Mosiah 8

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

The Lord provides prophets, seers, and revelators to benefit mankind.

1-4. Why do you think you have been asked to keep the family records? How can keeping good family records be a blessing to you and your posterity? What was particularly inspiring about the account given by Ammon?

5. What evidence do you find that Limhi's people knew the importance of keeping records? What can you do to keep more complete and inspiring records of your own life so that one day your relatives might be helped and inspired?

6. Why was the king interested in knowing if Ammon could interpret languages?

7.-9. Why did Limhi send 43 men on a journey? What happened to them instead of finding Zarahemla? What evidence was there to show that an awful tragedy had occurred in this land? What can you learn from the fact that Limhi's men went in search of Zarahemla to get help from bondage to the Lamanites but the Lord led them to find a book of scripture instead?

12. What did the people hope to find out from the records on the 24 gold plates?

13, 17.  What is a seer able to do? How has the gift of translation blessed your life?

"A seer is one who sees with spiritual eyes. He perceives the meaning of that which seems obscure to others; therefore he is an interpreter and clarifier of eternal truth. He foresees the future from the past and the present. This he does by the power of the Lord operating through him directly, or indirectly with the aid of divine instruments such as the Urim and Thummum. In short, he is one who sees, who walks in the Lords light open eyes." - John A Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconcilliations, 258

14. Where does a seer get the power to translate from?

15-16. Who do you sustain as a prophet, seer, and revelator? Why do you think it is wise to listen to those who can see things that you cannot? How have you benefited from listening to modern prophets, seers, and revelators? What are some of the ways you can learn from modern prophets, seers, and revelators?

"These 15 men we sustain as prophets, seers and revelators are given divine power to see what [others] sometimes do not see." - Neil L Andersen, GC, April 2005

16.How did Ammon respond to Limhi's thought that a seer is greater than a prophet? How might this explain why we sustain the president of the Church as a prophet, seer, and revelator?

18.Where do prophets get this power? What does it allow them to know? What does it allow them to do?  What miracles have you witnessed in your life?

19. How did King Limhi respond to this knowledge? Why should you rejoice exceedingly and give thanks to God for living in a day when prophets, seers and revelators guide you?

20. Why should you desire to have wisdom rule over you? What is the source of wisdom? How do you get it?

21. What are those who do not act in wisdom compared to? What ultimately happens to those people?