May 20-26: Mosiah 18-24

We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him

Stephanie Leitch (American, she/they)

Untitled Congregation, 2013

sacrament cups, pipette tips, acrylic monofilament, audio

Courtesy of the artist

www.stephanieleitch.com

In Mosiah 18, Alma teaches at the Waters of Mormon. He invites the people to “come into the fold of God, and to be called his people.” To do this, they would be called Christ’s people and be “willing to bear one another’s burdens” through covenant.

In this week’s installation, artist Stephanie Leitch draws on symbolic and performative elements of the Latter-day Saint sacrament ordinance. Each Sunday, Church members gather and participate in the sacrament, a ritual act that affirms their covenant relationship with Jesus Christ and their willingness to participate in the communal body of His Church. By partaking of both bread and water (once wine), members renew promises to “mourn with those that mourn.” Viewers may see the sense of community within this installation; the dense clusters of wire creating an ethereal visual field that invite contemplation on themes such as the dynamic role of community, worship, and the interactivity of spiritual and physical.

Discussion Questions:

1. The restriction on the people of Alma was that they would be put to death if they prayed. So, they "did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts" (Mosiah 24:12). What does this teach us about formalities of prayer?

2. In response to their prayers, their burdens were not initially taken away, but their backs were made stronger to bear the burdens (Mosiah 24:13-15). Think of a burden that you carry. In what way has your back been strengthened to carry this burden and how has this strength allowed you to bless the lives of others?

3.  President Emily Belle Freeman: "I walk [the covenant] path as a 'beloved daughter of heavenly parents,' divinely known and deeply trusted.  As a child of the covenant, I am eligible to receive promised blessings.  I have chosen to walk with the Lord," ("Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ," October 2023 General Conference).  How does trust in both directions play a role in our covenants with God?

Questions for Children and Youth:

1.  President Nelson talks a lot about the covenant path.  If you were going to design a pair of special shoes for covenant path walking, what would be some good features to include in those shoes?  Draw an advertisement for your covenant sneakers.

2.  If you have been baptized, what do you remember about the day of your baptism?  Write down your thoughts about your baptism - how you felt, who was there, what was said - and keep these notes in a special place where you can look them over again and again.  (If you haven't yet been baptized, what do you hope to feel on the day of your baptism?)

3. Art project: Read the baptismal covenants Alma describes to his people in Mosiah 18:8-10. Pick one of these covenants.  Create a small symbol of this covenant to carry with you to help remind you of this promise. For example, you could create something in origami to remind you to "come into the fold of God," or a teardrop of something clear to remind you to "mourn with those that mourn."