Alma's Judgment of Nehor: Upholding True Christian Service and Rule of Law - Book of Alma, Chapter One (Alma 1)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/1?lang=eng.  

Satan probes. He looks for weakness. As Mormon begins his abridgment of the record of Alma the Younger, the legacy of King Mosiah is at stake. Mormon reminds us that Mosiah did not leave another king to reign in his place. Instead, he left laws for the people, and they were “obliged to abide” by those laws (verse 1).

The first big challenge to make sure that the laws would hold comes in the form of a big, imposing person. In Alma’s first year as chief judge, this strong man is brought before him. In addition to being physically intimidating, the force of the man’s personality is a threat to the order that Mosiah and Alma have worked hard to establish for the good of the people. 

As long as people have a mortal nature, there will be charismatic figures who appeal to their pride and their earthly desires to be flattered, comforted, and told that they need not do anything hard or self-sacrificing to bring meaning, power, peace, enlightenment and salvation into their lives. These figures will lie in a bold, magnetic way that many want to embrace.

That is precisely what this imposing person, named Nehor, does. He not only plays by his own rules, but he openly challenges the system for everyone else. He teaches that priests and church leaders should be supported by the people, which is dangerous because then their ability to tell the people hard truths about God’s will becomes compromised (verse 3). Such a system would be to Nehor’s advantage because of his gifts of persuasion and strength. I try to imagine the force of his personality. Most of us have had people in our lives who have been strong influences one way or another. If those strong influences have been good, there is great cause for rejoicing. But if they have gone the other way, we know how hard it can be to escape that vortex.

Nehor preaches a gospel with no accountability to God or anyone else. He begins receiving money from others, and establishes his own church (verses 4-6). Claiming to represent God without authority, instead relying on yourself and your gifts, is called priestcraft (verse 12). It is priestcraft regardless of whether you believe you are doing it for the right reasons. Even if you start with good intentions, it is almost inevitable that pride will take over when you hold yourself out as having sway over people. If you don’t receive authority from God through Him or His authorized servants, you don’t have authority. Period.

The violence that Nehor is doing to God’s will then breaks out into the open in the form of physical violence. While Nehor is seeking to expand his influence, he is confronted by Gideon. This is the same Gideon who confronted the wicked King Noah and who provided the inspiration to King Limhi to help the people escape from Lamanite captivity. Now in older age, Gideon is one who has authority to act from God as a teacher. Gideon’s willingness to call out Nehor’s wrongdoing enrages Nehor, and he kills the older Gideon (verses 7-9). By going against the Lord’s way and church, Nehor has fallen captive to the intemperate impulses that the devil tries to plant in all of us, and in so doing he becomes another tragic story of a capable, gifted person who gives in to pride. 

Now comes Alma’s test. He is in a position where he needs to be willing to enforce the law as it has come through the Lord by way of King Mosiah. Without the law, the reign of the judges will be compromised. But because of Nehor’s popularity, there’s always a risk that many of the people might protest and even rebel against the government. Alma faithfully follows the law, presumably determining that he will go with what is right and let the Lord take care of the consequences. The law calls for those who shed innocent blood to pay with their life (verses 13-14). Just before Nehor’s execution, he acknowledges the falsity of his teaching (verse 15), which may mitigate the potential for unrest. 

But the precedent of Nehor’s priestcraft has a toxic effect on the Nephites, because others lifted up in the pride of their hearts see their own way to worldly recognition and gain. Learning from Nehor’s mistake of killing Gideon, these others are cunning and clever by avoiding clear violations of the law while still undermining and persecuting the church and its loyal members. They take particular advantage of the members’ humility (verses 16-20).

Facing these challenges, some people within the church move away from humility and toward pride. It is not totally clear from Mormon’s writing, but it is possible that these church members get into confrontations both with their persecutors from outside the church and with other members within the church. Even if their original intention may be to defend the truth and their way of worship, by resorting to contentious means and distancing themselves from the Spirit of the Lord, they end up on the wrong side of things. Stoking anger with the rationalization that it’s for a good cause is one of Satan’s favorite strategies. It costs many their association with the true church of God (verses 21-24).

We take comfort and hope in seeing that many remain “steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God” and bear persecution with patience (verse 25). It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Mormon again outlines for us what Kings Benjamin and Mosiah had shown from their examples—that those with true authority to act for God (holders of His priesthood) do not seek worldly gain or recognition for their service (verse 26). They impart freely of their substance to better those around them, and in doing so radiate light and increase peace in their community (verses 27-28). Inevitably these virtues among a people lead to prosperity, which can continue so long as people’s hearts do not get attached to their riches (verses 29-31).

In contrast, those who are not receptive to the Lord’s commandments are disposed to various types of bad behavior (verse 32), but the law as it is enforced is able to constrain that behavior to keep the general peace for the first five years of Alma’s time as chief judge (verse 33).

Mosiah to Alma: From the Rule of Kings to the Reign of Judges - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Nine (Mosiah 29)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/29?lang=eng.   

We come to the end of King Mosiah’s portion of the Nephite record. He has made sure that the record is in Alma the Younger’s trustworthy and capable hands, and now he needs to turn to the thorny question of leadership and succession. 

Without a clear successor among his sons, Mosiah initially is not looking to make any radical changes to how the Nephites rule themselves. Since the time of Nephi nearly 500 years before, they have had kings. Because his sons are out of the picture on their mission to the Lamanite lands, Mosiah does something we haven’t seen before in the Book of Mormon. He asks the people whom they would have to be their king (verse 1). 

When they come back with the request to have his son Aaron lead them, Mosiah has to think creatively. He knows that Aaron is not an option because his sons have all said they would not accept the kingship. However, now that it’s known among the people that they want Aaron, if someone else serves as king, there’s a lingering danger that if Aaron ever changes his mind or goes back to his wicked ways, there could be a succession conflict (verses 2-9). 

With this in mind, Mosiah goes back to the people with a new proposal. To protect Aaron, anyone who might serve as a leader in his stead, and the people as a whole from contention over power, Mosiah says “we will newly arrange the affairs of this people, for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will judge this people according to the commandments of God” (verses 10-11).

In explaining his plan, we learn that the experience of the Nephites who left under Zeniff and were greatly abused and put into a terrible position by King Noah has great influence on Mosiah’s thinking. He recognizes that if even one king in the future is like Noah, or does not have the virtues of himself or his father King Benjamin, the people are in grave danger: “For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!” (verses 12-17)

The judges will be obligated to interpret the laws that the people received from God, as handed down by previous prophets and kings. In this way, Mosiah reasons, the people will be ruled more by God than by man (verses 25-29). The focus on laws of divine origin and the ability of the people to appeal decisions from one judge to another are designed to make one person’s error or wickedness less capable of harming the society. Considering the covenant that the Lord has made with the people throughout the Book of Mormon for the Americas to be a land of liberty, this way of governance seems to foreshadow more modern systems of checks and balances that the English colonists brought with them and developed in the 17^th and 18^th Centuries, eventually leading to the establishment of the United States and other republics on the American continent. The land has retained its special status as a land of liberty, as designated by the covenant the Lord makes with those who come here (see 2 Nephi 10:10-15 and this previous blog post).

In addition to protecting the people from tyrannical rule, Mosiah explains that having judges appointed by the voice of the people ensures that the burden of governing doesn’t fall too heavily on one person. He knows about the burden of governing from his own 33 years as king. It seems Mosiah is also saying that it is healthy for society that “every man might bear his part” (verses 33-34). If each person knows he or she has some responsibility for the direction of their people, it follows that they will seek to be more informed and engaged in their community’s life.

Presumably because of the considerable trust Mosiah had built with his people—they recognize his desires to keep them free, and they esteem him “beyond measure”—they accept his reasoning, relinquish their desires for a king, and assemble themselves to elect judges (verses 37-41). 

Just as King Mosiah has entrusted Alma the Younger with the Nephite record, the people entrust Alma with the responsibility of being their first chief judge. We learn that Alma’s father (aka the Elder), presumably acting under divine inspiration, has also ordained Alma the Younger to be high priest of the church. So temporal and spiritual authority are combined in him (verse 42). Past kings have also served as prophets, so having one leader play both an earthly and a spiritual leadership role is not new among the Nephites. What is new is that Alma’s temporal authority is very clearly limited by the law and by the other judges who have power to review his judgments. Mormon informs us that Alma acts with great righteousness and wisdom, getting the reign of the judges in the land of Zarahemla off to a very good and peaceful start (verses 43-44).

Not long after, both King Mosiah and Alma the Elder pass away (verses 45-47), closing the book on a tempestuous era for the Nephites and opening the book on a new one that in some ways will be even more challenging.

The Sons of Mosiah Go to Redeem the Lamanites - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Eight (Mosiah 28)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/28?lang=eng.  

You’ve probably heard many stories about children whose parents have painstakingly prepared for them to take over the family business, only to have the children opt for something else. The whole process of family tradition and legacy is bound up with emotional meaning, as is recognizing the need to allow each person to seek his or her own course with the Lord’s help and guidance.

In the case of Mosiah, the family business is an intimidating one—being king of the Nephites. But his sons are not avoiding responsibility. The path they are following is arguably even more difficult and laden with responsibility. After gathering some potential companions, they approach King Mosiah and seek his permission to share the word of God with the Lamanites from whom many of their people had suffered captivity less than a generation ago (verse 1). Given what we know about the Lamanites, Mosiah’s sons have set some pretty high expectations for their missionary efforts, as described in verse 2 (italics added):

“That perhaps they might bring them [the Lamanites] to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.”

They are probably asking for Mosiah’s permission for three reasons. First, out of love and respect for him as their father. This represents a complete 180 for Mosiah’s sons. Previously, they sought to turn the Nephites from the true gospel most were already following. Then, the last person they were asking for permission was Mosiah. Now, however, they want to bring truth and light to a hardened people, and whatever his reservations might be, Mosiah cannot deny the nobility of his sons’ idea. But they are showing deference and humility by giving their father some say in whether they embark on the journey.

Second, Mosiah’s sons know that any contact they have with the Lamanites could provoke dangerous consequences for them as well as their entire nation of Nephites. It therefore makes sense for them to give the king notice of their plans in case he needs to warn them against doing so for the good of the kingdom.

Third, they know that this is likely to be a long, hard effort, if they are not immediately run out of Lamanite territory or killed. And that means they have chosen a path that is different from inheriting kingly responsibility from their father. By approaching Mosiah, they are giving him a chance to consider what the future of his people might look like without a clear succession plan. Even though Mormon tells us that none of Mosiah’s sons would accept the kingdom (verse 10), it doesn’t appear that Mosiah made a sustained effort to convince them to do so. If he had, perhaps they would have responded to the call of duty.

Mosiah seems to recognize that his sons are responding to inspired guidance from the Lord. What else could account for the passionate pleas they make to him over many days to let them preach to the Lamanites in such a challenging setting (verse 5)? By inquiring of the Lord for guidance, Mosiah shows true greatness. After all this time as the leader of the Nephites, he remains humbly devoted to God’s will, ensuring that the right path for his sons will reveal itself (verses 6-8). He probably recognizes that if successful, his sons’ mission may actually be more of a service than assuming royal responsibility, because it could reduce or eliminate contention between the Nephites and Lamanites and make the entire area a safer place for everyone to live and worship. Perhaps it is the mark of true princes to proactively seek such a calling. It certainly appears to be in the tradition of Nephi’s grandson Enos, who prayed with intensity in the forest more than 300 years before (and whose account is available to Mosiah and his sons) for the Lord’s mercy to be upon the Lamanites because they are also His children—and still the brothers and sisters of the Nephites, no matter what has passed between them for so many generations.

The request from Mosiah’s sons also stems from something rooted in the painful but also cleansing and sanctifying experience of repenting that they shared with Alma the Younger, as described in the previous chapter. They now recognize the peril and the anguish that comes from sin and from willful separation of oneself from God and His path. They have lived it and had to overcome their own rebellion to receive the Lord’s “infinite mercy.” Now, they feel compelled to warn others—especially the Lamanites—to give them a chance to act urgently rather than be faced with an even more difficult task of rejecting evil later in life or when they face final judgment (verses 3-4).

With his sons leaving the land of Zarahemla indefinitely and the question of succession up in the air (verses 9-10), King Mosiah’s attention turns to another important responsibility—preserving the sacred records and history of the people and ensuring they can be preserved for future generations (verse 11).

First, Mosiah completes the translation of the gold plates he received from Limhi when Limhi’s people arrived in Zarahemla about 28 years before. Mormon tells us that the Nephites desire “beyond measure to know concerning those people who had been destroyed” (verse 12). The plates contain the account of the people of Jared from the time of the Tower of Babel and the scattering of the people along the lines of language, to the time of the Jaredites’ destruction after their travels from the Middle East and many generations of civilization in the Americas (this account is preserved in the Book of Ether). The plates also contain an account of the people from the time of Adam to the time of the Tower of Babel (this part of the translation is not included in the Book of Mormon, presumably because other scriptures already cover the same time period). Mosiah uses two stones to help him with the translation, apparently using them to “see” the translation rather than try to learn the language used on the plates by more conventional scholarly means. Mormon tells us that the Nephites are filled with sorrow to learn of the destruction of the Jaredite civilization from the translated account, but also rejoice because of the knowledge it gave them (verses 13-19).

Next, Mosiah makes sure that the records he has kept for the Nephites are passed down to someone who will preserve them properly, and presumably carry on the work of record-keeping. To show how important this is, he arranges for the records’ safekeeping before he arranges for succession in government. The person he entrusts with the records and the seer stones is none other than Alma the Younger (verse 20). Gone from the most destructive person in the society to the most constructive, Alma doesn’t follow the same path as his good friends Mosiah’s sons do. His responsibility is instead to stay with his people and continue to nurture their spiritual and temporal progress, very much in line with the “family business” his own father started.

Paul Before Paul: Alma the Younger and His Rebellion, Rebuke and Repentance - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Seven (Mosiah 27)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/27?lang=eng.

This is one of the most significant chapters of the Book of Mormon because it displays the gospel of Jesus Christ in action in very powerful ways that can define individual lives, with larger ripple effects on families and even entire civilizations. 

The chapter reads like a three-act play. First, we introduce the characters and the conflict. Alma’s son, who is named after him, is sadly one of the people who has turned away from the truth, and is actively working against it by using his way with words to negatively influence others. Four sons of King Mosiah are his companions in this tragic endeavor (verses 8-10).

Second, Alma and his companions are confronted by an angel who leaves them with no doubt about the reality of God and His plan for us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. With nowhere to run or hide, Alma must look inside himself and come to terms with his selfish, harmful, and blatant defiance of the Lord’s commandments, and the ruinous effect it has had on him (verses 11-19).

Third, after a mighty struggle in accepting the truth about his many destructive sins, Alma finds healing, peace, and joy in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ, and apparently has a personal encounter with Jesus (verse 25). By choosing to be born again of God and swearing off pride, Alma is able to confront his wicked past, and do everything he can to make restitution by sharing his story and those things he knows to be important and true for everyone in terms of how to invite God’s presence into their lives and become like Him (verses 23-37). 

There are some really important principles at play here too:

• The Lord protects His covenant people (verses 1-7, 16). He can protect them through the laws of the land, as we see with King Mosiah’s proclamation against persecution. If that is not enough, protection will come through heavenly means. It doesn’t mean that Church members are protected from every physical or spiritual danger at all times. But there is general protection that allows those who are striving to repent and keep their covenants to discern the right path forward, and frustrates the designs of the Church’s active opponents—even if they are clever and strong in the ways of the world.

• The Lord responds to the prayers of the faithful (verses 14, 20-23). And when they fast, their prayers acquire added power. The angel tells Alma that he appeared because Alma the Elder has prayed that his son will be brought to a knowledge of the truth. He also says that the Lord has heard the prayers of his people more broadly. Later, after Alma’s companions bring the catatonic Alma to his father, Alma the Elder realizes that the power of God has brought it about. Then he has the priests assemble together to fast and pray for Alma the Younger to receive his strength and speak again. Yes, he wants his son to return to consciousness, but it’s also important for him to be able to share his divine experience with the multitudes so that they might better know of the “goodness and glory of God.”

• The Lord remembers us, that we may remember Him (verse 16). The first thing that the angel commands Alma to do is to remember that God did great things in delivering his father and others out of captivity. When the Lord gives us a chance to remember Him, we need to realize that by reminding us of the important act of remembering, He is leading by example. It is His remembering of us that prompts us to remember His presence and influence in our lives, and consequently our identity as His children who are lifted up and ennobled because of our relationship with Him. It is only after the command to remember that the angel charges Alma to “seek to destroy the church no more.” It makes sense—once Alma is able to remember, it will be easier to convince him not to work against the church. The mercy and persistence involved for Jesus to keep coming back to us and giving us more chances, even though our own weakness has added to His suffering, is incredible.

• People can change (verses 23-31). Alma’s dramatic transformation from the Church’s worst enemy to its greatest defender is unusual in its depth and its suddenness, but in its attention-grabbing nature, it relates the principle that total change is possible for everyone. We can strip sin out of our natures if we partner closely with God to make it happen. The process for most people is usually much more gradual than with Alma or his great Biblical counterpart, the Apostle Paul (see Acts 8-9). Yet, the same steps are required for everyone. (1) Repent. (2) Be born again of God in the spirit. (3) Change in nature from a “carnal and fallen” state to a state of righteousness. (4) Recognize that God is God, and his justice and mercy are what we need: “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him.”

The great sign of Alma’s full repentance and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ is that he and the sons of Mosiah make every effort to undo their past wrongs and go beyond that by bringing the healing and empowering effect of the good news into the lives of their neighbors (verses 32-37). Like Paul, they willingly move from the giving to the receiving side of persecution, which is no easy feat. Mormon fittingly sums up their progress at the end of this “three-act play” chapter by saying, “And how blessed are they!” (verse 37)

I would highly recommend this compelling video recently made about this chapter (there’s also a good one here about Paul’s conversion).

Alma Takes on Responsibilities to Serve the Wayward and the Faithful - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Six (Mosiah 26)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/26?lang=eng.

One of the important things about this life is that none of us can make choices for someone else. Everyone’s agency to make their own decisions is sacred and truly a gift from our Heavenly Father. It is a hopeful thing to know that just because someone came from a difficult family environment, they are not responsible for those difficulties and therefore doomed to an unhappy existence or any specific condemnation. They are only responsible for their own life choices within the context of those difficulties. And in the Lord’s mercy, he takes everything into account as he seeks to give the downtrodden opportunities to experience His light and truth.

The opposite is true as well. Just because a person is raised in a loving, nurturing environment where they are exposed to truth, righteousness and other virtues, doesn’t automatically mean they will choose to live by those good things. Temptation affects us all.

The Nephites have established a society based on accountable leadership and making and keeping covenants with God. Having these foundations is important, but as we will see, each generation will need to struggle anew to maintain them as they strive to teach and model truth within their families and circles of influence.

We learn that a considerable number of the new generation of Nephites do not believe their parents’ traditions, particularly about the coming of Christ and His Resurrection. Perhaps even worse, they are not in a frame of mind or heart that allows them to be teachable by the Spirit of God through God’s word (verses 1-3). How they came to this point is unclear, and perhaps different for different people. In our day, we take for granted having access to scriptures that we can read anytime. The availability of the written word for most Nephites may have been different. They may have relied more on oral tradition and the teachings of prophets and historians who kept the records.

It might be in some cases here that the parents aren’t as vigilant as they could be in teaching what they know of truth, but it seems that some of the new generation may harden their hearts regardless of what they have been taught. They are unwilling to enter into a covenant to obey and serve God, and do not call upon Him in their lives, distancing themselves from His softening and enlightening influence, and instead choosing an existence where their physical senses are what they define as the only reality (verse 4).

When some of the unbelievers make a purposeful effort to steer others away from the teachings of Christ, leading many astray, the church faces a real challenge (verse 6). Alma has been given authority to lead the church by King Mosiah, but hasn’t faced this situation before. He knows that it is important to do two things. First, make sure that those who have made covenants have access to teaching that is genuinely in line with the gospel and are not deceived by people acting outside their authority. Second, hold those within the Church who are leading others astray accountable for their actions, but do so in a manner that signals love and the opportunity for full forgiveness.

Alma is hesitant to take upon himself the role of judge in these matters, probably from a wise inclination to err on the side of humility instead of presumptuousness, but maybe also from a natural inclination to shrink from sensitive and potentially contentious situations like these. He makes sure to go to Mosiah first. When Mosiah says, “Alma, I have turned judgment in matters of the Church to you,” Alma feels the weight of the responsibility squarely on his shoulders (verses 10-12).

But Alma is not alone or comfortless. He knows that his calling as high priest comes from the Lord, and that the work he is doing is ultimately the Lord’s. So he is entitled to ask for the Lord’s help, and in doing so, we learn he “poured out his whole soul” (verses 13-14). What comes next is important for us to remember whenever we are beset by a trial that seems overwhelming, or when we have an opportunity to instruct someone else who feels overwhelmed in our home, church service or other setting.

The Lord does not start by giving Alma directions. He eventually gets there, but he starts with a blessing. The blessing provides eternal perspective that gives greater understanding to the directions that follow. The Lord says that Alma and all those who have exercised faith in what he teaches are (present tense, not future) greatly blessed, and they very intimately belong to Him. He also praises Alma for his diligence in bringing souls to Him, and assures him of his eternal life (verses 15-20). To emphasize this is very important in the midst of trials or difficulties, because Alma (and we) can take comfort. Even if we feel unequal to the task, God hasn’t forgotten us and if do the best we can, we’re still on track.

Then the Lord takes a little time to review the basics of repentance and forgiveness with Alma. Surely Alma already knows these points. But it always helps to have a reminder periodically, and especially in Alma’s case when he is going to need to try to convince the wayward either to come back or at least to refrain from actively working against the Lord’s cause. Those who hear the Lord’s voice and act in repentance will be forgiven and have a place with Him, because the Lord has taken their sins upon Him (verses 21-24). The Lord shares that it is important to know Him. Those who don’t know Him—his relationship to us, his character, his depth of love, his power, and his desire to have us become like Him—will tragically be unwilling to be redeemed (verses 25-28). For our choices to mean something, there has to be opposition (as discussed in 2 Nephi 2). The Lord desperately wants us to choose Him, but the other choice needs to remain available.

Finally, the Lord confirms that Alma has the authority to be a judge on His behalf to work with people who have committed sins with significant consequences (verse 29). This is not a trifling matter. A judge represents the Lord, but needs to recognize that his authority comes by doing everything in his power to understand the Lord’s perspective in any case. As I understand it, it is the Lord who forgives, and the judge’s role is to discern where the person is on that pathway from sin to forgiveness under the power of Jesus Christ. Repentance in the sincerity of one’s heart is the key, and can take time even if the desire to repent manifests itself quickly.

In cases where a person will not repent from an active course of flouting God’s commandments, they are reminded of the covenant they made and that the Lord loves them and wants them to come back to Him. But if they have been given a chance to do that and reject it, they are choosing to depart from their covenant (verse 32). A judge also has the authority to discern when that has happened, and record it. It’s not meant to end a person’s association with their family or friends, but it ensures that they will not be supported by the Church in acting against the Church. It’s the adage Jesus originated (Mark 3:25) and Abraham Lincoln repeated: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

This answer to prayer is clearly a revelation to the whole Church through Alma, because he writes it down and uses it as doctrine for regulating the affairs of the Church (verses 33-36). This is exactly the type of thing Joseph Smith and other latter-day prophets do some two thousand years later when they seek guidance about leading Christ’s Church, such as is recorded in 1831 as Doctrine and Covenants Section 64. The final verses seem to describe the state of things today as much as in Alma’s time (100 B.C.). When the Church is led according to the Lord’s order for it, peace and prosperity reign in the hearts of the followers of Christ (verse 37). But, make no mistake, this happens amid plenty of challenges and difficulties that Church members face within the world. Everyone faces afflictions, and when you diligently teach and attend to the word of God, you also face persecution from some quarters (verse 38).

In these circumstances, all we or anyone can do is share the truth as we strive earnestly to know and receive it, and encourage everyone (including and especially ourselves) to repent and come to Jesus Christ. And a key in helping us do this, as Mormon writes in the final verse of the chapter, is to follow God’s commandment for His children (for their own benefit) “to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things” (verse 39).

The Joyful Reunion: Mosiah, Alma and Limhi Forge a People of God - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Five (Mosiah 25)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng.

Most of us can relate to the awkwardness that sometimes comes when close family members or friends come back together after not having seen each other for a long period of time. The first five minutes provide a rush of positive emotion as you smile, embrace and rejoice in each other’s presence. Then you realize that you don’t really know what to do next. Because you’ve been apart for so long, your routines have been reprogrammed to focus on life without each other.

The clear fallback option when you don’t know what to do in this case is to ask what has happened to everyone since they last saw one another. The good part about this is in catching up, you can relate to each other’s experiences and remember much of the reason for the bonds that you share. The challenging part is often that there is a lot of pain to share when recounting the past. It can be hard to want to share that when you’re just reconnecting. We tend to want to put as positive a face as possible on our lives in general. But in finding the courage to share, we’re able to reestablish those bonds and often make them stronger than before.

With the Nephites in the land of Zarahemla, getting the people of Limhi and Alma to share their experiences—good, bad, and in between—provides an opportunity to reforge the ties of brotherhood and sisterhood through shared faith and covenants with God. Unity among the Nephites and the people of Zarahemla who also live among them is crucial because they need their combined strength to keep the fire of their faith going strong when facing challenges from the nearby Lamanites, who are embittered and inclined toward vengeful action against them—and outnumber them by more than two to one (verses 1-4, 13).

So King Mosiah receives the records of the people of Limhi and Alma, and reads them to all the people who have been called together (verses 5-6). It’s basically recounting what we as readers have already learned about in Mosiah 9-24. This is not only a reunion. It is also gripping human drama. At a time long before movies, television or other technological marvels, reading the record of a people, and learning about their triumphs and tribulations, is the most exciting form of diversion available to this civilization. It’s like telling family stories at the dinner table or around the fireplace.

In his account, Mormon shares that the primary reaction of the Nephites to what Mosiah reads is wonder and amazement. Maybe there were so many ups and downs and such a range of different emotions from the experiences of those who left with Zeniff and their families that the Nephites are having trouble processing the complexity of it all (verses 7-9).

What comes through is the Nephites’ recognition of the goodness of God in blessing the people of Limhi and Alma, and the pain they feel from hearing about the wickedness of the Lamanites (verses 10-11). It is also interesting and impressive to note that the children of the wicked priests of Noah do not shrink from an honest appraisal of their fathers’ wrongful deeds. In fact, they make it a point to distance themselves from their fathers by taking on the name of Nephi (verse 12).

King Mosiah then asks Alma to speak to and teach the people (verse 14). Alma reestablishes the doctrine of Christ among them—faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring within the covenant. Alma has the authority to perform the ordinances of salvation (baptism is the main one described here) and to ordain others to join him in teaching and administering these same ordinances. There is one Church, but because so many people want to follow Alma’s teachings of Christ, they meet in seven separate groups throughout the land of Zarahemla as they experience great blessings and prosperity through unity in the Lord (verses 15-24).

Prayers and Gratitude Help Alma's People Find - Book of Mosiah, Chapter Twenty-Four (Mosiah 24)

In the previous chapter, we left off with the wicked priest of Noah, Amulon, receiving authority from the Lamanites to rule over Alma’s people in the land of Helam. Alma’s people had experienced an extended period of freedom—perhaps as much as 20 years or more—after escaping from King Noah, but this came to an end with Amulon.

Amulon and his fellow priests had somehow won favor with the Lamanite king, who made them teachers of his people (verse 1). The priests did not teach the Lamanites anything of the Lord, which is no surprise given their wickedness and hypocrisy, but they did teach them the language of the Nephites and how to keep records. With these skills, the Lamanites became more prosperous in their labors and their trade (verses 4-7).

Amulon thus was given pretty wide reign over Alma’s people. And he had not forgotten that Alma had been one of Noah’s priests before repenting and turning to the Lord when hearing from the prophet Abinadi. Out of seething resentment for what he sees as Alma’s betrayal and rebellion, Amulon makes life really hard for Alma’s people by placing backbreaking demands upon them (verses 8-9). The description of heavy tasks and taskmasters makes me think of the Israelites under bondage in Egypt to Pharaoh’s men.

This is where it gets interesting. What do Alma’s people do when faced with these great afflictions? They don’t put up a physical fight. Instead, they appeal to God for help (verse 10). Predictably, Amulon hates this. When he finds out that they are calling to God, Amulon places guards over them and threatens to put to death anyone who won’t stop (verse 11). This shows that Amulon clearly fears the power of prayer—if not, why would he ban it on pain of death? He has witnessed the power that Abinadi had, even as a prisoner, in witnessing of the truth, as well as the power God had to change Alma. So even though he is wicked, Amulon can’t help but fear what God can do. 

But stopping Alma’s people from praying out loud doesn’t prevent them from communicating with God. In one of the most stirring passages in the Book of Mormon, Mormon tells us that instead of raising their voices to the Lord, the people pour their hearts out to him (verse 12).

So we find Alma’s people in the most desperate of situations, where they seem doomed to lives of grim, unending toil under oppressive rulers. They can’t even say their prayers out loud. But even the worst tyrant in the world can’t keep someone from remembering the Lord in their thoughts and silently pleading for His help. Unfortunately, we have situations in countries, in homes, and in other places in today’s world where this same situation applies. The message remains the same. Don’t despair. God is still listening and can answer.

And he does! The voice of the Lord comes to Alma’s people. It tells them three very important and comforting things. First, He knows they are His people. They have made a covenant with Him and he will take care of them. Second, He will deliver them out of their bondage from the Lamanites and the wicked Amulon. Third, while they are waiting for this deliverance, He will lighten the burdens they carry, so that “even you cannot feel them upon your backs” (verses 13-14). What a promise! Giving relief to those who can’t see any end to. their suffering is quite miraculous. It reminds us of Jesus’ teaching to the people of Galilee that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). 

Can it really be that you are working hard but feel like you’re hardly working. I used to think, “No way!” But I have had that feeling many times when I have engaged with full purpose in something that is line with what the Lord wants for my life. This passage is like refreshing water for the thirsty souls who feel downtrodden or mistreated, so that they know that there is no place so dark or low where God cannot make things better.

The only thing the Lord asks of Alma’s people in return is to remember the truth that He delivers us from our afflictions, and share that truth with others so that they know of God’s power at all times and in all places (verse 14). 

Sure enough, the Lord keeps his word, and Alma’s people find their burdens miraculously lightened. As they persevere despite unfair treatment from Amulon, the Lord rewards their faith and patience by telling them that He will help them escape their bondage the next day. And He makes good on this promise by causing the Lamanites to fall into a deep sleep even though it is morning time (verses 15-19). 

What happens next tells us something about the character of Alma’s people. They have spent more than 24 hours without sleep, preparing for departure and making their escape into a nearby valley. They must be completely exhausted. But they remember the goodness of their God. They pour out their thanks to Him (verses 20-22). They don’t wait before reaching their destination to this. They do it as soon as possible after getting away from the grip of Amulon and the Lamanites in the land of Helam.

The Lord whom they praise then warns them to leave, and promises to stop the Lamanites somehow so that they can’t get past the valley to pursue Alma’s people. Twelve days later, the people find their way to Zarahemla, and are greeted joyfully by King Mosiah (verses 23-25).