Alma 24

Burying Our Sins

Yesterday, as I was reading chapter 24 in Alma, I cried. I cried for the sacrifice that these people made in order to be clean. As the Anti-Nephi-Lehies saw their brethren coming to kill them, they knelt down and prayed, an in this position the Lamanites began to kill them. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies no longer wanted to fight. They wanted to remain clean; therefore, they wouldn't defend themselves. They felt that if they lifted the sword--even in defense--they would again feel the pain of sin. In an effort to maintain a covenant with God and themselves, they buried their weapons of war. The king said to his people, "Since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean" (verse 15). The scriptures further describe this sacrifice in verse 18 when it says, "And this they did, it being a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of many's blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands." So, that is what they did. They laid down their lives' for their beliefs. The mother and the father knelt in prayer, and they sacrificed not only themselves, but their children.

Two lessons keep running through my mind. First, they buried their weapons, or--in other words--they buried their sins. Do I have sins that I need to bury? As I read this, I keep evaluating my own life. What is it that I could do better? What is keeping me away from my Father in Heaven? Second, they loved God more than themselves, more than their families, more than their children for they were willing to sacrifice it all for their beliefs. I truly believe that our hearts need to be as pure as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. We need to love God above all else.

I would like to think that my heart is as pure as these people; however, I know that it is not. I do try my best in all things; however, I know my heart still has more to change. I do not know if I could watch my children die. I think I could die for my belief, but I am not sure I could allow my children to die. As I read these verses in the scriptures, I cried. My soul ached at the thought. God's purposes were served as more people were converted. What a perspective this has offered me. What am I willing to do for my beliefs? What should I be willing to do for my beliefs? Do I have the faith to trust in God's purposes no matter what?

After I was finished writing a verse from Moroni was present in my thoughts it states, "Come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God" (Moroni 10:32). This is the formula to become like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies.

Alma 22

A CHANGE OF HEART

When King Lamoni's father and Ammon were on the roadside, King Lamoni's father promised Ammon half of his kingdom if Ammon would only spare his life. Because Ammon was not interested in riches, but rather loved King Lamoni--King Lamoni's father began to have a change of heart. When Aaron taught King Lamoni's father the Gospel he said, "What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou has spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy." The king had had a change of heart. He was now willing to give up his entire kingdom for the joy of eternal life. 

This story has always intrigued me. I have often put myself in this king's shoes and asked myself if I was willing to give up all my riches? And then I think of my own life, and I wonder--what riches/things are holding me back from being completely committed to God? I think of the rich young lawyer in the Savior's time who asked a similar question; however, had a different response--he loved his riches more than he loved God. I have often evaluated my own heart and have determined within myself that I too--want eternal life beyond anything this world has to offer. However, I also understand that in order for my heart to continue with this desire, I must continue on God's pathway. Satan is conniving, and he is good at guiding our hearts to desire "things" rather than eternal life--especially when eternal life seems so far away. I can't desire eternal life, and then do nothing--if I do this, my heart will wander. 

And what if it was not just riches holding me back, but what if there was also sin?King Lamoni's father again teaches us a lesson about spiritual preparedness in verse 18 when he states, "I will give away all my sins to know thee". President Ezra Taft Benson notes that "each of us must surrender our sins if we are to really know Christ. For we do not know Him until we become like Him. There are some. like this king, who must pray until they, too, have 'a wicked spirit rooted' from them so they can find the same joy" (Conference Report, October 1983, 63). In a few chapters, these people will bury their weapons of war. This act of "burying" their weapons is symbolic of us "burying" our sins. Am I holding on to a sin? Is there something in my life that needs to be removed so that I may know Christ? This journey to eternal life is a continual process. I truly believe that as we keep our hearts aligned with the things that matter most--we will continue on the pathway to eternal life, our hearts will continue to change, and we will continue giving up the sins that are holding us back. Each and every one of us have sins that keep us from God--its what we do about it that makes the difference. Do we use Christ's atonement to cleanse ourselves daily? If not, our hearts aren't fully committed.

Alma 19 & 21

Changed Hearts = No More Desire to Sin

Alma 19

After the household of Lamoni had heard the Gospel, and repented of their sins, the scriptures say, "their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil." I think this is our goal; to have no desire to sin.

The other night at the dinner table, my kids were asking me about temptations, and repentance. I told them that as they are obedient to God's commandments, their hearts will change and they will not be tempted by the things that seem to tempt them now. I explained that obedience keeps our hearts in line with the Gospel. Of course we will all have struggles, and we will need to be continually repenting; however, as our hearts change, our desires change as well.

I feel this is a continual process. There are moments in my life where I feel much like the statement written in Alma--"having no more desire to sin", and all though that is my continual desire, I am learning that there are times when I am not even tempted, and other times when I am. It reminds me to continually be seeking after the things of God. It reminds me that my focus needs to be set on Him--all of the time.

Continue in Faith

Alma 21

When Ammon delivered his brethren from prison, they had suffered greatly. What impresses me most is what they did as soon as they were released. The scriptures say, "And they went forth withersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted." 

I love that they were patient in their afflictions. I love that they continued even though they had been beaten and naked. I love that they took no thought for themselves, but rather of God. I love that they knew what mattered most. I am struck by their conviction, their faith, their hearts, their desire to do the Lord's will. I want to be like that.

In the beginning, Aaron and his brethren didn't have much success. As just noted, they were cast into prison, they were beaten, and when Ammon found them--they were naked. As these men pushed forward, as they were patient in their trial, and they continued on God's path, they scriptures also say that the "Lord began to bless them, insomuch they brought many to the knowledge of the truth..." Sometimes in life, we may feel like we are doing all that we can to do what is right, and it may feel as if nothing seems to be going right. We may wonder why we are not being blessed when we are doing everything we should be doing. I love this example in the scriptures, because it demonstrates that sometimes those "blessings" do not always come quickly. Sometimes we are given the opportunity to have a "trial of our faith". We are blessed to endure, and as we endure--we are molded into better people. If we can remain faithful, our hearts become more refined. If we remain faithful, we become better. I truly believe the Lord is there waiting to give us the blessings we desire. I believe that He is watching and I believe that He is cheering us on. I can hear Him in my mind saying, "Just a little longer...hold on, don't give up". I believe that as we do HOLD ON, and as we refuse to give into the temptation of giving up--the Lord will bless us...after the trial of our faith--He will bless us.