Mosiah 18-24
From
Come, Follow Me :
The account of Alma and his people in Mosiah 18; 23–24 shows what it means to "come into the fold of God" (Mosiah 18:8). When they were baptized, they made a covenant with God to "serve him and keep his commandments" (Mosiah 18:10) ... As members of Christ's Church, we covenant to serve God by helping and serving one another along the way, "bear[ing] one another's burdens" (Mosiah 18:8–10).
Mosiah 18:1–17
Baptism includes a covenant to serve God and stand as a witness of Him.
From
Come, Follow Me :
Mosiah 18:8–10 contains Alma's teachings about the baptismal covenant, or the promise we make to God at baptism. As you read these verses, ponder the following questions:
- What do you learn from these verses about the promises you made at baptism?
- What does God promise you?
- How does the covenant to serve God (see verse 10) relate to our efforts to minister to one another? (see verses 8–9).
- What are you doing to keep your promises?
- How does keeping your baptismal covenant help you be "filled with the Spirit?"
(Mosiah 18:14).
- How does the Spirit help you keep your covenant?
Baptism is the first essential
ordinance you enter into, in making covenants with the Lord. "Essential" means the ordinance is essential to your salvation. While other ordinances may be performed earlier in your life, such as naming and blessing children or administering to the sick, these are not essential to salvation. Baptism is required to enter the kingdom of God (
2 Nephi 9:23). Your baptism is and should be an important event in your life.
Baptism Memories
As a family, take turns telling about your baptismal day. Where were you baptized and by whom? Who was there to share your baptism? What do you remember about that day? How did you feel when you were baptized? Help younger children who have not yet been baptized express their feelings about how they feel about being baptized—why it will be a great day in their lives. You could write down these experiences and let younger children draw pictures of their experiences.
An additional idea is to invite extended family members to write about the day they were baptized. Share these memories with a child getting prepared for baptism. This collection of stories could be made into a book for the child or shared online. This would be a beautiful gift for anyone of any age preparing for baptism or just a wonderful way to share memories with those you love.
Preparing for Baptism
Discuss with younger children about their future baptism and what they need to do to prepare. Print the
Baptism and Confirmation page for a coloring activity. In addition, you may want to print and read together
Alma Baptizes Many People and then let them color that page as well.
Children may enjoy reading a printed baptismal program or searching for other documents about an ancestor's baptism. Where was he or she baptized? At what age? Who performed the baptism and confirmation? How is your child related to this person? If related, can you find him or her on the family tree?
Mosiah 18:17–30
God's people should be united.
From
Come, Follow Me :
As Alma and his people discovered, following Jesus Christ sometimes means leaving a familiar way of life for something new and different. But Alma's people drew strength from each other as part of "the church of Christ" (Mosiah 18:17). How do the teachings in Mosiah 18:17–30 inspire you to be a better member of the Church? What can you do to help your ward or branch members be "knit together in unity and in love"? (Mosiah 18:21).
What can you do to help your family be "knit together in unity and love?" (
Mosiah 18:21). How can you help your family members past and present be united and linked together? What about family members who have died without an opportunity to accept the gospel?
You have an opportunity and responsibility to help those family members who have died without an opportunity to accept the gospel and the ordinances needed for exaltation. You have the privilege and opportunity to perform work for them that they are unable to do for themselves.
"...[L]et me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation...they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect." (D&C 128:15)
"Because baptism by water and of the Spirit is essential for full salvation, in the eternal nature of things, all of God's children should have this opportunity— including those who have lived in centuries past ... Doing something so vital for those who cannot do it for themselves is truly Christ-like. (James E. Faust, April 2001 General Conference, Born Again)
"What a marvelous thing that is that you ... can stand in the place of some great man or woman who at one time lived upon the earth but who is now powerless to move forward without the blessing that you can give to him or her. … There is no greater blessing. … And it will be your privilege and your opportunity and your responsibility to live worthy to go to the temple of the Lord and there be baptized in behalf of someone else." (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Baptism for the Dead, Ensign, April 2002, Inspirational Thoughts)
Ordinances Ready
As individual family members, use "Ordinances Ready" to find family names for the ordinances you choose to perform, the next time you are able to attend the temple. Print out these names so you are ready to go. Find joy in accepting the challenges given by
Elder Neil L. Andersen and
Elder Dale G. Renlund "to find as many names for the temple as ordinances performed in the temple." If you need additional help, check out these blogs:
Ordinances Ready on the FamilySearch App and
Request Temple Ordinances for Family Names.
Ordinances Ready can also be a tool to help find new people to research; however, there is
no requirement to do any verification on the records found. It is simply taking this information an optional step further in order to help your research. Read
Using Ordinances Ready to Discover New Research Opportunities to see how this tool can help.
Family History Research
Ask a family member to share how he or she felt the first time performing baptisms for the dead. Ask other family members to share their experiences. Discuss how an ancestor who is waiting to have their work done may feel. As a family, look at some ways to study and research your family history to find ancestors who may need work performed on their behalf.
Descendancy Research
General Research
Your Personal History
Write one story about your life as you study each Come, Follow Me lesson. By the end of the year, you will have 50 stories to add to your personal history (also consider
audio-recording it) and add it to your FamilySearch Memories to preserve it. Use your own questions, those from (or inspired by) Come,Follow Me, or the
#52 Stories Project. See below for ideas:
- Write about the day you were baptized and the feelings you had that day.
- What are you doing to keep the promises you made at baptism?
- How have you been converted?
