“Mosiah 4: ‘Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,’” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual (2024)

“Mosiah 4,” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual

Mosiah 4

“Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins”

How might your life be different if you felt an increase of joy and peace of conscience? The Nephites, moved by King Benjamin’s teachings, were “filled with joy” and felt “peace of conscience” as they repented and received a remission of their sins (Mosiah 4:3). King Benjamin then taught them how to retain this remission of their sins. This lesson can help you understand what you can do to receive and retain a remission of your sins.

Teaching by the Spirit. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth, testifies of Christ, and changes hearts. Only through the Holy Ghost can we accomplish the ultimate goal of gospel teaching—to build faith in Jesus Christ and help others become more like Him. Look for ways to invite the Holy Ghost to perform His roles.

Student preparation: Invite students to read Mosiah 4, looking for how the people were impacted by Jesus Christ and what King Benjamin invited his people to do after they received a remission of their sins.

Possible Learning Activities

Remaining spiritually strong

Look at the following image and consider what someone would need to do to keep this plant healthy and growing.

Consider bringing a healthy plant to class or showing the picture below.

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healthy plant

What would happen to this plant if it were kept in a dark room or never watered?
How might this relate to our spiritual health and needs?

Like caring for a plant, keeping ourselves spiritually healthy requires consistent effort. In Mosiah 4, King Benjamin taught his people what they needed to do to remain spiritually strong. As you study, ponder teachings that will help you in your efforts to remain spiritually strong throughout your life and grow to become more like the Savior.

Retaining a remission of our sins

Recall that as part of King Benjamin’s address, he shared a message he had received from an angel about the coming of Jesus Christ and the importance of overcoming our fallen nature through the Savior’s Atonement (see Mosiah 3).

Read Mosiah 4:1–3, looking for the blessings and feelings King Benjamin’s people experienced.

What stands out to you from these verses?
What do you think the people might need to do to remain in this purified and joyful state?

Consider inviting students to close their eyes and ponder the following. After pondering, they could record their response to the question in their study journals.

Imagine what it might have been like to have been one of King Benjamin’s people on that day. Contemplate how you think this would have influenced your feelings about Jesus Christ and what, from this experience, you would have wanted to retain with you forever.

What difference might it make in your life if you felt a remission of your sins more often?

The remainder of King Benjamin’s teachings in Mosiah 4 help us understand that after we have received forgiveness from Jesus Christ, we must make efforts to retain a remission of our sins.

What do you think is the difference between receiving and retaining a remission of our sins?
Why do you think it is important for us to strive to retain a remission of our sins throughout our lives?

The following paragraph is intended to help students ponder and reflect and not to share their thoughts or feelings with the class.

Consider how this truth applies to your own life. How well do you feel you are retaining a remission of your sins? As you continue to study, look for truths that can help you understand what you can do to retain a remission of your sins.

Consider listing the following heading on the board: What we can do to retain a remission of our sins. Students could list on the board what they find as they study. A similar list could be made in their study journals.

Read Mosiah 4:9–16 and look for King Benjamin’s teachings that help us understand how we can retain a remission of our sins.

As part of the following study activity, consider allowing students to come to the board and write down some phrases from Mosiah 4:9–16 that they feel are most meaningful to them. Questions like the following could then be used to help students discuss their findings from these verses.

What are at least three things King Benjamin taught we must do to retain a remission of our sins that stand out most to you?
What do you think it would look like for you to apply these invitations from King Benjamin in your life?
How could doing these things help you retain a remission of your sins?

If time permits, students could study King Benjamin’s emphasis on caring for others in Mosiah 4:17–26. Some ideas are found under “Our responsibility to care for others” in the “Supplemental Learning Activities” section.

My next steps

Reflect on how well you are doing at applying King Benjamin’s teachings from these verses. You could do this by focusing on the three or four behaviors you just identified and asking yourself questions such as:

How much effort do I put into this?
How regularly do I do this?
What feelings and impressions have I felt today that might suggest areas I could improve in?

Prayerfully make a specific plan to improve in one area. Contemplate any obstacles you might face as you try to improve in this area and what you might do to receive the Lord’s help to overcome these challenges. It may be helpful to share your goal with a family member or loved one who can support you in this. You may also want to incorporate this goal into your Children and Youth goals.

Commentary and Background Information

Mosiah 4:2. What does it mean that King Benjamin’s people “viewed themselves … less than the dust of the earth”?

King Benjamin’s people may have considered themselves to be “less than the dust of the earth” (Mosiah 4:2) because the dust of the earth always obeys the Lord’s commands, but God’s children often do not (see Helaman 12:4–8). Remember that Heavenly Father values His children and that our sins do not affect our divine worth (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:10).

Sister Joy D. Jones, former Primary General President, taught:

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Joy D. Jones

If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. (Joy D. Jones, “Value beyond Measure,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 14)

What role do gospel ordinances play in our retaining a remission of our sins?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

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Elder David A. Bednar

As members of the Lord’s restored Church, we are blessed both by our initial cleansing from sin associated with baptism and by the potential for an ongoing cleansing from sin made possible through the companionship and power of the Holy Ghost. …

Sometimes Latter-day Saints express the wish that they could be baptized again—and thereby become as clean and worthy as the day on which they received their first saving gospel ordinance. May I respectfully suggest that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son do not intend for us to experience such a feeling of spiritual renewal, refreshment, and restoration just once in our lives. The blessings of obtaining and always retaining a remission of our sins through gospel ordinances help us understand that baptism is a point of departure in our mortal spiritual journey; it is not a destination we should yearn to revisit over and over again. (David A. Bednar, “Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 61–62)

What can I do to care for the poor and needy?

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

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Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The Lord’s way of caring for the needy is different from the world’s way. The Lord has said, “It must needs be done in mine own way” [Doctrine and Covenants 104:16]. He is not only interested in our immediate needs; He is also concerned about our eternal progression. For this reason, the Lord’s way has always included self-reliance and service to our neighbor in addition to caring for the poor. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Providing in the Lord’s Way,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 54)

Consider searching the website JustServe.org for opportunities to care for the poor and needy in your area.

Supplemental Learning Activities

Comparing Mosiah 4 with 2 Nephi 31

As students study Mosiah 4, consider inviting them to notice the relationship between this chapter and the teachings in 2 Nephi 31:17–21. How could King Benjamin’s teachings in Mosiah 4 help someone have a better understanding of what it means to endure to the end along the strait and narrow path? What similarities do students see between Nephi’s teachings in 2 Nephi 31:17–21 and King Benjamin’s teachings in Mosiah 4?

Watch your thoughts, your words, and your deeds (Mosiah 4:30)

Explain that after King Benjamin taught his people how to retain a remission of their sins and be saved, he warned them about what might cause them to “perish,” or become spiritually lost and separated from God. Consider inviting students to read Mosiah 4:29–30, looking for how we can avoid perishing spiritually. What is the relationship between our thoughts, words, and deeds? What can we do to watch ourselves?

Our responsibility to care for others

While teaching about actions we must take to retain a remission of our sins, King Benjamin emphasized that we must give to others who ask for our help. Students could be asked to read Mosiah 4:16–26, looking for King Benjamin’s teachings about caring for the poor and the needy. Invite students to share what stands out to them from these verses. Questions you might consider discussing include: How could remembering our relationship with God change the way we respond to others in need? Why do you think King Benjamin would emphasize these teachings in a chapter about receiving and retaining a remission of our sins?