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.
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