What a lousy deal for Alma and his people. The Lamanite armies couldn’t find the Gideon-led Nephites but after being lost for days they stumbled upon Alma and his followers and took them captive. Even before that, they stumbled upon the wicked priests and their Lamanite wives. The chief of the priests, Amulon, was clever enough to get himself made chief over Alma and his people. Yet Alma did not waiver in his faith or act in fear.
How ironic! How unfair for Alma! What kind of reward was this for righteousness? Don’t we have these kinds of experiences in our lives when we ask “Why me?”? (Alma did not murmer, but I think I would have.) Sometimes we are not prepared to deal with tough times in our lives and we question our faith in God.
I have been reading about Eliza R. Snow who was an older sister to Lorenzo Snow. She was married to Joseph Smith in plural marriage. Her family joined the church in Ohio and went through the forced migrations to Missouri and Nauvoo. Though they endured many severe trials faithfully, her parents were not able to keep their faith burning. They moved away from Nauvoo, refusing to go west. Eliza mourned their decision saying that they had not accessed the strength given to them through the Atonement which was their privilege as his covenant children. Faltering in their faith, they left the church. (This must never happen to Jean and me.) Eliza, her sister Leonora, and brother Lorenzo, on the other hand, stayed strong and unwavering. They came west with the Saints and prospered.
We must stay unwavering in our faith, and when trials come upon us we must stand with Christ, our Master and our Deliverer.
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