Mosiah 26:1-13
26:1-7 - After Limhi's people had endured death and destruction at every turn while learning to trust the Lord to deliver them, and after Alma's people had been subjected to the cruel bondage of Amulon and after all the people finally united together under king Mosiah, the "rising generation... did not believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ." I think it's kind of interesting here that they not only were like "oh yeah I don't feel like going to church today," and took it to a whole new level by actively denying Christ, his coming and his resurrection. It's kind of like James E. Talmage says in Jesus the Christ while speaking of the war in heaven he said there were those who fought with Jesus, those who fought with Satan and those who at least didn't actively rebel. The IM quotes President Henry B. Eyring as teaching "no charge in the kingdom is more important than to build faith in youth. Each child in each generation chooses faith or disbelief. Faith is not an inheritance; it is a choice. Those who believed King Benjamin learned that. Many of their children chose later not to believe. The scriptures give as a reason, 'for they would not call upon the Lord their God.'" Faith is a choice, and like everything else, God respects our agency and will let us make and live with our own choices. I think the saddest part of these verses is verse 4 when he says "and they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in the carnal and sinful state." They went from having a society where everyone believed to being divided and forever after having a segment of the population that active sought to destroy the people of God. Sad. This segment started out small "but because of the dissensions among the brethren they become more numerous. For is came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins." I don't think that enough people realize that negativity and anger and contention are the spawn of Satan, I don't think they realize how absolutely spiritually crippling those feelings can be. Dissensions among the members, being offended, judging or feeling judged. Many of the references in these verses are talks and lessons about the responsibility of parents to raise their children in righteousness and in the gospel, but like President Eyring says, everyone has to choose for themselves. So what happens when you do everything that you can, and they still fall away? Imagine Alma, the prophet, a former priest of the abhorrent Noah, enslaved by a personal enemy but strengthened in his testimony as he patiently waited, cheerfully, for deliverance. Imagine being him and all the emotions and feelings that he had as he watched his son, Alma jr., not only disobey commandments, but actively fight against everything that you had so diligently taught him. But one reference that I thought was profound came from an April 1974 general conference talk called "Parents, Teach Your Children," by Paul H. Dunn and he says "Think of it! The power of parental prayer! As we consider the challenge of rearing children in a world fraught with temptations, false ideologies, and materialistic enticements, do you not feel the need for guidance and inspiration beyond your human capacity? There is no greater help or strength that a father or mother can obtain than through securing that help from the Lord." When you just can't do anything else, pray. When you've exhausted all other efforts and there's no one to help you or talk to you, pray. The Lord hears and answers the prayers of righteous parents.
28:8-13 - When those who were members of the church became entrenched in sin "it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church." But Mosiah declined to judge them and gave that jurisdiction over to Alma because "king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church." The IM says "after King Mosiah (as king and prophet) gave Alma authority to establish churches throughout the land, it seemed natural for Alma to bring the disobedient Church members to Mosiah to be judged. The king, however, having delegated priesthood authority to Alma, indicated that Alma was responsible for dealing with those who transgressed the laws of the Church. Mosiah retained the judgement of those who broke the laws of the land." But it's Alma's reaction to this new experience of spiritual discipline that is so very interesting to me. So I imagine that Alma for all his spiritual stature and maturity, that this must have seemed like a bunch of whiny babies telling on each other, suddenly he was flooded with people accusing others that he knew nothing about "but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance." And "Alma was troubled in his spirit," because of the craziness of all the people around him, "and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God." Interesting to me that given all the power and mantle of the prophet, he still wears humility and a pure desire to do righteously. In an October 2003 general conference address Lynn A. Mickelsen says in "The Atonement, Repentance, and Dirty Linen," "fearing to do wrong in the sight of God, Alma poured out his whole soul to God and pled with Him for answers as to how to handle the transgressors. Because of Alma's great love for his fellowman and his fervent desire to do God's will, the Lord blessed him mightily, even with a promise of eternal life." Maybe the lesson from today's reading can be Alma's deep anguish because of the sins of the people he was called to preside over, and his genuine desire to do the will of God. Alma's a good guy, he's going to teach us a lot of lessons.
28:8-13 - When those who were members of the church became entrenched in sin "it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church." But Mosiah declined to judge them and gave that jurisdiction over to Alma because "king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church." The IM says "after King Mosiah (as king and prophet) gave Alma authority to establish churches throughout the land, it seemed natural for Alma to bring the disobedient Church members to Mosiah to be judged. The king, however, having delegated priesthood authority to Alma, indicated that Alma was responsible for dealing with those who transgressed the laws of the Church. Mosiah retained the judgement of those who broke the laws of the land." But it's Alma's reaction to this new experience of spiritual discipline that is so very interesting to me. So I imagine that Alma for all his spiritual stature and maturity, that this must have seemed like a bunch of whiny babies telling on each other, suddenly he was flooded with people accusing others that he knew nothing about "but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance." And "Alma was troubled in his spirit," because of the craziness of all the people around him, "and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God." Interesting to me that given all the power and mantle of the prophet, he still wears humility and a pure desire to do righteously. In an October 2003 general conference address Lynn A. Mickelsen says in "The Atonement, Repentance, and Dirty Linen," "fearing to do wrong in the sight of God, Alma poured out his whole soul to God and pled with Him for answers as to how to handle the transgressors. Because of Alma's great love for his fellowman and his fervent desire to do God's will, the Lord blessed him mightily, even with a promise of eternal life." Maybe the lesson from today's reading can be Alma's deep anguish because of the sins of the people he was called to preside over, and his genuine desire to do the will of God. Alma's a good guy, he's going to teach us a lot of lessons.
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