May 12, 2024

Abinadi before King Noah by Andrew Bosley

The Book of Mormon prophet Abinadi had a tough audience. Because of their wicked and self-righteous ideologies, the priests of King Noah’s court had no intention of listening to his warnings and counsel. 

Abinadi’s primary plea to these apostate Nephites was to look beyond the nuts and bolts of the law of Moses. They had been treating it as an end rather than a means for their worship. To enlighten their understanding, Abinadi first taught about Christ’s suffering. Second, he taught how Christ stands between us and the consequences of our sins when we choose to repent. Finally, he taught about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with these words: “He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death” (Mosiah 16:9).

Learning about and gaining a testimony of Christ’s atoning sacrifice will always be the best way to gain a new perspective of both our shortcomings and our trials.

While serving as a full-time missionary in Vallejo, California, I had the privilege of sharing this exact message with my friend Sandy and her son, Tanner. Tanner explained to us that his dad passed away a few years ago and that he hadn’t been very interested in religion since. Not wanting to miss this golden teaching opportunity, I opened a new copy of the Book of Mormon to Mosiah 16:9 quoted above. To my astonishment, it was already highlighted. We read the verse to Tanner and taught that because Jesus Christ overcame death, he would see his dad again. I will never forget the look on his face when we handed him that special copy of the Book of Mormon.

Wilford Woodruff taught the following about the Resurrection: “All men will come from the grave as they lie down, whether old or young . . . being raised by the power of God, having the Spirit of God in their bodies and not blood . . . Having been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, they will there enjoy a fulness of that light, glory, and intelligence which is received in the celestial kingdom of God.”

Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Seventy explained how this doctrine has become foundational for his testimony. Elder Palmer’s parents lost his sister, Ann, in a tragic accident when she was only seventeen months old. Uncertain what would become of her, they found peace and solace in the message brought by two young missionaries visiting their farm. It took time for Elder Palmer’s father to fully accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, but in time, the family attended the temple and “were united as an eternal family” with Ann.

I am grateful to know that our family relationships extend far beyond this mortal life. It is my hope that we will heed Abinadi’s call to make the Atonement of Jesus Christ the center of both our worship and our testimonies. 

Scott Hansen is a new intern at the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project. Busy completing his second semester at BYU, Scott enjoys reading the first-hand accounts of early Church leaders. His work on the Project has strengthened his testimony of the Restoration and helped bring early Church figures to life.