Day 37: Alma 13-14

Welcome to Day 37...

Alma taught the people in Ammonihah about Melchizedek and the importance of priesthood authority in building God's kingdom as the majority of the people were extremely wicked and set on destroying the church.

Then things escalated to a total nightmare. Alma and Amulek were forced to witness a horrific tragedy and thrown into prison.

            

A distraught Alma pleaded: "How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance."  And then an mighty miracle occurred," according to their faith which was in Christ." Alma 14:26

Today's reading reminds us that yes, terrible things happen - but even those things are part of a vast eternal plan and all will be well in the end. 

So if all is NOT well today, that means it's NOT the end. :) 

• Opening Song: "Be Still"
  

• Begin study session with prayer
• Scripture Study: Alma 13-15 (listen)

• Study Guide: (here)

• Video: Discussions on the Book of Mormon Alma 13-15

Video: Alma's Mission to Ammonihah 

• Video: Elder Boyd K Packer on Zeezrom 

Understanding why God allows the righteous to suffer can be a difficult principle for us to understand. Reflect upon the following statement from President Spencer W. Kimball to further understand why God allows people to exercise their agency, even if they make wrong choices: “If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective. 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. No man would have to live by faith” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 15).

"Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God." Alma 13:12

"But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering; Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest." Alma 13:28-29 

Although priesthood holders are discussed in Alma 13, President Spencer W. Kimball reminded us that sisters were also given noble callings in the premortal existence: “Remember, in the world before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks” (“The Role of Righteous Women,”Ensign, Nov. 1979, 102).

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Premortality is not a relaxing doctrine. For each of us, there are choices to be made, incessant and difficult chores to be done, ironies and adversities to be experienced, time to be well spent, talents and gifts to be well employed. Just because we were chosen ‘there and then,’ surely does not mean we can be indifferent ‘here and now.’ Whether foreordination for men, or foredesignation for women, those called and prepared must also prove ‘chosen and faithful.’ (See Rev. 17:14; D&C 121:34–36.)

• Video: Foreordination

“Today is a day of eternity. I hope each day we are thankful for life, for knowing that we are sons and daughters of God and that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is upon the earth. I hope we will have a desire and a determination to make each day a good day.”

--George I. Cannon, “Today—A Day of Eternity,” Ensign, Nov 1991, 13

• Record thoughts and favorite verses in your journal

• Close study session with prayer