Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 13-16

I read back over my first post on the scriptures in Alma 13 to 16. This can be found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-of-mormon-24-give-us-strength.html. I wrote a lot about the difference between predestination and foreordination. I had been able to read a remarkable BYU talk given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, called A More Determined Discipleship (1978). I would recommend this to anyone who wants information on this topic.

In Alma 13 to 16 I learned more about the priesthood and pre-mortal life, why we face tragedy and how we should respond to tragedy, and the fact that the words of a prophet will always be fulfilled.

I love reading about the pre-existence. This is found in: Alma 13, Doctrine & Covenants 138, and the Pearl of Great Price. In Alma 13:3 the pre-existence is called “the foundation of the world” and “the first place”. We could show great faith while we were still in the pre-existence. In The Play and the Plan, a talk given by President Boyd K. Packer in a Church Educational System fireside for young adults on May 7, 1995, we hear about the Plan of Salvation or Plan of Happiness as a play in three acts. We are currently living through Act Two. We have no memory of Act One, our past (the pre-existence) and little knowledge of Act Three our future (the eternities in the three degrees of glory), but fortunately the script of the play, the gospel of Jesus Christ, puts our mortal life (Act Two) in context. If we follow the principles of the gospel, our play can be glorious. I need to ask, “What will I do on stage?”

In Alma 13:17-19 we read about Melchizedek. “Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness…Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father. Now, there were many before him, and there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention.” Alma wanted the men of Ammonihah to humble themselves and repent as they did for Melchizedek. In Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon (p. 175), Elder Jeffrey R. Holland summarised the importance of Melchizedek, “Surely no greater tribute or more generous adulation could be mentioned than to be so much like the Son of God that one’s name could be substituted for his in the title of the most powerful force in the universe—the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God”. That is quite amazing! The following Knowhy video also speaks about the reason for Alma speaking about Melchizedek to the people of Ammonihah.

One of the things I do well is to moan! My children say I am an expert moaner. I am not overly proud of this, but yes, I do moan about quite a few things: my redundancy, the ageism that exists in the NZ tertiary education sector, my inability to get work despite my experience and qualifications, my frequent back and head aches, and my poor house that always seems to need work I cannot do! But I am extremely grateful for my wonderful blessings. I have the best children, a wonderful mother, a challenging calling, a good part-time job, the ability to learn and skills to do a great many things. I have so many people whom I love. I have never known real tragedy in my life. I really don’t want to experience real tragedy. I could not imagine a child dying before I do. I cannot even imagine losing my mother and I know this is something I will have to face (she is already 96 years old). I look at the experiences of Alma and Amulek and know that I could not endure what they endured. It is just as well that the Lord will test us only as far as we are capable of being tested. Alma and Amulek were imprisoned, tortured, smote, spat upon, and reviled. In Alma 14:8-10 they were forced to watch the wives and children of those who had believed in their preaching burn in a huge fire. Amulek wanted to use the power of God to stop the burning of the believers but Alma stopped him and said, “The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day” (Alma 14:11). The following YouTube (from Knowhy: Book of Mormon Central) explains why God sometimes allows the righteous to be martyred.

I cried when I read the following words from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006, pp. 14–17, 20):

“Could the Lord have prevented these tragedies? The answer is, Yes. The Lord is omnipotent, with all power to control our lives, save us pain, prevent all accidents, …even [protect us] from death, if he will. But he will not…If we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery…Had I limitless power, and yet limited vision and understanding, I might have saved Abinadi from the flames of fire when he was burned at the stake, and in doing so I might have irreparably damaged him. He died a martyr and went to a martyr’s reward—exaltation…I fear that had I been in Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844, I might have deflected the bullets that pierced the body of the Prophet [Joseph Smith] and the Patriarch [Hyrum Smith]. I might have saved them from the sufferings and agony but lost them to the martyr’s death and reward…With such uncontrolled power, I surely would have felt to protect Christ from the agony in Gethsemane, the insults, the thorny crown, the indignities in the court, the physical injuries… I might have saved him from suffering and death, and lost to the world his atoning sacrifice…In the face of apparent tragedy we must put our trust in God, knowing that despite our limited view his purposes will not fail.”

I understand this. I would have wanted to do the same. I cannot imagine how painful it must have been for Alma and Amulek to watch as these innocent women and children were burned to death.  Brother John Bytheway gave one of his most difficult sermons to the students at Columbine University shortly after a major mass shooting event. He gave an inspiring talk called, Five scriptures that will help you get through almost anything. Alma 14:10-13 was one of these passages of scripture. He recalled pounding the podium and pleading with the youth in attendance, “don’t let this tragedy define your life! You still have a mission and a destiny and a patriarchal blessing that is just yours. If you are still here, it is because your work is not finished! I’m sure that Alma and Amulek had nightmares too. Rely on Jesus Christ who suffered not only for your sins, but for things that you have suffered through no fault of your own” (Gospel Doctrine Preparation). Brother Bytheway, in his podcast on Alma 13-16, mentioned a quote from Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach (see below).

The courage and faith of Alma and Amulek was astounding. I loved the moment when Alma and Amulek, the only survivors of the destruction of the prison in which they had been held, walked free from the rubble. As it stated in Alma 14:28, “And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city”. How astonished the people of Ammonihah must have been!

In Alma 16:1-3 we read about the fate of the people of Ammonihah. The Lamanites attacked the city of Ammonihah and destroyed many people while others were taken captive before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to defend the city. The people of Ammonihah had ignored the warnings of two prophets of the Lord. This little Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) discusses why the city of Ammonihah was destroyed.

We are blessed to hear the words of the Lord’s prophets at General Conference. We need to listen to their words and abide by their counsel. In the April 2018 General Conference, Elder Neil A. Anderson stated, "We live on a planet clamouring with a million voices. The internet, our smartphones, our bloated boxes of entertainment all plead for our attention and thrust their influence upon us, hoping we will buy their products and adopt their standards. The seemingly endless array of information and opinion remind us of the scriptural warnings of being 'tossed to and fro,' 'driven with the wind,' and overcome by the 'cunning craftiness' of those who 'lie in wait to deceive.' Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those He sends. Following the prophet in a world of commotion is like being wrapped in a soothing, warm blanket on a freezing cold day."