This week’s “Come, Follow Me” talks about Paul and his companions’ missionary work. Paul’s commitment to the gospel is one of the great miracles of the New Testament. Although originally an unbeliever and even a persecutor, Paul was converted after experiencing an extraordinary vision and healing. These events led him to become a great missionary, and although he was imprisoned, beaten, and even killed for his preaching, he remained a devout defender of the faith.
Like the Bible, The Book of Mormon also contains the stories of several miraculous conversions. One such account can be found in the books of Mosiah and Alma, which tell the story of the sons of Mosiah. In a narrative almost identical to Paul’s, although originally unbelievers and persecutors of those who believed, the sons of Mosiah were converted after experiencing an extraordinary vision. This event gave them the desire to become missionaries and share their faith with all who did not believe. The scriptural account records their zeal, describing how “they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble” (Mosiah 28:3).
They approached the preaching meekly, yet courageously. Harold Kilbourn’s Four Sons of Mosiah Kneeling in Prayer depicts the moment before the sons of Mosiah separate to teach the gospel in different areas. Kilbourn shows them kneeling together in prayer, entrusting themselves to the Lord and asking Him to lead and guide them as they begin their missions.
-Emma Belnap, Research Assistant