1. Ammon and his brethren find Limhi and his people. Ammon teaches Limhi of the importance of a seer.

Mosiah 7:3 What is the significance of the name Ammon appearing in the Book of Mormon?

Nephi wrote that he made a record ‘which consisted of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians (1 Nephi 1:2). King Benjamin and Moroni also described an Egyptian influence in the Book of Mormon writings (see Mosaic 1:4; Mormon 9:32). Hugh Nibley explained that Ammon (or Amon) ‘is the commonest proper name in the Book of Mormon, and also the commonest and most revered name in the Egyptian Empire.’ (Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert.)

Mosiah 7:19 Put your trust in God

“It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us, . . . if we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.” (Gordon B Hinckley, Church News, Oct. 4, 1997)

Mosiah 7:29 Their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them

‘Limhi quotes Yahweh directly. The fact that he does not provide a reference shows that his people could identify the source. But this quotation does not appear in any of our scriptures. Logically, this “unknown” scripture may have been either the brass plates and the large plates of Nephi, which Mormon abridged. A somewhat similar concept appears in Job 4:7–8: “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.” Righteousness provides access to Yahweh’s blessings; unrighteousness produces punishing results. Limhi’s quotation uses the term “stumbling block” where Job’s image is of “reaping.” This does not mean that the Lord places obstacles in our way, but rather that our own actions yield consequences that make life more difficult for us.’ (Brant Gardner,  Second Witness, Analytical and Cultural Commentary on the Book of Mormon)

Mosiah 8:9 24 plates

“The twenty-four plates were called The Book of Ether after its author. (Ether 1:2) Their discovery was not an accident. For, when Ether had finished his record, ‘He hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.’ (Ether 15:33)” (Reynolds and Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 2, p. 283)

Mosiah 8:13 Interpreters

“The Hebrew words urim and thummim , both plural, mean lights and perfections. Presumably one of the stones is called Urim and the other Thummim. Ordinarily they are carried in a breastplate over the heart. (Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8)…President Joseph Fielding Smith, with reference to the seer stone and the Urim and Thummim, has written: ‘ We have been taught since the days of the Prophet that the Urim and Thummim were returned with the plates to the angel. We have no record of the Prophet having the Urim and Thummim after the organization of the Church.’” (Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 818)

Mosiah 8:16 What are a prophet, a seer and a revelator?

Elder John A Widtsoe taught: “A prophet is a teacher of known truths; a seer is a perceiver of hidden truth; a revelatory is a bearer of new truth. In the widest sense, the one most commonly used, the title prophet includes the other titles and makes of the prophet, a teacher, perceiver and bearer of truth.” (John A Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations.)

2. The record of Zeniff recounts a brief history of Zeniff’s people.

Mosiah 9:1 All the language of the Nephites

‘Zeniff notes that he had been taught “in all the language of the Nephites” (Mosiah 9:1). Were there a number of languages involved in “all the language of the Nephites”? The reader should notice that the phrasing in Mosiah 9:1 is exactly like that used to describe the royal education of the three sons of King Benjamin (Mosiah, Helorum, and Helaman). Mosiah 1:2 says that ”he [Benjamin] caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers.“ What made Zeniff so special that he was allowed to learn these languages? Perhaps he was of royal birth, or perhaps Zeniff was referring to his scriptural and religious upbringing. Perhaps there were still previously converted ”Nephites“ from different cultural backgrounds in the land of Nephi who had chosen not to follow Mosiah1 when he fled to the land of Zarahemla.’ (Alan C Miner, Step by Step the Book of Mormon)

Mosiah 9:3 What should we do to ensure we are not “slow to remember the Lord our God”?

President Henry B Eyring told of what he did to daily remember the Lord: “I wrote down a fe lines every day for years. I never missed a day….. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of the Lord reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen…..I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognised in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realised that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.” (Henry B Eyring, O Remember, Remember)

Mosiah 9:10 King Laman

‘Evidently the Lamanites have used the same procedure as the Nephites did in their early history of naming their kings after their earliest leader. Jacob 1:11 mentions that the kings who succeeded Nephi were known as “second Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the kings.” Thus it should not be too surprising to discover that the king of the Lamanites in approximately 178 B.C. was still known as “king Laman” (Mosiah 10:56), although the original leader after whom the king was named lived some four hundred years before. Also, later in the Book of Mormon we discover that the son who succeeded this king is also known as Laman.” (see Mosiah 24:3). ‘[Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 181]

Mosiah 10:4-5  How does the Lord bless our industrious efforts?

Elder Robert D Hales taught that “joyfully living within our means and preparing for the ups and downs of life” helps us to “be ready for the rainy day emergencies. When they come into our lives.” He added “Happy is the man who lives within his means and his able to save a little for future needs. As we live providently and increase our gifts and talents we become more self-reliant. Self-reliance is taking responsibility for our own spiritual and temporal welfare, and for those whom Heavenly Father has entrusted to our care.” (Robert D Halkes, Gospel Vision of Welfare)

Mosiah 10:12 The tradition of their fathers

“False traditions are the currency of devils and fill the treasure houses of hell.  With them the prince of darkness has purchased his own prophets, priests, and kings.  With them he has possessed nations and generations of people.  Of them Joseph Smith said: they are as ‘an iron yoke,’ ‘a strong band…… the very handcuffs, and chains, and shackles, and fetters of hell’ (D&C 123:8).  As the Jews lost the revelation of Sinai in their traditions, making the commandments of none effect, so the traditions of Christianity supplanted that which was brought by the Messenger of the Covenant in the meridian of time, leaving Christian and Jew to wander alike in darkness (see Matthew 15:6; Malachi 3:1).” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 2, p. 198)