The Book of Mormon Part 49

Mosiah 24:12 12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their G.o.d, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

Mosiah 24:13 13 And it came to pa.s.s that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

Mosiah 24:14 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord G.o.d, do visit my people in their afflictions.

Mosiah 24:15 15 And now it came to pa.s.s that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

Mosiah 24:16 16 And it came to pa.s.s that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

Mosiah 24:17 17 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.

Mosiah 24:18 18 Now it came to pa.s.s that Alma and his people in the night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering the flocks together.

Mosiah 24:19 19 And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep.

Mosiah 24:20 20 And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness.

Mosiah 24:21 21 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to G.o.d because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their G.o.d.

Mosiah 24:22 22 And they gave thanks to G.o.d, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their G.o.d.

Mosiah 24:23 23 And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in pursuit of this people.

Mosiah 24:24 24 And it came to pa.s.s that they departed out of the valley, and took their journey into the wilderness.

Mosiah 24:25 25 And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days they arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy.

Mosiah 25 Chapter 25

Mosiah 25:1 1 And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together.

Mosiah 25:2 2 Now 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.

Mosiah 25:3 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.

Mosiah 25:4 4 And now all the people of Nephi were a.s.sembled together, and also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together in two bodies.

Mosiah 25:5 5 And it came to pa.s.s that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until they returned again.

Mosiah 25:6 6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.

Mosiah 25:7 7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement.

Mosiah 25:8 8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.

Mosiah 25:9 9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.

Mosiah 25:10 10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of G.o.d, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to G.o.d.

Mosiah 25:11 11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.

Mosiah 25:12 12 And it came to pa.s.s that those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites.

Mosiah 25:13 13 And now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon none but those who were descendants of Nephi.

Mosiah 25:14 14 And now it came to pa.s.s that when Mosiah had made an end of speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should also speak to the people.

Mosiah 25:15 15 And Alma did speak unto them, when they were a.s.sembled together in large bodies, and he went from one body to another, preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord.

Mosiah 25:16 16 And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them.

Mosiah 25:17 17 And it came to pa.s.s that after Alma had taught the people many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also.

Mosiah 25:18 18 Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did baptize them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his brethren in the waters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did baptize did belong to the church of G.o.d; and this because of their belief on the words of Alma.

Mosiah 25:19 19 And it came to pa.s.s that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.

Mosiah 25:20 20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of G.o.d in one a.s.sembly;

Mosiah 25:21 21 Therefore they did a.s.semble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.

Mosiah 25:22 22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of G.o.d; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in G.o.d.

Mosiah 25:23 23 And now there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla.

And it came to pa.s.s that whosoever were desirous to take upon them the name of Christ, or of G.o.d, they did join the churches of G.o.d;

Mosiah 25:24 24 And they were called the people of G.o.d. And the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and prospered in the land.

Mosiah 26 Chapter 26

Mosiah 26:1 1 Now it came to pa.s.s that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

Mosiah 26:2 2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.

Mosiah 26:3 3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of G.o.d; and their hearts were hardened.

Mosiah 26:4 4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their G.o.d.

Mosiah 26:5 5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous as the people of G.o.d; but because of the dissensions among the brethren they became more numerous.

Mosiah 26:6 6 For it came to pa.s.s that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church.

Mosiah 26:7 7 And it came to pa.s.s that they were brought before the priests, and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers; and the priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest.

Mosiah 26:8 8 Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church.

Mosiah 26:9 9 And it came to pa.s.s that Alma did not know concerning them; but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance.

Mosiah 26:10 10 Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king.