The sons of Mosiah give us a recipe for spiritual power. The gifts of the spirit, the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation, can be ours if we pay the same price to obtain them. The ingredients to this recipe are hard work (it is important that we not forget the effect of 14 years of missionary labors), diligent scripture study, prayer, and fasting. Although church leaders have invited us to work, study the scriptures, pray and fast, still our spiritual power doesn’t seem to match that of the sons of Mosiah. This is because we have not been as diligent in those tasks as they have. They were searching the scriptures diligently, they were fasting and praying much, and they were making incredible sacrifices in the mission field. The result was that they taught with power and authority of God.
Bishop Robert L. Simpson
"There are no better examples of teaching by the Spirit than the Sons of Mosiah. The Book of Mormon tells us how they became ’strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding…’
"Is there a priesthood or auxiliary leader any place in this Church who wouldn’t give all to possess such power, such assurance? Remember this, above all else, that, according to Alma, they gave themselves to much fasting and prayer. You see, there are certain blessings that can only be fulfilled as we conform to a particular law. The Lord made this very clear through the Prophet Joseph Smith when he declared: ’For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.’ (D&C 132:5.)
“Now, the Lord could not have stated the position more clearly, and, in my opinion, too many Latter-day Saint parents today are depriving themselves and their children of one of the sweetest spiritual experiences that the Father has made available to them.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1967, p. 17-8)
Delbert L. Stapley
“The Saints by fasting and praying can sanctify the soul and elevate the spirit to Christlike perfection, and thus the body would be brought into subjection to the spirit, promote communion with the Holy Ghost, and insure spiritual strength and power to the individual. By observing fasting and prayer in its true spirit, the Latter-day Saints cannot be overpowered by Satan tempting them to evil…Recently it was my privilege to tour the Northern California Mission, and as I listened to the missionaries, your sons and daughters, make their reports and bear testimony, I was so pleased when they referred time and again to fasting and prayer, and this they resorted to often to obtain God’s blessings for themselves in their work. They fasted and prayed for those who were sick among them and when they found it difficult to impress people with the gospel message of the restored Church, they fasted and prayed about it and received great blessings from such fasting and prayer.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1951, pp. 122-125 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 281)