Future Mormon

In my profession I have many opportunities to read and ponder my thoughts on specific and general gospel principles. For the most part, my musings are limited by the level of understanding I can share with my students, so I don’t spend a lot of time preparing deep conversations with them. Fortunately, in my personal study there are times when I can focus on subjects that are of interest to me on a more abstract or thoughtful level.

Some time back I received a copy of a book called “FutureMormon” by Adam Miller, a professor of philosophy at Collin College in Texas and a faithful Latter-day Saint. The book contains a series of essays that invite readers to search their hearts, minds, and souls on a number of topics relating to Mormonism. Admittedly, a few of the essays are somewhat difficult to comprehend and wade through (I suspect that this is a requirement for most philosophy professors), but there are also many that spark the mind and soul to think and invite the Spirit to testify of truth. I found that as I pondered and tried to apply the message of these essays, truth was revealed, and hope increased with a better understanding of the deeper principles of light. Miller’s engaging style and thoughtful commentary makes even the most difficult concepts palatable to the heart and soul.

Some of the topics covered in “Future Mormon” include thoughts on grace as understood by Latter-day Saints, a discussion of materialism and its impact on man, an interesting examination of the message found in Jacob 7 of the Book of Mormon, and a well thought view on Teryl and Fiona Givens book, “The God WhoWeeps.” I am aware that there are some who have read Miller’s work and claim he speaks from the ‘outskirts’ of Mormonism, but careful examination of his writings leads me to believe those in that camp are not truly understanding what he is saying. The message of each essay is to invite members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to look to Christ and follow the teachings He has given through modern and ancient prophets.

For those who are interested in a deeper dive into some of the doctrines of the Restoration, this delightful book will be a serious adventure in learning. And those who may have some fear – take a chance and see if some of the essays might be worthwhile. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

You may also want to take a look at this review of the book from Jeff Lindsay at the Interpreter website. He has much more to say and digs a little deeper into the book.... and he's smarter than I am so it will probably make more sense. ;-) mw

The Summer of Broken Things

From time to time, I receive books from publishers for reviewing purposes. Most of the time I take some time and write a short blurb for Amazon or GoodReads and post them for others to see. But recently, I have had a few books that have been better than average.

SO, I thought I might share a few of the books I have read on this blog. It might get me to remember to do a little more work and also help others find something interesting to read.

Here's the first of, I hope, many reviews to come.

The Summer of Broken Things 
by 

Margaret Peterson Haddix

I received this book from the publisher and, frankly, was not that excited about reading or reviewing it. Sometimes books just don't 'look' or 'sound' like they are going to be interesting, but "The Summer of Broken Things" was surprisingly deep, poignant, and inspiring in its content. 

Despite my early reservations, I am very impressed and touched by the story and especially the writing depth of feeling in the book. My experience with the Margaret Peterson Haddix has been pretty good over the years, but this particular story was much more moving and powerful than her other works. It was almost like she had discovered a new level of writing that opened up to a very personal world.

"The Summer of Broken Things" is about two young women: 16-year-old Kayla Butts (sometimes referred to as "butt-girl") and Avery Armisted, a talented, socially adept 14-year-old soccer player. Though the two girls are aware of each other, and even spent time together when they were much younger, their connections have waned over the years. Kayla is a bright, friendly, caring, and attentive young woman who is little overweight and takes lots of teasing from kids at school. Avery is just the opposite -- popular, athletic, and part of the 'in-crowd.' So, when Avery's parents inform her that they have invited Kayla to be her 'companion' during a summer trip to Spain with her father, Avery's world takes a difficult and mysterious turn. 

Both girls are reluctant to make much of a 'friendship commitment' but as the days pass, a level of trust begins to develop and life becomes easier. Until..., events caused by Avery losing her passport change the whole nature of the trip and threatens the relationship between the girls and Avery's parents. Secrets that have lain hidden for years are revealed, and loyalties are tested as all those involved try to decide what to do. In the end, both girls find out important things about themselves, their families, and the connections that they never knew they had. 

Haddix has approached a difficult subject with tenderness, humor, and a large dose of reality. Readers will learn to love Avery and Kayla, just as the girls learn to accept and maybe even care for each other. There are a few surprises and many tender moments, but this is more than a "Kleenex" story. There is a message in this tale about very sensitive topics, approached with care and compassion and regular doses of humor. And all this is done with characters who are true to themselves and those they love. 

As was mentioned earlier, I have read many of Haddix's books but this, by far, is the most interesting and thought provoking story in her library. Those who take the time to introduce Kayla and Avery into their lives will not be disappointed. Congratulations to Margaret Peterson Haddix on a powerful, uplifting message.

PERSPECTIVE NEAR THE END

Twenty-six odd years ago I was blessed to find an avocation that excited me as no other work had ever done before or since. 

While I was trained in business and had worked for nearly 20 years in that field, there was never a real love for the work. There was a fair amount of success in what was happening (salary increases, better positions, recognition, etc.) but something was always missing. No matter how much money I made or awards I received, there was a vacuum in my life when it came to work.

Events of life seemed to be shaping me to branch out and find something more satisfying. At first, I thought becoming a manager in several businesses and subsequently a director for a large company was going to be the answer to my yearnings. But all those positions and the compensation that came along with the titles never gave me peace.

Teaching Seminary (especially early morning classes) was not something I had ever considered as a full-time possibility. But when I tried I discovered it was fun, and there was a joy in the students and work. 

But there was always major trepidation when considering the financial part(that 'natural man' stuff can be a real pain:See Mosiah 3:19).

So, I participated as a part-time teacher while retaining my “daily” job in the world. It was tiring (early morning started at 6:00 am) but it was also invigorating, and the students were amazing. For nearly seven years my schedule included that early morning shot of excitement before I went off to do my other duties. My goal was to complete 25 years and then settle back and bask in the memories.

Now, 26 + years later, I look back and realize that the process for finding this work followed a pattern that would help me understand the great blessing it is to be in this position. The part-time work during those early mornings helped me to see the value of what I was doing.

Seeing students faces as they 1) woke up, 2) began to understand, and 3) radiated the light they were receiving changed me as much (or maybe more) as it changed them.

When I decided to accept an offer of fulltime employment, for the first time in my life I had found work that gave me joy in addition to feeding my family and paying the bills.

Oh, we made a LOT less money than we had before, but the excitement of going to work every day made it all worthwhile. And I believe that my family benefited by having a dad/husband who was not miserable in his work.

But this is old news to many of you and I’ve told this story many times in the past.

So, what is the purpose of this journey down “memory land?”

Two things.

THING One – I am beginning to realize that the time is fast approaching when I will no longer be able to continue in my chosen profession. There are only a few short years until I will, necessarily, retire from the work I love.

Despite what some might think, students do struggle a little more with older teachers AND older teachers struggle a little more with students. We still love each other, but the generation gap, with all its nefarious points of differentiation, is unyielding

(unless you are an Apostle – which I’m not).

So, the expectation is that in another two or three years there will be a change in my employment status.

Not something I anticipate with joy, but more as a reality of life.

THING Two – For the past few months I have been feeling sorry for myself.

Each year, the area director of each group of teachers visits with them and asks where they would like to teach (unlike Public School teachers, we move around quite a bit during our careers). In my interview with our director, I gave two desires –

1.  Stay where I am for the last few years or

2.    Move to the Institute (college age students).

Imagine my reaction when our placement notices came out in May and neither of my requests was granted. In fact, an assignment was made to move to a different high school, further away from home than at any time since my very first assignment in 1998.

Being obedient, the change was accepted, but not without a fair amount of grumbling (to Teresa, other teachers, and just about anyone who would listen).

And that’s why I’m offering the reminiscences of my career on this day. Mostly, what I’m doing is reminding myself that:

1.     I don’t teach because I want to make a lot of money and

2.    Teaching isn’t my favorite job because of the school where I am assigned.

I'm also apologizing to those who had to listen to my rantings for the last few months. It surely was a burden for them and I regret my lack of self-control.

Teaching is my favorite career because of what it does for me and for the students in the classroom.

There are only a few more years to influence the young people in my care. It will be very difficult to do my job if the focus is on what isn’t available to me.

The work is still exciting, and the students are amazing (imagine working with youth who don’t swear, strictly avoid immoral behavior, control obnoxiousness, and shun all the other discouraging things you see in the world).

This is still the best job ever!! 

And I need to treat it as the blessing it is.

So, you will hear no more from me about any changes or disruptions in my work life.

As far as I’m concerned, this is the happiest place on earth (sorry Disney) and I want to be here with joy in the work.

So, Copper Hills High/West Hills Jr. Here I come!!

Adventures In AZ -- Reunion 2018

A few months ago, my mother sent out an invitation to the family, asking us all to come down to Arizona for a reunion.

(For some reason, we always seem to do these in the heated months of the year, but I guess that’s better than not having them.)

Or maybe not!!

So, we polled our children and found that Josh and Heather (plus 4), Joel and Paula, Melissa (plus 2) and Teresa and I were willing to brave the heated wasteland of Gilbert, AZ. The others had some desires to attend but circumstances made it impossible. 

The total personages who were committed to attend were 14 when all was said and done.

A few weeks before our trek we were thinking and discussing how much it would cost to drive three vehicles down and back plus find places to stay and purchase food and other necessaries for the trip. As we added things up, I suddenly had a brilliant idea-  

Why not rent an RV and take everyone down in one vehicle? We could even avoid motel rentals if it was big enough and that would defray more expenses.

And if the unit had a stove and fridge we could take all our food with us and make it so much more cost-effective. It took a lot of discussion, but eventually we all agreed that this might be a good option for our trip.

Over the next few days I scoured the Internet for places that rented RV’s. Most were WAY too expensive but there were a few sites that seemed more reasonable.

Then I found a place that is sort of a BnB for RV's – you rent from owners who aren’t using theirs at the time. The prices were much more reasonable, so we started looking for someone in our area that was in the price range we could afford.

It took several days to find a good option – turned out to be right near where Josh lives. The rental request was placed, and the owner contacted me to make the final arrangements. We checked out the unit and it appeared to be just what we needed. It would hold all our crew (Melissa and her two had to drive separately for other reasons so we were down to 11), had enough sleeping places, and sufficient a/c to meet the needs of the AZ onslaught.

On the 31^st of May we picked up the motor-home and loaded all our stuff inside for the trip. Then it was “tally-ho, and away we go.”

While the ride was a little rougher than we had been led to believe, we made good time and were having a wonderful time…… until the generator that runs the a/c began to act up. It would work for a time but then, all on its own, would shut off and not come back on. So, we turned the a/c from the front on as high as it would go and forged onward to the deserts of Arizona.

As we followed I-17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix, we had little spurts when the generator would work and help with the cooling. But it was never enough to make us comfortable – just prevented death.

We were in great anticipation of heat relief as we took highway 101 to make our way east across the valley to Gilbert.

About 20 miles from Gilbert an unusual experience occurred. I was driving in the middle lane of a large and crowded freeway (rush hour) when the engine lost power and died. You can imagine how that went over with my fellow-travelers (not the Communist kind, the Freeway kind). 

There was much honking and finger-waving until I finally was able to get the vehicle started and pulled into the far-right lane.

Thankfully, the engine seemed to have recovered so we continued with our journey (and wisely we never left the slow-traffic-lane).

Ah, but all was not well. The loss of power and dead engine came back to haunt us – again and again and again – so much so that we finally decided to exit the freeway and find our way on the surface streets. Thanks Google Maps.

(By this time, we were only a few miles from Gilbert).

Now, here’s the most exciting part of this situation. Each time we started the RV, the engine would sluggishly begin to gain power and if I quickly put it in gear we could make one or two stoplights before it died.

So, put on your imagine-hat and see what we experienced.

Pull up to a stop light –

Put RV in park as it dies –

Wait until the cross-traffic seems to be stopping and then quickly start the engine

As soon as the light turns green, drop it into drive while feathering the gas so it doesn’t stall and leave you stranded in the middle of the intersection.

Then get to the next stop light and repeat.

Again

And again.

And again.

For many more miles than we like to remember.

The only way to remain sane was to laugh together.

Otherwise we would have been in tears.

Until, finally, we reached the front yard of my brother John’s house.

Thank heavens he had a large driveway, so we could get the RV off the road and out of sight.

I invite you to imagine how our family was feeling about this whole escapade.

AND,

Though we were there for a reunion, other things needed to be done.

Sorry Mom and Dad, your eldest son must go into hibernation with his phone. ☹

Ok, enough of the pity party!!

Our next point of business was to call the owner of the RV and see what he could do to help our situation. It took some time to get him connected but when I explained what was happening I heard him say (very quietly) –

Oh no, not again.

I will confess that there some thoughts that weren’t very kind going thru my mind when those words were mumbled.

Turns out he had been in Phoenix the week before and had encountered a similar problem. His mechanic diagnosed the problem as bad fuel filter and replaced it. But now he was convinced (by our situation) that there was something else.

Well, after many hours on the phone with the tow service, repair people, and various other entities, arrangements were made to have someone look at the engine. A mobile repair company came and took away the ‘bad boy’ RV and replaced the fuel PUMP (in the fuel tank) that was much harder to replace (but should have been the first choice when the problem occurred) to make it run.

And it worked.

Sadly, all the parties not of our family ignored the other gorilla in the room – the generator that runs the a/c. Despite our pleas for help in getting that repaired, no one made any effort to comply.

All these events took place from Thursday night until Saturday afternoon. That left little time for interactions with family members (unless they were helping with the situation—thanks guys) and kinda ruined the whole purpose of the reunion. I will confess that I was just a little peeved – but I was also ready to go home.

Sunday morning bloomed with heat reaching well over 100 degrees before noon. Our plan was to leave and make a mad-rush in the a/c-less RV to Flagstaff and see how we felt.

If we weren’t too miserable our intent was to go all the way home to Utah in one day. Though we had plans to visit the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, the lack of a/c was too much to make that possible.

Literally,

as we were buckling up to leave we received a call from the owner of the RV. He had been on the phone trying to find someone near us who would be willing to trade RV’s, so we could continue our vacation. After all his efforts, there was one kind soul in Tucson (about two hours away) willing to help.

We thought about it for a few minutes, took a vote, and finally decided to give it one more try.

After all, what else could happen to make things worse?

Three hours later we met this nice lady (It takes a really nice person to be so helpful) and exchanged information and RV’s –

Her RV had great a/c and was much smoother riding than the original vehicle.

We continued our vacation – Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, other sites – and finally arrived home, safe, sound, and revived by a delightful couple of days.

After some negotiation, our RV guy came to an agreement with us about how much we should pay for our adventure. It wasn’t what he wanted, but it was probably more than he deserved.

Now, what is the moral of this story?

What principle of truth can we learn to make life happier?

Truth #1 – Never rent an RV from an individual – maybe not even a company.

Truth #2 – Make every effort to avoid family reunions in Arizona during the summer months. 

If you can’t, don’t drive.

That’s all the truth I can divine from this experience.

Oh wait!!

Truth #3 – It’s much better to laugh together when things are going bad.

Thanks to my wonderful family for their patience with the miserable experience I foisted upon them. 

Teresa was wonderful and Josh, Heather, Joel, Paula, and the little kids were amazing and very willing to do whatever it took to make things work.

I make one promise after all of this adventure.

I hereby, promise to never rent another RV for our family.

But I won’t promise not to buy one someday.  😊

Captain Moroni – Warrior Christian

I have been reading the Book of Mormon since I was a boy but my real efforts to understand this powerful testimony of Christ began as a 19-yr-old missionary. Poring over it for the first time in my life, I became interested in the doctrines of Christ found in the pages of the book. Since those days, my study has helped me to see and learn many things that have improved my life.

In my early years of study I sometimes struggled with the purpose of the “war chapters” found in the book. But with age and experience (and a little effort) I have begun to see the great value in the things Mormon included in the record pertaining to war. Mormon’s life was spent in battle (he was a Nephite general at age 16) and he developed some powerful insights that can help us all prepare for the events that will surely come in our day. That is a subject I would like to address in this little missive.

As he compiled the record of the Nephites, Mormon often highlighted the attitudes and attributes of the Nephites and Lamanites. One area I have found of special interest is the attitude he takes toward the Nephite general Moroni. It is obvious to any reader that Mormon had a great respect for Moroni (so much so that he gave his own son the same name). Many of the attributes we see in the writing of Mormon about his own military experiences shadow the things he appreciated about Moroni. While a much longer paper could be made of these connections, I would like to focus on one truth Mormon highlights related to the great Captain Moroni’s righteousness.

On several occasions, Moroni found himself and his armies in precarious situations. For instance, Alma 44 covers a battle between the Nephite forces and a massive Lamanite army, led by the apostate Nephite Zerahemnah. Chosen for his hatred of the Nephites and his skill in warfare, Zerahemnah took the Lamanites to battle with the intent to destroy the whole of the Nephite nation. But a series of setbacks and missteps plunged the Lamanite army into a situation that was precarious to the degree of utter destruction.

And it came to pass that he [Moroni and his army] met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war. And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also were dressed with thick clothing—now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows…and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins;… (Alma 43:18-20)

Seeing the preparations of the army of Moroni, the Lamanites were afraid to engage in battle and chose to move their attack to a different part of the land – hopeful to find a less prepared enemy.

Not one to simply hope for the best, Captain Moroni acted quickly. First, he sent spies to scope out the plans of the army of Zerahemnah. Then, he called on Alma, the prophet of the Church, to ask for guidance from the God of their fathers. Alma sought help from God and was given directions to help Moroni prepare for the work of their enemies. Thus, when the Lamanites arrived at their designed battleground they found the army of the Nephites waiting to confront them. What they didn’t find was the second portion of Moroni’s army that was secreted in the valleys, waiting for them to pass by. Now the whole of the Lamanite army was surrounded by the well equipped and protected Nephite militia. The ensuing battle was a bloodbath with the Lamanites contributing most of the liquid.

As the battle raged, the leaders of the Lamanite army used every trick to inspire their men to face the well-trained and favorably suited soldiers of the armies of Moroni. And though there was some success, as the battle progressed the Lamanites found themselves being slaughtered with comparative ease. Then, at a critical point in the struggle, Moroni detected the fear and terror of his enemies. Unlike most other military leaders in a similar situation,…

…Moroni, when he saw their terror, commanded his men that they should stop shedding their blood. (Alma 43:54)

REALLY!! What military man would pass on the chance to decimate the enemies’ greatest asset?

Yet, that is precisely what Moroni did. And to complicate things even more, Moroni went a step further. To Zerahemnah, the leader of the Lamanites he said:

…We will not seek your blood, but we will spare your lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against us. (Alma 44:6)

In other words, Moroni offers to free Zerahemnah and his army on a PROMISE. No other strings attached.

Understandably, the Lamanites had some difficulty accepting/believing what was happening but in the end, they agreed to surrender and live (though Zerahemnah lost a little in the process).  The ensuing events can be read in Alma 44:8-24, but this amazing experience only highlights the strength and faith of a man of war who relied on the teachings of God. He had no desire to kill or destroy – he was willing to let people live if they would just stop their destructive behavior. All he sought was peace for his people, so they could worship God and Christ as they desired.

Moroni was a great man of war, but he was a greater man of God. He worked to protect his people from destruction by their enemies but always looked to God for the way he should do his business. Is it any wonder that Mormon, a man who spent most of his life practicing warfare to protect his people, would find hope in the exploits of Moroni?

Those who read and study the word of God (whether in the Book of Mormon or other scriptures) can find instances where real men do the things of God, despite the ideas of the world. Moroni is one of those men and is an inspirational example for all who read his exploits. I understand, completely, why Mormon (nearly 500 years removed from the time of Moroni) would find strength in the faithfulness of Captain Moroni, the great Nephite leader.

If you would like to see a short video portraying this exciting experience, check out this link.

For more experiences with Moroni, check out Alma 43-63 in The Book of Mormon.

Strange Tender Mercies

“What are God’s miracles that remind you that He is close, saying, “I am right here”? Think of those times, some daily, when the Lord has acted in your life—and then acted again. Treasure them as moments the Lord has shown confidence in you and in your choices.”

This quote comes from a talk by Elder Ronald Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the last General Conference. It caught my attention because I was thinking about some things happening on a blog site I like to follow. The author is a very knowledgeable Latter-day Saint and has a plethora of followers. Most are fellow-saints who are interested in the views of the writer, but a few are more inclined to attempt to poke holes (or chasms) in the faith of believing readers with disparaging remarks and snide comments.

RANT ALERT: (It baffles me that there are people who feel their time is best spent berating others who believe differently than they do. There is no effort made to speak with kindness, or respect as you would to someone who is lost or confused about life. The sole purpose seems to “share” venom that has built up in their system and, apparently, must be released on poor unsuspecting souls (though, by now we all know what to expect). What is it that leads people like this to spend their time chasing down sites where believers – in one thing or another – share experiences, beliefs, and common interests? Is their life really that dull?)

Anyway, as I was pondering the universe and all its secrets, I had a thought that would not let go of my brain. It goes something like this:

The blogger I follow has several of those folks who like to “disagree” with him on very basic principles of truth. No amount of discussion can dissuade them from the ‘belief’ that anything put out by the author is designed to ‘destroy the world.’ It is obvious that they have no interest in trying to understand anything that is shared – and yet, they come back day after day with scorn, untruths, and taunts for those who do believe. Often, I say, “what drives them to keep coming back?”

That’s when there was a little (cause I’m not really that important) epiphany that hit me as I was out walking and thinking, related to the message of Elder Rasband.

I thought to myself, might there be a purpose in God’s plan for people like this who are always assaulting those who do not share their beliefs. Could this be one of those tender mercies Elder Rasband mentioned that our Heavenly Father is offering to them as He tries to persuade them to come back to Him. Maybe by keeping these souls connected to a source of truth (even though it is inconvenient and uncomfortable to believers and appears to be completely useless in teaching the offender) God is leaving a way open for these dissenters to eventually find the truth they purport to seek. You know, the more you hang around someone, the more they grow on you. Is it possible that the God we love could be that ‘sneaky’ with His children?

While the word sneaky does not really fit my description of our Father in Heaven, I do believe that He has plans that we cannot even begin to understand for His children. Think how he helped Zaccheus find a connection with Jesus. A man small of stature, Zaccheus had to climb a tree to get a good look at the Savior but he was also easily accessible when Jesus desired to dine with him in his home. Devious or sneaky is not an attribute I would use to describe of God or His Son, but they will always use the situations available to find ways to bless Their children.

So, I am going to take the approach that these fellows who are so rude, obnoxious, and difficult to endure on the Internet are really people who are preparing themselves for a blessing from the God of Heaven who knows them and will do all He can to bring them home.

Now, they just need to see what is available to them. 😊

SEEING DEEPER

I have been teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for most of my life. As a missionary, my efforts were meager, but I tried as hard as I could to stick to the truths as given in the scriptures. My knowledge of the Bible and The Book of Mormon was basic but over the years more of the truths found therein began to stand out and help in the progress to goodness.

This year is another chance to study deeper in the translated words of Mormon and the other prophets who contributed to the work. Students have been very willing to dig down and discover hidden gems of faith that invite the Holy Ghost to testify of Christ. My own study has increased, as new insights are discovered and shared with those I love.

That brings me to today’s experience.

We are working our way through the book of Alma, a conglomeration of truths/stories assembled by the prophet Mormon. Just before Christmas we spent a full day on Alma chapter 7 where the purpose and experience of the Savior’s atonement was described. The moving words of Alma help us to find comfort in the sacrifice Jesus provided for ALL of God’s children:

For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing of more importance than they all… And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. (Alma 7:7, 11-13, emphasis added)

These wonderful verses have been a comfort to me (and many others) as I have pondered the things that happen in mortal life. And I rejoice because according to Alma, sin has an enemy that will swallow all the pain and anguish it causes – if the individual will allow Christ to be involved in the process.

I believe completely in the power of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice to change us as we seek His help, but as I studied further in the book of Alma there was another discovery that helped me anchor this truth in my heart.

In chapters 8-11 in the book of Alma, we find a story about the missionary efforts of Alma the younger, the once wayward and now repentant son of Alma, the first Chief Judge of the people in Zarahemla. Alma the younger was appointed to the Chief Judge position when his father retired. Additionally, he was also given the responsibility to guide the church as presiding priesthood leader (Prophet). His efforts to bless the people had him working hard in Zarahemla, traveling to the city of Gideon and Melek (finding much success in both) and finally arriving in the city of Ammonihah.

Alma rejected in Ammonihah

The reception in Ammonihah was ‘chilly’ – maybe even ‘frosty.’ So little success was found that Alma determined to move on to another city rather than take the abuse of the leaders. But as he made his way along the path, he was instructed to return to Ammonihah with the assurance that new circumstances would improve the outlook. Immediately, Alma turned around and entered the city by a back way. As he wandered the streets, he stumbled on a resident of the city and asked for food and lodging for the night. 

The man, Amulek (a lapsed member of the church), recognized Alma and invited him to his home for rest and refreshment. Over the next days, Alma and Amulek developed a friendship based in a common desire to serve the Lord in His work. Both men recognized that there were souls in the city who could benefit from the blessings of Christ, so they prepared to share their message – despite Alma’s previous experiences.

When the two men were prepared they went to the place where they could find people who would listen to their words. As expected, they encountered resistance from the same crowd that rejected Alma in his first attempt to teach. But with Amulek, some of the people had a little more incentive to listen to the message.

Alma and Amulek teaching Zeezrom

While probably not a polished as Alma, Amulek began his teaching stating his place in the city as a well-known citizen and recounting the conversion that brought him to his present circumstance. Various individuals asked questions of him and some attempted to trick him into making a mistake in his message, but Amulek was able to answer each question and challenge to the satisfaction of the listeners.

One of the listeners, a lawyer named Zeezrom, took another route to turn the situation to his own benefit. Offering a great deal of money, he invited Amulek to recant his testimony of Christ and the doctrines He taught. This Zeezrom was a well-spoken man who had proven his abilities to twist the truth for his own benefit. His confidence in those abilities gave him the chutzpah to stand up to Amulek’s confession of faith.

How disappointed he must have been when Amulek refused the money AND chastised him for his misbegotten plan. And his disappointment turned to fear as the missionaries taught him the true doctrine of Jesus Christ and the Atonement. In fact, the fear of destruction left Zeezrom physically weak and unable to continue his rantings against Alma and Amulek. In the end, Zeezrom recognized his own sins and the damage he had done to the faith of the people. His change of heart caused his former friends to cast him out of the city forever.

Alma and Amulek continued to preach and were eventually driven from Ammonihah, only to find Zeezrom on his death bed in another town. Laying hands on his head, Alma and Amulek healed the former enemy and raised him up off his death bed. Then they taught him the gospel and helped him enter the church of God. Zeezrom became a powerful instrument in the spreading of the doctrines of Christ among many of the Nephites.

Now, that’s a pretty common story when it comes to religious conversions. A former unbeliever becomes a believer through a spiritual experience that changes their heart (see Saul for example). But that’s only part of the message I think Mormon is trying to give us in these chapters.

If you remember, Alma 7 explained, in detail, the blessings that would be available to those who accepted the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repented of their sins. That redemption is meant for ALL of God’s children, not just a select few. In chapters 8-11 we encounter three individuals who are in varying stages of mortal life.

1.     Alma, a rebellious son of a prophet of God, has been converted and is now doing his best to repair the damage he caused in his younger days. His success is impressive, and we are all inspired by his efforts.

2.     Amulek, a ‘less-active’ member of the church, has been re-converted and invited to help bring other souls to the fountain of Christ. He was not necessarily antagonistic toward the Savior, but he was apathetic in his testimony.

3.     Zeezrom, an opponent of Christ and all He offers. This man had wealth and power as his god and tried to destroy anyone who would try to affect his plans but found peace in the teachings of Christ.

The resurrected Christ appears to the Nephites

The placement of each of these individual characters is a testament to the wisdom and inspiration of Mormon as he assembled the records. It was not by chance that the stories of Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom were given after the teachings of the Atonement of Christ. No, Mormon wanted us to see a deeper application of Christ’s work. Mormon shows us that there is every possibility, despite current circumstance, for anyone to be redeemed by the blood of Christ. 

Jesus did His work for the benefit of all His Father’s children – the rebellious, the apathetic, and the most virulent opponent – each has access to the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ as they acknowledge their need for His redemption.

This experience in my own awakening reminds me that there is a plan in place to guide us all back to our heavenly home. And the most valuable and powerful ‘tool’ is given as we access the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ which prepares us for that future day.