#35 May 11-17, Mosiah 18-24

May 16, 2020

#35 May 11-17, Mosiah 18-24

Resource links for this week:

Book of Mormon Videos: Mosiah 11-18, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2020-03-0200-abinadi-testifies-of-jesus-christ-mosiah-11-18?lang=eng

Come Follow Me Insights: Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bpx6RHa89I

John W. Welch notes: Book of Mormon Central

https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/pdf/welch/2020-05-09/mosiah_18-24_formatted.pdf

S. Michael Wilcox: Noah Blindness and the Vision of Seers

https://deseretbook.com/p/king-noah-blindness-vision-seers-s-michael-wilcox-2740?variant_id=108871-ebook

Abinadi is gone!

            Abinadi was found guilty of blasphemy and reviling against King Noah. He was pronounced worthy of death. There was only voice in his behalf in the court of Noah, the voice of Alma, whose heart had been touched by Abinadi’s powerful testimony of Christ. Alma spoke out in behalf of Abinadi, but he was rejected and had to escape for his life. With Alma gone, Abinadi had no friends. He was scourged and burned to death, but not before he bore powerful witness of his testimony and pronounced upon Noah and his priests a prophetic curse of the tribulations that will come to them and how many of them, including Noah, will die – the same way as Abinadi – by fire!

            I became quite emotional last week when writing about the death of Abinadi and had to “look away” in tears. By reading and writing about this great prophet, I have gained an even greater love and respect for Abinadi. He has always been one of my heroes, but I feel an even greater affinity for him than before. His legacy is very evident in the remainder of the Book of Mormon. The light of his testimony of Christ and the courage of his testimony fired the hearts of prophets and saints for generations to come.

            As far as I can tell, Abinadi is the only prophet-martyr in the Book of Mormon. Other Book of Mormon prophets were also in perilous circumstances, but none were martyred. To be sure, many righteous followers of Christ are killed in the Book of Mormon. Think of the righteous people in Ammonihah who after accepting the testimony of Alma and Amulek, are burned with their scriptures in a fire in front of these two prophets. And think of the righteous Anti-Nephi-Lehies, over a thousand of whom were killed by the Lamanites in one day. But Abinadi holds the unenviable “honor” of being the only prophet in the Book of Mormon to be murdered for his testimony.

            Since writing last week, I read an interesting article in Book of Mormon Central about the death of Abinadi. They suggest that perhaps Abinadi was not “scourged” but was “scorched” by burning torches (faggots), the priests of Noah viciously poking, prodding and scorching him with burning torches until he was dead. Robert J. Matthews wrote:

In my mind I see Abinadi bound, possibly supported by something, and his fiendish executioners (probably the priests) gathered about him with burning torches (faggots) in their hands, jabbing him and rubbing him with these until they caused him to die. They actively, eagerly, and physically caused his death …. I can imagine them dancing and cavorting about Abinadi, and hear them shouting, exulting, and gloating over what they were doing

Here is the link, if you want to read more: https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/why-was-abinadi-scourged-with-faggots

One convert – Alma

            The Book of Mormon video for Mosiah 11-18 begins with Alma running for his life from the court of Noah. Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities. (18:1) We see him in the video humbly repenting. He stands at what we will later realize are the Waters of Mormon and tears off the necklace he is wearing, an emblem of his days as a priest for Noah, and throws it symbolically into the water where he will later baptize hundreds of people. Speaking later to his faithful converts, Alma will say, I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance. (23:9) He doesn’t add any details about his “sore repentance.” Most people who have cause to “sorely repent” don’t go into detail in describing their experience to others. If they do it right, it is a holy experience just between them and the Savior, Who paid for their sins. A priesthood leader is often involved, but even he doesn’t know all that a person goes through to obtain forgiveness for serious sin. In fact, if a person wants to flaunt the history of their sins or sensationalize what they have been through in repentance, we have to wonder how real their change of heart really is. We will get some very interesting insights into the repentance experience of Alma’s son later in the Book of Mormon. Whatever was involved, Alma, like Saul of Tarsus, paid the full price necessary on his part to merit the mercy and grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid for his sins. Christ hasn’t even been born yet. But the atonement is infinite, so Alma’s sins are forgiven by the sacrifice of Christ even before the Savior is born in mortality. Remarkable!

            Having obtained a forgiveness for his sins, Alma now goes about to continue the work of Abinadi. He went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi — Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven. (18:1-2)

            Alma found a lovely secluded spot where he could teach those who wanted to hear the gospel message without being discovered by the king or his guards. There was a fountain of pure water (18:5). I presume that means a spring or perhaps a waterfall. The place had been named by king Noah “Mormon.” Isn’t it interesting that the nickname by which members of our church have been known (for better or for worse) for 180 years traces its roots to wicked king Noah? Joseph Smith said that Mormon means “more good.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 300). In the Come, Follow Me Insights lesson for this week, Taylor Halverson says that Mormon may derive from two Egyptian words meaning “enduring love.” I like that definition!

            Alma was a humble, dedicated and very successful missionary. The Lord was able to work through him. After many days there were a goodly number (over 200) gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord. Missionaries always teach faith, repentance, and baptism.

            As missionaries in the England Manchester Mission, Lori and I recited with the young missionaries at the beginning of each weekly district council and each zone conference,

            “Our purpose as a missionary is to Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” (Preach My Gospel, p. 1)

            That’s what missionaries do – invite others to come unto Christ. And that’s what Alma did. His message resonated in the hearts of many of the Nephites living in the cities of Nephi and Shilom. Perhaps they were getting fed up with the ways of king Noah. Maybe they had heard of the martyrdom of Abinadi. Perhaps, Noah’s oppressive taxes and demands on them had humbled their hearts. Whatever it was, they were in a state to hear the word of God as taught by Alma. Faith leads to repentance and repentance leads to a desire to enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. So the next step is for Alma to teach them about baptism and invite them to witness the change in their hearts by entering the waters of baptism.

Alma defines the baptismal covenant

            In these verses, Alma gives us probably the best definition in all scripture of the covenant associated with baptism. These verses are often spoken in talks at baptismal services to remind young children and especially more mature baptismal candidates what they are promising in this sacred ordinance.

            Now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? (18:8-10)

In summary, this is what we promise to do (or that we are willing to do):

·      Desire to come into the fold of God;

·      Desire to be called his people;

·      Willing to bear one another’s burdens;

·      Willing to mourn with those that mourn;

·      Willing to comfort those that stand in the need of comfort;

·      Willing to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places … even until death

·      Witness that we have entered into a covenant with him;

·      Witness that we will serve him and keep his commandments.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t have a clue when I was 8 years old that I was promising to do all of those things. Gratefully, we have the rest of our lives to do our best to keep this covenant. Notice that the Lord doesn’t ask us to promise that we will do all these things now, but that we desire, we are willing, we witness to do so. This covenant is a reflection of our hearts. If we have had the change of heart experienced by the people of King Benjamin (Mosiah 4, 5), then we will want to be baptized as a token of that change of heart, as a witness to the Lord that we want to become a new person and do the things outlined in this covenant.

The other place in the scriptures where the baptismal covenant is defined is in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 20.

And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church. (D&C 20:37)

Here is a bullet list of the conditions of the covenant as defined in the Doctrine and Covenants. The lists in Mosiah 18 and D&C 20 are similar but have some differences.

·      Humble themselves before God;

·      Desire to be baptized;

·      Come forth with a broken heart and contrite spirit;

·      Witness that they have truly repented;

·      Are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ;

·      Have a determination to serve Him to the end;

·      Manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ;

It’s good to review these two lists occasionally to remind us of our baptismal covenant. Weekly we are reminded of these covenants in the sacramental prayers. We affirm to our Father in Heaven that we are willing to

·      Take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ;

·      Always remember Him; and

·      Keep His commandments;

Alma is so persuasive! If this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord? How many times have missionaries all over the world in many languages, including my wife and I in England and Wales, asked that question? Those whose hearts have been touched by the message of the gospel will almost always respond affirmatively. And when that happens, it is wonderful! That’s how it was with these people. When the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts! (18:11)

In response to their heart-felt desire, Alma takes Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.

And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.

And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit. (18:12-14)

By the time he is done baptizing all of those who desire it (although probably not all on the same day), Alma has baptized 214 people! Don’t you wish you could have been there to feel the humble excitement of these new converts? How long has it been since you attended the baptism of a person older than a child – a “convert baptism”? These services are some of the best meetings we hold in the Church! It must have been amazing to be at the Waters of Mormon to witness these many baptisms and feel the spirit of those new converts!

Mormon, our editor, who is telling this story, senses the joy of these people and the deep fondness they will hold the rest of their lives for the place where they were baptized and for the events that surrounded this wonderful time in their lives. Possibly being just a little partial to the name of these places, he writes later,

And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever. (18:30)

It’s like my cherished memories of the events surrounding falling in love with Lori 50 years ago. Those days, events and places are still precious to me and always will be. The memories of those who discover the gospel in their later teenage or adult years are precious, even sacred, to them. They cherish for the rest of their lives the memories of the missionaries who first taught them; the members who fellowshipped them; the events they experienced; and the things they felt at this wonderful season in their lives when they first discovered the gospel. Even if their enthusiasm later wanes and their commitment becomes less enthusiastic, as unfortunately happens to some, they will likely continue to hold the events surrounding their baptism in a special place in their hearts.

Questions about these baptisms

            Two questions are often asked about this account of Alma’s baptizing these people in the waters of Mormon. First, people often ask, where did Alma get the authority to baptize? Well, the short answer is, we don’t know. At least the Book of Mormon doesn’t tell us. But we can be confident he does hold the priesthood and have the authority to perform these baptisms. Authority was important to these people. Several years later, when Ammon and his brethren, fifteen strong men (7:2), discover the people of Limhi, people who have now repented, king Limhi and many of his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God. And Ammon declined doing this thing, considering himself an unworthy servant. (21:33) Alma would not have performed these baptisms in the Waters of Mormon if he didn’t hold the authority to do so.

            The Nephite people held the priesthood. It was not the Levitical (Aaronic) Priesthood because there were none from the tribe of Levi with them. They must have held the Melchizedek Priesthood. Alma may have been ordained to the priesthood as a priest of king Noah. Even though sinful at the time, he would still hold the priesthood. This, by the way, means that he would have previously been baptized. (see below). Now repentant, Alma is worthy to exercise the priesthood he holds in behalf of the people. An interesting alternative is that Alma somehow connected with Abinadi, perhaps in the two years between Mosiah chapters 11 and 12, Abinadi’s first time preaching to the wicked people of the city of Nephi and when he returns two years later. Perhaps Alma’s heart was touched at hearing Abinadi preach for the first time. He may have sought out Abinadi and been taught and ordained by him. In that case, Alma may have stayed in the court of Noah so he could help Abinadi and come to his defense. That would also fit with my thought expressed last week that it was Alma who asked the question, And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying: (12:20) and then quotes from Isaiah chapter 52.

Or was it possible for Alma to somehow get to Abinadi sometime during the three days he was imprisoned between his testimony and his execution and be ordained by him then? Alma had clearly been converted by that time.

Finally, some have suggested that Alma was ordained by an angel. I suppose that is possible. But ordination requires a physical body. John the Baptism, Peter and James were resurrected beings when they ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods respectively. John was a translated person, not yet resurrected, and still in a physical body. Since there were no resurrected persons before the time of Christ, the only “angel” who could ordain Alma would be a translated being, such as Elijah or Moses. Were any of the earlier Book of Mormon prophets translated? Possibly Ether? (Ether 15:34) If there were, perhaps one one of them ordained Alma. Regardless, Alma had the authority to baptize, to organize the church and to become the high priest.

            The second question which is often asked is, why did Alma baptize himself with Helam? It makes the most sense that Alma had been previously baptized and ordained and that this immersion was to signify his new conversion and commitment to the work of God. Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith wrote,

            Therefore, when Alma baptized himself with Helam that was not a case of Alma baptizing himself, but merely as a token to the Lord of his humility and full repentance. In Alma 5:3 we learn that Alma [the younger] was consecrated the high priest over the Church under his father. Now Alma did not organize the Church with the idea that they had no church before that time. They had a church from the days of Lehi and Alma only set things in order.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 3:203–4.)

We don’t perform “re-baptisms” in the Church today, but it was fairly common practice in the early days of the restored church for persons to be re-baptized after going through significant trials in their lives. For instance, I’m told that many of the early pioneer Saints were re-baptized after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley to signify a fresh start in the new promised land and to wash away, as it were, the trials of the journey and any accumulated sins in getting to their new home.

On our recent mission, Lori and I had the privilege of teaching a lovely young couple. The wife was a less-active member who came from a strong member family but had fallen away in her teenage years. Now her husband was being taught the gospel and was preparing for baptism. She told us a number of times that she wished she could be baptized (again) with him to really feel clean. We assured her that her repentance and the ordinance of the sacrament were sufficient to make her clean and whole again. A few weeks after his baptism, they both went to the temple to perform proxy baptisms and confirmations. She and her husband went into the font together. He raised his muscular tattooed arm to the square and like he’d been doing it all his life baptized her like a pro. The baptistry was not busy on a Friday afternoon. They had a stack of sisters’ names to be baptized. So he baptized her not once, but thirty times for these deceased women! I think she finally felt clean! I hope so, because she certainly deserved to feel so!

The baptismal covenant, justification and sanctification

            Baptism is the ordinance by which we enter into a covenant relationship with Christ to do the things Alma taught on the banks of the Waters of Mormon, as detailed above. It is a “justification event.” But what is justification? Justification means to be made right, correct or aligned, as in the way we “justify the margins” when we use a word processor. Through baptism, we are “made right” with Christ. I first read the best definition of justification of which I am aware in a book by Stephen Covey, Six Events. He defined justification as being made “perfect in Christ.” The Savior commanded us in the Sermon on the Mount to Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48) There are a number of ways to explain or understand that verse, but let’s talk about one way. Notice that the Savior did not say (at least, not in this translation) “become ye therefore perfect.” He said, “be ye therefore perfect.” There must be some way in which we can be perfect in the present tense, not the future tense. This is a real stumbling block for many people because each of us is so aware of all the ways in which we are not “perfect” now and don’t see any prospect that it’s going to happen in the foreseeable future. The principle of justification is the answer to this dilemma. Just before closing the plates for the last time, Moroni wrote,

            Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32)

            Through the ordinance of baptism, we enter into a covenant relationship with Christ, a merger with Him, if you will. His infinite assets are merged with our overdrawn bank account to pay the debt to justice for our sins. And the perfection of His attributes compensates through His grace for our many weaknesses. The sum of the two accounts, His and ours, is infinite on the positive side – i.e. perfection! (See Stephen Robinson’s Believing Christ.) When we unite ourselves with Christ in this covenant relationship, His perfection is sufficient to make up any deficit in what we bring to the partnership. Together, we are perfect! That’s how we can fulfill the Savior’s admonition to be perfect in the present tense; it is through Him. There is no other way! When we leave the waters of baptism, we are “perfect in Christ”, justified and made right with him. But we can’t stay that way. So we need regular repeated justification events to become right with him again and again. That’s why we need the sacrament. Each Sunday, as we humbly approach the altar of the sacrament table repentant for our sins of the past week and hopeful for a better week to come, we become right again with Christ through this holy ordinance, justified and “perfect in Christ.”

Justification is therefore marked by events, usually ordinances, primarily baptism and sacrament. Sanctification, by contrast, is not an event; it is a process. Sanctification, to use the language of Brother Covey, is to become “perfect like Christ.” This is a life-long process of repentance, refinement, trying to do a little better every day. Christ’s grace, His enabling power through His atonement, makes it possible for us to overcome the natural man or natural woman in each of us and gradually become more as He is. Our tutor and guide for this life-long journey is the Holy Ghost. That’s why Christ promises us that, when we enter into the covenant relationship through baptism and renew that relationship weekly through the sacrament, He will send “His spirit” the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to be with and guide us along this path of sanctification. After confirmation, we spend the rest of our lives trying to truly “receive the Holy Ghost.” It is the quest of a lifetime! One day, long after this life is over, we will actually become “perfect like Christ” and the process will be complete.

Why is the bar so impossibly high?

            Through the words of His prophet Alma describing the baptismal covenant, the Lord sets the bar for us at a level impossible for us to reach. We promise that we “desire”, that we are “willing” and that we “witness” but there is no way we will actually perfectly do all of the things in the covenant. Only Christ has done that. So the covenant forces us to partner with Him, to yoke ourselves with Him, so that we can actually bear each other’s burdens, mourn with those that mourn, stand as witnesses, etc. Only with His help, can we keep the covenant. And we always fall short on our part. That’s why we have to return to the alter of the sacrament weekly to get the covenant relationship right again, to become justified again. Just as the commandments are like the fiery flying serpents of Moses’ time which “bite us” because we can’t completely keep them and thus require us to look to the Savior to be healed (see James Ferrell’s remarkable book about the Old Testament, The Hidden Christ), the conditions of the baptismal covenant draw us to the Savior to help us live them because there is no way we can do so on our own.

            In their lesson this week, Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson point out that, if Alma had not set the bar so high, if he had said, “Just do your best, that’s all we ask”, then we wouldn’t need the Savior. It is the gap between what we know we should do, what we have promised to do that brings us to our knees and turns our hearts to the Savior. We can’t do it without Him. As Brad Wilcox pointed out in his classic BYU Devotional talk His Grace is Sufficient, we can’t even do our best without Him. It’s a great talk! If you want to listen, here is the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/yLXr9it_pbY.

            Alma, inspired by the Lord, whose servant he is, set the bar so high to draw us into the covenant relationship with the Savior. There is no other way!

The Alma 1^st Ward

            The next several verses of Mosiah 18 detail the steps Alma took as head of the church to organize these newly baptized members into a Zion society. By the time they escape into the wilderness, their numbers have doubled to about four hundred and fifty souls. (18:35) That is the ideal size for a ward in our church today. With the help of the Lord and under the direction of their prophet leader, by keeping their baptismal covenant, these people create Zion.

There are a few times in the Book of Mormon when we see examples in which the people successfully created a Zion society. The “Alma 1^st Ward” is one of the best examples. We’ll look at the others as we come to them. (We’ve already seen two examples — in 2 Nephi 5 under the direction of Nephi and in Mosiah 5-6 under the direction of Benjamin and Mosiah.)

What are the characteristics of a Zion ward, as exemplified by the Alma 1^st Ward? Let’s look and see:

17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.

18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

19 And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.

20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.

21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.

22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God.

23 And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God.

24 And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support.

25 And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together.

26 And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God.

27 And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given.

28 And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.

29 And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants. (18:17-29)

Sorry for the long quote, but it’s all important. I hope the bold text comes through in the format in which you read this. I tried to highlight the characteristics of a Zion ward. I won’t take the space to detail them all with a bullet list. They can be best summarized by the phrase in verse 21, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another (18:21). Living the gospel is about having our hearts knit together in love and unity.

I’ve said on other occasions that membership in the Church is a “contact sport.” We inadvertently bump into each other from time to time. We offend each other. We aren’t always as sensitive as we might be to each other’s feelings and needs. Sometimes we are judging. It’s like being in a family. In fact, we often use the phrase “ward family” to describe the group of Saints who live in the boundaries of a ward.

In a remarkable recent Conference address, Elder James Rasband of the Seventy said, As natural men and women, we all bump, or sometimes crash, into each other and cause harm. This certainly happens even in the best of families and in the best of wards. Elder Rasband goes on to say,

Although the Savior has power to mend what we cannot fix, He commands us to do all we can to make restitution as part of our repentance. Our sins and mistakes displace not only our relationship with God but also our relationships with others. Sometimes our efforts to heal and restore may be as simple as an apology, but other times restitution may require years of humble effort. Yet, for many of our sins and mistakes, we simply are not able to fully heal those we have hurt. The magnificent, peace-giving promise of the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel is that the Savior will mend all that we have broken. And He will also mend us if we turn to Him in faith and repent of the harm we have caused. He offers both of these gifts because He loves all of us with perfect love and because He is committed to ensuring a righteous judgment that honors both justice and mercy.

“Ensuring a Righteous Judgment”, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/13rasband

The secret of creating a Zion ward or a Zion family is to have our hearts knit together in love and then to do all we can to heal the bumps and bruises that inevitably come with such close contact, relying on the Savior to “mend what we cannot fix.” The Savior and His Atonement are at the heart of creating Zion, whether in a family or in a ward. We can’t do it without Him. Because of their efforts to honor their covenant relationship with the Savior, a covenant they made in the Waters of Mormon, the members of the “Alma 1^st Ward” were able to achieve a remarkable unity and purity of heart – Zion – which serves as an excellent example for us today.

Unfortunately, this wonderful situation did not last.

On the day that they were assembling themselves together to hear the word of the Lord they were discovered unto the king. And now the king said that Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him; therefore he sent his army to destroy them. And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness. (18:32-34)

We will talk about what happened to the people of Alma, but first we need to see what happens to Noah, his priests and this people.

We are still in a flashback

I’ve already written quite a bit for this week’s blog post and have only covered one chapter out of seven for this week. That was intentional. I wanted to spend the majority of the time for this week writing about baptism and about Zion. So I’ll try to have less to say about the next six chapters. However, there are some important lessons to be learned. I’ll try to bring out some things I feel are especially valuable.

            The next six chapters don’t contain any great sermons or overt expressions of profound doctrine. They are mainly historical. But they contain some important lessons for life because these were real people with real challenges. Basically, the remainder of the chapters for this week contrast the response to being in bondage of two groups of people – the people of Limhi and the people of Alma – and contrast the differences in their deliverance from bondage. So let me tell the story that sets the stage.

            First, remember that we are still in a flashback from the time of Mosiah II, son of Benjamin. I gave you a link last week to Brother Jack Welch’s diagram of the flashbacks in the book of Mosiah. He included it again this week in his notes. The chart may be helpful for you to get the timing into your head. It can be confusing. Here is the link: https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/pdf/welch/2020-05-09/mosiah_18-24_formatted.pdf

            I also gave you a link last week to a virtual map of Book of Mormon geography, not based on archeological information, but based only on information found in the Book of Mormon itself. It is a “relational map”, depicting the relationships of geographical sites to each other but not their precise geographic locations in North, Central or South America. It may be helpful to have access to this map as you figure out where these groups are and where they are going. As Michael Wilcox says in “Noah Blindness”, everyone in the book of Mosiah gets lost in the wilderness, but they all eventually get back to Zarahemla. Here is the link to the map: https://bom.byu.edu/download-bom-maps-in-hd/

Noah’s days are numbered!

            The army that Noah sent after the people of Alma returned to the land of Nephi not having found them. A man by the name of Gideon is fed up with Noah. Maybe he had an “Ah hah!” moment while searching for Alma and his 450 good people. Brother Wilcox talks about “Noah blindness” and taking off the “Noah blinders”. Somehow, Gideon takes off his blinders and realizes that Noah is the enemy not Alma and his people. Gideon fights with the king and nearly overpowers him, but king Noah escapes to his tall tower near the temple. From there, Noah can see the army of the Lamanites coming into the borders of the land. He cries to Gideon to spare his life so he can save his people. At this point, Mormon, who is telling the story, makes a fairly tongue-in-cheek comment about Noah. Now the king was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life; nevertheless, Gideon did spare his life. (19:8)

            King Noah, being the brave defender of the people that he is and always concerned for their safety without regard for his own life, runs from the Lamanite army ahead of all of his people, including the women and children. If Noah were the captain of a sinking ship, he would be the first not the last one overboard into the lifeboats to save himself! Who cares about the others? What a hero! As the Lamanites come upon them and start to kill some of his people, he does another very courageous thing that shows his true nature. He commands the men with him to leave their wives and children and flee for their lives. Talk about bravery! What a man!

Many of the men drew the line at that point. They ignore the order of their king and will not leave their families to follow Noah. But some of them, including his cadre of wicked priests, dutifully follow. Those who are left behind have their fair daughters stand between them and the Lamanite army and plead for them. The Lamanites had compassion on them, for they were charmed with the beauty of their women. (19:14) They are taken captive back to the land of Nephi in bondage to the Lamanites. Instead of the 20% tax imposed by Noah, the tax to the Lamanites is now 50%! Ouch! Limhi, one of the sons of king Noah, becomes the king.

Meanwhile out in the wilderness, the men who left their wives and families, like Gideon, are beginning to see who the true enemy is.

They had sworn in their hearts that they would return to the land of Nephi, and if their wives and their children were slain, and also those that had tarried with them, that they would seek revenge, and also perish with them. And the king commanded them that they should not return; and they were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer, even unto death by fire. And they were about to take the priests also and put them to death, and they fled before them. (19:19-21)

We’ll hear more about the priests who escaped later. But Noah is dead. In fulfillment of Abinadi’s prophecy that, the life of king Noah shall be valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for he shall know that I am the Lord (12:2) he was killed by those who once followed him and thought he was the greatest. And how did he die? What did Abinadi prophecy? What you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come. (13:10) Noah, who put Abinadi to death by fire, was put to death by his former followers by fire! A tragic ending to a tragic character! It’s obvious that Satan will not support his own in the end. Satan has no more need for Noah, so he casts him off to suffer his ignominious fate.

Lessons from the men who followed king Noah

            Before we go on in the story, there are two powerful lessons to learn from these men who took off their “Noah blinders” and came to themselves. Both Bro. Wilcox and Tyler & Taylor talk about these lessons.

            First, as we read this story, we can’t believe that any of Noah’s subjects actually left their wives and children and went on ahead to save their own lives. Unthinkable! But we need, especially as men, to put ourselves into this story. Do we sometimes leave our wives and children to fare for themselves by taking care of ourselves and our own selfish interests? I think as men, we all do, to a greater or lesser degree. (Sometimes women and even teenagers also leave what they treasure most and pursue personal interests at the expense of relationships and righteousness.) I’m not saying that men should never have time on their own or do things with other men, but do we allow our hobbies or our toys or sports or fitness or work or computer or any other interest or activity dominate in our lives at the expense of our wives and children who are left on their own. In a powerful message to the men of the Church in April 2019, President Nelson said:

            Months ago, I received a heartbreaking letter from a dear sister. She wrote: “[My daughters and I] feel we are in fierce competition for our husbands’ and sons’ undivided attention, with 24/7 sports updates, video games, stock market updates, [and] endless analyzing and watching of games of every [conceivable] sport. It feels like we’re losing our front-row seats with our husbands and sons because of their permanent front-row seats with [sports and games].”

Brethren, your first and foremost duty as a bearer of the priesthood is to love and care for your wife. Become one with her. Be her partner. Make it easy for her to want to be yours. No other interest in life should take priority over building an eternal relationship with her. Nothing on TV, a mobile device, or a computer is more important than her well-being. Take an inventory of how you spend your time and where you devote your energy. That will tell you where your heart is. Pray to have your heart attuned to your wife’s heart. Seek to bring her joy. Seek her counsel, and listen. Her input will improve your output. “We can do Better and be Better”, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2019/05/36nelson

The second lesson to learn from these men who left their families is told brilliantly in this week’s lesson by Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson. Here is the link, beginning at the point where they discuss this issue. https://youtu.be/6Bpx6RHa89I?t=1742

The point they make, which I had not previously thought of, is to ask what it was like for them to go back to their wives and families. I can’t imagine what it was like – the regret, the shame, the sorrow. Tyler asks, “When they return, who will need the power of the atonement in their lives more, the men or their wives whom they deserted?”

The story is very analogous to the tragic situation when a spouse breaks their marital covenants and then, coming to himself or herself, seeks to repent and “come home.” Who needs the power of the atonement more in their life – the sinful but now repentant spouse? Or the faithful but offended spouse who is now asked to forgive? I’ll leave it to you to judge. Obviously, they both do! The Lord said in the Doctrine and Covenants, (reversing the order of these two verses),

I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. (D&C 64:10, 9)

The sinful, repentant spouse knows what he or she needs to do to repent and be forgiven by the Lord. The process of regaining the trust of his or her betrayed spouse is a difficult journey. But what about the offended spouse? I’m not saying they should be a doormat to be walked all over, but they stand as David marching to war against Nabal with Abigail kneeling at his feet pleading for mercy and taking the sins of her husband Nabal upon herself. (1 Samuel 25). The Savior has taken upon Himself the sins of the Nabals in our lives. He stands before us when we are offended and says, “Forgive me. Let this sin be upon me.” To refuse to forgive those who offend us in our lives is to refuse to forgive the Savior, to argue for a better atonement. To refuse to forgive the Nabals in our lives is to burn the bridge of forgiveness over which we must pass to be worthy to return to the presence of God. That’s why “there remaineth in him [or her] the greater sin.”

This principle applies not only to offenses between spouses but between parents and children, between siblings, between friends, between neighbors, ward members, co-workers – all the conflicts and all the Nabals in our lives. A powerful lesson from the Book of Mormon! And I nearly missed it!

The people of Limhi are in bondage

            King Limhi was not ignorant of the iniquities of his father, he himself being a just man. (19:17) He does his best to lead his people, but they are in bondage to the Lamanites. They have peace for two years but then the wicked priests of the late king Noah, still in the wilderness, always looking out for themselves without regard to others, abduct 24 of the daughters of the Lamanites (suggesting the number of priests who are in the wilderness). The Lamanites “jump to conclusions” and attack the Nephites, even though they had no knowledge of this nefarious act. It is only after a battle is fought and the king of the Lamanites is left for dead do the Nephites learn why they have been attacked. They spare the life of the king who tells them of the loss of their 24 daughters. King Limhi searches among his people to find who has done this dastardly deed, but Gideon figures it out. He convinces both kings that it is the priests of Noah who are responsible. Do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites? (20:18) The Lamanite king goes before the Nephites and pleads with his own people. When the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land. (20:26)

            The Lamanites have covenanted not to kill the people of Limhi, but they are tough on them. They would smite them on their cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass—Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled. (21:3-4) The people of Limhi are in bondage and need to be delivered. But there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands (21:5). The people prevail on their king to go to battle against the Lamanites three times and are defeated each time. And each time, their bondage only gets worse. Like the first two failed attempts by Nephi and his brothers relying on their own strength to get the plates of Brass from Laban, these people fail to be relieved from bondage by relying on their own strength.

            We don’t know how long a period of time has passed. Eventually they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions. And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage. And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land. (21:14-16). Only when they humble themselves and turn to the Lord do they begin to proper and does the Lord come to their aid.

            All of these things extend over a period of more than twenty years, but eventually the Lord inspires a man by the name of Ammon (not the Ammon of the sons of Mosiah. He comes later.) to want to go to the land of Nephi and find out about the people there. With the permission of king Mosiah, he takes 15 strong men with him. Maybe it is a coincidence, but the numbers are interesting! Ammon, who will become the savior of the people of Limhi in bondage, leaves Zarahemla and goes “down” to the land of Nephi with 15 strong men to free the people in bondage. The similarity is too obvious to miss an analogy of the Savior leaving heaven to come to earth with 15 “strong men” – 15 apostles (First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve) — to save us! Very interesting!

            Gideon, one of the heroes of this part of the Book of Mormon, has a plan. They pay the tribute of wine to the Lamanites, get the guards drunk and all the people escape through the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the city. (22:6) Why didn’t they think of that 20 years earlier? Because the Lord is now on their side, so the plan works! The Lamanite guards are drunken and asleep and the people of Limhi escape with their flocks and herds. Guided by Ammon (and the Lord), they find their way through the wilderness and after many days arrive in Zarahemla. They are welcomed by king Mosiah and become his subjects. The Lamanite army follows them but gets lost after two days and can no longer follow their tracks.

            So these people who were in bondage are finally delivered, but only after they humble themselves and “cry unto their God.” The Lord’s hand is in it. Their deliverance is not as clearly miraculous as that of Alma and his people will be, but it wouldn’t have happened without the help of the Lord. Many of the miracles that happen in our life are like this. We try and try unsuccessfully to figure it out on our own and to solve our own problems. But when we finally recognize our utter dependence on the Lord and turn in humility and prayer to Him, He opens the doors we need and lights our path. With His help, we escape our bonds, make it through the wilderness and eventually come home. His hand is in it all along the way. But how slow we sometimes are to remember to turn to Him! When will we learn? The people of Limhi are a good reminder for us.

What about the people of Alma?

            The last two verses of chapter 18 read,

            And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness.

And they were in number about four hundred and fifty souls. (18:34-35)

The first verse of chapter 23 reads,

Now Alma, having been warned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and departed into the wilderness before the armies of king Noah. (23:1)

Pretty clever that Joseph Smith, making up the Book of Mormon as he goes along can seamlessly go from chapter 18 to chapter 23 with 4 chapters intervening and not miss a beat. And do it without notes or referring back to what he previously wrote. It’s almost like he is inspired or something!

Obviously, I’m being facetious. There is no way Joseph could have kept track of all of the intricacies of the history in the Book of Mormon and dictate to his scribe day after day without notes, computer, research assistant or any other help, other than by the “gift and power of God.” Small transitions like this are among the hundreds of internal evidences that witness to our hearts each time we read the book that it is true!

Warned by the Lord, Alma and his people, the recently baptized members of the “Alma 1^st Ward” depart into the wilderness. The Lord did strengthen them (23:2) and they were able to safely escape. They travel eight days into the wilderness. Interesting number! Again, it may be a coincidence, but perhaps not. Eight is the number of people saved in the Ark of Noah and it is the age at which young people become old enough to be baptized. Did you know that the New Testament gives the age of baptism as age eight.

… while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us … (1 Peter 3:20-21)

They establish their home in a land, yea, even a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water. (23:4) They call the name of the land and of the city Helam, the name of the first person baptized by Alma. They were industrious, and did labor exceedingly (23:5). They love Alma so much that they want him to be their king. When will they learn? Alma reminds them of the iniquity caused by the wicked king Noah and of the “sore repentance” required of him because of his sins. He refuses to be their king but will be their high priest and the founder of their church. He cautions them to trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. (23:18) This refusal of Alma to be king may foreshadow what happens at the end of the reign of king Mosiah II when all of his sons refuse to be king and so no king is anointed. Instead a system of judges is inaugurated. We’ll talk more about that later.

Life is good in the city of Helam for many years, but not forever! Mormon, knowing what is coming in the story, prefaces what comes next with the comment,

Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.

For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.

And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings. (23:21-24)

The army of the Lamanites trying to find the people of Limhi get lost in the wilderness and instead find the priests of Noah, who are also in the land of Amulon, named after their leader, Amulon, one of the priests of wicked king Noah. Amulon and his brethren send their wives to plead with the army. After all, their wives are Lamanite women, but are now loyal to their abducting Nephite husbands. The army is pacified and does not destroy these Nephites who earlier abducted their daughters. Figure that one out!

The Lamanite army and Amulon and his brethren are in the wilderness looking for the land of Nephi but instead find the land of Helam and the people of Alma. Watch what happens. Even before the army arrives,

Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them.

Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lord. (23:27-28)

Who hushed their fears? The Lord hushed their fears? No, the people remembered the Lord and trusted that He would deliver them and hushed their own fears. Amazing!

Elder Bednar used this scripture as the text for his General Conference talk in April 2015. He said,

Notice Alma did not hush the people’s fears. Rather, Alma counseled the believers to remember the Lord and the deliverance only He could bestow (see 2 Nephi 2:8). And knowledge of the Savior’s protecting watchcare enabled the people to hush their own fears. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2015/05/saturday-afternoon-session/therefore-they-hushed-their-fears

It is an excellent talk!

Bondage and deliverance of the people of Alma

            As irony would have it, the people of Alma tell the Lamanites how to get to the land of Nephi, eight days away, with the promise that if they would show them the way which led to the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty. (23:36)

            But of course, being Lamanites and inspired by Amulon, the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set guards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren. (23:37)

To make matters worse, the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the land of Helam; (23:39)

Amulon is now the king over the land of Helam and the people of Alma. How ironic is that? Life is difficult for Alma and his people. So great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God. (24:10). Amulon forbids them to pray but Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts. (24:12)

In response to their silent, but heart-felt prayers of faith, the Lord responds,

The voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. (24:13-15)

Let’s pause here before the end of the story and ask, why did the Lord allow these afflictions to come upon the people of Alma when they were living righteously and were so obedient? That is the age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” You may find it fruitful to pause and think about your answer to that question or consider it in your family Come, Follow Me discussion.

In his classic book of the subject of adversity in our lives, All These Things Shall Give You Experience, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said there are three main causes of adversity in our lives:

(1)  Because we live in a fallen world and bad things happen. Accidents, illness, birth defects, effects of aging, storms, earthquakes, droughts, floods, and, even viral pandemics happen because God allows those things to be part of this mortal experience to give us the opportunity to learn and grow. There is no exemption from these things for the righteous. Your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt 5:44)

(2)  Adversity comes into our lives because of the choices of others and sometimes our own. Drunk drivers, drug addicts, wicked and even careless people sometimes inflict great injury on others. People smoke and get cancer or emphysema. They use alcohol and get cirrhosis of the liver. We drive too fast or fall asleep at the wheel and get in a car accident. Marriage infidelity, abuse of spouse or offspring, pornography, human trafficking, and other forms of immorality inflict great suffering. The suffering of the people of Limhi and, to some degree the people of Alma, are an example of this kind of suffering.

(3)  But there is a third kind of adversity in this life. Sometimes, our loving Father, knowing the lessons we need to learn in this life allows suffering or adversity to come into the lives of even good people for their refinement and sanctification. Elder Maxwell himself developed leukemia. He is reported to have said, “I should have seen it coming.” In a moment of clarity, the Lord through His spirit said to him, I have given you leukemia that you might teach my people with authenticity. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2004/09/elder-neal-a-maxwell-a-devoted-life

The people of Alma are being tested partly because of the wickedness of Amulon, but also for their own sanctification. I hope you have taken the time to read or listen to King Noah Blindness and the vision of Seers by S. Michael Wilcox. He draws some excellent lessons and shares some powerful examples from his own life that relate to the experiences of the people of Limhi and especially the people of Alma and their interactions with Amulon and what we can learn from them. It is well worth your time. If you have teenagers or single young adults in your circle of study, it is a must!

Eventually, so great were their faith and patience that the Lord said to Alma,

Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage. (24:16-17)

In contrast to the people of Limhi who had the assistance of the Lord but still needed to get the Lamanite guards drunk, the Lord directly intervenes in behalf of the people of Alma. Because of their faith and patience, the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites. (24:19) Alma and his people escape. They travel to a valley they call Alma. What was the first response of these Zion people?

They poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.

And they gave thanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God. (24:21-22)

They recognize the hand of the Lord in their escape and give him their thanks and praise knowing that only He could have delivered them. They, like the people of Limhi, also arrive in Zarahemla. After they had been in the wilderness twelve days they arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy. (24:25)

It is interesting to contrast the attitude and deliverance of the stubborn, slow to repent people of Limhi and the humble, quick to repent people of Alma. Both had their trials and challenges. Both were in bondage from which only the Lord could deliver them. Both were eventually delivered. Both groups learned important lessons. Both groups of people made it to Zarahemla. We can learn from both. We all have some of “Limhi” and some of “Alma” in us. Part of life is to learn to deal with the challenges and adversities we experience more like the people of Alma than the people of Limhi.

The Book of Mormon is incredible! It is so real! It is so current! It is so applicable in our lives! It is so true! I know by the witness of the Spirit to my mind and to my heart that it is verily true even as I write these words and each time I apply myself to conscientious, prayerful study of this marvelous book. I hope and pray that the same witness is yours, for it is true!

Thanks for reading!

Richard