Give Ear to My Words
Alma 36-39
These chapters contain Alma’s counsel to his sons Helaman, Shiblon and Corianton. Although they were meant to personally benefit these men, Alma’s words hold great value to us as Latter Day Saints as well.
Under what circumstances is Alma offering this counsel?
In Chapter 35, we find Alma, Shiblon and Corianton in the land of the Zoramites( also called Antionum) preaching the gospel. The more popular part of the Zoramites wouldn’t have anything to do with them, but the others did. They were divided into two groups.
When the missionaries had finished their preaching to the Zoramites, they departed into the land Jershon . After their departure, the popular Zoramites were angry because of the word, for id destroyed their craft ( priestcraft). The priests and rulers gathered all the people together and started inquiring who believed in the words of Alma. Once they discovered who the converts were, and they were many, they cast them out of the land. This group went to Jershon, a neighboring city to find refuge. There Alma and his brethren ministered unto them.
This did not make the chief ruler of the Zoramites happy. He threatened the people of Ammon- he wanted them to cast out the Zoramite converts. “the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did anourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants” (Alma 35:8)
Now the Zoramites are very angry. They do exactly what Alma had feared all along: they began to mix with the Lamanites and stir them up to anger against the people of Ammon.
Why was this a fear of Alma’s?
This sends us into a little geography lesson: The Zoramites in Antionum were located on top, the Lamanites on the bottom and Jershon in the middle. Alma didn’t want the Zoramites to get together with the Lamanites and make a squeeze-play on the Ammonites in Jershon. Yet, that is exactly what happened. Tactically speaking, this is a very dangerous situation for the Ammonites to be in. Alma’s missionary efforts to the Zoramites were an attempt to strengthen their political position in Antionum. Remember, the preaching of the word had a greater effect on the people than did the sword.
Well, now we are in a big mess. The Lamanites are making preparations for war. The people of Jershon begin clearing out to make way for the Nephite armies to come in.
Alma 35:14-16
14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the atwo sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing bmany of the cZoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands.
15 Now Alma, being agrieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be boffended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his acharge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.
Alma begins by speaking to Helaman. What is the first thing he says to him?
1. Keep the Commandments
Alma 36
1 My ason, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land
This is council that is given several times to Helaman in these chapters and also later to his son Shiblon. It is also given throughout the Book of Mormon by several other prophets. Why is this principle so important that Mormon would include it multiple times?
Mormon had the advantage of the entire collection of written records of his people. He has not only read the scenerio of destruction from disobedience many times, but, he also witnesses it first hand in his day. It is a repetitive cycle. Mormon saw our day. He clearly thought this was important to mention. We need to heed the warning.
As we see problems in our nation and government, what should we do? KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS! In this there is safety and peace.
2. Learn from the past
How many times as parents have you tried to save your children from making the same mistakes you have made in your life? Or, tried to steer them clear of what you know will ultimately be very painful experiences?
That is what Alma is doing here for Helaman. Alma recounts the days when he persecuted the church and sought to destroy it. He relates his conversion process contrasting the inexpressible horror he felt while remembering his sins to the exquisite and sweet joy that was his when he realized the role the Savior plays in each of our lives in saving us from the everlasting chains of sin.
The lesson learned here need not stop at Helaman. Pres. Ezra Taft Benson said, “The object of studying the Book of Mormon is to learn from the experiences of those who have gone before us that blessings come by keeping the commandments of God and that tragedy is the result of disobedience. By learning from the lessons of the past, mistakes need not be repeated in our own lives." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p51)
3. Missionary Work is Important
Alma 35
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto arepentance; that I might bring them to btaste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be cborn of God, and be dfilled with the Holy Ghost.
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth agive me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my blabors;
We have probably all seen the joy that fills new converts lives, what about those who are instrumental in their conversion?
Why does it fill you with great joy when you see others enter into the church through your efforts?
The Lord’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Ours is a joint effort in that great plan. Our spirits feel the kinship we shared in the pre-existence and rejoice when our spirit brothers and sisters join with us again on that road that leads us back home.
4. The Scriptures are Essential
Alma 37
8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, athey have benlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the cknowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.
9 Yea, I say unto you, awere it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have bconvinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their cwords brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
10 And who knoweth but what they will be the ameans of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our bstiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.
12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a awise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth bcounsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is cone eternal round.
Why were the scriptures valuable to Alma?
§ It is one of the means that the Lord uses to bring about his eternal purposes.
§ They confound the wise.
§ Brings salvation to many souls.
§ They enlarge the memory of the people.
§ Convince the wicked of the error of their ways.
§ Provide a knowledge of God.
§ Provide a knowledge of the commandments
How are the scriptures valuable to us in the latter days?
Pres. Robert D. Hales, “Brothers and sisters, I testify that the scriptures have been “kept and preserved [for us] by the hand of the Lord … for a wise purpose in him.”9 Lehi prophesied, “These plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.”10 The Lord covenanted with Enos to preserve and bring forth the scriptures “in his … due time.”11 Of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni recorded, it was “written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed.”12 The scriptures which we have give prophecies and promises, and they have been fulfilled in our day.
What a glorious blessing! For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline. Behind the darkness of the Iron Curtain, the Saints survived because they heard His voice through the scriptures. In other parts of the world, when members couldn’t attend Church for a time, they continued to worship God because they heard His voice through the scriptures. Throughout all the wars of the past century and the conflicts that rage today, Latter-day Saints survive because they hear His voice through the scriptures. For the Lord has said, “The scriptures shall be given … to the salvation of mine own elect; for they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep, and shall abide the day of my coming; for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.”13 (Robert D. Hales, “Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation,” Liahona, Nov 2006, 24–27)
5. What to teach the people
As Alma’s oldest son, Helaman will someday take over leadership responsibilities. Alma instructs him of the most important things to teach the people:
Alma 37
32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting ahatred against sin and iniquity.
33 aPreach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be bmeek and lowly in heart; teach them to cwithstand every dtemptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find arest to their souls.
35 O, remember, my son, and alearn bwisdom in thy cyouth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.
36 Yea, and acry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy bdoings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy cthoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
37 aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
To me, this council could not have been more inspired knowing that Helaman will soon take charge of the 2000 sons of the Ammonites in defending the Nephites. These high standards coupled with the faith they learned at their mother’s knees no doubt had everything to do with their survival.
In Chapter 38 We learn of Alma’s counsel to Shiblon.
What kind of man was Shiblon?
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your asteadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that bendureth to the end.
3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the aZoramites.
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with apatience because the Lord was bwith thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
Alma is pleased with his son and praises him. He also admonishes Shiblon to keep the commandments, He summarizes his conversion story and bears testimony of Jesus Christ.
Shiblon has been a great missionary. The remainder of Alma’s counsel is a reminder to Shiblon how to conduct himself as he continues to preach the gospel.
1. Be diligent and temperate in all things (v10).
Alma knew that moderation and Diligence in all things brings success and happiness. Pres. Dieter Uchdorf in latter days has counseled, “Are we diligent in living the commandments of God, without running beyond our strength? Or are we just leisurely strolling along? Are we using our time, talents, and means wisely? Are we focused on the things which matter most? Are we following the inspired counsel of the prophets?
One example of great importance for humanity is strengthening our own families. The principle of family home evening was given to us in 1915. President McKay reminded parents again in 1964 that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.”2 In 1995 the prophets of our day called upon all the world to strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.3 And in 1999 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles lovingly stated: “We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.”4 (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Heeding the Voice of the Prophets,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 4–7 )
2. See that ye are not lifted up unto pride" (v11). Do not boast in your own wisdom or strength.
Pres. Ezra Taft Benson spent a great deal of his ministry warning the latter day saints of the perils of pride, “The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)
3. "Use boldness, but not overbearance" (v12).
Pres. Dallin H. Oaks said, “We live in a time when some misrepresent the beliefs of those they call Mormons and even revile us because of them. When we encounter such misrepresentations, we have a duty to speak out to clarify our doctrine and what we believe. We should be the ones to state our beliefs rather than allowing others the final word in misrepresenting them. This calls for testimony, which can be expressed privately to an acquaintance or publicly in a small or large meeting. As we testify of the truth we know, we should faithfully follow the caution to speak “in mildness and in meekness” (D&C 38:41). We should never be overbearing, shrill, or reviling. As the Apostle Paul taught, we should speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). Anyone can disagree with our personal testimony, but no one can refute it.
4. "...bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love" (v12). Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "Whereas the natural man vents his anger, the men and women of Christ are 'not easily provoked' (1 Corinthians 13:5). Whereas the natural man is filled with greed, the men and women of Christ 'seeketh not [their] own' (1 Corinthians 13:5). Whereas the natural man seldom denies himself worldly pleasures, the men and women of Christ seek to bridle all their passions (see Alma 38:12)." (Men and Women of Christ, p14)
5. See that ye refrain from idleness (v12).
· Spencer W. Kimball quoted a judge and his observation about youth: "As I see young people of what I consider an employable age sitting around drive-ins or malt shops, on park benches, or at the beaches, cruising around in cars or hanging around on the street corners at all hours of the day and the night, I am amazed at their ability to stay out of trouble as well as they do . . . idleness is a prime factor in most juvenile misbehavior." (Conference Report, Oct 1963)
§ "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:32). How can we possibly justify idleness when there is such important work to do.
6. Do not pray as the Zoramites do.
"...but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy--yea, acknowledge
Lastly Alma addresses his son Corianton. What kind of man is Corianton?
Corianton was a faithful member of the church with a strong testimony. Alma chose him, along with other powerful missionaries, to accompany him to Antionum to preach the gospel to the Zoramites.
However, Corianton made some poor choices on his mission. He forsook the ministry and went out among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.
What behaviors led Corianton on this road to immorality?
1. Alma 39:2 - Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.
This is not so different from what happens to many of us today. We have been taught what is right and have strong values yet, we often put ourselves in questionable situations thinking, “ I can handle it – I’m strong enough to resist the temptation.” We, like Corianton, sometimes have to learn the hard way that NONE of us are strong enough ON OUR OWN to resist the enticements of the Devil. HE is cunning, he knows our weaknesses and goes right for the jugular!
So, how do we resist? Alma tells us:
Alma 13:28
"...humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering." (Alma 13:28)
2. Alma 39:3 -thou didst forsake the ministry
Corianton did not follow the mission rules. He lost his focus . Had he been where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to be doing, he would not have been led away.
3. Alma 39:3-4 - [he went] over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel. Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted
He chose new friends poorly. He knew what Isabel was and chose to pursue her anyway. He gave way to worldly pressures.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Do not company with fornicators—not because you are too good for them but, as C.S. Lewis wrote, because you are not good enough. Remember that bad situations can wear down even good people. Joseph had both good sense and good legs in fleeing from Potiphar’s wife” (Neal A. Maxwell, “The Stern but Sweet Seventh Commandment,” New Era, Jun 1979, 36)
Alma 39
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most aabominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent bblood or denying the Holy Ghost?
6 For behold, if ye adeny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is bunpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain cforgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
Why are sexual transgressions so serious in nature?
Jeffrey R. Holland, “By assigning such seriousness to a physical appetite so universally bestowed, what is God trying to tell us about its place in His plan for all men and women? I submit to you He is doing precisely that—commenting about the very plan of life itself. Clearly among His greatest concerns regarding mortality are how one gets into this world and how one gets out of it. He has set very strict limits in these matters.
Fortunately, in the case of how life is terminated, most seem to be quite responsible. But in the significance of giving life, we sometimes find near-criminal irresponsibility. May I offer three reasons why this is an issue of such magnitude and consequence in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
· The body is an essential part of the soul. This distinctive and very important Latter-day Saint doctrine underscores why sexual sin is so serious. We declare that one who uses the God-given body of another without divine sanction abuses the very soul of that individual, abuses the central purpose and processes of life, “the very key” 7 to life, as President Boyd K. Packer once called it. In exploiting the body of another—which means exploiting his or her soul—one desecrates the Atonement of Christ, which saved that soul and which makes possible the gift of eternal life. And when one mocks the Son of Righteousness, one steps into a realm of heat hotter and holier than the noonday sun. You cannot do so and not be burned.
Please, never say: “Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now and repent later.” Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with impunity “crucify Christ afresh.” 8 “Flee fornication,” 9 Paul cries, and flee “anything like unto it,” 10 the Doctrine and Covenants adds. Why? Well, for one reason because of the incalculable suffering in both body and spirit endured by the Savior of the world so that we could flee. 11 We owe Him something for that. Indeed, we owe Him everything for that. “Ye are not your own,” Paul says. “Ye [have been] bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 12 In sexual transgression the soul is at stake—the body and the spirit.
· Secondly, may I stress that human intimacy is reserved for a married couple because it is the ultimate symbol of total union, a totality and a union ordained and defined by God. From the Garden of Eden onward, marriage was intended to mean the complete merger of a man and a woman—their hearts, hopes, lives, love, family, future, everything. Adam said of Eve that she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and that they were to be “one flesh” in their life together. 13 This is a union of such completeness that we use the word seal to convey its eternal promise. The Prophet Joseph Smith once said we perhaps could render such a sacred bond as being “welded” 14 one to another.
But such a total union, such an unyielding commitment between a man and a woman, can only come with the proximity and permanence afforded in a marriage covenant, with solemn promises and the pledge of all they possess—their very hearts and minds, all their days and all their dreams.
Can you see the moral schizophrenia that comes from pretending you are one, pretending you have made solemn promises before God, sharing the physical symbols and the physical intimacy of your counterfeit union but then fleeing, retreating, severing all such other aspects of what was meant to be a total obligation?
· Thirdly, may I say that physical intimacy is not only a symbolic union between a husband and a wife—the very uniting of their souls—but it is also symbolic of a shared relationship between them and their Father in Heaven. He is immortal and perfect. We are mortal and imperfect. Nevertheless we seek ways even in mortality whereby we can unite with Him spiritually. In so doing we gain some access to both the grace and the majesty of His power. Those special moments include kneeling at a marriage altar in the house of the Lord, blessing a newborn baby, baptizing and confirming a new member of the Church, partaking of the emblems of the Lord’s Supper, and so forth.
These are moments when we quite literally unite our will with God’s will, our spirit with His spirit, where communion through the veil becomes very real. At such moments we not only acknowledge His divinity but we quite literally take something of that divinity to ourselves. One aspect of that divinity given to virtually all men and women is the use of His power to create a human body, that wonder of all wonders, a genetically and spiritually unique being never before seen in the history of the world and never to be duplicated again in all the ages of eternity. A child, your child—with eyes and ears and fingers and toes and a future of unspeakable grandeur.
Probably only a parent who has held that newborn infant in his or her arms understands the wonder of which I speak. Suffice it to say that of all the titles God has chosen for Himself, Father is the one He favors most, and creation is His watchword—especially human creation, creation in His image. You and I have been given something of that godliness, but under the most serious and sacred of restrictions. The only control placed on us is self-control—self-control born of respect for the divine sacramental power this gift represents (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Personal Purity,” Ensign, Nov 1998, 75)
So, could we argue that if the sexual sin is something that cannot result in the creation of a new life, that it is somehow less serious or less harmful?
No! the consequences of these acts are just as severe to our spirit.
· Sexual immorality is also dangerous because it is so desensitizing. Lasciviousness can, ironically, move people who wrongly celebrate their capacity to feel to a point where they lose their capacity to feel! They become, in the words of three different prophets in three different dispensations, “past feeling” (see 1 Ne. 17:45; Eph. 4:19; Moro. 9:20).
· Unchastity also impacts severely on others, suggesting wrongly to them, among other things, that everyone is, after all, the same; appetites will prevail and, therefore, one might as well join the march of the lemmings. It is too bad that those who are immoral are not required to submit an environmental impact statement before proceeding. The father who somehow gets the strange idea that his adultery is uniquely justified does not fully gauge the impact of that act upon his wife and children. His letting go takes others with him.
· Our latterday prophets have extensively spoken out against the evils of pornography and the irreparable damage it causes in the lives of those who view it and in the lives of their loved ones.
We are living in the perilous days that Paul described when he warned about our day as one when “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, .. false accusers, .. despisers of those that are good, .. heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1–4).
Penicillin instead of abstinence; pills instead of children; partners instead of marriage; childbirth with unwed parents; and old perversions masquerading as new thrills.
If we have chosen this path, is there no way back? No hope?
Unlike the sin against the holy ghost, and the sin of murder, there is forgiveness for sexual sins.
Alma gives Corianton the pattern for repentance
Know the seriousness of your sin- recognize that you are doing something wrong and allow the guilt to motivate you to repent.
“Cross Yourself” –turn away from your evil inclinations, deny yourself of worldly lusts, forsake worldly paths, chart and navigate a path to righteousness.
Refrain from further iniquities
Return to the people and acknowledge your sinful practices- our sins do not only affect us, as the devil would have us selfishly believe. Because of Corianton’s behavior,the people of Antionum would not listen to the words of his father Alma.
Alma 39:11
Behold, O my son, how great ainiquity ye brought upon the bZoramites; for when they saw your cconduct they would not believe in my words.
Alma once did the same thing as Corianton. His experiences as a young man and his journey back into the church prepared him to deal with Corianton’s struggles. He counsels Corianton with love, encouraging him to do the thing that will bring him the most happiness: seek for repentance and allow the atonement to work in your life.
You parents of the willful and the wayward: Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours – long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can omprehend. Orson F. Whitney, CR, Apr, 1929, p.10. I feel that the Lord will give that punishment which is the very least that our transgression will justify…I believe that when it comes to making the rewards for our good conduct, he will give the maximum that is
possible to give. J. Rueben Clark, Jr., Address at BYU, May 3, 1955.)
Alma 36-39
These chapters contain Alma’s counsel to his sons Helaman, Shiblon and Corianton. Although they were meant to personally benefit these men, Alma’s words hold great value to us as Latter Day Saints as well.
Under what circumstances is Alma offering this counsel?
In Chapter 35, we find Alma, Shiblon and Corianton in the land of the Zoramites( also called Antionum) preaching the gospel. The more popular part of the Zoramites wouldn’t have anything to do with them, but the others did. They were divided into two groups.
When the missionaries had finished their preaching to the Zoramites, they departed into the land Jershon . After their departure, the popular Zoramites were angry because of the word, for id destroyed their craft ( priestcraft). The priests and rulers gathered all the people together and started inquiring who believed in the words of Alma. Once they discovered who the converts were, and they were many, they cast them out of the land. This group went to Jershon, a neighboring city to find refuge. There Alma and his brethren ministered unto them.
This did not make the chief ruler of the Zoramites happy. He threatened the people of Ammon- he wanted them to cast out the Zoramite converts. “the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did anourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants” (Alma 35:8)
Now the Zoramites are very angry. They do exactly what Alma had feared all along: they began to mix with the Lamanites and stir them up to anger against the people of Ammon.
Why was this a fear of Alma’s?
This sends us into a little geography lesson: The Zoramites in Antionum were located on top, the Lamanites on the bottom and Jershon in the middle. Alma didn’t want the Zoramites to get together with the Lamanites and make a squeeze-play on the Ammonites in Jershon. Yet, that is exactly what happened. Tactically speaking, this is a very dangerous situation for the Ammonites to be in. Alma’s missionary efforts to the Zoramites were an attempt to strengthen their political position in Antionum. Remember, the preaching of the word had a greater effect on the people than did the sword.
Well, now we are in a big mess. The Lamanites are making preparations for war. The people of Jershon begin clearing out to make way for the Nephite armies to come in.
Alma 35:14-16
14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the atwo sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing bmany of the cZoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands.
15 Now Alma, being agrieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be boffended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his acharge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.
Alma begins by speaking to Helaman. What is the first thing he says to him?
1. Keep the Commandments
Alma 36
1 My ason, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land
This is council that is given several times to Helaman in these chapters and also later to his son Shiblon. It is also given throughout the Book of Mormon by several other prophets. Why is this principle so important that Mormon would include it multiple times?
Mormon had the advantage of the entire collection of written records of his people. He has not only read the scenerio of destruction from disobedience many times, but, he also witnesses it first hand in his day. It is a repetitive cycle. Mormon saw our day. He clearly thought this was important to mention. We need to heed the warning.
As we see problems in our nation and government, what should we do? KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS! In this there is safety and peace.
2. Learn from the past
How many times as parents have you tried to save your children from making the same mistakes you have made in your life? Or, tried to steer them clear of what you know will ultimately be very painful experiences?
That is what Alma is doing here for Helaman. Alma recounts the days when he persecuted the church and sought to destroy it. He relates his conversion process contrasting the inexpressible horror he felt while remembering his sins to the exquisite and sweet joy that was his when he realized the role the Savior plays in each of our lives in saving us from the everlasting chains of sin.
The lesson learned here need not stop at Helaman. Pres. Ezra Taft Benson said, “The object of studying the Book of Mormon is to learn from the experiences of those who have gone before us that blessings come by keeping the commandments of God and that tragedy is the result of disobedience. By learning from the lessons of the past, mistakes need not be repeated in our own lives." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p51)
3. Missionary Work is Important
Alma 35
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto arepentance; that I might bring them to btaste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be cborn of God, and be dfilled with the Holy Ghost.
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth agive me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my blabors;
We have probably all seen the joy that fills new converts lives, what about those who are instrumental in their conversion?
Why does it fill you with great joy when you see others enter into the church through your efforts?
The Lord’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Ours is a joint effort in that great plan. Our spirits feel the kinship we shared in the pre-existence and rejoice when our spirit brothers and sisters join with us again on that road that leads us back home.
4. The Scriptures are Essential
Alma 37
8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, athey have benlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the cknowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.
9 Yea, I say unto you, awere it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have bconvinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their cwords brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
10 And who knoweth but what they will be the ameans of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our bstiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.
12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a awise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth bcounsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is cone eternal round.
Why were the scriptures valuable to Alma?
§ It is one of the means that the Lord uses to bring about his eternal purposes.
§ They confound the wise.
§ Brings salvation to many souls.
§ They enlarge the memory of the people.
§ Convince the wicked of the error of their ways.
§ Provide a knowledge of God.
§ Provide a knowledge of the commandments
How are the scriptures valuable to us in the latter days?
Pres. Robert D. Hales, “Brothers and sisters, I testify that the scriptures have been “kept and preserved [for us] by the hand of the Lord … for a wise purpose in him.”9 Lehi prophesied, “These plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.”10 The Lord covenanted with Enos to preserve and bring forth the scriptures “in his … due time.”11 Of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni recorded, it was “written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed.”12 The scriptures which we have give prophecies and promises, and they have been fulfilled in our day.
What a glorious blessing! For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline. Behind the darkness of the Iron Curtain, the Saints survived because they heard His voice through the scriptures. In other parts of the world, when members couldn’t attend Church for a time, they continued to worship God because they heard His voice through the scriptures. Throughout all the wars of the past century and the conflicts that rage today, Latter-day Saints survive because they hear His voice through the scriptures. For the Lord has said, “The scriptures shall be given … to the salvation of mine own elect; for they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep, and shall abide the day of my coming; for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.”13 (Robert D. Hales, “Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation,” Liahona, Nov 2006, 24–27)
5. What to teach the people
As Alma’s oldest son, Helaman will someday take over leadership responsibilities. Alma instructs him of the most important things to teach the people:
Alma 37
32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting ahatred against sin and iniquity.
33 aPreach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be bmeek and lowly in heart; teach them to cwithstand every dtemptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find arest to their souls.
35 O, remember, my son, and alearn bwisdom in thy cyouth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.
36 Yea, and acry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy bdoings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy cthoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
37 aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
To me, this council could not have been more inspired knowing that Helaman will soon take charge of the 2000 sons of the Ammonites in defending the Nephites. These high standards coupled with the faith they learned at their mother’s knees no doubt had everything to do with their survival.
In Chapter 38 We learn of Alma’s counsel to Shiblon.
What kind of man was Shiblon?
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your asteadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that bendureth to the end.
3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the aZoramites.
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with apatience because the Lord was bwith thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
Alma is pleased with his son and praises him. He also admonishes Shiblon to keep the commandments, He summarizes his conversion story and bears testimony of Jesus Christ.
Shiblon has been a great missionary. The remainder of Alma’s counsel is a reminder to Shiblon how to conduct himself as he continues to preach the gospel.
1. Be diligent and temperate in all things (v10).
Alma knew that moderation and Diligence in all things brings success and happiness. Pres. Dieter Uchdorf in latter days has counseled, “Are we diligent in living the commandments of God, without running beyond our strength? Or are we just leisurely strolling along? Are we using our time, talents, and means wisely? Are we focused on the things which matter most? Are we following the inspired counsel of the prophets?
One example of great importance for humanity is strengthening our own families. The principle of family home evening was given to us in 1915. President McKay reminded parents again in 1964 that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.”2 In 1995 the prophets of our day called upon all the world to strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.3 And in 1999 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles lovingly stated: “We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.”4 (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Heeding the Voice of the Prophets,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 4–7 )
2. See that ye are not lifted up unto pride" (v11). Do not boast in your own wisdom or strength.
Pres. Ezra Taft Benson spent a great deal of his ministry warning the latter day saints of the perils of pride, “The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)
3. "Use boldness, but not overbearance" (v12).
Pres. Dallin H. Oaks said, “We live in a time when some misrepresent the beliefs of those they call Mormons and even revile us because of them. When we encounter such misrepresentations, we have a duty to speak out to clarify our doctrine and what we believe. We should be the ones to state our beliefs rather than allowing others the final word in misrepresenting them. This calls for testimony, which can be expressed privately to an acquaintance or publicly in a small or large meeting. As we testify of the truth we know, we should faithfully follow the caution to speak “in mildness and in meekness” (D&C 38:41). We should never be overbearing, shrill, or reviling. As the Apostle Paul taught, we should speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). Anyone can disagree with our personal testimony, but no one can refute it.
4. "...bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love" (v12). Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "Whereas the natural man vents his anger, the men and women of Christ are 'not easily provoked' (1 Corinthians 13:5). Whereas the natural man is filled with greed, the men and women of Christ 'seeketh not [their] own' (1 Corinthians 13:5). Whereas the natural man seldom denies himself worldly pleasures, the men and women of Christ seek to bridle all their passions (see Alma 38:12)." (Men and Women of Christ, p14)
5. See that ye refrain from idleness (v12).
· Spencer W. Kimball quoted a judge and his observation about youth: "As I see young people of what I consider an employable age sitting around drive-ins or malt shops, on park benches, or at the beaches, cruising around in cars or hanging around on the street corners at all hours of the day and the night, I am amazed at their ability to stay out of trouble as well as they do . . . idleness is a prime factor in most juvenile misbehavior." (Conference Report, Oct 1963)
§ "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:32). How can we possibly justify idleness when there is such important work to do.
6. Do not pray as the Zoramites do.
"...but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy--yea, acknowledge
Lastly Alma addresses his son Corianton. What kind of man is Corianton?
Corianton was a faithful member of the church with a strong testimony. Alma chose him, along with other powerful missionaries, to accompany him to Antionum to preach the gospel to the Zoramites.
However, Corianton made some poor choices on his mission. He forsook the ministry and went out among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.
What behaviors led Corianton on this road to immorality?
1. Alma 39:2 - Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.
This is not so different from what happens to many of us today. We have been taught what is right and have strong values yet, we often put ourselves in questionable situations thinking, “ I can handle it – I’m strong enough to resist the temptation.” We, like Corianton, sometimes have to learn the hard way that NONE of us are strong enough ON OUR OWN to resist the enticements of the Devil. HE is cunning, he knows our weaknesses and goes right for the jugular!
So, how do we resist? Alma tells us:
Alma 13:28
"...humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering." (Alma 13:28)
2. Alma 39:3 -thou didst forsake the ministry
Corianton did not follow the mission rules. He lost his focus . Had he been where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to be doing, he would not have been led away.
3. Alma 39:3-4 - [he went] over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel. Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted
He chose new friends poorly. He knew what Isabel was and chose to pursue her anyway. He gave way to worldly pressures.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Do not company with fornicators—not because you are too good for them but, as C.S. Lewis wrote, because you are not good enough. Remember that bad situations can wear down even good people. Joseph had both good sense and good legs in fleeing from Potiphar’s wife” (Neal A. Maxwell, “The Stern but Sweet Seventh Commandment,” New Era, Jun 1979, 36)
Alma 39
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most aabominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent bblood or denying the Holy Ghost?
6 For behold, if ye adeny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is bunpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain cforgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
Why are sexual transgressions so serious in nature?
Jeffrey R. Holland, “By assigning such seriousness to a physical appetite so universally bestowed, what is God trying to tell us about its place in His plan for all men and women? I submit to you He is doing precisely that—commenting about the very plan of life itself. Clearly among His greatest concerns regarding mortality are how one gets into this world and how one gets out of it. He has set very strict limits in these matters.
Fortunately, in the case of how life is terminated, most seem to be quite responsible. But in the significance of giving life, we sometimes find near-criminal irresponsibility. May I offer three reasons why this is an issue of such magnitude and consequence in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
· The body is an essential part of the soul. This distinctive and very important Latter-day Saint doctrine underscores why sexual sin is so serious. We declare that one who uses the God-given body of another without divine sanction abuses the very soul of that individual, abuses the central purpose and processes of life, “the very key” 7 to life, as President Boyd K. Packer once called it. In exploiting the body of another—which means exploiting his or her soul—one desecrates the Atonement of Christ, which saved that soul and which makes possible the gift of eternal life. And when one mocks the Son of Righteousness, one steps into a realm of heat hotter and holier than the noonday sun. You cannot do so and not be burned.
Please, never say: “Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now and repent later.” Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with impunity “crucify Christ afresh.” 8 “Flee fornication,” 9 Paul cries, and flee “anything like unto it,” 10 the Doctrine and Covenants adds. Why? Well, for one reason because of the incalculable suffering in both body and spirit endured by the Savior of the world so that we could flee. 11 We owe Him something for that. Indeed, we owe Him everything for that. “Ye are not your own,” Paul says. “Ye [have been] bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 12 In sexual transgression the soul is at stake—the body and the spirit.
· Secondly, may I stress that human intimacy is reserved for a married couple because it is the ultimate symbol of total union, a totality and a union ordained and defined by God. From the Garden of Eden onward, marriage was intended to mean the complete merger of a man and a woman—their hearts, hopes, lives, love, family, future, everything. Adam said of Eve that she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and that they were to be “one flesh” in their life together. 13 This is a union of such completeness that we use the word seal to convey its eternal promise. The Prophet Joseph Smith once said we perhaps could render such a sacred bond as being “welded” 14 one to another.
But such a total union, such an unyielding commitment between a man and a woman, can only come with the proximity and permanence afforded in a marriage covenant, with solemn promises and the pledge of all they possess—their very hearts and minds, all their days and all their dreams.
Can you see the moral schizophrenia that comes from pretending you are one, pretending you have made solemn promises before God, sharing the physical symbols and the physical intimacy of your counterfeit union but then fleeing, retreating, severing all such other aspects of what was meant to be a total obligation?
· Thirdly, may I say that physical intimacy is not only a symbolic union between a husband and a wife—the very uniting of their souls—but it is also symbolic of a shared relationship between them and their Father in Heaven. He is immortal and perfect. We are mortal and imperfect. Nevertheless we seek ways even in mortality whereby we can unite with Him spiritually. In so doing we gain some access to both the grace and the majesty of His power. Those special moments include kneeling at a marriage altar in the house of the Lord, blessing a newborn baby, baptizing and confirming a new member of the Church, partaking of the emblems of the Lord’s Supper, and so forth.
These are moments when we quite literally unite our will with God’s will, our spirit with His spirit, where communion through the veil becomes very real. At such moments we not only acknowledge His divinity but we quite literally take something of that divinity to ourselves. One aspect of that divinity given to virtually all men and women is the use of His power to create a human body, that wonder of all wonders, a genetically and spiritually unique being never before seen in the history of the world and never to be duplicated again in all the ages of eternity. A child, your child—with eyes and ears and fingers and toes and a future of unspeakable grandeur.
Probably only a parent who has held that newborn infant in his or her arms understands the wonder of which I speak. Suffice it to say that of all the titles God has chosen for Himself, Father is the one He favors most, and creation is His watchword—especially human creation, creation in His image. You and I have been given something of that godliness, but under the most serious and sacred of restrictions. The only control placed on us is self-control—self-control born of respect for the divine sacramental power this gift represents (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Personal Purity,” Ensign, Nov 1998, 75)
So, could we argue that if the sexual sin is something that cannot result in the creation of a new life, that it is somehow less serious or less harmful?
No! the consequences of these acts are just as severe to our spirit.
· Sexual immorality is also dangerous because it is so desensitizing. Lasciviousness can, ironically, move people who wrongly celebrate their capacity to feel to a point where they lose their capacity to feel! They become, in the words of three different prophets in three different dispensations, “past feeling” (see 1 Ne. 17:45; Eph. 4:19; Moro. 9:20).
· Unchastity also impacts severely on others, suggesting wrongly to them, among other things, that everyone is, after all, the same; appetites will prevail and, therefore, one might as well join the march of the lemmings. It is too bad that those who are immoral are not required to submit an environmental impact statement before proceeding. The father who somehow gets the strange idea that his adultery is uniquely justified does not fully gauge the impact of that act upon his wife and children. His letting go takes others with him.
· Our latterday prophets have extensively spoken out against the evils of pornography and the irreparable damage it causes in the lives of those who view it and in the lives of their loved ones.
We are living in the perilous days that Paul described when he warned about our day as one when “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, .. false accusers, .. despisers of those that are good, .. heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1–4).
Penicillin instead of abstinence; pills instead of children; partners instead of marriage; childbirth with unwed parents; and old perversions masquerading as new thrills.
If we have chosen this path, is there no way back? No hope?
Unlike the sin against the holy ghost, and the sin of murder, there is forgiveness for sexual sins.
Alma gives Corianton the pattern for repentance
Know the seriousness of your sin- recognize that you are doing something wrong and allow the guilt to motivate you to repent.
“Cross Yourself” –turn away from your evil inclinations, deny yourself of worldly lusts, forsake worldly paths, chart and navigate a path to righteousness.
Refrain from further iniquities
Return to the people and acknowledge your sinful practices- our sins do not only affect us, as the devil would have us selfishly believe. Because of Corianton’s behavior,the people of Antionum would not listen to the words of his father Alma.
Alma 39:11
Behold, O my son, how great ainiquity ye brought upon the bZoramites; for when they saw your cconduct they would not believe in my words.
Alma once did the same thing as Corianton. His experiences as a young man and his journey back into the church prepared him to deal with Corianton’s struggles. He counsels Corianton with love, encouraging him to do the thing that will bring him the most happiness: seek for repentance and allow the atonement to work in your life.
You parents of the willful and the wayward: Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours – long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can omprehend. Orson F. Whitney, CR, Apr, 1929, p.10. I feel that the Lord will give that punishment which is the very least that our transgression will justify…I believe that when it comes to making the rewards for our good conduct, he will give the maximum that is
possible to give. J. Rueben Clark, Jr., Address at BYU, May 3, 1955.)
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