Mosiah 25

This is a great chapter. This is where the people of Zarahemla join the Nephites and King Mosiah reads to them the account of Zeniff and Alma. After he reads to them they were fill with exceedingly great joy (verse 8)for those who were delivered from bondage, sorrw for those who were slain and they gave thanks to God for delivering Alma and his brethren. I like this part of the story because the people care, they cared greatly for these others that they felt emotions of joy and of sorrow. Those are true Christ-like qualities. I would love to train myself to be more aware of others and what their situations are and what they are doing so that I can feel with them...have empathy and compassion, joy and sorrow. In verse 11 they it talks of how they felt pain and anguish for the welfare of the souls of the Lamanites. I am not sure that I am aware enough to think on those that are choosing the wrong path, maybe it is because I dont' know too many people that have chosen another direction, one that will bring them sorrow, but I definately think that I need to care more and be more aware.

After all this reading, Limhi and his people are desirous to be baptized and so Alma baptizes them. There are so many people that they have to organize churches and teachers over those churches. But it is made clear that the only things preached were from the words of Alma, that came from God. So it was ONE church amoung all the churches. Sound familiar? I know it is God's way, how could he organize his church any other way? I was thinking back to my days as a full time missionary, I was thinking about Alma and him preaching to the people of Limhi and I was thinking of other prophets like Noah and how he was commanded to preach to the people repentance, even though he knew it was in vain. I am probably thinking of these things because I work in the Primary and this months song is "Follow the Prophet" and we have been focused on prophets. My biggest thought was about how the Lord commanded them to preach repentance and faith on the Lord. That was my calling as well as a missionary and my duty now as a diciple of Christ. But I wonder if faith is actually strong enough that if commanded, I would have the faith to stand up in front of even just one or hundreds and preach the word of the Lord as the prophets did. They were so bold, they faced death, they were mocked and threatened. I know as a missionary I could preach the word of God, I had a special tag, a special calling, that was my job...it was different. Now, I think of myself and I can hardly speak up sometimes to as someone to reach something in a grocery shelf that is too high for me to reach. So would I be bold enough if the Lord required me to do so? I don't know. If I knew ahead of time that I needed to speak with someone and boldly bear testimony of what I know is true, but that person was strongly against everything I believed, would I be able to boldy speak to them without fear or shyness? The honest answer: I don't know. I haven't been in that situation. I have born testimony to others investigating the gospel, but they had an interest so that wasn't hard. It makes me wonder and reflect on myself more. I hate that I have to actually wonder, I would love for my answer to be a capital YES and know without doubt that i am bold enough, but I am not 100% sure. SOOOOO....I will be working on knowing that I am bold enough. I know my testimony for myself and would never shrink from it, I just don't know about my boldness in sharing with others. Isn't that weird? I served a mission for 18 months and it wasn't hard for me to share the gospel boldy, but now living my normal life I have to question myself. Interesting.

Anywyas, the last verse in chapter 25 says, "And they were called the people of God. And the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and prospered in the land." Let us all remember that as we live as people of God, follow His commandments he will always send us the Spirit, we will always be blessed and we will always prosper. It is only our own pride and selfishness or idleness that ever ruins that wonderful life!