Lessons on the Book of Mormon 2020
Lesson No. Fifteen
All Things Must Be Done in Wisdom and Order - Mosiah 4:27
King Benjamin’s temple sermon recorded in Mosiah 2-5 is an inspired masterpiece with many gems – One of those gems is Mosiah 4:27: “And see that all these thing are done in wisdom and order, for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all thing must be done in order.”
Order is essential in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, especially in the temple. “Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion” (D&C 132:8). Order is one of the fruits of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and an evidence of its divinity. Order is an important characteristic of effective organizations and of happy and successful families and individuals. The natural state of most things is disorder, and therefore, maintaining order requires continual effort.
Order in the military is often referred to as standardization – Order and discipline are essential aspects of effective military organizations. It is important reason why the American public has high respect and confidence in the armed services of the United States.
Every flying unit in the United States Air Force has a “stan eval” officer (short for standardization and evaluation). This officer must be one of the best pilots in the unit. It is his responsibility to make sure all pilots follow the same procedures, and if each pilot can demonstrate proficiency in doing so the safety of the crew and the success of the mission will be far more likely.
Standardized procedures are specific for each type of aircraft and are used throughout the Air Force. This allows all units with similar equipment and missions to be given an ORI (operational readiness inspection) and to be evaluated on the same criteria.
Order in the Church is often referred to as correlation – In our dispensation the Lord has repeatedly commanded, “that all things must be done in order” (D&C 20:68; 28:13; 58:55; 107:84). Great effort is made to insure that correct doctrine is taught and procedures followed wherever the Church is organized. Leaders of the Church continually travel the world to insure the Church stays in order. The same order is followed worldwide when organizing stakes, ward, missions, and branches.
Because of the order in the Church we can attend meetings anywhere in the world and immediately understand and be comfortable. The correlation program of the Church is divinely inspired, remarkably successful, and essential as the gospel of Jesus Christ is taken to all nations.
Order in our families – Another gem in King Benjamin’s sermon is about order in our home and family: “And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil…But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another , and to serve one another” (Mosiah 4:14-15). The home and family is the best place to learn and practice order.
The Lord rebuked the Prophet Joseph Smith, his councilors in the First Presidency, Frederick G. Williams and Sidney Rigdon, and the presiding bishop, Newel K. Whitney for not having their families in order. (See D&C 93:41-50). We are commanded to put our families in order and to “bring up [our] children light and truth” (D&C 93:40).
The best way to insure that our family is in order is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly the teachings of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. If we are diligent in doing all we can to live the teachings of this Proclamation our efforts in doing so will be accepted by the Lord.
Order in our family and personal lives centers around healthy habits and righteous routines – The habit and daily routine of living the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring order and happiness to our life. We should not have to struggle with ourselves each time a temptation comes about how we will respond. Our response to temptation can and should be like a pilot’s response to an emergency – immediate and automatic. Order implies righteousness which brings hope and happiness to our lives. Disorder implies wickedness which brings unhappiness and despair; “and despair cometh because of iniquity” (Moroni 10:22).
People who are happy and successful have lives full of healthy habits and righteous routines. Healthy habits and righteous routines include those principles of spiritual and temporal welfare and preparedness which the Church refers to as Provident Living. Provident Living is a wonderful resource which can be found on the Church web site at www.churchofjesuschrist.org
Testimony – Doing all things in wisdom and order is essential to having a happy and successful life. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge in righteous ways. Wisdom is a gift from God, a gift for which we should earnestly seek. (See D&C 46:8, 17)