August 22 - September 14:
Alma traveled far on his missionary journeys. He went first to Gideon in what is now the Comitan Valley of Mexico; Melek, on the western borders of Chipas, Mexico at a site called Santa Cruz II.; and Ammonihah, the archaeological site of Mirador in the state of Chiapas.
While the people of Gideon and Melek were receptive to Alma's message, the people in Ammonihah were not. In fact, they ran him out of the city on threat of his life. But not long after he left, he was visited again by the same angel who had called him to repentance, commanding him to return to Ammonihah. God was giving them one more chance to repent and, if they did not repent, they would be destroyed.
It was on this second trip to Ammonihah that Alma met and converted a man who was to become his missionary companion, Amulek. Alma and Amulek bore powerful testimony to the people and confronted one of the anti-Christs of the Book of Mormon. This man, Zeezrom, was a lawyer and he tried to entrap them with words. He was unsuccessful and, in fact, became one of the few converts. Later in his life, he was healed by Alma through a priesthood blessing.
The people were so wicked, however, that they threw Alma and Amulek in prison. The took the wives and children of every man who had believed their words and put them to death by fire while they forced the men to watch in horror. The refugees who survived, including the missionary companions and Zeezrom, fled the city.
Not long afterward, the city was completely destroyed by the Lamanites and every person killed. It was a tragic end for a people who could have come to Christ, but did not.
Text copyright December 2013, Gebara Education
August 22 - September 14:
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