Doctrinal Mastery: Mosiah 4:9

“Believe in God”

youth looking up, pondering

In your study of Mosiah 4:9–10, you learned the importance of believing in God. This lesson can help you memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase for Mosiah 4:9, explain the doctrine, and apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in real-life situations.

Memorize and explain

Recall your experience studying King Benjamin’s invitation in Mosiah 4:9–10 for his people to believe in God. If needed, consider reading these verses again and reviewing the diagram you created in your study journal from the previous lesson.

• What important characteristics or attributes of God did King Benjamin invite his people to believe?

• How can believing in these divine attributes of God impact your life?

Choose one of the characteristics or attributes of God mentioned in Mosiah 4:9–10 that King Benjamin taught his people to believe. Share how you might explain this to someone who does not understand what it means.

The key phrase for Mosiah 4:9 is “Believe in God; … believe that he has all wisdom.” The following activity can help you memorize this scripture reference and key scripture phrase.

In your study journal write the word believe in large letters. Below this, write the phrase in God, and below this write the phrase believe that he has all wisdom. Then write the scripture reference Mosiah 4:9 in large letters at the bottom. Starting from the top, say each line aloud as you point to the word, phrase, or reference. Repeat this activity multiple times until you have this committed to memory.

Practice application

Briefly review the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in paragraphs 5–12 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2023). You could try to list all three principles from memory. Then, in your study journal, record how you have used or could use these principles.

Read the following scenario, thinking of situations in your life where your belief in God has been challenged or has not been as strong as you would like.

Myra is in a class where the teacher makes fun of religion and doesn’t believe in God. These comments bothered Myra at first, but over a few months in the class, she is starting to wonder if her teacher might be right. She had always believed in God, but now she feels that she might be starting to doubt God’s existence.

You may want to prepare to apply the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in Myra’s situation by watching the video “His Grace: Choosing to Believe in God” (4:07), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. As you watch, notice how the young man in this video used the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge and how it could apply to Myra.

Use the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge and the doctrine in Mosiah 4:9 to help with Myra’s situation or with a different scenario related to believing in God that is more relevant to your life.

Think about your answers to the following questions as you consider how you would help Myra.

Act in faith

• What faithful actions could someone take if they are struggling to believe in God?

• How might taking these actions help them?

Examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective

• What teachings from Mosiah 4:9 could help someone in this situation to have an eternal perspective?

• How can someone’s decision to believe or not believe in God impact their future?

Seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources

• What additional scripture passages or experiences (that you or others have had) could help someone with this challenge?

• Where else could people find information to help them in this situation? Find at least one other source and explain how it could help.

1. Share how you would use the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge and the doctrine taught in Mosiah 4:9 to help Myra in her situation.