Institute Nursery

Thanks to the graciousness of Chari Terri, we now have a nursery on Monday mornings. Please tell your moms to come to institute. Might be the only church meeting they get to sit all the way through for years!

Questions

What kind of questions might you have for our Oral Final?

Open Class

If you have any suggestions for the open class/oral final, I'd love to here them!

question

For those wanting to study ahead, we will be talking about the Law of Restoration from Alma 41. The question is: What have you lost that you'd like to be restored?

Alma 13-16

BOOK OF MORMON LESSON #24
“GIVE US STRENGTH ACCORDING TO OUR
FAITH . . . IN CHRIST”
ALMA 13-16
by Ted L. Gibbons
AUTHOR’S NOTE: You must understand that these lessons are not
designed to replace the experience you should have in your ward or
branch Gospel Doctrine class. I am hopeful that they will expand your
understanding of the scriptures and (if you are teaching) your ability to
help your students know and love and use the scriptures. But if would
be awful if anyone were to neglect that classroom experience in favor
of these lessons.
The manual (which I always have before me as I write these lessons) is
wonderful. It was prepared by inspired and dedicated members, under
the direction of members of the Seventy and the Twelve. It carries the
certificate of their approval. If you must choose one or the
other—these lessons or the real lessons—discard these and run–don’t
walk, run—to Sunday School.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Without reservation I promise you that if you will
prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you
have previously read it, there will come into your heart an added measure
of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to
walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger
testimony of the living reality of the Son of God. (Elder Gordon B.
Hinckley, Fai th, the Essence of True Rel igion, p. 64)
INTRODUCTION: These chapters are about many things: about
priesthood and pre-existence and patience and power, but mostly about
power. Moroni declared, “And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me
ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” (Moroni
7:33)
This power that grows out of faith would be crucial in the ministry of AlmaPage 2 of 13, BM LESSON 24
and Amulek, but only when the time was right.
And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they
could not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible
that any man could slay them; nevertheless they did not
exercise their power until they were bound in bands and cast
into prison. Now, this was done that the Lord might show forth
his power in them. (Alma 8:31)
1. ALMA GIVES A POWERFUL DISCOURSE ON PRIESTHOOD AND
FOREORDINATION (Alma 13)
The Book of Mormon Is full of mysteries, meaning things I don’t
understand. Yet. One of those mysteries is why what seems to me to be
the deepest, most difficult chapter in the Book of Mormon, Alma 13, was
given as a sermon to the degenerate folks of Ammonihah. I think I have
spent as much time pondering this chapter as any chapter in the book,
and I still have about three zillion questions. How did the people of
Ammonihah handle it?
But that is not the concern of these present meditations. We ought to
look for a moment at the message of this chapter for us.
Alma 13 teaches that the blessings of the high priesthood, especially the
calling of h i g h p r i e s t, come by a holy cal l ing. That phrase appears seven
times in Alma 13.
But the concept of holiness receives further emphasis in Alma 13.
Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with
a holy cal l ing, and ordained with a h o l y o r d i n a n c e, and taking
upon them the high priesthood of the h o l y o r d e r, which calling,
and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or
end—(Alma 13:8).
The calling to the Melchizedek Priesthood is more than a holy calling: it is
a h o l y c a l l i n g b y a h o l y o r d i n a n c e t o a h o l y o r d e r . This suggests clearlyPage 3 of 13, BM LESSON 24
an inescapable obligation of those who receive this priesthood: they must
be holy!
The calling comes in part because of preparation in the pre-earth life.
Why were some spirits sent to earth among the Amalekites,
the Assyrians, and the Babylonians, while others at the same
moments found birth in the house of Israel? Why was Antipas
sent as the son of a debauched and evil Herod, while John
the Baptist came into the home of a priestly Zacharias and a
saintly Elisabeth?
All of these things operate by law; they are the outgrowth of
long years of personal preparation in preexistence on the part
of each individual; they come to pass according to the laws
that the Lord has ordained. This second estate is a
continuation of our first estate; we are born here with the
talents and capacities acquired there. Abraham was one of
the noble and great spirits in the premortal life. He was
chosen for his mortal ministry and position before he was
born, and as with the father of the faithful so with all of the
spirits destined to be born as his seed.
The greatest and most important talent or capacity that any of
the spirit children of the Father could gain is the talent of
spirituality. Most of those who gained this talent were chosen,
before they were born, to come to earth as members of the
house of Israel. They were foreordained to receive the
blessings that the Lord promised to Abraham and to his seed
in all their generations. This foreordination is an election, Paul
tells us, and truly it is so, for those so chosen, selected, or
elected become, in this life, the favored people. Though all
mankind may be saved by obedience, some find it easier to
believe and obey than others. Hence the concept, taught by
Jesus, that his sheep know his voice and will not follow the
dissident voices of the world. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New
Wi tness for the Ar t icles of Fai th, p.512 - p.513)Page 4 of 13, BM LESSON 24
Why was it that “the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order . . .”?
These two reasons appear in Alma 13.
1 . “That thereby the people might know in what manner to look
forward to [the] Son” (Alma 13:2)
2 . “To teach his commandments unto the children of men” (Alma 13:6)
And why were some chosen while others were not?
1 . “According to the foreknowledge of God” (Alma 13:3)
2 . “In the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they
having chosen good . . .” (Alma 13:3)
3 . “Exercising exceedingly great faith . . .” (Alma 13:3)
And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account
of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on
account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their
minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as
great privilege as their brethren. Or in fine, in the first place
they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this
holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world
for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and
through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was
prepared– And thus being called by this holy calling, and
ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to
teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they
also might enter into his rest—(Alma 13:4-6).
The calling is an eternal one, “which calling, and ordinance, and high
priesthood. Is without beginning or end. Thus they become high priests
forever . . . (Alma 13:8,9) just like Melchizekdek “who also took upon him
the high priesthood forever.” (Alma 13:14)
Alma, having explained the nature of his calling and authority in
Ammonihah, appealed one last time to the people to repent.
And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my
heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye wouldPage 5 of 13, BM LESSON 24
hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not
procrastinate the day of your repentance . . . (Alma 13:27)
2. ALMA, AMULEK, AND OTHER BELIEVERS ARE PERSECUTED FOR
THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Alma 14)
As I mentioned in the Int roduct ion, our spiritual power is linked to our
faith in Christ. Joseph Smith, speaking of faith, said this:
Let us here observe, that three things are necessary in order
that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in
God unto life and salvation.
First , the idea that he actually exists.
Secondly , a cor rect idea of his character , per fect ions, and
attributes.
Thirdly , an actual knowledge that the course of life which he
is pursuing is according to his will. For without an
acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of
every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but
with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful,
abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God
the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Lectures on Faith,
Lecture Thi rd, para. 2-5, p. 33)
In order to simplify the application of these principles, I have reworded
these three things into four, as follows:
1 . Believe in God
2 . Understand his nature
3 . Find out what he wants you to do
4 . Do i t
Like all the rest of us, Alma and his companion believe in God and
understand his nature. Most of our struggles come with the third and
fourth steps. Alma 14-16 teaches great lessons about those two stepsPage 6 of 13, BM LESSON 24
and the power that comes when we apply them.
Not ice the resul ts of this missionary ef for t :
AND it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking
unto the people many of them did believe on his words, and
began to repent, and to search the scriptures. (Alma 14:1)
Even though many were moved in the direction of repentance, most were
not.
But the more part of them were desirous that they might
destroy Alma and Amulek . . . (Alma 14:2)
These missionaries were finally bound and delivered to the chief judge
(see Alma 14:4,5). Zeezrom, whose heart had been touched, tried to
intervene, but “they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them,
and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by
Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones
at them.” (Alma 14:7)
A careful reading of this passage and others makes it seem that only the
men were cast out. (See Alma 14:8; 15:1,2) The women and children
were retained for a more diabolic purpose.
And they brought their wives and children together, and
whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word
of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and
they also brought forth their records which contained the holy
scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be
burned and destroyed by fire. (Alma 14:8)
Remember what we read in Alma 8:9? Here we see a heart-rending
proof of that verse. What kind of people would throw women and their
children into a fire? And not satisfied with the expulsion and destruction
of those who had believed Alma and Amulek, they
took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place ofPage 7 of 13, BM LESSON 24
martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those
who were consumed by fire. (Alma 14:9)
These are truly awful people!
I cannot help but wonder about Amulek’s family. We read in Alma 9:11
about the women and children of Amulek. Unless Alma sounded an early
warning and they escaped, or they rejected the truths taught by Alma
before the burning, they might have been among those being consumed
before Alma and Amulek.
Amulek [had] forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his
precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the
word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his
friends and also by his father and his kindred . . .(Alma
1 5 : 1 6 ) .
We also learn here that Amulek came and lived with Alma and that Alma
“did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the
Lord” (Alma 15:18) .
Amulek is nearly overcome by the scene:
And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children
who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he
said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene?
Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the
power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
(Alma 14:10)
Under almost any circumstance, righteous men who had the power would
act instantly to prevent further suffering. But there is this other
considerat ion for those of great fai th: f ind out what God wants you to do.
Sometimes the thing that God wants us to do is to do nothing.
But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must
not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth
them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that theyPage 8 of 13, BM LESSON 24
may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto
them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the
judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath
may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a
witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at
the last day. (Alma 14:11)
I think it would have been easier for both of them to leap into the fire and
die with their converts than to observe and do nothing, when God had
given them such great power. This is an important lesson. We must
always be ready to act (or not act) in accordance with the will of the
Father and the Son, no matter how much it might contradict our own will.
At least the two witnesses had this assurance: the martyrs would be
exalted, for “the Lord receiveth them up unto himself in glory . . .” And
what an inditement the record of this event would be against those
heartless murderers on the day of judgement.
When the innocent and the scriptures were consumed, the chief judge
approached the captives. “After what ye have seen, will ye preach again
unto this people, that they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?”
(Alma 14:15)
And then he began to talk about power: “Behold, ye see that ye had not
power to save those who had been cast into the fire . . .” (Alma 14:15)
Well, since power is invisible, how would he know? Like all men
destitute of the Spirit, he could not comprehend men with power who
were unwilling to use it.
Like many others, I have had the experience of being restrained by the
Spirit in the exercise of priesthood power. On one occasion I c o u l d n o t
give a blessing and on another I was restrained from making promises I
had longed to make
as I gave a blessing. The key that transforms faith into power is this
willingness to be obedient, for there is a direct correlation between
obedience and faith.
Fai th is a gi f t of God bestowed as a reward for personalPage 9 of 13, BM LESSON 24
righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is
present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God's
laws the greater will be the endowment of faith. Hence the
Prophet says that to acquire faith men must gain the actual
knowledge "that the course of life which they pursue is
according to the will of God . . .” (Bruce R. McConkie, M o r m o n
Do c t r i n e, p.264)
During this and subsequent visits by the judicial leaders of Ammonihah,
Alma and Amulek were smitten repeatedly (see Alma
14:14,17,20,22,24,25). In addition, they endured gnashing of teeth,
spitting (14:21), mockery, hunger, thirst, nakedness, being bound with
strong cords, and confinement (see 14:22), all the while being challenged
about their power (see Alma 14:15, 20, 24).
How long did all this last? Alma 14:23 tells us that the final day of their
incarceration was the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of
the reign of the judges . Alma returned to Ammonihah on the fourth day
of the seventh month (see Alma 10:6). Thus, three months and eight
days have passed since Alma and Amulek met. We are not certain how
long Alma stayed with Amulek nor how long their preaching lasted, but
much of this time must have been spent in prison, because their
deliverance only occurred “after they had thus suffered for many days . .
. (Alma 14:23) “.
Overshadowing the time of this abuse and indignity was the question
asked by the chief judge and many others. “If ye have such great power,
why do ye not deliver yourselves?” (Alma 14:20; see also 14:24).
The only possible answer to this question, based on the final outcome of
their experience, is that they were tarrying so that they could find out what
God wanted them to do. They were waiting on the will of God.
It happened on the date mentioned above.
And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them
again, and said unto them: I f ye have the power of God
d e l i v e r y o u r s e l v e s from these bands, and then we will believePage 10 of 13, BM LESSON 24
that the Lord will destroy this people according to your words.
(Alma 14:24, emp h a s i s a d d e d)
Everybody in the chief judge’s party had a go at them. “They all went
forth and smote them, saying the same words . . .” (Alma 14:25)
and when the last had spoken unto them the power of . . .
God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood
upon their feet. And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we
suf fer these great af f l ict ions, O Lord? O Lord, give us st rength
[power] according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto
deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were
bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for
the fear of destruction had come upon them. (Alma 14:25,26)
What would you pay for a video tape of the faces of those men when
Alma and Amulek stood up and snapped the s t r o n g c o r d s ( 1 4 : 2 2 ) with
which they were bound? Talk about a Kodak moment!
No one in the prison survived, of course, except our two heroes, who had
received strength –power–according to their faith, which was in Christ.
The fear felt by those in the prison was experienced by the people of the
city as well. Imagine the circumstances: The people of the ci ty are just
si t t ing down for a quiet meal when the ear th begins to shake. The al l
race to the doors of thei r homes and see a great cloud of dust bi l lowing
into the ai r over the locat ion of the pr ison. From al l di rect ions they run
together to see what has happened. When they are close enough, they
see the pr ison dest royed, the wal ls fal len to the ear th. And then, f rom the
rubble of the pr ison, wear ing thei r bi r thday sui ts, walk two men. Like
those in the prison, these citizens were struck with great fear. They “f led
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.” (Alma 14:29)
Why did it happen? What made possible the destruction of the prison
and their escape? “The Lord had granted unto them power, according to
their faith which was in Christ.” (Alma 14:28)Page 11 of 13, BM LESSON 24
Our ability to deliver ourselves from the prisons of sin and selfgratification, or to overcome the Goliath-like giants of impure thoughts
and family contention, or to defeat the armies of carnality and immorality
can come only in the same way it came to Alma and Amulek. We must
obey in the little things–our prayers, our scripture study, our callings and
appointments. Then when the great challenges come, we will have
sufficient faith in Christ to find the power we need to overcome. Other
examples of this principle at work can be found in Moses 7:13; 1 Samuel
14:6-16; 1 Samuel 17; 3 Nephi 7:18, and others. As your review these
examples, watch for the four steps by which faith becomes power.
1 . Believe in God
2 . Understand his nature
3 . Find out what he wants you to do
4 . Do i t
3. ZEEZROM IS HEALED AND BAPTIZED (Alma 15)
Notice in Alma 15:1 why Alma and Amulek left Ammonihah. They were
c omma n d e d t o d o s o . I am left with the feeling that if they had not been
commanded, they might have remained a bit longer in hope of bringing a
few more souls to repentance, but they must have seen that “the day of
grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually . . .”
(Mormon 2:15) for, in spite of what had happened to the prison and their
leaders,
. . . ,the people that were in the land of Ammonihah . . .
remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they
repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and
Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor,
and did not believe in the repentance of their sins. (Alma
15:15)
And so they departed to the land of Sidom where they found the outcasts
from Ammonihah and “related unto them all that had happened unto their
wives and children.” (Alma 15:2)
They found Zeezrom suffering greatly because of his wickedness. AfterPage 12 of 13, BM LESSON 24
an interview about faith,
Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, have mercy
on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in
Christ. And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom
leaped upon his feet, and began to walk . . . (Alma 15:10,11)
Zeezrom was baptized, “and he began from that time forth to preach unto
the people.” (Alma 15:12)
This reorganizat ion of pr ior i t ies is typical of al l t rue conver ts. Not ice in
Alma 15:16 what Amulek was willing to do because of his conversion.
What are you willing to place on the altar? What will you give to know
him and serve him? What an awful day of judgement awaits those who
cling to their sins like the people of Ammonihah.
4. THE WORDS OF ALMA ARE FULFILLED AS THE LAMANITES
DESTROY AMMONIHAH (Alma 16)
Early in the eleventh year, the Lamanites came “into the borders of the
land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and
destroy the city.” (Alma 16:2)
and the people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every . . .
living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also
their great city, which they said God could not destroy,
because of its greatness. But behold, in one day it was left
desolate; and the carcases were mangled by dogs and wild
beasts of the wilderness. (Alma 16:9,10)
CONCLUSION:
They said it couldn’t be done. They refused to believe the words of Alma
(Alma 9:4). What person or God had the power to do what Alma had
said would be done. The people of Ammonihah had forgotten the nature
of God, and that he and his worthy servants had power.
Reading this, I was reminded of the worlds of Nebuchadnezzar to thePage 13 of 13, BM LESSON 24
three Hebrews who would not worship his golden image. After warning
them of the consequences of refusing to worship his new god, he
declared, “and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”
(Daniel 3:15) Nebuchadnezzar was acquainted with metal gods who just
stood there. Like the Ammonihahites, he did not realize that God and his
worthy servants had power.
The story of Ammonihah, and the words of Joseph Smith, teach us how
to partake of that power.

Alma 8-12

Alma 8-12


I.
Our Changing World and How to Cope: Stress Busters, Bear Necessities, Hukuna Matada
II.
Alma 8:
1-6
Alma has success in Melek

“He [Joseph Smith] said it tried some of the pious folks to see him play ball with the boys.
He then related a story of a certain prophet who was sitting under the shade of a tree
amusing himself in some way, when a hunter came along with his bow and arrow, and
reproved him. The prophet asked him if he kept his bow strung up all the time. The
hunter answered that he did not. The prophet asked why, and he said it would loose its
elasticity if he did. The prophet said it was just so with his mind, he did not want it strung
up all the time” (Joseph Smith, Joseph Smith: The Man and the Seer, Hyrum Andrus, p.
16).

“Wrestling with God? Does God resist you? Do you have to resist him? No, you
have to put yourself into position, in the right state of mind. Remember, in our daily walks
of life as we go around doing things, we're far removed…You have to get yourself in
form, like a wrestler having to look around for a hold or get a grip, as Jacob did when he
wrestled with the Lord. You have to size yourself up, take your stance, circle the ring, and
try to find out how you're going to deal with this particular problem. You're not wrestling
with the Lord; you're wrestling with yourself. Remember, Enos is the one who really
wrestled. And he told us what he meant when he was wrestling; he was wrestling with
himself, his own inadequacies. How can I possibly face the Lord in my condition, is what
he says.

“…It takes great mental effort to confront the Lord in all seriousness. We do it at
various shallow levels, by routine. We have a prayer here because we feel we should. If
we're going to make it really serious, we have to work on it harder…and very few people
are willing to do it, but it really pays off because you know exactly what you want and
where you stand.” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, lecture 47, pp. 3012).


7-18
Alma struggles to teach the wicked in Ammonihah

“[Ammonihah]. A western city of the Nephites situated in the same region as the cities of
Melek, Noah, and Aaron. It was inhabited almost exclusively by the followers of Nehor,
and was notorious for the wickedness of its citizens” {see Psalms 4:2) (Reynolds and
Sjodahl, p. 146).

10-11
An unanswered prayer “Why does Garth Brooks sing “I thank God for
unanswered prayers?”


“If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the
wicked destroyed, the whole program of the father would be annulled and the basic
principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. No man would have to live by faith.
If joy and peace were instantaneously given to the doer of good, there could be no evil all
would do good but not because of the righteousness of doing good. There would be
no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency,
only satanic controls. Should all prayers be immediately answered according to our
selfish desires and our limited understanding, then there would be little or no suffering,
sorrow, disappointment, or even death, and if these were not, there would also be no joy,
success, resurrection, nor eternal life and godhood” (Spencer W. Kimball, Faith
Precedes the Miracle, p. 97, emphasis added).

“I want you to know that I know that whenever one of Heavenly Father’s children kneels
and talks to him, he listens. I know this as well as I know anything in this world - that
Heavenly Father listens to every prayer from his children. I know our prayers ascend to
heaven. No matter what we may have done wrong, he listens to us” (H. Burke Peterson,
Ensign, June 1981, p. 73).

“[Sometimes] the Lord...responds...to prayer by withholding an answer when prayer is
offered. Why would he do that? He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our
capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the
beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experiences: When he answers yes, it is to
give confidence. When he answers no, it is to prevent error. When he withholds an
answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and
a willingness to act on truth” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, November 1989, p. 32).

“An angel sent from the courts of glory - the same angel who had struck down the
wayward and wandering Alma and the sons of Mosiah about two decades earlier (see
Mosiah 27, Alma 36) - had returned to offer consolation and comfort and counsel”
(Millett and McConkie, p. 59).

“ I am convinced that one of the profound themes of the Book of Mormon, one which
may not yet have been developed enough in our teaching of young people, is the role and
prevalence and central participation of angels in the everlasting gospel story. Especially
those who lived in trust before Christ came [86% of Book of Mormon, more than four-
fifths, comes out of a period before Christ’s personal appearance to the Nephites; See
Moroni 7:21-22,25]...May I suggest to you that one of the things we need to teach our
students, and one of the things which will become more important in their lives the longer
they live, is the reality of angels, their work, and their ministry. Obviously I speak here
not alone of the angel Moroni, but also of those more personal ministering angels who are
with us and around us, empowered to help us, and who do exactly that” (Jeffrey R.
Holland, BYU Religious Educators Symposium, August 1994, p.11).

13 Trials


“In my early missions, when preaching in the Southern States - Arkansas,
Tennessee, and Kentucky - I have waded swamps and rivers and have walked 70
miles or more without eating. In those days we counted it a blessing to go into a
place where there was a Latter-day Saint. I went once 150 miles to see one; and
when I got there he had apostatized, and tried to kill me. Then, after traveling 72
miles without food, I sat down to eat my meal with a Missouri mobocrat, and he
damning and cursing me all the time.” (Wilford Woodruff, Church News, 5/18/96,

p. Z1).
“You must know that Lucifer will oppose you, and be prepared for his opposition.
Do not be surprised. He wants you to fail…Have courage and go forward.
Recognize that the gospel has been preached with some pain and sorrow from the
very beginning of time. Do not expect that your experience will be otherwise.”
(James E. Faust, Church News, 5/18/96, p. Z1).

14-15 The Same Angel

The angel which first called Alma to repentance returns for a second visit. Alma
had undergone such an incredible spiritual transformation since then that he must
have been filled with joy to commune again with this angel. No longer did he suffer
the pains of a damned soul. He had been valiant in the cause of truth from that time
forth. Just when Alma was at his lowest, being weighed down with
sorrow…tribulation and anguish of soul, the Lord had sent him that angel who was
most able to offer consolation. The consolation was the most comforting message
possible—that his sacrifice had been acceptable to the Lord.

19-32 Amulek is prepared to receive Alma

After the angel appeared to Alma to send him back to Ammonihah, he returned speedily

(v. 18). Yet, Alma seems to take his time before preaching again. He deliberately spends
many days with Amulek. This wasn’t because Alma was lazy or afraid of the people. It
was important for him to teach Amulek and his family so that Amulek could accompany
him on his mission. Again, Alma shows a great understanding of the things of the Spirit.
Once he arrives in Ammonihah, he does not make the mistake of rushing out to preach
without first spending an adequate amount of time with his first convert and next
missionary companion.
“…by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Amulek was transformed from
someone who resisted the word of God into a powerful preacher of righteousness. And it
took only days, not months or years. The record says that Alma stayed in Amulek’s home
for ‘many days’ (Alma 8:27). During that time Alma taught Amulek. And an angel,
perhaps the one who first commanded Amulek to receive Alma into his home, came to
him to confirm what Alma taught. Amulek stated, ‘And again, I know that the things
whereof he hath testified are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth, even
so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto me; and this he has done while


this Alma hath dwelt at my house’ (Alma 10:10).

“By obeying Christ’s authority through His servants, Amulek was blessed with the
power to lead others to eternal life in ways he could not have seen in advance. He was
given immediately the gift to teach people to feel a compelling need to have all their sins
washed away. As you listen to his voice in his first sermon, take hope that God could bless
you and me with such a mighty change.” (Henry B. Eyring, Heroes From the Book of
Mormon, p. 107-8).

“The missionary method of the Church today is almost identical with that carried on by
Jesus Christ and his apostles…these humble emissaries of the Lord were to go forth two
by two. One was to be the support of the other. They were to be witnesses before God of
their respective testimonies. Together they could better face hostile receptions and bitter
opposition. Together they could preserve their faith and their enthusiasm and withstand
temptation and wrongdoing. It was God’s plan of proselyting, and it was very effective.”
(Alma Sonne, Conference Report, Apr. 1962, p. 35)

Alma 9:

1-34
Alma warns the people of Ammonihah
1-2 Repent or perish
13-23 Repent - don’t go contrary

One of the most fundamental principles of the justice of God is that He will judge
us according to the amount of light, truth, and knowledge which we were privileged to
receive in mortality. This is the primary difference between the Lamanites and the
Nephites. The Lamanites were ignorant of God because of the transgressions of their
fathers. Therefore, their fathers are partially to blame for their wickedness. Lehi told
Laman’s posterity, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing
may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents (2 Ne 4:5). For
the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law
given to them (2 Ne 9:26).

On the other hand, the Nephites were rebellious after having had so much light and
so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their God (v. 19). Their punishments are
thereby more severe. For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who
sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation (DC 82:3).

Similarly, endowed members of the church today should understand that there is
no going back. After having been given such great knowledge of the goodness and
mysteries of God, they are responsible for keeping their covenants. The word of the Lord
as given to the Missouri saints applies equally well to them, beware from henceforth, and
refrain from sin, lest sore judgments fall upon your heads (DC 82:2).

“…one who fails to live up to his covenants tries to hide first by looking for
loopholes in the language of the endowment. Brigham Young has commented on the
futility and hypocrisy of this procedure; there is no way, he observes, by which one can
possibly misunderstand or wrest the language of the covenants, no matter how determined
one is to do it. We can rationalize with great zeal—and that is the next step—but never


escape from our defensive position.” (Donald W. Parry, Temples of the Ancient World, p.
610).

“Those who are not able and determined to keep the commandments are better off outside
the Church, ‘For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins
against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.’ (D. & C. 82:3.)” (Bruce

R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, vol. 1, p. 504).
“Those who do not profess to know anything of the Lord are far better off than we are,
unless we live our religion, for we who know the Master's will and do it not will be beaten
with few stripes. This is perfectly reasonable. We cannot chastise a child for doing that
which is contrary to our wills, if he knows no better; but when our children are taught
better and know what is required of them, if they then rebel, of course, they expect to be
chastised, and it is perfectly right that they should be.” (Brigham Young, Journal of
Discourses, vol. 16, p. 111).

The promises extended to the Lamanites are great. Many of these promises are given
because of the righteousness and prayers of preceding prophets. The first prophet of all is
Joseph of Egypt who was given the promise that his seed would be preserved (Alma
46:24). Lehi blessed the posterity of Laman that they would likewise be preserved (2 Ne
4:7). Nephi, Jacob, and Enos all prayed for the welfare of their brethren. The promises
given are as follows:
God will not suffer the Gentiles to utterly destroy them (1 Ne 13:30, 2 Ne 4:7).

1.
The cursing would be taken from their heads and placed upon their parents (2 Ne 4:6).
2.
The Lord will be merciful to them (2 Ne 4:7).
3.
The Book of Mormon and other books will be brought to them (1 Ne 13:39, Enos 1:13).
4.
They will receive the fullness of the gospel (1 Ne 15:13)
5.
They will know of their forefathers and that they are of the house of Israel (1 Ne 15:14).
6.
As a branch of Israel, they will be grafted into the true olive tree (1 Ne 15:16, 2 Ne 21:117.
12).
As part of the house of Israel, in their seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed (1
8.
Ne 15:18). Indeed, all the blessings given to the house of Israel apply to them.
They shall blossom as the rose (DC 49:24).
9.
“…all who have seeing eyes and understanding hearts may rest assured that the

fulfillment of the promises to the Lamanites is at hand. Most of the foregoing prophecies

have already been fulfilled, and others are now in course of fulfillment. The apostasy and

fourth generation destruction, the degeneration of the remnant, the coming of the gentiles,

their establishment by the power of God as a free people in this land, their harassment of

the remnant, the preservation of the promised record, and its coming forth by way of the

gentiles are now all documented history.

“For more than a hundred years the record of their fathers, the Book of Mormon,


has been going to the Lamanites by way of the gentiles. And it is now being carried to
them with increased tempo…

“So you see, my brethren and sisters, the Lord is pouring out his spirit upon the

Lamanites. They are accepting the record of their fathers and are coming to a knowledge

of the ‘things’ referred to by Jesus…they are now accepting the gospel. And they will

continue to accept it in ever-increasing numbers. As they receive and live it they are

certain to regain their favored status in the house of Israel and participate in the

redemption of Zion and the building of the New Jerusalem here in America. Jacob, even

now, flourishes in the wilderness, and shortly the ‘Lamanites shall blossom as the rose,’

heralding ‘the great day of the Lord,’ which God grant may not be long delayed, I humbly

pray.” (Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, Apr. 1963, p. 77).

19-23 Wicked Society

If there is any people in the history of the world who have had as much light and
knowledge as did the Nephites, then it must be the members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since the Book of Mormon was designed for our day
and Nephi has taught us that we should liken the scriptures to ourselves, we should
read these five verses as if the Lord was speaking directly to us.

“The Book of Mormon goes to great lengths to describe just what a wicked
society looks like and how it operates, with enough examples to type it beyond
question; and with clinical precision it describes the hysteria that leads to its end. It
also tells us how to recognize a righteous society, usually presenting the two types
to us in close proximity. With these two images firmly in mind we are told why this
presentation is being given, for whose benefit, and why it is so singularly
important. The authors do not ask us to make comparisons and see ourselves in
the picture, because that would be futile: the wickeder the people are the more
they balk at facing their real image and the more skillful they become in evading,
altering, faking, and justifying. So the book does not tell us to make the
comparison—it does it for us, frankly and brutally.” (Hugh Nibley, The Prophetic
Book of Mormon, p. 508).

26 Prayer

“Proper prayers are made to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of
the Holy Ghost. The Father answers prayers, but he does it through the Son, into
whose hands he has committed all things." (Promised Messiah, p. 557, as taken
from McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol.
3, p. 66).

1.

31-34
Not time for prison yet

Alma 10:

1-11
Amulek delivers a confirming witness
1-4 Amulek’s temporal introduction
5-11 Amulek’s spiritual introduction


“(speaking of Amulek) A model citizen, hardworking, rich, well-born, immensely
respectable: ‘And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who
know me’ (Alma 10:4). But to get rich this man could not neglect his business; he was
contracted to Mammon instead of God: ‘Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known
much of the ways of the Lord,’ even though he had the best opportunity to know them,
‘for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power. . . . Nevertheless, I did
harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear. . . . I knew concerning
these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the
wickedness of my heart’ (Alma 10:5-6). That went on until an angel stopped him (Alma
10:7). Being thus admonished, Amulek forsook ‘all his gold, and silver, and his precious
things which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God’ (Alma 15:16). It had
to be one or the other. But all was not lost, you might say, he still had his old friends and
admirers and loved ones. Please let us not underestimate the power of money. Having lost
his fortune, he was promptly ‘rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his
father and his kindred’ (Alma 15:16).” (Hugh Nibley, The Prophetic Book of Mormon, p.
562).

1.
6 Called many times, but I would not here: Bishop John Wells story.
“The voice of the Lord calls to us regularly. It is not wickedness or carnality alone
which keep us from feeling and hearing the word; it is preoccupation. We need not be
guilty of gross sin to be unready for the impressions of the Spirit; we need only have our
minds and hearts focused upon other things, to be so involved in the thick of thin things
that we are not taking the time to ponder or meditate upon matters of substance.
Excessive labor in secondary causes leads to a lessening of spiritual opportunities.
President Ezra Taft Benson told the following story, which highlights the need for being
attentive and open to heavenly guidance:

‘Bishop John Wells, a former member of the Presiding Bishopric, was a great
detail man and was responsible for many Church reports. President David O. McKay and
President Harold B.Lee used to relate an experience from his life that is instructive to all
of us.

‘A son of Bishop and Sister Wells was killed in a railroad accident in Emigration
Canyon, east of Salt Lake City. He was run over by a freight car. Sister Wells could not be
consoled. She received no comfort during the funeral and continued her mourning after
her son was laid to rest. Bishop Wells feared for her health, as she was in a state of deep
anguish.


‘One day, soon after the funeral, Sister Wells was lying on her bed in a state of
mourning. The son appeared to her and said, 'Mother, do not mourn, do not cry. I am all
right.' He then related to her how the accident took place. Apparently there had been some
question-even suspicion-about the accident, because the young man was an experienced
railroad man. But he told his mother that it was clearly an accident.

‘He told her that as soon as he realized that he was in another sphere, he had tried
to reach his father but could not. His father was so busy with the details of his office and
work that he could not respond to the promptings. Therefore, the son had come to his
mother. He then said, ‘Tell Father that all is well with me, and I want you not to mourn
anymore.’

President McKay used this experience to teach that we must always be responsive
to the whisperings of the Spirit. These promptings come most often when we are not
under the pressure of appointments and when we are not caught up in the worries of day-
to-day life. (Come unto Christ, p. 18.)” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on
the Book of Mormon, vol. 3, pp. 68-69).

12-32
Ammonihah lawyers seek to ensnare Amulek
12 The power of two witnesses
13-17 Lawyers are no match for the Spirit

“Alma 10 is the legalistic chapter. It’s on legalism and lawyers. It packs a real
wallop and shows immense insight. This was [translated] in 1829 before Joseph Smith had
had any of his experience with lawyers. He was hauled into court and went through the
routine 42 times. They were always bringing him to court. Americans were just as
legalistic [then] as they are today. But remember that this was written before he had any of
that experience at all. He knew nothing about lawyers or anything else; he had just lived
on the farm all his life. This chapter is really something, and we're on verse 13 now. They
began to question Amulek using ‘cunning devices [that] they might catch them in their
words, that they might find witness against them, that they might deliver them to their
judges that they might be judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast
into prison, according to the crime [they would make it all legal] which they could make
appear or witness against them.’

“That’s the whole business of lawyers-to make your side appear whatever it is.
And that's the art of rhetoric, as Plato said, and that's why he damned it. The Greeks were
shocked by this new art, the art of the lawyer, which…made the worse appear the better
reason. That's the skill of rhetoric. You can take either side and make it win. Whether it
was good or bad had nothing to do with it; you won the case. That’s what you are
supposed to do. To make the worse appear the better reason shocked everybody. That's
what we have here.” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Lecture 48, p.
311).

22-23
Spared by the prayers of the righteous

“There are many upright and faithful who live all the commandments and whose lives and
prayers keep the world from destruction” (Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, June 1971, p. 16).


“The more righteous and upright, pure and undefiled, the Latter-day Saints become, the
less power Satan will have over them..” (Joseph F. Smith, CR, October 1911, p. 11).

“The Lord has made it plain to us that if we are not a prayerful people, if we fail to
remember the king of this land, Jesus Christ, we can lose all of these blessings. We should
hearken to the words of Amulek when he said to his people: (quotes Alma 10:22-23.)

“And so it seems to me that what we need in this fair land of ours is a shining example of
prayerfulness and the Latter-day Saints are the people who are chosen to exemplify to the
world the power of prayer. Every Latter-day Saint home should be a house of God, where
the altar of prayer is ever in use and where the proper example is set to our children in
supplicating God for divine guidance in all of our endeavors.” (J. Ruben Clark,
Conference Report, Apr. 1949, p. 159).

25 Become blind XR 1 Nephi 12:17

Mini Lesson: The Power of One: Errol Bennett

‘Such men are dangerous enough on their own, but when their position becomes official
(either in education or government) they have a powerful lever for achieving their aims by
force.” (An Approach to the Book of Mormon, p. 327)

Chapter 11:

1-19 Nephite Judges paid according to their labor

The only apparent reason for us to know their monetary system is to give us a frame of
reference for how large the bribe is that Zeezrom offers to Amulek (v. 22). A brief
explanation will put this amount (six onties) into perspective. The gold coins were based
on the senine, and the silver coins were based on the senum.

GOLD COINS SILVER COINS
Senine=judges daily wage (v. 3) Senum=judges daily wage (v. 3)
Seon=2 senines Amnor=2 senums
Shum=4 senines Ezrom=4 senums
Limnah=7 senines Onti= 7senums

Therefore, Zeezrom’s bribe of 6 onties is equal to 42 days of pay for a judge or 42
measures of barley (v. 7).

“This was the system established by King Mosiah…They had a system which ran in sevens
instead of fives and tens; or sixes and twelves, as the English [system] does; or the decimal
system as we use it. It ran in sevens, and Richard Smith pointed out it was the best


possible system that could be devised. It used the least coins for any necessary transaction.
If you want to figure out a system that will use a minimum amount of coins and save you a
lot of trouble, this is the system.” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon,
Lecture 48, p. 316).

“The account of the dialogue between Zeezrom and Alma and Amulek in the eleventh
chapter of the book of Alma provides additional insight into Zeezrom’s worldly self-
assurance. He has an audience to play to, and he intends, with his practiced sophistry and
cunning, to make a game of his denigration of the two missionaries. After all, the audience
is completely prejudiced in his favor, and he relishes the opportunity to add to his
reputation among his peers. His questions to Alma and Amulek reflect his courtroom
skills. They are designed for entrapment.” (Dean L. Larsen, Heroes From the Book of
Mormon, p. 113-4).

“The further a difficulty spreads, brethren, the more bitterly entrenched does it
become, and the greater is the cost in time and in money and in feelings--sometimes even
in the disaffection of our families, which is an experience that has been repeated altogether
too many times. In the words of Paul--in the words of John Taylor--settle your difficulties
among yourselves, if you have them. Don't worry about the lawyers. They have plenty to
do without becoming embroiled in differences among brethren, and the court dockets are
crowded. Settle your differences among yourselves. I hope we haven't any Zeezroms in
the Church, of whose kind it was said:

‘. . . because they received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they
did stir up the people. . . that they might have more employ, that they might get
money according to the suits which were brought before them.’ (Alma 11:20)
“If we have any such I hope they are not making a living at their profession.”

(Richard L. Evans, Conference Report, Oct. 1943, p. 37).

20-39 Amulek teaches the Fatherhood and Sonship of Christ

20-22 Zeezrom was wicked, naughty, nasty, and dirt

“Zeezrom’s offer to pay the missionaries six onties of silver if they will deny that there is a
Supreme Being exposes his conviction that everyone is as corruptible as himself. It is a
revealing demonstration of the debauched condition into which the people have fallen.
Zeezrom obviously expects no disapproval from his fellow lawyers or the people for his
proffered bribe. It is a practice to which they are accustomed.” (Dean L. Larsen, Heroes
From the Book of Mormon, p. 114).

23-36 A conversation of Eternal Consequence (6 Onti’s of Silver: verse 13).
25 You wouldn’t have given me 6 onti’s anyway!
37-46 The Resurrection

40 Salvation or Eternal Life only available through Christ


“This is an important principle which must be viewed properly in order to avoid confusion.
There are persons who teach that Christ suffered only for those who will repent. This is
false. It is incorrect The Lord suffered for every soul, ‘yea, the pains of every living
creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam’ (2 Nephi
9:21; see also D&C 18:11; D&C 19:16). His suffering and atonement are efficacious,
however, only for those who repent and come unto him. Thus to refuse to repent is to
mock his pain and shun his sufferings. It is, in the words of Paul, to do ‘despite unto the
spirit of grace’ (Hebrews 10:29).” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the
Book of Mormon, vol. 3, p. 77).

41-46 Jesus Christ breaks the bands of death

“I am confident that when we come back with our bodies again, there will be no aches or
pains. There will be no wrinkles or deformities. I am sure that if we can imagine
ourselves at our very best, physically, mentally, spiritually, that is the way we will come
back - perhaps not as a child or youth, perhaps in sweet and glorious maturity, but not in
age or infirmity or distress or pain or aches” (Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer

W. Kimball, p. 45).
“(speaking of the resurrection) Deformity will be removed; defects will be eliminated, and
men and women shall [return] again to the perfection of their spirits, to the perfection that
God designed in the beginning. It is his purpose that men and women, his children, born to
become heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ shall be made perfect, physically as
well as spiritually through obedience to the law by which he has provided the means that
perfection shall come to all his children.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel
Questions, vol. 4, p. 187)

“A little sound thinking will reveal to us that it would be inconsistent for our bodies to be
raised with all kinds of imperfections. Some men have been burned at the stake for the
sake of truth. Some have been beheaded, and others have had their bodies torn asunder;
for example, John the Baptist was beheaded and received his resurrection at the time of
the resurrection of our Redeemer. It is impossible for us to think of him coming forth from
the dead holding his head in his hands; our reason says he was physically complete in the
resurrection, He appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery with a perfect
resurrected body.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, p. 289).

“Many living witnesses can testify to the literal fulfillment of these scriptural assurances of
the resurrection. Many, including some in my own extended family, have seen a departed
loved one in vision or personal appearance and have witnessed their restoration in ‘proper
and perfect frame’ in the prime of life. Whether these were manifestations of persons
already resurrected or of righteous spirits awaiting an assured resurrection, the reality and
nature of the resurrection of mortals is evident. What a comfort to know that all who have
been disadvantaged in life from birth defects, from mortal injuries, from disease, or from
the natural deterioration of old age will be resurrected in ‘proper and perfect frame.’”
(Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 2000, p. 15).


In the resurrection, we will not suffer the limitations of memory which we have in
mortality. Our personal computers will be able to find files much better than they do now.
There is scientific and anecdotal evidence that the brain stores everything which happens
to us in our lives. Our inability to recall certain events does not mean the information is
not there.

Neurosurgical experiments, done on awake patients, have shown that electrical
stimulation to different portions of the brain can stimulate the recall of events in the
subject’s life that had long since been forgotten. The experiments bring the memories back
with the same vividness as if the events took place yesterday. Placing the electrical
stimulation on different portions of the human cerebral cortex will produce the recall of
different events, suggesting that all events in one’s life are recorded somewhere in the
brain.

We commonly hear of people who believed they were about to die say, “my life
flashed before my eyes.” How could these memories flash into one’s consciousness if they
were not already stored in the brain? If this is the case, and the scripture suggests it is so,
we would be wise to repent of those things which we do not want to remember at that
day. Then we will be as the righteous who shall have a perfect knowledge of their
enjoyment, and their righteousness (2 Ne 9:14).

“God has made each man a register within himself, and each man can read his own
register, so far as he enjoys his perfect faculties. This can be easily comprehended.

“…Let your memories run back, and you can remember the time when you did a
good action, you can remember the time when you did a bad action; the thing is printed
there, and you can bring it out and gaze upon it whenever you please.

“…Man sleeps the sleep of death, but the spirit lives where the record of his deeds
is kept--that does not die--man cannot kill it; there is no decay associated with it, and it
still retains in all its vividness the remembrance of that which transpired before the
separation by death of the body and the ever-living spirit. Man sleeps for a time in the
grave, and by-and-by he rises again from the dead and goes to judgment; and then the
secret thoughts of all men are revealed before Him with whom we have to do; we cannot
hide them; it would be in vain for a man to say then, I did not do so-and-so; the command
would be, Unravel and read the record which he has made of himself, and let it testify in
relation to these things, and all could gaze upon it. If a man has acted fraudulently against
his neighbor--has committed murder, or adultery, or any thing else, and wants to cover it
up, that record will stare him in the face, he tells the story himself, and bears witness
against himself. It is written that Jesus will judge not after the sight of the eye, or after the
hearing of the ear, but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity
the meek of the earth. It is not because somebody has seen things, or heard anything by
which a man will be judged and condemned, but it is because that record that is written by
the man himself in the tablets of his own mind--that record that cannot lie--will in that day
be unfolded before God and angels, and those who shall sit as judges.” (John Taylor,
Journal of Discourses, pp. 77-9).

“In this life there are many things that people, whether righteous or wicked, forget. Our
memories are so weak that many things done in years passed are obliterated; but when


they come forth in the morning of the resurrection, the wicked as well as the righteous,
their memories will be restored, so that every act of their lives, whether good or evil, will
be perfectly remembered, and the wicked will have a perfect knowledge of all their guilt.
Will not this be sufficient to create an unquenchable fire in their breasts, and with this
recollection, to behold the face of the Lord? Will not this cause them to shrink from his
presence? I think it will.” (Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, vol. 16, p. 331).

“Resurrection is much more than merely reuniting a spirit to a body held captive by the
grave. We know from the Book of Mormon that the resurrection is a restoration that
brings back ‘carnal for carnal’ and ‘good for that which is good (Alma 41:13).” (Dallin H.
Oaks, Ensign, May 2000, p. 15).

“Joseph Smith declared that the mother who laid down her little child, being
deprived of the privilege, the joy, and the satisfaction of bringing it up to manhood or
womanhood in this world, would after the resurrection, have all the joy, satisfaction and
pleasure, and even more than it would have been possible to have had in mortality, in
seeing her child grow to the full measure of the stature of its spirit. If this be true, and I
believe it, what a consolation it is ... It matters not whether these tabernacles mature in
this world, or have to wait and mature in the world to come, according to the word of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, the body will develop, either in time or in eternity, to the full
stature of the spirit, and when the mother is deprived of the pleasure and joy of rearing her
babe to manhood or womanhood in this life, through the hand of death, that privilege will
be renewed to her hereafter, and she will enjoy it to a fuller fruition than it would be
possible for her to do here. When she does it there, it will be with certain knowledge that
the results will be without failure; whereas here, the results are unknown until after we
have passed the test.

“Children will come forth from the grave as children, be raised to maturity by
worthy parents, and be entitled to receive all of the ordinances of salvation that eventuate
in the everlasting continuation of the family unit.” (Robert Millet, Joseph Fielding
McConkie, The Life Beyond, pp. 118-9).

“Joseph Smith taught the doctrine that the infant child that was laid away in death would
come up in the resurrection as a child; and, pointing to the mother of a lifeless child, he
said to her: ‘You will have the joy, the pleasure, and satisfaction of nurturing this child,
after its resurrection, until it reaches the full stature of its spirit.’ There is restitution, there
is growth, there is development, after the resurrection from death. I love this truth. It
speaks volumes of happiness, of joy and gratitude to my soul. Thank the Lord he has
revealed these principles to us.” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 455).

“After the resurrection from the dead our bodies will be spiritual bodies, but they will be
bodies that are tangible, bodies that have been purified, but they will nevertheless be
bodies of flesh and bones. They will not be blood bodies. They will no longer be
quickened by blood but quickened by the spirit which is eternal, and they shall become
immortal and shall never die.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, p.
285).


Mini Lesson: Go Towards the Light

Alma 12:

1-8
Alma denounces Zeezrom’s Nefarious Plan
1-3 Zee’s repents for lying XR Acts 5:3-4

“Being in charge of the Endowment House, while the Temple was in the process of
construction, Heber C. Kimball met with a group who were planning to enter the temple
for ordinance work. He felt impressed that some were not worthy to go into the temple,
and he suggested first that if any present were not worthy, they might retire. No one
responding, he said that there were some present who should not proceed through the
temple because of unworthiness and he wished they would leave so the company could
proceed. It was quiet as death and no one moved nor responded. A third time he spoke,
saying that there were two people present who were in adultery, and if they did not leave
he would call out their names. Two people walked out and the company continued on
through the temple.” (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 112 as taken from Latter-day
Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 263).

4-6 Satan’s influence
7-8 Zee’s knew that Alma and Amulek could perceive his thoughts


“It is at this point that a remarkable change begins to take place in the demeanor of
Zeezrom. He becomes the earnest inquirer-the learner. The change is the more remarkable
because it occurs in the presence and full view of the people to whom he has been
appealing with his inquisition. ‘And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he
might know more concerning the kingdom of God’ (Alma 12:8).” (Dean L. Larsen,
Heroes From the Book of Mormon, p. 115).

9-11
The mysteries of God unfolded to those who seek

“But doesn’t God reveal things to people who are not priesthood leaders? Isn't it possible
for exceptional individuals to learn by direct revelation mysteries that are unknown to
others? Yes, this is possible, but always with one hugely important condition that is stated
in Alma 12:9: ‘It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are
laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his
word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence
which they give unto him’ (emphasis added). In other words, many of the faithful may
receive revelations from God—even revelation regarding the mysteries. But they are
commanded at the same time to keep their mouths shut! They can share with others what
God has already revealed to the Church in the scriptures and through his prophets, but the
rest is private, and keeping it private is a sacred obligation. In effect the Lord tells those
who are blessed with additional insights, ‘If I wanted everyone to know, I would instruct
the prophet to teach it to the Church. But this is for you alone, so keep it to yourself.’
Therefore, anyone in the Church (or out of it, for that matter) who shares a private


revelation out of stewardship does so in violation of God's ‘strict command.’” (Stephen E.
Robinson, Following Christ, pp. 102-3).

“I do not tell all I know. If I did, the Lord could not trust me.” (Marion G. Romney,
Lucile C. Tate, Boyd K. Packer: A Watchman on the Tower, pp. 178)

“…as students there are some questions that we could not in propriety ask. “One
question of this type I am asked occasionally, usually by someone who is curious, is,
‘Have you seen Him?’ That is a question that I have never asked of another. I have not
asked that question of my Brethren in the Council of the Twelve, thinking that it would be
so sacred and so personal that one would have to have some special inspiration—indeed,
some authorization—even to ask it. Though I have not asked that question of others, I
have heard them answer it—but not when they were asked. I have heard one of my
Brethren declare, ‘I know, from experiences too sacred to relate, that Jesus is the Christ.’
I have heard another testify, ‘I know that God lives, I know that the Lord lives, and more
than that, I know the Lord.’ I repeat: they have answered this question not when they
were asked, but under the prompting of the Spirit, on sacred occasions, when ‘the Spirit
beareth record.’ (D&C 1:39.)

“There are some things just too sacred to discuss: not secret, but sacred; not to be
discussed, but to be harbored and protected and regarded with the deepest of reverence.

“There are many difficult questions, including some that we will not be able to
answer, and many things are to be taken on faith. As a teacher, therefore, do not let
difficult questions create difficult problems for you or for those you teach.” (Teach Ye
Diligently, pp. 86-7).

“For my own part I can think of nothing that could be a greater offense against the majesty
of God than for a man with his limited intellectual power presuming to pass judgment
upon and rejecting the things of God, because forsooth, these things do not conform to his
opinion of what the things of God should be like; or because the way in which they are
revealed does not conform to the manner in which he thinks God should impart his truths.
Such pride always has and always will separate men from receiving knowledge by divine
communication. As Alma taught, ‘he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the
lesser portion of the word’ (Alma 12:10).” (B.H. Roberts, as cited in Dallin H. Oaks, Pure
in Heart, p. 93).

12-18 Man will be judged by his words, works, and thoughts

Mini Lesson: Randall Wright: Our Words Will Condemn Us!

“‘Come on,’ he had said, ‘swearing isn’t that terrible of a sin. Haven’t you ever heard of

J. Golden Kimball? He was a General Authority and even swore in general conference?’
How could she respond to that? A General Authority swears in conference (and the
continuing J. Golden stories that bring chuckles to the Saints) almost appears to validate
that profanity, ‘as long as it’s not too bad,’ is no big deal. I thought about how I could
help my student be able to respond adequately to this prevailing attitude. Then it dawned

on me that it doesn’t matter if J. Golden Kimball swore, or any other General Authority,
or our favorite Bishop, or even a BYU religion professor. It is not them that we seek to
emulate. It is the Savior whom we pattern our lives, and he has commanded us ‘for the
works which ye have seen me do that shall ye do also’ (3 Nephi 27:21)” (Brent L. Top,
Lord, I Would Follow Thee, p. 60).

“In the hospital one day I was wheeled out of the operating room by an attendant who
stumbled, and there issued from his angry lips vicious cursing with a combination of the
names of the Savior. Even half-conscious, I recoiled and implored: ‘Please! Please! That
is my Lord whose names you revile.’ There was a deathly silence, then a subdued voice
whispered, ‘I am sorry’” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.
198).

“We don’t have to press upon you college intellects, do we, the generally accepted
and accurate assessment that ‘The idle mind is the devil’s workshop,’ or that ‘As [a man]
thinketh in his heart, so is he’? (Proverbs 27:3.)

“How many times have we heard it, over and over again? ‘Guard your thoughts;
keep your mind in the right place.’

“And yet it occurred to me that, with all of the urging I had been given on this
subject, never had anyone told me how. Never did I receive any specific instruction on
how to do what I had been urged to do-control my thoughts. So I, too, wondered, Does
this control of one's thoughts have to be an individual discovery for every soul? Or can
self-control of thoughts be taught? Are there things one can do, exercises that one can
perform, or procedures that one can learn to help him? I have often lamented not having
learned or been taught in my early college years more mastery of thoughts.

“It is to this subject, self-control of thoughts, that we turn.

“…The mind is like a stage. Except when we are asleep, the curtain is always up.
Always there is some act being performed on that stage. It may be a laughing comedy or
an aggrieved and tragic drama. It may be interesting or dull. It may be clear or it may be
confused. It may be strenuous or perhaps relaxing. But always, except when we are
asleep, always there is some act playing on that stage of the mind.

“Have you noticed that, without any real intent on your part and almost in the
midst of any performance, a shady little thought may creep in from the wings and
endeavor to attract your attention? These delinquent little thoughts, these unsavory
characters, will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all other thoughts,
of any virtue, will leave the stage. You will be left, because you consented to it, to the
influence of unworthy thoughts.

“If you pay attention to them, if you yield to them, they will enact for you on this
stage of the mind, anything to the limit of your toleration. It may be vulgar, immoral,
depraved, ugly. Their theme may be of bitterness, jealousy, excessive grief, even hatred.
When they have the stage, if you let them, they will devise the cleverest persuasions to
hold your attention. They can make it interesting, all right, even apparently innocent-for
they are but thoughts.

“What do you do at a time like this, when the stage of your mind is commandeered
by these imps of unclean thinking?….Let me suggest that you choose from among the


sacred music of the Church one favorite hymn. I have reason for suggesting that it be a
Latter-day Saint hymn, one with lyrics that are uplifting and the music reverent. Select one
that, when it is properly rendered, makes you feel something akin to inspiration.

“Now, go over it in your mind very thoughtfully a few times. Memorize the words
and the music. Even though you have had no musical training, even though you do not
play an instrument, and even though your voice may leave something to be desired, you
can think through a hymn. I suspect you already have a favorite. I have stressed how
important it is to know that you can only think of one thing at a time. Use this hymn as
your emergency channel. Use this as the place for your thoughts to go. Anytime you find
that these shady actors have slipped in from the sideline of your thinking onto the stage of
your mind, think through this hymn. ‘Put the record on,’ as it were, and then you will
begin to know something about controlling your thoughts. ‘Music is one of the most
forceful instruments for governing the mind and spirit of man.’ (William F. Gladstone.) It
will change the whole mood on the stage of your mind. Because it is clean and uplifting
and reverent, the baser thoughts will leave.

“While virtue, by choice, will not endure the presence of filth, that which is
debased and unclean cannot endure the light.
“Virtue will not associate with filth, while evil cannot tolerate the presence of
good.

“…One final declaration: No good thought is ever lost. No turn of the mind,
however brief or transitory or illusive, if it is good, is ever wasted. No thought of
sympathy, nor of forgiveness, no reflection on generosity or of courage or of purity, no
meditation on humility or gratitude or reverence, is ever lost. The frequency with which
they are experienced is the measure of you. The more constant they become, the more you
are worth, or, in scriptural terms, the more you are worthy. Every clean thought becomes
you. Every clean thought becomes you.” (Boyd K. Packer, That All May Be Edified, pp.
32-40).

“If it is true that our bad unspoken thoughts are recorded against us, will it not be just as
true that all our good thoughts unspoken, the kindness, tenderness, sympathy, pity, love,
beauty, and charity that enter the breast and cause the heart to throb with silent good, find
remembrance in the presence of God, also? Yes, I firmly believe that all of our good
impulses and thoughts will find remembrance with the Lord just as much as will the evil
that we have thought, said, or done; and certainly Since God is our loving Father, he will
remember the good with a greater degree of satisfaction and joy than he will the evil.”
(Milton R. Hunter, Conference Report, Oct. 1946, p. 42).

“…just as rivers are colored by the substances picked up as they flow along, so the
streams of our thoughts are colored by the material through which they are channeled” (J.
Thomas Fyans, Conference Report, Apr. 1975, p. 130).

15 God is merciful
16-18 Second Death


19-27 A probationary state provided for man


24
Now is the time, today is the day

“We are being tested every minute of the day by the choices we make, by the reactions we
have, by the things we say, by the things we think about. It's like the ancient Christian
doctrine of the two ways, the way to the right and the way to left, whichever they are.
You must make the choice, and you may have made the wrong choice every day of your
life up until now, but as long as you are here it is still not too late. You can still make the
right choice-every minute you can make the right choice. It's never too late to make the
right one…We have a time to repent; ‘therefore this life became a probationary state.’
Well, it can't be anything else; it's a time to prepare to meet God. That’s why we need the
gospel here.” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Lecture 48, p. 327)

“‘Our second estate is indeed a probationary state. The choices we are called upon
to make every day of our lives call forth the exercise of our agency. That we fail so
frequently to think and do that which is right is not evidence against the practicality of
righteous living. We do not falter and stumble in the path of righteousness simply because
we do nothing else, but because too often we lose the vision of our relationship with God.
The incessant din and cackling ado of this turbulent life drown out the message which
asserts that, as man is, God once was, and that as God is, man may become.

“‘If we will not dance to the music of materialism and hedonism but will remain

attuned to the voice of godly reason, we will be led to the green pastures of respite and

the still waters of spiritual refreshment. All the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

this world can hurl against us are as nothing when compared to the rewards for

steadfastness and faithfulness. It would behoove us all to fix our sights more consistently

upon the things which are everlasting and eternal. This world is not our home.’

“‘Those lines are from the valedictory address at the Utah state prison graduation
exercise I mentioned at the outset. The speaker was about fifty years of age and has been
behind bars for more than half of those years. He knows whereof he speaks.” (Jeffrey R.
Holland, However Long and Hard the Road, p. 63)

26 Miserable forever
27 All will die


28-37
Obedience to the commandments brings men into the rest of the Lord
29 More angels
31 Act, then act upon

“A truth about which I want to speak comes from Alma: ‘Therefore God gave
unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption.’

“The sequence in the teaching process from this verse is that our Heavenly Father
first taught Adam and Eve the plan of redemption; then he gave them commandments. All
commandments have their eternal importance in the context of the great plan of happiness
(see Alma 42:8; 34:9).

“I know that this truth is a key to conversion, retention, and activation. If we can
help people first understand the plan, they will find a deeper and more permanent


motivation to keep the commandments.

“Another way of saying what Alma taught came from an experience on of the

General Authorities shared. He related how he spoke with a sister he knows who years

earlier went through a divorce. She approached him to thank him for the counsel he gave

her during her darkest hours. She reminded him what he had told her; ‘Now sister, don’t

lose your eternal perspective. Always keep an eternal perspective.’ She said that truth

became her pillar of strength.

“When we understand the great plan of happiness, we are gaining an eternal

perspective, and the commandments, ordinances, covenants, and the experiences, trials,

and tribulations can be seen in their true and eternal light.” (Elder Jay E. Jensen, May 2000

Ensign, p. 27).

33-36
Entering God’s rest through repentance

III.
Go Towards the Light: Teaching the Doctrine to Our Children, the Plan of
Salvation

President Kimball: The False Gods We Worship

I have heard that the sense most closely associated with memory is the sense of smell. If this is true, then perhaps it explains the many pleasing feelings that overtake me these mornings when I am able to step outdoors for a few moments and breathe in the warm and comfortable aromas that I have come to associate over the years with the soil and vegetation of this good earth.

Now and then, when the moment is right, some particular scent -- perhaps only the green grass, or the smell of sage brought from a distance by a breeze -- will take me back to the days of my youth in Arizona. It was an arid country, yet it was fruitful under the hands of determined laborers.

We worked the land and the cattle in all kinds of weather, and when we traveled it was on horseback or in open wagons or carriages, mostly. I used to run like the wind with my brothers and sisters through the orchards, down the dusty lanes, past rows of corn, red tomatoes, onions, squash. Because of this, I suppose it is natural to think that in those days we were closer to elemental life.

Some time ago I chanced to walk outdoors when the dark and massive clouds of an early afternoon thunderstorm were gathering; and as the large raindrops began to drum the dusty soil with increasing rapidity, I recalled the occasional summer afternoons when I was a boy when the tremendous thunderheads would gather over the hills and bring welcome rain to the thirsty soil of the valley floor. We children would run for the shed, and while the lightning danced about we would sit and watch, transfixed, marveling at the ever-increasing power of the pounding rainfall. Afterward, the air would be clean and cool and filled with the sweet smells of the soil, the trees, and the plants of the garden.

There were evenings those many years ago, at about sunset, when I would walk in with the cows. Stopping by a tired old fence post, I would sometimes just stand silently in the mellow light and the fragrance of sunflowers and ask myself, "If you were going to create a world, what would it be like?" Now with a little thought the answer seems so natural: "Just like this one."

So on this day while I stood watching the thunderstorm, I felt -- and I feel now -- that this is a marvelous earth on which we find ourselves: and when I thought of our preparations for the United States Bicentennial celebration I felt a deep gratitude to the Lord for the choice land and the people and institutions of America. There is much that is good in this land, and much to love.

Nevertheless, on this occasion of so many pleasant memories another impression assailed my thoughts. The dark and threatening clouds that hung so low over the valley seemed to force my mind back to a theme that the Brethren have concerned themselves with for many years now -- indeed a theme that has often occupied the attention of the Lord's chosen prophets shince the world began. I am speaking of the general state of wickedness in which we seem to find the world in these perilous yet crucially momentous days: and thinking of this, I am reminded of the general principle that where much is given, much is expected (see Luke 12:48).

The Lord gave us a choice world and expects righteousness and obedience to his commandments in return. But when I review the performance of this people in comparison with what is expected, I am appalled and frightened. Iniquity seems to abound. The Destroyer seems to be taking full advantage of the time remaining to him in this, the great day of his power. Evil seems about to engulf us like a great wave, and we feel that truly we are living in conditions similar to those in the days of Noah before the Flood.

I have traveled much in various assignments over the years, and when I pass through the lovely countryside or fly over the vast and beautiful expanses of our globe, I compare these beauties with many of the dark and miserable practices of men, and I have the feeling that the good earth can hardly bear our presence upon it. I recall the occasion when Enoch heard the earth mourn, saying, "Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me?" (Moses 7:48).

The Brethren constantly cry out against that which is intolerable in the sight of the Lord: against pollution of mind, body, and our surroundings; against vulgarity, stealing, lying, pride, and blasphemy; against fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and all other abuses of the sacred power to create; against murder and all that is like unto it; against all manner of desecration.

That such a cry should be necessary among a people so blessed is amazing to me. And that such things should be found even among the Saints to some degree is scarcely believable, for these are a people who are in pssession of many gifts of the Spirit, who have knowledge that puts the eterninties into perspective, who have been shown the way to eternal life.

Sadly, however, we find that to be shown the way is not necessarily to walk in it, and many have not been able to continue in faith. These have submitted themselves in one degree or another to the enticings of Satan and his servants and joined with those of "the world" in lives of ever-deepening idolatry.

I use the word idolatry intentionally. As I study ancient scripture, I am more and more convinced that there is significance in the fact that the commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" is the first of the Ten Commandments.

Few men have ever knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages when men have fallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put in its place a hope in the "arm of flesh" and in "gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know" (Daniel 5:23) -- that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god doesn't also happen to be the true and living God of Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.

It is my firm belief that when we read these scriptures and try to "liken them unto [our]selves," as Nephi suggested (1 Nephi 19:24), we will see many parallels between the ancient worship of graven images and behavioral patterns in our very own experience.

The Lord has blessed us as a people with a prosperity unequaled in times past. The resources that have been placed in our power are good, and necessary to our work here on the earth. But I am afraid that many of us have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they have power over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith can stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security throughout, it is hoped, a long and happy life. Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources in our families and quorums to build up the kingdom of God -- to further the missionary effort and the genealogical and temple work; to raise our children up as fruitful servants unto the Lord; to bless others in every way that they may also be fruitful. Instead, we expend these blessings on our own desires, and as Moroni said, "Ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and you notice them not" (Mormon 8:39).

As the Lord himself said in our day, "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16; italics added).

One man I know of was called to a position of service in the Church, but he felt that he couldn't accept because his investments required more attention and more of his time than he could spare for the Lord's work. He left the service of the Lord in search of Mammon, and he is a millionaire today.

But I recently learned an interesting fact: If a man owns a million dollars worth of gold at today's prices, he possesses approximately one 27-billionth of all the gold that is present in the earth's thin crust alone. This is an amount so small in proportion as to be inconceivable to the mind of man. But there is more to this: The Lord who created and has power over all the earth created many other earths as well, even "worlds without number" (Moses 1:33); and when this man received the oath and covenant of the priesthood (D&C 84:33-44), he received a promise from the Lord of "all that my Father hath" (vs 38). To set aside all these great promises in favor of a chest of gold and a sense of carnal security is a mistake in perspective of colossal proportions. To think that he has settled for so little is a saddening and pitiful prospect indeed; the souls of men are far more precious than this.

One young man, when called on a mission related that he didn't have much talent for that kind of thing. What he was good at was keeping his powerful new automobile in top condition. He enjoyed the sense of power and acceleration, and when he was driving, the continual motion gave him the illusion that he was really getting somewhere.

All along, his father had been content with saying, "He likes to do things with his hands. That's good enough for him."

Good enough for a son of God? This young man didn't realize that the power of his automobile is infinitesimally small in comparison with the power of the sea, or of the sun; and there are many worlds, all controlled by law and by priesthood, ultimately -- a priesthood power that he could have been developing in the service of the Lord. He settled for a pitiful god, a composite of steel and rubber and shiny chrome.

An older couple retired from the world of work and also, in effect, from the Church. They purchased a pickup truck and camper and, separating themselves from all obligations, set out to see the world and simply enjoy what little they had accumulated the rest of their days. They had no time for the temple, were too busy for genealogical research and for missionary service. He lost contact with his high priests quorum and was not home enough to work on his personal history. Their experience and leadership were sorely needed in their branch, but, unable to "endure to the end," they were not available.

I am reminded of an article I read some years ago about a group of men who had gone to the jungles to capture monkeys. They tried a number of different things to catch the monkeys, including nets, but finding that the nets could injure such small creatures, they finally came upon an ingenious solution. They built a large number of small boxes, and in the top of each they bored a hole just large enough for a monkey to get his hand into. They then set these boxes out under the trees and in each one they put a nut that the monkeys were particularly fond of.

When the men left, the monkeys began to come down from the trees and examine the boxes. Finding that there were nuts to be had, they reached into the boxes to get them. But when a monkey would try to withdraw his hand with the nut, he could not get his hand out of the box because his little fist, with the nut inside, was now too large.

At about this time, the men would come out of the underbrush and converge on the monkeys. And here is the curious thing: When the monkeys saw the men coming, they would shriek and scramble about with the thought of escaping; but as easy as it would have been, they would not let go of the nut so that they could withdraw their hands from the boxes and thus escape. The men captured them easily.

And so it often seems to be with people, having such a firm grasp on things of the world -- that which is telestial -- that no amount of urging and no degree of emergency can persuade them to let go in favor of that which is celestial. Satan gets them in his grip easily. If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.

In spite of our delight in defining ourselves as modern, and our tendency to think we possess a sophistication that no people in the past ever had -- in spite of these things, we are, on the whole, an idolatrous people -- a condition repugnant to the Lord.

We are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel -- ships, planes, missiles, fortifications -- and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become antienemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satan's counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior's teaching:

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45).

We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us -- and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2 Nephi 1:7) -- or he will fight our battles for us (Exodus 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the time of his betrayal, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53). We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be. King Jehoshaphat and his people were delivered by such a troop (see 2 Chronicles 20), and when Elish's life was threatened, he comforted his servant by saying, "Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16). The Lord then opened the eyes of the servant, "And he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (vs 17).

What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle of faith in him? Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer be our enemies.

We must leave off the worship of modern-day idols and a reliance on the "arm of flesh," for the Lord has said to all the world in our day, "I will not spare any that remain in Babylon" (D&C 64:24).

When Peter preached such a message as this to the people on the day of Pentecost, many of them "were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).

And Peter answered: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ... receive the Holy Ghost" (vs 38).

As we near the year 2000, our message is the same as that which Peter gave. And further, that which the Lord himself gave "unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh" (D&C 1:11-12).

We believe that the way for each person and each family to prepare as the Lord has directed is to enter into the work of his kingdom on earth, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It may seem a little difficult at first, but when a person begins to catch a vision of the true work, when he begins to see something of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to far outweigh the cost of leaving "the world" behind.

Herin lies the only true happiness, and therefore we invite and welcome all men, everywhere, to join in this work. For those who are determined to serve the Lord at all costs, this is the way to eternal life. All else is but a means to that end.