Review ~ Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah

August 22 - 25:
When Alma and his people escaped their bondage and found their way to Zarahemla, they rejoiced and thanked God for deliverance.  The people in Zarahemla also rejoiced because once again, they had a prophet in the midst.  King Mosiah welcomed Alma as a wise advisor.

But both Alma and Mosiah had sons.  Alma's namesake son, called Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon, rebelled against his father and against the Church.  Mosiah's four sons followed him and amongst the five of them, they wrecked havoc on the Church and the Nephite nation.

One day, the young men were on the road when they suddenly saw and heard an angel with a voice like thunder that shook the earth.  The Book of Mormon describes this experience this way:

As they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

 

Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

.  .  .

And now Alma and those that were with him fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.

 

And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father. (Mosiah 27: 11-13; 18-19)

 

Alma spent three days in a comatose state while he was, in his own words, wracked even with the pains of a damned soul. (Alma 36: 16) When he came to himself, he had fully repented of his sins and had called upon the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The sons of Mosiah had likewise repented.  All five of them spent the rest of their lives in the service of God.

 

Text copyright December 2013, Gebara Education

 

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