Alma 21

I wonder why it is that people who know the truth and leave it go so far to the other extreme. I think of the saying that none are so blind as those who will not see, and I think that is part of it. But it almost seems like you are the most vulnerable to Satan’s lies when you turn away from God’s truths.

In verse 5 when the Amalekite stands up and starts contending with Aaron it is such a familiar lie to say that because he had seen an angel he was saying they were not as good. He was there trying to tell them because they were are good, they were children of God and he wanted to share the joy. But that is a lie that we hear over and over again in the culture wars of our time.

It is important to me this morning that Aaron and his brethren didn’t quite. When no one would listen they didn’t quit, when they were cast into prison and suffered horrible things, they didn’t quit. They continued in what the Lord had called them to do—pressing forward in courage and faith. Sometimes it is hard for me to keep going just because I am bored, or it is sometimes inconvenient. How much more I need to be like Aaron and his brethren!

And after the trial of their faith came the blessings. Because they didn’t give up they were able to help many people and convert many souls to the Lord. This pattern has been coming up a lot lately. Am I being faithful in the trial of my faith?

Sometimes we think of zealous religious people scornfully, but that is just the wordly influence I think. What could be wrong with obeying God with passion and dedication. Although there is the fanatic—what is the dividing line?

Alma 21

Alma 20

The idea of work has been on my mind lately because it is what I am teaching about next Sunday, and what we talked about in Sunday School yesterday. King Lamoni said he knew that Ammon could do anything with the help of the Lord, but still volunteered his time and service to help get the others out of prison. He understood a great truth that I am just starting to these last few years about self-reliance and work. God can do anything, but we can do a lot—and he expects us to do everything we can. There is so much more growth, and even without growth, honor, in doing what you can do for yourself. Maybe that is why I feel like I need to let my kids make their own thankful turkeys tonight? I really want to teach them to work hard and be self-reliant. And I know I need to be a better example of that myself.

King Lamoni was astonished that his father was mad when he told him where he was going. I wonder why? Did he know his father’s prejudices and temper? I wonder if it was because his heart was so softened by the Spirit, and he felt so peaceful inside he forgot about all the hatred and turmoil from before. I know I’ve been in a place where other people’s anger is hard to understand. It’s amazing how the atonement of Christ so completely changes our nature.

The old king was lucky that Ammon was harmless.

Now the king is astonished, but he is astonished by kindness and love. The contrast here is truly poetic.

I love that the king just tried to kill Ammon, and now his heart has been softened moments later and he is ready to learn. It reminds me of Elder Christofferson talking about how Christ can make any soul holy. In institute we have been reading the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi, and I love how the Lord keeps forgiving and helping his people, no matter how wicked they have become or how many times they have to turn back, He is always there with outstretched arms waiting for them, just as He is here with the old king, even moments later.

I love that the story is not about Aaron, Muloki, and Ammah being upset at how their time had been awful while Ammon shows up hanging out with a king. They were patient in their suffering and grateful to serve the Lord. It is amazing humility. It’s so easy to compare our life with others and feel like things are bad or unfair. This is such a beautiful example of faith.

Alma 20

Alma 19

I remember reading something about Christ being dead for 3 days being significant for the Jews because they believed the spirit lingered for two. In the first verse of this chapter it then seems significant that the king’s household waited the two days before they were going to bury him.

I love that the queen could tell her husband wasn’t dead. With the wickedness of the Lamenites I wonder if there was some intrigue with those that were trying to say he was stinking like a corpse when he obviously wasn’t. I know it’s not an important part of the spiritual story, but I wonder.

I bet Ammon was grateful for his experience with Alma the younger not long before this, so when the king lay there, he knew what was happening. I know the Lord could have told him anyway, but I am sure that tender mercy was reassuring to His soul. We learn so much in the furnace of experience.

The queen had the gift of a believing heart. When the servants told her about Ammon she  believed, and when Ammon prophesied her husband would revive the next day, she believed. What an amazingly humble thing it is to be able to just believe.

The queen had a quick and amazing testimony given to her, so quickly completely overcome by the Spirit. But I think she could have that experience because she had first exercised so much faith and it had prepared her for that moment. Faith preceding the miracle.  What can I have more faith about? Where do I struggle to move forward because I am not sure?

Abish must have been so excited and amazed watching all of this unfold. I love that she had been converted because of a miraculous vision of her father. I love it because it shows that God speaks to righteous people who seek for Him, even in the midst of a wicked land and wrong traditions. He is always reaching to all of us.

The main thing I get out of this chapter is to have faith in the Lord. He has all power, and His work will not be thwarted by men or devils. There is nothing to fear when we are doing His will and following His plan.

Alma 19

Alma 18

When the servants and the king are discussing whether or not Ammon is mortal, it makes me feel grateful for the power of the Lord in all of our lives. Through Him we can do things and handle things and see things and be things we could never be on our own. Our relationship with Him does make us more than just men and women, and does give us access to the Divine, as it did Ammon. What an amazing blessing!

It is interesting that in the Lamenite tradition there was a God, but they didn’t worry about doing wrong things, and yet King Lamoni was afraid because he had slain His servants. It is hard to understand the balance between what we are taught, and the conscience that God has given all of us to know right from wrong. I know that is why we cannot judge each other, we don’t what parameters anyone is choosing within. But I do think it’s important that no matter what he had been taught, in his hear, the king knew it was wrong as was afraid.

When Ammon went to feed the kings horses right away it reminds me of the conference talk by Elder Dube about working in the fields with his mother, and not looking back at what they had done, but forward to what still needed to be done. I feel like I do this a lot, where I look back and feel satisfied with what I have done, or even proud of it, and then I get lazy instead of moving forward. I loved this talk, and Ammon is such a perfect example of that here. The king was impressed with how faithful he was because he kept moving forward to serve him. I want to be faithful to my King in the same way.

It is interesting to me that Mormon tells us Ammon was wise but harmless and that he caught the king with guile – which is slyness or cunningness. The king offered Ammon anything he wanted and Ammon said all he wanted was that he would believe everything he said, which the King promised. Belief is a hard thing to promise, though. I don’t know if I could whole-heartedly promise such a thing. But perhaps it just softened his heart enough to allow him to believe. Do you suppose what Mormon was saying was that Ammon could have been a great con-man if he hadn’t been harmless?

I love that the way Ammon teaches the king was at his level, baby food before steak and potatoes. The concept of Heaven could have been so complicated, and he let it be so simple.

King Lamoni’s reaction to believing was wanting the same joy that the Nephites had in the plan of salvation and the word of God. Sometimes missionary work can be so scary, but this right here is really what it comes down to—wanting to share the awesomeness of the truth.

Alma 18

Alma 17:17-39

I amazed at Ammon’s focus, that when the trials came, his reaction was to rejoice because now He could show the power of God. I want to have that kind of faith and strength—that kind of focus on eternity in everything I do, even the mundane. 

When I read about how the men didn’t know God and so delighted in torturing their brethren, even to the point of getting them killed, I am baffled by it. For some reason in my head they wanted to steal the sheep, but that wasn’t the case. They really were just doing it to be cruel. Omar always tells me that people are this way, but even as I read it I have to wonder about a more complicated and less evil motive. I can’t believe that people really are just bad. And yet, deep in the back of my mind I can remember what it was like to live without the Spirit, without wanting the Spirit or caring about doing right, and I remember that darkness. Not that I was ever this evil, but I suppose you could get there after enough time and enough bad choices hardening your heart. That makes it even sadder to me.

I was also surprised at how easily Ammon just started killing people. In this time we struggle with whether it is ever okay to take someone’s life. Well, I do, anyway. That would have been a difficult moment for me, I don’t think I would have been so bold. Is that because I am a girl, or because of the culture and expectations I live with, or is it just my questioning personality?

I do know that sometimes we need to bold. I need to rely more on the Spirit to know when those times are and then faithfully act. I think a lot of what made this situation what it was was Ammon’s motivation. He wasn’t acting out of anger or fear. That is something to pay attention to in myself.

Alma 17:17-39

Alma 17:1-16

The blessing that came to the sons of Mosiah because of searching the scriptures and much prayer and fasting:

• Waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth (firm testimony)
• Sound understanding (know things as they really are, wise)
• Spirit of prophecy (testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10) and confirmation of choices and inspiration for responsibilities)
•  The spirit of revelation (communication from God through the Spirit)
•  Taught with the power and authority from God

I appreciate the flash back method of talking about the sons of Mosiah here. Their journey was hard, and they suffered many things, and also had amazing stories to tell. But starting with the end puts all the rest in the perspective of the result—who they had become and why it had all been worth it. It changes the way you think about what is coming. I think that is an important principle to remember for effective teaching.

It must have taken incredible fortitude and faith for the sons of Mosiah to leave when there was so much pressure for them to stay and inherit the kingdom, from their father and from all the people. It would be really easy to rationalize and succumb under that kind of pressure. It reminds me of what I realized about Lehi and remembered as I was re-reading this journal on Tuesday—great revelation comes to those who are ready and willing to act on it.

I just realized that when the Lamenites just came to attack the people the sons of Mosiah were still on their mission there. I want to remember that to see what was happening with them at that time.

As I read about them fasting and praying in the wilderness on their way there, that they might be instruments in the hand of the Lord, I feel like I need to do that more. At first I thought just in my calling as a Beehive Advisor, but then almost immediately came the thought that my mission in my home, teaching the gospel to my children was even more important, and that I need to be better about focusing on that part of what I am doing as a mother, and praying more for inspiration and guidance about that. Partly because I need the help, and partly because praying constantly about it helps me remember that is what I am doing really.

And when the Lord tells them the way to teach is to be patient and long-suffering in affliction, to set a good example for them, I know He is also talking to me. I felt reminded of that this morning when I got frustrated with Isaiah trying to figure out the bike lock, or how impatient I felt all morning, really. I felt the Spirit reminding me this was not the Lord’s way. And I feel reminded of it again now. In fact, I am amazed at how timely this instruction was for me—a tender mercy of the Lord!

I just realized how long 14 years is. It’s longer than Omar and I have been married, longer than I have ever lived in a house, longer than anyone is even in school as a child. They committed a huge amount of time to their mission to the Lamenites. No wonder Alma was surprised to see them! They had been gone for a long time!

Alma 17:1-16

Alma 16

They marked very carefully the day the war began, it is mentioned specifically twice. I wonder if it is somewhat like 9/11 for us—a  important changing of the course of history. Before this, since Nephi had fled, there had been wars with the Lamenites but not just the Lamenites coming into their land and trying to take over, which ends up being how the two sides spend the remainder of the Book of Mormon.

I wonder how the course of modern history would have changed if war leaders had been consulting prophets. What an amazing thing to get such direct and specific instruction from the Lord on how to conquer your enemies. If we apply the idea of these physical wars to our current war with evil, it shows again how blessed we are to have prophets guiding us in our effort, and how wise we would be to hearken to their specific counsel. In fact, sometimes we are offended when the counsel is really specific, but in reality, it is a huge blessing.

The time frame of Ammonihah being destroyed was important, too, because it showed how it all came together from the time Alma and Amulek were preaching there. At the beginning of the 10^th year he went to Melek and then to Ammonihah after baptizing and preaching successfully in Melek. Now we are on the 5^th day of the 2^nd month of the next year, so it couldn’t have been long after Alma left, and Ammonihah has been destroyed.

Whenever the Book of Mormon talks about no inequality it is such a beautiful, and also, such a scary thought. I want to help people, but without giving anything up for my own family. I am never quite sure what that balance is supposed to look like.

Alma 16

Alma 15

I love the instant healing of Zeezrom, because of his faith in Christ and his changed heart. It is interesting to me how our physical well being is so directly related to Spiritual sometimes. Zeezrom’s sickness and fever, mirror exactly what a guilty soul suffers, and his instant healing mirrors the peace to that soul that comes through faith on the atonement of Christ and repentance. I am sorry he had to suffer, but grateful that the story was recorded, so it’s metaphor could so clearly illustrate and help me understand and remember those feelings and impression and experiences I have had.

I am sure it was really trying when the city would not repent, and it must have been such a great joy when Alma and Amulek discovered all the faithful followers who were not in the city. I am sure all the suffering was still painful, but there must have been great peace in the happiness those had found as well.

And Amulek reminds of the scripture about he who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. There was a time when that scripture sounded so harsh to me, but I understand it so much better as time passes. That we have to be valiant no matter what in keeping our covenants, and we can’t make decisions based on what people will think, no matter who those people are, including our parents, but only worry about pleasing God. For me, that is very difficult to remember in the throes of a situation. 

Alma 15

Alma 14

In verse one it says many of the people believed and began to repent and to search the scriptures. Repenting and feasting are simple and accurate indicators of where you heart is pointed. I never realized before how important it is to search the Word of God. I mean, I knew it was important, but the criticalness of it is really hitting me from this verse.

The people were angry because they had been spoken to so plainly. A lot of times when people are going to be angry it keeps me silent, because not being contentious feels important, not offending people with what I really think. But several times over the last few chapter I have been inspired that Alma and Amulek’s boldness in the truth was important and right. I need to not dismiss speaking truth because I am afraid of people’s reaction, but worry more about listening to the Spirit about when it is right, until I am better able to recognize that on my own, at least a little bit.

I love that Zeezrom tried to fix the problem he had caused. It must have been so painful that it was too late, and came at such a high cost for other. Poor guy, I hope at some point he understood that the people whose hearts were so hard had their own agency to believe as well. This situation really illustrates to me again, how it doesn’t matter how compelling the argument for or against, people have to be willing to hear it. The only thing that could ever really convince anyone is the Spirit of Truth, and even then they have to be willing to listen and receive.

I love the vision of the Lord receiving those being burned into His glory. It reminds me of how people comforted themselves about the Sandy Hook tragedy. It is such a beautiful explanation of God’s love and power—even in the face of evil in the world, His goodness is not overcome, but swallowed up.

I hate that the chief judge put the responsibility for burning everyone onto Alma and Amulek. It feels so familiar, like a parent that beats their children and said look at what you made me do. But I guess isn’t that what I do every time I tell my kids they are “making me” angry. I pray to be able to remember this lesson!

Alma and Amulek answered nothing, like the Savior when He was being questioned by evil accusers. When is the time to be silent, and when is the time to speak?

I love that God granted them power and performed amazing and impossible miracles and saved them. I know that He can do all things, and when I am feeling afraid, or having anxiety attacks, I need to remember the prison walls tumbling and destroying the evil men. I think it’s symbolic, too. It reminds me of the song Mercy’s Arms by Julie de Azevedo when she talks about the mighty fortress wall around her heart crumbling as she surrenders to the Savior. It was their faith in Christ that gave them power to break the walls of the prison. And is my faith in Christ that gives me power to break the walls of sin and pride around my heart—to allow myself to be vulnerable enough to really love and really believe, or at least be started in that direction.

When the people were fleeing from Alma and Amulek it seems like that could have been so satisfying. But I bet at that point, after being tortured, but even more so, watching all those people burn for believing—I bet there was no pride left, just sadness over the people’s wickedness and the suffering it had caused, and was going to cause.

Alma 14