< Mosiah 18 >
v. 4 And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.
The Book of Mormon translation uses early modern English—very similar to the King James Bible—so this phrase reflects a biblical linguistic pattern. In the KJV, the words “times” and “seasons” often appear together to describe appointed, periodic, or appropriate occasions.
Examples:
Acts 1:7
“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”
Daniel 2:21
“He changeth the times and the seasons…”
While none say exactly “by times or at seasons,” the pairing of these words is distinctly biblical. The phrase Joseph Smith dictated in Mosiah 18 follows this KJV pattern and would have sounded very familiar to 19th-century readers.
The Book of Mormon translation uses early modern English—very similar to the King James Bible—so this phrase reflects a biblical linguistic pattern. In the KJV, the words “times” and “seasons” often appear together to describe appointed, periodic, or appropriate occasions.
Examples:
Acts 1:7
“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”
Daniel 2:21
“He changeth the times and the seasons…”
While none say exactly “by times or at seasons,” the pairing of these words is distinctly biblical. The phrase Joseph Smith dictated in Mosiah 18 follows this KJV pattern and would have sounded very familiar to 19th-century readers.
v. 5 Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king.
Fountain of pure water
In the Law of Moses, ritual cleansing mustbe done in “living water” — water that is: flowing, fresh, natural, undefiled. Leviticus 14:5–6, 50: Ritual purification requires “running water” (Hebrew: mayim chayyim — “living water”). Numbers 19:17: Cleansing water must be “running water”.
So a fountain (a natural spring) is the ideal location for ritual cleansing. The Nephites were still living the Law of Moses — so baptism taking place at a pure, natural spring signals: This baptism is in harmony with the Law. Pure water symbolizes the purity of Christ and the cleansing power of the covenant.
Fountain of pure water
In the Law of Moses, ritual cleansing mustbe done in “living water” — water that is: flowing, fresh, natural, undefiled. Leviticus 14:5–6, 50: Ritual purification requires “running water” (Hebrew: mayim chayyim — “living water”). Numbers 19:17: Cleansing water must be “running water”.
So a fountain (a natural spring) is the ideal location for ritual cleansing. The Nephites were still living the Law of Moses — so baptism taking place at a pure, natural spring signals: This baptism is in harmony with the Law. Pure water symbolizes the purity of Christ and the cleansing power of the covenant.
v. 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come unto the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
What are your waters of Mormon? This place, it was so beautiful to the people just because of what they did there. It's what occurred there more than anything else.
What are your waters of Mormon? This place, it was so beautiful to the people just because of what they did there. It's what occurred there more than anything else.
v.9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -
This verse is the opposite of the Natural Man in Mosiah 3:19: Baptism is the process by which the natural man is transofmred into a covenant disciple. Alma shows what this change looks like in real life: serving, mourning, comforting, witnessing, loving, belonging, keeping covenants.
This verse is the opposite of the Natural Man in Mosiah 3:19: Baptism is the process by which the natural man is transofmred into a covenant disciple. Alma shows what this change looks like in real life: serving, mourning, comforting, witnessing, loving, belonging, keeping covenants.
Mosiah 18:9 — Baptized Disciple |
Mosiah 3:19 — Natural Man |
Bears burdens |
Avoids burdens; self-centered |
Mourns with others |
Indifferent to others’ pain |
Comforts those in need |
Thinks only of self; not comforting |
Willing to serve God at all times |
Enemy to God; resists the Spirit |
A witness of God |
Rejects God; follows impulses |
Submits to God’s covenant |
Refuses to submit (proud) |
Seeks redemption |
“Carnal, sensual, devilish” by nature |
Lives in love and community |
Lives in isolation and self-interest |
v. 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -
Mourning with those that Mourn
They feel like it'll be awkward, they don't know what to say, they don't know how to help, and so they don't come. But for me, it's really powerful
to have people come and just say, "This is really hard for you." And you say, "It's really hard." And they say, "It looks like it kind of sucks." And you're like, "Yes, it sucks." And it's just nice to have someone there with you that way. I mean, I think that's why Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asked the Apostles to come to witness. It was hard for them, but I think that's what he wanted. He didn't want to be alone during that time.
- Meliisa Inouye
Mourning with those that Mourn
They feel like it'll be awkward, they don't know what to say, they don't know how to help, and so they don't come. But for me, it's really powerful
to have people come and just say, "This is really hard for you." And you say, "It's really hard." And they say, "It looks like it kind of sucks." And you're like, "Yes, it sucks." And it's just nice to have someone there with you that way. I mean, I think that's why Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asked the Apostles to come to witness. It was hard for them, but I think that's what he wanted. He didn't want to be alone during that time.
- Meliisa Inouye
v. 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -
Just being there
Just being there. Maybe that's also part of what it means to stand as a witness of God, at all times and in all things and in all places, because most of the time we don't see God, but God's presence isn't something that you can easily observe in the environment. I think at times when you're going through a really hard thing, and you feel like you've been abandoned by God, when there are a bunch of people around you who share that faith in God, they in a way... I'm not saying they're stand-ins for God, but they're witnesses for the reality of that power and that presence and that love.
- Melissa Inouye
Job 2:11-13
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place…
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept…
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him:
for they saw that his grief was very great.
Just being there
Just being there. Maybe that's also part of what it means to stand as a witness of God, at all times and in all things and in all places, because most of the time we don't see God, but God's presence isn't something that you can easily observe in the environment. I think at times when you're going through a really hard thing, and you feel like you've been abandoned by God, when there are a bunch of people around you who share that faith in God, they in a way... I'm not saying they're stand-ins for God, but they're witnesses for the reality of that power and that presence and that love.
- Melissa Inouye
Job 2:11-13
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place…
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept…
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him:
for they saw that his grief was very great.
v. 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -
Redeemed of God
I really think it is. And what really helps me also is, when I think I have problems, I think my life is hard, and then I'll read some stories of fellow Latter-day Saints who just have shown so much strength and fortitude in the face of this unimaginable difficulty, that I'm like, "Actually, Melissa, stop whining. Get over it." For example, in Rwanda during the Rwandan genocide, there was a young girl named Agnes Twagiramariya, and she was about 11, and she saw her neighbors slaughter her parents, her siblings, and a bunch of her cousins. She grew up with this horrible feeling of depression, and this anger in her heart, and she said she just didn't have any peace, which you can totally imagine why. She struggled through it, and later on, she was a student at the university, and her cousin had become a member of the Church, so her cousin asked her to come with her to church, and so she went with her to church. And she just loved the people. She found it to be a really warm and welcoming community, and she said they behave like children of the Lord.
So she eventually joined the Church, and eventually was able to get a temple recommend and to go to the Johannesburg temple to be sealed to her family members who had been killed during the genocide. And she said that encountering the gospel of
Jesus Christ gave her the ability to forgive the people who had done this to her family, and that forgiveness brought her peace.
So inspiring to me that we are part of a community of people who have gone through really hard things all over the world, and we can learn from each other that way.
- Melissa Inouye
Redeemed of God
I really think it is. And what really helps me also is, when I think I have problems, I think my life is hard, and then I'll read some stories of fellow Latter-day Saints who just have shown so much strength and fortitude in the face of this unimaginable difficulty, that I'm like, "Actually, Melissa, stop whining. Get over it." For example, in Rwanda during the Rwandan genocide, there was a young girl named Agnes Twagiramariya, and she was about 11, and she saw her neighbors slaughter her parents, her siblings, and a bunch of her cousins. She grew up with this horrible feeling of depression, and this anger in her heart, and she said she just didn't have any peace, which you can totally imagine why. She struggled through it, and later on, she was a student at the university, and her cousin had become a member of the Church, so her cousin asked her to come with her to church, and so she went with her to church. And she just loved the people. She found it to be a really warm and welcoming community, and she said they behave like children of the Lord.
So she eventually joined the Church, and eventually was able to get a temple recommend and to go to the Johannesburg temple to be sealed to her family members who had been killed during the genocide. And she said that encountering the gospel of
Jesus Christ gave her the ability to forgive the people who had done this to her family, and that forgiveness brought her peace.
So inspiring to me that we are part of a community of people who have gone through really hard things all over the world, and we can learn from each other that way.
- Melissa Inouye
v. 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
Entering a covenant
What I think is beautiful is that we have both this vertical covenating with the Lord, but the covenant also involves these horizontal connections to others, to be one people, to bear one another's burdens, to mourn with those that moutan and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. I see it as a this really beautiful tie between what's in Heaven and what's on Earth.
- Melissa Inouye
We kind of have this idea that people are going to .... The missionaries will go out there and find a much of people, and then those people will all be kind of just like us. They'll all be like the Church that we recognize.
But actually, when missionaries go out into the world there are a ton of different kinds of people, different political views, cultural views, views on honesty, views on marriage, views on charismatic experiences...so much difference. And then people come into the Church, they come in as they are. We are then in a covenant to bear their burdens.
Also, if anyone can think of someone in their local congregation that they find hard to get along with, you don't have to say it out loud or anything, but just imagine someone in your neighborhood congregation who's hard to get along with, and then imagine how that is on a worldwide scale. So many other personalities that are really hard to get along with, just in terms of where we come from and what our different expectations are. I find this covenant in this scene so universal, and also so intimate, because in order to understand people, to mourn with them, you have to know them. And to comfort people, you have to have love in your heart to give to them for comfort.
- Melissa Inouye
Entering a covenant
What I think is beautiful is that we have both this vertical covenating with the Lord, but the covenant also involves these horizontal connections to others, to be one people, to bear one another's burdens, to mourn with those that moutan and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. I see it as a this really beautiful tie between what's in Heaven and what's on Earth.
- Melissa Inouye
We kind of have this idea that people are going to .... The missionaries will go out there and find a much of people, and then those people will all be kind of just like us. They'll all be like the Church that we recognize.
But actually, when missionaries go out into the world there are a ton of different kinds of people, different political views, cultural views, views on honesty, views on marriage, views on charismatic experiences...so much difference. And then people come into the Church, they come in as they are. We are then in a covenant to bear their burdens.
Also, if anyone can think of someone in their local congregation that they find hard to get along with, you don't have to say it out loud or anything, but just imagine someone in your neighborhood congregation who's hard to get along with, and then imagine how that is on a worldwide scale. So many other personalities that are really hard to get along with, just in terms of where we come from and what our different expectations are. I find this covenant in this scene so universal, and also so intimate, because in order to understand people, to mourn with them, you have to know them. And to comfort people, you have to have love in your heart to give to them for comfort.
- Melissa Inouye
v. 11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.
Clap your hands
In Joseph Smith’s day, “clapping for joy” was a familiar phrase in sermons, revival meetings, and literature. Expressions like: “They clapped their hands for joy” and “The children clapped their hands in delight” show up in 18th–19th century English writing. It signified: spontaneous excitement, delight upon hearing good news, religious enthusiasm (especially in revivalist settings)
So Joseph Smith’s English translation could naturally use this phrase without it being culturally strange to his audience.
The Hebrew Bible uses clapping as:
Do Mesoamerican cultures clap hands for joy? Yes — and even more so than in the ancient Near East.
Among both ancient and modern Maya/Nahua (Aztec-related) cultures:
Examples: Maya ritual ceremonies often end with rhythmic clapping as a sign of participation and communal approval. In some traditional Maya communities, receiving good news leads to cheering and clapping. Aztec performances and public gatherings included applause-like hand motions to show delight and enthusiasm.
So the act of clapping as celebratory joyis entirely natural within a Mesoamerican cultural setting.
Clap your hands
In Joseph Smith’s day, “clapping for joy” was a familiar phrase in sermons, revival meetings, and literature. Expressions like: “They clapped their hands for joy” and “The children clapped their hands in delight” show up in 18th–19th century English writing. It signified: spontaneous excitement, delight upon hearing good news, religious enthusiasm (especially in revivalist settings)
So Joseph Smith’s English translation could naturally use this phrase without it being culturally strange to his audience.
The Hebrew Bible uses clapping as:
- celebration (Psalm 47:1)
- communal triumph
- expressive ritual gesture
- a sign of strong emotion
Do Mesoamerican cultures clap hands for joy? Yes — and even more so than in the ancient Near East.
Among both ancient and modern Maya/Nahua (Aztec-related) cultures:
- ritual clapping
- communal rhythmic clapping
- clapping during ceremonies and celebrations
- clapping to show approval
- clapping to express delight or acceptance
Examples: Maya ritual ceremonies often end with rhythmic clapping as a sign of participation and communal approval. In some traditional Maya communities, receiving good news leads to cheering and clapping. Aztec performances and public gatherings included applause-like hand motions to show delight and enthusiasm.
So the act of clapping as celebratory joyis entirely natural within a Mesoamerican cultural setting.
v. 17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
Qualities of the True Church Mosiah 18:17-29
Qualities of the True Church Mosiah 18:17-29