Bonding experiences with the scriptures are essential for each child. They need to be repeated over and over, day after day and year after year, with such regularity that gospel lessons become fixed in developing minds.

President [Ezra Taft] Benson stated: "Teaching is done by precept and example and by word and deed. A good model is the best teacher. Therefore, a father's first responsibility is to set the proper example."Testimony without a living model to pattern may not be sufficient to instill the desire to believe within each child. . . .

Actually, the bonding lesson has two parts.

The first part is to secure each child to the scriptures as a main source of answers to life and "the mysteries of God." (Mosiah 1:3.)

The second part of the concept is equally vital and life-giving, and without it a child will stray from the truth. We must bond each child to the teachings of the living prophets.

This is quickly taught and illustrated by the prophet Alma, as he escaped with his life from the searches of wicked King Noah and began to teach the people privately:

"He commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets." (Mosiah 18:19.)

How can I bond my children to the scriptures and to the living prophets? Six suggestions are:

1. Use the language of holy writ. Our children will need to know the right words to understand the scriptures.

2. Help each child to read the Book of Mormon from their earliest years. There is a spiritual bonding and sense of belonging that comes when the child has read the Book of Mormon.

3. Bear testimony - human testimony - to your children.

4. Tell bedtime scripture stories so "the solemnities of eternity" rest upon their minds. (D&C 43:34.)

5. Give them a personal journal with their own childhood blessing enclosed. Include your testimony that they were favored children of their Heavenly Father, chosen before they were born to assist with God's work.

6. Uphold and sustain, in word and in deed, the Church priesthood leaders. Never be critical - but be quick to explain that Lucifer is the "accuser of our brethren." (Rev. 12:10.) - Kenneth W. Anderson, director of Evening Classes for BYU

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Examples of modern bondage found in ancient scriptures

The Nephites in the land of Nephi experienced several different kinds of bondage. I would categorize their bondage into four types: mental, financial, spiritual, and physical.

Mental bondage comes as the result of ignorance of spiritual things. When one does not understand the purpose of life and man's ultimate potential, he is in bondage to ignorance and man cannot "be saved in ignorance." (D&C 131:6.)

President [Ezra Taft] Benson's declaration that the Church is still under condemnation for neglecting the Book of Mormon would seem to indicate that many of the saints today are suffering the effects of some degree of mental bondage.

Financial bondage occurs when selfishness, greed, and materialism take over. This materialism and greed ultimately lead Noah's people to the time when they were financially in bondage to the Lamanites, paying 50 percent of all they possessed. Unfortunately, in our society today there is a trend toward increased debt in order to support a more opulent lifestyle. . . .

Spiritual bondage, or the bondage of sin, is referred to by President [Marion G.] Romney as "the most awful bondage." It was sin that ultimately led king Noah's people into the condition where they were placed in physical bondage. Their neglect of the scriptures made it easier for them to rationalize and commit sin. This addiction to sin became so powerful that in the face of possible death, many fathers deserted their wives and children in order to save their own lives. (Mosiah 19:11.)

Much like today's society, the degree of spiritual bondage among the people in the land of Nephi differed from person to person. . . . Spiritual bondage comes not just from physically committing sin, but the process begins in one mind by the mere acceptance of sin. . . .

The final type of bondage which the Nephites in the land of Nephi experienced was physical bondage or slavery. . . . It is difficult to find a time in history when there was not at least some of our Heavenly Father's children who were in physical bondage. . . . One point about physical bondage is that all mankind are born with the light of Christ and that light causes all who are in bondage to eventually seek for their God-given freedoms. - Clyde J. Williams, visiting assistant professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU.

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Mosiah 29 bears witness of love

Chapter 29 of the Book of Mosiah furnishes an insightful glimpse into and prophetic warning from a pivotal transition in Nephite experience - a transition from kingship to government by the voice of the people.

It provides a brief outline of the meaning, purpose, and consequences of people being willing to answer for their own sins - both moral and political.

More significantly, the reason for the inclusion of Mosiah 29 . . . is its mission to bear witness of the love of Jesus Christ for His people. . . .

In conjunction with this witness, it issues a stern warning of the fragility of freedom by the "voice of the people," the need for constant vigilance to preserve it, and foreshadows the certain destruction which will follow its iniquitous misuse.

While such a message is pertinent to all who receive this volume, it has special relevance to those who inhabit the "mighty nation among the Gentiles" which Nephi foretold the Lord would establish "upon the face of this land. . . ." (1 Ne. 22:7.)

The parallels between the Nephite reign of the judges beginning in Mosiah 29 and the American experience in these latter days are so unmistakable as to suggest persuasively that Mormon included his extensive record covering that brief period as a witness of what happened with the previous experiment with government by the voice of the people on this "land which is choice above all other lands." (2 Nephi 1:5.)

He also included it as a sober warning to his readers that this last similar experiment - the American experience - shall terminate in an equally calamitous breakdown into chaos and tragedy unless heed it given to the lessons taught by the Nephite record.

All those lessons revolve around one fundamental truth: the inhabitants of this land must love and "serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ" or prepare to be swept off when they reach the fullness of iniquity. (Ether 2:9-12.) - Byron R. Merrill, visiting assistant professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU

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Recurring themes in Book of Mormon teach vital concepts

Taken verse by verse the Book of Mormon contains great treasures. However, there are also various themes that manifest themselves over and over throughout the narrative. These repeating themes teach important concepts that correlate with the divine purposes of the Book of Mormon.

I have included two themes which occur within the context of Mosiah 25 through 27: First, the invitation and choice to be identified or numbered with Christ, and second, the importance of remembering the Lord's power to deliver His people.

In Mosiah chapter 25, the large gathering in Zarahemla also included the children of the wicked priests of Noah. They suffered because of the actions of their fathers, and they expressed a desire to realign themselves with a more righteous group of people. . . .

The Book of Mormon storyline contains many accounts of individuals who make similar shifts in allegiance to particular peoples or traditions.

There is an important message in regard to the word "numbered," or as to whose side we choose to be numbered with. I believe that it was intended for latter-day readers to observe choices being made, a stand being taken, and then understand the accompanying consequences of those choices. . . .

Remembering the Lord and His power to deliver is an important theme in the Book of Mormon. . . .

The angel that halted Alma the Younger's rebellion gave him only two instructions: To seek to destroy the Church of God no more, and to "remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he had done for them; for they were in bondage and he has delivered them. . . ." (Mosiah 27:16.)

The emphasis seemed to be that the Lord alone was responsible. . . .

Whether it be physical or spiritual bondage the source of deliverance is the same. - Dennis L. Largey, assistant professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU.