Week 32 is scheduled for study Aug. 5-11, 2024. “Alma … trusted the power of true doctrine to give his son an eternal perspective and encourage repentance.”
Day 1
Alma 39 – I can avoid sexual sin.
Today I will let you deal with the manual on your own and only share a few words of my perspective on the world in which we all live.
In Alma’s day there was no such thing as pornography as we know it. Corianton was guilty of being obsessed with himself. Alma’s words describe Corianton’s attitude this way – “thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.” This indicates to me a lack of humility and reliance on the Lord on Corianton’s part. If he was thinking of his own strength, and his own abilities, my guess is that he also relied upon the outward appearances of people, for focusing extensively on one’s physical strength is about as superficial as one can get.
Please don’t get me wrong when I say that focusing on one’s physical strength is about as superficial as one can get. Strength is desirable in those who are younger in age, for many things in this life require physical strength. It is when the body that usually comes with physical strength becomes the end all and be all of one’s life that the strength becomes a deterrent to spiritual health. Strength and physical beauty fade with time, it can’t be helped. So the devoted pursuit of that physical beauty can lead us away from the things that will save our soul in the kingdom of God. I am fully aware that in today’s society that sentiment is pure blasphemy.
My guess is that Corianton’s pride and attention to his looks is partially to blame for him falling for the fame of the harlot Isabel. Even though “she did away the hearts of many” that should not have been the case with one who was called and set apart to the ministry of Christ. Those set apart to do the work of God are expected to live by a higher standard than the rest of the world. The purpose of God’s ministers is to call others to come out of the world and to come unto Christ. This means we seek to help them forsake their sins and repent. In this way they will find great happiness through living and keeping the commandments. Corianton instead violated the commandments.
I suggest you turn to page 160 in the CFM manual and listen/read the talks given by Bradley R. Wilcox “Worthiness Is Not Flawlessness” and “Pornography” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Both are wonderful and Spirit filled. The Spirit was strong in both talks, and helped me in my efforts to contemplate my own efforts to repent each day.
Day 2
Alma 40-41 – What will happen after I die?
I find it amazing that Alma’s knowledge of the post mortal world was something not openly recorded (that we have in our possession) by any other prophet from Adam to Alma’s day. Surely other prophets knew of the post mortal world and the nature of mankind while in that world, but we have no open discussions of the post mortal world in all of the Old Testament before Alma’s day. We don’t even have record that Alma openly taught that information to all the people. We only have evidence that he taught what he had learned to his own son, Corianton.
Alma taught Corianton about the separation at death of those who had embraced Christ versus those who had abandoned or rejected him. The one group enters into a period of rest from earthly cares known as Paradise. The other group who rejected Christ live in spiritual darkness and misery until the resurrection. We now know that missionary work is taking place among those in the second group to release them from their misery. It takes repentance and acceptance of Christ to move from misery to Paradise.
More about the post mortal world can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 138 in a revelation given to Joseph F. Smith on October 3, 1918. This is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing revelations ever received. It demonstrates how much Christ loves us and how much God loves us.
Day 3
Alma 40 – I can seek answers to my questions with faith in Jesus Christ.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the perspective of those who teach the gospel in the Book of Mormon or Old Testament feels limited by the understanding of the gospel we possess in this last dispensation of time? This is especially evident in this sermon Alma gives to Corianton. What happens between death and the resurrection simply wasn’t known in any detail to the prophets of their day. Just to find out what Alma did of the space between death and the resurrection required that Alma study, fast, and pray long and hard to receive even a partial answer from the Lord. It just wasn’t the time for that knowledge to be generally known among the people. If it was then the Lord would have revealed it to the prophets already.
We sometimes mistakenly think that salvation can’t come unless we know everything. But look at each generation that lived and died from Adam’s day to this who lived out their lives without knowing all the details of eternity that are common to us. God didn’t see fit in His wisdom to give them that information, yet He still plans on exalting many of them. If we think we know a lot now, our current knowledge will pale in comparison to what we will know after the Savior returns. Salvation can be achieved through obedience, not massive knowledge. We only need to know enough to be faithful to Christ.
This understanding, that each generation has what the Lord feels they need to be obedient to the commandments, and no more, should help us be more patient with what appears to be spiritual ignorance of the old prophets. Knowledge is constantly being revealed, so we are constantly being held accountable for more and more knowledge as it comes from God. If you look at the history of the revelation on the priesthood given in the late 70’s you will learn that the prophets had been praying for more knowledge on the position of God in relation to those with black skin and when they would be able to hold the priesthood for more than a hundred years before the revelation was actually given.
I bring up the subject of the priesthood being available to all races of the world for a purpose. How we gain knowledge from God happens in the same way whether we are a prophet or a new convert. We must study, pray, fast, and ponder the gospel as we currently understand it in our efforts to gain greater knowledge. God wants us to put in the work to gain more knowledge, for He knows how blessed our lives will be to have more knowledge. But He also knows when it is wise not to share information too soon, even if the person is worthy of more knowledge. So we rely on God’s timing and wisdom, and are happy with what we are able to comprehend and learn.
Notice that Alma’s knowledge of the spirit world is even greater than that held by the apostles chosen by Jesus in his earthly ministry. Alma received his knowledge of what happens between death and resurrection because of his personal efforts to learn what the scriptures he had didn’t contain. Alma knew what he wanted to know could only come from direct revelation. Only God had that information.
When we have questions about the gospel, the best way to handle those questions is to begin by searching the scriptures. Why go straight to the Lord to learn more when we haven’t yet read what God has already told us? We need to be clear that we have searched the scriptures forward and back to make sure our question can’t be answered from God’s current scriptures. Once we know that we can approach the Lord and let Him know that we have done all within our abilities to learn what there is to know about the subject of our questions. It is then that we can begin to expect some kind of direction as to where we can find the answer, or we can hope to begin to receive guidance on the subject over time. The answer will come – maybe not for years – but it will come when the Lord is ready for us to handle the answers we seek.
Day 4
Alma 42 – The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes redemption possible.
Okay, as I sat pondering what to do with today’s lesson title, I kept thinking, “I know I have written something about this before.” I did some searching on this website, and actually found multiple articles that address today’s topic in the Book of Mormon. I also found some good information on this topic from the New Testament lessons. Here are just two of the articles I recommend you read for a better understanding of our need for an atonement, a reconciliation with God, and how Christ makes our redemption from the Fall of Adam possible.
The Basics of Eternal Judgment
Personal Study
Can I be happy and sad at the same time?
As mortals we can be deceived so easily. We often believe ourselves to be such “simple” and obvious creatures. But at the same time we possess such complexity that we can’t possibly be the “simple” creatures we think we are.
Perhaps we can’t express both joy and sorrow in the same breath, but we certainly can be filled with both simultaneously. Think about 3 Nephi where the Savior weeps because his joy is full over the people, because of their faith in him. Yet just weeks before he sat on a hilltop overlooking Jerusalem and sorrowed over the state of Israel. Why? Because he was thinking about how often he would have gathered them under his proverbial wing, like a hen gathers her chicks to protect them and keep them safe, yet they refused to listen to him and had to suffer the consequences of their actions.
Here is a perfect example of how we can express both joy and sorrow, almost in the same breath. For a time in the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were fractured into multiple groups. There was Limhi and the other descendants of Zeniff’s party that left Zarahemla to return to the land of their nativity, and Alma and his people who returned to Zarahemla from having also escaped captivity by the Lamanites. Now that everyone was back in the same place, Mosiah caused everyone’s records to be read publicly to get everyone up to speed on what had been happening over the last several generations among all the people.
The people reacted with passion both ways as they heard of what had happened to their relatives for the last many years (Mosiah 25:5-11).
5 And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they the land of Zarahemla until they again.
6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.
7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement.
8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.
9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.
10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of , they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.
11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and state, they were filled with and anguish for the of their souls.
This reaction by the people reminds me of the reaction we have when our children do us proud, versus when they cause us to fear for their own welfare, because of the choices they make. We rejoice on the one hand, but weep on the other. I don’t know if we can express both joy and sorrow in the same breath, but we certainly have it within us to possess both emotions in large quantities. Next time you search the scriptures look for the times that God demonstrates that He also rejoices for some of His children, while He weeps for others, and all of heaven weeps with Him (read Moses 7).
Click the link below to
print a PDF copy of the article.
PDF link doesn’t seem to be working.
Thanks Glen. I forgot to attach it. The link is now working.