Alma's People Find Freedom...but Lose It Again - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Three (Mosiah 23)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/23?lang=eng.

After Limhi’s people are reunited with the Nephites and King Mosiah in Zarahemla, and the previous chapter finishes with lost Lamanites in the wilderness, we step back about 20 years in time at the beginning of this chapter. By the end, we have come back to those lost Lamanites.

Mormon takes us back to Alma and his people where they left off at the end of Mosiah 18. To recall, Alma was a priest of wicked King Noah, but was inspired to repent of his own part in that wickedness by the example of the courageous martyred prophet Abinadi. In Mosiah 18, Alma had inspired a number of followers of truth to gather with him in the place of Mormon (which means “more good”), where they made sacred covenants to serve the Lord and each other and were baptized. When Noah’s armies discover their location, the Lord warns Alma’s people (who are about 450 in number), and they escape. 

In their escape, the Lord strengthens Alma’s people so that they are able to stay ahead of Noah’s armies, and after eight days they find another beautiful, pleasant, water-filled land to settle—known as Helam (verses 1-4, 19). Free to build their own society, the people begin to flourish. 

It’s almost jaw-dropping to learn that so briefly after escaping the tyrannical rule of King Noah, the people call for Alma to be their king (verse 6). Alma wisely cautions them. Even if Alma is a wise and just person now, it is too dangerous for a society to rely on one person (verse 7). Noah is a very clear example of this, and Alma reminds them that not too long ago, he himself was in league with Noah and his evil ways (verse 9). The implication is that men are too fallible to trust just having one person rule over a society. 

Alma explains that the people should feel very extremely blessed that the Lord has delivered them out of King Noah’s clutches, and that they were able to receive the truth from the Lord through Alma after his repentance (verse 10). Why on earth, then would they think to give up their liberty to allow one man to rule them (verse 13)? 

It’s easy to shake our heads at Alma’s people, but if I think about it, their behavior is not that unusual. Even today, I believe that many people would rather not take on responsibility—even just partial responsibility—for governing themselves or their communities. And I understand the impulse to avoid the effort involved in learning about the problems and challenges of a community, listening to people’s concerns and complaints, and then being subjected to criticism and ridicule when making or taking part in a decision. So when I consider that, I have more sympathy for Alma’s people. And I wonder to myself, “Would I be strong enough to accept the responsibilities that come with liberty in their situation? Am I strong enough to accept the responsibilities of liberty in my community today?” I recognize that too often I would much prefer idle distractions and personal comfort to engaging with the tough challenges and balancing of competing interests that leadership demands in today’s world.

Alma adds another important point. He tells the people that they need to make sure that anyone who teaches or serves them should be a man of God and follow His commandments (verse 14). As their high priest, he makes it his priority to teach the people what that means. He focuses on the concepts of “love thy neighbor” and avoiding contention, and makes sure that the other preachers and teachers going among the people are just men who nourish the people “with things pertaining to righteousness” (verses 15-18). 

It is at this point, when it seems as though Alma and his people have found an idyllic existence, Mormon warns that the Lord “seeth fit to chasten his people” (verse 21). When we read that, we are tempted to call out, “WHY?” Here they were just getting settled and they weren’t doing anything wrong. Why then should they have to endure suffering? 

This “why?” applies to all of us. It is the human condition. Part of God’s plan is that we are to face challenges in our mortal lives. Some of those challenges are predictable, and some are unpredictable. Some are pretty easily bearable, and others really stretch us to our limits. The main “because” in response to “why do bad things happen to good people?” (though maybe there  are probably a few other “becauses” that we can learn over time) is we get to learn that relying on the Lord is the best way to handle our challenges. As Mormon writes, the Lord “trieth their patience and their faith,” but whoever puts their trust in Him “shall be lifted up at the last day” (verse 22).

In the case of Alma’s people, it’s something that seems like a cruel accident of fate. Those lost Lamanites in the wilderness (from the end of the last chapter, Mosiah 22) end up in their backyard, and what is even worse, is they have the wicked priests of Noah with them. So then Alma’s people must rely on Lord’s power to deliver them (verses 23-24). Even though they have done a good job of creating a virtuous and prosperous society, they still need God.

We learn that the Lamanites had first come upon the priests of Noah, who had started their own society in the wilderness (verses 30-31). The priests use their wives (who were Lamanite daughters, as discussed in Mosiah 20) to elicit compassion instead of contention from the Lamanites, and the two groups join together to try to find their way back to the Lamanite fold in the land of Nephi (verses 33-35).

Instead, they find Alma’s people (verse 25). Alma provides an example of quiet confidence in the face of uncertainty, calming his people’s fears. But he does not unnecessarily take chances. Recognizing that they are outnumbered and outpowered, Alma submits to the Lamanites and their hearts soften (verses 26-29). Initially, it appears as though Alma’s people might avoid unpleasantness, as the Lamanites promise to leave them alone if they are willing to show them how to return to the land of Nephi (verse 36). Unfortunately, they do not keep their word (verse 37). Mormon doesn’t explain why, but because the priests of Noah are involved, it’s hard not to think they have something to do with it. The Lamanites leave guards, bring their families to join them, and put Amulon (the head priest of Noah) in charge of Alma’s people (verses 38-39). We will learn more about this in the next chapter.

Limhi’s People Escape back to Zarahemla and King Mosiah - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Two (Mosiah 22)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/22?lang=eng.

As this chapter begins, we get some insight into the unity that King Limhi’s people have forged when he seeks their input about how to plan an escape from the Lamanite guards who surround their city walls (verse 1). This doesn’t seem like a distant, tyrannical ruler from on high, but an approachable, fatherly figure actively concerned for the welfare of his fellows. As they counsel together, they all agree that flight—rather than fight—is the only option because the Lamanites so outnumber them (verse 2).

And once again, the trusty Gideon comes through. Gideon has already confronted the wicked King Noah (Mosiah 19) and helpfully defused conflict between his people and the Lamanites by pointing out that it was Noah’s cowardly priests who kidnapped the Lamanite daughters (Mosiah 20). Gideon observes with great discernment a weakness in the Lamanite guard (verses 6-8). Those posted in the back of the city are drunken and unconscious by night, giving Limhi’s people an opportunity to slip past them if they are able to coordinate the escape in a sufficient swift and orderly way.

King Limhi accepts Gideon’s plan, and arranges to have an extra portion of wine sent to the Lamanite guards for the appointed evening (verses 9-10). Everything works out to plan, and the people make their way back to Zarahemla with their flocks, herds and other important possessions, making sure to avoid the Lamanite stronghold of Shilom in their travels (verses 11-12). 

We get a sense of the gratitude and humility of Limhi and his people when they arrive in Zarahemla. Mormon records that the people became the subjects of King Mosiah (verse 13). It is not a small thing for Limhi, whose family has ruled as kings for three generations, to willingly give up his claim to leadership. How Mosiah welcomes Limhi’s people probably makes this much easier. The account reads simply that Mosiah received them “with joy,” along with the records they brought of their own experiences and from the lost civilization (the Jaredites) their recent expedition had discovered (verse 15).

The chapter ends with us going back to the Lamanites. In a slightly smaller-scale version of Pharaoh sending his armies after Moses and the Israelites, the Lamanites pursue Limhi’s people once they learn of their escape in the morning (verse 16). It seems that they are able to track them for two days, but without further explanation we learn after that time, the Lamanites couldn’t make sense of the trail (verse 17). This is curious because with so many people and animals involved in the escape, it’s hard to believe that once a trail is picked up, the Lamanites wouldn’t be able to follow it. Whether Limhi’s people used means of deceiving or confusing the Lamanites by splitting their party or doubling back in some way, we don’t know, but we might wonder whether the Lord helped keep the Lamanites off their trail in some manner. This leaves the Lamanite army in their own predicament—lost in the wilderness. Stay tuned for our next “episode” to find out what happens to this army!

Limhi’s People and Their Survival Journey: Fighting, Flowing and Fleeing - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-One (Mosiah 21)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/21?lang=eng.

The portion of the story of Limhi and his people found in this chapter highlights the classic range of responses to a crisis—fight, flee or flow. While in the previous chapter Limhi’s people convinced the Lamanites to call off their full-on attack, this chapter begins with the Lamanites finding ways to make the lives of Limhi’s people considerably more difficult, humiliating and burdensome (verses 2-3). 

In response to these persecutions, Limhi’s people try “fight” first (verses 6-12). The account abridged by Mormon makes clear that the Lamanites have an overwhelming advantage, but the people are unwilling to accept their situation and pester Limhi so much that he relents, and they predictably find themselves beaten by the more numerous and likely better prepared Lamanites. The same pattern repeats twice after that, with Limhi’s people bristling more each time as the anger from their accumulated losses and increased desires to avenge lost loved ones grows beyond what it was initially.

But after three decisive defeats, the people humble themselves “to the dust” and submit to the daily humiliations and persecutions that result from being compelled to pay tribute to the Lamanites (verse 13). It seems that they have switched to a “flow” approach of accepting their lot and considering how to improve their situation without outward resistance.

The most important thing Limhi’s people do is “cry mightily to God” for deliverance from their afflictions (verse 14). With their humility has come a recognition that they can’t overcome their bondage to the Lamanites by themselves. They need God’s help. However, because of their sins, Mormon says that the Lord was “slow to hear their cry” (verse 15), which is probably more a way of saying that God’s help didn’t become clear to Limhi’s people immediately than that He actually delayed listening to them. It is possible that the Lord wanted Limhi’s people to understand that their previous unrighteousness would have consequences, and that they would need to show patience in their afflictions before deliverance could come. 

There are still many blessings that come to the people during this time of waiting for deliverance (verses 15-18). God softens the hearts of the Lamanites so that they go easier on Limhi’s people. The people also gradually become more prosperous and appear to respond to King Limhi’s call to take care of their needy and become more unified. As the people gather together as much as possible, they reduce the opportunities that the Lamanites have to harass them. 

Limhi’s people also are trying to find and kill the priests of Noah who have contributed to much of the strife between them and the Lamanites, and are continuing to plunder their grain in efforts to support their hidden existence in the wilderness (verses 20-21). When Limhi’s guard discover Ammon and his expedition, they presume they were the priests of Noah, which explains their initial rough treatment (verse 23). Upon finding out who they are, King Limhi rejoices that finally his people have reestablished a connection with the Nephites in Zarahemla (verse 24), and almost certainly recognize that God is answering their prayers to help his people “flee,” or escape their predicament with the Lamanites. 

This is where Mormon brings the account of Limhi’s people full circle. The narrative from Mosiah 9 to this chapter had reflected the record of his people—from their leaving Zarahemla for the lands of their ancestors under Zeniff’s leadership, to the tragic saga of Zeniff’s son King Noah, and finally to the point in this chapter where Ammon’s expedition locates Limhi. Now Mormon reiterates what Limhi had told Ammon upon his arrival in Mosiah 8—that Limhi had previously sent a group to look for Zarahemla, and instead it found the remains of an earlier civilization, including a written record (verses 25-27).  

In this moment, Mormon shares feelings of joy and sorrow. Joy that Limhi expresses when he learns from Ammon that King Mosiah has a gift of translation that could help them understand the record from this lost civilization (the Jaredites from the Book of Ether) (verse 28). Sorrow that Ammon and his companions share at learning of the deaths of so many and the spiritual wounds of sin and separation reflected by Abinadi’s execution and the exile of Alma and his followers after they formed a church (verses 29-31).

Thankfully, Limhi and many of his people are moving forward. They have made a covenant to serve God and keep His commandments, and are looking for the opportunity to receive the ordinance of baptism and unite in spirit with Alma and his church (verses 32-34). We don’t learn exactly why Ammon considers himself unworthy to baptize them, but Mormon shares that their baptism will happen in the future (verse 35), and that their focus for the time being is on escaping from the Lamanites’ grasp (verse 36).