Day 59: Alma 17-18

Let's look at Ammon's experience in a different perspective; related to ourselves. First, if we have the desire, and a pure heart, we are called to the work. Though we may be in situations that try our faith or cause to lose our focus, we can remember the promise of the Lord, and go forth to serve.

As you go about day to day, you will meet new people with whom you can share your testimony - some of whom will have to develop a relationship of trust first. As you live your life, trial will arise. How will you react? When things go wrong, as they sometimes do, to whom do you turn?

As we reach out to those in need, are we doing all we can to maintain the Lord at the forefront of our minds? We see people everyday who are like Ammon, the Lamanite servants, the wicked Lamanites causing problems, and yes, even the sheep.

Since we are all given responsibilities to care for the Lord's sheep, do we drive them off, sit and cry when they are driven off, or go before the Lord in prayer then go out and make a difference? Once you learn from one experience, you can then bring the sheep to water again. You have prepared better to encircle the sheep about with love, friendship, a responsibility, and nourishment with the good word of God. Finally, in the strength of the Lord, fight battles against wickedness to ward off those who desire to scatter the flocks again. When the battle is over, give thanks to the Lord for protection, the protection of His children, and continue to perform His labors with humility.

Day 58: Alma 15-16

A short phrase with a lot of power: Alma 15:5. "...they went immediately, obeying the message..." Whether the Spirit of the Lord sends us a prompting, or a distress call from one in need (and we may not know it is a distress call), we need to act immediately.

I believe the Lord provides us opportunities to act immediately, and if we "have ears to hear". we will recognize those opportunities. Once recognized, we must then act. Once we act, the blessings of our Father are poured upon us. Though we may not recognize any grand blessing right off, treasures are being laid up, and we can have peace of conscience.

Day 57: Alma 14

Not much is spoken of Amulek in talks, books, and commentary, but this man was faithful and strong to the end. He was that second witness to Alma, he was rejected by his people - whom he loved and knew well, and he watched the destruction of many good lives. Though not ever written in the scriptures, I believe he watched the martyrdom of some in his family. I surmise this idea because mentioned in previous chapters of him speaking of his children, then following some preaching, Alma then takes him into his own home.

My point in this comment is not to dwell much on the wickedness of those who would perform such acts of murder of innocent people, instead to testify of the Spirit of God within Amulek. Without a firm testimony and faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, how can one stand by to see so many killed for a belief/knowledge. And yet, so many have done so before and since, and will happen again.

What if you were in this situation of watching the martyrdom, or one about to be martyred? Would your faith be strong enough?

“Now, we find many people critical when a righteous person is killed, a young father or mother is taken from a family, or when violent deaths occur. Some become bitter when oft-repeated prayers seem unanswered. Some lose faith and turn sour when solemn administrations by holy men seem to be ignored and no restoration seems to come from repeated prayer circles. But if all the sick 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." (President Spencer W. Kimball Tragedy or Destiny," Improvement Era, March 1966, pp. 180)

“The right question to ask is not why good people have trials, but how shall good people respond when they are tried?…God does not deny us the experience we came here to have. He does not insulate us from tribulation or guarantee immunity from trouble. Much of the pain we suffer and inevitably impost upon others is self-induced through our own bad judgment, through poor choices… But much that happens to us in this life we cannot control; we only respond.” (Elder Marion D. Hanks, Ensign, Nov. 1992, p. 64)

Day 56: Alma 12-13

The Priesthood of God is mighty indeed and can only be controlled and used by proper authority and worthiness in keeping the commandments of God. Those who are called to receive this Priesthood were called and prepared before coming to Earth.

Now does this mean all men who hold the Priesthood are perfect? No. But they have the desire and strive towards increasing their faith in Jesus Christ and performing His work every day of their lives.

“Remember, in the world before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to.” (President Spencer W. Kimball, "Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball", p. 316)

In reference to Alma 13:12 where those called "could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence" President Kimball also states: “This passage indicates an attitude which is basic to the sanctification we should all be seeking, and thus to the repentance which merits forgiveness. It is that the former transgressor must have reached a ‘point of no return’ to sin wherein there is not merely a renunciation but also a deep abhorrence of the sin where the sin becomes most distasteful to him and where the desire or urge to sin is cleared out of his life.

Surely this is what is meant, in part at least, by being pure in heart! (Spencer W. Kimball, "The Miracle of Forgiveness", pp. 354-5)

Day 55: Alma 11-12

Hurray!! I'll have a full head of hair again!

But with this comes a price...a bright recollection of everything I have done in this life - good and bad.
Any deformity- physically, mentally, etc - will be restored to a perfect and proper frame. No matter what happens to us in this life, there is a continuance. And we must remember this truth, so as to do good all our lives; no matter the consequences and way we are treated in return. We are our own receipt register and nothing can be blotted out except for the help of Jesus Christ.

I know the quote below is a little long, but beautifully written.
“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.

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.” (President John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, pp. 77-9)

Day 54: Alma 9-10

"Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear;"

How often do we receive promptings from the Holy Ghost, but hear not?

What about the time you thought to call a friend - for no reason? Or the time you felt to say something to a sibling - a compliment? What about the time you thought to thank someone for a service rendered, but never followed through? Or at the gas station or store and felt to give someone a Pass-along card, but did not speak up?

I believe the Spirit tries to penetrate our hearts and mind throughout the day in various ways to serve, help, share, and love. The less we hear, and worse, hear but not hearken, the less He will come around. So how do we cultivate the Spirit to avoid such regrets?

Prayer - sincere prayer asking for courage and strength.
Scriptures - Learning how the Spirit works in their lives as well as our own.
Actively seeking - Turn off the music/phone for a moment and open your eyes.

Maybe all that is required is a smile, a "thank you", or the courage to stand for what's right; especially when everyone else reviles.

"Works of love are works of peace." - Mother Theresa
"Give your hands to serve and your heart to the Lord." - Mother Theresa

Day 53: Alma 7-8

1 Nephi 7:18 can be a type an shadow of what we read in Alma 7:12 regarding our Savior's ability to save us from death and hell. Jesus has "loosed the bands of death" for all of us. Are we grateful - have we ever expressed in prayer of testimony? When Nephi was tied up by his brothers and almost left in the desert to die, he prayed for strength to break the bonds. The Lord answered his prayer, but different than his request. Verse 18 states: "...the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet..."

The Lord has prepared a way for our escape, but we must be willing to pray for strength and a way to overcome temptations that do easily beset us. He will loosen these bands, but the choice is ours: will we remove the bands from our hands and feet, or leave them on without forgiving ourselves and leaving the sins behind?

Jesus Christ came into the world to take upon Him all our guilt, pain, etc, that He may succor us. In fact He runs to us. Are we making our way back to Him? Can you feel to sing the song of redeeming love as Alma asks in chapter 5? If not, now is the time to turn to Him with full purpose of heart. Pray for a loosening of the bands that encompass you about; He will loosen them, then we must rid ourselves of those bands each day until they are buried deep.