Alma 47

"...place of arms"

Alma 47:5

My thoughts:

Even though the people of Lehonti had gone to a safe

and protected place.

When Lehonti listened to Amalickiah 

and came down off the mountain,

- just a little bit -

he lost his safety and became prey to Amalackiah's plan.

So we are in our lives,

when we listen or give in to Satan's pleadings 

to come down off our mountains -

just a little bit.

Jesus Christ and His Gospel is our safety.

If we stand with Him,

we cannot fall.

(I am indebted to Diana Hoelscher for this thought) 

Alma 46

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—^aIn memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his ^abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the ^btitle of liberty) and he ^cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of^dChristians remain to possess the land—

My thoughts:

Moroni used the Title of Liberty to remind 

the people why they were fighting.

This last time reading these scriptures,

 I felt prompted by the Spirit

to take some time - 

evaluate my life - 

and come up with my personal title of liberty.

To identify the reasons why 

I fight against the enemy of God.

Why I stand firm in the faith.

And why I personally am numbered among the children of God.

So when things get difficult,

 I can look back and read over

the many reasons why the gospel is

 so. very. important.

to me. 

Alma 48

Alma 48:11-17

Every girl should compare the guys she dates 

to these scriptures to ensure she marries a

good man!

******

"And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea (1) warn them to flee, or (2) prepare for war, according to their danger."

Alma 48:15 (numbers added)

My thoughts:

To this day God continues to fulfill this promise 

in a spiritual sense.

I would submit that each proposal of sin

can be answered in one of two ways -

fleeing or fighting.

By keeping the commandments of God,

we are entitled to the quiet whisperings of the Spirit.

In each situation when confronted with temptation - 

the Holy Spirit will tell us which to do.

Flee.

Or prepare to fight.

******


"...Helaman, and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni."
Alma 48:19

My thoughts:
We all have our different callings to fulfill.

One calling is not greater or
 of more importance than another.

What is important,
is that we do what we were called here to do.

Alma 31

"...as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just - yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword or anything else...Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."

Alma 31:5

My thoughts:

The word is stronger than anything else because

the word of God motivates His people to change.

It aligns the will of the people with the will of God.

Alma knew this - 

he had seen it with the great success of the sons of Mosiah

among the people of Ammon (Anti-Nephi-Lehis)

He knew that if he wanted the people to really change - 

they needed to be converted.

******

"...continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might not enter into temptation."

My thoughts:

It's the little things that matter -

the daily acts that convert us 

and realign us with God -

every day.

******

"...O Lord, wilt thou give me strength...that I may bear with patience mine infirmities. For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul."

Alma 31:30

My thoughts:

Oftentimes the greatest pain we feel in this life comes 

because of the poor choices of those we love.

The glorious gift of agency blesses our lives when used correctly.

But when used incorrectly it can bring deep pain not only to ourselves,

but those who love us.

When those we love stray,

and their choices break our hearts,

we can turn to the Lord for strength.

(Continue to read Alma 31:31-35)

Alma 26

"...Behold, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

My thoughts:

So often I feel this way.

That words cannot adequately express 

the stirrings within my soul.

My heart groaneth to share the depth of my love,

trust, and adoration

for My Father in Heaven;

His Son, Jesus Christ;

and the Holy Ghost. 

Yet, somewhere

 in the interpretation into words

I fail to sufficiently express the way I have been 

touched by the Spirit,

pricked by the Word,

and moved by God's Love.

It transcends any feeling and every experience

I have yet had on this Earth.

******

"...the Lamanites were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God..."

Alma 26:3

My thoughts:

Compare to Alma's

 (the Younger)

words in Mosiah 27:29 -

where he uses the same words to express his mighty change - 

he was in "the darkest abyss" and then beheld the "marvelous light of God"-

now compare both scriptures to 3 Nephi 18:24 -

when Christ said 

'Therefore, hold up your light. 

That it may shine unto the world.

Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up.."

This is exactly what the sons of Mosiah did.

They held up the Light that had illuminated their lives and their hearts.

Resulting in the "light" of Christ being shared among the nation of the Lamanites.

******

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things;.."

Alma 26:12

My thoughts:

This scripture has been a favorite of mine since I was young. 

Because I know compared to God, 

I am nothing.

As to my strength, 

I am weak"

But when I join with God - 

I am unstoppable.

And 'in his strength,

I can do all things.'

******

I echo Ammon's words:

"for this is my life, 

and my light, 

my joy and my salvation,

and my redemption from everlasting wo.

Yea, blessed is the name of my God."

Alma 26:36 (italics added)

My thoughts:

He makes you His, shouldn't you make Him yours?

Alma 5

"...Behold, he changed their hearts..."

Alma 5:7

My thoughts:

This is what God can do.

He can change the very desires of our souls.

We are His children.

He has give us our way back

.

He has given us the tools we need to get there 

and He has given us the miracle of change.

If you don't feel strong enough or righteous enough or valiant enough - 

the very God of Heaven and Earth 

can change you. 

******

"...can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?"

Alma 5:19

My thoughts:

Like the sacrifice it took for Our Savior to engrave us

on the "palms of [His] hands" - (Isaiah 49:16) 

it will take a great sacrifice for us to engraven His image

on our countenances. 

But we can do it.

He'll show us how.

******

"...if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can you feel so now?"

Alma 5:26 (Italics added)

My thoughts:

It's not enough to have known 

or felt 

or experienced 

at some point that the gospel is true.

It is a knowledge that must be gained daily. 

it is the daily connections we make with God that solidify our conversion

and seal our hearts to God. 

******

"...have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?"

Alma 5:6 (Italics added)

My thoughts:

I love that Alma says 'sufficiently'. 

If the people had truly, 

and sufficiently

retained a remembrance of God's deliverance,

they would never cease to obey and honor Him.

When we sufficiently remember all He has done for us

we are motivated to obey His commandments,

utilize His Atonement and

share His gospel, 

Therefore qualifying us for the glorious eternity prepared for the faithful.

Alma 25

"...and they did walk in the ways of the Lord and did observe to keep his commandments and his statutes." 

Alma 25:14

My thoughts:

A common and constant characteristic of the truly converted 

is obeying the commandments of God. 

It is essential that we live as God directs us - 

especially in these latter-days - 

when God needs His valiant sons and daughters

to build up His kingdom.

"Must we obey in every particular?"

We can't afford not to. 

Alma 24

"Oh, how merciful is our God..."

Alma 24:15

My thoughts:

Here the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are having a meeting about how their brethren (the rest of the Lamanites) are coming to war against them for their faith. 

The Anti-Nephi-Lehis refuse to fight to defend themselves

because they won't to back to where they were -

they won't return to a sinful life-

so they accept that they may die.

But here they are in verse 15, 

crying out about the mercy of their God.

In the face of death, they did not lose their faith. 

They truly had an eternal view of mortality,

and they truly knew in Whom they could trust.

"...thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin..."

My thoughts:
They were steadfast and immovable -
nothing could shake their faith!

Alma 24:20-27

My thoughts:
What a humbling experience;
to see the faith of the members to give up their lives to God,
even in the face of death -
Never once rebuking His name.
This is true conversion.
They clearly understood who they were.
Do I have the kind of faith to sacrifice everything
in order to do what I know is right?



"Thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things."
Alma 24:30


My thoughts:
Ex: Apostates
Once we've come into the Church -
we have left neutral ground forever and never can get back to it.
There's no going back once you've received the truth and accepted it.


"Before you joined this Church you stood on neutral ground. When the gospel was preached, good and evil were set before you. You could choose either or neither. There were two opposite masters inviting you to serve them. When you joined this Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can get back on to it. Should you forsake the Master you enlisted to serve, it will be by the instigation of the evil one, and you will follow his dictation and be his servant"

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith

Chapter 27: Beware the Fruits of Apostasy

Safety in Counsel

"When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live in such a blessed time."

Pres. Eyring, "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign, June 2008, pg. 6

"Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think they heave only a wise man giving good advice. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. If it does not, they either consider it faulty advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the counsel. Those without faith may think they hear only men seeking to exert influence for some selfish motive."

Pres. Eyring, "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign, June 2008, pg. 6

My thoughts:

How far are you willing to go to follow the Prophet of God?

"Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel that comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven. Whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred." 

Pres. Eyring "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign, June 2008, pg. 6

My thoughts:

When we reject he counsel of the prophets we are opening our hearts so Satan can do the two things he wants most to do...

"destroy [our] peace, and afflict [our] soul..."

2 Nephi 4:27

"Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. The ground becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future."

Pres. Eyring, "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign, June 2008, pg. 6

My thoughts:

Not following the prophets counsel is not trusting God.

And that is risky business.

"When we honor the keys of the priesthood channel by listening and giving heed, we tie ourselves to a lifeline that will not fail us in any storm...

That is one of the reasons the Savior provided priesthood keys, so that those with ears to hear and faith to obey could go to places of safety."

Pres. Eyring, "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign, June 2008, pg. 7

Our Protector

"The Savior has always been the protector of those who would accept His protection." 

Pres. Eyring "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign June 2008, pg. 5

"There seems to be no end to the Savior's desire to lead us to safety and there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it."

(Italics added) Pres. Eyring "Safety in Counsel"

Ensign June 2008, pg. 5

My thoughts: 

The way back to Christ will always be the same.

 The Savior will never cease to call us Home and lead us to that path.

It is amazing that He provides more than one way to call us Home so that 

every person

will have a way to hear His reassuring request,

"Come unto me... and I shall give you rest." 

(Matt 11:28)