May 20–26: “We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him.” Mosiah 18–24
“May 20–26: ‘We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him.’ Mosiah 18–24,” Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 (2023)
“May 20–26. Mosiah 18–24,” Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: 2024 (2023)
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Limhi’s people escaping
Minerva Teichert (1888–1976), Escape of King Limhi and His People, 1949–1951, oil on masonite, 35 7/8 × 48 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1969.
May 20–26: We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him
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 Alma’s people were baptized, they made a covenant with God to “serve him and keep his commandments” (Mosiah 18:10). While this was a personal commitment with God, it also had to do with how they treated one another. Yes, the journey back to Heavenly Father is individual, and no one can keep our covenants for us, but that doesn’t mean we are alone. We need each other. 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). Alma’s people definitely had burdens to bear, just as we all do. And one way the Lord helps us “bear up [our] burdens with ease” (Mosiah 24:15) is by giving us a community of Saints who have promised to mourn with us and comfort us, just as we have promised to do for them.
See also “The Lord Delivers the Covenant Peoples of Alma and Limhi” (video), Gospel Library.
Consider how deeply the believers described in Mosiah 18 felt about Jesus Christ. They had to meet secretly, at great risk, to learn about Him (see verse 3). And when given the chance to show their commitment by the covenant of baptism, “they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts” (Mosiah 18:11).
Reading these verses could be a good opportunity to ponder how important your covenants are to you. As you study Mosiah 18:8–14 in particular, consider questions like these:
What do you learn from these verses about the promises you made at baptism? What does God promise you? (see verses 10, 13).
How does the covenant to serve God relate to our efforts to minister to one another? (see verses 8–9).
What does it mean to you to “stand as [a witness] of God”? (verse 9).
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?
Answering these questions might lead you to ponder why covenants and ordinances are important to God. You could find insights in Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s message “Covenant Belonging” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 80–83) or President Jean B. Bingham’s message “Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect, and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory” (Liahona, May 2022, 66–69). Why are you grateful for your covenants? What are you doing to keep your promises?
See also Gospel Topics, “Baptism,” Gospel Library; “Alma the Elder Teaches and Baptizes at the Waters of Mormon” (video), Gospel Library.
Teach truth from the scriptures and latter-day prophets. As you teach—and learn—remember that one of the best ways to increase faith in Christ is to focus on the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets (see Mosiah 18:19).
God commands His people to gather, organize, and be united.
Some people wonder, why do we need a church? Search Mosiah 18:17–31, looking for the value Alma’s people found in gathering in “the church of Christ” (Mosiah 18:17). What similarities do you see in the Church of Jesus Christ in Alma’s day and our day?
How would you respond to a friend or family member who doesn’t believe that an organized church is necessary? Why are you grateful to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ?
Think about what you can do to help your ward or branch members be “knit together in unity and in love” (Mosiah 18:21).
Limhi’s people and Alma’s people both fell into bondage, although in different circumstances. What can you learn by comparing the accounts of Limhi’s people in Mosiah 19–22 and Alma’s people in Mosiah 18; 23–24? As you do, look for messages that apply to your life. For example, what does it mean to “prosper by degrees”? (Mosiah 21:16). How can you apply this principle?
Even though they had repented of their sins, Alma and his people still found themselves in bondage. Their experience shows that trusting the Lord and living our covenants doesn’t always take away our challenges, but it does help us overcome them. As you read Mosiah 23:21–24 and 24:8–17, note words and phrases that can help you learn to trust in the Lord, regardless of your circumstances.
One important way to help your children prepare for baptism is to teach them about the covenant they will make when they are baptized. This could be as simple as showing the picture at the end of this week’s outline and reading about the covenant with them in Mosiah 18:9–10. Consider inviting a child who has already been baptized to teach this to the younger children. Your children might enjoy hearing about your baptism. How has keeping your covenants with God blessed your life?
Children who have been baptized could use frequent reminders about the covenants they made and renew each week with the sacrament. Perhaps your children could compare the baptismal covenant described in Mosiah 18:8–10 with the sacrament prayers (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79). How can we make the sacrament a special, reverent time, just like our baptisms were?
When I am baptized, I become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Do your children know what it means to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Consider helping them find pictures that represent things Church members did in Mosiah 18:17–28. For example, the pictures Ordination to the Priesthood and Payment of Tithing (Gospel Art Book, nos. 106, 113) might represent verses 18 and 27–28. Tell them why you are grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Helping children feel “knit together in unity and in love” (Mosiah 18:21) helps them stay connected to the Church throughout their lives. Consider inviting your children to read Mosiah 18:17–28. What did members of Christ’s Church in Alma’s day do to love and serve one another? How can we do this in our ward, branch, or community? A song about love, such as “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140), could reinforce this message.
A simple object lesson can make learning more memorable. Consider filling a bag with heavy objects (to represent burdens) and inviting a child to hold the bag. As you read Mosiah 24:8–17 with your children, ask them to remove an item from the bag every time they hear about something Alma and his people did to seek God’s help with their burdens. You could then talk with them about how Heavenly Father can make our burdens lighter when we seek His help.
For more ideas, see this month’s issue of the Friend magazine.
