A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 39:12-19 In verse 12 , Alma states that the Spirit of the Lord has said unto him, "Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction." He then commands his son to refrain from his iniquities, "in the fear of God." --- Alma goes on to command his son not to seek after riches. He then expounds to his son a few thought concerning the coming of Christ. --- I've now been with this passage of scripture for 3 or 4 days. Tomorrow, let's start with questions. Typically, when I'm stuck in a scripture study, I've asked the question: how does this point me towards Christ? I will start here tomorrow. I will also be asking additional questions based off of what I am reading. The ability to ask questions is an attribute of divinity, and is a teaching of Christ. Ask, and it shall given you. ( 3 Nephi 14:7 ) --- Going back to verse 12 , the very first thing that Alma says is that it is the Spirit of the...

Alma 39:2-11 One impression that comes to me in prayer as I reflect on this rather hard passage of scripture is that Alma did his son no disservice by clearly stating where the offenses lay and explaining simply the challenges that his conduct had created. Neither is this a heat-of-the-moment exchange. --- It appears to be random and off-topic, but in my prayers this morning I'm reminded of an exchange I had briefly with an older couple about a year ago with my family at a Subway's shop in Sedalia, Missouri. The details of that conversation are not for this setting, but it reminds me that there are no chance encounters. --- Back to the passage at hand, Alma spells out the begin and the end of his son's departure from the paths of safety, expounding upon the consequences of both. This allows his son to clearly see how to make course correction.  This was important in his son's darkened state because it allowed him a path of escape into greater light. --- On an...

Alma 22:1-14 The start of this chapter takes pains again ( see previous chapter ) to explain that the Spirit of the Lord did lead Aaron and his brethren to the house of the king over all the land of Nephi, except that part which the king had recently separated and given to his son, Lamoni. The geo-political details are not nearly as important here as the fact that it was the Spirit of the Lord that led them there. They didn't go because they were directed to go by Ammon, though Ammon was the one who relayed the referral. They didn't go because there was nothing else for them to do, and they felt like shooting for the stars. They went because the Spirit of the Lord led them there. (see vs. 1 ) They may not even have known that this was where they were headed, like Nephi trying to get the brass plates, taking one step at a time. On the other hand, maybe they did fully know exactly where they were going and in what context they were coming. Because after all, Ammon had just rescue...

Alma 21:18-23 Now there is a curious thing that transpires in these verses. In returning to the affairs of his own kingdom, Lamoni subsequently establishes the rule of a free people through his land. It is an interesting sequence of events: The king Lamoni and his household is converted to the gospel of Christ. (chapters 18-19) Ammon and Lamoni are confronted by Lamoni's father, king over all the land, which results in Lamoni obtaining full freedom and autonomy to govern over his own kingdom as he pleased. (chapter 20) Lamoni subsequently (in these verses) returns to his own land, and declares freedom for all in his kingdom.  In considering this freedom, a footnote has brought me over to Doctrine and Covenants 134:1-4 , which reads in part: We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience , the right and control of property , and the protection of life ... We believe th...

Alma 7:15-21 I find in verses 15 and 16 a recap of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism unto the remission of sins, endurance until the end. His testimony of these principles is confirmed to him according to the witness of the Holy Spirit. Our fears are what bind us to destruction. Our faith is what causes us to live lives of extraordinary capacity and interest.  There are sins which bind us down and commandments that liberate and free us. Commandments are not only those written in stone by Moses thousands of years ago, but also include the whisperings of the Spirit and "every word which proceedeth forth from the mouth of God." ( Doctrine and Covenants 84:44 ) It is also by the manifestation of the Spirit that Alma received a witness of the faith of those at Gideon (see vs. 17 ). This thought has been impressed upon me recently as to how this work is guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Obedience to that Spirit is requisite to be a true servant of the Lord. Alm...

Mosiah 18:1-7 Now at the beginning of this chapter, there is a very brief statement about the repentance of Alma, who was prior to his interactions with the prophet Abinadi a wicked priest. We know very little about the repentance process that Alma underwent. In comparison to the double accounts that the Book of Mormon has about his son, Alma the Elder's change of heart goes virtually without note. However, there is one verse in Mosiah 23:9 which does state: But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and 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; There we have it then. As private and personal as the repentance process should be, it is sufficient for us to know that Alma, being a wicked priest in the court of King Noah, had to undergo a sore repentance process before he could begin to establish the church of Christ.  These verses that deal with the people's preparation for t...

Mosiah 15:10-17 Abinadi explains how those who access Christ's atonement by making his soul an offering for their sins, these are they who become his seed, or as King Benjamin had put it, the children of Christ. I have had a struggle with these verses this morning. I read and reread verses 10 and 11 about 10 to 15 times this morning. I was trying to look at it from the roll of the believer, then I tried to understand the role of the Lord, but that wasn't what the Lord wanted me to understand this time. Feeling rather distraught about the lack of spiritual information being communicated, I realized that there is one other perspective that could be taken: the role of the prophets. For without the instructive words of the prophets, there is nothing for the children of men to exercise their faith upon, to the end that they might apply the atoning blood of Christ and become heirs of salvation. Thus Abinadi's question, or  Isaiah's question:  who shall declare his generati...

Mosiah 12:25-32 This stirring rebuke that I have chosen as title for this entry causes me to reflect upon my own ministry/stewardship. I appreciate that in Abinadi's probings there is an inherent understanding of the duties and responsibilities which accompany the office and calling of a servant of the Lord. What is even more interesting are the first two points of expectation that he hold for these pretended priests: 1) He expects them to teach. 2) He expects them to understand the spirit of prophecy. What follows is then something of a checklist of pitfalls to avoid as a priest or minister of God's children: Observe your own teachings. Be not a hypocrite. Do not set your hearts upon riches. Do not waste your strength in riotous living.  Do not cause those who follow you to sin because of your unrighteousness.  As I contemplate this situation further, Abinadi is talking to them as if they had been ordained ministers of God. He is ignoring the fact that their appointment was e...

Jarom1:1-7 Jarom's primary reason for making his record was to preserve the genealogy of his people, according to the commandment that he had received of his father, Enos. He also understands that the primary benefactors will be the Lamanites at some future date.( verse 1 ) Though he had prophecies and revelations of his own, one of the marks of Jarom's humility is that he points to what had already been written by Nephi, Jacob, and Enos, explaining that the plan of Salvation had already been revealed by them. ( verse 2 ) After explaining the difference between the Nephites (a God-fearing people, vs 5 ) and the Lamanites (a blood-thirsty group, vs 6 ), Jarom explains how the leadership of the Nephites caused their people to prevail against the Lamanites. "Our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways of the Lord;" ( verse 7 ). Mighty men of faith teach the ways of the Lord to the people, and thus the people are strengthened...

1 Nephi 17:15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence. I followed the footnotes of this one verse this morning to conclude my study. Prosperity rests in keeping the commandments of the Lord. This is why Nephi was motivated to exhort his brothers to faithfulness and diligence. This is the source of happiness, peace, and prosperity. Indeed, nothing has changed.