen by (1) putting it in your own words or (2) giving examples of actions or attitudes of someone who is striving to apply the principle expressed by the phrase. Ponder whether you have sins of which you have not repented that could be causing sorrow and regret for you and those you love. Please write an answer to the following question in your scripture study journal: • How can you apply Mosiah 7:33 in your life today? As we turn to the Lord with our whole hearts and minds, He will deliver us from the mourning that comes from our sins.

18. Read Mosiah 8 Ammon learns of the 24 gold plates and tells Limhi of a seer who can translate the engravings they contain Add to your diagram:

19. The Lord provides prophets, seers, and revelators to benefit mankind. • How many seers do we have on the earth today? (Fifteen—the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.) • What are some things that prophets, seers, and revelators make known to us? (If students struggle to answer, ask what seers have made known about topics such as marriage and family, education, entertainment and media, or sexual purity.) • How has your life been blessed by modern-day prophets, seers, and revelators?

20. Closing Prayer This Week’s Assignments