Alma 18 True Doctrines Change Lives

King Lamoni has heard of the amazing feats performed by Ammon in defending his flocks.  He is astonished and wonders if Ammon is the Great Spirit.  When Ammon and the king come back together, Ammon asks the king, “what desirest thou?”  The king doesn’t answer, in fact, he stays quiet for an hour.  Finally, Ammon discerns his thoughts, and asks him if he wants to know how he was able to save his flocks?  The king is amazed again because he reads his thoughts and asks Ammon if he is the Great Spirit. Ammon commits the king to listen to his words and the king accepts.  Ammon begins the discussion with the Creation, the Fall, and then the Atonement, opening the scriptures to the king and unfolding the Plan of Redemption.  The king believed all of his words.

King Lamoni never falls away.  Because of his conversion, his wife and family join the church.  Many of his people follow him into the waters of baptism.  They will be forced to leave their homes and travel down out of the mountains to Zarahemla.  They will live the rest of their lives in righteousness as part of the people who reject their Lamanite name and adopt the name Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

The basic doctrines of the gospel are true and powerful!  I have also been converted, strengthened, and blessed by the true word of God.      

Alma 17 More Than Arm Chopping

“And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted.  And they were comforted.”  The sons of Mosiah were about to embark on their mission to the Lamanites.  It would be like going on a mission to Iran or Syria in today’s world: mission impossible.  But with the reassurance provided by the Lord and the promise of protection, they venture forth.  Their only desire was to be instruments in the Lord’s hands in bringing the gospel to the Lamanites. Their pure motives, together with their faith in the Lord’s promises proved powerful.

But let’s come back to the phrase, “Be comforted.  And they were comforted.”  When the Holy Ghost speaks comfort to our soul, do we take notice and become comforted?  Or do we continue to worry?  Placing our lives in the hands of the Lord brings comfort and solace, faith and strength to accomplish all things. 

Let us be like Ammon and his companions.   

Alma 16 Zoram the Rescuer

The city of Ammonihah is captured and destroyed by the Lamanites just as Alma prophesied it would happen if they wouldn’t repent.  Out of the tragedy immerges three new heros: the newly appointed chief captain of the Nephite army, Zoram and his two sons, Lehi and Aha.  They want to rescue the people who the Lamanites have taken captive from a city near Ammonihah called Noah.  Zoram goes to Alma and asks him where to go to make the rescue.  Alma, acting as prophet, inquires of the Lord and receives the specific battle plan from the Lord.   Surprising the Lamanites at a crossing of the Sidon River, Chief Captain Zoram is able to rescue all of those who had been taken captive by the Lamanites.  This story reminds us to inquire of the Lord and follow the prophet’s counsel to rescue our family members, friends, and neighbors from the adversary.  I love the names of Zoram’s two sons which are given to us in this chapter: Lehi and Aha.  Both names have been shown to be names that are legitimate to this culture and time period. 

Alma 15 True Friendship

Alma heals and baptizes Zeezrom.  What a wonderful story of redemption!  But I was even more moved by the friendship of Alma and Amulek.  Amulek had lost everything and everyone.  Even his father had rejected him!  Perhaps his wife and children were burned to death with the other martyrs.  When they left Ammonihah and then Sidon, Alma takes Amulek home to Zarahemla.  There we can assume he was cared for and ministered to by Alma, his wife, and his children. 

I thought of my dear friend Joel.  He has been my closest friend since we began our association back in Tucson in 1990.  He was my associate as we went to graduate school there.  He was my colleague as we taught seminary at adjacent high schools.  He was my friend as we grew closer in the same ward there.  We were neighbors and walking buddies.  When we moved to Laramie and the Richards moved to Louisiana, we stayed in touch.

Then, when we moved to American Fork, we found ourselves in the same neighborhood and stake as Joel’s parents.  They welcomed us here.  Later that summer Joel and his family moved close by as they returned to be near their parents.  Joel invited me and the Lord called me to serve in a bishopric with Joel as bishop and me as first counselor.

When I got the news of prostate cancer, Joel was my anchor.  He talked me through some very low times.  He took me for drives in his car when I was recuperating from the surgery.  He bought me shakes and cheered me up.

He is the essence of what true brotherly love can be. 

Alma 14 Martrydom for Christ

This is a chapter of the martyrdom of children and their mothers who believed in Christ.  They were taken and burned in a pit because they believed in the words of Alma and Amulek.  I have hoped that someone will paint a picture from the spirit world side of this story, where the moms and their beloved children are met by the Savior as they come through the veil.  How he must have wept for them!  How he must have held them close and expressed his great love for them.  This is the scene I try to picture in my mind.  Meanwhile, back on the other side of the veil, Alma and Amulek were forced to witness the martyrdom of their loved ones.  Then they are cast into prison.  The chief judge strikes them repeatedly as do his buddies.  Alma and Amulek refuse to speak to them.  They are a type and shadow of the Savior who would suffer similarly.  Finally, they pray for release and the prison walls come down.  The chief judge along with all who were with him in the prison are killed except Alma and Amulek who come forth unhurt.  When the rest of the wicked people without the prison saw them immerge, they run like scared prey before a lion.

Alma 13 Be Holy

Alma uses the words “holy calling” several times in this chapter referring to the office of high priest in the “order of his Son.”  Today we call that order the Melchizedek Priesthood.  Being currently a high priest tells me that I must strive daily to a “holy” man.  Alma gives good advice on how this is to be achieved:

“…humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering; Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.  And may the Lord grant unto you repentance….”

Alma 12 The Importance of the Fall of Adam

The doctrine of the Fall is crucial.  If we understand it, then we realize the absolute necessity of Christ and the Atonement.  Here is a little story that might help one seeking to understand the Fall:

Wally wanted to be a bachelor forever; at least that’s what he thought in junior high and most of high school.  He formed a club called the “Bachelor’s Club.”  He and his friends in the club vowed to never date or do anything to encourage romantic relationships with girls.  But one day, Wally met Jeanni.  He was smitten.  It was love at first sight.  He started smiling at her when they passed in the hall and the lunch room.  Secretly, he called Jeanni and asked her to go on a date.  They went and had a burger together and dragged main street.  However, as they were driving along enjoying a song on the radio together, some of Wally’s club buddies drove up along-side Wally’s car.  They began mocking him and calling him a traitor.  Wally was not ashamed, however, and was happy that he and Jeanni had started dating.

Having transgressed the rules of the club, Wally was cast out.  He and Jeanni went on to date, court, and eventually marry.  Had they sinned?  Surely not. But Wally could not remain in the club because he had transgressed the club’s laws.  But he was much happier than he had been in the previous situation without Jeanni in his life.

This was the case for Adam and Eve.  They could stay in the Garden and live a childlike existence.  In essence, the Lord had said to them that they could live that way as long as they wanted.  But if they wanted to progress and become like their Lord, they would have to leave the Garden.  So, Eve realized that she must transgress the law and partake of the forbidden fruit.  Adam did likewise.  Eve should be praised for her wisdom.

However, now that they could comprehend good from evil and were subject to physical and spiritual death they soon realized their complete dependence on the Lord.  Without his Atonement they would be lost forever.  We too have fallen.  We have sinned and thus we are cut off from God’s presence.  We are also subject to physical death.  Without Christ’s Atonement we are completely lost.  When we humble ourselves and subject ourselves to his will, repenting daily of our sins, then we are covered by his grace.  The Holy Ghost is given to us to constantly provide spiritual companionship.  As we cultivate His promptings, we are led to do good and to seek that which is virtuous, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy.

After being cast out of the Garden, Alma teaches the people that the Lord first taught them the “plan of redemption.”  “Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption…”  This is a great application for us in our parenting:  Before we lay down all the laws and rules, teach our children why we have those rules.  Teach them the Great Plan of Happiness.

Alma 11 True Doctrine Changes Behavior

Zeezrom was a lawyer.  He tried to get Amulek to trip over his words.  Of course, Amulek doesn’t trip, but instead, confounds Zeezrom.  In the course of his responses to Zeezrom’s questions, Amulek articulates the doctrine of the resurrection.  All of God’s sons and daughters will be resurrected.  When my little brother, Sam, is resurrected, he will arise as a child.  His resurrected body will then grow until his full stature is reached as a man.  This gives my parents the joy of raising him up from childhood to manhood.  We will be resurrected at the age we died and either grow up to manhood or womanhood or else we will grow back until the appearance of old age disappears.  Evidently, this will take place rather quickly.  Needless to say the resurrection will be pretty cool.  Amulek’s point to Zeezrom is that we will all be judged according to the deeds in the flesh and no unclean person will return to God’s presence in eternity until they have completely repented and been cleansed from all sin. This doctrine made Zeezrom tremble.  It is this same doctrine that Alma will preach to his erring son, Corianton, waking him up spiritually and setting him on a righteous course for the rest of his life.

Alma 10 The Visits of Angels

Amulek preaches next and introduces himself by telling about a visit to him by an angel.  The angel instructed him to be of service to Alma when he knocked on his door.  Alma blessed them with his priesthood and with his teaching while he stayed there.  Jean has recently spent a few weeks with our beloved daughter, Michelle, and her family in Florida.  She blessed them with her love and power of discernment.  She was blessed by her experiences there among her precious loved ones.

Alma 9 Remembering and Repenting

Alma and Amulek commence their missionary labors.  Alma preaches first and calls the people to repentance.  As he recounts all of the ways and times the Lord has reached out to his people, I couldn’t help but think of the many times the Lord as similarly blessed the Stone family with his tender mercy and love.  A recent example is the arrival of our eight grandchildren.

Alma 8 Moving and Missionary Work

Alma had great success in Gideon and Melek but when he arrived in Ammonihah they totally rejected him and cast him out.  Alma was met by the same angel who had turned him around early in his life.  The angel told him he was blessed and that he needed to go back to Ammonihah and call the people to repentance.  When he went back he went into the city a different way and found his way to the house of Amulek, who had been prepared by the Lord for Alma’s visit.  Imagine how grateful Alma was to be greeted by a kind man who took him home and fed him.  Alma stayed with the family for many days, teaching and strengthening them.  I think about Joseph Smith and how excited he would have been to see his friend, Moroni, again and again.  How they must have rejoiced in each other’s presence.  Alma must have been overwhelmed with joy to see this messenger again who had brought him out of a dark pit and back into the light of the gospel.  When Amulek and Alma began their missionary labors the Holy Ghost went with them.  They couldn’t be harmed.

Michelle and Brandon are going to a new area.  They have had Gideon and Melek experiences in their wards in Washington, Idaho, and Florida.  When they get to South Carolina they will be greatly needed in the ward where they will be living.  They will have many opportunities to share the gospel.  Their children will have those same opportunities.  I know the Lord will watch out for them and angels will guide their way.  What surprises lie ahead for them?  What adventures?  How long will it take people to discover their abilities and talents?  How will the schools be for the kids?  Who will be their new friends?  So many exciting unknowns.  May the Lord bless them in this adventure.

Alma 7 Christ Shall be Born of Mary

When Alma gave up the judgment seat and devoted himself full-time to the ministry he had a joyful experience in the city of Gideon.  They had remained faithful.  He revealed to them the name of the Savior’s mother:  Mary.  He told them that Mary would conceive by the power of God and thus bring forth a son who would be the Son of God.  He commanded them to repent and faithfully follow Christ and keep their covenants with him.  Why would he command a faithful people to repent?  Because that is the way to stay faithful:  to repent daily and return to him in our hearts every day.  So they didn’t take offense by the charge to repent; they knew that repentance is a joy and a privilege brought about by the Atonement of Christ.