“Mosiah 5:6–15: ‘Take upon You the Name of Christ,’” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual (2024)
“Mosiah 5:6–15,” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual
Mosiah 5:6–15
“Take upon You the Name of Christ”
Names can have great meaning. What does it mean to take upon yourself the name of Christ? Mosiah 5 contains the conclusion of King Benjamin’s address to his people when he gathered the people together to give them a name (see Mosiah 1:11). This lesson can help you understand the significance of taking upon you the name of Jesus Christ.
Following the example of Jesus Christ. The Savior set the perfect example of how we must live to become like Him. As you help students identify the words, actions, and attributes of Jesus Christ, invite them to look for ways to follow His example in their personal lives.
Student preparation: Invite students to ponder the question, “What does it mean to take upon yourself the name of Christ?”
Possible Learning Activities
A new name
The following activity is one way to help students prepare to learn about taking upon them the name of Christ. If any students may be sensitive to the idea of orphans or adoption, consider an alternate activity.
Imagine an orphan with no one to help or care for them who eventually comes to know a loving, stable family that offers to adopt them.
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What are some reasons the orphan may want to be adopted and take the name of their new family?
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What blessings could their new mother and father offer that the orphan could not provide on their own?
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How might the orphan feel about their new family?
In his great address to his people, King Benjamin said, “I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8) and be called “the children of Christ” (Mosiah 5:7). Some of King Benjamin’s people were Nephites, and others were descendants of Mulek. King Benjamin wanted all the people to be united under a single name like in a family.
As you study the scriptures today, ponder ways you may be like the orphan in the situation above and the Lord like the new parent.
Consider drawing the following chart on the board. You could put students into pairs and assign each student one of the columns.
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Blessings of taking upon us the Savior’s name |
How I take the Savior’s name upon me |
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Recall that in Mosiah 5:1–5, the people testified that the Spirit of the Lord had made “a mighty change” in them and that they were “willing to enter into a covenant with … God to do his will” (Mosiah 5:2, 5).
Ask students to read Mosiah 5:6–10 carefully and write down anything they find related to their column. After sufficient time, have students share with each other, and include their responses on the board. It may be helpful to let students know that the right hand of God suggests symbolic favor and that the left hand symbolizes disfavor.
If students do not naturally share the answers to the following questions, consider asking them:
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What blessings do you want in your life that only the Savior can provide? (Consider using phrases you identified from King Benjamin’s speech to answer this question.) Why do you want these blessings?
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How can the Savior be like a loving parent to us?
You may want to ask follow-up questions like “In what ways does the Savior make us free?” “Why is it useful to know that ‘there is no other name … whereby salvation cometh’?”
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According to King Benjamin, how had the people become children of Christ, or taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ?
How we take the name of Christ
One truth we can learn from King Benjamin is that as we make and keep sacred covenants, we become children of Christ and take upon ourselves His name.
Read the following statement by President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency to clarify how we take upon us the Savior’s name.
Following the scriptural pattern, persons who are baptized witness before the Church “that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.” (D&C 20:37; see also 2 Ne. 31:13; Moro. 6:3.) When we partake of the sacrament, we renew this covenant and all the other covenants we made in the waters of baptism. (Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1985, 80)
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How have making and keeping covenants brought you closer to the Savior?
To help you to continue to deepen your understanding about taking the name of Jesus Christ, read Mosiah 5:11–13, 15, looking for more counsel from King Benjamin about taking the name of Jesus Christ upon yourself.
You may want to watch the video “Name of Christ” (3:51), located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, for additional ideas on what it means to take upon yourself the name of Christ.
Invite students to share insights they gained from these verses and the video. Consider asking a follow-up question like the following: “What do you think it means to have the name of Christ written in your heart?” (see Mosiah 5:11–12). “What blessings come to those who have the name of Christ written in their hearts?” “How does taking upon you Christ’s name in your daily thoughts and actions motivate you to be a better disciple of Him?”
Think of examples you have seen in your life of people who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ.
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What do they do that shows that they have taken upon themselves His name?
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What role can the sacrament play in helping us do this better?
The name of Jesus Christ
To help students evaluate how well they have taken the Lord’s name in their own heart, consider inviting them to silently ponder the following:
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What are some ways you can demonstrate that you have taken upon yourself the name of Christ?
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What blessings have come by taking upon yourself the name of Christ?
Consider the thoughts and impressions you have received from the Holy Ghost as you studied today. Think about what you can do to more fully take upon yourself the name of Christ.
Encourage students to act on what they feel prompted to do. Consider sharing how taking the name of Christ upon yourself has influenced your life.