Book of Mormon 22 - “Have Ye Received His Image in Your Countenances?”

I found the Lesson 22 scriptures challenging. I spent a great deal of time thinking about the importance of these scriptures to me. Alma the younger was both chief judge and high priest to the Nephite nation. The cycle of peace – prosperity – pride – downfall was once again in full swing. After years of peace, the people became more prosperous and began to succumb to pride. With pride, spiritual matters were set aside. Alma saw this trend in the people and decided to give up the judgement seat to Nephihah, so that he could spend his time preaching to the people. Alma 5 contains Alma’s words to the people in Zarahemla, Alma establishes order in the church in Zarahemla in Alma 6, and Alma 7 contains Alma’s words to the people in Gideon.

Alma the younger, portrait by James H. Fullmer

A rhetorical question is designed to make people think and assess where they stand on a certain topic. There are forty rhetorical questions in Alma 5. I thought a lot about the questions in Alma 5:14-15. Here are these questions and my answers:

“I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?”

I can remember incidents which cause me to answer in the affirmative. I remember the following vividly:

• The first occasion was my baptism, when I turned eight years of age. My father had been baptised in April and he subsequently baptised me when I turned eight, in July of the same year. I remember the feelings of love and warmth. I remember the hands on my head and the words pronounced, “Receive the Holy Ghost”. I felt the Spirit with me.
• The second incident was during my year of Seminary, studying the Book of Mormon. I have previously written about the importance of this year in my blog post for Lesson 1. We had a special event during this year. As a class, we broke the world record for reading the Book of Mormon aloud, from cover to cover. We each took a turn reading aloud. I vividly recall reading from 3^rd Nephi and feeling this overwhelming conviction of the truthfulness of what I was reading. Through the promptings of the Holy Ghost, I knew the Book of Mormon was indeed the word of God.
• Since those early experiences, I have had countless times when I have been filled with the Spirit and truly felt spiritually born of God.

“Have ye received his image in your countenances?

”Oh, how I wish this was true! Brigham Young said, “Those who have got the forgiveness of their sins have countenances that look bright and they will shine with the intelligence of Heaven” (As cited by James E. Faust in To reach even unto you, 1980, p. 28).

I have seen the most spiritual, beautiful people, who have literally shone with the light of the gospel. One that I recall with love and admiration is my youth Sunday School teacher, Sister Gloria Kelly, previously mentioned in my blog post for Lesson 16. Gloria was an angel who radiated the light of the gospel. I have recently searched for her on the web. The only reference to her that I could find was the Ensign article Saints in the Land of the Long White Cloud, March 2002.

Sister Gloria Kelly

Recently my “other” daughter, Sister Amelia Mavae, left for the MTC in Provo, preparatory to serving a mission in the Marshall Islands. She is another angel. I will miss her so much, as will my daughter. Over the past decade, my daughter and Sister Mavae have been best friends. Sister Mavae is the best influence my daughter could have in her life. When we went to the airport to say goodbye, she shone with gospel light. I am so proud of her.

Sister Mavae & her mum Sela

“Have ye received his mighty change in your hearts?”

The Holy Ghost is the agent of change. I have felt the presence of the Holy Ghost. I have received guidance, protection, comfort, and strength. I am a better person now because of the gospel and the guidance of the Spirit.

My progress in the gospel has been slow and steady. If I consider the mighty change in heart experienced by the people following King Benjamin’s address, I fall far short. In Mosiah 5:2 we read, “…the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” This is the change in heart I want. I see this in the lives of our leaders, the General Authorities. I want to become the sort of person who simply has no desire to ever stray from the path of obedience. I have a long way to go! I need a lot of work, effort, study, and prayer.

The First Presidency, April 2016

“Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?”

I have faith in my Saviour, my Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. I know He loves me. I know He has suffered for me. The faith I have provides hope, and that hope allows me to persevere, even when the going gets tough.

In James 2:20 we read that “faith without works is dead.” To develop my faith there are things I must do. These include: prayer, obedience, service, and charity.

“Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?”

My eye of faith is a little blurry! I am not ready to stand before the judgement seat. I would be found lacking. My greatest sin is procrastination. I do not know when or how I will be called to account for the things I have done in this life. The scriptures from Alma have been a call to action. In Alma 5:16-21 there are many more questions that address my state of preparedness. The one that stood out for me was in verse 19: “…can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?” This is the one I have committed to work on. I know that when I meet the Lord I want to be confident enough to meet His gaze. If I were to meet Him now, I would be looking at my feet in shame. So, I have set myself a goal. I want to have my temple recommend again by the end of this year. This will be a good starting point for me.

The last scripture that touched my heart from the readings for this lesson is Alma 7:11-12: “And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people…and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succour his people according to their infirmities.” The Lord did not just suffer for our sins. He has also suffered our pains and infirmities. He understands us. He knows what it is like to be tempted. I love my Saviour. I appreciate what He has done for me. I appreciate His love and care.

My Child by David Bowman