A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 20:28-30 ( I appreciate the forced focus that this segmented study of smaller groups of verses causes me to have. What otherwise might just appear as a concluding note to this particular chapter, these final three verses on their own convey some important truths.) "And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people;" ( vs. 30 ) The wording in this verse causes me to consider this situation, and many others like it, differently. I am confident as I read this that in different circumstances, the missionaries that fell into the hands of such depraved individuals could have experienced as much success as did their brother Ammon. This reminder is important: to not condemn the poor or unfortunate for their circumstances. To me it seems that the larger message is one of succor and relief. These two disciples of the caring Christ go to rescue their brethren who "had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of a...

Alma 20:8-27 "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." James 1:20 "Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away." 3 Nephi 11:30   These twenty verses contain the account of Ammon and Lamoni's encounter with Lamoni's father, the king over all the land. Without introduction or explanation, Lamoni's father immediately labels Ammon as "one of the children of a liar." ( vs. 10 ) Respecting his father, Lamoni gives the cause for his delay.  Then, "to his astonishment, his father was angry with him." ( vs. 13 , emphasis added) There are two directions that I want to address with this verse. First, it astonished Lamoni that his father responded to him with anger. I'm not sure if it was because his father had always been a peaceful man towards him as his son, or if it was rather because Lamoni had hoped to h...