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."

Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 8-12

For my 2016 post on Alma 8 to 12, please see: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-of-mormon-23-more-than-one-witness.html

These scriptures start with an account of Alma going to Melek to teach. He had great success. “And they were baptized throughout all the land” (Alma 8:5). He then went on to Ammonihah but did not meet with the same success. The people had “hardened their hearts” (Alma 8: 11) and rejected his authority over them. They “withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city” (Alma 8:13). 

Alma was met by an angel and told to return to Ammonihah. This was the same angel who had appeared to Alma for his conversion. The angel said something which initially sounded odd to me, given the circumstances Alma faced in his first visit to Ammonihah. He said, “lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God” (Alma 8:15). Alma must have been frustrated by his attempt to teach the people of Ammonihah and he must have felt deflated at his lack of success. This has happened to many missionaries. I know how difficult it is serving in parts of Australia and how missionaries have come off the mission field having had no baptisms at all. This is when we need to think of the angel’s words to Alma. The great cause to rejoice is because they have served honourably and done their very best every day. The following short video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) explains why the angel sent Alma back to Ammonihah.

President Dallin H. Oaks gave two remarkable talks, one a devotional at BYU in 2002 and one at the October 2003 General Conference, on Timing. He mentioned how it was better not to plan every event in your life, but to always be ready to accept the Lord’s planning and the Lord’s timetable and acknowledge that the agency of others will inevitably affect you. “Anchor your life to eternal principles, and act upon those principles whatever the circumstances and whatever the actions of others. Then you can await the Lord’s timing and be sure of the outcome in eternity” (President Dallin H. Oaks, 2002). 

I was an eager missionary when I was in the youth and young adult programmes. However, I am not such a good missionary now. In fact, I am rather anti-social. I like to surround myself with family, but I don’t spend time with friends in social events. I found some counsel from President Ezra Taft Benson (‘Ensign’, September, 1990), that will help me improve my missionary skills. He suggested four things: strive to obtain the Spirit; acquire humility; love people; and work diligently. The first one is not too demanding. I love talking to the Lord in prayer. Now, I need to ask Him to guide me to those who may want to hear the truth. The second is easy enough. I am not a proud person and I know I am dependent on the Lord in all things. I love people. I choose to help people when I can, and I find it easy to give love and to care. I am not too good at working diligently. When I must work at my job or work at my studies, yes, I work very, very hard. But I do not work at being a missionary. I will answer questions and speak about the church when I am asked to do so, but I do not seek out people to teach. This is the area where I am weak.

In the Book of Mormon we are reminded frequently to remember the things the Lord has done for us and our ancestors and to never forget Him. Chapter 9 provides an example of this focus. In verse 8 we read, “how have ye forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God.” In verse 9, “Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were all led by him through the wilderness?” In verse 10 we read, “And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers?” In verse 13 there is a question, “do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi?” and in verse 14 we read, “I would that ye should remember.” The importance of remembering and not forgetting is contained in the Sacrament prayers that we hear regularly. It is remembering that brings us closer to the Spirit.

When Alma taught for the second time in Ammonihah he had a missionary companion, Amulek. Amulek had been “living beneath his spiritual privileges” (Brother John Bytheway) but he was well-known and well-respected in Ammonihah. Amulek spoke of his own ‘hardness of heart’ and his ‘rebellion against God’, until the angel appeared to him. He stated, “for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know” (Alma 10:6). Isn’t this interesting? He decided to turn his back on the things of God. It does not say ‘he could not hear’ or ‘he could not know’. He would not because that was his choice. This verse made me think of the hymn ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing’.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be

Let that goodness like a fetter

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

In Alma 10:12 it states, “And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.” This gives us a reason why missionaries are sent out two-by-two. There is greater power and persuasion when two voices testify of truth rather than a single voice.

Amulek & Alma

In a talk called ‘Ask of God’, Brother John Bytheway defined three types of questions: Gotcha, Google, and Golden. Gotcha questions are not designed to discover information but they are designed to entrap the person being questioned. Google questions need answers quickly and golden questions are asked in faith and need to be understood by the Spirit. In verses 13 and 14, Alma and Amulek are faced with lawyers who asked gotcha questions: “that by their cunning devices they might catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them”.

I found it fascinating to read about the monetary system in Alma 11. The first 22 verses provide a description of this system in detail. 

The following Knowhy videos (Book of Mormon Central) provide information on the Nephite monetary system and the reason it is described in detail. 

The information about the monetary system makes it clear how valuable the bribe was that was offered to Amulek by Zeezrom to “deny the existence of a Supreme Being” (Alma 11:22). Amulek’s reaction was delightful. His response to Zeezrom reads, “O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me?” (Alma 11:23). As Zeezrom was motivated by money, he thought Amulek would be tempted by the large bribe he offered. Amulek was motivated by his righteousness. This is well described in the quote below from Anaïs Nin, quoted by Stephen Covey.

Zeezrom’s questions start as gotcha questions but end up as golden questions. His questions lead to a discussion of the Plan of Redemption (the Plan of Salvation/Plan of Happiness/Plan of Mercy).

Two beautiful verses in Alma 11:43-44 talk about the resurrection, “The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame…even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame”. This scripture is so special to me. I think of my dear little mum who has trouble standing and walking from one room to another and how she was once one of the best Ballroom and Latin American dance teachers in the world. I also think of my dear friend Thys who lost his legs in an automobile accident when he was in the South African Defence Force. I would love to see him walk to meet me after the resurrection.

The discussion of the Plan of Redemption in Alma 12 covers the resurrection and judgement. There is also a detailed explanation of the “Fall” and why it was so necessary. One of my favourite verses is Alma 12: 24, which states, “Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.” We learn so much from this scripture. God gave the commandments after providing details of the plan. This makes perfect sense. Learning about the Plan of Redemption would have given the commandments a purpose. The rules would have made sense because they were presented after the plan. This scripture also provides us with the assurance that God will provide perfect justice in His supreme goodness.

Amulek was a powerful missionary and a great support for Alma in his teaching in Ammonihah. Before the appearance of the angel, we know he was living beneath his spiritual privileges. I am sure there are many of us who do the same. We have a Plan of Redemption, a Plan of Happiness. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke about our potential and our privileges in the following YouTube video. He mentioned that “We can partake of an abundant feast of spiritual opportunity and universal blessings.” I pray we will all remember this and take advantage of the blessings that the Lord has prepared for those who make the most of every gospel opportunity.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 5-7

I first wrote about these scriptures in a post in July 2016. This post centred on many of the questions from Alma 5. I asked and answered the questions. Reading my answers now is very familiar. I understand what I wrote then and how similar I feel now. This post can be found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-of-mormon-22-have-ye-received-his.html

The scriptures from Alma 5 to Alma 7 contain the preaching of Alma to the people in Zarahemla and Gideon. He confronts the people in Zarahemla and asks them questions. Brother John Bytheway, in his weekly podcast (ourturtlehouse.com), refers to Alma 5 as a “perfect checklist” to measure our personal worthiness. In Alma 5:14 it reads, “I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” He challenged members who had been baptised (an event) if they had, indeed, been ‘born again’ (a process). I understand this in my own life. My mother was the first member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kitwe, Zambia. She was a true pioneer. The earliest meetings held on a Sunday were with my mother and the missionaries. Later, a friend of hers joined as well. By the time I was two years old, there were twenty-to thirty members meeting in an upstairs office in Kitwe. I cannot remember a time, from these earliest memories to now (61 years later), when I have not had my own testimony. I felt the gift of the Spirit when it was given to me following baptism. I have used prayer, fasting, and relied on the Spirit to guide me, throughout my life. I have grown in my testimony but never been without one. I want to get to the point where I have no desire to sin, but I am not there yet. For me, the change of heart is indeed a slow process. But, I know the Lord loves me. I know my prayers are heard and answered. I know I can always rely on the Spirit. I am grateful for the Atonement that gives me hope. I love the quote below from Elder Dallin H. Oaks. I feel that my testimony is my personal miracle. I feel that the love of the Lord is more than I deserve but I accept it with deep gratitude.

In Alma 5: 26 we read, “I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” Isn’t this a delightful question? I remember my baptism. I remember wanting to burst with excitement and pure happiness. I wanted to tell the world that I had just been baptised. I wanted to “sing the song of redeeming love”. I still feel like that. After I was baptised, I used to love sitting down at the piano and playing hymns. My mother would sing the soprano part of a hymn, I would sing the second soprano, and my sister would sing the alto line. We used to sing ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ and ‘More Holiness Give Me’. The joy of singing was supreme. When I was at high school, I used to play music to cheer myself up and to lift my spirits. I started collecting some wonderful church music. I now have a large collection of music that always enriches my soul. Who can listen to ‘If You Could Hie to Kolob’ without flying with the angels to great heights? The following simple hymn, sung by adults and children, is another such track, ‘Come, Follow Me’.

I found myself reading Alma 6 with tears in my eyes. In Alma 6:6 we are told, “the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft”. The Covid 19 pandemic has prevented meetings in chapels for a couple of months. In our home we do not have active Priesthood holders. I have also had to be extremely careful as I help my 96-year-old mum who is in a very frail state of health. I am not a very sociable person, so I tend not to go to social events at the chapel, but I have really missed Sunday meetings and partaking of the Sacrament every week. This week we could attend a Sacrament meeting (by invitation) but I am still hesitating because of my mum’s health.

Brother John Bytheway made an interesting statement comparing Alma’s comments to the people in Zarahemla (Alma 5) and the people in Gideon (Alma 7). He pointed out how Alma relied on the Spirit to know how to speak to each group and what had to be said. He stated that when you are guided by the Spirit you prepare yourself to speak but you do not prepare your speech. The two groups were different and needed different approaches and different counsel. The same thing was clear when President Nelson toured NZ, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. I listened to his speeches in the different areas. Each was unique and addressed the issues of the people in each area. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we are listening to the counsel the Lord wants us to hear?

President Nelson & Elder Gong on the Pacific Tour

As I mentioned in my post four years ago, one of the most moving and personally poignant scriptures to me is Alma 7: 11-12. This reads, “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 the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind 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.”

Gethsemane

We know that the Atonement allowed our Saviour to suffer our sins and balance the scales of justice so that we could repent. But the Atonement achieved so much more! Bruce Hafen, has written a book called ‘The Broken Heart’, and an article called, ‘The Atonement is not just for sinners’. The quote below says a lot of what is in his book and article. Christ endured the pain of our sins, our afflictions, our temptations, and our infirmities. He understands us perfectly.

In ‘Come Follow Me’ we were encouraged to follow a set of scriptures that showed how Christ suffered and how this enables Him to succour us. This is summarised in the tables below.

There are three quotes from President Dallin H. Oaks that touch my heart. The first mentions that Christ “succours or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities”. I see this daily with my dear, little mum. I see her suffer day after day, but she has such inner strength and such love for the Lord and the gospel.

The next two quotes are short but deeply moving. I know the Lord understands me. He knows my anguish. He knows my heart, my desires, my troubles, and my imperfections. I can turn to Him through all my trials. He can and He will ‘lift me’. I am so grateful for the Atonement. Alma 7 has given me a deep insight into the power of the Atonement and the extent of the Saviour’s love and sacrifice for me.

The realisation of how important I am as a cherished child of my Father in Heaven and how much my elder brother and Saviour Jesus Christ sacrificed for me, has led me to think about the current riots and marches in America and around the globe regarding the murder of George Floyd. This has brought attention to the ‘Black Lives Matter’/’All Lives Matter’ cries being heard in so many countries. Yes, all lives matter. Black lives should not be in danger because of skin colour. Every person is a beloved daughter or son of heavenly parents. Every person has been given the gift of the Atonement. We need love, charity, kindness, and unity, not division, hatred, and cruelty. I found a delightful little church video that moved me deeply. It is called, ‘To Love Them All’ and is narrated by Patrick Kearon (see below).

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 29; Alma 1-3

I wrote about Mosiah 29 and Alma 1 to 4 in 2016. This post is at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-21-alma-did-judge.html

Mosiah 29 is of importance as it marks the start of the Reign of the Judges. Many events in the Book of Mormon record time by referring to the start of the Reign of the Judges. It deals with kingship, governance, and democracy. The following Knowhy video focusses on the purpose of democracy in Book of Mormon history.

In my 2016 post, I wrote a lot about New Zealand’s leadership. I am grateful to be able to say that I am now quite happy with the quality of governance in New Zealand. We have a caring, energetic, sensible leader, who listens and acts in the interests of her people. Quite a change has taken place. And, my 2016 fears for the American people have been well substantiated. Brother John Bytheway in his weekly podcast (OurTurtleHouse), quoted a letter from John Adams (1798), to the Massachusetts Militia. He mentioned that “avarice, ambition, revenge…would break the strongest cords of our constitution”, and that the constitution was made for a “moral and religious people”. In the USA today we can see what happens when the constitution rests in the hands of a narcissist who is totally lacking in morality. In Mosiah 29:22 we read, “…he has his friends in iniquity…and he teareth up the laws…he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God”. Does that sound familiar? It is terrifying to think of the consequences of the choice of the people to elect iniquity over righteousness. In verse 27 we read, “then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.” I am so grateful to live in this little country with caring and competent government.

I listened to a rather lovely Scripture Power video on OurTurtleHouse (Sister Carmen Herbert). It centred on Mosiah 29:20, which states, “But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.” She mentioned how important this scripture was to her when she faced challenges and problems. It is important to remember to be humble and trusting. In all cases, the Lord will work with His power to bring assistance. She quoted Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (see below) who suggested an approach to overcoming challenges. Two statements she made are important to me. I need to face my problems and challenges with the attitude of “I can do it”, and I must look forward to challenges as opportunities.

Nehor is described in only 15 verses of Alma 1, yet his influence is felt in many subsequent chapters of the Book of Mormon. He proposed that lay ministry should be selected by popular vote and they should be paid by the people. In his book, ‘Living with Enthusiasm’, Elder L. Tom Perry said, “Nehor’s words appealed to many of the people; they were easy words because they required neither obedience nor sacrifice” (pp. 108-9). His 'easy' theology (see verse 4) appealed to people as it demanded no commandments and no accountability. He was brought to Alma the Judge as he had murdered Gideon. In verse 12, Alma described Nehor as priestcraft enforced by the sword. We know exactly what priestcraft refers to, as in 2 Nephi 26:29 it mentions, “priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion”. He felt justified in killing Gideon over a disagreement based on his 'easy' theological perspective.

Nehor before Chief Judge Alma

Brother John Bytheway mentioned a lesson he attended. The teacher, Joseph Fielding McConkie, asked them what they saw when he presented a picture of an eclipse. He suggested that a spiritual eclipse occurs when someone tries to block out the light of the Son of God. We know Jesus is the Light and we never want to attempt to eclipse that Light. Nehor did just that.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson (October 2017 General Conference) spoke about ‘Spiritual Eclipse’. (See the quote above). I spent time dwelling on how we can avoid spiritual eclipses, whether they arise in the form of a person such as Nehor, or in the form of media, groups, organisations, or events. We need to stand for the truth as Gideon did. We need to remain prayerful and rely on the promptings of the Spirit. The Prophet Joseph Smith recommended we “stand fast” (see quote below), and President Ezra Taft Benson suggested we “keep on, keeping on” (April 1988 General Conference).

Alma led his people in warfare. Amlici wanted to be king and he also wanted to destroy the church. A large group of people followed Amlici (called Amlicites) and they were joined by Lamanites. Alma and his people were able to defeat repeated attacks because “the Lord did strengthen the hand of the Nephites" (Alma 2:18); “the Lord did hear their cries and did strengthen them” (Alma 2:29). The Lord strengthens those who fight for a righteous cause. If we ‘stand fast’ and ‘keep on’, if we follow the Light of Christ, remain humble and seek the Spirit, the Lord will strengthen us, not just in times of trial but every day.

Alma fighting Amalici (Scott M. Snow)

In Alma 3:19 we read, “every man that is cursed bring[s] upon himself his own condemnation.” Then in Alma 3:26-27 we further learn, “And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey.” So, we are the ones who choose. We choose the blessings or the curses. If we ‘list to obey’ the Light of Christ, we reap rewards of eternal happiness. If we list to follow the enticing of Satan, we reap curses and eternal misery. I know which choice I want to make. In speaking of ‘wages’, President Ezra Taft Benson (April 1988 General Conference), quoted a poem about God’s pay. The last line is, “Who does God’s work will get God’s pay”. In Romans 6:23 it states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

There were so many challenges that Alma the Younger faced as the first chef judge of the Nephites. He dealt with Nehor and priestcraft (Alma 1). He led his people into battle against Amalici and the combined Amalacites and Lamanites (Alma 2 and Alma 3). He also faced religious apostasy and huge divisions and inequality within the Nephite people. He realised he needed to hand over the responsibility of Chief Judge, to focus on preaching and teaching the people (Alma 4). These challenges are discussed in the following Knowhy video.

On of the most memorable scriptures from this week’s readings is in Alma 4:18, which reads, “seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.” Alma believed in the power of pure testimony. I can understand this statement. There are numerous times where the General Authorities have closed their General Conference talks with their testimonies. These have touched my spirit and brought tears to my eyes. Who doesn’t feel like they want to strive for perfection when General Conference comes to an end? I have a strong testimony and I know I do not share it often enough. The following YouTube video is called ‘My Testimony’ by Fatai. Fatai is a singer/songwriter who comes from a Tongan lineage. She was born in Melbourne and currently lives in Chicago. This is her testimony and she shares it with the world.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 25-28

What an emotional day it has been today. I was sad and depressed and could not achieve anything productive. I kept thinking about all the jobs I had applied for and the fact no one wanted me. I pondered the reasons for gaining so many qualifications and working so hard only to be out of work and not earning money. So, what did I do? I started reading the Book of Mormon. I read Mosiah 25 to 28 and re-read passages, read footnotes, searched talks by the General Authorities, listened to Brother John Bytheway’s podcast, and I felt good. I wondered why I had let my feelings get so bad. I love the Book of Mormon. It has the power to heal the soul.

I first wrote about these scriptures in 2016. It was a long and rather emotional look at the scriptures, particularly Mosiah 27, dealing with the conversion of Alma the Younger and the four sons of King Mosiah. To access the post, click on this link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-20-my-soul-is-pained-no.html

The conversion of Alma the Younger (Gary Kapp)

There were some things I spent a lot of time on with my studying today: the immediate goodness of God, believing is seeing, conversion and being born again, power in the prayer of a parent, and the beauty of repentance. Let me start with Mosiah 25:10, “…when they thought of the immediate goodness of God…they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.” Freeman and Butler (2019, Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon) suggested sitting down with a paper and pen, setting a timer for two minutes, and writing down every ‘immediate goodness’ that comes to mind. I know I thank Heavenly Father daily, in my prayers, for my family, my home, my small part-time job, and being able to work, learn, and help people. But there are so many other things that I do not include on a regular basis. It was contemplating this very thing that helped me today to snap out of the dark mood that overwhelmed me. I went through my little video that I called, ‘I am grateful for…’ and I realised how the immediate goodness of God is all around me. At this time of Covid 19, I am grateful for being in New Zealand. Tonight, I am going to express my deep gratitude in my prayers.

President Russell M. Nelson & NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

In Mosiah 26, we read about the unbelief of the rising generation. These young people had been children at the time of King Benjamin’s great speech. In Mosiah 26:3 it reads, “because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.” Elder Boyd K. Packer in ‘The Candle of the Lord’ (1982, a talk to new mission presidents) spoke about spiritual believing as being different to the way the world believes. The expression ‘seeing is believing’ is heard frequently. But we know that spiritual belief operates in reverse, ‘spiritual believing is seeing’. Spiritual believing leads to knowledge and understanding. It is through the voice of the Spirit, a “voice that one feels, more than one hears” that there is confirmation of spiritual understanding. “Let it grow, help it grow, but do not force it.” If we do not have the companionship of the Holy Ghost that comes through belief and obedience, we cannot gain great spiritual knowledge.

I believe that Alma the Younger and the sons of King Mosiah persecuted the Church because of their unbelief. They could not feel the Spirit, therefore they could not understand the words of their fathers. The conversion of these young men is one of the greatest stories in the scriptures. In Mosiah 27:11 we are told, “the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood.” And, in verse 15, the angel asks, “And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.” Imagine what a shock this must have been to five young men who had been actively persecuting members and speaking out against God. The appearance of the angel was a direct result of the prayers of the people and parental prayer. Brother John Bytheway spoke about the painting shown below by Walter Rane. This shows the prostrate Alma the Younger being carried to his parents by the sons of Moroni. Brother Bytheway mentioned the mother’s expression of shock and the elder Alma looking towards heaven, probably thanking the Lord for his intervention.

Alma's Conversion (Walter Rane)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in ‘However long and hard the road’ (a speech at BYU when he was President of BYU, 1983), mentioned the “majestic power in the prayer of a parent”. Do we pray for our children? I know that most of the time I pray, I am praying for my children and my mother. In my previous post on these scriptures, I mentioned that I felt inadequate as a mother because of ‘wayward children’. But, one thing I can do is pray for them continually. I know the importance of this through the example of my mother. I only have one sister. She was not active for many, many years. Mum never gave up. She prayed for her for thirty years before she returned to the gospel and became a strong and faithful member. So, I will not give up. I love my children dearly. They are beautiful people who each have their own qualities and talents. I will pray that they may each find the knowledge of the truth in their own way.

Alma praying for his son

Alma the Younger was unconscious for two days and two nights. When he finally regained consciousness and stood up, his words were magnificent, “I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters” (Mosiah 27:24-25). The short YouTube video below from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) tells us clearly what it means to be born again.

The following chart, also from Book of Mormon Central (How can contrasts teach us about true conversion), shows us the description of Alma the Younger before his repentance and after repentance. The change was absolute. I can imagine the joy and pride his parents must have felt as they saw their son mending his errors and preaching the gospel. Mosiah must have been equally grateful for the change in heart of his four sons.

The last verse in Mosiah 27 is so comforting, “And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.” The process of repentance is illustrated in all its beauty, as the Lord forgave their sins and blessed their new efforts.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Mosiah 18-24

I first wrote about Mosiah 18 to 24 in 2016. To read this post, just click on the following link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-of-mormon-19-none-could-deliver.html

In this post, I wrote a brief summary of all the action that took place. It goes as follows:

Alma had to flee for his life and then converted hundreds of people and baptised these converts in the Waters of Mormon. Noah’s people were not unified, and Gideon was about to kill Noah when the army of the Lamanites was seen approaching the city. Noah commanded his people to flee from the Lamanites. When the Lamanites closed in, he suggested that the men flee and leave the women and children to the Lamanites. Some did as he suggested but others stayed and were enslaved by the Lamanites. Those who agreed eventually burned Noah to death. Limhi succeeded his father Noah as king. The Lamanites were angered when they believed Limhi’s people had abducted the daughters of the Lamanites. These daughters had, in fact, been abducted by the priests of Noah, who were too ashamed to face the people of Limhi and lived in the wilderness away from their wives and children. Limhi and his people fought the Lamanites three times and were defeated. At the same time, a group of people under the leadership of Ammon, travelled from Zarahemla and found the people of Limhi. As these people turned to the Lord, they were able to escape from bondage when the Lamanite guards were in a drunken stupor. Lamanites, sent out to search for the people of Limhi, found Alma and his people at Helam. They had already found the priests of Noah and taken possession of the land of Amulon. The priests’ new wives, the daughters of the Lamanites, pleaded for their husbands to be spared. Alma and his people showed the Lamanites the way to Nephi, but the Lamanites did not give them the promised rewards, their lives and their liberty. Amulon was made king of his people who were in the land of Helam. He gained the favour of the Lamanite King Laman and persecuted Alma and his people. Alma’s people were able to escape when the Lord caused the Lamanite guards to fall into a deep sleep. They fled into the wilderness and travelled to Zarahemla.

Alma baptising in the Waters of Mormon (A. Larsen)

These chapters are truly remarkable accounts of how humility and obedience bring strength and the help of the Lord, while arrogance and sin cause the Lord to withdraw his protection.

In Mosiah 18 we read about Alma and his missionary work. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated, “[The] declaration by Alma at the Waters of Mormon still stands as the most complete scriptural statement on record as to what the newly baptized commit to do and be” (Christ and the New Covenant, 1997, p. 106). I put together the following graphic from the information in Mosiah 18. On the left side are the requirements and commitments for those who are entering baptism, and, on the right, are the blessings attached to fulfilling baptismal covenants.

Clearly, part of our responsibility as baptised Saints is to minister to others. In verses 8 and 9 we are told to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those in need of comfort. To me this means ministering. On OurTurtleHouse.com, I listened to a ‘Scripture Power’ video (Mosiah 18:9) by Sister Meg Johnson. Sister Meg Johnson was a brilliant, young dancer, when an accident left her a paraplegic in a wheelchair. She is an amazing and powerful speaker. She told a story that she associates with this scripture. Shortly after she was first paralysed, she was outside in a bad storm and her wheelchair overturned. Her little, two-year-old nephew came running out into the road to see if she was all right. He wanted to help, but being only two, he wasn’t strong enough to help her physically. He ran inside to try to get someone to come out to help her. However, he could not make himself understood. He went back outside to Meg. Despite the pouring rain and the wheelchair being in mud, he lay down next to Meg and put his head on her shoulder. He kept saying, “It’s okay”. Meg made the point that we can’t solve other people’s problems, but we can stand in the rain with them and let them know that everything will be okay.

All my life, I have been a “listening post” and people have confided their problems to me. I have loved being able to help and support. For a couple of years, during my first marriage, I worked as a crisis counsellor for Lifeline. I remember being on the phone for four hours with a man who was holding the barrel of a shotgun to his head. I was able to persuade him not to pull the trigger. The opportunity to listen and just be there, allowed him to think through all the reasons he had to continue to live. There is nothing more rewarding then helping.

In Mosiah 18, we read about Alma’s organisation of the priests. I found it fascinating in verse 24, which reads, “And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support”, and, in verse 26, which states, “And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support”. This made me think of the parallel today with the restored church. Our priests and church leaders are not paid clergy. Just today I read a wonderful article on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how tithing money is spent. Have a look at the following: A Mormon guy told me...

We learn more about the people of Limhi in Mosiah 21. Limhi succeeded his father as king. He was a better man and a better king. The Lamanites attacked Limhi’s people when 24 of the Lamanite girls were abducted. The Lamanites blamed Limhi’s people for the abduction. It was the wicked priests of King Noah who had abducted these women. The people of Limhi were angry and wanted revenge. In verses 10 and 11 we read, “Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them. And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the Lamanites.” The people of Limhi went to fight the Lamanites and, on three successive occasions, they were beaten badly. The pattern of mourning and vengeance occurs in several accounts in the Book of Mormon. This is discussed in the following short video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central).

I love the following quote from Book of Mormon Central, How can we stop the cycle of revenge? “The realization that all human beings are part of God’s family, reminds all of us that we can be part of stopping the cycle of violence in the world. When people remember that everyone is their neighbour, no matter how far away they might live, hatred disappears. This realisation makes it difficult to hate people based on their religion, culture, skin colour, or beliefs, and is yet another way in which the Book of Mormon shows us all a better way to live.” It seems that we have already had an answer to how we can escape the cycle of revenge. Remember the teaching of Alma? We need to love and serve one another, with no contention, being knit together in unity and love. There is no room for the cycle of revenge if we are following the Lord’s teachings and walking in His footsteps.

I remember as a child watching the movie, ‘The Great Escape’. In this week’s readings, we had two great escapes! We had the escape of King Limhi’s people and the escape of Alma’s people. It is important to note that the two great escapes would not have been possible without the help of the Lord. In speaking about King Limhi’s people, we read, “and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of [the Lamanites’] hands”. When talking about the people of Alma, we read, “none could deliver them but the Lord their God” (Mosiah 23:23), and, later, “none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God” (Mosiah 24:21). Our ability to humble ourselves in faith and obedience, will determine whether we are able to call on the Lord’s help when we need it the most.

Brother John Bytheway, in his weekly podcast on Moroni 18 to 24, mentioned Mosiah 23:8, “Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king.” He referred to ‘The James Madison Federalist Paper #51’, which stated, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” There is great truth in this statement. Bad kings in the Book of Mormon, like Noah, cause the people to sin. “King Noah and his priests had caused the people to commit so many sins and iniquities against God” (Mosiah 21:30). Later, Amulon, the leader of the wicked priests of King Noah, was made a puppet king over Alma’s people by the Lamanite King Laman. He refused to allow them to hear the words of Abinadi. He persecuted them, and “so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God” (Mosiah 24:10). He decreed anyone caught praying in public would be put to death, so the people prayed in their hearts. The Lord helped ease their burdens.

Two beautiful, powerful, remarkable scriptures are found in Mosiah 24:14-15. We read, “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter…it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Two important points stood out to me. Firstly, the Lord will ease our burdens if we are faithful and humble. Secondly, we must always fulfil our baptismal covenant to stand as witnesses of the Lord.

In his talk ‘Trust in the Lord’, Elder Richard G. Scott discussed adversity as punishment (‘penalty’ adversity, Brother John Bytheway) and testing and strengthening adversity (‘growth’ adversity, Brother John Bytheway). The questions we ask when we face adversity change when we know the Lord loves us. Instead of asking, “Why me, Lord?” we need to ask, “What am I to do/learn?” I face challenges and adversity as we all do. I pray that the Lord will bless us all to seek him in humility and obedience and ask Him for direction. I will include the entire quote from Elder Richard G. Scott below. I love the whole talk and recommend it to anyone facing adversity.

When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favour of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.