“Remember” – Mosiah: A Covenant Word

“Remember” is my favorite word in the Book of Mormon; however, it’s not just because it pops up a lot. In Mosiah, remember is a covenant word. It is not just about recalling facts. It is about staying loyal to God, keeping your promises, and living like your relationship with Him matters right now.

King Benjamin’s closing line in Mosiah 2:41 is one of the cleanest examples:

“O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.” (Mosiah 2:41)

That double “remember” is like spiritual underlining. Benjamin is saying, Don’t let this be a great weekend that turns into a forgotten notebook. Remembering is what keeps covenant truth alive and working in your life.

What I mean by “covenant word”

A covenant word usually means relationship, commitment, and action. It is the language of “I will follow,” not just “I agree.” In Mosiah 2–5, these covenant words stack up like links in a chain:

• Hearken / hear
• Keep/observe
• Serve
• Yield / submit
• Faith
• Covenant
• Name
• Remember/retain
• Endure/continue/hold out faithful

Mosiah 2:5 uses those words to walk us through the whole covenant pattern. There is an invitation, a promise, a change of heart, a formal commitment, and then ongoing remembrance.

1) The invitation: Hearken with your heart (Mosiah 2)

Benjamin opens by telling them this isn’t casual listening:

“…ye should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand…” (Mosiah 2:9)

“Hearken” is a covenant word because it means listening with the intent to obey. Covenant life starts when God’s word goes from interesting to something you build your day around.

Then Benjamin quickly defines what covenant living looks like on the ground:

“…when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)

Service is not just an “extra credit” gospel hobby. It is the shape of a covenant life.

2) The promise: Keep and hold out faithful—then remember (Mosiah 2:41)

Mosiah 2:41 is basically a covenant summary statement:

“…those that keep the commandments of God… are blessed… both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven… O remember, remember…” (Mosiah 2:41)

Notice how “remember” sits right next to words about endurance, like “hold out faithful to the end.” That is the covenant angle. Remembering is not just a moment. It is a habit of loyalty that lasts over time.

If you asked, “What does Benjamin want me to do with truth?” his answer would be simple: remember it. That means keep it, live it, choose it, and keep going.

3) The heart change: Yield and submit (Mosiah 3:19)

Benjamin doesn’t pretend covenant discipleship is just willpower. He points to a deeper transformation:

“…unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit… and… becometh as a child, submissive… willing to submit to all things…” (Mosiah 3:19)

“Yield” and “submit” are covenant words because they describe the heart of the covenant: I give God my will. Not perfectly or all at once, but for real.

4) The people respond: mercy, faith, purification (Mosiah 4)

When the people “viewed themselves” honestly, they didn’t just feel bad; they turned outward to Christ:

“O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ… that we may receive forgiveness… and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ…” (Mosiah 4:2)

And the Lord answers:

“…the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins…” (Mosiah 4:3)

Then Benjamin goes right back to ongoing covenant vigilance—another cluster of covenant words:

“…watch yourselves… and observe the commandments… and continue in the faith… even unto the end… And now, O man, remember, and perish not.” (Mosiah 4:30)

That is “remember” in covenant mode. It’s not that remembering is the power by itself—Jesus Christ is the Savior, and the Holy Ghost is the one who keeps us spiritually alive. But remembering is how you stay turned toward Christ: stay awake, stay aligned, keep repenting, and keep choosing faith in Him instead of drifting.

5) The formal commitment: “willing to enter into a covenant” (Mosiah 5)

Here’s the explicit covenant moment:

“…willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient… all the remainder of our days…” (Mosiah 5:5)

Willingness, obedience, and “all the remainder of our days” are covenant words. This is a lifetime direction—not a temporary phase, and not a claim that we’ll never struggle. It means we’re choosing, again and again, to belong to the Lord.

Benjamin then describes one of the covenant’s results: a new identity in Christ.

“…because of the covenant… ye shall be called the children of Christ… your hearts are changed through faith on his name…” (Mosiah 5:7)

“Children of Christ” here doesn’t replace Heavenly Father. It means that through Jesus Christ—through faith, repentance, and His redeeming power—we are spiritually reborn and changed.

Next, Benjamin ties covenant belonging to taking Christ’s name:

“…take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant… be obedient unto the end…” (Mosiah 5:8)

That connects naturally to baptism (where we take His name upon us) and to the sacrament (where we renew that covenant and recommit to remember Him).

And then—again—Benjamin brings it home with “remember,” now directly attached to identity:

“…remember also, that this is the name… that never should be blotted out… take heed… that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.” (Mosiah 5:11)
“…remember to retain the name written always in your hearts…” (Mosiah 5:12)

This is “remember” at full covenant strength. Remember means to honor the name of Jesus Christ you’ve taken upon you—to keep living the covenant, keep turning back to Him, and don’t let your discipleship quietly fade.

The whole pattern in one line

Hearken → Serve/Keep → Yield to the Spirit → Cry for mercy in Christ → Make the covenant → Take/retain the Name → Remember always → Endure to the end.

That’s why “remember” is such a powerhouse word in the Book of Mormon. Therefore, it calls you to keep your faith alive, keep your covenants active, and keep walking with Jesus Christ—especially when it would be easier to drift.

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The content on this website is for entertainment and faith-building discussion. Any comparisons made between movies, books, current events, or other media and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are personal commentary and illustrative only. [MORE]