Mosiah 4

(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 power of the Atonement can turn all your fears into joy. As you exercise faith in Jesus Christ and sincerely repent, you receive a remission of your sins. This repentance is an important element in obtaining joy and peace of conscience. If you humble yourself before God and strive to develop Christlike attributes, you can retain a remission of your sins. The Lord has a profound love for you. As you repent of any wrongdoings and do your best to follow the Savior's example, you can retain a remission of your sins. As you learn to control your thoughts, you will reap the blessing of being more Christlike in your words and actions.

1-8. How do you know if you have been forgiven of a particular sin? Do you feel peace of conscience when you think about having repented of your sin? Are you filled with joy?

"When you have fully repented, you feel an inner peace. You know somehow you are forgiven because the burden you have carried for so long, all of a sudden isn't there anymore. It is GONE and YOU KNOW it is gone." -F Burton Howard, GC, April 1983

1. How do you feel about standing before the Lord to be judged? What can you do to stand before Him with greater confidence than you feel now? How will changing your life to emulate Christ bless you not only at the time of judgement, but also each and every day of the rest of your life?

2. How do you apply the atoning blood of Jesus Christ in your life? How is your heart purified? In what way does your faith and testimony of Christ assist you?

1-2. The people of King Benjamin were forgiven because of the 'exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ'. What actions recorded in these verses demonstrated their faith? What attitudes and feelings should you have that would be similar to those of the people of Mosiah?
3. According to this verse, what results from exercising faith in Jesus Christ and repenting of our sins? How valuable are these blessings? What would you be willing to do to have them in your life?

3. By what power were the people cleansed from sin and purified? What effect does the Spirit of the Lord have upon you? What does it feel like to be filled with joy? Why do you suppose that receiving a remission of your sins fills your soul with joy? How can you exercise your faith in Jesus Christ as you seek a remission of your sins?

4. How do you think the response of the people to the words King Benjamin taught, influenced what he said from this point on?

5.Why do you suppose that a knowledge of God's goodness brings you to an awareness of what King Benjamin calls 'your nothingness'? What does King Benjamin mean by the words 'nothingness' and 'worthless'? How does this awareness help you to be humble enough to apply the atonement in your life?

6. What do you need to do, according to King Benjamin, to gain salvation? In what ways are you trying to put your trust in the Lord? How can you be more diligent in keeping the commandments? What commandment can you improve upon at this time in your life? How can you continue in the faith even unto the end of your life?

7-8. How important is the atonement in the attainment of salvation? Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ?  How grateful are you for this great gift?

“A convert is one who has put off the natural man, yielded to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and become ‘a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.’ Such a person has become ‘as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.’ (Mosiah 3:19.) He has become a new creature of the Holy Ghost: the old creature has been converted or changed into a new one. He has been born again: where once he was spiritually dead, he has been regenerated to a state of spiritual life. (Mosiah 27:24–29.) In real conversion, which is essential to salvation (Matt. 18:3), the convert not only changes his beliefs, casting off the false traditions of the past and accepting the beauties of revealed religion, but he changes his whole way of life, and the nature and structure of his very being is quickened and changed by the power of the Holy Ghost.” -Dallin H Oaks, (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1966–73], 1:770

9-30. How do the actions described by King Benjamin show that someone is striving to retain a remission of his or her sins? Can you list a few other actions that would show someone is striving to retain a remission of sins? What is one or more ways in which you have given succor to those in need?

9. What things do we need to BELIEVE? How do these things help you feel a deeper, more exquisite feeling of gratitude to your Father in Heaven? How might knowing that God created all things and has all power and wisdom help motivate you to repent?

10. Why is it important to BELIEVE that you must repent? What happens to those who do not believe that they need to repent? Why is it important to act on your belief in Christ and your convictions of the truthfulness of His gospel?

11. What is a retainer? What is it's purpose? How can you ensure that you ALWAYS retain a remembrance of the greatness of God? How does remembering God help you to RETAIN a remission of your sins? How does it help you RETAIN a feeling of gratitude toward your Father in Heaven? How does it help you to be humble? How often should you call upon the name of the Lord in prayer? What does the word 'steadfastly' mean? Why do you think it is important to understand and remember God's power, goodness and love? When you remember these things, how do they affect your life?

12. How can doing the things mentioned in verse 11 help you be filled with the love of God even to rejoicing? How does this attitude of rejoicing and praising God help you to RETAIN a remission of your sins?

13. How does RETAINING a remission of your sins bless your life and the lives of those you know and associate with? How does it affect your feelings toward them? What do you think it would be like to have everyone in a community living peaceably together?

14. How does the knowledge of God's goodness affect how parents treat their children? 

14-15. What responsibility do parents have toward their children? What does it mean to you to be taught and teach others to walk in the ways of truth and soberness? How does love and service assist parents in teaching their children? How does engaging children in opportunities to develop and cultivate love and service bless the lives of all?

16-23. In what ways are we all beggars? To whom do you beg or pray for blessings? How does God respond to your petitions? What would your life be like if God withheld His blessings? How might the teachings of King Benjamin change the way you deal with those in need in the future?

16. How does the love of God in your heart help you to feel towards all those who are less fortunate than yourself?

17. What justifications do we sometimes make for withholding our substance from others?

18. Why does one who justifies his selfishness have need of repentance?

19. Who do you depend upon for your sustenance? Who is the source of all your wealth and worldly possessions? Why is it important to recognize God in ALL aspects of your life? How does doing so help you to be more generous with His less fortunate children? What is one blessing you could thank your Heavenly Father for at this moment?

20. What do you petition God for? How does He respond to your petitions? When have you felt your heart filled with joy so great that you were at a loss for the words to express it? Have you thanked your Father in Heaven for that gift?

21. How generous is the Lord with you in your life? What blessings has he bestowed upon your head? When you ask for blessings do you expect to receive them? How does imparting of your substance convey to the Lord your desire to be blessed and supported by Him?

22-23. What reward is given to the man that judges another?

24-25. How should the poor feel toward the beggar? What can you do to cultivate an attitude of selflessness? How can you more effectively avoid coveting your own wealth and blessings?

"Just as we will be accountable for our evil desires, we will also be rewarded for our righteous ones. Our Father in Heaven will receive a truly righteous desire as a substitute for actions that are genuinely impossible. My father-in-law was fond of expressing his version of this principle. When someone wanted to do something for him but was prevented by circumstances, he would say: ‘Thank you. I will take the good will for the deed.’... This principle means that when we have done all that we can, our desires will carry us the rest of the way. It also means that if our desires are right, we can be forgiven for the unintended errors or mistakes we will inevitably make as we try to carry those desires into effect. What a comfort for our feelings of inadequacy!” -Dallin H Oaks, Pure in Heart [1988], 59

26-27. How should you treat those who ask you for help? How can remembering King Benjamin's teavhings help you to be more compassionate to those who are in spiritual or temporal need?

26. What actions does the Lord require of us in order for us to retain a remission of our sins? How do you spiritually impart of your substance? What can you do to uplift and strengthen those you meet as well as close friends and family members who might be discouraged?

27. What does it mean that you should not run faster than you have strength? How is the Kingdom of God a Kingdom of order? In what way can being consistent in doing good daily, fulfill the requisite the Lord places upon you?

28. What should you do when you borrow something from another?

29. If there are diverse ways to commit sin, how do you recognize if you have committed sin? What do you have to guide and help you along?

30. What is the relationship between you thoughts, your words and your deeds? Which of these is the hardest for you to control? What can you do to better control your thoughts, words, and deeds? Why is it vital to watch and guard your thoughts? How does guarding your thoughts help you in guarding your words? In what way does guarding your thoughts and words help you avoid committing regrettable actions? What is so important for you to remember that will keep you from perishing in the last day?

“Think clean thoughts. Those who think clean thoughts do not do dirty deeds. You are not only responsible before God for your acts but also for controlling your thoughts. … The old adage is still true that you sow thoughts and you reap acts, you sow acts and you reap habits, you sow habits and you reap a character, and your character determines your eternal destiny. ‘As a man thinketh, so is he.’ (See Prov. 23:7.)" - Ezra Taft Benson, GC, October 1964

 “Some people have an idea that because they have entered the waters of baptism and repented of their sins then that is an end of it. What a mistake! We need to have this spirit of repentance continually; we need to pray to God to show us our conduct every day. Every night before we retire to rest we should review the thoughts, words and acts of the day and then repent of everything we have done that is wrong or that has grieved the Holy Spirit. Live this way every day and endeavor to progress every day. We may indulge in many things that are not right, indulge in wrong thoughts, be actuated by wrong motives, may have wrong objects in view. … Therefore, we need to repent every day and every hour, every one of us” - George Q Cannon, Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, ed. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols. [1957], 1:164