God Knows Our Potential Better Than We Do ~ A Story of Conversion

Alma the Younger spent three days in a coma as his family and friends fasted and prayed.  On the third day, he awoke and began to praise God.

What went on during those three days?  Many years later, Alma related his experience to his own sons:

I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way. And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us . . . And [the angel] said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God . . . when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
 

But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.  Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments . . .  so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.  Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.  And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. 



A Harrow

And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of [Messiah / Christ], a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.  Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: . . .  Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. 

And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.  And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!  Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

 

Behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.  Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  (Alma 36:6-7,9,11,12-21,23-24)
 

Alma and the four sons of Mosiah went on to become some of the greatest missionaries in the Book of Mormon.

Is anything too difficult for God?  Is anyone beyond the gracious atonement of our Savior?  If you are avoiding God because of your sins, reach out to Him.  He can heal you.  Then and only then can you become the person God means for you to be.

Text copyright August 2013, Gebara Education 

Pictures from www.lds.org

except

tractor with harrow from www.commons.wikimedia.org

Alma with the angel from www.windriverdistributing.com