Alma 39:10-19

I wonder how young Corianton was. I still feel like I need to counsel my younger brothers and sisters, but they are not really that young any more. But it makes me think of this quote I found when studying yesterday:

“The invitation to repent is an expression of love. … If we do not invite others to change or if we do not demand repentance of ourselves, we fail in a fundamental duty we owe to one another and to ourselves. A permissive parent, an indulgent friend, a fearful Church leader are in reality more concerned about themselves than the welfare and happiness of those they could help. Yes, the call to repentance is at times regarded as intolerant or offensive and may even be resented, but guided by the Spirit, it is in reality an act of genuine caring” (The Divine Gift of Repentance).

So I guess, we all have experiences and insight that could help the people around us that we love. Sometimes it is because we have lived longer, but not even always. And Nephi kept counseling his older brothers all the way until he had to flee for his life. It must be more about following the spirit, so it was the right council at the right time in the right way. Otherwise I am just being a busy body.

When I think about the times I have been making really bad decisions in my life, or even just the times I haven’t been doing the things that keep me close to the Spirit, I worry that part of the consequences of my choices is what Alma talks about here, how Corianton’s example made it so that people didn’t listen to the gospel. Part of the burden of sin is not only the bad you did, but the good you could have done and didn’t. That is one thing that makes me really appreciate the atonement. There is no way I can go back and fix being a bad example, or missing opportunities to serve because I wasn’t listening to the Spirit. And even though it is unfixable, I can still be forgiven because of the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ. His grace is sufficient to make up for all of that. And his goodness is so great that all that good that was missed can be made up for in the end—no one will be condemned because of my bad example.

It would require a lot of humility for Corianton to go back and acknowledge what he had done wrong. Again, it speaks highly of who he was, despite his mistakes, that he really did repent and do the hard work it took to be right again.

I love verse 14, too. Seek not after riches or the vain things of the world. It is such a simple reminder, but it is so easy to forget and get caught up in the chase. It has been easy for me lately, to forget what I really care about and want to spend my time and resources on. Making my house comfortable and welcoming for my family is a good goal, and it is okay to want it to be nice, but it is easy for me to get consumed with wanting things, not necessarily for any good goal type reasons. That is probably why it is so important to read scriptures and nourish your soul all the time, to remember where you want your focus to be, and to take the time to refocus it there.

I have felt like the better off our family becomes financially, the more challenging this has been for me. I am grateful that Omar’s career has been able to bless our family so much, but I feel like I get stingier as we get “richer.” Not that we are rich by any means, only compared to our younger selves. But it used to be easier to give away the little that we had. Now I really have to overcome myself. Maybe because it never seemed possible to have nice things before, and now it does. This is something that has been a struggle in my heart lately. At tithing settlement yesterday Bishop talked to us about fast offering, and I felt very grateful that I had been prompted to start giving more. I felt like Heavenly Father was telling me that it was a good start to not being selfish, and that specific blessings had come to our family lately because of it.

I am so grateful for God’s tender mercy and gentle love. He gently prompts us to do better, and rewards us when we do. He is so good and so kind. I need to parent with more gentleness and more kindness and focusing on the good things they do.

We also talked at tithing settlement about how the things we are being asked to do now are to protect our grandchildren and future generations. When Alma told his son their ministry was to teach people so they could prepare their children to hear the words of Christ, that is what it reminded me of. The idea of preparing and protecting future generations feels very powerful to me right now. I felt the Spirit in that meeting yesterday, and know that what he was telling us was true. I am trying to prepare my sons to be fathers who will teach their children the gospel and lead their home in righteousness to Him. What an amazing idea. That is what needs to be the focus of what I do. Not fancy things or a bigger house. I am grateful for the reminder!

Alma 39:10-19