A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 27:27-30 This description of the Ammonites or the people of Ammon at the end of this chapter causes me to consider a couple of awesome facts: First, that when repentance and the Atonement of Christ has full sway on an individual or community, their final state is more pure, more refined, and more improved than had they never sinned at all. Don't get me wrong in thinking that I'm excusing sin of any degree in the least by making this statement, but the reality is that, we all need to be cleansed and improved upon in this life, sinners and saints alike. But as I read this description of discipleship in these verses, I cannot help but think that this people sound to be among the most choice of God's people to have ever walked the earth. Second, even though His name appears three times in these four verses, I some how am still glossing over the reality that this is the effect that Jesus Christ and faith in His name can have upon me. Perhaps it alludes me because of...

Alma 27:20-26 Here is the account of the people of Ammon and their fleeing the persecution of the Lamanites and of their joining to the people of Nephi.  How timely this account is to our current world challenges with refugee resettlement! There are actually two accounts of good Samaritan type actions here: one on a micro level (that almost goes unnoticed by me) and the other on a macro scale. First, upon receiving these missionaries back from their labors, the account here says that Alma received Ammon and his brethren "even into his own house." ( vs. 20 ) The later action was the coordination and admission of the people of Ammon to live among the Nephites. I am impressed by the chief judge's approach to this significant social issue. When the issue of the acceptance of the people of Ammon was brought before the judgment seat, the chief judge deferred from making a decision on the matter himself. Instead, "the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all th...

Alma 27:15-19 Without drawing attention away from the experience here when Ammon and his brethren were reunited with Alma, an interesting side thought caught my attention today. It was the timing of the reunion. Here is Ammon with the hosts of their converts in journey to the land of Zarahemla. It had been 14 years since they had had any contact (to our knowledge) with the Nephite civilization, and here they are returning now to Zarahemla with quite a challenge ahead of them -- find a land for their converts to be safely relocated. Was the timing of the meeting with Alma by chance? Understanding more so now that nothing happens by chance in this period of probation, this is especially becomes clearer the closer and more conscientious one is about their proximity to God. Therefore, in consideration of the enormously important assignment that Ammon and his brethren had on their hands, the timing of the reunion with Alma, who's position as prophet-leader of the church among the Ne...

Alma 27:1-14 When I am struggling to find meaning in a particular passage of scripture, I will look for what that set of scriptures are teaching me about God. Here, when a critical decision needed to be made regarding the safety and welfare of the Ammonite converts, the king asks of Ammon to inquire of the Lord. Here is an interesting thing, because the will of the Lord was essentially the same as Ammon's desire for the people. However, the word of the Lord that came to Ammon allowed for greater depth and understanding. It wasn't just, "yeah, he said yes." Rather, the word of the Lord to Ammon gave explanation and reason for their needed departure plus some behind-the-scenes perspective on what was happening in spiritual terms: Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them; therefore get thee out of this land; and bles...