Alma 23-29

The people that are converted by Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni have a desire to be called by a different name than Lamanites. The king, King Lamoni's father, changes there name to the Anti Nephi Lehis. over in chapter 24 verse 3 it states, "Now the king conferred the kingdom upon his son, and he called his name Anti-Nephi-Lehi." So Lamoni's brother is now called  Anti-Nephi-Lehi. They council with to know what to do to defend themselves against the Lamanites that are coming against them. They decide not to take up there weapons against them and 1005 people are killed. Because they didn't deffend themselves the Lamanites stop killing them and more than the number killed joined with them. That would take a lot of faith to go before an army and let yourself be killed knowing that the Lord will be merciful to you.
In chapter 25 verse 6 it states, 
"For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in the wilderness."  
We see that the word of the Lord is fullfilled and the people remembered the things that they had been taught. If we plant a seed then it will grow. Ammon and he bretheren planted the seeds and it took a while to grow but once it did many came to the knowledge of the truth. We can plant seeds as well as we set a good example and share our testimonies with our friends and neighbors.Please post any thoughts that you have.

Alma 17-22

In these chapters we have the story of the sons of Mosiah and there mission stories. They all had different experiences as they went forth teaching the word of God to the Lamanites. They set forth a great example to all of us on how to do missionary work. In chapter 17 verse 3 it reads,
"But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God."
This shows how they prepared to go and do the work. If we are to do missionary work we to need to know the scriptures and then  fast and pray for the opportunities to do the work.
I really like how Ammon teaches King Lamoni. He first goes and offers to serve the king and then does all that the king asked. He is able to gain the Kings trust and then is able to teach him. If Ammon had not been so righteous he could have had a lot of land from King Lamoni and could have married one of the kings daughters. But it says that Ammon was wise yet harmless.
We later learn that Aaron has a similar experience with King Lamoni's father. It is amazing how something as simple as service leads to great things. Please post any thoughts that you have.

Alma 13-16

In chapter 14 I am amazed at how Alma and Amulek are able to withstand the brutal beatings they took while imprisoned. I can't imagine how bad they suffered. I think of my mission and how I was fortunate to not be beaten or imprisoned for no reason. They had to have great faith knowing that the Lord would deliver them from the wicked people. I really like in verse 29 how it says the peole saw Alma and Amulek and they were struck with great fear and "fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek."
 I like how in chapter 15 they find Zeezrom and he has changed complety and has faith in the Lord and is healed from his sickness.
In chapter 15 verse 17 it mentiones a "check", and I wonder in our lives what is a check to help us to stay on the right path.
Post any comments that you have.

Alma 8-12

The people of Ammonihah are so hardened that they reject Alma. In our day we can see that when someone falls away from the gospel they usually become more wicked than someone who didn't have the gospel. The people of Ammonihah had been Nephites and then followed after the Order of the Nehors and became the hardened people that they are.
Alma find Amulek and they become quite the missionary companionship.
Please post any comments.

Alma 5-7

In Alma chapter, Alma asks a lot of questions. As I read the chapter I couldn't help but think that he is trying to get the people to think about their lives. He asks questions to get the minds of the people to open up for the message he is teaching them. As a missionary we had to ask questions to find out if the people we were teaching understood what we were teaching them. Also asking questions helps us to find out what problems they were facing so we could help them overcome those problems. If we don't ask questions we can't learn as much from others who know more than we do.

Alma 7 vrs 23-24 "And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."
I shared this in a talk on Sunday because the subject was about charity.Please post any comments that you have.

Alma 1-4

          In these chapters it is interesting to see how the people fall into the pride cycle. Nehor sets up the people to follow after iniquity. Even after he was put to death it states in verse 16 "Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor."

          In the next two chapters it mentions the Amlicites fulfilling the word of the Lord by marking their heads. They also join up with the Lamanites and come up against the Nephites and how thousands of them are slain.

         Alma chapter 4 Alma gives up his seat as chief judge so he can devote his full attention to the teaching of the gospel. By doing so enabled him to go and convert thousands to the church.

19 "And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them."

Mosiah 26-29

          In chapter 26 we see a change come over the church in Zarahemla. Many of the youngsters that was too young to remember the words of King Benjamin. I am amazed at how the younger generations were the ones to rise up and rebel against the words of the prophets. In our own time we see that the younger generations can be really good or really bad. It is interesting to see that Alma’s son is one of the ones who are going about persecuting the people. It is like the old adage, beware of the bishops kids. It is also interesting to relate the story of Paul and the story of Alma the Younger and how they were both going about persecuting the church and how they became great leaders. Also a side note to look at Laman and Lemule, and how they both saw an angel and still turned away from the Lord.

         In chapter 28 the sons of Mosiah and Alma want to go and preach to the Lamanites and 29 King Mosiah chooses judges to judge the people. He tells the people that if they could always have a just king that it would be better for the people. I wonder if that would hold true for our day. Post any thoughts that you might have.