“Mosiah 5:1–5: No More Desire to Do Evil,” Book of Mormon Student Manual (2024)
“Mosiah 5:1–5,” Book of Mormon Student Manual
Mosiah 5:1–5
No More Desire to Do Evil
At times, we may feel the need to make changes or improve something that we have been doing. King Benjamin’s people felt this way after listening to him speak of Jesus Christ and what He saves us from. This lesson can help you increase your desire to change or continue to change with the Lord’s help.
Becoming like Jesus Christ
Look at the following objects and think about how one changes into another.
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What causes these objects’ change?
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What are reasons people change?
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How might the Lord changing our hearts be similar to or different from how these objects change?
Think about how much you feel the following statement applies to you:
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I want the Lord to help me change for the better.
Take one or two minutes and think about why you feel the way you do. This could include pondering ways the Lord may have helped you in the past.
As you study Mosiah 5, look for reasons you may want to seek the Lord’s help to change and improve.
Experiencing a change of heart
After King Benjamin finished speaking to his people, he wanted to know if they “believed the words which he had spoken unto them” (Mosiah 5:1).
Read Mosiah 5:1–5 to see how they responded. It may be helpful to know that the word disposition refers to someone’s tendency or inclination, what they are prone to. You may also want to watch the video “The People of King Benjamin Make a Covenant” from time code 0:00 to 1:37, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Complete the following chart based on what you learned.
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How the people changed |
What caused the people to change |
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How the people changed
| What caused the people to change
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Based on Mosiah 5:1–5, complete the following phrase.
As our hearts are changed through the Spirit of the Lord, we …
It might be helpful to record the truth or truths you identified in your scriptures.
It is important to understand that though King Benjamin’s people had “no more disposition [or inclination] to do evil” (Mosiah 5:2), this does not mean they never sinned again. Rather, the Lord had changed their hearts to sincerely desire to do good and to avoid sin.
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Answer at least two of the following questions.
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When have you, like King Benjamin’s people, had a strong desire to “do good continually”? What helped you feel this way?
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Why do you think many of us do not feel this way all the time?
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What do you think a person can do to feel this way more often?
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Understanding change
Consider marking in Mosiah 5:3 the phrase “through the infinite goodness of God.” To truly understand the change that took place in King Benjamin’s people, we have to understand how Jesus Christ can help us change.
Sister Wendy W. Nelson explained:
The Savior is the ultimate and only true and living change agent. He is the source of all change. … He will bring the very best out of you, as you turn to Him. He will indeed rescue all that is finest down deep inside of you. …
… He loves you. He loves your efforts to change.
His desire is for you to change, to over time, completely cast off the natural man, to have a change of heart, a change of nature. Jesus the Christ did all that He did so that you could change! He is your Savior and my Savior!
And as we actively, persistently plead for the power of His infinite and atoning sacrifice to be applied to our lives, His ultimate healing will bring to each of our lives the ultimate change we desperately seek. (Wendy W. Nelson, “Change: It’s Always a Possibility!” [Brigham Young University devotional, April 7, 1998], 10, speeches.byu.edu)
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Answer the following questions:
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According to Sister Nelson, what can Jesus Christ do to help us change?
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What did you learn about your role in changing?
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Think of someone you know who has changed with the help of Jesus Christ. If you can’t think of anyone, consider watching “A Change of Heart” (4:39), located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
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How did the Lord help this person?
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What individual efforts did this person make to change?
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Why do you think these changes lead to greater joy?
Making the change permanent
To conclude your study, think about your life and your current progress toward becoming like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Ponder what you feel the Holy Ghost would have you do as a result of what you learned and felt.